I’m not interested in getting bulky, just gaining muscle weight. I weight train with compound exercises; squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press. I don’t know whether I should do:
5 sets of 5 repetitions for each exercises- because I hear that it makes the muscle denser and strong pound for pound.
or
3 sets of 8-10 repetitions for each exercises – because I hear that this is the best rep range for muscle growth but it’s sarcoplasmic fluid growth.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
1…learn about proper nutrition and clean bulking
Check out “precision nutrition”
some clean bulking diets you can look up are
-t-dawg2.0
-the anabollic diet
Some basica?
ALWAYS Eat a HEALTHY breakfast, yes you have time
3 snacks a day, being a fruit/veggie….not crap
3 big meals a day…with a veggie and protein source
you should be getting 1 pound of vegetables for every 50 pounds of body weight that you possess…yeah it sounds like a lot but you’ll put on clean weight because of it and not crap
2…Supplements…aren’t a magic pill…if your diet sucks or your putting no effort in at the gym…they wont do crap
good supplements
Protein…have a big shake with this and some creatine before and after your workouts
Creatine…see above, there is no other supplement that’s been studied this much
Fish oil…good for your brain, your joints…because they’re important
BCAA…good for your overall health
Not good
N.O. Supplements…you’ll waste your money by buying them…theres tons of studies saying how much of a waste they are…so stay away
NO stands for Nitric Oxide, a very important molecule that signals the body to do all sorts of important things, one of which is dilate the blood vessels.
Most of these supplements are built around the amino acid L-arginine, which does tend to increase nitric oxide. That’s one reason many nutritionally minded MDs will recommend L-arginine for both the heart and for erectile problems (the connection is that both are affected by circulation).
The thinking behind these NO2 supplements is that by increasing nitric oxide you’ll improve circulation (probably true), which can help nutrients get to their destination in the body (probably true also).
But the idea that doing so is going to translate to bigger muscles is voodoo science.
Sorry. Save your money.
3…the training
A)Cardio…sprints/hill sprints a couple of times a week, it’ll help your legs grow
B)Stretching…yeah I know its boring, just shut up and do it, it’ll help your performance in the long run….check out http://www.exrx.net for different stretches for different body parts…or try a yoga class and no you aren’t too manly for it
C)weights…keep it simple, with a concentration on the big lifts
the following is a great program that’ll have you seeing amazing results….and Yes the guy that wrote it knnows more than you, your friends, myself and anyone you know about training so just follow the program and learn proper techniques for each exercise
http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article//bodybuildings_next_frontier
your second option is better. 3 sets of 8-10 reps.