Ive started to try and build muscle and bulk for the first time. Up until this point I was focusing on losing weight. I hit 185 (started at 270) and its time to build. Here is the workout I am doing every other day. Let me know if it looks like I need to add anything or adjust anything. I cant do much weight for upper body right now as Ive been dealing with shoulder pain for the last few months in my left shoulder. I took two months off weights doing cardio and legs only and just started back with upper body weights two weeks ago. On workout days I eat at surplus calories and on off days I eat at a slight deficit.

I basically do this exact workout every other day.

-15 minute treadmill warmup at 3.5mph

-Standing curl bar curls
8 reps of 50lbs
10 reps of 50lbs
12 reps of 40 lbs
12 reps of 30 lbs

Leg press
10 reps of 160lbs
10 reps of 150 lbs
10 reps of 145lbs
12 reps of 140 lbs

Tricep rope pull down
8 reps of 100lbs
10 reps of 90 lbs
12 reps of 80lbs

Seated calf raise
10 reps of 90 lbs
12 reps of 90lbs
12 reps of 90 lbs

Seated cable row
8 reps of 100 lbs
10 reps of 90 lbs
12 reps of 80 lbs


Leg extension
8 reps of 185 lbs
10 reps of 175 lbs
12 reps of 165 lbs

Prone leg curl
8 reps of 80lbs
10 reps of 70lbs
12 reps of 60lbs

Bench dumbbell press
8 reps of 70 lbs (35lb dumbbells)
10 reps of 60lbs
12 reps of 60 lbs

Shoulder shrugs
8 reps of 80lbs (40lb dumbbells)
10 reps of 80 lbs
12 reps of 70lbs

Plank workout 7 minutes

cool down stretches

Have you considered training specific muscle groups each day 5 days a week? Less sets overall but more intense.

I've read the cardio on weight lifting days is counter productive. My warm ups are usually coffee and light weights.

I know splitting leg and upper body days would be best, but i am doing good getting to the gym every other day, and cant find the drive to work out at home. So, for now its total body every other day. As for the cardio, Im 42 and in the last year have hurt my shoulder and elbow lifting weights so Im just trying to get everything well warmed up before lifting anything. Another issue I have is fitting all the calories into the day. I tend to not eat a lot the first half of the day so often find myself at dinner time still needing to stuff in 1800 calories or more and make myself sick doing it. Need to be better about eating early and often. I eat clean food for my calories and not junk food so it takes a good amount of food to hit 2500+ calories.

Have you looked into a program such as Starting Strength or 5/3/1 that are meant for bulking up? That looks like a lot of accessory work instead of the big muscle groups.

I have not, I will though, thanks for the recommendation.

My wife got me doing starting strength for a while. It was good. I need to work out 5 days a week though vs 3 days a week.

She did starting strength, then isolated muscle groups (regular old weight lifting), and now 5x5. She'll go back to starting strength in 2021 I bet.

I started with starting strength, At 44 I was the strongest I had ever been, I changed up and now I am running 5/3/1. I did the 5x5 years ago and did not get the results I did with Starting strength. The rest and eating are a huge part of the starting strength program.

Tenacity.

Okay, take this for what it is worth, but I have been a bodybuilder for the past 30 years. Let's start with:

1. Your diet: If you are in a bulking cycle, you NEED to be eating on your off days. Switch to five smaller meals a day (you can substitute a protein shake for two of your meals). Eating clean is easier to cut than a "dirty bulk". Lots of protein, rice, potatoes (if you are bulking), and good old fashioned milk.

2. Muscles need rest to grow. When I use to bulk (I am 6"2" and 265-270 lbs winter, then drop to about 250 for the summer) you need to remember that muscles grow with rest. So use the following:

Day 1: Push exercises (Triceps, shoulders, chest). I do 8 sets for each body part broken into two exercises or 9 sets broken into three.
Day 2 Pull Exercises (Back, Biceps and add either Hamstrings or Quads).
Day 3 Rest
Day 4 Push Exercises (Triceps, shoulders, chest) Same thing as Day 1, but vary the exercises.
Day 5 Pull Exercises (Back, Biceps, and then whichever leg muscle I didn't work on Day 2)
Day 6 Rest
Day 7 Rest

To bulk, keep to the compound exercises (Bench, deadlift, shoulder press, and squats/legpress). Arms are easy.

Whoever tells you to work each muscle group each day has never done any serious bodybuilding training. A body is built is this order: Diet, Exercise, Rest.

So, I will end up doing 16 total sets per body part per week.

People tend to over train and then get burned out. If your muscles aren't sore with the above workout, then you aren't training hard enough.

"Accessory Work" is for finishing off a muscle, not building one.

Edited: I just looked at the Starting Strength Program. That is basically what I was telling you above, so if you like organization, that looks like a good one. Remember, you sometimes have to force yourself. Force yourself to remember to eat, (Protein Shake is better than nothing) and force yourself to go to the gym on a schedule. Getting healthy is a lifestyle choice, not a hobby.

Starting strength will never get you a pump or muscles.

Good stuff

great job on your weight loss!!

i got winded just reading your schedule