I know there are a few programs that revolve around a upper/lower split such as WSFSB. I’d like to have at least 4 training days a week, anything less and it feels like im doing nothing.
I was wondering after I finish my current program in 8 weeks should I design my own upper/lower strength program or just do something like WSFSB 3. So if anyone got suggestions about other programs or advice on designing an upper/lower split that would be helpful.
I just started up training again, im doing an upper/lower split, looks something like this:
monday:
bb bench - working up to 2 work sets of 8 reps
bb row - working up to 2 work sets of 8 reps
rear delt machine - 4x12-15
bb shrug - 3x8
db curl - 3x8
ez bar triceps extension - 3x8
tuesday:
squat - 4x12-15
lunge - 3x12-15
r dl - 3x8
abs
thursday:
military press - working up to 2 work sets of 8 reps
lat pulldown - working up to 2 work sets of 8 reps
rear delt flyes - 4x12-15
db shrug - 3x8-10
db curl - 3x8
ez bar triceps extension - 3x8
friday:
deadlift - work up to max set of 8 reps
lunge - 3x12
leg press - 3x12
abs
I have been doing this type of split for about 3 weeks now with great results. this is a modified for me from a workout in an article Here:
Monday: Heavy Upper Body
A1: Barbell bench press 6x3 super with clap push-ups x 8
A2: T-bar row 6x3
B1: Standing barbell shoulder press 5x5
B2: Pull-up 5x5
C1: close grip bench 3x5
C2: Barbell curl drop 3x5
Tuesday: Light Lower Body and Abs
A1: Unilateral leg press 1x25 / 1x20 / 1x15
A2: Dumbbell stiff leg deadlift 3x12-15
B1: jump squat 2x30
B2: Seated calf raise 3x20
C1: Pulley Crunch 3xfailure
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Light Upper Body
A1: Decline dumbbell bench press 1x15 / 1x12 / 1x20
A2: Dumbbell row 1x15 / 1x12 / 1x20
B1: Dumbbell lateral raise 3x15
B2: Pulldown to the front or pull ups 3x15
C1: 21’s curl 2 sets
C2: Skullcrusher 2x15
Friday: Heavy Lower Body and Abs
Barbell squat 6x4 Be a real man and squat deep!!!
deadlift 1x8 / 1x6 / 1x4 / 1x2
Lying leg curl 3x6
Standing calf raise 5x5
Hanging leg raise 3x8
Saturday HIT training or active recovery.
Sunday : Off
I’ve been doing a WSFSB-esque split for 5 weeks now with GREAT results, but that could just be newbie gains from my first real bulk ever.
Sunday- ME upper
A. Bench variation 5RM
B. Cable crossover 2x12-15
C. T-bar row 4x6-8
D1. Incline DB press 3x8-10
D2. Lat pulldown 3x8-10
E1. preacher curl 3x10-12
E2. Lateral raises 3x10-12
Monday- off/cardio
Tuesday- Leg 1
A. Squat variant 5RM
B. SLDL 4x6-8
C1. Leg press 3x10-12
C2. hypers 3x10-12
D1. Standing calf 4x10-12
D2. Weighted decline situps 4xfailure (~12)
Wed- off
Thurs- hybrid rep upper
A1. Incline bench 4x6-8 (no rest)
A2. Flyes 4x10-12 (2 mins rest)
A3. Bent BB row 4x6-8 (no rest)
A4. upper back “X row” 4x10-12 (2 mins)
In same style as above “giant set”
B1. Pullup 3x6-8
B2. Standing BB curl 3x10-12
B3. dips 3x6-8
B4. standing tri extension 3x10-12
fri- off/cardio
Saturday- Leg 2
A. DL variant 5RM
B. Front squat 4x6-8
C1. Leg curl 3x10-12
C2. Rev. lunge 3x10-12
D1. Seated calf 4x12-15
D2. hanging leg raise 4xfail
In 5 weeks I’ve gained 13 lbs, and judging by the mirror not a whole lot is fat, maybe like 3-5 lbs. I’ve added 25# to my bench 5RM and 20# to my squat 5RM, and gotten stronger in all my support lifts.
I’m not eating too crazy either- 3200 cals on lifting days with 2800 on off days. I do kinda let go on the weekends- the whole sex drugs and rock n roll (and junk food) thing! Most of those cals during the week are PWO though, and I only have carbs in my Surge and my first PWO meal, occasionally with breakfast. I’m gonna be sad when my newbie gains start to slow down =P
Just my $.02
[quote]BigE05 wrote:
I have been doing this type of split for about 3 weeks now with great results. this is a modified for me from a workout in an article Here:
Monday: Heavy Upper Body
A1: Barbell bench press 6x3 super with clap push-ups x 8
A2: T-bar row 6x3
B1: Standing barbell shoulder press 5x5
B2: Pull-up 5x5
C1: close grip bench 3x5
C2: Barbell curl drop 3x5
Tuesday: Light Lower Body and Abs
A1: Unilateral leg press 1x25 / 1x20 / 1x15
A2: Dumbbell stiff leg deadlift 3x12-15
B1: jump squat 2x30
B2: Seated calf raise 3x20
C1: Pulley Crunch 3xfailure
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Light Upper Body
A1: Decline dumbbell bench press 1x15 / 1x12 / 1x20
A2: Dumbbell row 1x15 / 1x12 / 1x20
B1: Dumbbell lateral raise 3x15
B2: Pulldown to the front or pull ups 3x15
C1: 21’s curl 2 sets
C2: Skullcrusher 2x15
Friday: Heavy Lower Body and Abs
Barbell squat 6x4 Be a real man and squat deep!!!
deadlift 1x8 / 1x6 / 1x4 / 1x2
Lying leg curl 3x6
Standing calf raise 5x5
Hanging leg raise 3x8
Saturday HIT training or active recovery.
Sunday : Off[/quote]
I was actually looking at this. Its by Clay Hyght, it looked okay but Im looking for a pure strength based program so nothing over like 10 reps
Im thinking about soemthing like this:
Lower with focus on squats
Upper with focus on bench press, rows
Lower with focus on DL
Upper with focus on Pullups, OH press
probably with 5x5, 6x4 or something like that for the primary’s but how many exercises would you chuck in after primary’s and what setxrep too
[quote]bams_101 wrote:
Im thinking about soemthing like this:
Lower with focus on squats
Upper with focus on bench press, rows
Lower with focus on DL
Upper with focus on Pullups, OH press
probably with 5x5, 6x4 or something like that for the primary’s but how many exercises would you chuck in after primary’s and what setxrep too[/quote]
One lower session with focus on squats and one on deadlift is the way to go IMO (obviously, you add whatever else you feel you need)
I would say though, that if you can structure it so you have a rest day after the deadlift focused workout, that is the way to go
eg. M- Lower (squats +)
Tu- Upper
W - rest
Th - Lower ( deadlifts +)
F- rest
Sa- Upper
Su- rest
Slap forehead
WS4SB has a 4 day template!
Did you read it? Or just second-guess?
[quote]Lancey wrote:
bams_101 wrote:
Im thinking about soemthing like this:
Lower with focus on squats
Upper with focus on bench press, rows
Lower with focus on DL
Upper with focus on Pullups, OH press
probably with 5x5, 6x4 or something like that for the primary’s but how many exercises would you chuck in after primary’s and what setxrep too
One lower session with focus on squats and one on deadlift is the way to go IMO (obviously, you add whatever else you feel you need)
I would say though, that if you can structure it so you have a rest day after the deadlift focused workout, that is the way to go
eg. M- Lower (squats +)
Tu- Upper
W - rest
Th - Lower ( deadlifts +)
F- rest
Sa- Upper
Su- rest
[/quote]
Yeah, thats the way ive been thinking about splitting it up, as for other exercises Ill probably do
Lower (squat day)
Squat, Bulgarian SS, RDL/Good morning and calf raise
Upper (BP and Row)
Row variation, BP variation, Chins, DB OH press, bicep and tricep exercise and some facepulls and serratus work
Lower (dead day)
DL, Snatch grip DL, front squat and some forearm work
Upper (pullups, OH press)
OH press, Pullups, Bench variation, Row variation, DB shrugs DB, lateral raises, bicep and tricep exercise
volume wise I think somewhere about 30 total sets on upper days and about 16-20 total sets for lower days
[quote]forevernade wrote:
Slap forehead
WS4SB has a 4 day template!
Did you read it? Or just second-guess?[/quote]
Did YOU read the post dude. I said should I design my own program or just do WSFSB 3.
Anyway, pretty sure that Defranco’s original WSFSB template was only 3 days a week. ME Upper, Lower, Rep Upper on Mon-Wed-Fri.
It’s only WSFSB 3 that has the 4 day split because Defranco made it that way bacause people wanted to train more often. Which is one of the reasons I posted.
I like the WS4SB3 template. It works great!
However, I’ve used upper/lower body splits based on Ian King’s ideas and they worked well too.
Take a look at Kelly Baggett’s site. Or get his “no bull” bodybuilding book.
Nate
Were the Ian King idea’s you talked about on here cos Ive read a few of his articles but cant remember reading any upper/lower stuff. Could you point me in the right direction.
downintucson
Not a bad site at all, read a couple of articles but they were focused on power whereas I want strength at the moment. But Ill definately use it for future reference when my current goals are met.
cheers
[quote]bams_101 wrote:
BigE05 wrote:
I have been doing this type of split for about 3 weeks now with great results. this is a modified for me from a workout in an article Here:
Monday: Heavy Upper Body
A1: Barbell bench press 6x3 super with clap push-ups x 8
A2: T-bar row 6x3
B1: Standing barbell shoulder press 5x5
B2: Pull-up 5x5
C1: close grip bench 3x5
C2: Barbell curl drop 3x5
Tuesday: Light Lower Body and Abs
A1: Unilateral leg press 1x25 / 1x20 / 1x15
A2: Dumbbell stiff leg deadlift 3x12-15
B1: jump squat 2x30
B2: Seated calf raise 3x20
C1: Pulley Crunch 3xfailure
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Light Upper Body
A1: Decline dumbbell bench press 1x15 / 1x12 / 1x20
A2: Dumbbell row 1x15 / 1x12 / 1x20
B1: Dumbbell lateral raise 3x15
B2: Pulldown to the front or pull ups 3x15
C1: 21’s curl 2 sets
C2: Skullcrusher 2x15
Friday: Heavy Lower Body and Abs
Barbell squat 6x4 Be a real man and squat deep!!!
deadlift 1x8 / 1x6 / 1x4 / 1x2
Lying leg curl 3x6
Standing calf raise 5x5
Hanging leg raise 3x8
Saturday HIT training or active recovery.
Sunday : Off
I was actually looking at this. Its by Clay Hyght, it looked okay but Im looking for a pure strength based program so nothing over like 10 reps[/quote]
Don’t completely discount anything over 10 reps if your goal is strength. The bulk of training should be lower rep stuff, but unless you’re actively trying not to gain muscle, include a bit of the higher rep stuff. It helps
Most of the suff will be like 5x5,6x4 you know that sort of stuff. I dont think im strong enough for my size and until I do Im gonna stick to 10 reps or below. So when I do go back to hypertrophy training Ill be able to lift more.
[quote]bams_101 wrote:
Nate
Were the Ian King idea’s you talked about on here cos Ive read a few of his articles but cant remember reading any upper/lower stuff. Could you point me in the right direction.
[/quote]
The best stuff is in his books “Get Buffed” and “The Book of Muscle.”
However, if you go to “Authors” and search “Ian King” and look at some of the first articles he wrote, they were based on upper/lower body splits.
You can read some of his old articles that show how to set up your plan correctly. He has a few articles (four-part series) for upper and lower body and how to devise your own plan.
I used this split when I started lifting weights.
Mon: chest: set x reps
back: set x reps
chest: set x reps
back: set x reps
bicep:
tri:
bicep:
tri:
Tue: quad:
hamstring
quad:
hamstring:
shoulders:
calves:
shoulders:
calves:
Wed: rest
Thur, Fri, repeat.
Depending on your experience, choose your own exercises and the reps and sets. You could even superset some exercises in the future.