What Am I Doing Wrong?

[nickreds3]

I just had a few questions about my training, nutrition, etc. First a little background about me, I just started lifting again a month ago after being forced to take the summer off due to a job and a bout with mono. During the summer, I lost about 20 lbs going from 175-155. I also lost a TON of muscle and strength. Almost all of my lifts dropped 30-50 lbs (bench 205-155, squat 265-185). I am now trying to get that back and am starting to gain weight (going from 158-163 this past month). I'm gaining weight and hopefully muscle, so I think I'm eating enough. The problem is my strength won't increase. My push day is by far my weaker days as I have skinny long arms. I don't know if my lifting routine (below) is causing this or if it's something else. Should I change it up to include more or less volume or just be patient?

Push A:
Squat 3X12
Bench 10,8,8,6
Incline 3X8
Dips
Shoulder Press 10,8,6
Direct tricep work 6 sets
pushups failure

Pull A:
Deadlift 3X5
Pull ups
lat pulldown 3X12
shrugs 3X15
cable row 12,10,8
one arm dumbbell rows 12,10,8,6
direct bicep work 6 sets

Push A
Pull A
Off
Push A
Pull A
Off
Off

[fuzzybeer]

I just had a few questions about my training, nutrition, etc. First a little background about me, I just started lifting again a month ago after being forced to take the summer off due to a job and a bout with mono. During the summer, I lost about 20 lbs going from 175-155. I also lost a TON of muscle and strength. Almost all of my lifts dropped 30-50 lbs (bench 205-155, squat 265-185). I am now trying to get that back and am starting to gain weight (going from 158-163 this past month). I'm gaining weight and hopefully muscle, so I think I'm eating enough. The problem is my strength won't increase. My push day is by far my weaker days as I have skinny long arms. I don't know if my lifting routine (below) is causing this or if it's something else. Should I change it up to include more or less volume or just be patient?

Push A:
Squat 3X12
Bench 10,8,8,6
Incline 3X8
Dips
Shoulder Press 10,8,6
Direct tricep work 6 sets
pushups failure

Pull A:
Deadlift 3X5
Pull ups
lat pulldown 3X12
shrugs 3X15
cable row 12,10,8
one arm dumbbell rows 12,10,8,6
direct bicep work 6 sets

Push A
Pull A
Off
Push A
Pull A
Off
Off

I think you just have to be more patient. Give it one month more and if nothing helps, try to do a totally different approach

[ktj4l]

This routine is extremely upper body dominant. I.e. on Push you're doing 4 exercises for chest. 7 sets of benching plus whatever you're doing for dips and pushups. You counter this with ONE exercise for legs. At least you're doing the main compound lifts, but they should be the main part of your workout. Ditch some of the chest work, hit benching hard and then do dips or pushups. That's plenty. You also shouldn't need 6 sets of triceps after all that pressing (same with curls on Pull). Do more heavy squats (try the 5-10 rep range for 4-7 sets). Basically... decrease the amount of lifts and the volume a little bit, but increase how hard you train.

What is your diet like? Go read the sticky threads in the nutrition forum, if you haven't already. You're gaining weight, but is it a good bit of muscle? Make sure the diet is as good as possible. Also make sure you're getting enough sleep, actively recover with stretching, etc. Good luck!

[MikeKK]

I just had a few questions about my training, nutrition, etc. First a little background about me, I just started lifting again a month ago after being forced to take the summer off due to a job and a bout with mono. During the summer, I lost about 20 lbs going from 175-155. I also lost a TON of muscle and strength. Almost all of my lifts dropped 30-50 lbs (bench 205-155, squat 265-185). I am now trying to get that back and am starting to gain weight (going from 158-163 this past month). I'm gaining weight and hopefully muscle, so I think I'm eating enough. The problem is my strength won't increase. My push day is by far my weaker days as I have skinny long arms. I don't know if my lifting routine (below) is causing this or if it's something else. Should I change it up to include more or less volume or just be patient?

Push A:
Squat 3X12
Bench 10,8,8,6
Incline 3X8
Dips
Shoulder Press 10,8,6
Direct tricep work 6 sets
pushups failure

Pull A:
Deadlift 3X5
Pull ups
lat pulldown 3X12
shrugs 3X15
cable row 12,10,8
one arm dumbbell rows 12,10,8,6
direct bicep work 6 sets

Push A
Pull A
Off
Push A
Pull A
Off
Off

Looks alright but if you are concerned with strength then maybe make 1 push pull power day (5 reps) and other pushpull sessions hypertrophy?
Like
Push power
Pull power
off
push hyper
pull hyper
off
off

Besides you have hardly any leg work. And DLing a day after squats doesn't exactly help either. Hmm maybe have a look at Lyle McDonald's bulking routine.

But I still think that you could benefit from SS. Maybe give it a try?

[nickreds3]

Looks alright but if you are concerned with strength then maybe make 1 push pull power day (5 reps) and other pushpull sessions hypertrophy?
Like
Push power
Pull power
off
push hyper
pull hyper
off
off

Besides you have hardly any leg work. And DLing a day after squats doesn't exactly help either. Hmm maybe have a look at Lyle McDonald's bulking routine.

But I still think that you could benefit from SS. Maybe give it a try?

Your first suggestion is kind of what I was thinking. It kind of imitates how Layne Norton's PHAT works. I was also throwing in leg press on push day as well, but stopped a few workouts ago. I'll add that back in. How would you recommend splitting squat and deadlift then? I'll check the others out too. I actually tried SS once and just got fat so Id be reluctant to try that again.

[FAO]

Be patient. Its only been a month. Not a very long time in the BB world...

[MikeKK]

Your first suggestion is kind of what I was thinking. It kind of imitates how Layne Norton's PHAT works. I was also throwing in leg press on push day as well, but stopped a few workouts ago. I'll add that back in. How would you recommend splitting squat and deadlift then? I'll check the others out too. I actually tried SS once and just got fat so Id be reluctant to try that again.

Yeah I got fat on SS too lol but what can you do? Yep its similar to PHAT, sorta hybrid training. You could replace DL with SLDL and it would solve the problem. Or try to have 1 day break in between squats and deads.

[nickreds3]

Sorry for another bump, but I'll take all the advice I can get.