Please help me with a 3 day split, i'm desperate!

[Damienm05]

Monday - Chest, Tri's:
Decline Bench - 3 sets I'd get 3 sets of flat in as well and I'd alternate DB with BB all the time for best results and to help with shoulder strain.
Incline Bench - 3 sets
Flat Dumbell Fly's OR Flat Dumbell Press - 3 sets

Weighted Dips I'd replace decline with this every other week on chest day, leaning in like 20 degrees to target lower chest.
Close grip flat bench press
(possibly) v-bar tricep extension/pressdown I think the rope offers far more as a pressdown tool. I'd add 4 sets of overhead db extension or EZ bar skullcrushers in place of dips should you choose to seperate chest and triceps. Really, I think 4 exercises is fine for triceps if you wanna do an open-palm pressdown or something as well.

Wednesday
Quad extension (to pre-exhaust quads) - 3 sets
Squat variation (cycle between regular squat, front squat, hack squat, overhead squat, etc)- 3 sets
Calf Raises - 5 sets?

(no hamstring workout on leg day as I will be doing deads on back day) I'd do a hammy exercise and do rack pulls on back day if that's how it's gotta be. Laying leg curl, SLDL - 4 sets.

Dumbell Shoulder Press - 3 sets I like to do at least 6 sets of presses via BB/DB but if that's too much, at least do 4-5 sets of DB here.
Lateral Raise - 3 sets
Rear Delt Fly's - 3 sets
(possibly) upright row - 3 sets If you do rear delts on this day, then for sure do these.

Friday
Lat Pulldown - 3 sets
Weighted Chin Ups - 3 sets Do first
Standing Barbell Row - 3 sets Do second
Deadlift - 3 sets
Shrugs - 4 sets (2 with bar in front, 2 with bar behind) If it works for you - easy enough.

Curl variation (cycle between hammers, machine, barbell, dumbell, preacher, etc) - 5 sets I'd do a wide curl (such as straight bar or incline DB), a preacher variation, and a hammer curl every week. 3 sets of each. I don't care what people say, 9 sets will not hinder bicep growth if nutrition is on-point. At very least, do 6-8 and alternate preacher/wide weekly but always do a hammer curl variation.

Let me know what you think.

As for exercises, I'm not the world's foremost expert but that's my .02$ - it's refreshing to tell someone for once that I think their volume may be low, lol.

[gbrice75]

As for exercises, I'm not the world's foremost expert but that's my .02$ - it's refreshing to tell someone for once that I think their volume may be low, lol.

LoL, ultimately that's sort of what I was going for - a lower volume/higher intensity type workout mostly focused on compound lifts. I seriously need to build mass, i'm so stuck in this 'halfway' transformation phase, at least through my eyes. I'm gonna copy and past your critiques so i can respond:

Monday - Chest, Tri's:
Decline Bench - 3 sets I'd get 3 sets of flat in as well and I'd alternate DB with BB all the time for best results and to help with shoulder strain.

I omitted flat bench because I keep hearing more and more about how decline and incline sufficiently stimulate the entire pectoral region. I did throw the DB fly's/presses in just to 'even things out'. So are you saying to keep this in except alternate the flat DB's each week with flat BB?

Weighted Dips I'd replace decline with this every other week on chest day, leaning in like 20 degrees to target lower chest.

Ok, so we're basically looking at consistent incline BB, weekly alternating flat DB/BB, and weekly alternating decline BB and weighted dips? In other words, I shouldn't do the dips AND decline in the same week, right?

(possibly) v-bar tricep extension/pressdown I think the rope offers far more as a pressdown tool. I'd add 4 sets of overhead db extension or EZ bar skullcrushers in place of dips should you choose to seperate chest and triceps. Really, I think 4 exercises is fine for triceps if you wanna do an open-palm pressdown or something as well.

I can definitely go with the rope over the V-bar, no problem there. I wouldn't mind adding a few sets of these or skull crushers, but I think the dips are far superior to either, and I don't think i'd want to replace the dips with any single tricep-targeting exercise

(no hamstring workout on leg day as I will be doing deads on back day) I'd do a hammy exercise and do rack pulls on back day if that's how it's gotta be. Laying leg curl, SLDL - 4 sets.

I wouldn't mind throwing in a hammy exercise, I just didn't want to overwork them with deads happening 2 days later. Rack pulls are basically deadlifts but take the hams out of it (weight starts in the rack around knee height?), right? The only reason i'd have an issue with this is because I incorporated the deadlifts specifically because of their awesome mass building ability.... I feel like taking something out of the exercise might be short changing myself? IF I were to keep deads on Friday, do you still think I should add a hammy exercise on Wednesday?

Dumbell Shoulder Press - 3 sets I like to do at least 6 sets of presses via BB/DB but if that's too much, at least do 4-5 sets of DB here.

I understand why this might seem a bit low. I just have always felt like I overwork shoulders, but what do you think about doing 3 sets of DB and 3 sets of BB? Would it be awful if I did the BB routine on the smith machine behind the neck? (I can't go behind the neck unless it's on the smith)

Weighted Chin Ups if I do bi's on Monday instead of Friday with back, do you think I should drop these from my back routine and go with regular weighted pull ups instead? I don't want to overwork bi's

You may be on to something about bi's and more volume - as you know i'm not in love with my body, but if I had to pick 1 part that's my strong point it'd be my arms - and i've always done several sets, at least 9.

Thanks again for your feedback bro, I feel like this is being ironed out and i'll be very happy with it soon!

[Damienm05]

LoL, ultimately that's sort of what I was going for - a lower volume/higher intensity type workout mostly focused on compound lifts. I seriously need to build mass, i'm so stuck in this 'halfway' transformation phase, at least through my eyes. I'm gonna copy and past your critiques so i can respond:

Monday - Chest, Tri's:
Decline Bench - 3 sets I'd get 3 sets of flat in as well and I'd alternate DB with BB all the time for best results and to help with shoulder strain.

I omitted flat bench because I keep hearing more and more about how decline and incline sufficiently stimulate the entire pectoral region. I did throw the DB fly's/presses in just to 'even things out'. So are you saying to keep this in except alternate the flat DB's each week with flat BB?

Weighted Dips I'd replace decline with this every other week on chest day, leaning in like 20 degrees to target lower chest.

Ok, so we're basically looking at consistent incline BB, weekly alternating flat DB/BB, and weekly alternating decline BB and weighted dips? In other words, I shouldn't do the dips AND decline in the same week, right?

(possibly) v-bar tricep extension/pressdown I think the rope offers far more as a pressdown tool. I'd add 4 sets of overhead db extension or EZ bar skullcrushers in place of dips should you choose to seperate chest and triceps. Really, I think 4 exercises is fine for triceps if you wanna do an open-palm pressdown or something as well.

I can definitely go with the rope over the V-bar, no problem there. I wouldn't mind adding a few sets of these or skull crushers, but I think the dips are far superior to either, and I don't think i'd want to replace the dips with any single tricep-targeting exercise

(no hamstring workout on leg day as I will be doing deads on back day) I'd do a hammy exercise and do rack pulls on back day if that's how it's gotta be. Laying leg curl, SLDL - 4 sets.

I wouldn't mind throwing in a hammy exercise, I just didn't want to overwork them with deads happening 2 days later. Rack pulls are basically deadlifts but take the hams out of it (weight starts in the rack around knee height?), right? The only reason i'd have an issue with this is because I incorporated the deadlifts specifically because of their awesome mass building ability.... I feel like taking something out of the exercise might be short changing myself? IF I were to keep deads on Friday, do you still think I should add a hammy exercise on Wednesday?

Dumbell Shoulder Press - 3 sets I like to do at least 6 sets of presses via BB/DB but if that's too much, at least do 4-5 sets of DB here.

I understand why this might seem a bit low. I just have always felt like I overwork shoulders, but what do you think about doing 3 sets of DB and 3 sets of BB? Would it be awful if I did the BB routine on the smith machine behind the neck? (I can't go behind the neck unless it's on the smith)

Weighted Chin Ups if I do bi's on Monday instead of Friday with back, do you think I should drop these from my back routine and go with regular weighted pull ups instead? I don't want to overwork bi's

You may be on to something about bi's and more volume - as you know i'm not in love with my body, but if I had to pick 1 part that's my strong point it'd be my arms - and i've always done several sets, at least 9.

Thanks again for your feedback bro, I feel like this is being ironed out and i'll be very happy with it soon!

1- yes. saying alternate db with BB for flat but also incline bench. 1 always do 1 bb press only and focus more on form and negatives with DBs for the rest.

2- Yea, I find dips with proper form to target chest are even better than decline for lower chest - doing both would be decline overkill, imo

3- Yeah, don't replace dips for chest/tri then.I've always just done them for chest only and made sure to give plenty of rest between tris. Keep em - they're the best for pure mass. Don't replace anything, just do skullcrushers, overhead db extension, rope pressdown, and then burn out with dips to failure while leaning in slightly for chest - your tris will still get rocked

4- First of all, I think as long as you have a day between, there's no reason not to add a hammy exercise and still do deads. If you feel hindered though, yeah, rack pulls are just like deads except the bar rests on the rack just below the knee. Upper 2/3 of a dead basically and pretty damn close for building a thick back.

5- I think 3 sets BB, 3 DB is ideal actually. I don't use the smith machine or go behind the neck (i don't feel like it's necessary or the safest) but I know plenty of guys on here and in the gym who do with great shoulders. Go for it.

6- Nah, keep weighted chins. Listen to your body a week in and change your mind if you feel you must.

7- No problem! I know what people say about Dorian Yates and others training arms for 10 mins weekly, bla, bla bla.... All I know is that I've always done 9-12 sets for bis and they grow just fine. Honestly, I think as long as nutrition is in-check it's hard to overtrain them as long as you do them once per week.

[gbrice75]

1- yes. saying alternate db with BB for flat but also incline bench. 1 always do 1 bb press only and focus more on form and negatives with DBs for the rest.

2- Yea, I find dips with proper form to target chest are even better than decline for lower chest - doing both would be decline overkill, imo

3- Yeah, don't replace dips for chest/tri then.I've always just done them for chest only and made sure to give plenty of rest between tris. Keep em - they're the best for pure mass. Don't replace anything, just do skullcrushers, overhead db extension, rope pressdown, and then burn out with dips to failure while leaning in slightly for chest - your tris will still get rocked

4- First of all, I think as long as you have a day between, there's no reason not to add a hammy exercise and still do deads. If you feel hindered though, yeah, rack pulls are just like deads except the bar rests on the rack just below the knee. Upper 2/3 of a dead basically and pretty damn close for building a thick back.

5- I think 3 sets BB, 3 DB is ideal actually. I don't use the smith machine or go behind the neck (i don't feel like it's necessary or the safest) but I know plenty of guys on here and in the gym who do with great shoulders. Go for it.

6- Nah, keep weighted chins. Listen to your body a week in and change your mind if you feel you must.

7- No problem! I know what people say about Dorian Yates and others training arms for 10 mins weekly, bla, bla bla.... All I know is that I've always done 9-12 sets for bis and they grow just fine. Honestly, I think as long as nutrition is in-check it's hard to overtrain them as long as you do them once per week.

Dude, thanks for all of the clarifications, I really appreciate it! I think this is turning into a pretty solid routine, looking forward to implementing! I have to remember to do progress pics too.