Help me shake up my programme

Tefral

Currently doing this programme and looking to add some things in and subtract some out to change it up a bit any recommendations?

Day 1 Chest and Back
Inclined Dumbell Bench Press 20 - 16 - 12 - 8
Cable Crossover 3 sets of 12
Seated Chest Press 3 sets of 12
Dumbell Flys 3 sets of 12
Dips 3 sets to Failure

Wide Grip Lat Pull Down 3 sets of 12
Reversed Inclined Dumbell Flys 4 sets of 12
Seated Lower Back Extension 3 sets of 20
Inclined Dumbell Row 3 sets of 12
Seated Row 3 sets of 12
Straight Arm Pull Down 4 sets of 12
Barbell Deadlifts sets to Failure

Abs
Abdominal Crunch 3 sets of 30
Leg Pull-In 3 sets of 30
Russian Twists 3 sets of 30

Susperset each Abdominal Rotation with 20 wide griped Push Ups


Day 2 - Biceps & Triceps

Dumbell Hammer Curl3 sets of 12 (S/S) Cable Tricep Push Down
Inclined Alternate Dumbell Curls 3 sets of 12 (S/S) Dumbell Kickbacks
Tricep Push Down 4 sets of 12
Preacher Curl 4 sets of 12
French Press / Skullcrusher 3 sets of 12
21's 3 sets of 12

Abs
Abdominal Crunch 3 sets of 30
Oblique Curls 3 sets of 30
Bridge 3 sets of 60 seconds

30 minutes of Rowing Maching @ End - 1 Minute Slow & 1 Minute Flat Out


Day 3 - Legs

Barbell Squats - (FULL) 20 - 16 - 12 - 8
Seated Leg Extension 3 sets of 12
Lying Leg Curls 3 sets of 12
Dumbell Lunges 3 sets of 12 Per Leg
Calf Raises 4 sets of 20
Seated Leg Press 4 sets of 12

Abs
Machine Ab Crunch 3 sets of 30
Romain Chair 3 sets of 30
Cable Crunch 3 sets of 30

30 minutes in the Pool doing Lengths - 5 lengths @ a time


Day 4 - Shoulders

Seated Dumbell Shoulder Press 3 sets of 12
Dumbell Frontal Raise 3 sets of 12 (S/S) Dumbell Laterial Raise
Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Raise 3 sets of 12
Barbell Upright Row 3 sets of 12
Seated Military Press (Machine) 4 sets of 12
Shrugs 4 sets to Failure

Abs
Abdominal Crunch 3 sets of 30
Leg Raises 3 sets of 30
Side Crunch 3 sets of 30

30 minutes on Cross Trainer @ End - 1 Minute Slow & 1 Minute Flat Out


Day 5 - Cardio

First five minutes warm up and stretch your legs

Treadmill - Turn machine to 12, No Incline 20 minutes
Cross Trainer - Pick a hill settting @ 10 20 minutes
Rowing Machine - Highest Resistance 20 minutes

30 minutes in the Pool doing Lengths - 5 lengths @ a time

Parsley

maybe try heavier weights with less reps, bout 6-8 maybe.

TimeToShine

Dude way way too much volume, also you're pairing the wrong muscles together. When you work your chest your triceps are worked as well and the same goes for back and biceps. You're going to do chest and back on monday and exhaust your biceps and triceps and then hit them again on tuesday which is counterproductive.

I don't know how long you've been lifting so I can't say this with 100% certainty but I strongly advise you do a routine with less volume and higher intensity 3-4 times a week. You could do a push/pull split like this:

Push:
Bench Press 3x8
Squat 5x5
Weighted Dips 3x8
Calf Raises 3x12
OHP 3x8
Leg raises 3x12

Pull:
Deadlift 3x5 (heavy once a week)
weighted chinups 3x8
BB bent over rows
seated cable rows
upright rows
glute ham raises

ABxAxBx or something

You can make your own one, this kind of set up is a lot more effective as it splits your lifts based on anatomical efficiency rather than just putting one or two random body parts together 5 days a week.

Tefral

TimeToShine wrote: »

Dude way way too much volume, also you're pairing the wrong muscles together. When you work your chest your triceps are worked as well and the same goes for back and biceps. You're going to do chest and back on monday and exhaust your biceps and triceps and then hit them again on tuesday which is counterproductive.

I don't know how long you've been lifting so I can't say this with 100% certainty but I strongly advise you do a routine with less volume and higher intensity 3-4 times a week. You could do a push/pull split like this:

Push:
Bench Press 3x8
Squat 5x5
Weighted Dips 3x8
Calf Raises 3x12
OHP 3x8
Leg raises 3x12

Pull:
Deadlift 3x5 (heavy once a week)
weighted chinups 3x8
BB bent over rows
seated cable rows
upright rows
glute ham raises

ABxAxBx or something

You can make your own one, this kind of set up is a lot more effective as it splits your lifts based on anatomical efficiency rather than just putting one or two random body parts together 5 days a week.

See I had a workout set just like that when I first started the gym back in Feb. I told the trainer I mainly wanted to build strength for Rugby. Then I went on the regime about a month ago in the OP and I noticed alot of gains very quickly, now im feeling as though the body is getting used to it, so want to shock the body again.

Parsley

TimeToShine wrote: »

Dude way way too much volume, also you're pairing the wrong muscles together. When you work your chest your triceps are worked as well and the same goes for back and biceps. You're going to do chest and back on monday and exhaust your biceps and triceps and then hit them again on tuesday which is counterproductive.

I've done that exact thing in programmes before, and experienced no problem. Minimal bicep involvement in back work, if you're doing it right. Not enough to cause DOMs anyway. Triceps I'll admit are used more in bench press, but you're only outlining theory here. I've actually done it and been fine with it. No need to over-analyse programmes, just feckin lift things and if it doesn't work, take a look at it again and adjust for recovery etc... so if the OP hasn't expressed problems with recovery from back/chest to biceps/triceps then there's no problem.

But from the point of view of 'shaking things up' as he asked for, going for a different split and pairing different muscle groups would perhaps be of benefit. But I think changing the weight and rep ranges would be a better change.

:edit: suppose we should ask the OP what his goals are too?

Tefral

Parsley wrote: »

I've done that exact thing in programmes before, and experienced no problem. Minimal bicep involvement in back work, if you're doing it right. Not enough to cause DOMs anyway. Triceps I'll admit are used more in bench press, but you're only outlining theory here. I've actually done it and been fine with it. No need to over-analyse programmes, just feckin lift things and if it doesn't work, take a look at it again and adjust for recovery etc... so if the OP hasn't expressed problems with recovery from back/chest to biceps/triceps then there's no problem.

But from the point of view of 'shaking things up' as he asked for, going for a different split and pairing different muscle groups would perhaps be of benefit. But I think changing the weight and rep ranges would be a better change.

:edit: suppose we should ask the OP what his goals are too?

I have absolutely no problems with recovery, except maybe on the days where I up the weights on my legs, the next day they do feel like jelly. (Ive had knee injuries to both my legs so i would consider them the weak link in the chain so to speak.

I never have a problem with recovery on my arms anyway, traps might get a little sore but its almost a good sore.

Goals are just to get stronger and more stamina thats all really.

Parsley

cronin_j wrote: »

Goals are just to get stronger and more stamina thats all really.

If your goals are to stronger your rep ranges are way to high anyway so drop them to 6-8 reps. I'd say the programme that yer man above outlined would also be better, along with lower reps and more weight, as your original programme is more of a bodybuilding split, only hitting each of the big lifts once a week, also with a bit much volume.

if continually progressing your strength is something you'd struggle with, try blocking off 4-6 week 'cycles' where you'd start with easy enough weights for 3-6 reps on the main lifts (bench press, squats, deadlifts, bent over rows) or 6-10 reps on the other lifts, and each week build up until you're stronger than you were before the cycle. continue the progress until you can, then 'deload' - take a week or so of light training, and cycle again.

Brian?

If your goal is strength you absolutely shouldn't be doing a high volume body building style split.

What are you currently lifting for squat, deadlift and bench?

Tefral

briankeating wrote: »

If your goal is strength you absolutely shouldn't be doing a high volume body building style split.

What are you currently lifting for squat, deadlift and bench?

Squat 120kg

Deadlift 160kg

Bench a measily 70kg ha ha (cant seem to get my head around lifting anymore than that, i get a mental block when i try to lift more. ive been stuck at 70 for about 2 months which is rediculous)

Body weight 92kg

Parsley

cronin_j wrote: »

Squat 120kg

Deadlift 160kg

Bench a measily 70kg ha ha (cant seem to get my head around lifting anymore than that, i get a mental block when i try to lift more. ive been stuck at 70 for about 2 months which is rediculous)

Body weight 92kg

well then, if you stick with what I outlined for you, with the linear progression cycles, you should be able to get out of the rut, if you do it right!

Mellor

cronin_j wrote: »

Goals are just to get stronger and more stamina thats all really.

As the others have said, your routine is all wrong for strength.
Too many excercises
Too many reps

Are those benxh/squat/deadlift numbers for max lifts or for sets of 8 or so

Parsley wrote: »

if continually progressing your strength is something you'd struggle with, try blocking off 4-6 week 'cycles' where you'd start with easy enough weights for 3-6 reps on the main lifts (bench press, squats, deadlifts, bent over rows) or 6-10 reps on the other lifts, and each week build up until you're stronger than you were before the cycle. continue the progress until you can, then 'deload' - take a week or so of light training, and cycle again.

There isn't really a point him taking a week off to deload if he doesn't need it. It will just mean he is missing out training. As see as he is begining, he could keep going for months without the need for a deload. If he stalls, then by all means deload and work up. Don't do it every 4 weeks because you are "supposed" to.


OP - I'd drop down to 5 reps in the main compound lifts (bench, squat, press, deadlift, rows) and 8 in the assistance stuff. I'd also include pull-ups in the list of exercises. I'd keep each sessino to 2-3 main lifts amd 4-5 assitances lifts. Or I'd do one of the tried and test strenth routines that are out there.

Parsley

Mellor wrote: »

There isn't really a point him taking a week off to deload if he doesn't need it. It will just mean he is missing out training. As see as he is begining, he could keep going for months without the need for a deload. If he stalls, then by all means deload and work up. Don't do it every 4 weeks because you are "supposed" to.

that's why i said 'continue the progress as long as you can, then deload'

Tefral

Mellor wrote: »

cronin_j wrote: »

Goals are just to get stronger and more stamina thats all really.

As the others have said, your routine is all wrong for strength.
Too many excercises
Too many reps

Are those benxh/squat/deadlift numbers for max lifts or for sets of 8 or so

Those would be for what i would do for all the reps. With the bench I'd get tired towards the end but I'd struggle on with it anyway. Once or twice I've had to drop the weIght by about 5kg to finish pushing the last one.

I've been adding about 5kg a week in those lifts bar the bench. Everytime I put more on I just can't push it back up off my chest.

Mellor

Parsley wrote: »

that's why i said 'continue the progress as long as you can, then deload'

But you also dais take 4-6 weeks blocks.
I could of been confusing to a person not familar with the idea