Tell me what you think of my workout routine

**XChris1632X** · 12-06-2008, 11:31 PM

3 sets of each pyramid up in weight every set
Most sets go from 10-8-6 reps
I usually change up an individual excercise or two from week to week

Monday= Chest and Bicepts

Flat Dumbell Bench
Incline Dumbell
Incline Fly

Preacher Curls
Straight Bar Curls
Hammer Curls
Forearms
-Different various excercises are thrown in to change it up, these are just an idea

Tuesday= Legs
Squats
Leg Press
Extensions
Calves

Wensday= Rest Day

Thursday= Shoulders and Tricepts
Shoulder press
Bent over Dumbell rear delt raise
Side and front dumbell delt raise

Skull Crushers
Overhead rope extension
Rear Dumbell Press

Friday= Back and Neck

Lat pull downs
Lower Rows
Deadlifts

Shrugs
Upright Row
Low pulley row to neck
Various neck resistance excercises

Saturday= Rest

Sunday= Rest

The reason i am posting this is for a little critique, plus I dont know 1 single person that uses the same type of schedule. I like how the different days compliment different muscle grouple, for instance Mondays I am working out Chest, Bi's with a secondary work out to the Tri's. Thursday I am working out Shoulders, Tri's with touching a bit on chest. Friday I am hitting back and getting a secondary workout on Bi's. That way I am hitting some of the muscle groups at least a little bit more than once a week. Most people I know like chest and tri's on the same day, I just figure why not try to hit them twice a week.

**Gaspari1255** · 12-06-2008, 11:44 PM

One quick thing I would like to point out is you don't have any exersizes hitting your lower chest. If you're not going to do decline bench, I would atleast throw some dips in on tri day to hit the area.

**XChris1632X** · 12-07-2008, 12:07 AM

Oh I do decline. Thats what I was trying to explain was this is just an example of one weeks excercises. The next week I may do Incline, Decline, and flat bench Flys. I try to do different things everyweek with each muscle group. Thanks

**fit4ever180** · 12-07-2008, 11:44 AM

There's nothing to isolate your hamstrings on leg day... throw in some stiff-legged deads (keep the weight lighter and form strict) and a seated or lying hamstring curl... A lot people, myself included, cannot work arms twice per week or they become overtrained... It may work for you, but it may lead to overtraining, just fyi...

**XChris1632X** · 12-07-2008, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by fit4ever180

There's nothing to isolate your hamstrings on leg day... throw in some stiff-legged deads (keep the weight lighter and form strict) and a seated or lying hamstring curl... A lot people, myself included, cannot work arms twice per week or they become overtrained... It may work for you, but it may lead to overtraining, just fyi...

This is also the same kinda thing as above, I do hamstring curls just not everyweek. It is one of the things I change up as to not overwork the legs and cycle in some different workouts. I throw a lot of different workouts in, the ones I posted are just an example of one week.

I do have a question about working arms twice a week though. What is the easiest way to realize if you are overworking them? My Tricepts have great recovery time, hence the reason I can just wait a few days after chest and touch on them again. My bicepts however do not seem to recover fast at all but usually feel alright come Friday to do back.

Thanks for all the insight.

**Matt** · 12-07-2008, 12:59 PM

I thought the chest was one muscle. Maybe im wrong and should shut up, but hitting the chest from different angles ie declines wont make the lower chest change shape. The chest grows as a whole muscle and not in different directions.

**j4ever41** · 12-07-2008, 07:48 PM

if you are overtraining a muscle your strength will probably go way down that is at least what has happened to me in the past,i would say you are ok with biceps mon and getting crossover with back on fri.my routine is similar.

mon
chest/back

wed
legs

fri
biceps,tris,shoulders

**fit4ever180** · 12-07-2008, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by XChris1632X

This is also the same kinda thing as above, I do hamstring curls just not everyweek. It is one of the things I change up as to not overwork the legs and cycle in some different workouts. I throw a lot of different workouts in, the ones I posted are just an example of one week.
If it's working, then keep it up by all means
I do have a question about working arms twice a week though. What is the easiest way to realize if you are overworking them? My Tricepts have great recovery time, hence the reason I can just wait a few days after chest and touch on them again. My bicepts however do not seem to recover fast at all but usually feel alright come Friday to do back.

My arms feel pretty sore and take forever to fully heal once they've been overworked, but they are by far slowest healing muscles... At one point I had dedicated one day of the week just for arms and even then, anything over 4 exercises with 4 sets for either bi's or tri's and I would not be back to 100% for nearly 2 weeks and that was while taking it easy the rest of the time... If your biceps take longer, you probably should reduce your sets and exercises... I've seeng good growth since I switched to working them on back day after I'm finished with back and only do 2 exercises of no more than 4 sets a piece... Tri's after shoulders and I do the same thing... sometimes I may do 3 sets of 3 exercises though... My tri's heal faster than bi's
Thanks for all the insight.

Originally Posted by MAD MATT

I thought the chest was one muscle. Maybe im wrong and should shut up, but hitting the chest from different angles ie declines wont make the lower chest change shape. The chest grows as a whole muscle and not in different directions.

Hitting the chest from different angles most certainly affects which parts of it are targeted... Decline hits the lower portion and mid portion more, while incline hits the upper portion more... Changing your grip will change which part of your chest you target more directly as well... Look at it like this... How much can you bench on flat or decline? How much can you bench on incline? I'm willing to bet your incline is noticably less right? The reason... the chest is composed of two muscles... Pectoralis major and minor... Minor is located at the top of your chest and is smaller than the major... Look at a pro bber when they do there most muscular pose.... Notice the large crease that goes through both sides of there chest about 2/3 of the way up it... that's where the muscles are separated...

**tjpatrick1987** · 12-08-2008, 12:19 AM

OK heres my educated opinion on your workout .... its good but i think you can get more outa of it......DO Bis or Tris w/ legs......chest and back should get thier own days because they are bigger muscle groups.. shoulders have thier own day/consider this an easy day ....of course you fit in your days off as you want but good luck bro...........Listen to what i gotta say

**XChris1632X** · 12-08-2008, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by tjpatrick1987

OK heres my educated opinion on your workout .... its good but i think you can get more outa of it......DO Bis or Tris w/ legs......chest and back should get thier own days because they are bigger muscle groups.. shoulders have thier own day/consider this an easy day ....of course you fit in your days off as you want but good luck bro...........Listen to what i gotta say

Can you give me a full written out example of this just to eliminate any further questions or confusion. I am all ears.

**Matt** · 12-08-2008, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by fit4ever180

Hitting the chest from different angles most certainly affects which parts of it are targeted... Decline hits the lower portion and mid portion more, while incline hits the upper portion more... Changing your grip will change which part of your chest you target more directly as well... Look at it like this... How much can you bench on flat or decline? How much can you bench on incline? I'm willing to bet your incline is noticably less right? The reason... the chest is composed of two muscles... Pectoralis major and minor... Minor is located at the top of your chest and is smaller than the major... Look at a pro bber when they do there most muscular pose.... Notice the large crease that goes through both sides of there chest about 2/3 of the way up it... that's where the muscles are separated...

Sorry to be post in this thread off topic, but many believe that this is a myth. And theres alot of evedence to prove the myth. If what your saying is right then if i spend the next 10 years doing decline presses only for chest then my lower chest would be huge and out of proportion? If this can be done for the chest then what about the same for the quads? I think i should start a thread to thrash this out

**tjpatrick1987** · 12-09-2008, 01:12 AM

day 1 chest
day 2 bis
day 3 back
day 4 legs tris
day 5 shoulders
i like your original approach....now you still have to fit in your day offs into this ... one suggestion do as many routines necessary to give good burn. secondary workouts are some what unnesscerary...by working out your muscles in this order you are giving each muscle group time to recover by jumping all over...this really helps me especially when im soar. most people get away with working bi's and tri's once a week because your using them in most routines.......good luck

**AdamGH** · 12-09-2008, 01:58 AM

Originally Posted by MAD MATT

Sorry to be post in this thread off topic, but many believe that this is a myth. And theres alot of evedence to prove the myth. If what your saying is right then if i spend the next 10 years doing decline presses only for chest then my lower chest would be huge and out of proportion? If this can be done for the chest then what about the same for the quads? I think i should start a thread to thrash this out

its never isolated. the other parts of the chest are used as well. just the emphasis changes on position and hand grip. would it grow out of proportion? i wouldnt think so. unless you add steroids to the mix maybe a little bit. the body is pretty good at keeping you balanced imo.