1. #1
    Field Marshal Nemefem's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Changing up my routine

    Hey guys.

    For the last 8 years or so I've worked the same routine at the gym:
    Day1: Chest+triceps (bench, incline bench, flyes, weighted dips, and 2 other triceps exercises) *I vary between dumbbels and bar on benchpress/incline bench.
    Day2: Back+biceps muscles (weighted chin-ups, deadlift, bent-over rowing, preacher curls, standing curls, curls with overhand grip)
    Day3: Shoulders and core (Military press, arnold press, side raises, front raises, and whatever I feel like for core)
    Day4: Legs (sqats, press, calf raises, lunges, hamstring pulls)
    I normally rest over 3 days. I always do cardio before or after weigths.

    So basically I've been sticking to this program for a very long time. I want to change it up. Yesterday I talked with a fellow gym rat, and he suggested doing chest and biceps on the same day, and doing back on its own for more isolation.

    Has anyone had any experience with this? I was thinking something like this:
    Day1: Chest+biceps
    Day2: Back
    Day3: Triceps+core
    Day4: Legs

    You'll notice I haven't put shoulders in there because I don't have any experience with this routine yet, and I'm not sure which day I should do it on. Was thinking I could do it with legs, but that's already a packed day. Any input would be great.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    The Patient
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    My routine was:

    Day 1 - Chest/Back/Abs
    Day 2 - Swim
    Day 3 - Shoulders/Arms/Abs
    Day 4 - Legs/Back
    Day 5 - Swim (optional)
    Day 6 - Play Soccer for 2-3 hours

    I like to throw in something outside of the gym in my routine so I didn't get bored of going to the gym all the time.

  3. #3
    Damn! 4 day consecutive split?! I'd be dead without a rest day in between there somewhere. Why don't you try something a bit different and do a full body routine that focuses on the big compounds. I've done Bill Starr's 5x5 and am currently in the middle of 5/3/1 and both are fantastic programs for putting on strength and getting the big lifts up. There's a lot "less" exercises you do each day but after the workout you won't want to do anymore anyways. E.g. My week on Starr's 5x5 looked like this:

    Mon-
    Squat 5x5
    Bench 5x5
    Powerclean 5x5

    Wed -
    Squat 4x5
    Mili Press 4x5
    Deads 4x5

    Fri -
    Squat 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
    Bench 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
    Powercleans 4x5, 1x3, 1x8

    There was limited assistance work after each workout the first two days and a bit more on the last day. Goal was weekly increases. Now though, heavy squatting 3 times a week is a pain when I run and play basketball 5 days a week so the slow and steady progress of 5/3/1 works better.
    All depends on your goals though.

    If you're banking on the 4 day split though, I know a bunch of people at my college gym do a 4 day, something like this:

    Day 1: Shoulders/Tris - Mili Press, Lat Raises, Reverse Flys, Barbell Shrugs, Skullcrushers, Cable Extensions
    Day 2: Back - Dumbbell Rows, Pendalay Rows, Wide Grip Pull Ups, Lat Pull-Downs
    Day 3: Rest
    Day 4: Chest/Bis - Bench Press, Incline Dumbbell Flys, Incline Bench, Cable Crossovers, Incline Curls, Preachers, Hammers
    Day 5: Legs - Squats, SLDLs, Leg Presses, Standing Calf Raises

    My brother is currently on a 3 day split and does:
    Mon - Legs
    Wed - Back/Bis
    Fri - Chest/Shoulders/Tris
    Since Monday seems to be national Chest and Tricep day, he likes to do legs then without worrying about a line forming at the benches.

    Good Luck!!
    Last edited by Lockstatus; 2012-02-05 at 06:22 AM.

  4. #4
    Field Marshal Nemefem's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lockstatus View Post
    Damn! 4 day consecutive split?! I'd be dead without a rest day in between there somewhere.
    Yeah I do these 4 consecutive and then have one day of rest. I feel like the big muscle groups get enough rest because of the routine, but I agree it's not optimal.

    Why don't you try something a bit different and do a full body routine that focuses on the big compounds. I've done Bill Starr's 5x5 and am currently in the middle of 5/3/1 and both are fantastic programs for putting on strength and getting the big lifts up. There's a lot "less" exercises you do each day but after the workout you won't want to do anymore anyways. E.g. My week on Starr's 5x5 looked like this:

    Mon-
    Squat 5x5
    Bench 5x5
    Powerclean 5x5

    Wed -
    Squat 4x5
    Mili Press 4x5
    Deads 4x5

    Fri -
    Squat 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
    Bench 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
    Powercleans 4x5, 1x3, 1x8

    There was limited assistance work after each workout the first two days and a bit more on the last day. Goal was weekly increases. Now though, heavy squatting 3 times a week is a pain when I run and play basketball 5 days a week so the slow and steady progress of 5/3/1 works better.
    All depends on your goals though.
    I've had a look at Starr's 5x5 and I have done a modified 5x5 in the past. However I am not a fan of the power clean exercise, it's just not something I enjoy. I have more experience with the isolation exercises rather than the big lifts.

    I'm glad you chose to pair shoulders with tri's because that's what I was thinking of doing.
    My brother is currently on a 3 day split and does:
    Mon - Legs
    Wed - Back/Bis
    Fri - Chest/Shoulders/Tris
    Since Monday seems to be national Chest and Tricep day, he likes to do legs then without worrying about a line forming at the benches.
    Haha, this is very true of almost every gym I have used. Luckily I go to the gym early in the morning when it's very quiet.

    If you're banking on the 4 day split though, I know a bunch of people at my college gym do a 4 day, something like this:

    Day 1: Shoulders/Tris - Mili Press, Lat Raises, Reverse Flys, Barbell Shrugs, Skullcrushers, Cable Extensions
    Day 2: Back - Dumbbell Rows, Pendalay Rows, Wide Grip Pull Ups, Lat Pull-Downs
    Day 3: Rest
    Day 4: Chest/Bis - Bench Press, Incline Dumbbell Flys, Incline Bench, Cable Crossovers, Incline Curls, Preachers, Hammers
    Day 5: Legs - Squats, SLDLs, Leg Presses, Standing Calf Raises
    No, I'm not banking on it, I am willing to change it up. I've heard it's good to change things up every now and then.

    Thanks for your reply mate. I am at work right now but I will have a much closer read once I get home

    PS: Squats three times per week? Omg, just by thinking about I can feel the hemorrhoids coming back

  5. #5
    The Patient
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    Have you looked into Layne Norton's PHAT? 5 day split hitting the muscles twice a week, more of a high volume routine. If you don't like power cleans like myself, you can substitute them w/ pendlay rows.

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