For the last 11 months, I've been on an overload training program. It has worked really well, as I have gained about 20 lbs of muscle.

But I'm getting to the point where I don't really want to get much bigger.

Any ideas for a good maintenance type program? I don't want to lose muscle.

Calisthenics

What if you just backed off your current program by 50% and see what happens? So long as your protein intake is good you should be able to at least maintain muscle with a lower amount of volume

Back off how? By weight or by days in the gym?

If you've been doing progressive overload just stop increasing weight. Maybe even de-load and increase reps. I agree to adding more calisthenics.

This is what I am currently doing - started trying to cut weight, so I am backing off the 5x5 Stronglifts, doing 3x8 with a 1x3 based on % of max, and adding in accessory lifts that I wouldn't be doing on that program.

One thing that may interest you OP is the ATG program. It seems very interesting and is probably what I am going to transition towards once I hit my strength goals.

I'm just curious - what program have you been on for the past 11 months??

Ag12thman said:

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I'm just curious - what program have you been on for the past 11 months??

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No kidding! If the op is class of 05 and has put on 20lbs of muscle in 11 months, that is one hell of a program.

OP said StrongLifts 5x5

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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Ag12thman said:

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I'm just curious - what program have you been on for the past 11 months??

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No kidding! If the op is class of 05 and has put on 20lbs of muscle in 11 months, that is one hell of a program.

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Yeah, 20 lbs of muscle is insane unless he went from a couch potato who never lifted in his life to a high protein diet and lifting 5 days a week...or he's on gear.

Why don't you want more muscle? What is the down side?

what if he's afraid of getting swoleosis?

Its a series affliction.

Aggie_Boomin 21 said:

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Why don't you want more muscle? What is the down side?

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Lol. This was going to be my question.

Let me get this straight, you'd like to stop building muscle?

I read it more like "I'm tired of doing heavy squats 3 times a week, what can I do to ease off lifting heavy for a while to maintain the gains I've made so far?"

Trying to increase your max every week or every workout gets old and your body needs a break eventually.

I am sure that is probably a big part of his reasoning, if not all of it, but yes for many men there is a point where you don't want to build any more muscle. I'm sure we have all seen guys that look ridiculous because they look like a walking muscle. It can be kind of pathetic.

Uh... those people aren't just naturally showing up in the gym and continuing to lift heavy weights and magically gaining all that muscle. Come on, man.

bam02 said:

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I am sure that is probably a big part of his reasoning, if not all of it, but yes for many men there is a point where you don't want to build any more muscle. I'm sure we have all seen guys that look ridiculous because they look like a walking muscle. It can be kind of pathetic.

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Those guys have been at it longer than 11 months and have put on more than 20 lbs

The workouts get long too once you get to bigger weights.

If OP is only lifting 3 times a week, I'd just switch to a Push-Pull-Legs split and keep the core exercises but spread them across each day. I'd deadlift with back though.

Push - bench, shoulders, triceps
Pull - deadlift, rows, Pulldowns, biceps
Legs - squats, hamstrings, press

If time is an issue during workout, add a day or two a week to keep it simpler.

Yes I know. I am just making the point hypertrophy isn't some never ending goal for most (I assume) guys.

This is what I'm doing currently - but try to space it out so that I can work in an optional Friday upper/Saturday lower time permitting.

I do a full body 5x5 when I want to cut/maintain, as many muscle groups as you can, as many compound lifts as you can. End the workout with some HIIT or kettlebells

AgEng06 said:

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Aggie_Boomin 21 said:

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Why don't you want more muscle? What is the down side?

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Lol. This was going to be my question.

Let me get this straight, you'd like to stop building muscle?

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I'm curious why you're asking like that? OP might be going for a certain aesthetic and feels that he is happy with wherever he is at right now with regards to his aesthetic goals. Not everyone wants to get absolutely yoked.

I have similar such goals of getting to a certain physique and then maintaining, although I feel that everytime I notice my physique nearing my goal I just end up moving the goalpost again lol.

You just answered your own question.

Also, not many people reach their dream physiques after less than a year of lifting.

No, I didn't answer my own question. Not everyone develops a mild case of body dysmorphia when their physique improves. I don't get why someone would be shocked that someone else is happy with where they're at.

Also, OP didn't say he has only been lifting for 11 months, just following a specific program. Before starting lifting seriously a year ago, I had been lifting off and on for years and was fairly muscular when compared to the average guy. OP might have a similar situation. Or he might just not like aggressively muscular look.

But again, everyone has different goals. It seems odd to give a guy grief when he appears to be happy with his physique.

All fair and valid points. I suspect the confusion arises from the sudden desire to stop, given how successful their program has been and given their age.

Very rarely do you hear of people get into a strength based weight lifting program, have tremendous and almost immediate success, add lots of muscle, and then suddenly say "I'm all good". If your goal is to not look overly muscular, you tend to avoid these type of programs. In addition, most people never hit their goals and the ones that due, almost always move the goal posts.

I think that is the source of confusion and perhaps envy…

Dr. Not Yet Dr. Ag said:

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Also, OP didn't say he has only been lifting for 11 months, just following a specific program.

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20 pounds in 11 months gets more crazy if not a newbie. Probably why most people assumed starting from nothing or near it.

I guess I kinda assumed he was exaggerating or miscalculating as he probably made the common assumption of 20lbs weight gain means 20lbs muscle gains when in reality it's probably more like 15 or 16 lbs.

This is what I think. Could also be a really big-framed guy, too.

Wow. I've put on about 4 pounds in the past year. I think a max of 2 of those could be muscle. Need to get on whatever diet and training program he's on.

Easiest way to not gain muscle is to eat less and stop adding weight to the bar.

Gigemags05 said:

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For the last 11 months, I've been on an overload training program. It has worked really well, as I have gained about 20 lbs of muscle.

But I'm getting to the point where I don't really want to get much bigger.

Any ideas for a good maintenance type program? I don't want to lose muscle.

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A good follow for you would be RP Strength. There are a ton of video strategies about maintenance and preventing muscle loss. It's not as simple as just doing cardio, strength etc. You need to consider you level of minimum effective volume and start using that in your training.

Here are some videos which may help:





A lot of this is diet related but the thing is, if you want to maintain, diet is going to be one of your biggest things to consider.

Hope this helps....

bigtruckguy3500 said:

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Wow. I've put on about 4 pounds in the past year. I think a max of 2 of those could be muscle. Need to get on whatever diet and training program he's on.

Easiest way to not gain muscle is to eat less and stop adding weight to the bar.

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I am assuming that the OP had not been maximizing his training before he started the program and once on it, saw significant gains due to not really hitting his potential before this, something very common with beginners or the significantly undertrained. One can see significant gains initially when they are novices and start getting serious, gains which tend to subside as time and training continue. It becomes much harder to gain muscle as the body adapts to the stimulus that it is receiving, and the trainee becomes more advanced. I do wonder if the OP continues on this same program for another year, if he would see a much smaller increase in muscle if he continued to do everything the same as this is natural for those who are novices when they transition to an intermediate trainee. We just do not know enough about the OP to know.

His issue does seem like a good "problem" to have though. But I seriously doubt he sees another 20 lbs increase over the next year if he keeps all things the same even with progressive overload...that would be 40 lbs in 2 years. Possible and very unlikely, without certain special supplementation of course