advice needed

tommyboy26

So i tried stronglifts for 12 weeks then did 2 cycles of all pros but i never really enjoyed doing the workouts. they did work but i just didnt enjoy them so i decided to make my own routine for myself. would love some feed back?


Day 1 back/triceps
deadlift
barbell row
one arm row
lat pulldown
low row
close grip bench
tricep pushdown superset (wide grip,close grip under hand grip)

Day 2 shoulder/traps
overhead press
front shoulder raise
side cable raise
shoulder press
upright row
db shrugs
barbell shrugs
seated shrugs
rear shrug

Day 3 legs/abs
front squat
stiff leg deadlift
leg extenstions
leg curls
calf raises
decline sit ups
knelling cable crunch
frog crunch
planks

Day 4 chest/bicep
bench press/push up sets
decline press
incline db flys
incline db press
barbell curl
db hammer curl
db curl
preacher curl

im going to do 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 60 second rests
on two of the non leg days i will do 15-20 mins run/jog.


please give me some advice on what you think and please dont offer someone elses routine as i feel i will work better on one i created myself.

thanks for reading

Alf Veedersane

Just out of interest, why do you think you'll be more enthused about a set a exercises that you've put together yourself as opposed to a set of exercises put together by someone else?

JamesRussel

Thats a hell of a lot of different exercises and a ****load of volume at 4 sets each. You also have some exercises made redundant by others. ie so many curls, 3 kinds of rows, 4 kinds of shrugs and 3 exercises mainly targeting the anterior delt.

Stronglifts and All Pro are both moderate volume at best. With this routine, there will definitely come a point where you're bored in the gym. Plus, you wont be able to maintain any kind of decent intensity past a certain point.

But go for it. It could work.

btw wide grip, underhand pushdowns are pointless. The tricep isnt affected by the angle of your lower arm like the bicep is. All pushdowns are essentially the same...unless of course you throw in some shoulder extension to start the movement

tommyboy26

JamesRussel wrote: »

Thats a hell of a lot of different exercises and a ****load of volume at 4 sets each. You also have some exercises made redundant by others. ie so many curls, 3 kinds of rows, 4 kinds of shrugs and 3 exercises mainly targeting the anterior delt.

Stronglifts and All Pro are both moderate volume at best. With this routine, there will definitely come a point where you're bored in the gym. Plus, you wont be able to maintain any kind of decent intensity past a certain point.

But go for it. It could work.

btw wide grip, underhand pushdowns are pointless. The tricep isnt affected by the angle of your lower arm like the bicep is. All pushdowns are essentially the same...unless of course you throw in some shoulder extension to start the movement

This is the kind of info i was looking for so what would you change?

Alf Veedersane

What kind of goal do you have in mind: strength or muscle-building?

JamesRussel

tommyboy26 wrote: »

This is the kind of info i was looking for so what would you change?

Well most upper lower are broken into upper/lower or push/pull.

The former would usually be horizontal upper (bench & row), vertical upper (press&pullups), hip dominant(deadlift) and knee dominant(Squat) days..and then whatever accessories you would like to add in to help the main lift.
The latter would be pretty obvious. Push: squat, bench, press and Pull: deadlift, row, pullup.

There are plenty of routines for each on the internet. There is rarely if ever a need to make your own routine. PHAT and 5/3/1 are the most popular, though i dont doubt there are more less popular yet just as effective ones.

As long as a routine has a variation of squat, bench, deadlift, press, chins and rows with accessory work for the abs and arms then anyone using it, so long as they always aim to progress, will make gains.

tommyboy26

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

What kind of goal do you have in mind: strength or muscle-building?

Muscle building

Alf Veedersane

tommyboy26 wrote: »

Muscle building

Then you need to vary the number of reps you're doing in a set...include more sets in the 3-5 rep range. Especially with the big compounds.

Squatman

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Then you need to vary the number of reps you're doing in a set...include more sets in the 3-5 rep range. Especially with the big compounds.

I presume you mean 10-12 rep range?

Alf Veedersane

Squatman wrote: »

I presume you mean 10-12 rep range?

Correct. I completely misread it.

I'm blaming sleep deprivation.

ptjohn

way too many exercises imo. 2-3 exercises per muscle group is fine. These ridiculous volume programs do work but i would consider this much more of a metabolic adaptation where alot of the size is going to relative to increased glycogen storage. Be aware that you can double normal muscular glycogen stores (aprox 500gms) and that each gram of glycogen is going to take 3 grams water molecules with it also. So an added 500gms glycogen plus 1500 grams retained water will give you 2kg (again aproximations) which could essentially just be "fluff".

I've done GVT and ive noticed that alot of the size i put on seemed to due to the above, as i lost it when i switched to 5x5. Again although there was 26 total sets with the GVT program only 2 exercises per body part.

Focus on strength and the size will come. Again strength increases can be caused by alot of different variables but eventually those muscle fibres are going to have to increase in size. You can cycle in higher volume weeks into your periodization of course but always look to increase your 1RM whether it is via 10 rep training or 3 rep training etc etc.

I would reccomend the ICF novice 5x5 program, much simpler, solid basis and gets some pretty good results. The fact that you are training the main barbell lifts frequently allows for much more frequent muscle fibre adaption, far greater neuromuscular adaptations to the lifts and far more proficiency with these major lifts also.