What weekly routine has worked the best for you?

[ManBearPig]

historically speaking. i know that you need to switch it up, but what has given you the most solid results/you enjoy doing the best?

 

[kamper]

I do 500+ pushups, 200+ chin/pullups, do a 20+k run on the weekend and various 5-10k runs during the week.

It works for me for a couple of reasons. a) Very little equipment needed and no going to gyms. b) I can spread things out throughout the day because I work at home.

In the past I've found that doing more concentrated workouts (go the gym, exercise for an hour or whatever) didn't work. It was too easy to put them off and procrastinate and I would only last for a couple months. But lots of little bits seems much easier for me to handle. I can probably only keep up the long weekend runs because I'm matching my dad as he prepares for a marathon and comparing with him keeps me doing it.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

historically speaking. i know that you need to switch it up, but what has given you the most solid results/you enjoy doing the best?

Technically, you could work on a linear sort of program until you stopped making gains. At that point, you could switch to a program that varies volume/intensity (no matter what your selection - weightlifting, running, sports, etc). These programs start changing things around AFTER the linear program since the body will stall at one point or another. Are you on a program now?

 

[brikis98]

[url="http://www.crossfit.com]Crossfit[/url].

 

[Bulldog13]

Just finished the first 6 weeks of this routine (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm) German Volume Training. I feel like I made massive gains. Before that I was doing the Draper All Time Favorite (http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/draperbodybuildingtalk/a/DraperRoutine.htm). I feel like I made good gains during it, but abused it for too long.

I tore my pec months ago, so I am digging the high reps of the GVT, (can't really do low reps anymore of chest and certain tricep movements).

I heartily recommend the German volume training, if you've been training for over a year or 2 and all of your nub gains are out of the way.

 

[ManBearPig]

i meant like:

chest/tris
back/bis
etc (and day of the week)

 

[SociallyChallenged]

i meant like:

chest/tris
back/bis
etc (and day of the week)

Those programs rarely work the "best" for our members here since we train functionality rather than aesthetics. You may not get the answers you want here because of this focus.

 

[ManBearPig]

Those programs rarely work the "best" for our members here since we train functionality rather than aesthetics. You may not get the answers you want here because of this focus.

meaning like you focus on specific activities and workouts that help with those?

i wish i had some kind of activity that i was doing this for 🙂(), but i just lift because i like to lift, nothing else. so i guess i lift because i like the act of lifting. this is the way to build strength/size (as well as making me look better, i suppose) to aid me in lifting, no? like, i just dont know any other way i could do it.

i hope that doesnt sound like im trying to be witty or sarcastic, probably sounds more retarded, but i guess im just trying to ask what do you like if your main focus for lifting is lifting (versus lifting only for a certain activity, running/basketball/boxing, etc)?

 

[brikis98]

meaning like you focus on specific activities and workouts that help with those?

i wish i had some kind of activity that i was doing this for 🙂(), but i just lift because i like to lift, nothing else. so i guess i lift because i like the act of lifting. this is the way to build strength/size (as well as making me look better, i suppose) to aid me in lifting, no? like, i just dont know any other way i could do it.

i hope that doesnt sound like im trying to be witty or sarcastic, probably sounds more retarded, but i guess im just trying to ask what do you like if your main focus for lifting is lifting (versus lifting only for a certain activity, running/basketball/boxing, etc)?

The type of routine you posted - where you do specific body parts on specific days, usually called a "split routine" - is typically used by bodybuilders who primarily focus on aesthetics. For intermediate/advanced lifters, these are the routines that typically maximize hypertrophy. However, not all weight lifting is bodybuilding. In particular, many people lifts weights with entirely different goals, such as developing strength, general physical preparedness, training for powerlifting or olympic lifting competitions, improving athletic performance, and so on.

The routines that are tailored for these goals are different than bodybuilding. For example, strength training routines usually focus on a few heavy, compound exercises (such as the squat, deadlift, bench press, etc) and full body workouts a few times per week. Stronglifts 5x5 is a good example of a beginner strength training routine. Now, obviously bodybuilding routines will make you stronger as well, but typically not as quickly and, more importantly, a lot of bodybuilding routines don't develop "functional strength". Because most BB routines train body parts separately and use lots of isolation exercises & machines, the strength you get from them does not transfer over very well to the real world where your body has to work as one unit and has no cable/lever/pulley/etc to do the balancing for it. For example, getting strong at the free weight barbell squat and deadlift will help your vertical jump much more than being strong at leg extensions and hamstring curls.

Another type of routine that uses lots of weight lifting is Crossfit, which is a "general physical preparedness" (GPP) routine. So rather than just working towards strength or appearance, the goal here is to develop proficiency in 10 fitness domains: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy. To do this, Crossfit uses functional exercises, done at high intensity in constantly varied workouts. As you can see from the Crossfit homepage, the workouts are different every day, mixing weight lifting, running, gymnastics, climbing, rowing, and a whole lot more.

If you are interested in these types of things, I highly recommend reading through Starting Strength, the Stronglifts website, What is Fitness?, What is Crossfit?, and the Crossfit FAQ.

 

[Koing]

Russian Squat Routine
Olympic lifting 3x a week

Koing

 

[BlackTigers]

Starting strength..

 

[Eric62]

Day 1: Squats + other thigh work, calfs, abs, and 30 minutes cardio in the off season.
Day 2: Bench + other pec work, arms, cardio in the off season.
Day 3: Deadlifts + other back work, cardio off season.
Day 4: Delts, arms, Rotator cuff, cardio off season.

I do three per week in order, picking up were I left off the following week.
Example:
Week 1; 1,2,3.
Week 2; 4,1,2.
Week 3; 3,4,1.
Week 4; 2,3,4.
ECT...

 

[Deeko]

I saw the biggest gains when I first started lifting - as most people do. I did a fairly standard bodybuilding split. Chest/Bis, Legs, Shoulders/Tris, Back.

I made the 2nd biggest gains of my lifting career over the past year, doing a powerlifting split - I lift 3x a week, each day is based around the bench, squat, and deadlift, with the core exercise + assistance exercises. I vary which exercises (especially assistance), reps (generally a 5-3-1 program), and intensity.