I’m going to be moving in a few weeks, which means I’ll be changing up gyms. I’ve been following a German Volume Training type program for 7 weeks and have been doing really well, but I think my exercise selection could be tweaked and this change in scenery is a good time to get some feedback.
I want to stress that I’m actually seeing improvements doing this, and this isn’t a “Help me, I’m so lost!” thread. I am, however, very open to suggestions from the esteemed assembly on how to get more out of this general program outline.
Below is: 1) my strengths/weaknesses, 2) current program, 3) what I think is good/bad about what I’m doing and 4) Original article/program linked at bottom
- Strengths and Weaknesses
Relative Strengths:
-Glutes, hams, calves
-Back width
Relative Weaknesses:
-Chest
-Side/rear delts
-Tris
-Quads
- The Program - Last week’s #'s included. Only 60-75 seconds rest between all sets.
Sun: Back
A - Neutral Grip Pulldown - 10 x 10 @ 145
B1- Hammer Row - 4 x 12 @ 100
B2- DB Reverse Flye - 4 x 12 @ 15s
C - Decline DB Pullover - 4 x 12 @ 50
Mon: Legs/Arms
A - Back Squat - 10 x 10 @ 140
B1- Standing BB Curl - 4 x 12 @ 40
B2- French Press - 4 x 12 @ 40
B3- Bent Overhead Tri Pushdown - 4 x 12 @ 20
B4- Rope Tri Pushdown - 4 x 12 @ 20
Tue: Chest #1
A - Bench - 10 x 10 @ 135
B1- DB Bench - 6 x 12 @ 30s
B2- Bench Cable Flye - 6 x 12 @ 5s
C - Incline BB Bench - 4 x 12 @ 105
Wed: Deadlift/Back
A - Deadlift - 10 x 10 @ 170
B1- Pullups - 4 x 11
B2- Cable Rev Flye - 4 x 12 @ 5s
C - Hammer Pulldown - 4 x 12 @ 120
Thur: Shoulders (Taken from recent front-page article…)
A - Shoulder Press - 10 x 10 @ 80
B1- Heavy DB Lat Raise/Swing - 4 x 35 @ 25
B2- Machine Rev Flye - 4 x 35 @ 15
C - Supported Bent-Over DB Rev Flye - Drop Set 30/30/15 @ 30/15/5s
Fri: Rest
Saturday: Chest #2
-Same as Chest #1
- What I think is good/bad about the program:
The Good:
-High volume barbell work has visibly leaned me out in 2 months
-Straight sets, high volume, medium rest, medium weight seems to suit my training personality. I’d rather edge up to failure repeatedly than actually fail once, and it seems to get me results.
-4 exercises per workout is few enough that I don’t lose focus
What I’m considering changing:
-Shuffle my back movements to create separate vertical/horizontal pull days
-Taking arms out of squat day, no idea where to put them
-Moving Decline DB Pullovers to a chest day, or replacing them alltogether
-Anything to improve my side/rear delts is fair game
-Adding face pulls
-Alternating in front squats instead of back squats every other week
-Switching to a 14 day rotation to get more variety in on the assistance lifts