Charno

Hi guys,

Getting some great advice in another thread about my exercises and thought I'd see if anyone could tell me where I could improve my full routine.

Ok it's a 4 day split and it looks like this:

Monday
Chest
Flat Dumbbell Press 4-5sets
Incline Press 3-4sets
Dumbbell Flyes 3-4sets
Press Ups 2-3sets
Triceps
Assisted Dips 4sets
Cables Pushdown 3-4sets
Triceps Extension Machine 3-4sets

Tuesday
Back
Single Arm Dumbbell Row 3-4sets
(Wide Grip ) Assisted Pull Ups 3-4sets
Row (Machine) 4sets
Rear Deltoid Fly (Dumbbell) 3-4sets
Abs
Ab Crunch 2sets
Knee Raises 2sets
Plank 2sets

Thursday
Legs
Leg Press 4sets
Extensions 3-4sets
Seated Leg Curl 3-4sets
Squats 3-4sets
Calf Raise 3-4sets

Friday
Shoulders
Shoulder Press 4sets
Arnold Press (Dumbbell) 3-4sets
Side Raises (Dumbbell) 3-4sets
Front Raises (Cable/ Dumbbell) 3-4sets
Biceps
Barbell (Cheat Curls) 4sets
Dumbbell Hammer Curls 3-4sets
Cable Curls 3-4sets

Now following advice in my other thread I want to get some of the basic compounds in there, deadlifts, bent over rows, and whatever else I can fit in there subject to the dearth of non-fancy equipment at my high tech gym. It has a smiths machine, lightweight Olympic bars, a preacher bar, a couple of benches and a full set or dumbbells. Of course it has wall to wall machines. It's not great but it's ok for the minute. It'll have to be I'm paid up for another six months!

So forgive my rambling, any ideas on a nice 4 day split routine? What I should keep? What I should swap out? I've been told in the other thread I'm doing too much in terms of volume so what should I cut back on? I already have a few things I'm going to work in but I'd like opinions on the full routine. Want to build overall strength and particularly biceps and shoulders, where I feel I'm weakest. Also lower back, tend to suffer from stiffness at times so I'd like to strengthen there without straining it too much at first.

Excuse the long thread, I didn't want to miss anything out. Advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

ah24

Chest and back days next to each other?

When I train a 4 day split i go;
mon = chest & biceps
tues = legs
weds = shoulders n traps
thurs = off
fri = back & triceps

Charno

The routine was given to me by an instructor, that's the order he put it in. I suppose I could easily switch that around. Swap Tuesday for Thursday say. That would put shoulders and biceps the day after back and triceps. Would that be better do you think or just the same?

I like to have Wednesday off, more convenient but I suppose I could have another day off instead if it was more beneficial. I don't get in on weekends.

mookie

i do about half what your doing on all those days except legs, only do 4-5 exercises per session on a push/pull/legs split.

__________________
...saw things so much clearer once you were in my rearview mirror

Charno

Yeah, I'm probably doing too much in terms of volume, I need to focus on intensity I reckon. Much tougher to do 2 sets of really intense reps than 4 or 5, or 6 sets of low intensity sets. I'm trying to work my way into that. I'm only a relative beginner though so intensity, full, flat-out work isn't easy to do. I could do with a spotter or training partner really but that's not an option at the minute.

Intensity is still a bit of a holy grail at this stage, for me either I can lift a weight for another rep with good form or I can't (or rather I can if I cheat). Pushing out that extra rep or two seems beyond me once I've failed. I suppose it's a partly psychological, or motivational issue and that's where the lack of a training partner or spotter hurts me. Need to get myself more disciplined.

mookie

The rippetoe 5x5 method is good to build strength, well set out and highly rated perfect for a beginner mate.

The psychological stuff gets me too lol i train alone so getting trapped on last rep of bench press always inhibits attempting to push out an extra rep

__________________
...saw things so much clearer once you were in my rearview mirror

Charno

Thanks I'll look into that. Did some deadlifts yesterday and my lower back is stiff as a board!

I think the smiths machine, power-rack, cage, whatever it's called is pretty good for the solo heavy compounder. I use it for bench press, squats, I could use it for deadlifts and possibly rows (maybe not) but I don't think the range of movement is quite right, you need a bit of an angle, a bit of sway. It's not really ideal for squats either but it makes it easier to go for the fail since you can hook it back on the rack at any point.

It can also of course make you a little lazy in that it's too easy to feel you've had enough and just quit. If you really had to lift it back to the top you'd have to put that extra in. Of course you might not even attempt that last rep. I'm talking in circles here aren't I?

Anyway, thanks. As I said I'll google rippetoe 5x5 and see what it's about.

MXD

I really don't agree with training a muscle per week, its not optimal, even if you are natural.
I also believe that muscle hypertrophy comes with strength gains.

Heavy Upper
Bench 5*5
Weighted pull ups 5*5
Hang clean and press 5*5
Dips 3*6
Yates row 3*6

Heavy lower
Squat 5*5
Dead lift 5*5
Leg extensions 3*6
Calve Raises 3*6

Dynamic Upper
Bench 12-10-8*3-2 % variant
Incline DB bench 10*4
BOR 45 degree 10*3
Arnold press 10*3
Ez bar drag curls 10*3
Ez bar skull krushers 10*3

Dynamic Lower
Squat 12-10-8*3-2 % variant
ATG oly Pin squat 3*10
Dead lifts 12-10-8*3-2 % variant
4" platform snatch grip deadlifts 10*3
Pull throughs 10*3
Calves 15*3

% variant is
week 1: 40% 1 -rm 12 sets of 3
week 2 50% 1 -rm 10 sets of 3
week 3 60% 1 -rm 8 sets of 2

This is a powerlifting routine but on a calorie surplus you will grow like a weed

Charno

Thanks. I don't really want to pile on the pounds with a high calorie diet, this routine will build strength and size just sticking to an average diet right? I'm probably eating enough as it is. Came down from 14stone to 11stone, in the past year or so, don't really want to get much higher than 12stone if I can help it. I don't think I suit the extra weight since my build is fairly slim, I'm around 6ft. Then again I'm not sure what an extra couple of stones of muscle will look like, only an extra couple of fat! I just don't want that big round fat face I used to have!

Your routine is certainly intriguing. I'm not sure what the variant means. 40% of 1, I think that's 40% of the weight you can do for 1 rep. So 50 % and 60% means you're increasing the poundages. Looks like a good routine though, need to check out some of the unfamiliar exercises but I'll certainly try some of that stuff. Thanks for making the effort.

MXD

no worries buddy
yeah you right about the variant, its power lifting speed day work very good for strength, and yeah you'll get strength gains of it eating maintainance.