Advice on Muscle Gain for Women

[Rstep27]

I'm an intermediate to advanced female weight trainee, and want to step up to bodybuilding for a bit more muscle mass. I don't need to lose weight, but could decrease body fat, currently around 20.5%.

I've done a ton of reading, and most is specific to male bodybuilders. I'm 44, and I'm not sure I can eat a crap load of calories without fat gain. I have been improving the quality of food and attempting to eat my body weight in protein grams (very hard), stick to complex carbs and the right kind of fat, and I do protein powder.

Currently on a 2 day upper/lower split 4 days/wk, and would like to say with a 2 day split. Recently focusing more on basic compound, and more barbell (at least lower body). Lower body is where I need more mass. Upper body, some but not as much, I seem to build easily there.

Any advice on volume, intensity, etc would be appreciated! Learned about the ExRx.net site from a post here, love the site. Any thoughts on low volume for gain?

[Deviation]

I'm 44, and I'm not sure I can eat a crap load of calories without fat gain.
Eat the right calories with exercise and you'll be fine.

As for advice on exercises for women, I can't offer any. I would imagine you would take on a routine similar to what male body builders do. Not sure why you couldn't. ;)

[Rstep27]

Eat the right calories with exercise and you'll be fine.

As for advice on exercises for women, I can't offer any. I would imagine you would take on a routine similar to what male body builders do. Not sure why you couldn't. ;)

Thanks for the comments, I hope you're right! I do most of the same lifts as male bodybuilders. But the majority of the bulking routines I see are upper body focused, with little to no leg and glute work. Easy enough to trade some of the forearm and lats for legs. Where I get bogged down is low volume vs. high, 5 sets or 2, supersets, post- or pre-exhaustion or neither...

Building mass is quite a bit different for women. Where testosterone helps in burning fat and building muscle, estrogen does practically the opposite. We metabolize very differently. Most experts will say female bodybuilders need plenty of cardio in their routine, and some say women who are trying to bulk should do circuit training (all very counter to hypertrophy science..)

I'd love to know what REALLY works for women. Haha, I guess I should figure it out and post my routine!

[Deviation]

It's a lot of trial and error. There's no "one size fits all" routine, but you can pick and choose pieces.

Guys are always focused on their chests. It's the one part that's easiest to show off. ;)