My routine, criticism please! - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Sam_UK · 11-06-2004, 11:29 PM

I've been lifting for about 6 months now and have recently started a new routine which I hoped would build more dense muscle, anyway here it is - please feel free to criticise or advise;

I don't do a 3/4/5 day split, it's simply exercise one day, rest the next, resume routine the day after..

day1

3-4 reps, 10 sets - heavy as possible keeping good form

Flat Barbell bench press
Bent over barbell rows

day3

10 reps, 5 sets - heavy as possible keeping good form

Squat
Deadlifts/SLDL

day5

10 reps, 5 sets - heavy as possible

dips
chin ups

day7 then returns to day 1, with progressively heavier weight each week and so on....

and that's about it really! I tried to include the compound exercises and this routine is purely for developing mass as far as i'm concerned...

Alot of it was taken from 'the anti body building hypertrophy' routine

Thanks,

Sam

OnePack · 11-06-2004, 11:50 PM

yep, good to see you doing legs :nice: (as a lot of beginners neglect)

personally i would do more different exercises on the triceps, perhaps on variation on tricep extentions, take a look here http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/advanced-bodybuilding/2032-you-want-big-arms-work-your-triceps.html

u might wanna try varying the weight a bit on alternate weeks, e.g. as heavy as poss one day and going for reps the next week.

how about some ab work out and maybe some shoulder work but seeing as you already have good shoulders perhaps you don't need to.

Sam_UK · 12-06-2004, 12:48 AM

Thanks Matraca, it's always nice to recieve good adviced from guys with experience

I have been thinking about including bicep/tricep work on a couple of days as i'm starting to get used to the load, and especially the long sets....

I generally superset the bench press/bent rows and giant set the squats/deads... with 60 seconds between each set for intensity.

Currently i'm only benching 70-80kg, and squatting around 90kg... i'm working on good form before going for heavy weight.

I think I will add Bicep maybe once per week (as I've learned it's a small muscle compared to the triceps) and add some serious tricep work into the routine as well as some weighted ab crunches.. any advice as to which day these additions would be best suited to?

I'm currently taking reflex microwhey protein, i'm on quite a high protein diet, drink plenty of water and i'm just about to start a creatine intake...

I feel my 'girly' wrists limit my lifting potential, perhaps in a year or two I might fill out properly

Sam

Sam_UK · 12-06-2004, 01:24 AM

Just noticed you're in staffords Matraca.... I'm very close to Nantwich, only about 25mins down the road from you!

seems to be quite a few people near me on this forum, which is nice

winger · 12-06-2004, 02:03 AM

I kinda like your routine. It is very basic and sticking to the basic compound lifts. I feel that all bodybuilders and powerlifters need to start with a foundation. This is done with basic compound lifts like you are doing.
If you are getting stronger then you are doing the right thing. If you stop getting stronger than you are eather over training or not getting enough sleep. By this routine and your age you will get stronger. All in all I like it. I see to many people doing to many sets and overtraining.

**hackskii** · 12-06-2004, 02:35 AM

Good routine for power, even more so if you were not supersetting.
Point being is their would be no loss in strength from being pre-fetigued from similer exercises. Push then pull, or visa versa. Does not make any diffrence as either one would not hold you back from the other.
Also the exercises are opposite from each other enabling ballance within the muscle groups.

All in all the routine is basic and good for strength, but I still would not superset and i would add military press in there somewhere.

I do like it though.

Day 3 you could drop the sldl and do some military presses, as squats and deads hit hamstrings some. Military press is a good lift.

winger · 12-06-2004, 02:55 AM

I am going to have to agree with the moderator on this one.

Post a pic if you dare.

**hackskii** · 12-06-2004, 03:34 AM

I did want to add that doing bench, military, dips all will hit the tricep and you wont need much to work this.
Try the compound lifts first and it is a good idea (as you said) to use good form. This is important for strength and lessen the chance of injury.
You are on the right track and let us know how the strength comes along.
You already have your body weight, lift maxes written down so you can use this as a base line for your gains. Dont forget to take a pick first then save it and then do a after pick.

Sam_UK · 12-06-2004, 09:03 AM

Thanks guys it's encouraging to get good feedback and i'll be adding some military presses as you suggest hackskii, as for the strength I feel like i'm getting stronger every week so i'm happy with the progress at the moment

And on second thoughts about the bicep/tricep work - my tri's feel like they get worked hard anyway, and hopefully even more so with military press... I think i'll try stick to these basic compound movements and aquire some good mass before targeting particular muscle groups..

I'm enjoying this routine though, it's a challenge every day and i'm not getting bored of it yet!

Looking into creatine now to give me a little extra power through the compounds

Not sure if i'm quite brave enough to post a pic just yet either lol

Thanks again,

Sam

**hackskii** · 12-06-2004, 05:21 PM

If you are getting stronger then just go with it. No sense changing now as it is not broken to fix it.
You can change things around later when you start to get stale.
Keep up the good work.

GoldenArrow · 12-06-2004, 06:17 PM

I'd change either bench or dips (preferably bench) for military press. You have no upward push otherwise. I'd also change the deadlifts to power cleans or high pulls, but that's just preference.

11-06-2004, 11:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sam_UK Gym Addict Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 100	My routine, criticism please! I've been lifting for about 6 months now and have recently started a new routine which I hoped would build more dense muscle, anyway here it is - please feel free to criticise or advise; I don't do a 3/4/5 day split, it's simply exercise one day, rest the next, resume routine the day after.. day1 3-4 reps, 10 sets - heavy as possible keeping good form Flat Barbell bench press Bent over barbell rows day3 10 reps, 5 sets - heavy as possible keeping good form Squat Deadlifts/SLDL day5 10 reps, 5 sets - heavy as possible dips chin ups day7 then returns to day 1, with progressively heavier weight each week and so on.... and that's about it really! I tried to include the compound exercises and this routine is purely for developing mass as far as i'm concerned... Alot of it was taken from 'the anti body building hypertrophy' routine Thanks, Sam __________________ *Currently:* Height: 6'0, Weight: 200lbs, BF: 15% Arms: 16", Chest: 44", Thighs: 26"

11-06-2004, 11:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
OnePack UK-M's Mascot Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 1,502	yep, good to see you doing legs :nice: (as a lot of beginners neglect) personally i would do more different exercises on the triceps, perhaps on variation on tricep extentions, take a look here http://www.uk-muscle.co.uk/advanced-bodybuilding/2032-you-want-big-arms-work-your-triceps.html u might wanna try varying the weight a bit on alternate weeks, e.g. as heavy as poss one day and going for reps the next week. how about some ab work out and maybe some shoulder work but seeing as you already have good shoulders perhaps you don't need to. __________________ Thank you.

12-06-2004, 12:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
Sam_UK Gym Addict Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 100	Thanks Matraca, it's always nice to recieve good adviced from guys with experience I have been thinking about including bicep/tricep work on a couple of days as i'm starting to get used to the load, and especially the long sets.... I generally superset the bench press/bent rows and giant set the squats/deads... with 60 seconds between each set for intensity. Currently i'm only benching 70-80kg, and squatting around 90kg... i'm working on good form before going for heavy weight. I think I will add Bicep maybe once per week (as I've learned it's a small muscle compared to the triceps) and add some serious tricep work into the routine as well as some weighted ab crunches.. any advice as to which day these additions would be best suited to? I'm currently taking reflex microwhey protein, i'm on quite a high protein diet, drink plenty of water and i'm just about to start a creatine intake... I feel my 'girly' wrists limit my lifting potential, perhaps in a year or two I might fill out properly Sam __________________ *Currently:* Height: 6'0, Weight: 200lbs, BF: 15% Arms: 16", Chest: 44", Thighs: 26"

12-06-2004, 01:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
Sam_UK Gym Addict Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 100	Just noticed you're in staffords Matraca.... I'm very close to Nantwich, only about 25mins down the road from you! seems to be quite a few people near me on this forum, which is nice __________________ *Currently:* Height: 6'0, Weight: 200lbs, BF: 15% Arms: 16", Chest: 44", Thighs: 26"

12-06-2004, 02:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
winger UK-Muscle Male Animal Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 10,328 Blog Entries: 1	I kinda like your routine. It is very basic and sticking to the basic compound lifts. I feel that all bodybuilders and powerlifters need to start with a foundation. This is done with basic compound lifts like you are doing. If you are getting stronger then you are doing the right thing. If you stop getting stronger than you are eather over training or not getting enough sleep. By this routine and your age you will get stronger. All in all I like it. I see to many people doing to many sets and overtraining. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-06-2004, 02:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 23,694	Good routine for power, even more so if you were not supersetting. Point being is their would be no loss in strength from being pre-fetigued from similer exercises. Push then pull, or visa versa. Does not make any diffrence as either one would not hold you back from the other. Also the exercises are opposite from each other enabling ballance within the muscle groups. All in all the routine is basic and good for strength, but I still would not superset and i would add military press in there somewhere. I do like it though. Day 3 you could drop the sldl and do some military presses, as squats and deads hit hamstrings some. Military press is a good lift. __________________ "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - George Carlin Scott To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-06-2004, 02:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
winger UK-Muscle Male Animal Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 10,328 Blog Entries: 1	I am going to have to agree with the moderator on this one. Post a pic if you dare. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-06-2004, 03:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 23,694	I did want to add that doing bench, military, dips all will hit the tricep and you wont need much to work this. Try the compound lifts first and it is a good idea (as you said) to use good form. This is important for strength and lessen the chance of injury. You are on the right track and let us know how the strength comes along. You already have your body weight, lift maxes written down so you can use this as a base line for your gains. Dont forget to take a pick first then save it and then do a after pick. __________________ "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - George Carlin Scott To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-06-2004, 09:03 AM	#9 (permalink)
Sam_UK Gym Addict Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 100	Thanks guys it's encouraging to get good feedback and i'll be adding some military presses as you suggest hackskii, as for the strength I feel like i'm getting stronger every week so i'm happy with the progress at the moment And on second thoughts about the bicep/tricep work - my tri's feel like they get worked hard anyway, and hopefully even more so with military press... I think i'll try stick to these basic compound movements and aquire some good mass before targeting particular muscle groups.. I'm enjoying this routine though, it's a challenge every day and i'm not getting bored of it yet! Looking into creatine now to give me a little extra power through the compounds Not sure if i'm quite brave enough to post a pic just yet either lol Thanks again, Sam __________________ *Currently:* Height: 6'0, Weight: 200lbs, BF: 15% Arms: 16", Chest: 44", Thighs: 26"

12-06-2004, 05:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 23,694	If you are getting stronger then just go with it. No sense changing now as it is not broken to fix it. You can change things around later when you start to get stale. Keep up the good work. __________________ "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - George Carlin Scott To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-06-2004, 06:17 PM	#11 (permalink)
GoldenArrow Gym Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: London Posts: 303	I'd change either bench or dips (preferably bench) for military press. You have no upward push otherwise. I'd also change the deadlifts to power cleans or high pulls, but that's just preference.