Suggestions

**blakyr** · 04-29-2002, 10:08 PM

Hey guys, I have been training for years and some people have told me to keep changing my routines.... I normally work out 5 days a week, it has more or less looked like this for the past couple months

Mon- bench, freeweight incilne/decline
Tue- shoulders/ back, flys, soulder lift, cleans, row
Wed- cardio
thur- legs, squat, claves, leg press, hamstring curls
fri- light bench, biceps, triceps, forearms

I am starting to reach a plateu and starting a cycle, I am 6'1" 200
my bench is about 265, free squat(no bullshit smith machine) is around 350, and i am cleaning around 225.... I am naturally small, but what would you guys suggest for me to try, something totally new? or just some minor modifications?

**Tapout** · 04-29-2002, 11:23 PM

go to more of a power routine if you want size
i do 3 days a week and have gotten excellent results(went from 220 area to 244 in last year and a half)
if you want more days do 4 days
mon ---bench being your main exercise and do chest and shoulders
teus---deads or partial deads being your main exercise and do back and traps
wed--- cardio ok or off
thurs--- arms
fri---legs with squats being your main exercise

**bex** · 04-30-2002, 01:24 AM

I would say you should change your workout every 3 months....JMO...

**Canes4Ever** · 04-30-2002, 01:41 AM

I change my routine every 8 weeks. I drop one exercise per bodypart and add another one. I currently have about 10 exercises per bodypart, in a rotation on my cycles.

I also reccomend one week off every 9th week.

**Ajax** · 04-30-2002, 02:57 AM

First suggestion: "Suggestions" is not a great subject line for a post bro!

Try soemthing like "Suggestions to Change Workout to Break Through a Plateau." I like subject lines that ask a full question, personally!

Give more details of the specific exercises you do; hard to critique a workout routine that's very general in nature.

Some random thoughts:

Take a week off before you cycle; let your body rest & repair & set it up for a bigger shock when you start your cycle.

Move shoulders to a seperate day; It's not a huge body part, but well developed delts make/break a physique. I like to work them on a seperate day so I can really focus on them. Also, working chest the day before will also work the delts somewhat; I like to seperate chest & delts by at least two days, preferably three so they are at 100% strength for the delt workout.

Are you doing any dumbell exercises for the chest/shoulders? I think dumbell incline & dumbell shoulder presses do a far better job workign the chest/shoulders. If you aren't doing any, toss them in & see what happen.

Tapout's idea of switching to a power routine for a while is also a great idea. I think powerlifting as a bodybuildign tool is way under rated!

Rotating routines might work for you, but the biggest guy on the board (BigKev) has had the same routine for 10 year; which is a testament ot the effectiveness of a good routine. (Check out his latest pics--inspiring!)

Alwyas try new stuff--and if it works, keep it. The best routines are the product of an evolutionary process; try new stuff, if it works, keep it. Toss out what doesn't work!

**blakyr** · 05-02-2002, 11:31 PM

Thanks for all of the input guys....
I will defiently check out power routines (like BigKev's) I found a bunch of good routines that i will steal some exercises from on the board.
As far as freeweights go, I use them for most all of my chest exercises except for actual bench press, I feel that i get a lot better work out!!
Thanks guys, I WILL be ready for my cycle, I cant wait to see what will come!!!