Up until lately i hadbeen training the same for about 3-4 months after doing a few different workouts from T-Nation, namely CT shoulder specialisation workout as i have always felt deficient in that area. After that i went back to 6 days a week split routine. This may seem like overtraining but i always felt fine during it. The split was
Mon- shoulders
Tues-Quads and calves
Wed-Chest and arms
Thurs-shoulders
Fri-hammies and calves
Sat-chest and arms
Sun- rest day
I enjoyed this routine but i did pretty much everything at 4X8 sets and seemed to get stronger but not a heap bigger. Over xmas i didnt train much in the gym but surfed, ate and drank a lot for a 3 week period.
Jumped back into the gym and decided to do something different. Did the same split but on the 2nd day of chest, arms and shoulder did 4X16 sets with about 20%less weight than 4X8 sets.
That change seems to have really really worked well. After xmas period i obviously had lost some muscle for fat but in 3 weeks have reversed the situation, marginally more bodyfat but around 14lbs heavier athough according to gym regulars i look a fair whack bigger. I put it down to a combo of extra food and a change in the workout. Lately have been adding in a bit of cardio to get rid of the fat.
Anybody else seen good results by upping the lowering the weight and upping the reps? Went from 202lbs to 216 in about 7-8weeks. Seems like a combo of increased food intake and changing the routine but either way it seems to be working.
Im planning on continuing like this for the next 3 weeks or so and than changing completely t something else, not sure what at this stage any suggestions?
yeah what the hell, you can’t just completely leave out a bodypart especially one as large as the back. you are going to end up with some terrible misbalances in ur physique plus you are missing out on a lot of growth potential. take out one of the shoulder days and put a back day.
Gain weight and get stronger and your muscles will become larger. The missing veriable when you were just doing 4x8 was the gaining weight art, if you got stronger doing that as you say you did but didnt get bigger its because you didnt eat enough.
However i do think you made a change for the better with your routine. I never use just one rep range for any period of time. Also when hitting things multiple times a week you will be able to contue the program much longer if you use different rep ranges on each day.
With regards to the back question it seems to be getting a decent workout but i will elaborate on my workouts a little. I dont tend to concentrate on my back so much as a long history of swimming and surfing maded it a strong point and i have endeavoured to bring the other parts up to par.
Monday shoulders looks like this with all movements 4X8
Lateral raises
Military press
Upright rows
Cable extension from ground
Across chest cable extension
Tuesday 4X8
Squats
Seated calf raises 4X12
Leg press 4X8
Standing calf raises 4X12
Leg Extension
Thursday 4X16
Lateral raises
BNP
Lat pull downs (i do these pulling down with wide grip behind head with strict form to try and concentrate on shoulders but it gets back as well)
Incline reverse flys
Front cable raises
Saturday 4X16
Dips (usually only get 12 then less and less)
Bench
Preacher curl
Lying overhead tricep extensions
Flys
Seated curls
Theres a few movements in there that i think involve the back to a fair degree, Deads, upright rows, Lat pulldowns etc. Hope that clears up thoughts i was neglecting back entirely its just that i think from past exercise patterns my back is easily recruited and has lead to shortcomings in other areas so i have been trying to specialise the other arts to a higher degree.