Hi,

Sort of a noob here. Researched quite a bit on here and bb.com but i still have a few questions that need some clarification.

Its about your training routine during bulking and cutting. I know everything that should be known as far as dieting goes but im just not quite sure about how my workouts should look.

1) When im cutting do i need to have the "many reps at a lower weight" routine going, or could i stick to my 3setx8reps way? I know that one of the main things is to keep your heart rate high, but if the same amount of energy is used while doing for instance 3x8 as 4x15 doesnt that come out to the same thing? (more or less)

2) Another thing, from what i heard the way to get gains when bulking is by shocking your muscles. Everytime i get DOMS does that mean that my muscles were "shocked"? Because when i was for instance benching, every week id increase the weights, and id push myself to as far as i can go, but after 4 weeks at keeping that routine i dont get DOMS anymore. Does that mean that im not getting the same gains that i use to? So in order to keep shocking my muscles is it okay for me to change up my routine every 2 weeks or so? As an example:

Week 1 - Incline Bar Bench
Week 2 - Incline Bar Bench
Week 3 - Decline Dumb Bench
Week 4 - Decline Dumb Bench
Week 5 - Flat Bar Bench
Week 6 - Flat Bar Bench

I remember reading to always keep at your routine, and only make small adjustments, but ive tried my way out for 3 weeks now for every single training day that ive had (4 days a week), and since then there hasnt been a day when i didnt have a certain part of my body aching.

Thanks for reading.

Hi,

Sort of a noob here. Researched quite a bit on here and bb.com but i still have a few questions that need some clarification.



Welcome. Have you researched the stickies on this web site?



Its about your training routine during bulking and cutting. I know everything that should be known as far as dieting goes but im just not quite sure about how my workouts should look.

1) When im cutting do i need to have the "many reps at a lower weight" routine going, or could i stick to my 3setx8reps way? I know that one of the main things is to keep your heart rate high, but if the same amount of energy is used while doing for instance 3x8 as 4x15 doesnt that come out to the same thing? (more or less)



Depends on your goals. What are they?



2) Another thing, from what i heard the way to get gains when bulking is by shocking your muscles.



Are you bulking or cutting?



Everytime i get DOMS does that mean that my muscles were "shocked"? Because when i was for instance benching, every week id increase the weights, and id push myself to as far as i can go, but after 4 weeks at keeping that routine i dont get DOMS anymore. Does that mean that im not getting the same gains that i use to? So in order to keep shocking my muscles is it okay for me to change up my routine every 2 weeks or so? As an example:

Week 1 - Incline Bar Bench
Week 2 - Incline Bar Bench
Week 3 - Decline Dumb Bench
Week 4 - Decline Dumb Bench
Week 5 - Flat Bar Bench
Week 6 - Flat Bar Bench



Work on getting stronger first. DOMS may occur at the beginning and then taper off. They're not really necessary as signs of progress.



I remember reading to always keep at your routine, and only make small adjustments, but ive tried my way out for 3 weeks now for every single training day that ive had (4 days a week), and since then there hasnt been a day when i didnt have a certain part of my body aching.



Three weeks is a good start. Keep at it.



Thanks for reading.

1) Whether bulking or cutting, you should always be trying to increase your lifts in one way or another; weight on the bar, reduced rest times with same weight, increased volume etc etc etc. The only thing that changes is the amounts of foods and timing of these foods and such like.

2) IMO, DOMS is an indication of your body reacting to something that it has not experienced before or for a long time. This usually happens when you come back off a layoff or you do a new exercise. After a few weeks, your body now recognises that you are doing, for example, incline bench, and will not give you DOMS any more, unless you change another variable (I mentioned some above). However, this does not mean you are not having an effective workout, as long as you are striving to improve one of those variables each time you lift.

Hope this helps.

Hi,

Sort of a noob here. Researched quite a bit on here and bb.com but i still have a few questions that need some clarification.

Its about your training routine during bulking and cutting. I know everything that should be known as far as dieting goes but im just not quite sure about how my workouts should look.

1) When im cutting do i need to have the "many reps at a lower weight" routine going, or could i stick to my 3setx8reps way? I know that one of the main things is to keep your heart rate high, but if the same amount of energy is used while doing for instance 3x8 as 4x15 doesnt that come out to the same thing? (more or less)

2) Another thing, from what i heard the way to get gains when bulking is by shocking your muscles. Everytime i get DOMS does that mean that my muscles were "shocked"? Because when i was for instance benching, every week id increase the weights, and id push myself to as far as i can go, but after 4 weeks at keeping that routine i dont get DOMS anymore. Does that mean that im not getting the same gains that i use to? So in order to keep shocking my muscles is it okay for me to change up my routine every 2 weeks or so? As an example:

Week 1 - Incline Bar Bench
Week 2 - Incline Bar Bench
Week 3 - Decline Dumb Bench
Week 4 - Decline Dumb Bench
Week 5 - Flat Bar Bench
Week 6 - Flat Bar Bench

I remember reading to always keep at your routine, and only make small adjustments, but ive tried my way out for 3 weeks now for every single training day that ive had (4 days a week), and since then there hasnt been a day when i didnt have a certain part of my body aching.

Thanks for reading.

1. Whether cutting/bulking/culking/or wat ever...You should be constantly varying your rep ranges from time to time. So use both low reps and high reps, just aim for some kind of progression (i.e. more weight, more reps, less rest time, more sets, or a combination)

2. Many believe that DOMS isn't necessarily associated with growth. So I would vary the lifts as often as you want. I know people who vary EVERY single workout. I know others who do the same exercises making progression for months on end. Do what you like. Just don't repeat the same EXACT workout all the time (i.e. same exercises, same reps, same weight, same rest time..etc)