[quote]yonkey wrote:
[quote]basily wrote:
Appreciate the interest and kind words! Just creeped your pics and it looks like I should be the one asking you for advice haha.
My core exercises depend on the body-part i’m trying to improve physically; currently they are chest, traps, forearm and legs (hamstring and calves specifically).
I usually begin with a compound movement for low reps (2-5) done in many sets (4-10); I do this because it allows me to lift a heavier weight each set with good form and the same amount of volume had it been done following a bodybuilding scheme (e.g. 4 sets 10 vs 10 sets of 4). Then I would follow with 2/3 accessory movements that targets that same body-part for higher reps (6-20) done in less sets (3-5). The last set of the last accessory movement is usually taken to failure done via AMRAP, drop-sets, partial-reps, rest-pause, or a combination of the aforementioned. Because I typically train 2/3 bodyparts in a session the accessories for the main lifts are usually not done right after another. The first accessory movement is usually one that complements the main lift while subsequent accessories are selected based on gives me the most pump. The same logic is applied for the other body-parts trained that day except the main/compound movement for that body-part is usually less taxing on the CNS/performed at a lower intensity.
This is probably all very confusing so I’ll walk you through my current chest workout to give you a better understanding.
Chest usually begins peck fly to pre-exhaust because otherwise I won’t feel my chest on the bench press. After the flat BB bench (main compound) I would follow with an accessory for the chest and because I’ve really been wanting to better my upperchest, I would do any incline pressing movements and fly movements that emphasize the upper chest development. Then I would perform an exercise for another muscle group before hitting my second chest accessory movement (e.g. pull ups). Also after the flat BB bench (main compound) I would do the subsequent exercises as super-sets (e.g. incline DB press and weighted pull ups) to save time. This process would continue until everything is done.
For smaller body-parts, like traps, forearm, and calves, they are performed in the middle/end of every workout session provided they are not sore. I find that these smaller parts, for me at least, respond better to high frequency, lower weight done with high volume; I think high volume is a must given the short ROM required for the exercises. While these parts can also grow from heavier weights and high volume but because my purpose is to shape those muscles I find this approach to work well for me. So for traps, for example, I would perform 4/5 sets of shrugs with each set taken to failure. For all of these smaller body-part emphasis is given to the squeeze/contraction rather than the weight.
I didn’t proof read what I just wrote so… let me know if you have anymore questions and I’d be glad to explain it!
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lol, thanks. I’ve got a lonnng ways to go and not a whole lot of time to get there. At this point, if I can improve anything I’ll take it .
Thanks for the explanation, it helps a great deal.
How often per week are you hitting the main muscle groups you are focusing on right now? I’d research that on my own, but, I am crunched for time. I intend to start something similar to your current setup when I am not so busy with work (I’m a CPA in the middle of tax season).
I’m going with quads, back thickness, calves and forearms for my initial run. I’ve got to admit, I am pretty jacked about training a lot more intuitively and learning along the way. Would you mind taking a look when I get something put together and letting me know your thoughts?
Thanks![/quote]
For sure, send it my way when your done planning everything! I try to hit the main muscle groups twice a week hard. If I’m learning a new movement/exercise for the main muscle group however I may perform that exercise at the end of other workouts with like 25% of normal weight to practice on the form and getting the feel.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
