Cephalic Carnage: How Do You Train?

Training Bodybuilding
821

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Mr.Purple wrote:
Imma gonna try to group Chest with Back instead of Chest and Arms like I usually do. My triceps work always ends up sucking ass. I actually ditched triceps on my Chest+Arms day yesterday and did Back+Triceps today instead. I use pin-presses for triceps now, would you put those before Delt work on Delts+Arms day?

Cheers.

You should be able to do your pin work for the tris after the delt stuff, provided that you set the pins some inches above the chest (similar to a 2 or even 3-board press). (donā€™t forget to take your PL setup into consideration when choosing pin height)

If that doesnā€™t work for you or you just want to prioritize the tris, do your pin cgp first.

And if all else fails, just do delts after back on chest+back day instead of on arm day. That can be a bit tough, though.

[/quote]

I put the pins so that I get 2(and a half) fingers between my chest and the bar. I think if I move it up to the next step it will be several inches higher. Iā€™ll give it a try.

So you would usually go Delts/Biceps/Triceps, but Triceps/Biceps/Delts should work well too? I do feel that my triceps are more of a weak point than my shoulders.

822

[quote]Mr.Purple wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Mr.Purple wrote:
Imma gonna try to group Chest with Back instead of Chest and Arms like I usually do. My triceps work always ends up sucking ass. I actually ditched triceps on my Chest+Arms day yesterday and did Back+Triceps today instead. I use pin-presses for triceps now, would you put those before Delt work on Delts+Arms day?

Cheers.

You should be able to do your pin work for the tris after the delt stuff, provided that you set the pins some inches above the chest (similar to a 2 or even 3-board press). (donā€™t forget to take your PL setup into consideration when choosing pin height)

If that doesnā€™t work for you or you just want to prioritize the tris, do your pin cgp first.

And if all else fails, just do delts after back on chest+back day instead of on arm day. That can be a bit tough, though.

I put the pins so that I get 2(and a half) fingers between my chest and the bar. I think if I move it up to the next step it will be several inches higher. Iā€™ll give it a try.

So you would usually go Delts/Biceps/Triceps, but Triceps/Biceps/Delts should work well too? I do feel that my triceps are more of a weak point than my shoulders.
[/quote]

If you want to put tris first, Iā€™d suggest not doing all tri exercises one after the other.
That would tire out your tris so much that youā€™ll really suck on your overhead workā€¦

Rather, do it like this (for example):

-Pin CGP
-Machine OHP or SHIPs
-Laterals
-Pinwheels
-Dead Stop Extensions
-Conc Curls (I find that conc curls are nice for super-setting with Dead Stop Extensionsā€¦ Saves you some time)

Or soā€¦ Or just do bis after the other muscle-groups are done, whatever you want.

823

Hey CC,

iā€™d appreciate it if you could take a look at my log for 5/3/1 since i am using one of your templates and let me know what you think.

Thanks
Yanni

824

Hey CC,

iā€™d appreciate it if you could take a look at my log for 5/3/1 since i am using one of your templates and let me know what you think.

Thanks
Yanni

825

[quote]yannipapal wrote:
Hey CC,

iā€™d appreciate it if you could take a look at my log for 5/3/1 since i am using one of your templates and let me know what you think.

Thanks
Yanni[/quote]

Done.

826

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Mr.Purple wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Mr.Purple wrote:
Imma gonna try to group Chest with Back instead of Chest and Arms like I usually do. My triceps work always ends up sucking ass. I actually ditched triceps on my Chest+Arms day yesterday and did Back+Triceps today instead. I use pin-presses for triceps now, would you put those before Delt work on Delts+Arms day?

Cheers.

You should be able to do your pin work for the tris after the delt stuff, provided that you set the pins some inches above the chest (similar to a 2 or even 3-board press). (donā€™t forget to take your PL setup into consideration when choosing pin height)

If that doesnā€™t work for you or you just want to prioritize the tris, do your pin cgp first.

And if all else fails, just do delts after back on chest+back day instead of on arm day. That can be a bit tough, though.

I put the pins so that I get 2(and a half) fingers between my chest and the bar. I think if I move it up to the next step it will be several inches higher. Iā€™ll give it a try.

So you would usually go Delts/Biceps/Triceps, but Triceps/Biceps/Delts should work well too? I do feel that my triceps are more of a weak point than my shoulders.

If you want to put tris first, Iā€™d suggest not doing all tri exercises one after the other.
That would tire out your tris so much that youā€™ll really suck on your overhead workā€¦

Rather, do it like this (for example):

-Pin CGP
-Machine OHP or SHIPs
-Laterals
-Pinwheels
-Dead Stop Extensions
-Conc Curls (I find that conc curls are nice for super-setting with Dead Stop Extensionsā€¦ Saves you some time)

Or soā€¦ Or just do bis after the other muscle-groups are done, whatever you want.
[/quote]

Thanks, man. Put it on my bill :wink:

827

How do you do your conc curls btw? One arm at a time on the preacher? Seated on a bench with elbow on thigh?

Also, I think Iā€™ll do just one workset 6-10, 8-12 and so on laterals, pinwheels and curls. It seems to work just fine for those exercises and takes less time. For heavy BB work, Iā€™ll do the 5RM thing. And on dead stops too.

Sound ok?

Man, the questions never stops. haha

828

Man, I am loving splitting up the legs and shoulders into their own days. Did you ever get to see Evans video on MD of shoulder training?

Fucking insane, I modeled my workout after that and it was brutal.

I must say though, after doing DB military for so long, when I did seated and standing BB press, my lats were probably the sorest they have ever been in my life the next day haha, weird.

BTW those rack pulls and one arm T-Bars are seriously making my back thickness improve like crazy. Happening the same way it did for my triceps once I found the right exercises.

829

Hey C_C

I think iā€™ve been doing dumbell rows all wrong for back thickness. This may sound like a stupid question but am I supposed to get a stretch at the bottom part of the lift or should i keep my scapulae retracted? Iā€™ve been doing it so that when the dumbell is lowered all the way I get a stretch

Also, howā€™s this for exercise orderā€¦flat bp, incline bp, then floor press

Thanks a lot for your time.

830

[quote]yvanehtnioj wrote:
Hey C_C

I think iā€™ve been doing dumbell rows all wrong for back thickness. This may sound like a stupid question but am I supposed to get a stretch at the bottom part of the lift or should i keep my scapulae retracted? Iā€™ve been doing it so that when the dumbell is lowered all the way I get a stretch
[/quote] No, you donā€™t keep them retracted. You retracting them on the positive and reverse that on the negative. The retraction is sort of half the repā€¦ Itā€™s like getting into the bottom position of a pl bench setup, just that youā€™re standing and not arching quite so much etc. [quote]
Also, howā€™s this for exercise orderā€¦flat bp, incline bp, then floor press

Thanks a lot for your time.[/quote]

If youā€™re doing the floor press for your chest, well, I personally wouldnā€™t be able to do it justice after the other 2 pressing exercisesā€¦ But thatā€™s just me.

831

I have replied to all the questions you asked of me in my training log, just wanted you to be aware.

832

[quote]Matthaeus wrote:
I have replied to all the questions you asked of me in my training log, just wanted you to be aware.[/quote]

Saw them before you made this post, actually was busy answering, but some video I wanted you to see crashed my browser and I lost the whole postā€¦ Bloody hell. Pissed me off so much that I went into the kitchen to find something to eat lol

Iā€™ll reply later on.

833

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
yvanehtnioj wrote:
Hey C_C

I think iā€™ve been doing dumbell rows all wrong for back thickness. This may sound like a stupid question but am I supposed to get a stretch at the bottom part of the lift or should i keep my scapulae retracted? Iā€™ve been doing it so that when the dumbell is lowered all the way I get a stretch
No, you donā€™t keep them retracted. You retracting them on the positive and reverse that on the negative. The retraction is sort of half the repā€¦ Itā€™s like getting into the bottom position of a pl bench setup, just that youā€™re standing and not arching quite so much etc.
Also, howā€™s this for exercise orderā€¦flat bp, incline bp, then floor press

Thanks a lot for your time.

If youā€™re doing the floor press for your chest, well, I personally wouldnā€™t be able to do it justice after the other 2 pressing exercisesā€¦ But thatā€™s just me.

[/quote]

Thanks a lot. I do all my presses with shoulder width grip because I find that Iā€™m much stronger than using a wide grip. I added the floor presses in because my triceps really suck.

How many exercises do you rest pause? I do it on deadlifts, shoulder presses, and alt. dumbell curls. I was thinking about also doing it for flat bench press. Any thoughts?

Thanks again.

834

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Matthaeus wrote:
I have replied to all the questions you asked of me in my training log, just wanted you to be aware.

Saw them before you made this post, actually was busy answering, but some video I wanted you to see crashed my browser and I lost the whole postā€¦ Bloody hell. Pissed me off so much that I went into the kitchen to find something to eat lol

Iā€™ll reply later on.
[/quote]

Dammit fucking shitty German computers.

835

[quote]yvanehtnioj wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
yvanehtnioj wrote:
Hey C_C

I think iā€™ve been doing dumbell rows all wrong for back thickness. This may sound like a stupid question but am I supposed to get a stretch at the bottom part of the lift or should i keep my scapulae retracted? Iā€™ve been doing it so that when the dumbell is lowered all the way I get a stretch
No, you donā€™t keep them retracted. You retracting them on the positive and reverse that on the negative. The retraction is sort of half the repā€¦ Itā€™s like getting into the bottom position of a pl bench setup, just that youā€™re standing and not arching quite so much etc.
Also, howā€™s this for exercise orderā€¦flat bp, incline bp, then floor press

Thanks a lot for your time.

If youā€™re doing the floor press for your chest, well, I personally wouldnā€™t be able to do it justice after the other 2 pressing exercisesā€¦ But thatā€™s just me.

Thanks a lot. I do all my presses with shoulder width grip because I find that Iā€™m much stronger than using a wide grip. I added the floor presses in because my triceps really suck.

How many exercises do you rest pause? I do it on deadlifts, shoulder presses, and alt. dumbell curls. I was thinking about also doing it for flat bench press. Any thoughts?

Thanks again.

[/quote]

to the beginners forum!

EDIT:

sorry that was rude, NEVER rest pause deadlifts, my eyes lit up when i saw this because i had a bad back injury from deadlifting and i can only imagine the consesquences if i tried to rest pause that.

836

[quote]yvanehtnioj wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
yvanehtnioj wrote:
Hey C_C

I think iā€™ve been doing dumbell rows all wrong for back thickness. This may sound like a stupid question but am I supposed to get a stretch at the bottom part of the lift or should i keep my scapulae retracted? Iā€™ve been doing it so that when the dumbell is lowered all the way I get a stretch
No, you donā€™t keep them retracted. You retracting them on the positive and reverse that on the negative. The retraction is sort of half the repā€¦ Itā€™s like getting into the bottom position of a pl bench setup, just that youā€™re standing and not arching quite so much etc.
Also, howā€™s this for exercise orderā€¦flat bp, incline bp, then floor press

Thanks a lot for your time.

If youā€™re doing the floor press for your chest, well, I personally wouldnā€™t be able to do it justice after the other 2 pressing exercisesā€¦ But thatā€™s just me.

Thanks a lot. I do all my presses with shoulder width grip because I find that Iā€™m much stronger than using a wide grip. I added the floor presses in because my triceps really suck.

How many exercises do you rest pause? I do it on deadlifts, shoulder presses, and alt. dumbell curls. I was thinking about also doing it for flat bench press. Any thoughts?

Thanks again.

[/quote]

If weā€™re talking DC-rest-pause, then never do that with any lift that involves the low back in a major wayā€¦ Like Deadlifts, Back Squats, Standing BO Rows, GMā€™s and so on.

If your triceps suck, go with pin CGPā€™s, In-Humans, SWRGBā€™s, 2 or 3 board CGPā€™sā€¦

837

[quote]Matthaeus wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Matthaeus wrote:
I have replied to all the questions you asked of me in my training log, just wanted you to be aware.

Saw them before you made this post, actually was busy answering, but some video I wanted you to see crashed my browser and I lost the whole postā€¦ Bloody hell. Pissed me off so much that I went into the kitchen to find something to eat lol

Iā€™ll reply later on.

Dammit fucking shitty German computers.[/quote]

Itā€™s actually a linux + mozilla firefox problem.

838

Weā€™re anxiously awaiting that 5/3/1 template page! :smiley:

Hereā€™s what Iā€™m using right now, it was posted a few pages back but not critiqued:

squats- 5-6 sets working from 8-2 reps
close stance leg presses 3-4 sets sticking around 20 reps
leg curls 4-5 sets sticking around 8-10 reps
seated calves 3-4 sets sticking around 8-10 reps

over head presses 5-6 sets working from 10-4 reps
lateral variation 3-4 sets sticking around 8-12 reps
dumbell shrugs 4-5 sets 6-10 reps
dips 4-5 sets working on getting all the sets to 12 reps falling short so far
floor skulls 2-3 sets sticking around 10 reps

pullups 5-6 sets also working towards getting 12 reps every set
deadlifts 4-5 sets working from 8-2 reps
single arm dumbell rows 3-4 sets 8-10 reps
single leg curls 3-4 sets 10-15 reps
standing calve raises 4-5 sets 8-10 reps

incline press 5-6 sets working from 8-2 reps
flat press 4-5 sets 6-8 rep range
chins 4 sets working towards 12 reps every set
alternating dumbell curl 1-2 sets 6-8 reps

839

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
yvanehtnioj wrote:
Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
yvanehtnioj wrote:
Hey C_C

I think iā€™ve been doing dumbell rows all wrong for back thickness. This may sound like a stupid question but am I supposed to get a stretch at the bottom part of the lift or should i keep my scapulae retracted? Iā€™ve been doing it so that when the dumbell is lowered all the way I get a stretch
No, you donā€™t keep them retracted. You retracting them on the positive and reverse that on the negative. The retraction is sort of half the repā€¦ Itā€™s like getting into the bottom position of a pl bench setup, just that youā€™re standing and not arching quite so much etc.
Also, howā€™s this for exercise orderā€¦flat bp, incline bp, then floor press

Thanks a lot for your time.

If youā€™re doing the floor press for your chest, well, I personally wouldnā€™t be able to do it justice after the other 2 pressing exercisesā€¦ But thatā€™s just me.

Thanks a lot. I do all my presses with shoulder width grip because I find that Iā€™m much stronger than using a wide grip. I added the floor presses in because my triceps really suck.

How many exercises do you rest pause? I do it on deadlifts, shoulder presses, and alt. dumbell curls. I was thinking about also doing it for flat bench press. Any thoughts?

Thanks again.

If weā€™re talking DC-rest-pause, then never do that with any lift that involves the low back in a major wayā€¦ Like Deadlifts, Back Squats, Standing BO Rows, GMā€™s and so on.

If your triceps suck, go with pin CGPā€™s, In-Humans, SWRGBā€™s, 2 or 3 board CGPā€™sā€¦

[/quote]

Alright Iā€™ll switch to pin cgpā€™s. Thanks for your answers

840

CC, Iā€™ve got a question for you about your 3 day split.

[quote]CC wrote:

"Day 1 - Chest, Biceps, Triceps (yes, in that order to give tris a rest after chest)
Day 2 - Legs
Day 3 - Off
Day 4 - Delts, Back (in that order)
Day 5 - off
Day 6 - either restart the cycle or another off-dayā€¦ You can do this routine over 3 days a week or repeat it after every 5th dayā€¦ Your call.

(warmups in this case Iā€™d do something like 8, 5-6, 3-4, work-set or so.

(for each ā€œ-ā€, pick one exercise that fits the category)

Chest
-Low incline exercise (bb, db, machine), ramp up over 4 sets with relatively even weight jumps. Iā€™d use 6-10 or so as your rep-range. (move up in weight in small increments once you can do 8, 9 or 10 repsā€¦ Make sure you ā€œownā€ the weight before moving up)
-flat or decline exercise (bb, db, machine) ramp over 3-4 sets. 6-10 on final set.

Bis
-alt. db curls, EZ curls, low cable-curlsā€¦ Whatever. 3-4 sets (could go 8 reps, 4-6 reps, work set), ramped, 6-10.
-incline offset grip curls, preachers, machine curlsā€¦ 2-3 sets ramped
6-10 or 8-12 on the last set.

Tris
-CGP (elbows tucked, grip as wide as necessary so that you can stay fully tuckedā€¦), In-Human Press, S-wide-RGB (DC grip), HS dipsā€¦
3-4 sets ramped, 6-10 on the last.
-PJRā€™s, Larry Scott Extensions, Rolling DB extensions on the floor, Lying EZ extensions (bar comes down behind head), ā€¦ 3 sets or 4 sets ramped.[/quote]

So, on this day is the trainee supposed to do the following:

Incline bench x6-10
Flat/decline bench x 6-10
Curl x 6-10
Different curl x 8-12
Tricep dominant pressing exercise x 6-10
Extension x 6-10

It seems like a lot of pressing in one day if Iā€™ve interpreted it correctly, but is what Iā€™ve just laid out essentially correct?