[Hail The Phenom]

Hey guys I know I don't post here a lot but I do read most of the posts and I'm hoping someone here can help me set up my new routine.

I started a bulking routine for the first time ever around late October, slightly tore my pec major in December so I stopped lifting til February where I changed my routine slightly, I'll point out the exercises I added then with (new) beside it.

For most of the lifts I'll do 2x12 at 50% and 65% of my failure sets, I've been keeping my failure sets in the 8-12 range, (6-8 for SLDL), and moving up in weights every time I reach 12, I'll do 2 drop sets on the ones with (drop) next to it.

Monday 1
Dumbell Press (drop)
Flies (new)
Dumbell Curls
Preacher Curls (new)

Wednesday 1
Military Press (drop)
Upright Rows (new)
Lying Tricep Extensions

Saturday 1
Squats (drop)
Leg Extensions (new)
Barbell Rows
Machine Rows (new)
Pull-ups

Monday 2
Incline Dumbell Press (drop)
Incline Flies (new)
Dumbell Curls
Preacher Curls (new)

Wednesday 2
Dumbell Press (drop)
Lateral Raise (new)
Lying Tricep Extension

Saturday 2
Incline Leg Press
Stiff Leg Deadlift
Pull-ups
Lateral Pull Downs (new)

I've been using around 3min rests inbetween sets, my gains have been consistent although I feel like I'm starting to plateau. I wanna carry on bulking as I haven't gotten THAT fat yet and I also lost some weight from being ill last week.

Anyways any suggestions for a new routine would be well appreciated, bearing in mind I can't really train more than 3 times a week.

Thanks a lot

[Rocky]

I'm gonna sound like a scrastched record here, but for good reason. The fact that you can only train x 3 per week is ideal for this. If you are starting to plateau then I'd knock the supplementary exercises on the head and concentrate purely on the compounds. Keep the rep range between 5 - 10 and aim for 2 main sets:

Exercises:

Squat alternate with front squat
Incline BB/DB press
Military Press
Dips alternate with close grip bench
SLDL alternate with regular deadlift
Calf raises
Chins
BB bent row
BB curl

maybe add in some ab and forearm.grip work an perhaps a lunge and upright row every now and again.

Split these exercises into 2 sessions (e.g. push/pull - the one i am doing, or upper body, lower body) and do:

mon - workout 1
weds - workout 2
fri - workout 1
mon workout 2
weds - workout 1
fri - workout 2

and so on.

Also, try and reduce your rest time between sets and limit the amount of drop sets you do as a once in a while intensity technique rather than a mainstay of your routine.

just an idea!

[purenatural]

personally I think that if you want to bulk, you should do the big 3 in the same week. Also I suggest you lower your rep rang around 5-8.

I suggest you add in deadlift. And as well remove, flies,leg exentions, Lying tri-cep extension, machine rows, lateral pulldowns, incline leg press.

[Hail The Phenom]

Thanks for such a quick response guys

PureNatural when you say I should do the big 3 in the same week, how would you suggest on splitting that.

I don't feel that I would benefit from doing squats and deadlifts on the same day as I'd lack on one of the two, the same goes for when i work my shoulders with my pecs.

What would you suggest to help boost my lifts for squats and bench as they're the ones I'm most stagnant with at the moment

Rocky one thing I forgot to mention is that I was using 2 working sets before xmas and decided to change afterwards, this would help me cut down on the overall workout time but I found I was making better gains from 4 sets than 2, it might have had to do with the quality of the lifts though...

[BigBen]

Originally Posted by Hail The Phenom

Thanks for such a quick response guys

PureNatural when you say I should do the big 3 in the same week, how would you suggest on splitting that.

I don't feel that I would benefit from doing squats and deadlifts on the same day as I'd lack on one of the two, the same goes for when i work my shoulders with my pecs.

What would you suggest to help boost my lifts for squats and bench as they're the ones I'm most stagnant with at the moment

Rocky one thing I forgot to mention is that I was using 2 working sets before xmas and decided to change afterwards, this would help me cut down on the overall workout time but I found I was making better gains from 4 sets than 2, it might have had to do with the quality of the lifts though...

Hey bro about your comment on shoulders and chest the same day, its actually a good idea, bc your breaking your sholoders down on chest day anyway. i wouldnt worry about weight so much on shoulders bc your tearing them doen on chest day. I would suggest avoiding a pressing movement for the shoulders if u do shoudlers and chest the ame day. Then mabye soem side laterials and 2 exercises for the back head of the shoulder.


Godbless bro and Stay healthy

[purenatural]

Originally Posted by Hail The Phenom

Thanks for such a quick response guys

PureNatural when you say I should do the big 3 in the same week, how would you suggest on splitting that.

I don't feel that I would benefit from doing squats and deadlifts on the same day as I'd lack on one of the two, the same goes for when i work my shoulders with my pecs.

Bro, don't do deadlifts and squats on the same day. Its to much pressure on the lower back.

I would suggest you split up the big 3 every time you workout.

So if you wanna bulk. I think you should just keep it simple. 2-3 times a week perhaps. So if the days you are available to workout are mon,wed,sat

I would prefer this routine:

Mon
deads
dips
chins

Wed
Db bench press
barbell curls
Military press

sat
squat
Barbell rows
Stiff-leg dead lift.


Hopes this helps. If you want to change it feel free to change exercises around just make sure you have DB bench press in between Deads and Squat. Because I personally think 24hrs isn't enough rest for your lower back and as well becomes greatly targeted during deads and as well becomes targeted during squats and you want to avoid overtraining

[mindstar]

My program, from Control. After training for 12 years on a 5 day split, switching to this program made me grow a whole hell of a lot.


Mon:
Squats
leg curls
calf raises

Wed:
Incline presses
lateral raises
dips
skull-crushers

Fri:
pull-ups
rows
dumbell curls
reverse curls super-set with behind-the-back curls
bent laterals


If you're bored you could switch up the exercises (sustitute bench press for dips or whatever), but I'd still stick with that split. I use that split 90% of the time. You can increase or decrease the volume, frequency (1 on 1 off, 2 on 1 off, whatever) but push/pull/legs is the best split ever.


I will add that I tend to feel that 6-8 reps isn't enough for legs, I prefer 12-15...but that might be just me. In reality I cycle a few weeks high reps with a few weeks low reps for legs.

[Hail The Phenom]

Ok thanks for all the feed back guys, I'll be switching next week as soon as I find a new gym