a) eat above maintenance, if you're burning more than you're taking in you're not going to make gains, period.
b)I really like an upper/lower split, but feel like I can't isolate muscle groups properly with said split so alternate.
Week 1 I do an upper/lower split,
Week 2 I do individual muscle groups so I can isolate them better.
So for example
Week 1
Monday - Upper
Chest
Flat Barbell bench or Flat Dumbell Bench 3x10
Incline Barbell Bench or Incline Dumbell bench 3x10
Back
Wide Grip Pullups 3x10
Close Grip T-Bar Rows 3x10 OR bent over barbell rows 3x10
Shoulders
Standing Military Press or Seated Dumbell Press 4x10
Lateral Raises Heavy sacrificing form a little bit 2x10
Lateral Raises lighter perfect form 2x10 (Lateral raises are my favorite exercises ever, makes dem wide shoulders brah, sick kunt shoulders brah)
Tuesday - Lower
Squats - 4x10
Deadlifts - 4x10
Calve Raises - 3x10
Leg Extensions 3x10
Wednesday - Fit in Traps/Forearms/Abs etc. all the loose ends.
Shrugs/forearm chit/ab chit
Thurs/Fri repeat mon/tues
If you did BB use DB, DB use BB, etc. switch it up a tiny bit.
The benefit of Upper/lower is hitting each muscle group twice in a week.
Then week 2 you go something like
Monday - Chest, Tuesday Back, Wednesday - Legs, THursday - Shoulders, Friday - Arms
Monday - Barbell/Dumbell Incline Bench 4x10
Barbell/Dumbell Flat Bench 3x10
Incline Dumbell Flys 3x10
Dips 3x10
Tuesday - Back
Deadlifts 5x10
Dumbell Rows 3x10
Wide Grip Pullups 3x10
Close Grip T-Bar Rows 3x10
Wednesday - Legs
(Same as lower body day)
THursday - Shoulders
Standing Barbell Press - 3x10
Seated Dumbell Press - 3x10
Strict Lateral Raises 3x10
Front Raises - 2x10
Bent over laterals - 2x10
Friday Arms
biceps
Standing Supine Curls - Use a weight you can have perfect form with, keep your upper arm straight the whole time. slow up slow down 3x10
Standing Hammer Curles - 3x10
21's for 2-3 sets to finish off your bis
Tris
Close Grip Bench Press 3x10
Skull Crushers 3x10
Close Grip Cable pushdowns 3x10
Some people don't need to do direct arm work, I personally do.
Give that a shot and go from there. FIgure out what works for you.
This is the routine i'm using right now and was using before I let myself become a fat slob again.
I just hit 189 lbs on Friday, down from 224. Really low bodyfat and gonna start packing on the mass again. I'm pretty much shredded at 189 at 5'11 though. But feel too small so gonna eat clean and get back up to a fit jacked 200. So I'm in the same boat as you. Wanting to make them gains again.
sick kunt gains brah, zyzz gains. we're all gonna make it
RIP zyzz