Bulking Confusion

[umegghiu973]

So I am tryin to bulk up now and I am eating everything in sight and drinkind two 1250 cal shakes a day (one in the morning before breakfast and another after i workout). Now I am seeing progress a little bit, however I seem to be staying relativley around the same weight. I do feel fuller and stronger but in terms of size and overall weight I feel I am lagging. My confusion is, should I continue to train around 4 exercises per body part with around 4-6 sets of 10 reps really just focusing on the movement and the areas I should be working and so on; or should I just be concerned with really trying to move some weights! Obviously lower my reps (to no lower then 4 reps i feel) and cut back to just about 3 very basic heavy compund exercises; then maybe jus another isolation exercise of higher reps with lighter weight just to get the blood into the muscle. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

[Skeptic]

What is your program currently?

 

[umegghiu973]

well I try to get to the gym whenever I can. Right about now the least I go is 3 days a week but it's been getting better, I've been going 4 to 5 times a week now only doing 1 bodypart a day with an auxillary muscle too if i have time...My stats right now are 6'2" and around 198 lbs

 

[The Creator]

The best rep range for hypertrophy is 8-12. 4-6 working sets per exercise may be a little much for that rep range. The occasional periodization to a program that incorporates more weight at lower reps (4-8) will help to build up strength but, overall, your program should be based around the rep range that is most conducive towards building muscle size if that is indeed your goal. Make sure you are not taking in too many supplement calories. Honestly, I dont see the need for the shake before breakfast. I would stick to whole food all day long and just do the shake post workout. You cant force feed muscle growth so keep it within reason and look for an acceptable macronutrient and calorie range. Remember, building muscle naturally takes time. .25 lb a week is something to shoot for on a consistent basis.

 

[umegghiu973]

ya im not expecting much more than a that a week and ive been shooting for about 4000 cals a day just because last year i was a lil bit lighter and had good sucess with 3500 cals a day so logically im a lil heavier so i figure i shold up the calories a lil more too. but my main concern is that ive been bulking for about 5 weeks now and have been fluxuating from as low as 194 to 202lbs. now im assuming this fluxuation is highley due to water weight day by day and also the possibility of losing fat and gaining muscle is what has kept me at relativley the same weight...the past week and a hlaf though i have been more consistantley weighing more toward the 200lb side with little variance