Post Your Routines

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

monday
DE bench 6x2
neutral grip db flat press 6x8-12
shoulder press variation 4x8-12
incline bench 5x10
rear delt work 4x12, supersetted with cuff work

tuesday:
squats (close stance)
4x8, adding 10-20 pounds a week till reps drop to 3, i started over with 135 fixing my form finally!
snatchs (power) work up to 3-4 sets of 2
leg press 4x8-15
extension (single leg) alternating sets of 12
leg curl work up to a heavy set of 8
db row 6x8
calves
hammer’s

wed off
thursday:
front box squat, same as squat reps
power clean, work up to a double then reduce weight work on explosion/form
legpress-same
leg curl 3x20 (keep knees healthy and pump blood into muscles)
lat pulldown 4x6-12
calves
hammer’s

friday:
banded pin press work up 3x3
decline close grip 5x4-6
shoulder variation 5x5
incline neutral grip db’s 5x10-15
rear delt/cuff work

saturday: banded rack pull work up to 4x2
snatch grip deads 3-4x10, increasing weight weekly till reps drop below 5
db row: 6x6-20, pyrimid in weight
pullups if i still have energy
reverse grip curls

sunday: off

22

I’m surprised by the amount of “chest/tri, back/bi, arms, shoulders/abs” routines I’m seeing from posters on this site.

From everything I have ever really read on this site, people recommend doing complex lifts that involve a lot of muscle, doing more than just one leg day a week, and rarely isolating your arms for an entire day. They say it is a different story if you are a competitive body builder (and have the body of one) because half an inch on your arms can make or break a competition, but they also say that the best way to build muscle and lose fat is to NOT work out that way.

I’m sure I don’t know as much as some of you, but I am confounded by the amount of people I see doing those isolation/volume routines that minimize the amount of legs you do.I used to do a similar program and I saw almost zero gains, but when I switched it up to rippetoes I started seeing huge gains.

Any thoughts on this?

23

[quote]BSrunner wrote:
I’m surprised by the amount of “chest/tri, back/bi, arms, shoulders/abs” routines I’m seeing from posters on this site.

From everything I have ever really read on this site, people recommend doing complex lifts that involve a lot of muscle, doing more than just one leg day a week, and rarely isolating your arms for an entire day. They say it is a different story if you are a competitive body builder (and have the body of one) because half an inch on your arms can make or break a competition, but they also say that the best way to build muscle and lose fat is to NOT work out that way.

I’m sure I don’t know as much as some of you, but I am confounded by the amount of people I see doing those isolation/volume routines that minimize the amount of legs you do.I used to do a similar program and I saw almost zero gains, but when I switched it up to rippetoes I started seeing huge gains.

Any thoughts on this?[/quote]

Articles do not equal real life.
Edit: also, if you don’t actually know how to set up a useful split and don’t eat enough, then nothing will come off it.

Usually, few people do well when doing something like:
BB curls 412 straight sets
DB Curls 412 straight sets
Preachers 4*12…

That’s basically a high volume routine and will make it very difficult to gain strength fast enough for you to grow at a good rate.

If those were all ramped instead of straight sets, it’d be a completely different story…

Also, you train your legs once a week.
You train your chest once a week.
You train everything but your weak parts (maybe) once a week.
How is that “limiting the amount of legs you do”?

They receive the same attention all other muscle-groups receive…

You don’t need 2-3 leg days a week in order to get big/strong legs. You CAN however have 2 or so leg days, you’d just have to do a lot less work per session then…

24

I do a 4 days on 1 day off routine. The gym I work out in is pretty busy, so the exact exercises change sometimes. But I keep it to about 3-5 exercises per muscle group.

Day1: Chest/shoulders
BB Bench
Standing Mil. Press
Rear Delts
Incline DB Press
Fly’s
Shrugs

Day2: Legs
Squats
Press
Extensions
Calves(lots)
Lunges
Those girly machines…

Day3: Bi’s/Tri’s
Curls
CGBP
Curls
Pushdown
Curls
Dips

Day4: Back
Weighted Pull-ups
Deadlifts(lots-my favorite)-9k pounds of volume today
Kroc Rows
Hammer Strength Low Rows
Good Mornings/SLDL’s

Day5: Rest
Mind Benders x Elevendy

I’ve been running this routine for about 4 months now. But not necessarily the same exercises/rep schemes the entire time. Put on 10 pounds of Muscle memory and 20 pounds of new weight. The weight is gaining really easy too. It’s not the best, but it works for me.

Edit: Mostly all ramped sets.

25

[quote]myself1992 wrote:
G87 wrote:

  1. Looks like Saturday is a wasted day for you as far as gaining size goes. Oly lifts, as a rule, are NOT the fastest way to get big. Neither is rotator cuff work.

  2. Tuesday seems like too much. Squats and bench… AND power cleans, AND deadlifts, AND dips?

  3. If I were you, I’d just do something like Madcow/Bill Starr’s 5x5, to be honest. I’m sure there’s also plenty of 3-a-week strength plans on this website.

sadly i need some power work on saturdays or whenever i can get it done for my sport, if i didn’t have shoulder problems from time to time maybe i wouldnt do the rotator cuff work, squats and bench… AND power cleans, AND deadlifts, AND dips isn’t really too much. remember you are not me and your goals and methods don’t apply to me[/quote]

You are right; I am not you. On the other hand, you make it sound like you’re more unique than you really are. Most people would pick 2 big lifts, and then stick to accessory work for them on any given day. If you show me someone who got strong on squats, deadlifts, bench press and power cleans by doing them all on the same day, well, I’d be very surprised.

Lancey basically said the same thing. I doubt it’s a coincidence.

26

[quote]G87 wrote:
myself1992 wrote:
G87 wrote:

  1. Looks like Saturday is a wasted day for you as far as gaining size goes. Oly lifts, as a rule, are NOT the fastest way to get big. Neither is rotator cuff work.

  2. Tuesday seems like too much. Squats and bench… AND power cleans, AND deadlifts, AND dips?

  3. If I were you, I’d just do something like Madcow/Bill Starr’s 5x5, to be honest. I’m sure there’s also plenty of 3-a-week strength plans on this website.

sadly i need some power work on saturdays or whenever i can get it done for my sport, if i didn’t have shoulder problems from time to time maybe i wouldnt do the rotator cuff work, squats and bench… AND power cleans, AND deadlifts, AND dips isn’t really too much. remember you are not me and your goals and methods don’t apply to me

You are right; I am not you. On the other hand, you make it sound like you’re more unique than you really are. Most people would pick 2 big lifts, and then stick to accessory work for them on any given day. If you show me someone who got strong on squats, deadlifts, bench press and power cleans by doing them all on the same day, well, I’d be very surprised.

Lancey basically said the same thing. I doubt it’s a coincidence.[/quote]

well, then how can i make it better, splitting my tuesday into another day? i do it this way because its the only day that actually have free so i can do legs without having to play soccer before or after and in the weekends i have game either saturday or thursday so how would you go around all the damn soccer.

27

[quote]Artem wrote:
myself1992 wrote:
Artem wrote:
I don’t really care how you train at 182 6’. We had this exact thread 2 weeks ago. Use the search.
cool hair Meduza

I know its great right i can tell you how to make it yourself
I’m getting dreads, but fuck it, tell me anyways.
[/quote]

dude, the meduzza hair was supposed to be dreads

28

[quote]BSrunner wrote:
I’m surprised by the amount of “chest/tri, back/bi, arms, shoulders/abs” routines I’m seeing from posters on this site.

From everything I have ever really read on this site, people recommend doing complex lifts that involve a lot of muscle, doing more than just one leg day a week, and rarely isolating your arms for an entire day. They say it is a different story if you are a competitive body builder (and have the body of one) because half an inch on your arms can make or break a competition, but they also say that the best way to build muscle and lose fat is to NOT work out that way.

I’m sure I don’t know as much as some of you, but I am confounded by the amount of people I see doing those isolation/volume routines that minimize the amount of legs you do.I used to do a similar program and I saw almost zero gains, but when I switched it up to rippetoes I started seeing huge gains.

Any thoughts on this?[/quote]

Comes down to how people formulated the routine. When you’ve been training for several years, you see what works for you and what doesn’t work for you. This allows you to tweek your routine to something that suits you but most importantly gets you results.

Articles will say a lot of things. Claims are typically based off a majority. What works for most people may not work for some other people. I think the end conclusion is that you need to know yourself very well to be able to see what is best. This only comes from time + experience.

29

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
does anyone else think the shot of the dudes abs to the right looks like an elephants face?

the nipple is the eye

the left ab wall is the trunk

the serratus is the ear

and the rib things are the tusk[/quote]

Lol, that made my day

30

I am half/training for a powerlifting meet half/training for size. I train in striaght sets at the moment. After the meet, I will likely try DC for a while.

Currently, this what I do:

Monday

Chest-
BB Bench - 5x5
Incline DB Bench - 3x8-12
Dips 3x15-20
Some Fly variation - 3x10-15
Some tricep exercise - 3x8-12

Tuesday

Back-
Deadlifts - 3-5x3-5
Pullups - 3x10-12
Horizontal Pulley Rows 3x8-12
Bent HS Rows (dunno what this is really called) 3x8-12
HS Pulldowns 3x8-12]
Calves (Standing and Seated)

Friday

Shoulders/Arms
OH Press - 3x8-12
A1 Lateral Raises
A2 Front Raises
A3 DB OH Press
Shrugs 3x8-12
Face Pulls 3x8-12
2-3 sets of biceps
2-3 sets of triceps

Saturday

Legs
Squats 3-5x3-5
RDL - 3x8-12
Hack Squats or Bulgarian Split Squats, alternate week to week, 3x8-12
Leg Curls - 3x8-12
Calves (Standing and Seated)

31

Monday :
Squat 3x20
leg press 3x25 30
leg extension 3x15(iso hold at the top)

Tuesday:
A1. bench press 3x8
A2. bent over row 3x8
B1. incline press 3x10
B2. Hammer grip chin up 3x10
C1. incline fly 3x12
C2. Pull down 3x12
D1. Cross over 3x12
D2. Row on a machine 3x12

Wednesday
upright row 3x12
military press 2 3 x8
front raise, lateral raise and bent over raise 3x12 each

A1.overhead db extension 3x8
A2. standing db curl 3x8
B1. reverse extension on the high pulley
B2.wide grip cable curl
C1. skull crusher (8 behind my head, 8 to my chin, and 8 close grip bench press )
C2. bb curl (reverse8 after 8 close grip and 8 wide grip)

Thursday

Deadlift 5x5
leg curl 3x8
standing leg curl 3x12
Standing calf raise 5x8
seated calf raise 3 x50

Friday
A1. Bench press 8x4
A2. close supinate grip chin up 8 x 4
abs.

I do some cardio 3 or 4 day a week on the week day

32

I’d have to post my color coded, nerd-time excel sheet.

Basically i Front Squat 3x per week ah la Starr 5x5. Then i do some kroc rows n dips n shit depending on the day. then my a circuit to rehab my shoulders.

In the evening i Olift, unfortunately very lightly.

-chris

33

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
does anyone else think the shot of the dudes abs to the right looks like an elephants face?

the nipple is the eye

the left ab wall is the trunk

the serratus is the ear

and the rib things are the tusk[/quote]

Ahahahah. This amuses me.

34

I’m on my first Wendler’s 5-3-1 wave:

Monday:
Military Press 5-3-1
DB shoulder press supersetted with Lateral raises
Chins
MP lock-out
Overhead shrug (if I have time)

Tue:
Overhead squat (2x10, kinda Warm Up)
Squat 5-3-1
Front squat
Leg curl
Calf raise

Thu:
Bent-over row 5-3-1 (I CANNOT BENCH HEAVY because of a strained supraspinatus…)
Cable row supersetted with bent-over lateral raise
DB bench press
DB curl

Sat:
Power clean 5-3-1
Deadlift 5-3-1
Barbell complex (DL, RDL, BOR, Hang Clean, Front squat, Push press, Good Morning)
Trap bar shrug

All assistance lifts are done in a Waterbury-like fashion (10-14 RM, amrap, end the set when speed or ROM decrease, or form deteriorate, perform a total of 40 reps), except the exercises of the complex, which are performed for three reps (adding a rep each week, just for conditioning).

Plank and abs roll (using a barbell) at the end (if I’ve something left :slight_smile:

35

[quote]myself1992 wrote:
well, then how can i make it better, splitting my tuesday into another day? i do it this way because its the only day that actually have free so i can do legs without having to play soccer before or after and in the weekends i have game either saturday or thursday so how would you go around all the damn soccer.[/quote]

I would have a look at “How To Design a Damn Good Programme” on this website, and also really have a look at Bill Starr/Madcow’s 5x5. It’s a real solid program for strength, and it’s not too demanding, even for someone doing sports. One key thing to understand is, with low volume per body part per workout, you won’t get too sore to play sports. What’s your primary goal - size, power (oly lifts), strength, speed? And what days do you play football?

36

[quote]G87 wrote:
myself1992 wrote:
well, then how can i make it better, splitting my tuesday into another day? i do it this way because its the only day that actually have free so i can do legs without having to play soccer before or after and in the weekends i have game either saturday or thursday so how would you go around all the damn soccer.

I would have a look at “How To Design a Damn Good Programme” on this website, and also really have a look at Bill Starr/Madcow’s 5x5. It’s a real solid program for strength, and it’s not too demanding, even for someone doing sports. One key thing to understand is, with low volume per body part per workout, you won’t get too sore to play sports. What’s your primary goal - size, power (oly lifts), strength, speed? And what days do you play football?[/quote]

im playing monday through friday but i skip tuesdays in order to train so thats why i do all the shit i do that day then ive got the weekends free. If you see my routine i am doing a madcow like program because of the low volume. in about a month i will be playing only tuesdays and fridays so im wishing for that time to come. right now im worried about power size and strength so im doing the madcow like program that focuses on that

37

funny, I used to do a 5 day a week split, 1 day per body part, got some ok size on it but eventually I wanted more frequency.
was doing 20-25 sets for chest, legs, back and 16 sets shoulders, 8 traps, 12 bis/12tris.

then I went to a 4 day split (2on 1 off, or 4 on 1 off)
reduced volume (chest/legs/back 16 sets, shoulders 12 sets, bis tris 9-11 sets)
chest/bis
quads/calves/abs
shldrs/traps/tris
back/hams/calves/abs

On deployment, I got tired of not having enough equipment and went into a kind of maintenance routine that I got from the physician’s assistant on the carrier. He did it every day nonstop, no days off, I did it 6 days in a row, then 1 off, and now I do it 2on 1 off. It is basically a 2 day split but not upper lower.

Day 1
Chest
shoulders
biceps
triceps
quads

Day 2
Pullups
Dips
1/2 Deadlift/shrugs (rack pulls)
calves
hamstrings
(original workout calls for pushups, but I sub external rotation/rear delt work)

rotate exercises every time ex:
day 1 day 2
Chest press flye
back pullup row
shldr lateral press
bicep BB/EZ DB
Tri press extension (tons dips/press)
down
Quads quad hip
hams SLD curl
calves seated stand/leg press

Each exercise is performed for 6 sets of 12 reps. about 1 min between sets, totals about 30 sets I get done in an hour ±10-15min

I love it because I never get tired of the exercises and there is this residual pump from working the same bodypart 2 days in a row either directly or indirectly.

superset the pullups/dips and the arms

Sometimes I do 7 or 8 sets if i am feeling stronger.
Pick same weight and try to get all reps for all sets. when you do, go up in weight. I added 15lbs to my frame from this routine over 6 months. as I got stronger, this really takes a lot out of you by the end.
Currently 6ft 220, 18% BF.
Of course there are flaws (too much pressing, not enough rowing,etc) I know. It is still a fun workout and get to workout the same bodypart more frequently. the mix of #sets and frequency is spot on for me.
I swap exercises sometimes like reverse/Behind the back upright rows or hang clean/press for shoulders and have supersetted Scott Able’s explosive pushups after flyes. throw forearms in there sometimes too for fun.

email me if questions :slight_smile:

38

I recently switched to circuit training just to change things up
I do each exercise and move immediately to the next exercise. It seems to be working pretty well.

Monday
Lunges, sitting calf raise, db bench, clap push-ups, monkey jumps
10, 8, 6, 6

standing calf raises, leg extensions
10, 10

Tuesday
2-3 mile run in the morning
db rows, weighted pull-ups, T-bar rows, db curls
10, 8, 6, 6
abs

Wednesday
deadlift 8, 6, 4, 2; superset calves
db press, glute ham raise, db lateral raise, cable rear delt fly
10, 8, 6, 6
calves on leg press 10, 8, 6, 6
hammer press 10, 10
Stairclimber 10 minutes

Thursday
morning run 2 miles, slow
incline barbell bench, weighted dips, hammer decline press, skull crushers
10, 8, 6, 6
abs

Friday
something active to loosen up the legs

Saturday
50 yard sprint, mountain climbers, squat thrusts
four circuits

39

workoutI
squats 5x5
2a benchpress 5x5
2b weughted chinups
deadlifts 5x5
4a standing bb curls
4b skull crushers 5x5
standing calve raises 5x5

Workout II
front squats 5x5
2a incline bb bench 5x5
2b bent over rows 5x5
highpulls 5x5
serratus push crunch 2x15
seated calve raises 3x15

workout III
squats 5x5
2a decline bb bench 5x5
2b weighted pullups 5x5
deadlifts 5x5
overhead press 5x5
dumbbell pullovers 2x20
standing calve raises 5x5

off days 3x3o bicycle crunches

re-did program to add direct arm work. i cant wait to work out again. 3 more weeks.

40

sunday shoulders

lateral raise machine(8-10 reps)
smith shoulder press(5-8 reps)
standing row(the shoulder one)(8-10 reps)
hs shoulder press machine(10-12 reps)
hs shrug machine(3-15 reps, depending on weights and other factors but try to hit 10 reps)

tuesday legs

leg extention(warm up joints)(anywhere upto 15 reps a set)
hack squat machine(8-10 reps)
leg curl(8-10 reps)
leg extension(8-10 reps)
leg press(12-15 reps)
calf work

wedsnesday chest/biceps

pec deck(8-10 rep)
incline bench(heavier 3-6 rep range)
incline bench with real wide grip(more reps 8-12 range)
hs bench(10 rep range)
hammer curls(8 rep range)
steep bb preacher(8-10 reps)
reverse cable curls(5-12, usually exhausted)

friday back and triceps

rack pulls(build up to 1 rep max)
lat pull downs(5-8 reps)
chest support bb row(5-10 reps)
seated cable row(5-10 reps)
close grip smith bench(8-12 reps)
tricep pushdowns(8-15 reps)
standing tricep extensions with a bb(5-10 reps)

you may notice that my reps vary alot, it depends on how my body is going if I cant push out another rep I’m not going to injure myself by throwing and jerking my body around to get the weight moving, also the oppisite is true if I feel I can bang out a few more I will. I haven’t listed my number of sets cause I listen too my body, when it says enough i’ll move onto the next exercise. I don’t really rest much inbetween sets a part from rack pulls, workout generally take 45-1 hour…I’ve been progressing with weight and when I finally get around too uploading new pictures in 6 months I think most ppl will be shocked with my progress from last year.