Upper Body Split

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

I’m fairly skinny, so I wanted to focus on a program that hits all areas of my upper body, twice a week, with good compound movements.

I looked at WS4SB’s upper body splits, and it seems the volume may be a tad too high. Also I am unable to do direct bicep work atm (curls) because of over-trained wrists.

Note on the over-trained wrists: I spoke to a very good sports rehabilitator, and he said they should recover easily enough, unless i don’t use any really heavy weight (5 reps and under), for deadlift though i’ll just use straps.

Anyway here are the upper body splits I came up with:

workout1:
Weighted Dips - 5x5

Wide-Grip Pull Ups - 3x8

Standing Shoulder Flyes - 3x8

T-Bar Rows - 2x10

Ab circuit
Lying Leg Raises/Crunches/Crunches with a Twist - 3x25

workout2:
Barbell Bench Press - 3x10

Chin Up - 3x10

Military Press - 3x8

Bent Over Row - 3x8

Ab circuit!
Hanging Leg Raises/Machine Crunches/Side Bends - 3x12

I think that workout2 seems solid, with a good push:pull ratio and good exercises.

with workout1 though, I’m not so sure.

I included dips to focus on triceps more. As for the shoulder flyes, I wasn’t sure if dumbbell shoulder press would be a bit too much, considering I have a military press in the other routine.

Maybe I should drop shoulder flyes for a rear delt exercise?

If anyone has any ideas to improve this that would be great.

Also feel free to comment on the volume per split, I followed the guidelines on WS4SB in terms of volume (I just didn’t use super-sets, maybe I should? and took out a direct arm exercise on workout2)

2

It’s kind of cookie-cutter-like, but if it works go with it. Ditch most of your ab circuit exercises unless you really need to work on that area-ditch the crunches at least and do some bridges. Maybe replace the shoulder raise with an external rotation of some sort. good luck.

3

The straps will take the strain from your hands, NOT from your wrists.

Also, what happened to your legs?

4

[quote]Wreckless wrote:
The straps will take the strain from your hands, NOT from your wrists.

Also, what happened to your legs?[/quote]

He did say he was going to use straps for his deadlifts, so maybe he has two lower body days as well?

5

I would drop the Shoulder flyes for DB shoulder press. I don’t think it would be too much volume.

T-bar row and bent over row are very similar. If you are looking for some variety, how about replacing T-bars with a face pull? Then you’d hit rhomboids, lower traps AND rear delts.

6

[quote]Wreckless wrote:
The straps will take the strain from your hands, NOT from your wrists.

Also, what happened to your legs?[/quote]

workout1:
Front Squat - 5x5

Leg Press - 3x10

Stiff-Leg Deadlift - 3x8

workout2:
Squat - 5x3

Deadlift - 3x5

Standing Leg Curl - 3x10

The straps take the strain off my wrist joint, and since my wrist isn’t bent at all it doesn’t effect me any.

7

[quote]Modi wrote:
I would drop the Shoulder flyes for DB shoulder press. I don’t think it would be too much volume.

T-bar row and bent over row are very similar. If you are looking for some variety, how about replacing T-bars with a face pull? Then you’d hit rhomboids, lower traps AND rear delts.[/quote]

i’ll try that, I was just thinking of using a t-bar row instead since it’s almost a direct opposite movement of a weighted dip.

8

[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
Modi wrote:
I would drop the Shoulder flyes for DB shoulder press. I don’t think it would be too much volume.

T-bar row and bent over row are very similar. If you are looking for some variety, how about replacing T-bars with a face pull? Then you’d hit rhomboids, lower traps AND rear delts.

i’ll try that, I was just thinking of using a t-bar row instead since it’s almost a direct opposite movement of a weighted dip.[/quote]

I don’t think your idea is a bad idea, I just think BOR and T-bars are very similar, and by adding some face pulls you can get some prehab in there for your shoulders.