Thibs got some good ones. Keep in mind a program is nothing more than a random collection of exercises. After a year of training you should have some idea of what exercises work for you. Also, if you keep doing the same thing you’ll get less and less from it. That is, your body adapts to it and the adaptations become smaller and smaller.
How about putting deadlifts on your back day? The problem with deads and squats on the same day is that one or the other will always suffer (or both) if done on the same day. Put together a program based on your needs and goals. If it’s not working or stops working…change it! If you’re not gaining strength or size then something isn’t working.
How much are you eating? 20 calories per pound of weight minimum…so 3400 for you. If thats not working go for 4000. How about pre and post workout nutrition? That’s likely more important than any other part of your nutrition. How long are your workouts? It doesn’t matter if you’re in the gym for two hours a day you likely won’t be able to consume enough calories to support that…unless of course you bomb a 500 calorie cocktail of whey and sugar mid-workout!.. How much protein are you eating? 1g/lb? If that’s not working go for 1.5g/lb.
Your workout days are bit off. You’re doing chest, shoulders, arms on back to back to back days. Your triceps will be toast. So you chest day will negatively effect your shoulder day and both will negatively effect your tris on arm day.
How about something like this:
Monday: Back
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Off (EAT and GROW)
Thursday: Chest/Shoulders
Friday: Plyo
Saturday: Arms
Sunday: Off
or…
Monday: Chest/Shoulders
Tuesday: Quad dominant
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Back
Friday: Hammie dominant
Saturday: Arms
Sunday: Off
or…
Monday: Chest
Tuesday: Back
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday: Shoulders
Friday: Off
Saturday: Arms
Keep in mind:
- The Bench is dominated by the anterior deltoid in many lifters and contributes a lot to the lift in all lifters.
- Any pressing movement involves the tricep and shoulder girdle (chest/shoulders)
- Any pulling movement involves the bicep, lats, and traps…this is why deads are usually put on back day for bbers.
Your volume seems kind of low…why only 3 exercises? How long are you resting? Keep your rest around 90s and you should be able to get 4-5 exercsies per body part and get in and out in about an hour.
I’ve gone from 145lbs 8.9% bf in September to 164lb 9.5% bf so far and I keep going up (7site caliper, same tester, same circumstances). Of course I’ve had road blocks. You see if something works. If it doesn’t you get rid of it.
This program has worked for me so far gaining 4 pounds of lean mass in less than a month (about 3 weeks):
After warmup:
1 light set of 10 reps…say like 80% of your 10RM
2 work sets of 10 reps
1 heavier set
Do that for an “A” and “B” pairing.
For a 5th “C” exercise do some sort of mechanicl drop set or a regular drop set. Rest. Repeat for 3 sets.
The two work sets should bring you to absolutely failure. In fact if you are able to reach 10 reps both times with perfect form and tempo then the weight is too light. The last set just throw on another 20-40 pounds or more and just go for it. 4, 5, 6 rep…whatever. Each lift is a controlled eccentric. Not counting per se…CP ain’t here with a stop watch…just control it, not letting gravity take it down…then a powerful concentric (doesn’t have to be “explosive” but the force you actually put into the lift is what is important).
The last exercise is simply to get the blood pumping so the nutrients you are about to ingest get flowing to your muscles.
Monday: Chest/Shoulders
A1) Flat Bench
A2) Seated Bent Arm Lateral Raise *bent arms gives you the ability to lift more weight
B1) Incline DB Press ‘4 Bells’ *bells start pronated and as you lift them you turn them inward so they finish with a neutral grip…all 4 bells touch
B2) Seated Cable Flye Squeeze *a shallow flye in which you bring the arms together in an X at the finish and squeeze for a second
C1) 3 Angle Press *mechanical drop set…thanks CT…whatever you can do 5 reps seated shoulder press, then drop the bench to an incline, continue to failure, drop the bench to flat, continue to failure
Tuesday: Quads
A1) Squats (below parallel)
A2) Leg Extensions…oh a fun pairing…
B1-2) Split Squat…just one exercises because you have two legs to do. Little rest between the right and left leg.
C1) 3 Position Leg Press *low and close, then normal, then high and wide…5-10 breaths between positions…3 sets…killer
Thursday: Back
A1) Rack Pull
A2) Incline Spider Pulldown *again thanks CT…set up an incline bench between two mid=high cables…pull so that the elbows touch the side of the rib cage…say hello to your lats
B1) Motorcycle Row *yeah I get a lot of random exercises from CT’s threads…basically a seated row in which you set up so that you are leaned forward. Pull toward you navel. I think this is best performed on a cable instead of the seated row. Set up a low bench so that you can sit down with your feet against somthing (plates?) and your trunk is leaning forward.
B2) Stability Ball Cable Pullover *Get something to anchor your feet too or you won’t be able to lift much weight. Set up LOW on the stability ball. IE: seated much more away from the cable so the s.ball is more on your back than anything else.
C1) Wide to Narrow Pullup/Chin. Try 5 wide, 5 normal, 5 narrow…or more if you can. Proper form though. None of this kipping shit. All the way day to full stretch and all the way up until you shoulders touch the damn ceiling.
Friday: Hammies
A1) RDL *prefer with balls of your feet on two plates to stretch out the calf and activate the hammies more
A2) Natural Glute Ham Raise. Best way I’ve been able to do this is with your legs under the seat of the Leg press machine.
B1) Cable Pull Thru…slow this exercise down and get a damn good stretch to make it effective
B2) 2-1 Leg Curl *Curl with two legs…eccentric with on leg…nice
C1) Walking Toe Lunge…Grab some dumbells and take DEEP walking lunge on your toes. Say hello to your calves. Lunge has to be long and deep to really hit the hammies
Saturday: Arms
A1) Neutral Grip Chin
A2) Weighted Dips
B1) Seated DB Concentration Hammer Curl *Sit on bench with legs out wide lean forward with elbows on knees.
B2) Incline DB French Press Hammer grip
C1) Run the rack bicep curl
C2) Run the rack tricep extension
*just start somewhere in the 8-10rm range and keep dropping down the rack as you fatigue.
Again, these exercises work for me because I’ve switched up my exercises every 6-8 weeks or so trying to get a different adaptation. Do what works for you.
Ok, I’m done. Going to bed.