Finally Got a routine together - Please Critique

Background
5-11
183 lbs
21 years old
Training for aprox. 1.5 year (off and on), only been dieting and training correctly since September
Natural for at least a couple more years

Gained 20-25 pounds since September with 4000+ Calorie lean bulk (following the sticky).
Carbs = 400 g, Protein = 300 g, Fat = 130 g

Monday – Chest and Triceps

Incline dumbell press 15x (warm-up), 10x, 8x, 6x
Dips (elbows out, leaning forward, weighted) 12x, 10x, 8x, 8x
Flat bench (Barbell or DB) 10x, 8x, 6x
Decline DB press 10x, 8x, 6x

Triceps
Close Grip Flat Bench 10x 8x 6x
Skullcrushers 10x 8x 6x
French Presses 10x 8x 6x

Alternate with this every two weeks:
Flat bench 10x, 10x, 10x (failure on 3rd set)
Incline 10x, 8x, 6x, one last set with 40 lbs lighter until failure
DBell flat presses 15x, 12x, 10x
Dips 15x, 12x, 12x

Triceps
Skullcrushers 10x 8x 6x
Close Grip Flat Bench 10x 8x 6x
Rope extensions (using 90 degree angle bent bar not the rope) 10x 8x 6x


Tuesday - Legs

Alternate each routine every 2 weeks

Flexor
Squats x 4
Short lunges x 2 for quads
Deep long lunges x 2 for glutes
(Leg extensions x 2)
SLDL x 4
(Ham curls x 3)

zapp
Squats...7 sets. (2 being warm up)
Leg Press.....4 sets
Leg Extentions....8 sets. (last 3 being single leg)
Leg Curls...5 sets
Stiff Legged Dead Lifts...4 sets

Chest6
Squats: 4 sets 15, 12, 12, 8
Leg press: 4 sets 20, 20, 15, 15
Stiff legged deadlifts: 4 sets of 10
Ham curls

SwoleCat’s Routine


Wednesday - Off

Thursday - Deltoids and Traps

Military Press (DB or BB alternate weekly) 10x 8x 6x
Lateral Raises 10x 8x 6x


BB shrugs 10x, 8x, 6x
DB shrugs 10x, 8x, 6x



Friday - Back and Biceps

Deadlift 12x 10x 8x
Wide Overhand Chin-Up 8x 8x 8x
Barbell or DB Bentover Rows 10x, 8x, 6x
T-Bar rows 10x, 8x, 6x

Bicep
Hammer Curls 10x, 8x, 6x
Barbell Curls 10x, 8x, 6x

Alternate every 2 weeks
Deadlift 12x 10x 8x
narrow overhand chins 8x 8x 8x
Wide Overhand Chins (or pulldowns) 8x 8x 8x
One arm dumbbell rows 10x, 8x, 6x

Bicep
Barbell Curls using EZ curl bar 10x, 8x, 6x
Inclined supinating Dumbell Curls 10x, 8x, 6x


Sat and Sun Off

Every other Day:
Calves 20x 20x 20x
Abs


Lower back needed? Hyperextensions or Good Mornings?

Forearms needed? If so, where?

Also, I think my Delts and Traps day may be too much? I could put Traps with back and Delts with chest. But 3 days in the gym just doesn’t feel like enough. If I don’t go frequently enough than I lose my marbles… it’s an outlet for stress.

Sorry it's so long. I just tried to be as thorough as possible because I want to start keeping a log.

All suggestions welcome.

Very good routine, and nicely presented :7up:

If you want forearms, you can train them directly after back having hit them indirectly, and then you can do it on shoulder day if you want as well if they don't ache too much.

Deadlifts and rows will be doing your lower back very well. However if you feel you want some more work for your erectors, reverse hyperextensions is the answer. If you can't do them, don't do hyperextensions. (Read this web link, it will help you understand them --> http://www.revised-training.com/hyperextensions.htm)

Your delts will probably not overtrain, but the way you are doing it, you may not benefit from the small shoulder workout on thursday either. Try it out the way you have it and if you like it then that's good. If you want you can go to the gym on tuesday and thursday even if you do your delts on monday with chest. On the tuesdays and thursdays you could do cardio and sometimes calves and abs.

Sweet.... I'm glad I took the time to put it together. It was kinda fun actually.

This way I am switching it up frequently (with the alternate workouts) to keep my body guessing, but the workouts are still repeating so that I can compare one session to another as far as progress.

I think it will really help me stay structured and on track to my goals.

One question:
Could I throw upright rows in on Thursday with Delts?

I've read mixed reviews on upright rows, but I kinda enjoy them and it feels like it's hitting my medial delt (but I may be wrong on that).

I guess a more general question is: are the delts are large muscle group or small group? That being said how many sets are appropriate for them?

Thanks alot for the feedback.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Superballer

One question:
Could I throw upright rows in on Thursday with Delts?

I've read mixed reviews on upright rows, but I kinda enjoy them and it feels like it's hitting my medial delt (but I may be wrong on that).

I guess a more general question is: are the delts are large muscle group or small group? That being said how many sets are appropriate for them?

Thanks alot for the feedback.

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The deltoideus itself is a medium sized muscle group, but consisting of three heads. They work synergistically because they share a common insertion and very close origins. For example, on the close grip bench press, say the anterior deltoid head had an activation level of 100%, the medial deltoid may be as high as 50-60%. Same goes for lateral raises, say the medial deltoid is 100%, the anterior deltoid will be close to 65%. Same goes for bent over raises or rear delt rows, say the posterior is at 100% then the medial will be at 60%.

Therefore when you think about sets, just try to consider that there are many exercises that are working 2/3rds of your delts. Upright rows on thursday would be alright if it wasn't for the fact the traps are heavily used right before your back day. However, see how you go, I think the upper trap fibres can take a beating and still grow, because they have a huge number of androgen binding sites for test.

Generally the deltoid can take a pounding because it is a pennate muscle. This means it has a higher cross sectional area than a fusiform muscle like the bicep, because the fibres are oblique to the appearance of the muscle. Therefore although the delts don't contract a lot because of the lie of the fibres, they generate a huge amount of force and can withstand a lot of punishment. The bicep fibres run parallel to the appearance of the muscle, hence the need to contract a large amount to develop force. So I would suggest probably 6 sets for the anterior, 6 for the medial and 6 for the posterior, because of the overlap. The synergism will mean comparatively you would have around 9 sets for each deltoid head. Remember the anterior and posterior delt have no synergism together.

Hope that helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Superballer

Lower back needed? Hyperextensions or Good Mornings?

Forearms needed? If so, where?

Also, I think my Delts and Traps day may be too much? I could put Traps with back and Delts with chest. But 3 days in the gym just doesn’t feel like enough. If I don’t go frequently enough than I lose my marbles… it’s an outlet for stress.

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Looks good - and looks like you have put a lot of thought into your training... nice work!

Core training can't hurt - but you have a nice rounded routine with a lot of free weight movements... so your core will get trained, assuming you are giving 100 percent :wg: But doing some abdominal work supersetted with some back extensions would make sure your core training doesn't fall behind.

Your forearms should get plenty of work from your regular routine at this stage. Avoid using straps for your back and deadlifts until you get to your really hevy working sets... then you need it to build slabs of quality muscle on your back without being limited to your forearms, a much smaller muscle group. You have your hammer curls before barbell curls - which will pre exhaust your foreamrs... might want to try alternating reverse grip cambered curls held in static contractions every other week - good for forearms and grip strength. If you have a pair of 100lbs plates - grabbing them and timing your grip strength is also a good thing to test yourself with every so often - if your grip strength falls behind - it can mess up your trianing and also looks odd... :wg:

Your delts and traps are getting plenty of work.

Bottomline, are you progressing in your lifts (more reps, more weight, or total completition time)?

Lower back-I'd def throw in some hyperextensions. I play around with DL to hit the lower back as well as hammies. Also, when doing seated rows, give a good stretch before rowing, that usually hits the lower back as well.

Warrior is on with the forearms with back workouts. Sometimes I'll throw them in after a quick workout.

I would def throw in some upright rows on delt/traps day, hits them both.

Overall, the workout looks good. It's similar to my old one which I stuck to forever until I split it into a 4 day split to add a few extra isolation workouts to each muscle.