Looking for advice on routine

**Erwin** · 05-22-2005, 08:00 PM

Stats are, 28yrs 5"11 195lbs. 13% bf. I have been lifting religiously for a year and am constantly being told that I am overtraining. Here is my routine:

Day 1
Skull crushers
Tricep pressdowns w/ropes
One arm tricep pressdowns
reverse grip straight bar pressdowns

Standing alternate dumbell curls
Standing barbell curls
Two arm overhead curls w/cables
Preacher bench hammer curls w/ropes

Day 2
Behind the neck press with smith machine
Arnold Press
Reverse pec dec flyes
Incline front raises w/barbell

Leg presses
Squats
leg extensions
leg curls

Day 3
Incline bench flyes
Incline Dumbell presses
Flat bench dumbell presses
Barbell pullovers

Behind the back pulldowns
Wide grip palms in pulldowns
Seated cable rows
bent over rows
Upright rows
shrugs

I do calves on days 1 and 2
seated toe raises
standing calf raises with smith machine

I do 4 sets of each exercise and the reps are 10,10,8,8
I also try to do 30 minutes of cardio after each workout and abs to warm up before each

I am also currently 6 days in on a fina cycle at 90mg ed

I want to get the most out of my training but don't want to feel like I am letting myself off easy.

Ok, let me have it!

**steve0** · 05-22-2005, 08:09 PM

how can you do ur soulders after that Tricep workout ?? are they not sore ?? i know i cant hit my delts the day after i hit tris..also i would do another behind the neck excercis for tris ditch one of the press downs maybe throw in some dips on chest days..also i would do shrugs and upright rows on shoulder days..i wouldnt guess ur over training only because ur training 3 days a week if you can split it up so u can do it 4 days a week..

**Erwin** · 05-22-2005, 08:20 PM

My bad, I rest on day 4 and then do it again. So it is 6 days a week. And I thought I had all the info for ya guys in there, sorry. I change up excercises every 4-6 months. And yeah, my arms are kinda sore but I figure I just push through it. They were hard to get to respond(shoulders) but they have been coming along nicely. The problem that I have is that I don't feel fatiqued the next day and have enough energy to get me through a workout but I keep being told that I am overtraining. Like I said, just want to do it right and get the best benefits. Thanks for the input, dips are something that I haven't done yet. and the reason for the uprights and shrugs on back day is that I feel my traps are getting hit harder on back day than they would on shoulders day, I used to do the on shoulders day for the first five months.

**RJstrong** · 05-22-2005, 08:28 PM

yes your overtraining.

**Erwin** · 05-22-2005, 08:32 PM

So what changes should I make then?

**RJstrong** · 05-22-2005, 08:35 PM

remember you grow when your outside of the gym not when your in it. not to worry, you aren't lacking in determination. the most common problem that I see in the gym is overtraining. they didn't build Rome in a day, the same is obviously true with the human body. without getting to involved my suggestion is to work a split that allows you 2-3 days of rest a week. i think if you are training hard enough you should feel like you need at least 2-3 days to recuperate. good luck, train hard, train smart and your goals will be reached!

**Erwin** · 05-22-2005, 08:45 PM

Thanks for the advice, i know you don't want to get to involved but maybe someone could give me some advice on a different split to get 2-3 days of rest of a week

**RJstrong** · 05-22-2005, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Erwin

So what changes should I make then?

man, there is so many ways to look at it. I'm sure you could talk to 20 different people and you would get 20 different answers. I can tell you what has worked for me but due to the law of individual differences it may not work as well for you. however, I like to devote 1 day to legs, 1 day to chest, 1 day to back, and 1 day to arms. every week there are changes to my training with few exceptions. I am a powerlifter so I always squat, bench, and deadlift. I really stick to the basics, constantly pressing to see improvements in strength, and if done right you will feel the need to take your 2-3 days off. thru trial and error you will figure out what works and what doesn't but if overtrained your improvements will be minimal at best.

**RJstrong** · 05-22-2005, 08:51 PM

here is a quick look at what my off season training may look like:
Sun - off
Mon - legs
Tues - off
Wed - off
Thur - chest
Fri - back
Sat - arms
I hope this helps! good luck bro!

**Erwin** · 05-22-2005, 08:53 PM

That's just it with regards to minimal results with overtraining, I have had good steady results with my routines. That is why the overtraining thing boggles me. I listen to my body. If I start to workout but am not feling it I give it a little bit and if it doesn't kick in I do cardio and come back the next day. Guess I will just have to do some mixing and matching thanks for the input RJ.

**RJstrong** · 05-22-2005, 08:56 PM

oh, and i usuallly do my abs and calves on my leg day and back day.

**RJstrong** · 05-22-2005, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Erwin

That's just it with regards to minimal results with overtraining, I have had good steady results with my routines. That is why the overtraining thing boggles me. I listen to my body. If I start to workout but am not feling it I give it a little bit and if it doesn't kick in I do cardio and come back the next day. Guess I will just have to do some mixing and matching thanks for the input RJ.

I tell you what if its been working then that's another story, but I think your dead on when you say listen to your body. as you get bigger and stronger though you will require more rest, there really is no way around it. good luck bro, you will be just fine. just keep up the intenstity and leave it all in the gym!

**flexgolf** · 05-22-2005, 09:19 PM

Well I would like to direct you to SwoolCat's thread on training. I think you need to spend more time focusing on compound lifts, while putting less effort into these arm workouts. Find swollcat's post!! If i get it I will post the link on this thread.