First Split and Need Help

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Ive always been a fan of full body routines. Ive been doing them for four years now. My problem is that i seem to have hit a plateau, and I also just kind of want something fresh.

I just need some help organizing my program. At first glance it looks like I may be doing a bit too much. Id like to train as much as possible without over training.

I am basing my program around the superhero program, but adding stuff in to make it a twice a day routine. Ive read a lot on this board about the benefits of a two a day and really want to try one out.

Also, I realize I may get a bunch of people telling me to just search for a designed twice a day program, and that may be the best option. But I really like the combined emphasis of these programs.

Monday
AM:Upper chest conjugate/Biceps heavy (Superhero)

Tuesday
AM:Shoulder width (HSS-100)
PM:Quads/Hams

Wednesday
AM: Staley’s EDT arm specializátion

Thursday
AM: Biceps conjugate/Upper chest heavy (superhero)
PM: Posterior deltoids (HSS-100)

Saturday OR Sunday

AM: Overall shoulder (HSS-100
PM: Back/Triceps (Superhero)

For a total of 8 workouts a week.
Now I really have no experience with a split, so any help would be appreciated.

I am shooting for 5500 calories a day.
My workout supps are:
Whey protein
Casein protein
Muscle milk
BCAA
sometimes creatine
Carbohydrate powder

Any recommendations in regards to supplementation?

Links
http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_support/thibs_superhero_program
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1151810

2

stats?

3

Ya probably a good idea to include some stats.

I am 6 '2 and 195-200 pounds.

I was at 206 before summer but then my diet went down the drain.

I was absolutely frustrated with bodybuilding and nearly gave up, thinking it was impossible for me to bulk. However recent articles suggesting that there is no such thing as a hard gainer prompted me to try a new workout and EAT.

In the next eight months Id like to get up to a weight of 215. I want to take bodybuilding very seriously now.

According to the Berardi calorie calculator, I should be eating 6000 calories a day. That will be a challenge but im going to try!

Anyway help is much appreciated.

Ive never ventured outside of the Waterbury/Cosgrove world of full body.

4

Any advice?

I was thinking it would probably make sense to remove the EDT workout and perform that as a separate workout later.

Any advice on my setup or supplements?

5

You don’t need 6000 calories. More like 4-5000.

What you have in terms of supplementation, honestly, is probably unnecessary beyond the protein powder, and MAYBE creatine or muscle milk. What you need is FOOD.

Supplements exist to be supplementary to a diet and training regimen that is already solid.

If you’re looking to get serious about bodybuilding, I HIGHLY suggest that you DO venture outside of that Waterbury/Cosgrove world, and into the realm of more traditional bodybuilding methods and ideas.

That is good that you’ve set a solid goal of 215lbs, but honestly I think you should shoot to achieve this sooner than 8 months. Normally when a person is looking to put on as much muscle as possible, they aim for 3-5lbs a month.

The best advice I can give is to find someone who started where you are, and accomplished what you want to accomplish, and figure out exactly what they did to get there.

These are some of the guys that inspired me:

JoeSchmo: /forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=659148

Raidar:
http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/pictures_pics_photo_body_image_performance/bulk_pictures

Dave:
http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/pictures_pics_photo_body_image_performance/18_months_of_progress

And also reading Arnold’s book “The Education of a Bodybuilder” was extremely motivating and pushed me in the right direction, as well as learning about guys like Branch Warren, and Antoine Vaillant.

Learn from those who have done it, rather than people who’s only merits are speculation and theory

coughWaterburycoughcosgrovecough.

6

Thanks for the response, I found it very helpful. Im going to read through all of those links today. As I said, I know nothing beyond the world of Cosgrove/Waterbury.

I got 6000 calories by inputing my stats in this calculator http://www.johnberardi.com/updates/july262002/na_masscalculator.htm
I geared it towards a day with 2 45 minute free weight sessions and a 45 minute game of basketball.

Ive been told before that BCAA’s are probably a waste. I know im not going to buy them again after this bottle is done.

Lastly, do you have any advice on my routine? Im taking out EDT. Just wondering if its too much to do a shoulder specialization program on top of another (albeit lighter) bodybuilding workout?

Thanks again!

7

[quote]tupac wrote:
Thanks for the response, I found it very helpful. Im going to read through all of those links today. As I said, I know nothing beyond the world of Cosgrove/Waterbury.

I got 6000 calories by inputing my stats in this calculator http://www.johnberardi.com/updates/july262002/na_masscalculator.htm
I geared it towards a day with 2 45 minute free weight sessions and a 45 minute game of basketball.

Ive been told before that BCAA’s are probably a waste. I know im not going to buy them again after this bottle is done.

Lastly, do you have any advice on my routine? Im taking out EDT. Just wondering if its too much to do a shoulder specialization program on top of another (albeit lighter) bodybuilding workout?

Thanks again![/quote]

I think your “stats” are off and I am not sure if you realize that regardless of any number a calculator gives you, your body will not be held to some preconceived notion of how much it needs to grow. Throw the calculator away.

8

[quote]tupac wrote:
Thanks for the response, I found it very helpful. Im going to read through all of those links today. As I said, I know nothing beyond the world of Cosgrove/Waterbury.

I got 6000 calories by inputing my stats in this calculatorhttp://www.johnberardi.com/updates/july262002/na_masscalculator.htm
I geared it towards a day with 2 45 minute free weight sessions and a 45 minute game of basketball.

Ive been told before that BCAA’s are probably a waste. I know im not going to buy them again after this bottle is done.

Lastly, do you have any advice on my routine? Im taking out EDT. Just wondering if its too much to do a shoulder specialization program on top of another (albeit lighter) bodybuilding workout?

Thanks again![/quote]

I would echo what Professor X is saying about throwing away the calculators.

As far as your workout goes… Throw out all of this specialization, AM/PM, HSS-100, EDT, conjugate, superhero bullshit too. Get it out of your head and off your computer screen. None of it is meant for someone at your level, and to be honest most of it will probably NEVER be necessary or even worthwhile. I don’t know of anybody that has ever gotten big like that, except possibly Dave who was big on Waterbury programs, but even he wound up with imabalances that he had to correct later on.

I’m just going to quote myself from a similar thread on what I really think is good for beginners:

[quote]mr popular wrote:
If you want to get as big as possible, the most important part of the equation is your diet.
As far as training goes, you want to hit every muscle group thoroughly but also avoid excessive exercises and volume so that you can hit your muscles with a higher frequency without cutting into recovery.

If I was going to lay out a plan to take someone from skinny/average to big as quickly as possible, it would probably look like this:

Diet -
2x bodyweight in protein daily, enough calories to gain at a rate of 3-5lbs of bodyweight a month, avoiding sugar and trans fats whenever practical, minimum of one gallon of water per day.

Training -
Day 1: back&biceps
Day 2: chest&triceps
Day 3: legs&calves
Day 4: shoulders
Day 5: rest
Day 6: repeat, or another rest day.

Workouts centered around the basic exercises:

Back - Deadlift, barbell row, pullup
Chest - bench press, incline bench press
Biceps - barbell curl
Triceps - skullcrushers, dips
Thighs - squats, leg curls
Shoulders - military press, lateral raise

Aiming to gain around 10lbs a month on these lifts, excluding things like lateral raises and other small exercises, which you should still aim to gain at least 5lbs a month on.

Each muscle group can/should also have one “pumping” exercise to use at the end of the workout. (eg: pec deck, leg extension, etc.)

Stretching done frequently, light cardio done regularly.

That’s about it.[/quote]