my first routine--any tips :)

[chuckfinley]

hey guys. stats are 18 years old, 9%bf, 166 lbs, and been training for about a year. ive always done different bodybuilders routines but i believe i have gained enuff knowledge about my body to make my own routine now. im lookin at a five day split. my main goal is to add as much lean mass as possible. specifically i want to gain more thickness on my back, a more well developed chest, boulder shoulders, thicker triceps to get bigger looking arms, and gain whatever size possible on my beotch calves hahaha. heres what i put together so far. i usually feel like im overtraining and i want to get ur guys and gals opinion on if you think my sets/reps might look like that. also, plz if you know any great exercises im all open to new things. im still a noob so i dont know everything. also the rep range for weights is 8-12 and i wanna go to failure on each set if that seems confusing. thanks for ur help ahead of time!

MONDAY-Chest
DB Bench Press 3x12 (to failure)
DB Incline Bench Press 3x12 (to failure)
DB Flies 3x12 (to failure)
DB pullovers 3x12 (to failure)
Dips 3x12 (to failure)

TUESDAY-Back
BB Bent-over Row 3x12 (to failure)
T-bar Rows 3x12 (to failure)
Lat Pulldowns 3x12 (to failure)
Rows (Pulley) 3x12 (to failure)
Ham-Glute Raises 3x12 (to failure)

WEDNESDAY-Cardio/Calves/abs
Smith Standing Calf Raises 4x12 (to failure)
Seated Calf Raises 3x12 (to failure)
Abs
30 min cardio (brisk walking pace)

THURSDAY-Hams/Quads
Squats 3x12 (to failure)
Leg Press 3x12 (to failure)
Leg Extension 3x12 (to failure)
Good Mornings 3x12 (to failure)

FRIDAY- Delts
DB Military Press 3x12 (to failure)
Lateral Raises 3x12 (to failure)
BB Shrugs 4x12 (to failure)
Rear Laterals 3x12 (to failure)
Anterior Raises 3x12 (to failure)

SATURDAY- Bi’s/Tri’s
Skull Crushers 3x12 (to failure)
Preacher Curls 4x12 (to failure)
Tricep Ext. 3x12 (to failure)
Reverse Curls 3x12 (to failure)
1-Hand Reverse Tricep Ext. 3x12 (to failure)

SUNDAY-Cardio
30 min Cardio (brisk walk)

[Turkish Juicer]

3x12 regimen will work for developing most areas in your upper body (for a while, at the least), but as far as your lower body, you will be most likely disappointment with the results.

Here are the parts that I disagree with your routine and how I would change them up:

1. Calf raise and extension exercises should involve sets with 15-20 rep rage. If there are several sets involved, then last set could be done based on the lower rep and higher weight equation. Finishing calves with a drop set will yield very good results. Calves are tough material for most lifters, which is why they prefer to train them beyond failure, as you should too if you want to eventually walk around with fully developed calves.

2. Your ham/quad day is not really a ham/quad day and I am not sure if you are aware of this. You don't have a single hamstring exercise, unless you are counting Good Morning as one. I am hoping this is a typo or something, otherwise you are literally not doing anything for your hamstrings, which is just plain awkward. At any rate, you will again not build a good base with only 3 sets and 12 reps for your legs, you are better of targeting the 15-20 rep range for your legs. You can employ the pyramidal training method and incorporate lower weight high rep sets with higher weight lower rep sets in a single exercise and you will certainly get good results out of this. Add a couple sets of Lying, Seated or Standing Leg Curls as well as a compound exercise such as stiff leg deadlifts for your hams.

3. Are you really conducting only one exercise for your biceps??? Preacher Curls 4x12 is not enough for biceps, especially concerning the fact that you are training your biceps only once a week. You should add 2 more bicep exercises, 3 sets for each will be more than enough, especially if you can finish the last set of each exercise with a drop set. As for triceps, there is no point in doing both Reverse Curls and 1 Hand Reverse Tricep Extentions in the same training session, since you will be basically repeating the same exercise over. Ditch either exercise and add something else, narrow grip bench press would not be a bad idea, for instance.

[chuckfinley]

hey turkishjuicer first of all love the name. hahaha. i actually have been hearing about the higher reps on my lower body, so im gonna go ahead and change that. i also love the idea of ending with a drop set to just push my muscles to beyond failure. for the ham/quad day i honestly thought that the exercises i had was enuff but i can see ur point on basically not even training my hammys. i think im gonna add in some ham. glute raises and seated leg curls. as for my arms when i said reverse curls i meant reverse bicep curls where there is a pronated grip instead of a supinated grip (while using a ez curl bar). i was wondering what the best number of total sets to do per bodypart would be? ive heard 15-18 sets is plenty per muscle group, and keep in mind im not roiding and im still 18 lol. thanks for the help !!! im gonna update my workout and post it again in like 20 min!!!

[chuckfinley]

MONDAY-Chest
DB Bench Press 3x12 (to failure)
DB Incline Bench Press 3x12 (to failure)
DB Flies 3x12 (to failure)
DB pullovers 3x12 (to failure)
Dips 3x12 (to failure)

TUESDAY-Back
BB Bent-over Row 3x12 (to failure)
T-bar Rows 3x12 (to failure)
Lat Pulldowns 3x12 (to failure)
Rows (Pulley) 3x12 (to failure)
Ham-Glute Raises 3x12 (to failure)

WEDNESDAY-Cardio/Calves/abs
Smith Standing Calf Raises 4x15-25 (to failure)
Seated Calf Raises 3x15-25 (to failure)
Abs
30 min cardio (brisk walking pace)

THURSDAY-Hams/Quads
Squats 3x15-25 (to failure)
Leg Press 3x15-25 (to failure)
Leg Extension 3x15-25 (to failure)
Good Mornings 3x15-25 (to failure)
Ham-Glute Raises 2x15-25 (to failure)
Seated Leg Curls 2x15-25 (to failure)

FRIDAY- Delts
DB Military Press 3x12 (to failure)
Lateral Raises 3x12 (to failure)
BB Shrugs 4x12 (to failure)
Rear Laterals 3x12 (to failure)
Anterior Raises 3x12 (to failure)

SATURDAY- Bi’s/Tri’s
Skull Crushers 3x12 (to failure)
Preacher Curls 4x12 (to failure)
Tricep Ext. 3x12 (to failure)
Reverse Bicep Curls (Pronated Grip) 3x12 (to failure)
1-Hand Reverse Tricep Ext. 3x12 (to failure)
DB Bicep Curls 2x12 (to failure)

SUNDAY-Cardio
30 min Cardio (brisk walk)

[Turkish Juicer]

i was wondering what the best number of total sets to do per bodypart would be? ive heard 15-18 sets is plenty per muscle group ...

There is no stone written best number of total sets to do per body part, however, there are some insightful guidelines.

Muscle groups present in legs certainly require more beating than any other, which means you can run the most number of sets for them. On the same token, this principle may apply to chest and back as well. However, what decides maximal hypertrophy on a given muscle group is rather determined by how much damage is created within a relatively short period of time than the number of total sets.

Since you are a beginner, I would advice you not do exceed 3 exercises and 9 sets for biceps, 4 exercises and 12 sets for triceps as far as arms are concerned. On a last note, there is no over training of legs IMO, you can beat the crap out of them with 8 different exercises of 4-5 sets each during a training session and they will grow. As a matter of fact, that is indeed how they grow.

[Turkish Juicer]

MONDAY-Chest
DB Bench Press 3x12 (to failure)
DB Incline Bench Press 3x12 (to failure)
DB Flies 3x12 (to failure)
DB pullovers 3x12 (to failure)
Dips 3x12 (to failure)

TUESDAY-Back
BB Bent-over Row 3x12 (to failure)
T-bar Rows 3x12 (to failure)
Lat Pulldowns 3x12 (to failure)
Rows (Pulley) 3x12 (to failure)
Ham-Glute Raises 3x12 (to failure)

WEDNESDAY-Cardio/Calves/abs
Smith Standing Calf Raises 4x15-25 (to failure)
Seated Calf Raises 3x15-25 (to failure)
Abs
30 min cardio (brisk walking pace)

THURSDAY-Hams/Quads
Squats 3x15-25 (to failure)
Leg Press 3x15-25 (to failure)
Leg Extension 3x15-25 (to failure)
Good Mornings 3x15-25 (to failure)
Ham-Glute Raises 2x15-25 (to failure)
Seated Leg Curls 2x15-25 (to failure)

FRIDAY- Delts
DB Military Press 3x12 (to failure)
Lateral Raises 3x12 (to failure)
BB Shrugs 4x12 (to failure)
Rear Laterals 3x12 (to failure)
Anterior Raises 3x12 (to failure)

SATURDAY- Bi’s/Tri’s
Skull Crushers 3x12 (to failure)
Preacher Curls 4x12 (to failure)
Tricep Ext. 3x12 (to failure)
Reverse Bicep Curls (Pronated Grip) 3x12 (to failure)
1-Hand Reverse Tricep Ext. 3x12 (to failure)
DB Bicep Curls 2x12 (to failure)

SUNDAY-Cardio
30 min Cardio (brisk walk)

Much better routine than before.

For arms, I doubt you need the 4th set for Preacher Curls if you are hitting them hard enough for the first 3 sets.

For chest, dumbell pullover is virtually a useless exercise. Serratus Anterior muscle is by far more engaged in this exercise than Pectarolis Major, which makes the dumbell pullover rather a good exercise for back, not chest. I would ditch this exercise, period. Remaining chest exercises will be enough.

[Back In Black]

Chuck, I know you PM'd me, apologies for not getting back to you.

The Turk appears to have you well covered. Though I may ditch good mornings for correctly performed romanian deadlifts.

[Turkish Juicer]

Though I may ditch good mornings for correctly performed romanian deadlifts.

Agreed.

Good Morning is an inferior exercise compared to Romanian Deadlifts from many angles.

There is yet not another exercise in BB that engages as many muscle fibers in a single exercise as Romanian Deadlift does. However, the form has to be perfect and either straps or hooks are strongly suggested when heavy weights are involved, many BBs including myself suffer from tendon and ligament injuries especially around the Brachioradialis area due to having performed such heavy pull exercises for an extended period of time. Regardless, Romanian Deadlift is one exercise I will never give up conducting.

[chuckfinley]

Thanks for replying stem and turk. I think ur right with the romanian deadlifts but will that hit my hamstrings well enuff? And ill drop the db pullovers and that fourth set on biceps. Do you think going to failure on all sets are good?

[Turkish Juicer]

You cannot develop your hamstrings by Romanian Deadlift exercise alone. It is indeed a great overall back builder, it will provide you incredible glute development along with hams, however, Romanian Deadlift has to be followed by 2 other isolation exercises such as Standing/Lying/Seated Leg Curls. You can go heavy with Romanian Deadlift and do as little as 4-5 reps per set, but when you continue your hamstring routine with the isolation exercises, you are better off picking medium weights and targeting a higher rep range (15-20) and go to failure.

Do I think going to failure on all sets are good? Well, the answer depends on your endurance and conditioning. Most people will not be able to go to failure on all sets, it would be too much for them, which is why it may be wiser to save the last set of an exercise to go to failure by employing drop sets and partials. You will have to try this and see it for yourself.

[chuckfinley]

Alright, thanks for all the great advice turk i really appriciate it! Now just gotta post my diet now. Yha k you soo much again!