My Current Bulking Routine. Help

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

1
chest flat bench 3x6-8
incline bench 3x6-8
flies 3x8-10
leaning forward dips 3x6-8
triceps
close grip bench (2/3 of range of motion,tri emphasize) 3x8-10
lyingtricep extensions3x8-10
biceps
bb curl 3x6-8
concentration curls 3x8-10
abs

2
legs
squats (barbell on upper chest) 3x6-8
walking lunges 3x15 each leg
leg extensions 3x20-25
lying leg curls 4x8-10
calves
standing calve raises4x10-15
forearms

3
back dead lift 3x6-8
pullups 3x8-10
bb row 3x8-10
db row 3x8-10
shoulders rear delt raises 3x8-10
shrugs 3x6-8
standing shoulder press 3x6-8
laterals 3x8-10

all sets above are very hard, but not to failure. ie if i struggle very hard with last rep or my form goes down i dont do the next one…if i excess the upper limit of rep range during given set ill add weight for next set…

from time to time ill add some rest pause or drop sets…

3-4 times a week depending on recovery and my schedule…

2

where did you get this routine from? I get the feeling you designed it yourself.

your intensity level seems fine. not a good idea to take many sets to absolute failure unless you’re on gear anyway.

post your diet.

3

and is that bad if i designed it myself?

my diet is very strict ~3600 kcal 250g protein, 90g fats, rest are carbs. primarily meat, eggs, brown rice

i also found this routine on mastover’s site:

MONDAY:
Squats 5x5-10
Leg Extensions: 3x15
Stiff leg Deads 4x10

TUESDAY:
Incline DB Press 4x6-10 switch to FLAT BARBELL
Weighted Dips 4x6-10
Cambered bar Skullcrushers 4x6-10

THURSDAY:
Weighted Chins 3x4-6
BB Rows 3x6-8
Deadlifts 3x8-10
BB Curl 4x8-12

FRIDAY: Seated BB Press 3x6
Seated DB Press 2x8-10
Seated Calf Raise 2x15
Standing Calf Raise 2x10

every set is INTENSE + some forced reps, rest pause reps, dropset in last sets.

better? volume is really low…

4

yes. it’s one thing to take an established routine and tweak it slightly for your needs, and another to design one from scratch that is as redundant and poorly designed as yours.

for instance, you have CGBP listed as a third upper body pressing movement in your first day. IMO if you still have anything left for CGBP after the other two movements, then you didn’t go hard enough on the first two movements. if you did go hard enough, then you are leaving weight off the bar for CGBP. either way, the effort is better focused on isolation exercises.

additionally, you are doing bicep exercises on the first day and then back exercises on the third day. how many days are in between these two sessions? granted, a well executed pullup/pulldown/row won’t involve biceps much, but the bicep will still tire first regardless. you are potentially leaving weight off the bar for your back day as well.

the second routine looks better designed. how do you progress though?

edit: I picked out a couple more things from your routine.

  1. CGBP is the FOURTH pressing movement on the first day. same logic as above applies.
  2. is that a front squat on the 2nd day? why not a back squat? are you rotating this with a hinge-type movement for your hams? because those leg curls alone are not gonna cut it. I see you have deadlifts on back day but it seems you’re using that more for back development.
    3). forearm work on day 2, before day 3 which is a heavy pulling day. even if you are using straps, your grip will still give out first.

stop doing your routine, please

5

[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
yes. it’s one thing to take an established routine and tweak it slightly for your needs, and another to design one from scratch that is as redundant and poorly designed as yours.

for instance, you have CGBP listed as a third upper body pressing movement in your first day. IMO if you still have anything left for CGBP after the other two movements, then you didn’t go hard enough on the first two movements. if you did go hard enough, then you are leaving weight off the bar for CGBP. either way, the effort is better focused on isolation exercises.

additionally, you are doing bicep exercises on the first day and then back exercises on the third day. how many days are in between these two sessions? granted, a well executed pullup/pulldown/row won’t involve biceps much, but the bicep will still tire first regardless. you are potentially leaving weight off the bar for your back day as well.

the second routine looks better designed. how do you progress though?

edit: I picked out a couple more things from your routine.

  1. CGBP is the FOURTH pressing movement on the first day. same logic as above applies.
  2. is that a front squat on the 2nd day? why not a back squat? are you rotating this with a hinge-type movement for your hams? because those leg curls alone are not gonna cut it. I see you have deadlifts on back day but it seems you’re using that more for back development.
    3). forearm work on day 2, before day 3 which is a heavy pulling day. even if you are using straps, your grip will still give out first.

stop doing your routine, please[/quote]

thank you for your points, sir. really appreciated.

second routine is from this website: http://www.mastover.com/articles.htm

i changed it only A BIT as you can see.

when it comes to progression im willing to add weight when i exceed rep range ina given set. all sets are done with maximum effort (with adequate rest in between sets of course) , but only in last one ill incorporate thing like aprtials/rest pause/dropset to add intensity.

for example:

1st set 225 x 13 (ive done 3 reps more than rep range upper limit, so i add wieght next set)
2nd set 230 x 10 (amount of rep is withing rep range so i keep the weight the same for next set)
3rd set 230 x 9
4th set 230 x 7 + 2-3 forced reps/ or few partials

next week:

1st set 235 x 10
2nd set 235 x 9
3rd set 235 x 9
4th set 235 x 8 + dropset

next week:

1st set 235 x 12
2nd set 240 x 11
3rd set 245 x 8
4th set 245 x 7 + some partials

etc.

what do you think? i want to apply meximum intensity to every set, because volume is fairly low.

6

you might feel like you changed it just “a bit”. however, the same logic I posted above applies.

all of these intensity techniques you posted have different uses.

IMO partials and drop sets are better when finishing isolation work, when you’re just trying to force more blood into the muscle.

rest-pause and forced/assisted reps are better for compound movements if you are trying to progress within a certain rep range. for instance, I flat benched 245x6 today and I add 10 lb when I feel like I can control 245x8 well. however if I get stuck at 245x7 for a few sessions, I might do a rest-pause to get another rep or two for a few sessions and hopefully stimulate enough growth to get 245x8, in addition to eating more.

or I might invest the energy in my two lighter sets at 225 and 205 and try to exert better control over those weights.

either way, by the time I’m done with my compound lifts and isolation work, the target muscle(s) is/are spent.

is your method of progression the same as that guy on the website?

7

thank you for info about partials /dropsets and forced/assited reps. that makes a lot of sense

the guy who created this routine wrote, that it is intensity which is most important and he dont do many exercises, but he takes all sets “all out”, “pretty much dorian yates style”. he wrote that he prefer reverse pyramid but it can be done using different methods, but as long as youre progressing with weight and apply intensity. he didnt mention forced reps etc but wrote

"You’ve got to push the envelope. A mindset of controlled aggression. To be so focused as to put your body and mind into each rep. This is what makes leg training so valuable. Putting your mind and emotion into it. Completing that extra rep or three that you felt was impossible to reach for, yet you completed them while your body is screaming at you to stop the set.

I believe every type of training is valuable only if the INTENSITY applied is over the top. If you are just half assing through your workouts, expect to get nothing out of it. If you want to take it easy, just remember you’ve got 165 hours in the week to do just that."

i dont want to play smartass. i will do any routine if you tell me it is good in your opinion. again sorry for my English… many people recommend sth like this from this website (Routine NR 1): www.mastover.com/articles.htm

author about this routine:

"Hmmmm… this routine looks familiar. :slight_smile:
All good suggestions above.

My question is, are you looking for another routine simply for a change? Or have you stopped getting results? Another question; what were your beginning and ending weights used on your heaviest squat, dip, and barbell row? I’ve done this routine for 4-8 months straight. As long as my lifts kept going up, I made progress. If your beginning top end squat was 155 pounds for 5 reps, then 4 months later your top end squat with the same routine is 285 for 5 reps, you are going to be carrying significantly more muscle than 4 months ago. The only changes I’ve made to this routine was to drop a work set from each exercise once my calories dropped below maintenance when getting ready for a show.

Another reason I see people switching routines too frequently is because they don’t log their training, can’t accurately gauge progress, and get bored. You know what is boring to me? Not doing the same routine so much, but getting no results from the routine. Now that’s boring. :nod:"
but i dont know if it is suitable…?

MONDAY:
Squats 5x5-10
Leg Extensions: 3x15
Stiff leg Deads 4x10

TUESDAY:
Incline BB Press 4x6-10
Weighted Dips 4x6-10
Cambered bar Skullcrushers 4x6-10

THURSDAY:
Weighted Chins 3x4-6
BB Rows 3x6-8
Deadlifts 3x8-10
BB Curl 4x8-12

FRIDAY: Seated BB Press 3x6
Seated DB Press 2x8-10
Leaning laterals 2x8-10
BB Standing Calf Raise 4x15

8

now, those changes you just posted are much better. they fall within the program design and won’t negatively impact recovery for other lifts in the week.

reverse pyramids, ladders and ramping to one all out set are all fine methods to use for bulking.

what is your diet like? training intensely is useless without eating enough to grow.

9

my diet is very strict. since recently im upped protein to 250 g - meat, eggs, fish. 95g fats and rest is carbs. total 3500 kcal + 1kg veggies. im VERY consistent.

but im a bit confused because once author wrote that he dont like mentality of prescribed rep goals and stopping even thou you can squeeze more and he advises going all out on all 4 sets, but then again he proposes for example straight sets - 5x5-10 doing with same weight and if i reach all 10,10,10,10,10 then up weight next workout - but in this method my first 3-4 sets wouldnt be all out, first/second set probably will be relatively easy. i dont know what to think about that…

10

I never really liked that method of progression, but different methods work for different people. I can see how that might be confusing. if you choose to follow his method of progression, then it’s just as he says, when you can get 5x10 or whatever then add weight at the next session.

11

so in you opinion whick method of profression should i stick to?

and this workout as it is above is ok to start?

thank you

12

progress as the author says, add weight when you can get the full 5x10.

the program as he wrote it, or even with he minor tweaks you posted is fine.

13

ok thank you a lot!

14

np.

train and eat well and consistently.

keep us updated of your progress every month or so, with measurements and/or pics preferably. start a training log in the training lab if you are so inclined.

best of luck to you.

15

[quote]fr0IVIan wrote:
np.

train and eat well and consistently.

keep us updated of your progress every month or so, with measurements and/or pics preferably. start a training log in the training lab if you are so inclined.

best of luck to you.[/quote]
i definitely will, from next week ; )