Thanks DS. At the mo I'm doing 3x12reps for most things and gradually increasing when I can. Are you saying I could try doing 3x8reps for example but with heavier weights, and that'll give quicker results?
That used to be the school of thought, but these days most people believe that mixing things up on a regular basis is the best way to continue making gains. It keeps your body from settling into a routine. The best gauge of progress is how sore you are after a workout. Soreness is an indication of how far you've torn your muscles down. Bodybuilding is a constant process of tearing your muscles down and then giving them time to recover and rebuild. If you're not sore at all then your body has adapted to your routine and quit growing, so change something up. Maybe that's more sets of fewer reps at a heavier weight, or higher reps at a lower weight, or completely different exercises, or focusing more heavily on one particular body part for a while, anything to mix it up.
I used to do solely weight training and after years my upper body was solid but my cardio was terrible! My gym closed and I joined Crossfit. Wow was that an adjustment, I was sore for 2 or 3 days every time I worked out. But after a couple of years of that my cardio was great but I had lost a lot of upper body muscle mass. I've kept doing Crossfit but also joined a conventional gym again a year ago as well and do both at least twice a week. For me that has been the best balance of working on strength, building muscle and also keeping my cardio up.
How's your diet? 40% of gaining muscle is in the gym and 60% in the kitchen! I mentioned tearing your muscles down and giving them time to recover, feeding your body the right levels of protein, carbs and fat is crucial to the rebuilding phase. You should take in at least 1 gram of protein per pound bodyweight a day. That's a LOT of protein so it's important to track it to be sure you're on point. Also drink at least a gallon of water a day.
Fitness has been a lifelong passion of mine, interestingly the only time I got away from actively remaining fit was after our 3rd kid was born. I went about 6 or 7 years doing little to nothing to stay fit. I didn't get obese, but lost my trim physique and got soft-looking. Maybe it's a coincidence that my XW fell out of love during the same time, or maybe not?
