Need suggestions to take it up a notch

[dizzy7798]

I was hoping to get some suggestions on where to take my routine from here. I'm lookin to change it up a little to make it more intense and get me to the next level.

I've been working out for 3 years or so and put on about 40 lbs of lean muscle so far. I was ecto-endo when I first started so I was doing mostly compounds (although not so much now) and hitting each part only once a week.

I'm 30, 5'7" 175 lbs ~9% bodyfat.

Current:

Mon:
Triceps / Abs
Close Grip Push Downs 6x6 reps
Dumbell Kickbacks 5x8 reps
Dip Machine 6x6 reps very heavy
Cable Overhead Extensions 6x6 reps
Cable Concentration Extensions 6x8 reps

Tue:
Biceps / Back
Hammer Curls 6x6 reps
Incline Dumbell Curl 6x8 reps
Incline Prone Dumbell Curls 4x10 reps
Cable Hammer Curls 6x8 reps
Close Grip Bar Curl 5x5 reps
Cable Rows 6x10 reps
One Arm Cable Rows 6x8 reps
Reverse Grip Pulldowns 6x8 reps
Close Grip Lat Pulldowns 6x8 reps
Dead Lifts 5x5 reps

Wed:
Legs
Lying Leg Curls 6x8 reps
Standing Calf Raise 6x8 reps
Hip Abductor 6x8 reps
Hip Adductor 6x8 reps
Squats 6x6 reps
Seated Leg Curls or Donkey Calf 6x8 reps
Leg Extensions 6x8 reps

Thur:
Chest / Abs
Bench Press 6x6 reps
Decline Press 6x6-8 reps
Incline Dumbells 6x8 reps
Lying Cable Flys 6x8 reps
Butterfly Press 6x8 reps
Standing Cable Flys 6x8 reps
Iso Lateral Declines 6x8 reps

Fri:
Shoulders / Abs
Barbell Shrugs 6x8 reps
Shoulder Press 6x6 reps
Bent Over Dumbell Raises 6x8 reps
Reverse Flys 6x8 reps
Shrug Machine (not sure what the official name is) 6x8 reps
Standing cable side raises 6x8 reps

Thanks in advance.....

[SayHelotomylilFriend]

Why does so much ppl get 2 consecutive OFF days ?
While on gear, I suggest having not more than one OFF, but when Off gear, Best would be to space up off days only 1 days apparts ? My body seems, currently, to work like no training during 2 days long would be enough to loose some gains... Is this normal ? I guess it's because I just started back my workout 1 week ago.

I'm just back from a 10 months not working out at all so I lost a bit of my previous knowledge (which was reasonably good)... I need to clean up and refresh most of the concepts

(sorry for the take over on this thread)

[kaberle_15]

Overtraining!

Do back before biceps, you are doing the hardest leg exercises at the end of your day do them first!

You're exercises are all out of whack man you need to do the hardest most demanding one's first. You are doing way way too much too.

[dizzy7798]

Overtraining!

Do back before biceps, you are doing the hardest leg exercises at the end of your day do them first!

You're exercises are all out of whack man you need to do the hardest most demanding one's first. You are doing way way too much too.

I've heard the back before bi's thing before, I'll give that a shot. Also I had originally been doing things like squats and deadlifts at the end of my routine because I lift fairly heavy on those and after I got done, I couldn't do anything else. I can and will break that habit now though, I think you are right. I do rotate the order of exercises around, my concern was more to do with # of sets, reps, and my split than anything else.

As far as overtraining, I have to respectfully disagree with you on that one based on my experience so far. For the first year and a half or so I followed a lot of the "don't overtrain" advice and never saw any gains until I came up to a routine similar to this. Since that time, on several occasions when I've tried to back it down the gains stop every time. So if I am overtraining, it's apparently working for me unless there's something I'm missing. The only drawback was that when I first started, my body was shakey and unstable during non workout times for about 2 or 3 months, but that has long since gone away.

[SoonerEye]

I have always had good luck with Mon-Chest-Tris, Tues-Back Bis, Wed off-but I do cardio, abs, and maybe forearms. Thurs-Shoulders-Traps, Fri-Legs, Weekend off, but abs, cardio, etc. Ofcourse I change up my actual routines every few weeks to keep the muscles guessing.

[MFT81]

Your Overtraining in two different way,

(This will also Answear sayhello2myfirends post as well.)

1st off congrats on gaining that intial 40 lbs of muslce, as you know, you not only got bigger but stronger, so why have you platued?

#1. you need change in your routine, this is up to you, pick diffent exercises and a new format as far as sets and reps.

#2. Time for MORE days OFF. why? simple, a 20 inch arm produces more energy than a 12 inch arm, therefore requiring more fuel (Food) and rest. WHY MORE REST? Because what people fail to realize is that its not only the mucles but the Central and Peripheral nervous system that needs to recover. If your overtrained then you will not respond properly. this still aplies if your not natural, just not as much.

So IMO, You need a new split. Here is one I constantly recommend.

MON: Back/Hams/Calves

Tues: OFF

Wens: Shoulders/Bis-Forearms/Core

Thurs: OFF

Fri: Quads/Hams/Calves

Sat: either Arms/Core
or Chest/Tris/Core

Sun: Light Cardio/OFF

[Ronnie Rowland]

I was hoping to get some suggestions on where to take my routine from here. I'm lookin to change it up a little to make it more intense and get me to the next level.

I've been working out for 3 years or so and put on about 40 lbs of lean muscle so far. I was ecto-endo when I first started so I was doing mostly compounds (although not so much now) and hitting each part only once a week.

I'm 30, 5'7" 175 lbs ~9% bodyfat.

Current:

Mon:
Triceps / Abs
Close Grip Push Downs 6x6 reps
Dumbell Kickbacks 5x8 reps
Dip Machine 6x6 reps very heavy
Cable Overhead Extensions 6x6 reps
Cable Concentration Extensions 6x8 reps

Tue:
Biceps / Back
Hammer Curls 6x6 reps
Incline Dumbell Curl 6x8 reps
Incline Prone Dumbell Curls 4x10 reps
Cable Hammer Curls 6x8 reps
Close Grip Bar Curl 5x5 reps
Cable Rows 6x10 reps
One Arm Cable Rows 6x8 reps
Reverse Grip Pulldowns 6x8 reps
Close Grip Lat Pulldowns 6x8 reps
Dead Lifts 5x5 reps

Wed:
Legs
Lying Leg Curls 6x8 reps
Standing Calf Raise 6x8 reps
Hip Abductor 6x8 reps
Hip Adductor 6x8 reps
Squats 6x6 reps
Seated Leg Curls or Donkey Calf 6x8 reps
Leg Extensions 6x8 reps

Thur:
Chest / Abs
Bench Press 6x6 reps
Decline Press 6x6-8 reps
Incline Dumbells 6x8 reps
Lying Cable Flys 6x8 reps
Butterfly Press 6x8 reps
Standing Cable Flys 6x8 reps
Iso Lateral Declines 6x8 reps

Fri:
Shoulders / Abs
Barbell Shrugs 6x8 reps
Shoulder Press 6x6 reps
Bent Over Dumbell Raises 6x8 reps
Reverse Flys 6x8 reps
Shrug Machine (not sure what the official name is) 6x8 reps
Standing cable side raises 6x8 reps

Thanks in advance.....

You are a candidate for Slingshot Training. Try both the 4 and 5 day split to find what works best for you!