Adding a hypertrophy day to this program (i'm a natural lifter) good or bad?

[knowledgeispower]

PLEASE READ POST BEFORE COMMENTING I have a specific question

So I have a nice little program called ICF 5x5 that I've started a few days ago


First off here are my stats (again I am natural I just like this forum because everyone is educated)

6'2 10-12% bodyfat at around 185 pounds 24 years old. I do have lifting experience in the past and about 7 months ago I started to take it very seriously after a big event in my life. Diet is spot on and very clean with 200g protein a day and the rest carbs with about 15-20% of that being from fat. Eating 3,000-3,500 Calories a day depending on what I do that day. (active job and whatnot)

Bench is about 185x1
Deadlift about 290x1
Squat is around 225x1

I have a decent chest with a nice back/legs and visible abdominal in most lighting but my arms are TINY My arms are only 14.5 inches cold flexed! My torso look good in a shirt (chest shows through and my traps look great) but my arms look like damn noodles hanging through the sleeves.

The ONE thing I want to grow more than anything else is arms.. I have a decent torso but my arms make me look scrawny.. I CAN NOT get them to grow!!

now everyone always says to never alter this program so i'm coming to this forum where you guys are much more experienced than a bunch of 16 year olds.. would it be beneficial for MY GOALS to add a hypertrophy day on Saturday with some more isolation work such as flies lat pull downs and more arm work?? Or do you think this would mess with the structure of the program too much? In all honesty my MAIN goal is hypertrophy but I know i'm lagging in strength so I figured this program would be sufficient for both. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Even if you know of any better routines to fit my goals that would also be greatly appreciated!


So let's get to the program.. it is a Mon Wed Fri program with an ABA BAB pattern

ICF Workout A
Novice Program
Exercise Sets Reps
Squats 5 5
Bench Press 5 5
Bent Over Row 5 5
Barbell Shrugs 3 8
Tricep Extensions 3 8
Straight Bar or Incline Curls 3 8
Hyperextensions with plate 2 10
Cable Crunches 3 10

ICF Workout B
Novice Program
Exercise Sets Reps
Squats 5 5
Deadlift 1 5
Standing Press 5 5
Bent Over Row (10% lighter than Workout A) 5 5
Close Grip Bench Press 3 8
Straight Bar or Incline Curls 3 8
Cable Crunches 3 10

 

[Milton]

Welcome to the site!

 

[knowledgeispower]

Welcome to the site!

Thank you!

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

Every work out should be to hypertrophy. unless you are doing maintenance.

Your routine says you are new to training and should move to a program that Isolates on 1 or 2 muscle groups a day unless your goal is endurance.

Most bodybuilder do a form of 5 days on 2 off. So you are getting maximum isolation on 1 or 2 muscles a day and allowing that mucle group 7 days to grow before you hit is again. Maximum isolation maximum growth.


So welcome to the site. Steroids are not for you for a few years if ever. You need to focus on your diet ( you not getting enough protein ) and learn how to eat for your goals. Diet takes years to dial in but the good news is its fun finding out what works. 80% of your progress depends on your diet. If you don't eat the right thing at the right time you could just be canabalizing your muscles every time you work out.

I I will recommend you go over to the diet forum and start reading. 3J our resident Dietician has a thread over there to get free help. He also provides a paid service. He works with everyone from high school athletes to competitive bodybuilders to 55 year old diabetics.

You should also stop in to the training forum and work on your program. As a rule if you can do more than 6 reps proper reps proper form your not lifting enough weight. ( now this doesn't apply if your are cutting body fat, refining or polishing muscle or body shaping). warm up set then go Lift heavy then do drop sets and rep out your last few sets. Add more exercises per muscle group and increase your sets.

The most Anabolic thing for you is food. Learn how to eat to grow.

 

[darkwing86]

Honestly man ... now this is just my opinion... best rep ranges for hypertrophy are gonna be from 10 to even 15 per set and some exercises and muscles even higher . Keep your reps high . forget the weight . Also , you should be feeling sore (DOMS) the next day after every workout . Ive been training now for 7 years or so and i still get sore the next day after workouts . gear or not . Of course not as sore as i once did ... but its a pretty good indicator you trained the muscle well . if your not feeling sore , something has to change . either increase the reps , intensity , weight , amount of reps and sets , new exercises etc . PUSH yourself . and next nutrition . to gain size , you need to eat . your body weight only goes up from one thing most commonly .... food and sometimes water . get those calories in

 

[knowledgeispower]

But i'm still considered a beginner.. My strength is still pretty low.. So that's why I was trying to stick to a 5x5 to try to throw on some mass and strength. Am I doing the wrong approach?

And no one really answered if it was a good idea to throw that onto the routine or not.

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

Honestly man ... now this is just my opinion... best rep ranges for hypertrophy are gonna be from 10 to even 15 per set and some exercises and muscles even higher . Keep your reps high . forget the weight . Also , you should be feeling sore (DOMS) the next day after every workout . Ive been training now for 7 years or so and i still get sore the next day after workouts . gear or not . Of course not as sore as i once did ... but its a pretty good indicator you trained the muscle well . if your not feeling sore , something has to change . either increase the reps , intensity , weight , amount of reps and sets , new exercises etc . PUSH yourself . and next nutrition . to gain size , you need to eat . your body weight only goes up from one thing most commonly .... food and sometimes water . get those calories in

Hey Dark wing how old are you?

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

But i'm still considered a beginner.. My strength is still pretty low.. So that's why I was trying to stick to a 5x5 to try to throw on some mass and strength. Am I doing the wrong approach?

And no one really answered if it was a good idea to throw that onto the routine or not.

If your not pushing every workout your not going to get stronger of grow. Everything you do after it burns is what make you grow. This is why they say no pain now gain. Now I'm not saying muscle pulls. You need to find a good work out partner. Someone who have been training for real not just some friend who is thinking of getting in shape.

 

[Old Duffer]

Every person kinda has to figure up what works best for them. You've got a mon,wed, fri schedule. Why don't you just do the basic back/biceps, legs, chest/triceps split?

Spend some time building form and foundation with 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each with last set to failure around 8 reps. You won't get big but you will gain strength and tone up and slim up if you also work on your diet plan. Work on your mental game. Anger, intensity. Pushing past your psychological max.

Then apply that to a 5x5 HIT

 

[darkwing86]

Hey Dark wing how old are you?

29 going on 30 in a couple days

 

[darkwing86]

knowledgeispower ... a 5x5 routine is a bit more advanced for strength . when you are first starting ( beginner) i wouldnt be so worried about this as i would be slowly starting to condition my muscles . If you are jumping straight into a 5x5 strength routine ... and your muscles arent even conditioned or used to exercise yet + potential lack of form ... there is so much room for error and injury . stick to higher rep ranges for now undoubtedly . then in say maybe a month u can start more towards the strength if that your goal . but trust me . even in a higher rep range ... you will always get stronger as your muscle adapts , builds and gets bigger / stronger .

 

[Dreaded Pirate Roberts]

Every person kinda has to figure up what works best for them. You've got a mon,wed, fri schedule. Why don't you just do the basic back/biceps, legs, chest/triceps split?

Spend some time building form and foundation with 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each with last set to failure around 8 reps. You won't get big but you will gain strength and tone up and slim up if you also work on your diet plan. Work on your mental game. Anger, intensity. Pushing past your psychological max.

Then apply that to a 5x5 HIT

More set ! 5 sets = 1 warm upset or set of high weight negatives , 2 heavy sets ( you should be feeling the burn ) , then last 2 drop sets where you rep out dropping weight as you fail on a weight. Rest for 4 minutes drink water and put weight back on to finish the last set. Negatives are great. Super sets great too. Good work out partner who will push you priceless.