Full Body 3 x / Week

[quote]Jason B wrote:
I recently switched to full body workouts. Decided to do it since I was only getting to the gym 3 or 4 times a week anyway and I didn’t like the gaps in my 4 day split.
I split my workouts into a front plane, rear plane, and vertical plane workout days. 6 lifts of 4 sets of each lift each day.
Front Plane: Leg Extension, Squats, Bench, Incline, Front Laterals, Biceps.
Rear Plane: Deadlift, Leg curls, Barbell Row, Low Pulley Row, Rear Delts, Triceps.
Vertical Plane: Calf raises, Pullups, Lat Pulldowns, Military, Shrugs, Clean and Press.
I do abs on front plane day, hyperextensions on back plane day, and side bends on vertical plane day.
After 2 weeks I am pretty happy with it. I plan on doing it for 4 more weeks until I go on vacation and then decide what to do for the rest of the year after I get back.
[/quote]

Let me know how it works?

Thanks,
BFG

After looking at this, here is what I came up with. Following CW program. Am not sure of the exercise choices - whatcha think?

Monday 6x3 5RM

Bench
Close Grip Bench
Row
Squats
Chinups

Wed 3 x 8 with a 10RM (Hypertrophy Strength)
Incline Bench
Good Mornings
Dips
Chins
Shoulder Press
Lunges

Friday 8 x 3 with an 18RM (Explosive Strength)
Bench
Pull ups
Deadlifts
Front Squats
Close Grip Bench

I would also like to hear what you think about illuminate’s layout because I am limited to a bench, pullup bar, and squat rack.

[quote]iluminatae wrote:
After looking at this, here is what I came up with. Following CW program. Am not sure of the exercise choices - whatcha think?

Monday 6x3 5RM

Bench
Close Grip Bench
Row
Squats
Chinups

Wed 3 x 8 with a 10RM (Hypertrophy Strength)
Incline Bench
Good Mornings
Dips
Chins
Shoulder Press
Lunges

Friday 8 x 3 with an 18RM (Explosive Strength)
Bench
Pull ups
Deadlifts
Front Squats
Close Grip Bench
[/quote]

illum - Why so much close grip bench? You seem to be press overloaded like me. That’s my observation.

sasage - If you can set up for DLs, rows, and pullups/chins, then you should be able to get it all done (and well). Those basics are what I am doing: in the power rack, off the ground, or on a flat bench.

BFG

Should I swap Fridays close grip bench to rows maybe?

I was thinking about adding some Supine Rows and Reverse Hypers to bfg scheme. Where should I add them? M and F?

Sorry… I meant to say glute ham raises instead of reverse hypers.

BFG and all, I think Illuminea is onto something here. I think he understands what C-dub was trying to get at. Except, I think he might have a bit too much pressing.

The whole idea behind FBT 3Xweek, is to pick ONE movement per body part, per day!!! BFG, I think you really need to simplify your scheme, as I don’t see even an NFL linebacker being able to recover from all that shoulder training. Just because a body part lags, doesn’t mean you need to totally obliterate it. Less is more if done properly. If your workout is over 45 minutes (including warm-up) it borderlines on being too long. Most trainees over-train and under-eat…

Also, I think you guys should take out the arm training! If anyone has had any success with CW’s ABBH, or if you have been doing research in personal training, you know you certainly don’t need any direct arm work when doing compound exercises several times a week, at varying intensities and angles. The isolation movements would actually negate gains and lead to over-use/over-training unless properly implemented (doing curls and heavy rows in the same day is not proper implementation in my humble opinion).

I also liked the idea that someone posted about front, rear, and vertical plane training. I think one needs to be careful to not over-lap with this scheme, but I think this could be effective.

I think you guys wanting to get serious results from total body training need to watch the complicacy of your routine and watch the volume. Simplicity is the key. A lot of your workouts look like you are trying to do the old “one body part per day/per week split” and a total body split in the same phase! Too many exercises - too much variety will confuse the CNS.

Also, I suggest you go maximum strength Monday, endurance Wed, and ballistic (explosive) alternated every other week with the fiber type IIa fast-twitch training (3X12) on Friday. Since Monday and Friday should be very challenging, you don’t want to risk using the same muscle fiber before it’s recovered. Therefore, put the lighter day in between two more intense days.

I suggest something along these lines (FYI, 8 years or personal training and college athletics experience):

MONDAY 5x3@80-90%1RM 120 sec rest
Horizontal press (decline)
Horizontal row (barbell)
Back Squat (below parallel)
Standing calves
Total ab movement

TUESDAY
Fat loss phase: HIIT/Cardio
Hypertrophy phase: watch Friends!

WEDNESDAY 2X20@40-50%1RM 60 sec rest.
Vertical press (standing military)
Vertical pull (pull-ups, palms toward)
Deadlift (barbell)
Seated calves
Total ab movement

THURSDAY
Same as Tues.

FRIDAY 3X12@60-70%1RM
or ballistic 4X3@6RM 90 sec rest
Horizontal press (incline)
Horizontal row (cable)
Clean (hang) for ballistic
Stiff-leg deads for IIa work
Single-leg hops for calves
Total ab movement

This is just an example. BFG, if you wanted to hit the shoulders harder, put Wed movements on Mon, but keep the same loading scheme (still do max strength Mon).

TopSirloin

[quote]TopSirloin wrote:

This is just an example. BFG, if you wanted to hit the shoulders harder, put Wed movements on Mon, but keep the same loading scheme (still do max strength Mon).

TopSirloin[/quote]

Wow. Nice post man. It will be put to good use. The second vert press movement is definitely gone. Other mods will be made en route. Thank you.

Yes I was aware of the difference between what I had started and what Chad suggested. The multiple exercises seemed too complicated to me - I am looking for a very simple way to measure progress / overtraining and very consistently. My design appears middle of the road volume wise between your and SHUGART’S suggestions.

The same 6 core movements 3 times per week with different strength foci (maximum, hypertrophy, endurance, explosive) seems basic, reasonable, and doable. As far as my shoulders lagging, I don’t know that they do anymore, as they have been the focus of my training for the last year, and results have been solid. Still they will remain the focus - wouldn’t it be great if someone said, “umm … dude … your shoulders are too big big and wide.” Perhaps I will try this for 4-6 weeks and then drop to your rec for 4-6 weeks to get a gauge.

Thank you again,
Bastard F*ck Guy

Here’s what I’m trying lately, which I think fits on this theme. It’s a bastardization of basically most everything I have read on here lately:

Monday (Strength, but focus on bar-speed):
A) Hang Snatches, 6x3
B1) Squats 6x3
B2) Seated hamstring curls 6x3
C1) Incline dumbbell bench 6x3
C2) Bent-over barbell rows, suppinated grip 6x3
Some abs

Tuesday: Cardio - usually a combination of 50 minutes on 2 of the stairmaster, elliptical and seated bike.

Wednesday: (Endurance/explosion)

A) Tanita Thrusters with K-bells, a la the Dan John article
B) 3 Sets of 20 K-bell swings with same weight K-bells
C1) 3 Sets of 20 push-ups
C2) 3 Sets of 20 sit-ups

Thursday: Sprint work
2-3 420s (approximately – probably a little less – I run around a soccer field)
4 “Tiger Runs” (Walk, jog, sprint – Walk the narrow part of the soccer field, jog 60 yds, sprint 60 yards, repeat = 1 Tiger Run)

Friday: Explosive Training
Basically day 3 of CW’s TTT article.

Saturday: Walk around doing stuff with my fiancee. Maybe start taking a yoga class, since I am a lazy ass and rarely stretch.

Sunday: Sit on my butt and watch football.

I plan to change up the lifts after 4 weeks.

[quote]TopSirloin wrote:
BFG and all, I think Illuminea is onto something here. I think he understands what C-dub was trying to get at. Except, I think he might have a bit too much pressing.
TopSirloin[/quote]

Thanks TopSirloin !! I am going to drop some of those pressing lifts and try your suggestions.

Now - its time for me to stop measurebating and start lifting with this new routine.

BFG - are you trying to drop fat too?

-Dave

[quote]iluminatae wrote:
TopSirloin wrote:
BFG and all, I think Illuminea is onto something here. I think he understands what C-dub was trying to get at. Except, I think he might have a bit too much pressing.
TopSirloin

Thanks TopSirloin !! I am going to drop some of those pressing lifts and try your suggestions.

Now - its time for me to stop measurebating and start lifting with this new routine.

BFG - are you trying to drop fat too?

-Dave[/quote]

yes I am trying to drop fat too. for about 4 months i was doing one body part per week with a primary 15 minute blitz of one compound movement and then some other supplementary lifts. a bastardized hybrid version of Staley’s EDT + the 1 lift a day program + some other random shit. i was including intervals before and sometimes after. i have gained strength while losing about 30 pounds of fat. but since you posed that question, i need to figure out when to cut the cutting and get to growing. @ 6’2" and 220#, i would like another 10-30 pounds of LBM. as i am not an athlete, my primary goals are aesthetics and overall fitness / health.

making progress is in and of itself both rewarding and addictive.

measurebating - is that what we’ve been doing? dude you’ve coined a new T-sniglet! maybe the site needs a place to post T-sniglets?

BFG

Hey Gang,
I haven’t posted in awhile. I know, who cares. Anyway, with all this hoopla going on about fullbody workouts, I thought we should see if one of T-nations most knowledgeable veterans to this style of training, Keith Wassung, might be lured out to hold court. I don’t know if many of you know this, but Keith has been one of cyberpumps(site entirely devoted to HIT) prolific and intelligent writers. He has also written for Dan John’s “Throwing Page” and many, many others. I would venture to say he is probably the foremost authority to this style of training on this website. Take a look at his photo on the “what do you do for a living thread” and ask yourself this, does that physique not wreak of strength and power? If he surfaces, I think all would be impressed with his PR’s on various lifts.
Thank you,
Kyle

30 lbs! Good work BFG.

To date I have dropped 22 lbs and gained around 5lbs of lean mass. I am going for 10% BF before I start bulking, currently 14%.

Not sure what to set for a goal for mass but I figure around 15 lbs should be a good start. I am just a little guy 5’7.5 and currently 187 lbs. Once I drop to around 180 I will start bulking.

“Measurebating” - discussing training routines ad-nauseum on the internet and never grabbing a barbell.

Thats my take on it anyway - lol

How are you guys getting on with these routines?

week 1 was quite experimental and has led to some tuning (dropped two pressing movements, so total lifts from 8 to 6). i should have paid attention to Shugart’s quick note about dropping lifts due to shoulder stress.

i’m now in week two. extremely unusual for me, i am taking a long weekend (Thursday night thru Monday night) out of town. thus i am only lifting twice this week and then twice next week. i am T T this week and Tues F or W F next week.

it is too early to tell. the post workout feeling is just incredible though. i leave KNOWING that i hit (but not destroyed) everything sufficiently. i’ll give a better update after week 6.

also remember that i am primarily in a fat loss phase while maintaining (/increasing) strength. i continue to drop fat (am now down under 220 from 250+ in may).

i am really excited about the prospect of doing this while eating for real size and strength.

anyone else?

BFG

I’ll chime in here as I just jumped on the band wagon as well. I was intrigued by the full body 3 times a week program since I had made such huge gains as a teenager doing a 2x per week, 2 day split program. Since then I had mostly done 3 or 4 day splits with seemingly less improvement. Although I had gotten heavier by about 10 pounds my strength didn’t really improve. I think my muscle gain was primarily from the increased protein intake compared to when I was younger. I am 27 y/o now.

So about a week and a half ago I decided to give it a go. I started at 222 lbs, 8%, at 6’3.

My primary goals are bodybuilding related, with some athletism. Just to get to 230lbs at the same bf%. Also I’m concentrating on shoulders and upper back.

My workout program is basically this.

Day 1 (M) 2 x 5, 2 min rest (strength)
Day 2 (W) 2 x 15, 2 min rest (hypertrophy)
Day 3 (F) 3 x 25(easy), circuit, 30s rest (endurance, active recovery)

20 min cardio, 30 sec hard, 30 sec very easy before hand on Days 1 and 2. Usually skipping, bike, and/or running.

Weights

  1. Ab movement
  2. Shoulder Press variation
  3. Shrug or another isolation shoulder movement.
  4. Back Row variation
  5. Chin variation
  6. Chest press variation
  7. Biceps curl variation
  8. Triceps movement variation
  9. Deadlift variation
  10. Quad dominant variation
  11. Calf raise movement
    Followed by 10 min of stretching. The weights usually take about 55 min.

I’m going to be changing my exercises every week.

On my 25 rep day I par down the exercises to 6, including just the major movements. It’s basically skipping arm, calf, and extra shoulder exercises. I precede this day by 20 min of easy cardio. This day is basically an active recovery day. Everything is done easy.

As of yesterday I’ve gained 4 pounds which makes me up to 226lbs. The heaviest I’ve ever been in my life by a pound. I don’t seem to be any smoother either which is a bonus. This is after a week and a half.

I’ve bumped my protein intake from about 225 grams to 300 grams per day. My carbs have increased proportionally as well, perhaps a little higher. Fat intake is moderate.

In the past if I tried to increase my calories like this I would have gotten fatter so the workout is definitely making a difference in that regard. I’m able to change all those extra calories in to muscle which I was very surprised with.

My goal is to get to 230lbs at 8% bf. With only 4 pounds to go it doesn’t sound too unrealistic or far off at this point.

I’m not taking any supplements really unless you count protein powder, and a multivitamin. I forgot… In the last month I’ve been taking Power Drive before workouts with 200mg caffeine and like what I see so far. I feel a little more focused at the gym.

I was contemplating changing the endurance day to a power day (cleans, push-press, box squats, explosive push-ups, etc…), but figured I needed the extra recovery. I may try it in the future sometime.

Brian Hildebrandt

I will post in a couple months with my thoughts.

-Dave

I’ve been using the HST template, running three times a week, and just eating good foods with a caloric deficit and I’ve lost 5lbs in the last month (finally reached my goal of being under 203). It’s working really well. My goal is to leave Japan (End of January) weighing 190, squatting 275 and benching 225 for 5 reps (I have gotten really weak over the last while). I am thinking of giving the t-dawg2.0 another spin, but low carb diets, while working wonders in the beginning, now just give me huge cravings for sweets long after my cheat meal. Right now I’m following HSN guidelines (10-12x bw, 1 gram of protein/lbs, 25% fat, rest low gi carbs).

Hi everyone.

I used to get so annoyed at this site poking fun at mentzer. He may have had a personality that wasn’t respected by the masses, but he was a very clever man.

Now it seems everyone is going down the fullbody/ HIt style of training, because we have finally realised that the muscle mags pump out bull to sell supplements. most of the routines you guys are going to do are in line with HIT, Brawn and the like. If you find 3x week doesn’t work as well as you’d like train twice a week.

I’ve chucked out my “musclemags guide to building huge arms with 100 sets of concentration curls(and gear)” and got Beyond Brawn, Insiders Tell All handbook on weight training technique, and MM new HIT Book. Any one joining me?