i have plateau'd on the bb bench for 6 months havent been able to make gains. do you not suggest i go back to db bench?

Have you tried doing a different movement? Like incline BB, decline DB, and there would be nothing wrong with adding in DB bench every so often or using it as a main movement for a while, you can also do those with incline or decline.
I'm sure Raynor will agree.
Also, what is your diet like etc

Btw how you been bro haven't heard from you in a while.

This post was edited by 7_Deadly_Sins on Sep 18 2012 09:56pm

Broke my lower back in high school, now I feel like I can't use high enough weight to challenge my muscles when I squat or deadlift without causing back pain.

This is with or without a belt.

What would you recommend as the best lifts to substitute for these 2?

7DS is absolutely right. In order to break the plateau you need to try different movements and can add DB into the routine to help build up stabilizers. Some plateaus are hit because of OTHER muscle groups not being strong enough (IE: delts, back, triceps, etc.) You might want to figure out what muscle groups as lacking, and spend a good 4 weeks developing those while giving chest a little rest (only training it to max capacity once every 2 weeks). After the 4 weeks of support muscles and stabilizers has been focused on, go back to bench and you'll see an immediate increase.



On a side note to 7DS, I've been good man, almost done with med school now. How's everything with you???

Sub out leg press for squats, and sub out BB rows and cable rows for deadlifts.

This is the closest you can get without endangering your lower back. However, to strengthen the muscles of the lower back, you would want to try Good Mornings and lower back hyperextensions with low weight.

never worked out in my entire life im 5 ft 10 roughly 67 kg , im not looking to go to the gym because simply i cannot afford it but that is besides the point. I can barely do any pushups because i have never had to work my upper body before this meaning my chest shoulders arms are pretty weak. im not looking to become a body builder or become somewhat big im just looking to put on normal weight. If i start doing pushups situps squats cardio etc will this build any significant muscle at all? Remember i have never worked out before so it would be safe to safe i would have not really any muscle in these places so by doing this excercises it cant be counter productive because i have nothing to loose/shred etc is that right? so in saying this there is no other option for me only home kind of body weights. How should i approach this because i do like 5-10 pushups and it feels like my arms are going to jelly even after 1 set.. should i just burn out on a set then swap to situps burn out a set go to squats burn out etc and so on then try and repeat the cycle and just burn out and push as much as i can out? let me know please

Do i take the whey before and after the workout or just after?

Just after would be fine.

Start with these:



http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=21269614&f=60&p=331731288
Bodyweight exercises

http://forums.d2jsp.org/topic.php?t=21269614&f=60&p=406743805
3,000 calorie diet w/ 40/40/20 macros

I want your opinion on my current routine. I used to do full body workouts 3x a week with a day of rest between because i recover quickly, but i changed it up.

Day 1: Chest & Back

Deadlifts: 8, 6, 6, 6, 4
BB Bench Press: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4
Hanging BB Rows: 12, 10, 10, 10, 8
Incline Bench Press: 10, 8, 6, 4
Lat Pulldown: 12, 10, 8, 8, 8
DB Benchpress: 10, 8, 6, 4
Seated Back Rows: 12, 12, 10, 10, 8
Flyes: 12, 10, 8, 10, 12
Bodyweight Rows: 12, 11, 10, 9, 8

Day 2: Legs

Squats: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4
Front Squats: 8, 8, 8, 8, 8
Leg Press: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4
Leg Extensions: 8, 8, 8 (superset with leg curls)
Leg Curls: 8, 8, 8 (superset with leg extensions)
Calf Raises: 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Day 3: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Standing Military Press: 12, 10, 8, 8, 6
Shoulder Shrugs: 10, 8, 6, 6, 6
Rows: 10, 10, 8, 8, 6
Preacher Curl: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4
CG Bench: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4
Bicep Curl/Skull Crushers (superset): 4x8, 4x12
Hammer Curl/One Handed Overhead Tricep Press (superset) 3x6, 3x12
Overhead Rope Pull: 4x12
Rope Pull Down: 4x8

Day 4: Rest

Repeat