n00b looking for advice and insight

[subejus]

Hey all,

This is my first time posting here and I'm looking for some insight into my routine as well as what I can expect with respect to progress. A little background about me, I'm 25 now and the last time I had lifted regularly before this recent stint was when I was 19, about 6 years ago now...

I've been lifting on average about 6 days a week for close to three months now following this routine: (google: Power Muscle Burn 5 Day Powerbuilding Split, I can't post a link). The routine calls for five days in a week but I've been going an average of 6 days as opposed to the workout's recommended 5 and that day off usually comes from a day I can't physically make it to the gym (otherwise it would be daily). I also supplement that with around an hour of HIIC 5 times a week.

The gains so far have been fantastic (e.g. I started at an 85 lb (3 x 3) bench and am now at 135 lbs (4 x 4) with a max 1 rep at 160lbs now) and I'm wondering if anyone knows how long I can expect to keep making strength gains like that. I've heard the term 'noob gains' before but from what I've read that's when someone gets a combination of fat loss and muscle gain when they just start out but I'm not sure if that's applicable here or not (I also read it doesn't exist).

My current goals are to get cut and strong (hypertrophy is secondary for me) but my diet is currently at parity with my BMR (I find I get fatigued if I run a deficit).

Thanks for any tips!

[corsair773]

I'm certainly far from being a pro, but two things that jump out is that you go to the gym 6 days a week and are aiming to go every day and the general wisdom seems to be that you need to have more rest days because it is during rest when you grow - the training only stimulates the muscles to grow. Another is your diet - you need to ensure that your diet is tailored to your goals as the correct diet is 50% of your success if not more.

[subejus]

I'm certainly far from being a pro, but two things that jump out is that you go to the gym 6 days a week and are aiming to go every day and the general wisdom seems to be that you need to have more rest days because it is during rest when you grow - the training only stimulates the muscles to grow. Another is your diet - you need to ensure that your diet is tailored to your goals as the correct diet is 50% of your success if not more.

Yeah, I did hear that muscle grows during rest, and the aforementioned workout gives 5 days of rest between groups minimum (but that doesn't necessarily include secondary muscles e.g. working shoulders on the bench I guess).

The diet I am still reading up and conventional wisdom would suggest that wanting to be shredded would require a cut but with the cardio I add into my workout, I find I get fatigued if I'm not eating at least 2500 calories a day. Whether that is parity with my BMR or not I can't rightfully say I know.

[Ozieman3o5]

Yeah, I did hear that muscle grows during rest, and the aforementioned workout gives 5 days of rest between groups minimum (but that doesn't necessarily include secondary muscles e.g. working shoulders on the bench I guess).

The diet I am still reading up and conventional wisdom would suggest that wanting to be shredded would require a cut but with the cardio I add into my workout, I find I get fatigued if I'm not eating at least 2500 calories a day. Whether that is parity with my BMR or not I can't rightfully say I know.

First of all, cardio is not required to build muscle or lose fat, it is generally good for health purposes and to help with burning calories if your on a deficit but your diet is really more than enough to reach your goals. 135 bench is still pretty low and you have been lifting for 6 months, imagine if you would have started with a program like starting strength, i bet you would be benching over 200 in 6 months, you have lost a lot of valuable time doing a brosplit, go do a full body routine dude trust me.

[subejus]

First of all, cardio is not required to build muscle or lose fat, it is generally good for health purposes and to help with burning calories if your on a deficit but your diet is really more than enough to reach your goals. 135 bench is still pretty low and you have been lifting for 6 months, imagine if you would have started with a program like starting strength, i bet you would be benching over 200 in 6 months, you have lost a lot of valuable time doing a brosplit, go do a full body routine dude trust me.

Hmm... so cardio is pretty much only good for making calorie deficits? No BMR increase?

And I've only been lifting for a bit less than three months. A week from today marks the third month. Oh dear God I hope to bench 200 lbs at 6 months!

[riffdex]

Hmm... so cardio is pretty much only good for making calorie deficits? No BMR increase?

And I've only been lifting for a bit less than three months. A week from today marks the third month. Oh dear God I hope to bench 200 lbs at 6 months!

I suggest you switch to starting strength asap if you want to bench 200 at 6 months. Trust me, i wasted a year doing a 5 day split with mediocre progress. I started doing starting strength about 2 months ago and made enormous progress already.