Help Choose A Split

[xenithon]

Hi All,

I am fed up of this plateau and really want to break out of it. Have tried changing reps, sets, drop sets, pyramiding, supersetting etc. and I think it is the split itself which has become stale. Currently it is:
Mon - Quads, Hams, Abs,
Tue - Chest, Tris
Thu - Back, Bis
Fri - Shoulders, Calves, Abs

Recently tried a 2-day, twice a week split but that didn't workout. I have two choices methinks:
1. Stick to a 4-day split and change up the muscle groupings
2. A split to hit each muscle twice a week, such as conjugate strength/hypertrophy split

If I go 4-day, I had the following in mind:
A
Mon - Quads, Hams, Abs,
Tue - Chest, Bis
Thu - Back, Tris
Fri - Shoulders, Calves, Abs

B
Mon - Quads, Calves, Abs
Tue - Chest, Shoulders
Thu - Back, Hams
Fri - Bis, Tris, Abs

If I would do a conjugate split, from what I have read, it would be something such as:
Mon - Upper body strength (2 exercises per body part, 3 sets each, 4-6 reps, mainly compound exercises)
Tue - Lower body strength (2-3 exercises per body part, 3 sets each, 4-6 reps)
Thu - Upper body hypertropy (2-3 exercises per body part, 3 sets each, 8-10 reps, compound and isolation exercises)
Fri - Shoulders, Calves, Abs(2-3 exercises per body part, 3 sets each, 8-10 reps)

EDIT: One other option I was considering is a compromise between hitting muscles once a week and twice a week, by hitting them 3 times in two weeks. What I would do is use a 3-day split such as:
1 - Quads, Hams, Calves
2 - Chest, Shoulders, Abs,
3 - Back, Bis, Tris

And I would do the following over a 2 week period: 3 on 2 off, 3 on 2 off, 3 on 1 off. In other words:
Mon - workout 1
Tue - workout 2
Wed - workout 3
Sat - workout 1
Sun - workout 2
Mon - workout 3
Thu - workout 1
Fri - workout 2
Sat -workout 3

Please can you guys help me decide (I really suck at decisions! )

The aim is mass and strength, but with the focus being on mass.

Thanks for any advice,
X
PS. I am not looking for 3-day or 5-day splits please.

[6_pak]

Ive been wanting to try the 3X in 2 weeks split myself. You really have to pay attention to your recovery time though. I also like your 4 day spit for workout B.
I think you need to do all of them for a couple of months each and see what works best for you. I remember reading in a FLEX mag. about how to break through plateaus and you've done most of what was recommended. Before you change your routine, maybe you could change the venue, or the time of the day you workout. I got a 3 day pass to another gym in my town and it seemed to help me out. Could be a mental thing , but that is what i think your going through right now.Also rest/ pause sets helped me out. The rep change also helped me out a great deal. For 3 weeks i went from doing 6-10 reps to doing 12-20 reps on everything. Then for the next 3 weeks i did more of a powerbuilders workout 4-6 reps on everything. I really increased my size and strength in that 6 weeks. You could also try pre-exhaust methods. You dont have to do compound movements at the biginning of a workout just because your stronger. Pre-exhaust by doing flys before bench. I'm sure your already changing different exercises from week to week right? If not that could be it. Try doing smith machines, hammerstrength, cable , etc. vs. freeweights.

[6_pak]

Also, the plateau may not have to do with your training at all, could be nutrition. Try bumbing everything up for a while.