Pimp my programme!

floggg

You know the deal - looking or constructive criticism and suggestions on a new programme. I did 5 x 5 for two months and enjoyed it, saw good gains.

After a chat with a PT i've decided to change things up. Going to try 3 set pyramiding for the first time, based on three daay splits - chest and biceps, back and triceps, legs and shoulders.

Strength is my main goal at the moment, but also looking to lose body fat. Lost over 4 stone in the last year, so am now looking to replace the fat with muscle as well as shifting the last few pounds. Would like to raise all my lfts, but especially the "Big 3".

Currently train about 5 nights a week - 3days weight training in the gym, 2 days cardio (5 a side soccer and running).

I been doing 10k runs once a week, but was told that this isn't a good idea if trying to gain muscle, so am reducing it to 5k or less. Am also going to start taking protein shakes for the first time.

Here's the programme - any suggestions welcome, particularly on chest and bicep day. Should i throw in another chest exercise - the day is a bit light compared to the others.

Also, any other suggestions for hamstrings other than Straight Leg Deadlifts?

Chest and Bi's

Incline Bench Press – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Incline DB Press – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
DB Fly – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
A.N. Other?
DB Curl – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
DB Concentration Curl – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8

Back and Tri's

Deadlift 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Lat Pull Down – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Low Row – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
DB Shrugs – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Dips – 3 x 10
One Arm DB Tricep Extension – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Bench Dips – 3 x 10

Legs and Shoulders

Squats – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 10
Calf Raise – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 10
Kettle Bell Lunge – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Straight Leg Deadlift – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8
Kettle Bell Raise – 1 x 12, 1, x 10, 1 x 8
Shoulder Press – 1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8

Al_Fernz

I've never understood this split. I've always thought that Chest/Tris and Back/Bis was a bettter way to split things because of the whole push/pull thing. In addition, you use your tris as an auxilary muscle a lot more in chest exercises than your biceps AFAIK.

Straight leg deads are great for the hamstrings - (my fave). However, if you're looking for something different you might like good mornings (I hate these) , reverse hyperextensions, machine leg curls or the glute-ham raise (if you're lucky enough to be in a gym with one - not sure if there's any even in Ireland?).

floggg

Al_Fernz wrote: »

I've never understood this split. I've always thought that Chest/Tris and Back/Bis was a bettter way to split things because of the whole push/pull thing. In addition, you use your tris as an auxilary muscle a lot more in chest exercises than your biceps AFAIK.

I would have thought so myself, but this split was recommended to me by the aforementioned PT.

I have done Godd morning before, but I'm a bit nervous of them, in terms of back injury etc. although if i get my form right that shouldn't be too much of an issue i guess.

Al_Fernz

floggg wrote: »

I would have thought so myself, but this split was recommended to me by the aforementioned PT.

I have done Godd morning before, but I'm a bit nervous of them, in terms of back injury etc. although if i get my form right that shouldn't be too much of an issue i guess.

Did you bring this issue up with your PT? TBH I think the chest/tri and back/bi split would be more appropriate. For example you could move dips onto your chest/tri day because they work both muscle groups. Just my €0.02c's.

I've never felt comfortable doing GMs myself and don't do them at all now. If you don't like 'em then there are alternatives - like I listed in my previous post. The cliche "there's more than one way to skin a cat," applies here.

In addition, make sure you squat low. That will give your hamstrings some stimulation.

Also, you may want to look at your set/rep scheme. I think it's easier to track progress when you do the same sets/reps in your work sets each week. For example:

Week 1:
Squat 100kgs 3x12, 1x10
Week 2:
Squat 100kgs 3x12, 1x11
Week 3:
Squat 100kgs 4x12
Week 4:
Squat 105kgs 2x12, 1x9, 1x8 - etc etc.

I guess that's just really a matter of taste for me.

A

Brian?

What days do you do each part on? Are you doing them back to back or is there a rest day in between? I'm guessing Mon, Wed, Fri split?

Seems strange to group the biceps in with your chest day and triceps in with your back day as Al mentioned, but I suppose this only becomes an issue if you're doing the workouts back to back.


EDIT: As for the program, it looks fairly good.

+1 to what BossArky said below about the barbell lunges I find them brilliant. Apart from squats, I think its a good idea to do all leg excercise split, so 1 leg legpress, leg extension etc. I have no facts to back that up, but it reduces the chance of having a strength imbalance between your quads.

For the A.N. other on your chest day, I'd say military press.

BossArky

Can you mange pull ups yet? If so, put in a few sets before the lat pull downs. That should help with your biceps.

Barbell curls are the greatest bicep "mass builders" according to Arnie.

I find barbell lunges great for glutes, hamstrings and quads. Try 50% of the weight you can squat for 8 reps. These burn my legs like no other exercise. Also, I find the barbell makes me concentrate on form more (i.e. keeping up straight) vs holding dumbbells on each side.

You could include dumbbell pull overs for chest if you want. I personally hate them :eek: :pac:

floggg

Al_Fernz wrote: »

Did you bring this issue up with your PT? TBH I think the chest/tri and back/bi split would be more appropriate. For example you could move dips onto your chest/tri day because they work both muscle groups. Just my €0.02c's.A

It was he that suggested that split. I had been doing chest and tri's and legs and bi's.

briankeating wrote: »

What days do you do each part on? Are you doing them back to back or is there a rest day in between?

Seems strange to group the biceps in with your chest day and triceps in with your back day as Al mentioned, but I suppose this only becomes an issue if you're doing the workouts back to back.

No set days, but generally there wouldn't always be a day in between. Are you saying there should be?

In the event there was no rest day, would doing them in the order of (Chest and Bi's) (Legs and Shoulders) and then (Back and Tri's) be better, or should i also try and keep a day between squats and deadlifts.

BossArky wrote: »

Can you mange pull ups yet? If so, put in a few sets before the lat pull downs. That should help with your biceps:

Havn't tried pull ups but i doubt i could. I can barely manage a few chin ups, and back is way stronger than arms.

Brian?

floggg wrote: »

No set days, but generally there wouldn't always be a day in between. Are you saying there should be?

In the event there was no rest day, would doing them in the order of (Chest and Bi's) (Legs and Shoulders) and then (Back and Tri's) be better, or should i also try and keep a day between squats and deadlifts.

I wouldn't be 100% on what I'm saying its just an opinion, but if you're working your bi's on your chest day I reckon they'd need a rest as they're going to be heavily involved on your back day. All of your pulling movements use your biceps to some extent. If you want a program you can work 2 days in row, I'd do all the pulling and bi's on one day and all the pushing and tri's on another.

Thats pretty much what I do now and I like it a lot.

Day1: Push
Bench press
Squat
Incline DB Press
DB Fly
Military press
DB Curl
Lunges
Leg press

Day2: Pull
Deadlift
Lat Pull Down
BB Row
BB behind back Shrugs
Stiff leg deadlift
Calf raise
Cable row

The way I do that is Pull, Push, 2 days off, pull, push 2 days off.

floggg

briankeating wrote: »

+1 to what BossArky said below about the barbell lunges I find them brilliant. Apart from squats, I think its a good idea to do all leg excercise split, so 1 leg legpress, leg extension etc. I have no facts to back that up, but it reduces the chance of having a strength imbalance between your quads

BossArky wrote: »

I find barbell lunges great for glutes, hamstrings and quads. Try 50% of the weight you can squat for 8 reps. These burn my legs like no other exercise. Also, I find the barbell makes me concentrate on form more (i.e. keeping up straight) vs holding dumbbells on each side.

You could include dumbbell pull overs for chest if you want. I personally hate them :eek: :pac:

I had been doing BB Lunges, but thought i'd switch to DB just for a change. The programme is quite similar to what i was doing on 5 x 5 so wanted to shake things up as much as possible. Again, I was also recommended to try DB, or more precisely, Kettlebell lunges. My form was a bit off, so am also going to work on that.

briankeating wrote: »

For the A.N. other on your chest day, I'd say military press.

BossArky wrote: »

You could include dumbbell pull overs for chest if you want. I personally hate them :eek: :pac:

Have also been doing both military press and DB pull overs on chest day previously. With the military press, i found that it was too much (for me anyway) to do the bench, db press and military press on one day - i ould only really do two out of three fully, and could barely manage the third (i.e. if day one i did bench and then DB press at 17.5kg 5 x 5 and then military press, if i did bench then military press, i couldn't even manage 15kg DB press 5 x 5 afterwards).

As for DB pull overs, again was doing them, but was hping you guys could suggest something differenet for a change. Not a major fan of them either!

Brian?

floggg wrote: »

Have also been doing both military press and DB pull overs on chest day previously. With the military press, i found that it was too much (for me anyway) to do the bench, db press and military press on one day - i ould only really do two out of three fully, and could barely manage the third (i.e. if day one i did bench and then DB press at 17.5kg 5 x 5 and then military press, if i did bench then military press, i couldn't even manage 15kg DB press 5 x 5 afterwards).

As for DB pull overs, again was doing them, but was hping you guys could suggest something differenet for a change. Not a major fan of them either!

It shouldn't really be too much to do bench, incline bench and then military press if you do the bench 5x5 and the others 3x8.

floggg

Well, just going from past experience I really struggled to get all three in on one day. If doing them, should i do them in a set order, or should i switch up between the DB and military presses?

floggg

Have just been reading the starting strength wiki, which doesn't seem to place much stock in pyramiding, at least as a long term technique. Basicaaly, you wear urself out on the first few sets and then can't reap the benefits of the higher weight sets.

Seems logical. has anybody used pyramiding before. would they tend to agree or disagree with the above. what are its merits?