I seem to have hit a wall... Alternative exercises?

[mustbulk]

I have pretty much been on the same exercises since I started working out 4 months ago.


Question 1: Can anyone share with me an alternate program that they think would be good for me to put on some more mass and get my pump back?

Question 2: How frequently should one alternate specific exercises and/or exercise programs?



PUSH:

Flat Dumbell Press
Incline Dumbell Press
Dips
Triceps Pulldowns
Skull Crushers
Seated Dumbell Military Press
Squats


PULL:

Pull Downs (Been trying assisted pullups now)
Bent over rows
Cheat Curls
Preacher Cruls
Shrugs
Deadlifts (sometimes)


As a beginner, I've seem some excellent gains and I loved just getting the pump going. I took 2 weeks off because I seem to have injured my shoulder, as it's always popping and has a dull pain. I went to a physio therapist and he told me that a ligament is tense in my shoulder and that I need to massage it. I think it was BS cuz I massage the crap out of it and it's still been popping. I also stopped taking my protein shakes to try to get my metabolism back down so I could go hard again after my 2 weeks of rest. I lost about 5lbs in those 2 weeks. Anyways, my lifts for the most part seem to be the same and I was even able to put up more weight than before my 2 week break.

The only thing is, when I'm in the gym I don't feel the pump like I used to. I'm doing all of the same workouts as before but there is almost no pump. It's really been bothering me and I'm wondering if this is a sign that my muscles are too used to doing the same workouts.

Thanks a lot for the help guys.

[jgreystoke]

I have pretty much been on the same exercises since I started working out 4 months ago.

You should have a core of big basic barbell movements. You should be using them, or some variation of them, in twenty years time.

Question 1: Can anyone share with me an alternate program that they think would be good for me to put on some more mass and get my pump back?

Rippetoe's Starting Strength.

Question 2: How frequently should one alternate specific exercises and/or exercise programs?

You only change your program when it stops delivering gains. Thus when the "linear progression" of SS stalls, it is time for a more advanced program.

As a beginner, I've seem some excellent gains and I loved just getting the pump going.

I hope by excellent gains you really mean you are much stronger in the basic barbell movements, and you have bigger muscles.

The only thing is, when I'm in the gym I don't feel the pump like I used to. I'm doing all of the same workouts as before but there is almost no pump. It's really been bothering me and I'm wondering if this is a sign that my muscles are too used to doing the same workouts.

Stop worrying about the pump. Concentrate on getting much stronger in the big basic barbell movements, eat a calorie surplus to sustain the gains as long as possible, and you'll be much more muscular.

Buy the Starting Strength even if you don't run the program. Best barbell primer.

[jb4476]

What exactly is "the pump"? Everyone always talks about "the pump" as if that were a criteria for judging the effectiveness of a program or workout (although, the "effectiveness" of one workout doesn't mean anything). If you successfully added some weight to your lifts from last workout...surely, that should be sufficient to "pump you up" and it is the only real way to gauge effectiveness.

Also, WTF? No squat, no deadlift, no bench press, no press?

[mustbulk]

What exactly is "the pump"? Everyone always talks about "the pump" as if that were a criteria for judging the effectiveness of a program or workout (although, the "effectiveness" of one workout doesn't mean anything). If you successfully added some weight to your lifts from last workout...surely, that should be sufficient to "pump you up" and it is the only real way to gauge effectiveness.

Also, WTF? No squat, no deadlift, no bench press, no press?

The pump is when blood rushes into your muscles, causing them to expand for a short period of time. As far as the effectiveness of "the pump", here is a quote from an article you can find on this website:

"Every bodybuilder, athlete and weekend warrior knows what the pump is and how it is quite possibly the most psychologically motivating sensation experienced by gym goers. Of course you train to get big, but as soon as you step foot in the gym there is only one goal on your mind: Get the kind of skin-stretching pump that makes you feel like you can smash through a brick wall."

Apparently this isn't the case for everyone, which can clearly be observed in your statement above, but it does mean something to me and others working out. For a more technical explanation to "the pump" just refer to this link: bodybuilding dot com/fun/the_pump_builds_muscle dot htm (replace "dot" with a ".")

As far as squats, deadlifts, bench press- did you read my thread in it's entirety or did you just skim through it?

[mustbulk]

You should have a core of big basic barbell movements. You should be using them, or some variation of them, in twenty years time.

Is it essential to have barbell movements incorporated in a workout program or can they be substituted by DB exercises? I tend to veer away from BB workouts for safety reasons (usually go to the gym alone w/ no one to spot)

I hope by excellent gains you really mean you are much stronger in the basic barbell movements, and you have bigger muscles.

I'm not doing barbell movements, but my DB movements have increased in strength by 100%. I've gained 20lbs in 3-4 months which is something I thought was impossible prior to taking the gym seriously.

Stop worrying about the pump. Concentrate on getting much stronger in the big basic barbell movements, eat a calorie surplus to sustain the gains as long as possible, and you'll be much more muscular.

Buy the Starting Strength even if you don't run the program. Best barbell primer.

Thanks for the help. I'll look into it further!

[jgreystoke]

Is it essential to have barbell movements incorporated in a workout program or can they be substituted by DB exercises? I tend to veer away from BB workouts for safety reasons (usually go to the gym alone w/ no one to spot)

You should at least do basic barbell movements besides squat and bench:

Deadlifts, power cleans, rows, and overhead presses.

None of them needs a spotter.

The take on spotters is all wrong in my view. Never trust a human spotter. Someone can spot your form, and tell you if you are breaking parallel(crease of the thigh lower than top of the knee) in the squat, for example. But nobody can awkwardly curl a heavy weight of your back if you get into trouble in the squat. Similarly, nobody can safely round back stiff leg dead a heavy weight of your chest.

I use plasterer's trestles as portable power racks. Any gym should have a power rack. In the rack, you can squat and bench safely to your heart's content. Another solution is to use a safety squat stands that have catchers to protect you. You can drag a bench in there. So you can squat and bench safely with such a setup.

Dumbells and machines are great for assistance exercises to help the big basic barbell movements.

I'm not doing barbell movements, but my DB movements have increased in strength by 100%. I've gained 20lbs in 3-4 months which is something I thought was impossible prior to taking the gym seriously.

That's great progress.

Start introducing barbell deads, presses, rows, cleans into your program.

Best of luck.

[azzuk23]

buy a dip belt and do weighted dips instead of bb bench/ also, see if your gym has a power rack

EDIT: just ssen above post. good advice as always

[eabc1804]

Reps to Jgreystoke for saying literally everything I would have in the exact order.

Although, like Jgrey I would have suggested a Rippetoe starting strength program. If you do it the way the program tells you, you will make gains in size and gains in strength - big time. Every time you go to the gym, you will see some gains.

But well done OP for your gains so far. Glad to see it worked for you.

Edit: If you really want gains though, you should include minimally (in my opinion and the opinion of others), if you're not doing starting strength, these into your routine:
- Bench
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Power Cleans OR Rows
- Overhead Press

It's good to see you have some of them in your work out, although I'd suggest using a bar as you won't get the same intensity with dumbells that you would with a barbell, or the same kind of feel to the exercise. However, that might only be my opinion.

Hope this helps a little.

Eddie