What Else to Include In This Split?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
1

So far it’s a 5 day split but since i started working out again about a month and a half ago after taking a 2 yr off of weights im not sure if i should be working out each muscle twice a week instead of just once. Here’s my routine

“Trapz & Shoulders(exercises for shoulders not mentioned)” Monday
.Upright row 5x10-15
.Some kind of high pull 5x10
.(i dont know what else to include here but i dont want compound movements as complex as olympic lifts, i want to practice first for a while with the upright row), no shrugs either since i don’t feel shit working when im doing them even with straps. So any advice on which other 2 to include?!

“Triceps” Tuesday
.Dips 4x8-15
.Seated Ez-bar French Press 5x8-15
.Close Grip Bench Press 4x10-15
.I dont know the name of this one, but it’s like machine biceps curls but for triceps 5x10-15

“Legs” Wednesday

“Chest & Biceps” Thursday

“Back” Friday

I didnt mentioned the other exercises bcuz i got them from a Muscle and Fitness magazine routine. I didn’t like the trapz and triceps workout they had though, so i came here to look for some of them.

2

Holy shit, I have to nominate your post for the worst one I have ever read. Normally I’m a nice guy who tries to offer newbies help. but, just, wow.

My advice is just to read, read, read, and then read. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but in the long run, it’ll help you more than anything else I could say.

3

[quote]Brant_Drake wrote:
Holy shit, I have to nominate your post for the worst one I have ever read. Normally I’m a nice guy who tries to offer newbies help. but, just, wow.

My advice is just to read, read, read, and then read. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but in the long run, it’ll help you more than anything else I could say.[/quote]

What he said.

4

[quote]Brant_Drake wrote:
Holy shit, I have to nominate your post for the worst one I have ever read. Normally I’m a nice guy who tries to offer newbies help. but, just, wow.

My advice is just to read, read, read, and then read. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but in the long run, it’ll help you more than anything else I could say.[/quote]

What r u talking about?

5

Are you one of those people that show up to a gym and just sort of think to yourself “Hmmm… I think I’ll just waste my time today.” ?

6

Muscle and Fiction…

7

[quote]Damner wrote:
So far it’s a 5 day split but since i started working out again about a month and a half ago after taking a 2 yr off of weights im not sure if i should be working out each muscle twice a week instead of just once. Here’s my routine

“Trapz & Shoulders(exercises for shoulders not mentioned)” Monday
.Upright row 5x10-15
.Some kind of high pull 5x10
.(i dont know what else to include here but i dont want compound movements as complex as olympic lifts, i want to practice first for a while with the upright row), no shrugs either since i don’t feel shit working when im doing them even with straps. So any advice on which other 2 to include?!

“Triceps” Tuesday
.Dips 4x8-15
.Seated Ez-bar French Press 5x8-15
.Close Grip Bench Press 4x10-15
.I dont know the name of this one, but it’s like machine biceps curls but for triceps 5x10-15

“Legs” Wednesday

“Chest & Biceps” Thursday

“Back” Friday

I didnt mentioned the other exercises bcuz i got them from a Muscle and Fitness magazine routine. I didn’t like the trapz and triceps workout they had though, so i came here to look for some of them.
[/quote]

Okay, first why do you want to do a 5 day split? Not saying that a 5 day split is worthless, but if you don’t even know why you’re doing it, you might want to reconsider your course of action.

Second, forget about doing a specific day for your trapezius muscles. Also, lose the day completely dedicated to triceps. Instead, combine the shoulders and triceps day. That’ll give you plenty of stimulus while also keeping you out of the gym on more days (making it easier to gain muscle).

If you really feel that your traps are lagging then choose exercises for you back and shoulders that put stress on the traps.

Back exercises like deadlifts, rack deads (probably the best IMO), sumo deads, and rack sumo deads will all place a great deal of stress on the trapezius, especially once you start getting into heavier poundages. Rows and certain variations of pull-ups can also place a good amount of stress on the middle and lower traps.

Likewise shoulder exercises like upright rows, BTN presses, and even push presses can place stress on the traps as well.

Bring you deadlift and rack dead numbers up by 200 lbs, and your upright rows numbers up as high as you can (or which ever shoulder exercise you choose) while eating a caloric surplus and you’ll notice results. Continue agonizing over minutia and copying programs out of “Muscle and Fiction” and this is going to be a very long and bumpy road for you.

You were given some good advice in your “What’s a good trap workout” thread. I’d suggest that you take that advice.

If you want more clarification on what I mean say so, I’m willing try to help you out, if you’re really serious about this. But, it’s hard to take you seriously and be willing to spend my time writing you out a program, or answering your questions when it seems like you aren’t really willing to take the advice that’s been given to you so far.

8

I know i sound like a stubborn son of a gun, but damnit for some reason i just can’t seem to drop the idea of concentrating on trapz,triceps and forearms. I didn’t know that Muscle and Fitness wasn’t a good source of info should i instead turn to flex or something,obviosly, asides from T-Nation. But i keep thinking that if dont pay close attention to triceps and traps my other naturally bigger muscles like back, shoulder and chest will just keep getting bigger, and then only when i grow to a certain size will i have to start concentrating on those lagging muscles. That sounds like a long road of… staying like i dont want to; with trapz and triceps looking like i dont want them to look.
And the reason i chose a five day split is bcuz according to Muscle and Fitness, “many people feel this helps them concentrate better on each and every muscle so that none take a backseat.”

9

Stop reading magazines.

10

Post your stats and lift numbers (Squats, Deadlift, Benc etc).

11

Deadlift, then keep deadlifting until you can deadlift 200lbs more than you started. Voila! Trapzorz and Forearmz! (sic)

12

[quote]PozzSka wrote:
Deadlift, then keep deadlifting until you can deadlift 200lbs more than you started. Voila! Trapzorz and Forearmz! (sic)[/quote]

LOL. So true.

Seriously, Damner, if you work on getting your numbers up in pulling exercises like Deads, rack deads, face pulls, etc… your traps are going to grow. Now, the really heavy back exercises are also going to tax your grip to a great amount (don’t use straps if you really want to develop your forearms). And guess where the muscles are that are responsible for grip? You guessed it, in the forearms.

So, as PozzSka so simply put it in the above quoted post, if you add some serious weight to your deadlifts, and other pulling exercises your traps and forearms are going to grow.

Also, if you really want to bring up “lagging” body parts, then simply choose variations of the basic exercises (the ones that will allow you to increase the most in terms of strength) that put secondary emphasis on these muscle groups and throw a couple isolations in if you still feel the need.

In regards to the 5 day split, yes, it does allow one to focus on each body part better. But, focusing on each body part isn’t necessarily a good idea for a beginner like yourself. That is something that a very advanced trainee might do (like a professional bodybuilder) to really make sure that they build maximal symmetry and proportion. It is not all that great of a plan for someone looking to put on an appreciable amount of mass though.

You would probably be much better off doing either an Upper/Lower split, a Push/Pull/Legs split, or even a Total body program. All of those options are going to be much more conducive to gaining large amounts of muscle. Like I stated above, if you honestly feel like certain muscle groups are lagging, then choose variations of the money exercises that put secondary emphasis (or even primary emphasis) on those body parts.

For instance, lets look at triceps since we already addressed traps and forearms to a degree. All pressing movements are going to put either secondary (as in the case of bench, military, etc…) or primary (as in the case of vertical torso dips, close grip bench, etc…) emphasis on the triceps. So, in short include a lot of pressing movements, and work on getting a lot stronger in those movements and once again, viola! Your triceps are going to grow. If you really feel the need, it’s okay to throw in some other isolation exercises (once again try to pick ones that will allow you to make big jumps in weight, kickbacks aren’t a great option, while skullcrushers are).

Hope this helps.

13

how does this look ?

Monday
.Back, Shoulders, biceps

Tuesday off

Wednesday
.Quads, Hams, Calves

Thursday
.Triceps, Chest, Abs

Friday off

Sat & Sun off

14

Rather than thinking parts, think movements.

Squat
Push
Pull
Lunge
Bend
Twist

Why would you work a part once a week when you can probably make progress 2 or 3 times a week?

15

[quote]stuward wrote:
Rather than thinking parts, think movements.

Squat
Push
Pull
Lunge
Bend
Twist

Why would you work a part once a week when you can probably make progress 2 or 3 times a week?
[/quote]

This is fugging confusing

16

Damner please, I beg you to pick one program(you aren’t allowed to make it yourself) from this site that alligns with your goals and train hard on it for a few months. Stop reading magazines, don’t ask for advice unless it’s on technique, just get in the gym and make it happen. Pick one article on training, one on nutrition and put some faith and consistency in it.

17

[quote]Scott M wrote:
Damner please, I beg you to pick one program(you aren’t allowed to make it yourself) from this site that alligns with your goals and train hard on it for a few months. Stop reading magazines, don’t ask for advice unless it’s on technique, just get in the gym and make it happen. Pick one article on training, one on nutrition and put some faith and consistency in it. [/quote]

Ok…tell me where to get one of those before i smack myself in the head with the shovel of frustration.

18
  1. strop saying “trapz”
  2. read this forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224
19

[quote]zephead4747 wrote:

  1. strop saying “trapz”
  2. read this forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224[/quote]

I cant read that 500 page book dude, right now im struggling to incorporate a routine into my daily schedule do to time consuming studying, work, and college. I’ll read articles here on T-Nation but i just dont have time to spend 4 hrs reading that encyclopedia. I’m trying to find a program here in tnation…

20

Find EDT by Charles Staley, do it, progress on it for months.

Find massive eating reloaded parts 1 and 2 from Dr. John Berardi, do it, eat along those guidelines for months

Search under their names or by article