How Does This Sound
 

Heres a little info about me:
I've been lifting a little over a year,
I havn't gained a pound, but i gain fat REALLY easy, i have to do alot of cardio to stay lean

I Weigh 165 and i say i havnt gained a pound, but i have gained Massive amounts of stregnth since my start, were talking a max bench from 185 to 250 (1 rep) a 1 hundred somthing dead lift to a 1 rep max of 315

my problem is recently i've been at a platue here is my routine, and a sample diet (what i ate today)

Monday: Chest & Cardio
Tuesday: Back & Cardio
Wed OFF
Thursday: Shoulders & Cardio
Friday: Arms
Sat or Sun: Legs, and the other day off


Heres what i've eaten today

4 eggs w/ a quarter cup of low fat cheese 33 grams protein

A healthy choice and 4pc Sandwich ham 41 grams protein

1 Can all white Albacore Tuna (pre workout)37 grams protein

CHEST

1 pure whey shake 22 grams protein

RUN 2 MILES

2 pc Fish 34 grams protein

A salad only lettuce and low fat dressing

Cauliflower and 1 tbspn butter

8 oz Skim Milk 8 grams protein

1 cup low fat cottage cheese 26 grams protein

TOTAL about 200 Calories and 201 Grams Protein

(i know thats alot of info, but i wanted to answer all questions in advance, i eat like that every day, except 1 day a week where i cheat and eat one meal of my choice and dont count calories or protein)

So any suggestions, or should i stay on track...
Thanks alot i dont really know anyone educated enuff to help

P.S i dont use any sups besides protein shake just MEGA MAN vitamins and Omega 3

what does ur routine look like? where are ur exercises, sets, reps, etc?

well i try to switch it around but heres the basics

Chest:

Flat bech/or Flat DB Press

Incline Bench/ Or Incline DB

Decline Bech

Fly Machine/ or DB Flys

Weighted Dips/or Pullovers

Back:

Tons of Pullups

Rear Lat Pulldown & Foward Lat Pulldowns

Seated Row/ or DB bent

T Bar Row

Deadlifts

Back Extensions

Shoulders:

Standing Rear Shoulder press (Barbell)

Seated Mil Press Front (Barlbell)

Foward DB Raise/ or On Cables

Side DB Raise/ or On Cables

DB and BB Shrugs

Standing Cable Crossovers

Reverse on the Pec Fly Machine (For the rear delts)

Arms:

I just switch it up every week there are so many exersizes

Three different Bi, and Three Different Tri

Legs: (just started only 2 months ago)

Leg Extensions

Barbell Squats

Calf Raise Seated and Standing

Hamstring Extension

Leg Press

Squats


I do four sets of every exersize

usually a warmup of 10 the secound set max weight allowing 8 reps
and the 3rd and 4th sets are max weight allowing 4-7 reps

so do u train to failure on any set?

yeah, on my 3rd and 4th set (sometimes i pump out ten, and i never know how)

but i do aim to fail on those sets before seven reps, but i make sure i can do at least 4 reps

maybe u should try NOT training to failure?

You're doing too much. You don't need to do a third of the volume you have there. Stay away from a split (chest, shoulders, back etc.) and stick to full body workouts. You're just killing yourself for no reason.

A couple things that stick out like a sore thumb:

-Don't do all three angles of bench in one workout...thats not doing anything, especially at 4 sets each

-Deadlifts are at the end of your workout and to failure. Deads should be near the start and you should never plan to go to failure, you're asking for trouble with that one imo

-Behind the head shoulder press can hurt your shoulders bad, not to mention its hard to dump the bar if you fail behind the neck. Also doing standing and then seated is not efficient, you only need to do one and keep it heavy.

-3 Bi and 3 Tri exercises is way too much, especially going to failure. I would guess its impacting your recovery and hindering your pushing and pulling exercises.

-There's no way you can even write leg extensions before squats, let alone do the exercises like that :biglaugh:. The squat goes first, no question about it. And it doesn't need to be done twice, once is enough.

Overall 5 days is too much. Especially with the volume you have.

I'm assuming you're looking to gain mass. Take a look at the routines on the site, and some of the journals. Maybe OVT, needsize's 5x5, SF 5x5 or HST will peak your interest.

Ok well thanks so much for the advice, i read so much but i really never know what actually suites me.

Im going to take all that into consideratin and apply it to my routine because i really dont have anything to loose. I've been platued for a while now, and i guess overtrainng is the reason. Thanks so much for all the help again, it's nice to hear some good advice from some people who know what there talking about. Everyone always thinks they know everything, and half the time with the little i do know i know they are wrong:)

but i guess the last question i have is that if im only eating around 2000 calories a day, but i am taking in on average 200 grams protein will i still get stronger/grow?

You need more calories in order to grow properly. What does your diet look like now? Chances are that if you reduce your overall volume, increase total calories and rest properly you will bust through your plateaus. Good luck. :weights:

theres an example of my diet up top, about 2000 calories and 200 grams protein i weigh 165----i guess i'll up them to about 3000 and that will allow me to squeez in as much more protein as i want also--i think im going to try a 5x5 split