Rate my low effort, high gain program

[OsamaBinPosted]

So, I've been trying out stuff with the goal of getting the most gains for the least effort. For example. I hate squatting, and i know that I would get in trouble with my motivartion if i were to force myself to squat every week. So instead I do single legged hack squats - cause its a lot easier to press one leg to failure than two legs at the same time.

So my program usually looks like this:

MONDAY: Lower - Upperbody
2 sets of single leg hack squats to failure
3 sets on the leg press machine - i use this mainly for volume.
5 sets of calf training

In between the leg training sets, I do 3 sets of bicep curls and 3 sets of tricep excersises with a dumbell for saving time

To finish of i do 2 or 3 sets of chest press, or whatever muscle i am focusing on at the moment.


WEDNESDAY - Upperbody
I do a standard full upper body workout, with the usual excersises
3x incline chest press, 3x pull ups, 3x shoulder press, 3x rows, 2x chest flyes, 3 sets calf presses
and i also get in 2 sets of isolated bicep and tricep excersies (supersetted) when the main lifts that uses tricep/bicep as support are done


SATURDAY: Lower - Upperbody
Upper: 3x chest press, 3x pull ups, 3x shoulder press, 3x rows
Lower: 2 or 3 sets single legged Leg extensions and 3 sets of leg curls


So i end up with 10-12 sets per muscle group evenly spaced over the week.

[SuicideGripMe]

Do whatever you like... I don't understand how people "hate" squatting. Find a variation you actually like and run it. Single leg hack squats? I don't understand how that can even work to be honest. I would just run a proven program and substitute out the squats in the program for whatever variation you like (understanding your gains will not be as great either).

[latverian41]

Stop caring at the first few words.

"Low effort"

Sorry bro there is no such thing when you want anything worth attaining

[TAWS6]

How about no effort

600 mgs

[TheShadowMan]

If you wanna grow something, gotta show something - low effort just ain't good enough.

[Camarija]

OP,

Single leg work to failure is 100% harder than just doing it two legs at a time.

The reason you find it easy is because you're not going anywhere close to failure.

If you want to make it easy on yourself, just follow Fierce 5 Novice or AllPros.

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=159678631

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...9232481&page=1

How about no effort

600 mgs

lmfao, I mean, yeah, that would do it

Non-abusive amounts, like the amount prescribed for TRT, would work just fine too

I'm still in the high 800's @ 35 so no plans to jump on it yet, but when I do decline, I'm 100% getting that prescription

[TolerantLactose]

motivartion

Get out of the mindset that this should have anything to do with your training. Motivation means nothing.

[OsamaBinPosted]

Oh, I am going to failure each rep. The thing with doing single leg presses, is that i can use the other leg for a little push. I use more weight than I can handle, meaning that on noth the up and down movement i am not able or barely able to hold the weight and have to use the other leg for support. It would basically be impossible to work this hard with squats, i.e. to the point where you cannot handle the weight on the down movement even, you would hurt yourself.

I am 38 now, when i was in my early 20s i did a lot of squatting and deadlifts once or twice a week, and as far as i can tell, this method works better, or at least as good for muscle size ... I was propably stronger back then, naturally! as deadlifts and squats builds lower body strength like no other excersises, but in terms of size, I actually think I am bigger now. And I havent hurt my back either.

And thats what i mean with low effort. Back then I was training 4 times a week, up to 5 times, and i was pushing it harder than i do now. However, in terms of muscle size I am bigger now than then.

OP,

Single leg work to failure is 100% harder than just doing it two legs at a time.

The reason you find it easy is because you're not going anywhere close to failure.

If you want to make it easy on yourself, just follow Fierce 5 Novice or AllPros.

lmfao, I mean, yeah, that would do it

Non-abusive amounts, like the amount prescribed for TRT, would work just fine too

I'm still in the high 800's @ 35 so no plans to jump on it yet, but when I do decline, I'm 100% getting that prescription

[OsamaBinPosted]

And regarding my hate for squats (and deadlifts), its obvious: with squats you are carrying 100+ kg, the weight traverses straight down the spine and the whole body is involved. At my age (38) I also need to consider injury potential. A lot of heavy lifters starts to get problems in their 40s and have to get surgery, Id just rather avoid that.

With hack squats and leg presses your back is supported, only the legs are involved if done correctly, and so it is safer and is not so fatiguing on the whole nervouss system.

[SuicideGripMe]

And regarding my hate for squats (and deadlifts), its obvious: with squats you are carrying 100+ kg, the weight traverses straight down the spine and the whole body is involved. At my age (38) I also need to consider injury potential. A lot of heavy lifters starts to get problems in their 40s and have to get surgery, Id just rather avoid that.

With hack squats and leg presses your back is supported, only the legs are involved if done correctly, and so it is safer and is not so fatiguing on the whole nervouss system.

This is extremely wrong... You're confusing how you feel with what actually happens structurely in the body. As you get older, your body will weaken and you need to strengthen the entire structure from the bones to the musculature to the joints to moving in a sound and natural way.

100% for a lifter above 35 years old... I would rather them do box squats or goblet squats than leg presses and hack squats (though I'd probably want to see them do all these lifts at some point in their training cycles). If you can hit 100lb goblet squats for 3 sets of 20... then by all means... do whatever you want. If you can't, I'd make that my goal for legs and then your top "weight" is only 100lbs... so not heavy by your example.

[TolerantLactose]

I'm trying to imagine 100kg as anything but a warm up weight. But since I'm 54, that and the surgeries should be coming at me fast and furious. Any time now.

[OsamaBinPosted]

I'm trying to imagine 100kg as anything but a warm up weight. But since I'm 54, that and the surgeries should be coming at me fast and furious. Any time now.

Ive never deadlifted higher than 3 sets of 150kg at 4-5 reps, and maybe the max i ever squatted was 120 ... There is a big difference in body type. Im a ectomorph .., Right now i am not doing any more than 200kgs leg press, its more than enough for me, but a more compact built guy thats never been to a gym can come in and lift double of that.

I think my legs are my weakest part. Compared to upper body i do 105kg+ cable rows, 36kg dumbells chest press, 110kg pull downs, and 77kg shoulder presses (on machine) all in the rep ranges of 8-12

[air2fakie]

I think my legs are my weakest part.

This is a result, not a cause or condition.

Compared to upper body i do 105kg+ cable rows, 36kg dumbells chest press, 110kg pull downs, and 77kg shoulder presses (on machine) all in the rep ranges of 8-12

None of these are actual lifts.

[TolerantLactose]

Right now i am not doing any more than 200kgs leg press, its more than enough for me

Here's the disconnect: the title of your thread is "high gain" but everything you've said since indicates staying status quo and simply maintaining. That's fine. Just be honest with yourself. There is no low effort, high gain.

[radrd]

Sounds like you have a laundry list of excuses for why you aren't capable of making gains and therefore shouldn't bother putting in the effort to do so. Just admit you treat lifting more like exercise than training and are happy going through the motions. That's perfectly fine and still better than sitting on the couch watching TV. What you haven't done is create some revolutionary approach to lifting that produces substantial gains through minimal effort. That's simply not a thing.

[OsamaBinPosted]

Sounds like you have a laundry list of excuses for why you aren't capable of making gains and therefore shouldn't bother putting in the effort to do so. Just admit you treat lifting more like exercise than training and are happy going through the motions. That's perfectly fine and still better than sitting on the couch watching TV. What you haven't done is create some revolutionary approach to lifting that produces substantial gains through minimal effort. That's simply not a thing.

No, and i havent said that I am not capable of making gains. I have lifted for almost 2 years now and put on 15-20kg of muscle naturaly. At this moment I have propably gained around 70 - 95% of the mass I am able to gain. Science supports this - the first 1 or 2 years oyou gain something like 90% of what you are able to archieve as long as the nutrition and training is properly done.

My strength has also just plateaued, I am only able to make small increases in strength like maybe, maybe doing 1 rep more than last time every other training session.

In the past when I have come to this point I have increased my training from 3 to 4 days a week and training for 2 hours each session. I havent found this to be worth it, Ive only made small increases in strength but the end results have been that Ive become burnt out from training.

And I am not just maintaining. To maintain the most up to date science says that 5 sets each muscle group is enough. I am doing 10 to 12 sets per muscle group a week. I might however go on a maintaining routine if i get bored or want to focus on something else. If i were to loose any muscle mass during that period, that muscle mass will be easily regained anyways.


I am trying different techniques to increase my strength that dont involve training more, like adding more variety and actually lifting lighter. I recently started to have 1 high volume, low weight traning a week, so instead of my normal 6-12 rep range, i am in the 12-20 rep range. If it works, i dont know yet.

[OsamaBinPosted]

And regarding nutrition, I call bs on those people that think you need to eat large amounts of food and consume protein drinks. I did that in my 20s. Eating 5 meals a day and propably averaging at around 180-200g proteins a day. That is about 2g per kg lean weight.

Now I eat 3 times a day and average at about 120-160g protein a day wich is around 1.1 - 1.5 g per kg lean weight, and the only noticable difference then and now is that I got less fat on my body.

[air2fakie]

You should do whatever program makes you happy, whatever your goals are.

But I still find it odd that no one who asks for a program critique or rating on here is ever truly looking for any advice or feedback, and alway seems to think they know more than everyone else.

[radrd]

You've done a good job explaining why your program won't work because high gains aren't possible for you regardless of how much effort you put in. Doesn't seem like a rating is needed.

[TolerantLactose]

Now I eat 3 times a day and average at about 120-160g protein a day wich is around 1.1 - 1.5 g per kg lean weight

So you're an ectomorph with 100+ kg of lbm and a problem of motivating yourself to go to the gym when faced with 100kg squats?

[OsamaBinPosted]

So you're an ectomorph with 100+ kg of lbm and a problem of motivating yourself to go to the gym when faced with 100kg squats?

Yes, I am m 191cm and 105cm. I just dont think squats are worth it when it comes to muscle mass, for overall strength, ok. But just for mass there are just as good alternatives.

[asrl78]

I'm trying to imagine 100kg as anything but a warm up weight. But since I'm 54, that and the surgeries should be coming at me fast and furious. Any time now.

I'm trying to imagine 100kg as an attainable goal as it is well above anything I have ever squatted for reps, nor even a 1RM.

[TolerantLactose]

105cm

I assume you mean kg. When someone says he is 230lbs and sub-5% bf training the way you do at the weights you do, there's going to be skepticism. But you do you. No one is changing anyone's mind here.

[TheShadowMan]

Yes, I am m 191cm and 105cm. I just dont think squats are worth it when it comes to muscle mass, for overall strength, ok. But just for mass there are just as good alternatives.

This post makes me giggle.

[EliKoehn]

I couldn't bench 135 for more than a few reps for several consecutive months and now I can rep 315. It took years of feeling like I would never get there shelving my expectations while continuing to work hard diligently. I despised squatting and neglected it severely while being tempted to entertain notions that I was just naturally not suited for that movement until the work ethic of serious lifters here put me to shame, and then I went from a difficult 275 to a solid 405 in a couple of years. You have to put in the effort or you're going to have precious little to show for your investment.

[pondman]

It's possible to gain if you don't have a lot of time- say 30 minutes per day for lifting. But think the squat is the best way. You also don't need to be squatting to failure.

[OsamaBinPosted]

I couldn't bench 135 for more than a few reps for several consecutive months and now I can rep 315. It took years of feeling like I would never get there shelving my expectations while continuing to work hard diligently. I despised squatting and neglected it severely while being tempted to entertain notions that I was just naturally not suited for that movement until the work ethic of serious lifters here put me to shame, and then I went from a difficult 275 to a solid 405 in a couple of years. You have to put in the effort or you're going to have precious little to show for your investment.

I feel quite good about doing 3x10x36kg dumbell chest press, after all the dumbells only go up to 40kg in my gym, so I am in the top tier. I am gaining strength slowly, was able to get 11 reps on the first set last session, and when i hit 12 reps then i move to 38kg and then the next weight is 40kg, the top tier, wich means I have outgrown the gym and I propably have to start going to another gym for steroid freaks, even thought i am natural, because of my crazy strength.

Oh, and I am also able to max out the cable row machine, at 115 kg with ok, but not great, form. Ive only seen one other person do that in my gym, and she was a grizzly twice my weight.

Also, I am not only able to kick up the pad with almost all the weight loaded on the leg extension machine. I am able to kick the whole machine over with one leg

[air2fakie]

I feel quite good about doing 3x10x36kg dumbell chest press, after all the dumbells only go up to 40kg in my gym, so I am in the top tier. I am gaining strength slowly, was able to get 11 reps on the first set last session, and when i hit 12 reps then i move to 38kg and then the next weight is 40kg, the top tier, wich means I have outgrown the gym and I propably have to start going to another gym for steroid freaks, even thought i am natural, because of my crazy strength.

Oh, and I am also able to max out the cable row machine, at 115 kg with ok, but not great, form. Ive only seen one other person do that in my gym, and she was a grizzly twice my weight.

Also, I am not only able to kick up the pad with almost all the weight loaded on the leg extension machine. I am able to kick the whole machine over with one leg

With your crazy strength, you should enter the cable row & leg extension events in a powerlifting competition.

[TolerantLactose]

Pretty obvious OP is just trolling now.

[radrd]

Pretty obvious OP is just trolling now.

So weird how he suddenly turned red. Don't know how that happened.