What are your thoughts on this workout that has been recommended?

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thereds

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2000
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Recommended for someone looking to gain some muscle.

Day 1
Shoulders / Lateral raises - 4 or 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions with lots of tapering
Chest / Bench press - 4 or 5 sets of 10 to 6 repetitions
Biceps / Supinated curl - 3 to 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions
Triceps / close-grip push-up in superset with triceps kickback 4 sets of 15 to 10 repetltions
Abdominals / Crunch - 5 sets of 20 repetitions
Abdominals / Twisting crunch - 3 sets of 20 repetitions

Day 2
Back / Chin-ups - 3 or 4 sets of 12 to 6 repetitions
Thighs / Squat - 4 sets of 25 to 15 repetitions
Glutes / Hip extension - 4 or 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions
Calves / Standing calf raise - 4 or 5 sets of 30 to 20 repetitions
Abdominals / Lying leg raise - 3 sets of 20 to 8 repetitions
Abdominals / Standing twist- 3 sets of 30 to 20 repetitions
Abdominals / Crunch - 3 sets of 20 to 10 repetitions

Day 3
Biceps / Close-grip chin-up 5 sets of 10 to 8 repetitions in superset with hammer curl 12 to 15 repetitions
Triceps / Reverse dip in superset with lying triceps extension - 5 sets of 15 to 10 repetitions
Shoulders / Lateral raise - 4 or 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions with lots of tapering
Chest / Chest fly - 4 or 5 sets of 10 to 6 repetitions
Abdominals / Crunch - 5 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions
Abdominals / Twisting crunch - 3 sets of 20 repetitions
 
Mar 22, 2002
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That's a high level bodybuilding routine (frequently supplemented with steroids) that will destroy you early on. The amount of reps is astounding - your triceps are getting hit for 60 reps during shoulder press, 50 reps in bench press, and 60 more reps for tricep isolation work. That's way, way too much volume to try to gain muscle. If you're serious about gaining muscle, higher weight compound movements will be your best bet. You could do squats, bench, and pull-ups one day (heavy weight, lower reps); deadlift, shoulder press, and bent-over rows the next. Repeat that and increase weight regularly. The program you've been given right now will probably slow muscle gain due to the excessive volume. That volume is too much for any beginner and will likely result in overtraining injuries. Did someone give you this program or was it something you found online?
 

Exodist

Senior member
Dec 1, 2009
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Thats ALOT of reps. I agree with SC its going to kill ya. I wouldnt recommend it or anything like that to anyone. The workout routine I am using I designed based on SL5x5 is grueling enough.

I workout at home 4 times a week on my slant board with dumbbells and a elliptical machine. I have two sessions twice a week. Tu Th and St Sn. Session A is Tu and St. B is Th and Sn.

Session A:
Elliptical 10min
Inclined Bench Press 5x5 (5 sets of 5 reps)
Weighted Ab Crunches 5x5
Bicep Hammer Curls 5x5
Lat Raises 5x5
Kneeling Rows 5x5
Triceps Kick Back 5x5
Incline Fly 5x5

Session B:
Inc Bench Press 5x5
Weighted Ab Crunches 5x5
Bicep Isolation Curls 5x5
Lat Raises 5x5
Wrist Curls 5x5
Seated Shoulder Press 5x5
Dumbbell Leg Extensions 5x10
Incline Fly 5x5

As for weight, I push as much weight as I can without breaking form. If that means holding out a extra week just to add 5 more pounds, then I will hold out. Form is everything.

Both those session take two hours to complete. Having me workout 8 hours a week. And thats all I can handle. I have tried more like putting an addional day in, but it leaves me just to burned out and There are no signifigant mass gains if any. Matter of fact I lost almost two pounds of LBM from trying it. But each their own. A work out should leave you feeling good like you accomplished something, not like two mac trucks made you road kill.
 
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wheresmybacon

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2004
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As long as you're taking lots of "supplements" which end in "ol", that routine should work well.
 

gar655

Senior member
Mar 4, 2008
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Too many "small" or lightweight movements to gain muscle IMO.

Do these or variations of these and throw in some ab work if desired.

Pull ups, rows, bent over rows
Bench press, military press
Squats, deadlifts, power cleans, clean and jerk

Use heavy weights. Save a bunch of time and skip all the flashy BB stuff.
 
Sep 29, 2004
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I do a strong lifts modified version. I don't have a rack so I don't do squats. I do something called a hack squat which is amazing. The other alternative people revcomend is called the front squat I think.

Weights A:
Hack Squat 5x5
bench press 5x5
upright rows 5x5


Weights B:
Hack Squat 5x5
military press 5x5 (should overhead press but I am waiting till I get a cage)
deadlift 5x5 (SL is 1x5)

Just alternate running and weight days every day. Rest on day 7. Switch between routines A and B each time you lift. Running is optional.


Curious. Who gave you that routine?
 

tedrodai

Golden Member
Jan 18, 2006
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The amount of reps is astounding - your triceps are getting hit for 60 reps during shoulder press, 50 reps in bench press, and 60 more reps for tricep isolation work.

lol--definitely a lot of reps there hitting the triceps, and you didn't even account for the supersets in the triceps isolation, so there's another 50 reps.

I tried a high volume bodybuilding routine like that once. It was focussed on triceps/biceps/forearms. I made some good biceps strength and size gains in the first 3 weeks when I was doing 4 isolation exercises with 3x6 sets of heavy weight once a week (so about 72 total reps), but minimal triceps and forearms gains. I was disproportionally weak in my biceps though. My triceps had been around the same plateu for the past 5 years lol.

I can't quite remember if I completed the 2nd 3 weeks, which was supposed to be 4 4x12 isolation exercises twice a week, but I had very minimal size gains from it (biceps swelled a tad). I think I quit in week 5 due to either REALLY needing to rest up or because I pulled a tricep muscle. The volume in weeks 1-3 had been enough to demolish my muscles quite a bit, but the extreme volume in weeks 4-6 was really too much. It was taking around 90mins at the gym too.

I might try the weeks 1-3 again in the future, modified somewhat (probably drop it to 3 exercises rather than 4). No way I'm doin somethin like wks 4-6 though... Generally the only time I do isolation stuff nowadays is if I seem to be lagging behind with a certain muscle group.
 
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OptimumSlinky

Senior member
Nov 3, 2009
345
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Recommended for someone looking to gain some muscle.

Day 1
Shoulders / Lateral raises - 4 or 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions with lots of tapering
Chest / Bench press - 4 or 5 sets of 10 to 6 repetitions
Biceps / Supinated curl - 3 to 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions
Triceps / close-grip push-up in superset with triceps kickback 4 sets of 15 to 10 repetltions
Abdominals / Crunch - 5 sets of 20 repetitions
Abdominals / Twisting crunch - 3 sets of 20 repetitions

Day 2
Back / Chin-ups - 3 or 4 sets of 12 to 6 repetitions
Thighs / Squat - 4 sets of 25 to 15 repetitions
Glutes / Hip extension - 4 or 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions
Calves / Standing calf raise - 4 or 5 sets of 30 to 20 repetitions
Abdominals / Lying leg raise - 3 sets of 20 to 8 repetitions
Abdominals / Standing twist- 3 sets of 30 to 20 repetitions
Abdominals / Crunch - 3 sets of 20 to 10 repetitions

Day 3
Biceps / Close-grip chin-up 5 sets of 10 to 8 repetitions in superset with hammer curl 12 to 15 repetitions
Triceps / Reverse dip in superset with lying triceps extension - 5 sets of 15 to 10 repetitions
Shoulders / Lateral raise - 4 or 5 sets of 12 to 8 repetitions with lots of tapering
Chest / Chest fly - 4 or 5 sets of 10 to 6 repetitions
Abdominals / Crunch - 5 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions
Abdominals / Twisting crunch - 3 sets of 20 repetitions

Sounds like f@ckarounditis.

There are plenty of great strength training programs out there, but that ain't one of them.

This is what I do (hybrid Starting Strength with 5/3/1):

MONDAY
Bench Press, 3x5 (barbell)
Incline Bench Press, 5x10 (dumbbell)
Dips, 5x10 (weighted)

TUESDAY
Deadlift, 3x5
Barbell Rows, 5x10
DB Rows, 5x10

WEDNESDAY
Rest

THURSDAY
Squat, 5x5
Squat, 5x10 (50% work weight)
Chin ups, weighted (max reps)

FRIDAY
Overhead Press, 3x5 (barbell) [seated]
Overhead Press, 5x10 (dumbbell) [rigid torso, feet together military-style]
Dips, 5x10 (weighted)
 

Pantlegz

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2007
4,627
4
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Wow wth. When will your muscles ever heal on such a workout?

At that rep range you wouldn't be worried much about healing, it would be more of a hypertrophy stage. Basically you wouldn't get much stronger but you would add muscle mass and increased glycogen storage. This is why these kinds of splits/exercises are considered BB splits, they're not all the conducive to strength gains but they'll make you big. Exactly what body builders are looking for. If you plan on doing this for long and want to see any significant gains you'll also need to a bicycle :whiste:
 
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