I’m probably gonna get shot down in flames here, but just thinking out loud & want to run this past you guys & hopefully make some tweaks here & there.
So far I’ve done the bodybuilding split, BBB challenge & onto my 5th week of the mass routine in 5/3/1 for powerlifting.
Diet wise I’m sticking to Jims diet for gaining size from the BBB challenge & all is good. All lifts are up, body weight is up.
So…onto the next cycle. A program that I’ve enjoyed & has worked well for me before 5/3/1 is LHs powerbuilding routine. I was thinking of combining the two.
I’ve planned it more for adding size so would lower the conditioning work & maybe just hit the required reps for the 5/3/1 (if I can resist the temptation to go for it)
So just a rough first draft:
Militaries
5/3/1
FSL 3-5 x 5-8
CGBP 3 x 5-7
Dips 3 x 8-10
Side delts 3 x 10-12
Rear delts 3 x 10-12
Deads
5/3/1
FSL 3-5 x 5-8
Weighted Pull ups 3 x 5
DB rows 3 x 10
Pulley Rows 3 x 10
Hanging leg raises 4 x 10
Bench
5/3/1
FSL 3-5 x 5-8
Incline Bench 3 x 6-8
Flies 3 x 10
BB curls 3 x 8-10
Preacher Curls 3 x 8-10
Squats
5/3/1
FSL 3-5 x 5-8 or possibly go for FSL AMRAP on squats for the 20 repper
Leg Press 3 x 8-10
Leg Ext 3 x 10
Ab wheel 4 x 10
(Maybe some calf work as I’ll be lowering the conditioning work to balance the additional volume)
I’ll take a deep breath while you guys Commence attack!
Missed out leg curls on squat day 3 x 8-10
If you cap FSL at 3 sets and do 3 sets of a supplementary exercise you’re basically at the same volume as 5/3/1 Powerlifting’s mass template.
I get a lot of form breakdown when I do BBB deadlifts so I’d probably consider using a supplementary exercise instead (good mornings, SLDL, etc).
Do you intend on doing chins/pull-downs super set with bench/presses? Or are you concentrating all your rowing/pulling movements into a single day? Seems like a lot (40-70 deadlifts + 30 pulls + 30 more pulls + 30 more pulls).
Me personally, I prefer the GHR to leg curls. I could never get the machine to feel right.
I was going to concentrate all my pulling to one day as Jim had on his bodybuilding split.
I’ve no GHR machine at the gym, although I’m using the lat Pulldown as an alternative using just body weight.
Just a note that as part of my warm up ill superset 4x15 decline sit-ups / back extensions to stretch my back out as it’s often tight. Exmgq/John Pinder from Iron Addicts board had me doing these & they really helped.
Cool. I prefer antagonist routines (pushing superset with pulling, low back with abs, etc) so it biases my recommendations, but I see where you’re going with this and it makes sense (shoulder day, back day, chest day and leg day).
I can go with either, if it’s down to do I do it. I pretty much treat gym time like work if that makes sense.
I will say a antagonist routines do knock the air out of me quicker.
The pressing days might go better if you either cut out FSL or cut out the extra pressing/dipping assistance. I can’t see it going well if you try to do all of that at once.
Yeah, that my main worry that assistance could be too much. I’d like to keep the FSL in.
If you look at the Offseason for Mass template (upper body movements) most of the movements are 5/3/1 (super set with chins) + 1 drop set for 10-15 reps. Followed by two 5x10 antagonist assistance exercises that can also be supersetted, followed by some light weight work.
In your template you’ve dropped the chin-ups… you’ve dropped the 5x10 antagonist movement, and you’re doing 3x10 for two different pushing exercises instead of 5x10 for one exercise.
Assuming the goal here is mass gain and that you’re not trying to serve two masters simultaneously, I think you’d be better off doing a single FSL and go for the 10-15 reps (or 20 rep squats) Jim recommended in his Mass template. From there do your 3 sets of a lighter compound movement and 3 sets of isolation as a finisher instead of the 5x10 in his template.
The rest of it I don’t think matters… extra sets of curls probably won’t make/break your workout.
If you made it through a BBB challenge, this split probably isn’t too much. I think you’re on the right track to just get the required reps on working 5/3/1 sets instead of maxing out, but that will be a thing you will have to feel out.
No wrist curls? Disappoint!