NightOp's Routine *Advice, Comments*

[NightOp]

Okay guys... Thought I'd lay it all down and get some advice from everyone. After two years of solid training, reading, and learning, I'm still finding new things out and would love any advice, comments, or questions from all of you.

I'm 5'8'', soon to be 20 years old and 175 pounds w/11-13% bf.

My goals - Overall proportioned mass with strength being important but only secondary. I would like to weigh 200 pounds and 12% bf by the age of 23. That is about 27-30 pounds of muscle in 3 years or 10 pounds of lbm per year. I'm young and very fortunate enough to have access to lots of food and I practice proper diet and I recover fairly quickly. I'm not one of those people that easily gains though, but I do gain consistely now matter how slow it seems. These goals might be too high, but goals are important so I said why not.

Here is my routine, sorry I'm a little long winded.

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MONDAY

- Hams -

Lying Machine Leg Curls -3 sets

- Calves -

Sitting Calf Raises - 3 sets
Standing Calf Raises - 4 sets

- Quads/Glutes -

Barbell Squats - 3 sets
Leg Extension Machine - 3 sets

TUESDAY

- Shoulders -

Mil. Barbell Press (bar in front of head) / Mil. DB Press (rotate each week) - 4 sets
Side Laterals/Front raises (alternate each week) - 4 sets
Shrugs - 4 sets

- Chest -

Machine Flies - 3 sets
Cable Crossovers w/pullies at bottom setting - 2 sets
Pushups (hands 12" apart, feet elevated) - 1 burnout set

WEDNESDAY- rest

THURSDAY
- Back -

Deadlifts - 3 sets
Lat Pulldowns (bar in front) - 4 sets
Cable/Machine Rows (alternate each week) - 4 sets
Bent Over Db One-Arm Rows - 4 sets

- Abs -

Random Ab work (situps, crunches, machine, leg raises, etc...)

FRIDAY
- Biceps -

Standing EZ-bar curls (med/wide grip) - 4 sets
Preacher EZ-bar curls (close grip) - 4 sets
Standing DB Hammer curls - 4 sets

- Forearms -

Sitting Forearm EZ-bar curls (med/wide grip) - 3 sets
Reverse Grip EZ-bar curls (med/wide grip) - 3 sets
Rope w/Weight twists - 2 "times"

- Triceps -

Close Grip Barbell Incline Press - 3 sets
Skull Crushers - 4 sets
Cable Pushdowns (v bar) - 4 sets
Overhead/Machine Extensions (alternate each week) - 3 sets


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Now, the principles and rep discussion. I put form over weight every time... form is a cornerstone of proper training. I rest anywhere from 3 to 5 mins between exercises (not sets).

I begin a training period with the above routine, with all sets going to positive (isometric) failure except for squats. I use this for about six to eight weeks and utilize a double progression system of reps and weight. Meaning I pick a weight I can get 6 times unassisted and use that weight every week going to positive failure until I can get it 12 times, then I up the weight 5 or so pounds and start at the bottom of the 6-12 rep range.

This works great for me as long as I keep really good form. Being that I goto failure each set, and rest anywhere from 1.5 - 2.5 minutes between sets, I usually drop anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds (depending on rest and the exercise) for the next set.

(side note- I do not use the drop principle for squats, rather I pick a weight I can do 3 sets of 7 without dropping weight and use it for all three sets.)

Now, like I said, I use this routine for roughly four to six weeks, after that the gains begin to slow due to adaption. At this point I radically change my principles (and some exercises) to include isometric, concentric, and eccentric failure (beats the crap out of your muscles and leaves you feeling destroyed) and all negative sets (requires good partner) and supersets. I do this for 2 weeks and then take a full week of rest from training, thats right, zero training for a week.

I then go back to my original routine of only isometic failure and double progressive poundage/rep system.

(another note- The reason my chest routine is rather low volume, is because I have a naturally large chest/body form and can add mass very easily to my chest... I'm moreso trying to maintain proportion and would really only like to gain muscle density and strength in my chest rather than mass.)

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I eat properly six times per day. And use creatine on a 2 weeks on, 4 weeks off, basis. I also use glutamine at 10 grams per day. I do zero cardio and no ECA or NYC or yohimburn unless I'm in a specific cutting period (which is rare).

For you -

1. What would you change or suggest to anything I've discussed?

Have a nice day and keep training hard

[DevilsDeity]

if your happy with your results and your seening improvement
thats all that matters

good luck to ya bro, 30 lbs in 3 years will be easy to get
look at this post http://www.anabolicreview.com//vbull...ht=weight+gain
4) At the end of that week, weigh yourself. You'll notice your gaining just after one week! Now, don't expect to see a 10lb increase. Gaining anymore then 1 or 2 pounds a week is unhealthy and means your putting on way to much fat. So look for 1 or 2 pound gains at the end of the week. Don't sound like much? You can be gaining 5-8 pounds a month!

even if your a hard gainer and you can put on 2-3lbs a month
your looking at 24-36 lbs a year


dont for get the older you get your metabolism slows (for most ppl anyway) so your gains will come faster downside is that the fat comes faster too so your diet is gonna play a big part im finding that out real fast as im getting closer to a happy medium w/ my diet

once again good luck to ya and keep pumping

[Pheedno]

i'm no experrt but your routine looks pretty damn good. If your chest is naturally big and proportion is what your looking for than on tricep days I would add on some heavy close grip reps. This excercise has put some serious size on mine in the last month I've used it. I also do some t-bars for my lats which really gets them fatigued. Concentration curls are the sh*t for size to.

[xenithon]

looks real good all round. depending on strength of chest, I would maybe suggest moving shoulder to the tris day, cause shoulder + chest same day = real difficult. cause i see u also do abs with tris you can move those to a more free day like back-only day.

[NightOp]

thanks for the reply guys.

DD, thnx for the link.

Pheedno, I have thought about doing that I most likely will, btw, nice quotes in your signature.

xenithon, Since my chest routine is not really hard at all, i can get away with doing it with shoulders, i have considered what you suggest though, thnx.

bumping for more comments/advice... also lookin for help on my number 2 question about deadlifts/ pw cleans.

[devilscabanaboy19]

damn dude just lift! J/K. I usually do deadlifts with back and then finish it off with shrugs (because traps get a lot of work with deads.)

[NightOp]

My only prob with doing deadlifts on back day with my current routine is that they will interefere with my recovery from tuesdays quad work (squats).. i stay sore for at least three days after my squats so I know i wll have to change something major in order to include deadlifts. I'm considering this> Instead of going six weeks of the above routine and then into a 1-2 week period of negatives, supersets, and total failure (three types), i would do a three week period of only three workouts per week with focus on only large compound movements like deadlifts, clens, and presses, and pullups, pushups, then I would take my 1 week rest and start with my old routine and run for another six weeks, then go back to the three weeks of only large compound movements, and so on...

[devilscabanaboy19]

you've obviously put alot of thought into this and either way I think you'll be fine. I do deads before legs usually and they don't really give me any problems when it comes to recovery.

[NightOp]

well thnx I usually recover relatively fast except for legs

any other comments/advice/questions from anyone?

btw- updated the top post routine with my chest routine changes as Pheedno suggested.

[devilscabanaboy19]

Yeah my recovery time is pretty shitty when it comes to legs as well. I just make sure to get some stretching time in during the day and go running or get in a good walk. I know it sucks but that is the best way I've found to get that lactic acid out of there and stop walking like Frankenstein.

[NightOp]

ya... now I think I might go six to eight weeks on the above routine and then go four weeks on the powerlifting style routine and only workout three days per week with focus on large compound exercises (deads, cleans, etc...) during those four weeks, then of course a one week break.

Does anyone know how to incorporate deads and squats into a routine starting from scratch? meaning if my primary concern was deadlifts and squats, what days would you put them on. My quads just take too long to recover

[Hoopwxf]

Please take this just as ideas as I have rambled on some what and I hope it hasn't come across the wrong way. Your workout does look fine, only you know what works best for you.

On tues instead of doing lying leg curls do dead lifts because IMO these work the hams dam well, as well as the lower back then go the squats ,extentions and then calf.

Also why arnt you doing a compound mass building exercise on chest, they all look pretty much like defining exercise to me. If you are going for size then put in as many compound exercises as possible. I like bench, incline Dbs and weighted dips.

Also for shoulders you could try DB press instead of military as this will concentrate more on the middle delt which will give you extra width, I feal that military hits the front more then the middle.

With tris, it looks like they get to much of a hammering in regards that tris also get a hit when doing chest, I would do no more then 10 sets with all exercises included, I apply this to biceps aswell. I never bother with forearm exercises because I feel that lifting heavy every day gives them enough of a workout especially if you don't use straps.

Back training I would gear up some what, try weighted wide grip chins instead of pulldowns, Neutral wide grip pulldowns, one arm rows or seated rows and wide grip pronated rows (so your arms are going on the same plane as a bench press).

I change my routine every 4-6 weeks as I get bored and I reckon that muscles can get acustomed quite easily, so I like to keep them on there toes so to speak.

[NightOp]

hoop, thank you very much... Lots of good advice in there. The reason I'm not doing flat bench or any major compound chest work is that I slab on chest muscle very very easily... It is just my body form, just like some ppl have huge calves naturally... I'm moreso concerned with symmetry/definition/proportion in terms of my chest.

I will consider your deadlift idea on tuesday.. I don't know if I can handle deads and squats on the same day... only one way to find out I guess.

I think I might rotate overhead DB press and military press (one, one week, the other the next week, etc...)

I do use straps/grip support on the heavy stuff like shrugs (i know I shouldn't but my hands and forearms have always been weak).

In regard to your back discussion, thats basically what I'm doing minus the weighted pull ups.... I like the pulldowns behind my head... Don't know if I should change to front instead, behind head has always worked great for me.

I'm going to edit my first post with the changes I've made.

Thanks again for all the help,....still open for any suggestions as I will be starting fresh with this once I get home from school.

[NightOp]

Okay... Decided to change a few things... gonna stack my back and bi and forearms on one day so I can add a extra rest day... I will be working the graveyard shift this summer and need all the rest I can get.. I'm still gonna be able to get an average of 8 hours per night though.

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions.. I'm gonna hit this routine hardcore this summer and will post my progress... Once again this is all natural and creatine will be done 2weeks on and then 2-weeks off.

[NightOp]

One more bump... I had to rearrange some stuff up there (top post) because I'm moving to a four days per week routine due to summer/work conflicts.