How is my workout routine?

[levistep]

Monday: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
-4 sets barbell bench press
-3 sets dumbbell bench press (slight decline)
-3 sets dumbbell fly
-3 sets military press
-3 sets cable upright rows
-3 sets dips
-3 sets cable pushdowns

Wednesday: Back/Biceps
-5 sets deadlift
-4 sets dumbbell row
-4 sets pulldown
-4 sets cable rows
-3 sets back extensions
-3 sets dumbbell shrugs
-3 sets dumbbell curls

Friday: Legs/abs
-5 sets squat
-5 sets leg press
-3 sets leg extension
-3 sets leg curl
-4 sets calf raise
-5 sets weighted crunches

In respect to exercises, number of exercises, order of exercises, synergy of exercises? I've been doing this for 6 months and i've noticed a huge improvement in my back and somewhat less of an extent my legs. My chest is lagging the most, even though that's the day i never miss.

 

[asufan550]

while i prefer a five day regiment, your routine doesnt seem bad.
i split it up, chest, shoulders, legs, back, arms(triceps, biceps). I like giving shoulders their own day... I do abs--when i feel like it--two or three times a week when i have time and do heavy weights so that in the event that i want to cut down theres something there and not what i usually see on skinny dudes.
Your exercises look solid but if you were able to add more days you'd be able to do more muscle-group specific exercises

 

[WCBias]

If you've been doing the same routine for six months, you probably should mix things up a bit. You need to shock your system otherwise it gets used to the routine....especially your chest.

If you are doing heavy lifting (and short sets), switch for three months to hi reps with lower weight. Or vice versa if you are doing the high rep thing now. Do more incline and decline work and stay off the flat bench for a while. Then when you come back to it, go back to maxing out and really working on increasing your strength. There is so many different things to do.

You can also split up your schedule to four or five days. I'm guessing you don't do cardio because you don't need to. You might mix in some low impact aerobic activity (walking) for fat burning.

I've been a gym rat for 25 years now...I wish I knew then what I know now. Unfortunately my 41-year-old body simply doesn't respond the way it used to to lifting or running. Test is running low and will only keep dropping.

So take advantage of it now, you can really make positive changes to your body at your age and without having to resort to steroids...unless that's the look you want.

 

[rooster16]

wc is dead on about the fact that you need to switch it up. your body has to be used to your workout routine by now... ie. your body is used to getting a weeks worth of rest for each muscle. i've recently switched to a 3 day a week routine where i do full-body workouts MWF and on t/th i do 12-15 mins of HIIT. its been working really well for me. let me know if you need suggestions on routines for full-body.

also if you do decide to switch routines, you might want to consider taking a week off.. it'll work wonders on increasing your strength if you've been consistently working out

 

[levistep]

If you've been doing the same routine for six months, you probably should mix things up a bit. You need to shock your system otherwise it gets used to the routine....especially your chest.

If you are doing heavy lifting (and short sets), switch for three months to hi reps with lower weight. Or vice versa if you are doing the high rep thing now. Do more incline and decline work and stay off the flat bench for a while. Then when you come back to it, go back to maxing out and really working on increasing your strength. There is so many different things to do.

I've been thinking about mixing things up, like possibly adding olympic lifts. There is this Chinese kid that is always doing these explosive lifts and I try to follow the way of the Samurai.

You can also split up your schedule to four or five days. I'm guessing you don't do cardio because you don't need to. You might mix in some low impact aerobic activity (walking) for fat burning.

The extent of my cardio has been running to and from the gym and jogging to class and basically everywhere I go. I used to be a long distance runner, so I still have some stamina left from that. My peak was a 5:15 mile, but it's probably around 6ish now. I've put on 30lbs since I was a distance runner, but almost all of it was muscle.

One thing that i'd like to have is a six pack. Never even had one when I was a skinny ****** closing in on a sub 5 minute mile, so I should probably add a bit more running for the summer.

 

[slick69]

[

One thing that i'd like to have is a six pack.

Try doing 10-15 minutes of ab work after all 3 of your workouts. People think that seeing your abs is all about cardio and low body fat. That's a lot of it but you have to have developed abs for them to show.

 

[Seymour]

Test is running low and will only keep dropping. quote]

It doesn't have to if you know what I mean.

 

[WCBias]

Test is running low and will only keep dropping. quote]

It doesn't have to if you know what I mean.

I know what you mean...it's truly tempting, my strength is still decent, although I don't really try to do heavy stuff any more. Whatever, the muscles don't grow and the fat don't shed like it used to. I've been doing pretty good cardio for the past two months on top of my normal work-outs (45+ minutes 5 days a week, lift 4 or 5 days a week)...diet is 95% clean. I've lost about 5 lbs...

10 to 15 years ago I would do hardcore cardio for about 3 weeks and I'd be shredded for summer.

Slick...everyone is different...Levi may need to up his abs workout if he didn't have abs when he was running. Most runners tend to burn a lot of muscle too...thus the gangly look. My ab muscles grow when I eat, sleep, fuck, drive. That and my calves for some reason. So diet and cardio is everything for me

 

[Boxslayer]

Monday: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps
-4 sets barbell bench press
-3 sets dumbbell bench press (slight decline)
-3 sets dumbbell fly
-3 sets military press
-3 sets cable upright rows
-3 sets dips
-3 sets cable pushdowns

Wednesday: Back/Biceps
-5 sets deadlift
-4 sets dumbbell row
-4 sets pulldown
-4 sets cable rows
-3 sets back extensions
-3 sets dumbbell shrugs
-3 sets dumbbell curls

Friday: Legs/abs
-5 sets squat
-5 sets leg press
-3 sets leg extension
-3 sets leg curl
-4 sets calf raise
-5 sets weighted crunches

In respect to exercises, number of exercises, order of exercises, synergy of exercises? I've been doing this for 6 months and i've noticed a huge improvement in my back and somewhat less of an extent my legs. My chest is lagging the most, even though that's the day i never miss.

You're doing a good amount of sets. Thats not a problem.

What is your desire? To get cut up or to get large?

I would also mix it up. You gotta shock your body. 6 months is way too long to be doing the same routine.

Try breaking up one day just for shoulders and traps alone. (Plus I dont see a lot of trap exercises besides some dumbbell shrugs and you have them on a bad day.)

Upright rows and what I call "atheltic" upright rows, should be mixed in with your shurgs IMO.

I go on the Smith Rack/Machine (cables holding up a standard barbell).

I do 2 sets of front shrugs (barbell in front). 2 back shrugs (barbell in back). 2 sets dumbbell (side). 2 sets of upright rows. 2 sets of "athletic" upright rows.

Those would be on the Smith Machine. Hooking it on at the lower end of the rack. Un-hooking it, bending your knees, and thrusting it up quick, with a little jump in there, and really feelingg those traps/shoulders working. Anyway, then you can mix in your shoulder workout (military press, shoulder lifts, etc) And you have a full workout targeting those areas even harder.

That will give you more energy on your other days to try some different exercises, add sets, or just have more energy for a better workout.

 

[Journeyman]

You say your chest is lagging, hard to give a real suggestion without more critcal details.

You want to get bigger, lower the reps and add weight, a lb here a lb there every couple days add some weight, even if its just a 1/2 lb..

How old are you, what do you weigh and what are you doing for bench press?

If you want to get more mass, start with 5 heavy bench presses (after warming up of course) , doing only 5 reps 5x5....don't worry so much about how many exercises you do, it seems you're doing too many different ones in my opinion...again a lot depends on what you want.

Also I would suggest you do dumbell triceps extensions for your triceps (the best mass builder for that muscle) IMO

Dips are great, close grip bench and DB one arm triceps extensions.

mix it up when you can.

 

[The_Man]

dumbell tri extension is where you grip the dumbell behind your head and lift upward, yes?

 

[levistep]

You're doing a good amount of sets. Thats not a problem.

What is your desire? To get cut up or to get large?

I'm trying to get bigger.

Try breaking up one day just for shoulders and traps alone. (Plus I dont see a lot of trap exercises besides some dumbbell shrugs and you have them on a bad day.)

Funny you should say that because my lats and traps (especially) have gotten massively bigger in the last 6 months. Deadlift hits the traps pretty well and shrugs absolutely kill them too. Also, traps are part of the back, right, so why is it on a bad day?

I try to do chest/shoulders/tris on one day because most chest exercises also work the shoulders and tris. If you do shoulders on a diff day, then they'll be tired.

Upright rows and what I call "atheltic" upright rows, should be mixed in with your shurgs IMO.

I believe upright rows focus mainly on the shoulders. In general, most of my lifts are compound exercises. I'm not a huge fan of spending multiple hours doing super isolated exercises on the machines.

 

[levistep]

You want to get bigger, lower the reps and add weight, a lb here a lb there every couple days add some weight, even if its just a 1/2 lb.

I've heard so much contradictory evidence about this. Some say it's myth, some say it's fiction. I'd believe that intensity has to be the most important thing for getting bigger. I think the most you can do for 6-8 reps would be better than 3-5 reps.

How old are you, what do you weigh and what are you doing for bench press?

21, 215lbs, 235lbs bench. That's compared to 340lbs deadlift and 375lbs squat. My bench is absolutely pathetic compared to what I see some of these scrawny guys doing. I think i have a genetically weak chest. Then again, every guy that goes to the gym is a bench press whore. There are 7 cages, and all 7 of them are used for bench press just about all the time. Once in a while someone squats or does deadlifts.

 

[Journeyman]

I use to be obsessed with benching too, my workouts were not conventional but they worked for me, you hae to find what works for you...chart your progress focus on getting stronger in the bench, add a half lb or whatever you can it will add up....just try to improve every time out, even if its a tiny 1/2 lb it will add up and after a year will make a huge difference.

I didn't say to drop down to 3 reps, stay a way from maxing out and going lower than 5 reps, and I can only tell you what worked for me...5 reps....I use to do 10 sets of 5 reps, EVERY DAY....I weighed 205 lbs and could bench around 400lbs at my peak.

a 235 lb bench isn't terrible for your age and weight plus you might have long arms that can be a factor...also, benching gives your entire upper body mass, you should see a big difference if you can get into the 300lb range (250x5 reps should be your goal) write down your workouts too, at your age you should easily be gaining strength every week.

here's why I say stick with 5 reps, I think you can add weight more easily sticking with 5 reps....whatever you do you have to add weight .

it still boils down to each individual and what works.

 

[Journeyman]

dumbell tri extension is where you grip the dumbell behind your head and lift upward, yes?

yes :thumbsup: do them strict and one arm at a time...you dont need a lot of weight to get a lot out of it...I use 25-50 lbs, 50lbs though has torn my triceps 3 times in the past, I don't use 50's anymore...

here's a good triceps blowout exercise ...last thing you do for the day- you take a 25 lb DB, or less depending on your level of fitness, you do 10 , switch arms, do 10, (make sure you do these strict) switch back to the other arm, do 9, no rest just switching arms, then 8, then 7, all the way down to 1 rep, you'll have some jacked up arms by the time you're at 1 rep....best arm exercise IMO and it gives your triceps a great stretch.

 

[WCBias]

You are tall too with long arms no? I don't know if this is a myth, but my experience are guys with your build don't have high bench figures.

Muscle memory is important, thus, heavier weights with lower reps to failure should theoretically increase your max bench. Maybe it is a myth, but it's worth a try. Don't bench for a few weeks or just do dumbell presses or some changed routine. Then come back in a month or two and get on the flat barbell bench and try going with heavier weights with lower reps to failure....it can't hurt to see what happens.

 

[Boxslayer]

I'm trying to get bigger..

Best rep amount is 8 to get bigger. According to numerous recent studies. 8 reps, 4 sets. Just thought Id throw that in there.

Funny you should say that because my lats and traps (especially) have gotten massively bigger in the last 6 months. Deadlift hits the traps pretty well and shrugs absolutely kill them too. Also, traps are part of the back, right, so why is it on a bad day?

I try to do chest/shoulders/tris on one day because most chest exercises also work the shoulders and tris. If you do shoulders on a diff day, then they'll be tired.

Traps are ON your back, and connect down the center of your back, but most trap exercises use more of your shoulders than your back.

Upright rows, in particular, are targeting the shoulders AND Traps. But you do them on chest day. Then you do shrugs and deadlifts on what you are considering trap day. Upright rows, and my favorite, athletic or Jumping Rows, burn your traps like crazy when done correctly.

Thats part of my point. Consolidate all of these trap exercises onto one day with your shoulders, so you can focus up on chest.

I work out 4 times a week. Chest/tris Monday. Put your leg day on Wednesday. Do your back and bis on Thursday. Do Traps and shoulders on Friday. Like I said, most trap exercises also work the shoulders.

One of my favorite trap exercises though, that works a little bit of back is a Trap Cable Row. Where you take the V Rope, and put it on the row machine, and row it up to your neck, palms facing down, flexing the traps/upperback.

But overall, this will give you more time for chest, more energy and better focus on that day so you can break through this plateau. Then I'd say you need to do something to shake up your chest on that day. I'd start with supersets. Sometimes, when you are trying to get big, the weight gets heavier, you get stronger, but the soreness just isnt there anymore. Doing a chest day with supersets, and really burning it out, will get your chest back into shape in after a couple workouts. Then go back to your old routine, shocking your body and mixing it up.

I remember a perfect example of reading an article on LL Cool J. Dude alternates high rep week, and low rep weeks.

My old strenght coach used to alternate high rep days (30 rep day) with low rep day (4 rep day).

While those are extreme cases the idea is the same: shock your body.

 

[levistep]

You are tall too with long arms no? I don't know if this is a myth, but my experience are guys with your build don't have high bench figures.

Nice, at least the Rx believes this excuse. I'm 6'3 with long arms even for my height, so i always believed that had to be part of it. With that said, let me try and figure out what my reach is.

 

[WCBias]

here's a good triceps blowout exercise ...last thing you do for the day- you take a 25 lb DB, or less depending on your level of fitness, you do 10 , switch arms, do 10, (make sure you do these strict) switch back to the other arm, do 9, no rest just switching arms, then 8, then 7, all the way down to 1 rep, you'll have some jacked up arms by the time you're at 1 rep....best arm exercise IMO and it gives your triceps a great stretch.

J-man, just finished my workout and was finishing up my tris...then I decided to add on your blowout...started with 25 lbs...stopped at 8 and next set only got to 6...dropped down and finished with 20 lbs.

I'm going to be sore tomorrow for sure.

 

[Journeyman]

J-man, just finished my workout and was finishing up my tris...then I decided to add on your blowout...started with 25 lbs...stopped at 8 and next set only got to 6...dropped down and finished with 20 lbs.

I'm going to be sore tomorrow for sure.

very nice ,,,,,they are tough! you don't need much weight either ....you will get use to them.