Cycle Workout Questions

Pharma / TRT
1

I’m going to run a Test/Deca cycle soon. Most of the time I’ve trained each muscle twice a week, but with everyone saying a muscle a day is better, I need opinions.

Below is the workout I was thinking of using:
A) Chest, Shoulders, Triceps:

  • Flat Bench Press- 5x12-10-8-8-6
  • DB Flyes- 3x12
  • Incline Bench Press- 4x12
  • Shoulder Press- 4x12
  • Upright Rows- 4x12
  • French Press- 3x8
  • Standing Kickbacks- 3x12

B) Legs, Abs:

  • Jumping Squats- 1x20
  • Leg Extensions- 4x15
  • Leg Curls- 4x12
  • Weighted Crunches- 3x30
  • Leg Raises- 3x30
  • One leg Crunches- 3x30

C) Back, Biceps, Forearms:

  • Deadlift- 5x10-10-8-8-6
  • Close Grip Pulldowns- 4x12
  • Seated Rows- 4x12
  • Wide Grip Pulldowns- 4x12
  • Cable Curls- 3x12
  • Hammer Curls- 3x12

Routine:

  • A, B, C, Off, A, C, Off

Critique.

2

There’s no one answer as to the best way to train. Train in the manner that works best for you, and addresses your weaknesses appropriately, without leading to injuries. For the record, many routines (DC, Westside and its derivatives such as WS4SB, and various other “powerbuilder” style routines) tend towards working bodyparts 2x/week or 2x/8 days, so it’s not correct to say that “everyone says working one muscle a day is better.”

What’s your cycle history and what are your goals at the moment?

3

Thanks for replying.

I’ve always trained powerlifting and strongman, so it’s always been muscles twice a week or more. I find this way I gain way more strength than with muscles once a week.

Injectable cycles I’ve only done tren. PH/DS I have a couple of cycles under my belt, last one being Dymethazine/Tren.

My strength is always climbing, so the main goal of the cycle would be size.

4

Then there you go. If you’re used to hitting things twice a week, stick to it until it stops working. I love gaining strength along with size (though I’m hardly strongman material), so I avoid the volume-oriented approaches. On or off cycle I can recover fast enough to get back at the same bodyparts in a relatively short time period, and I think that gives me greater size gains. The only thing is it’s damn hard to stay out of the gym sometimes… particularly on gear.

5

You’re right, thanks for clearing things up.

Yeah I bet, thanks again.

6

Higher frequency training is the best thing to do IME.
I go with total body traing while on gear, 6 days per week. with upper/lower/upper/lower/upper/lower bias.
e.g
day 1
DB flat press alternate with BB rows
push press alternate with pull up
back squat (low volume, work up to a daily maximum, or 3 doubles @ 80%)
DB lateral raise alternate with calves

day 2

pec dec alternater with cable row
Deadlift (work up to a max, then few sets of doubles)
chins alternate with lateral raise
tricep/calve superset

The volume per training sesson is relatively low, but when you add up the weekly workload, it is pretty high.
The AAS would improve recovery by a great deal, so more frequent supercompensation = more gains. Once per week training frequency is very “slow” IMO, a lot of time is wasted.

7

[quote]mephistopheles wrote:
Higher frequency training is the best thing to do IME.
I go with total body traing while on gear, 6 days per week. with upper/lower/upper/lower/upper/lower bias.
e.g
day 1
DB flat press alternate with BB rows
push press alternate with pull up
back squat (low volume, work up to a daily maximum, or 3 doubles @ 80%)
DB lateral raise alternate with calves

day 2

pec dec alternater with cable row
Deadlift (work up to a max, then few sets of doubles)
chins alternate with lateral raise
tricep/calve superset

The volume per training sesson is relatively low, but when you add up the weekly workload, it is pretty high.
The AAS would improve recovery by a great deal, so more frequent supercompensation = more gains. Once per week training frequency is very “slow” IMO, a lot of time is wasted.

[/quote]
Yes it makes sense. I think so too.
What about the routine I wrote in the first post?
The only concern I had about it was that the back might not recover by the time the chest day comes.

8

[quote]mephistopheles wrote:
Higher frequency training is the best thing to do IME.
I go with total body traing while on gear, 6 days per week. with upper/lower/upper/lower/upper/lower bias.
e.g
day 1
DB flat press alternate with BB rows
push press alternate with pull up
back squat (low volume, work up to a daily maximum, or 3 doubles @ 80%)
DB lateral raise alternate with calves

day 2

pec dec alternater with cable row
Deadlift (work up to a max, then few sets of doubles)
chins alternate with lateral raise
tricep/calve superset

The volume per training sesson is relatively low, but when you add up the weekly workload, it is pretty high.
The AAS would improve recovery by a great deal, so more frequent supercompensation = more gains. Once per week training frequency is very “slow” IMO, a lot of time is wasted.

[/quote]

I simply do not see why humans in general are so intent on sticking to ONE side and one side only?

I personally have used both methods often… i find that the benefits you state of higher freq. are true - but that after a few months of that, there is nothing better than working upto a high volume low frequency workout - ONLY if you have the ability to go intense of course - as long as you make use of the recovery time you have available it is an excellent way to train also.

In short - do both.

9

AS long as you keep your training volume moderate, you will be fine.
If total rep above 80% is less than 15, the muscle and CNS will recover in a day. You can handle more reps if your strength is low.

i.e a novice can do 5x5 with 200lbs (85% 1RM) on the squat, and recover in 2 days. But a elite athlete that squats 700lbs, can’t even performe 85% 1rm for 5 reps. let alone do 5 sets of 5.
So if you are highly trained, the use lower volume, and rest more.

10

I think your should consider different grouping

A: chest/back (horizontal)
B: lower body ( quad dominant) arms
C: sholder/back (vertical)
D: lower body (hip dominant) arms

start with "A,B,off,C,D,off,off "
work your way up to “A,B,C,D,A,B,off”
Then if you want to train like a pro, twice per day, upper body in the morning, and lower body in the afternoon, with a nap after lunch.
Read up on periodization and meso/mascro training cycle planning.

Day A

Power cleans 8x2

DB press, 5x5 (set x reps)
alternate with
Back : Barbell row same as above

calve training between upper body sets

Day B

high pulls snatch grip 5x3

Barbell front squat, 5x5 or 8x3
Romanian deadlift, 3x8

bicep+tricep superset
incline bench curl + pressdown

Day C

Powe snatch 8x2

standing barbell press 5x5
alternate with
medium grip pullup 5x5

calve training between upper body sets

Day D

high pulls clean grip 6x3

Deadlift 5x5 or 8x3

lunges 3x10

bicep + tricep superset
standing hammer curl + prone machine extension or lying extension

This program is prioritised toward strength/power and functional hypertrophy

11

[quote]mephistopheles wrote:
I think your should consider different grouping

A: chest/back (horizontal)
B: lower body ( quad dominant) arms
C: sholder/back (vertical)
D: lower body (hip dominant) arms

start with "A,B,off,C,D,off,off "
work your way up to “A,B,C,D,A,B,off”
Then if you want to train like a pro, twice per day, upper body in the morning, and lower body in the afternoon, with a nap after lunch.
Read up on periodization and meso/mascro training cycle planning.

Day A

Power cleans 8x2

DB press, 5x5 (set x reps)
alternate with
Back : Barbell row same as above

calve training between upper body sets

Day B

high pulls snatch grip 5x3

Barbell front squat, 5x5 or 8x3
Romanian deadlift, 3x8

bicep+tricep superset
incline bench curl + pressdown

Day C

Powe snatch 8x2

standing barbell press 5x5
alternate with
medium grip pullup 5x5

calve training between upper body sets

Day D

high pulls clean grip 6x3

Deadlift 5x5 or 8x3

lunges 3x10

bicep + tricep superset
standing hammer curl + prone machine extension or lying extension

This program is prioritised toward strength/power and functional hypertrophy
[/quote]

I’ll consider it. It looks pretty good.
Thanks for such detailed post.

12

like brook said, you should have a few different “routines”.
Personaly I do bridge my strength/power phase with 2-3 weeks of traditional high volume training, such as GVT.

13

[quote]mephistopheles wrote:
like brook said, you should have a few different “routines”.
Personaly I do bridge my strength/power phase with 2-3 weeks of traditional high volume training, such as GVT.
[/quote]
Yes I just changed into a high volume routine recently. Might alternate.

Thanks for your help bros.