Hey, I am a serious lifter who is looking for ways to get stronger. I am an aspiring trainer and enjoy coming up with new routines to test and check results. I live in a fraternity house with a house mom who cooks extremely unhealthy meals every time she walks in the kitchen. Any thoughts on that? I am debating getting off of the meal plan here just so I can eat healthy again.
The workout I am on right now is something I came up with after reading an article posted about putting on mass. I am 231 as of yesterday and would like to get to 245 and be as solid as possible. I would like to get my BF% down to around 8-10% it is about 14.5% right now(the testing unit I have at school isn’t the most accurate).
Back to the routine, I haven’t started cardio yet, time has been an issue lately with finals only a week away. But I plan on throwing that in soon, any ideas for cardio? The lifting schedule I am on is a split routine divided into 3 upper and 2 lower days.
Here it is:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday:All at 3x6-8
Chest-------------
Flat Bench Press 3x6-8
Incline BP 3x6-8
Decline BP 3x6-8
Triceps-----------
Pushdowns 3x6-8
Overhead pulls 3x6-8
Dips 3x exhaustion
Back--------------
Pulldowns 3x6-8
Bent Rows 3x6-8
Back Flies 3x6-8
Pull-Ups 3xexhaustion
Shoulders---------
Military Press 3x6-8
Shrugs 3x6-8
Lateral raises F/S 3x6-8
Upright Rows 3x6-8
Biceps------------
Straightbar Curls 3x6-8
Hammer(on preacher bench) 3x6-8
Isolation Curls 3x6-8
Burnout on Cable curls 3x6-8
P.S. The measurements are
6’2
213lbs.
Biceps: 16
Chest: 46
Waist: 35 1/2
i’ll get back on the rest
You do all of that work each of those three days at the gym, or is that the total for the week? That’s an awful large volume of work for a single day if so, especially if you are eating like shit and likely not enough.
Start there. Clean up the diet, even if that means going off your mealplan, and decrease your exercise quantity but increase your intensity. Less work harder is better than more work weaker, at least in general.
That’s 54 sets 3x a week (972-1296 reps/week). That is entirely too much volume, and you didn’t post the leg workout, which I’m guessing is equally ridiculous.
Listen: If you’re posting in the “Beginners” forum, then you have no business designing your own training programs. Search the archives here, pick a program, and put your heart and soul into it. Same with nutrition.
You only have one horizontal pulling exercise, while the rest of your exercises are all using anterior muscles (only the ones you see in the mirror) on top of the fact you dont have any posterior chain movements. You are going to end up very unbalanced and it will eventually effect your posture and performance.
It sounds like you are more interested a hypertrophy program so I suggest you check out CT’s Mutaion series parts 1-3. I used it and had great results. It will also introduce you to Deads, Squats, Good mornings and all the other movements that are guarenteed to put slabs of muscle on.
[quote]eengrms76 wrote:
You do all of that work each of those three days at the gym, or is that the total for the week? That’s an awful large volume of work for a single day if so, especially if you are eating like shit and likely not enough.
Start there. Clean up the diet, even if that means going off your mealplan, and decrease your exercise quantity but increase your intensity. Less work harder is better than more work weaker, at least in general.
Oh yeah- are you 213 or 231? Not that it matters.[/quote]
I do that routine 3 days and a lower body routine for 2. I didnt add the leg workout last night because it was 3 in the morning and I just got done writing a 10 page paper for class. Her’s the leg workout its pretty much the same as far as sets and reps go:
Squat, power clean, box squat, leg extension, leg curls,deadlift front/inside/outside calf raises, forearm curls/roll ups, Abs(vary)
I have tried the high intensity training for a couple of months but then i lost that workut partner because he graduated and the people i lift with now dont agree with what i wanted to do, they are stuck on the typical football workout and wanting to be in the gym for 3 hours at a time. The reason I have so much on those days is because i was reading a blog from T-Nation and it was talkign abotu how split routines weren’t good for putting on mass, and shoul dbe left to the proffesional bodybuilders. I guess I am just really confused with the whole lifting scene right now. I thought I had a good start as far as knowledge but the things I have read on this site are not the type of info I get in the classroom. Any suggestions for how I should split up the days? Do you guys agree with split or no? I am 231lbs. by the way, sorry I messed that up last night(like i said i was tired and in a hurry).What do you guys thinnk about cardio in the routine? should i add some? Thanks for all of the help I appreciate the feeback. I will start doing more research.
It’s ok to do a split routine if you do it correctly. Currently you are not doing it correctly. You are working your entire upper body with way too much volue three days a week. I question whether you are even lifting near your capacity given the volume. Basically you are probably unintentionally lifting lighter weights just because you aren’t recovered from the last workout. Traditional splits would have chest as one day, back the next, etc. Maybe 5 or 6 high intensity exercises on each day, not 15. You lower body day is exactly the same way.
Given your desire to push yourself you actually may be better suited to full body training. Who knows.
It would be a good idea, as you mentioned, to do more research.
see, this is why a lot of readers are upset. You have all this controversy over TBT comments and now this guy is confused.
You can do either type of program and get results. Eventually you’re going to have to focus on certain body parts more effectively to get the desired size for illusion. The majority of people that have had success in terms of aesthetics have used a split so obviously it does work. Your goals should determine the type of routine you will use (powerlifting, bb, strongman, etc). If you don’t see gains then you need to eat more, sleep more, and probably train that muscle group less.
The best benefits I got from doing a full-body workout were learning the movements for compound lifts and practicing technique frequently. Some things are very awkward the first couple of times like a clean & jerk.
What type of numbers are you throwing around for your big lifts?
What type of numbers are you throwing around for your big lifts?[/quote]
Ya I am confused over here. There is just so much info out there it is hard to soak it all in, honeslty I probably spend about an hour just reading on here everyday(as of 3 days ago when I found the site) I appreciate all of the feedback everyone is giving me
My goal is to get more mass then to trim down and get cut for Spring break, spring break is in March, is this unrealistic? Should I just try to start trimming down now? Oh ya and I dont want to lose any strength, I live in a house with a bunch of meat heads so I want to stay up there in strength.
My Lifts…roughly (I dont like maxing because then everyone bugs the ---- out of me to tell them, everyone here is extremely competitive.
Bench: 315
Squat: 400
Bicep Curl: 125
Clean: Haven’t maxed (bad back)
Deadlift:405 x’s 8 (never have maxed this)
What else are you curious about?
[quote]Scott aka Rice wrote:
see, this is why a lot of readers are upset. You have all this controversy over TBT comments and now this guy is confused.
You can do either type of program and get results. Eventually you’re going to have to focus on certain body parts more effectively to get the desired size for illusion. The majority of people that have had success in terms of aesthetics have used a split so obviously it does work. Your goals should determine the type of routine you will use (powerlifting, bb, strongman, etc). If you don’t see gains then you need to eat more, sleep more, and probably train that muscle group less.
The best benefits I got from doing a full-body workout were learning the movements for compound lifts and practicing technique frequently. Some things are very awkward the first couple of times like a clean & jerk.
What type of numbers are you throwing around for your big lifts?[/quote]
Why are you trying to turn this into a debate of split vs. TBT? It’s not.
The OP is setting himself up for overtraining. Simple as that. He needs to pick a more structured program, either split or TBT style and roll with it.
[quote]eengrms76 wrote:
Why are you trying to turn this into a debate of split vs. TBT? It’s not.
The OP is setting himself up for overtraining. Simple as that. He needs to pick a more structured program, either split or TBT style and roll with it.[/quote]
Because he thinks TBT might be the only way to go. The only way to go. They both work and I’m just trying to clarify that. Yes, I agree he is overtraining and needs to limit his work or go on a full-body routine.
[quote]Afmazzing wrote:
Should I just try to start trimming down now? Oh ya and I dont want to lose any strength, I live in a house with a bunch of meat heads so I want to stay up there in strength.
Bench: 315
Squat: 400
Bicep Curl: 125
Clean: Haven’t maxed (bad back)
Deadlift:405 x’s 8 (never have maxed this)
What else are you curious about?
[/quote]
You’ve got a bad back that is injured? Does that mean you’re going light on deadlift? I was curious about those that you listed and anything else you might do like military press or snatches.
With the routine that you’re doing now, you’re most likely going to end up burned out fast. When in doubt of overtraining, do less, unless you’re making gains every time you enter the gym.
The biggest thing you’re going to have to do is watch what you eat. Find the amount you need to still make gains, but don’t gain fat too fast. Do a search for 10x3 for fatloss. TBT also works well for losing fat. I would recommend limiting your alcohol consumption but I’m going to guess that it’s not possible.
[quote]Scott aka Rice wrote:
Because he thinks TBT might be the only way to go. The only way to go. They both work and I’m just trying to clarify that. Yes, I agree he is overtraining and needs to limit his work or go on a full-body routine.[/quote]
At what point in this thread did he actually say that? Seriously. Am I missing something?
We don’t need you to clarify they both work.
[quote]Scott aka Rice wrote:
The biggest thing you’re going to have to do is watch what you eat. Find the amount you need to still make gains, but don’t gain fat too fast. Do a search for 10x3 for fatloss. TBT also works well for losing fat. I would recommend limiting your alcohol consumption but I’m going to guess that it’s not possible.[/quote]
Are you basing your comments on a different thread or something? I didn’t read anything about alcohol in this thread. And based on this guys current volume you recommend 10x3 for fatloss? And then, contrary to your previous rant, you recommend TBT.
[quote]eengrms76 wrote:
At what point in this thread did he actually say that? Seriously. Am I missing something?[/quote]
“The reason I have so much on those days is because i was reading a blog from T-Nation and it was talkign abotu how split routines weren’t good for putting on mass, and shoul dbe left to the proffesional bodybuilders. I guess I am just really confused with the whole lifting scene right now”
[quote]eengrms76 wrote:
I didn’t read anything about alcohol in this thread. And based on this guys current volume you recommend 10x3 for fatloss? And then, contrary to your previous rant, you recommend TBT.[/quote]
He’s already gotten lots of advice about his ratio of work and muscle groups. Yeah the 10x3 is a good idea for fatloss, not for his current volume, no. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a full-body routine, but following the article to the letter is probably a good idea. You could incorporate it for any exercise on a split if your set/rep scheme is not overtraining. This is one of the articles that I’m glad CW has written.
I never said TBT was a bad idea. It has its benefits. My point was
it’s not the best method “hands down” as was said by CW in a recent article and
split routines work.
I’ve never met a person for which split routines didn’t work. I’m not saying splits will be better, I’m not saying TBT is worse. I’m saying not to eliminate your options.
“I live in a fraternity house with a house mom who cooks extremely unhealthy meals every time she walks in the kitchen.”
I’m assuming alcohol is present since he’s near a college. Don’t know if he drinks or not but it’s something to consider.
[quote]Afmazzing wrote:
Do you guys thinnk those weights for my lifts are respectable? What do you think?[/quote]
Yes, those are respectable numbers if you’re comparing yourself to the general population. The most important thing is that you are constantly improving your body in some way.
[quote]I’m assuming alcohol is present since he’s near a college. Don’t know if he drinks or not but it’s something to consider.
[/quote]
There is DEFINITELY alcohol present. Our fraternity is the largest on campus and possibly the nation. There is atleast one person drunk every day, and the weekends are even more ridiculous. I stay away from drinking during the week, but the weekends is a social thing. I would like to stop, but I think that would be a little boring being surrounded by drunk people and being sober… Anyone who has experienced this can probably agree. Thanks again for the feedback guys… keep it coming! I’m soaking it all in!