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[BiggerThanYou]

I was on HST for 4 weeks, and ever since then I have been shuffling between different routines. I just can't really seem to construct one that will produce slow and steady gains like I wish. I'm a bodybuilder, so of course my goal is to grow (total body).
5'8"
182lbs
8%BF
Bench Press 275x1
Squat 375x1
Don't really know of anymore info that would help so I'll just go ahead and post the latest routine I devised, and I would GREATLY appreciate any feedback given from the experts here. I'm just getting confused with all of the information out there. I grew off of compound lifts and having my highschool trainer/strength coach yell in my ear for 4 years. Anyhoo, this is a routine I came up with

Monday
DB Bench Pressx3
Incline Barbell Pressx3
Flat Bench Fliesx2
Skull Crushersx3

Tuesday
Squats(ATF)x5
Lungesx3
Leg extensionsx3

Thursday
SLDLx5
Leg Curlsx3
Military Pressx3
Front Raisesx3

Friday
Deadliftsx4
Barbell Rowsx2
Shoulder Shrugsx2
DB Pulloversx3
Barbell Curlsx2

I've never really been on a once a week target for very long. I just figured after following HST this would be a good way to periodize. The rep range is around 3-6 for compounds and 8-10 for isolations. Any comments on this? Does it look rediculous? I've never been real good at constructing workouts, so please give me some feedback. (I know this question gets asked everyday to all of you so I apologize in advance if seeing the "Critique my routine" phrase makes you want to hurl.)

[Jean-Paul]

So let me get this straight now... You are no longer lifting for performance? Strictly for size?

A couple of comments. I think you are still overdoing each part with too many exercises per bodypart. 3-6 reps is good for strength, but I don't know if it is ideal for size. I think the 8-12 range would be the ideal "hypertrophy" rep range.

Is there any reason that you are spreading your legs out over several days but everything else has its own day? Also, leg curl is almost a waste of time. You want thick hammies? RDLs! Reverse hypers.

Well, there are some concerns, but I have to go work with a client. I will come back to this later today.

[BiggerThanYou]

Yes, strictly for size. All I care about now is growing. I do quads on one day and hammies on the other because I want to be able to lift as much as possible on my hamstrings and don't feel like I can do this following quad exersizes.
So, I'll change curls for Romanians, cut the exersizes down to...how many you think? Should I work both quads and hamstrings on the same day? I was doing 3-6 reps to gain strength so when I go back to my 8-12 hypertrophy range I would be able to do more. Also, I heard that 80% of my 1rm is best for hypertophy. Am I right on any of this? I hate trying to construct workouts because I feel they are always wrong. I've been told by a lot of people I have a lot of potential when it comes to bodybuilding but they say I need to change my workout, I just don't know how!

[Bill Hartman]

Total work performed will tell you how much hypertrophy will be emphasized.

3 x 3 is heavy so the rate of protein broken down is high but volume is too low for significant hypertrophy

2 x 20 is plenty of volume but intensity is too low for a high rate of protein to be broken down.

Sets that involve 5 to 12 reps will provide for the greatest balance of intensity and volume to maximize hypertrophy.

If max muscle size is the goal, you must be exposed to the full spectrum or reps within that range (not every workout!).

The lower reps (5-7) will emphasize growth of the myofibrils (the contractile machinery) resulting in sarcomeric hypertrophy. This also contributes to strength development, so if you aren't getting stronger you aren't getting bigger.

The higher rep range (10-12) will influence the hyperplasia of organelles and fluid volume resulting in sarcoplasmic hypertrophy which does not contribute to strength (that's why bodybuilders have bigger muscles but may not be as strong as powerlifters).

Obviously, the middle range (6-8) will influence both forms of hypertrophy which is why you read about lifting "medium" heavy weights to maximize hypertrophy.

Select basic exercises. More weight = more muscle.

Train body parts more than once per 7 or 8 days.

Do more of less. Fewer exercises but more sets.

One day per microcycle lift in the heavy range followed by sets at the other extreme. You'll actually be able to train the higher reps heavier via post-tetanic facilitation.

The other day train in the mid range and higher range. Build in plenty of rest days and lower intensity weeks.

Eat above maintenance to allow for >10% body fat. You'll be amazed how strong you can get at that body fat percentage.

That will be $178.67 USD

Bill

[BiggerThanYou]

Thanks a million, the information is GREATLY appreciated. I have one more question, should I train to failure?

[FishrCutB8]

Just out of curiosity, would you guys include dips and chins in this guy's routine, given his goals???

[BiggerThanYou]

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[BiggerThanYou]

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[BiggerThanYou]

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[BiggerThanYou]

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[joshman]

I would substitute Pull-ups for the db pullovers, as they probably accomplish more bang for the time.

[GqArtguy]

Yeah Id get rid of so many tri-isolation movements and throw dips in there.

[cuvermodel]

"I have one more question, should I train to failure?"

Not very often in my opinion, hopefully Bill will chime in. I don't think it's of great value to attempt something that you cannot do in good form. First off if you have to cheat to complete the rep, your teaching poor form. (although cheating can be beneficial at times and in certain situations, but for the most part I'd strive to do your exercise right unless you are doing eccentric training or something and need to cheat to get the weight up). Second it's very tough on the Central Nervous System, and I don't think "getting just one more rep" makes enough of a difference to put a huge strain on your CNS. C, it does not help you mentally to fail and be beat by the weight on the bar. I was doing power snatches the other day, and I couldn't keep my bar speed high enough, so I just terminated the set, rested, and dropped the weight a little. Most of us (aside from maybe absolute beginners) know before attempting a rep (with the exception of a rep max probably) whether or not it's gonna be a success. I just don't see a lot of gains to be made by going to failure all the time or past failure (cheating, partner assisted reps, 1/4's etc.). However I suppose we need to determine what type of failure? (concentric, eccentric, complete, etc.)


Hope that wasn't too confusing! Let me know if I need to elaborate, and as usual Bill and Dos, let me know if I'm wrong [img]smile.gif[/img]

[dinabol]

What is wrong with training to failure? And what is wrong with taxing the nervous system. Don't you want more neurons activated? I will agree with the cheating contention. You should lift the heaviest weight possible while in control. However, sometimes it's necessary to cheat a little to get over a psychological staleness period.

[cuvermodel]

There's nothing neccessarily "wrong" with it, you can see gains from training all sorts of ways. However I don't feel it's beneficial to take every set to failure, as it does tax your CNS, which isn't a bad thing but it's not the goal of training usually if your a bodybuilder. You'd want to lessen the blow on the CNS so you could train more often. If your doing a bodybuilding program I'd say you want to keep the fatiguing of your CNS to a minimum. You can quit at near failure and probably be better off than taking a set to failure every time and putting a lot of undue stress on your nervous system for just one more rep. I just don't think you should attempt something you can't do very often. There's just not much benefit.


As for it being neccessary to cheat, I don't know what you mean by that at all.

[BiggerThanYou]

Thanks cuver, Bill, and the rest. I have almost ALWAYS trained to at least positive failure. I have had cycles where I was one or two reps short of failure, but for the most part I've almost always gone to positive failure. Seeing that my gains have stopped lately, I will stop short of failure for a while. Thanks again.

[cuvermodel]

Keep us updated, note I didn't say never go to failure, just in my opinion it's not always the best thing to do. Like I said though, their are many different forms of failure, like concentric failure, form failure (a decrease in form or bar speed), eccentric failure (failure to be able to lower a load under control), I think it's called absolute failure which would be the failure to complete a rep even with help (failure to do a partial or cheated rep), etc...?

[dinabol]

aren't we trying to activate more motor unit firing and recruitment. wouldn't this best be accomplished by reached tmf on every set. the more burn the more hgh.

[BiggerThanYou]

CNS.