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Routine Acceptable?

BlueCorsair

The Blue Corsair
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First, thanks in advance to anyone that replies. Thanks also to Jodi over in the nutrition department (heh, this place is like a mall) I now have a meal plan she personally approved, giving me a fairly balanced 2284 calories a day. Before you start pulling your hair - I'm barely squeaking into the 5'7 range, and I'm only 130 pounds - so for a guy of my build, that's 18 calories per pound, which is at the top of the reccommendation for mass gaining.

Regardless, this is my workout - split and exercises. It's sort of a mash of GoPro's workout, balanced with what my gym actually has available, and the exercises I'm most comfortable with.

Mon: chest/shoulders
Tues: Off
Wed: back/abs
Thurs: Off
Fri: bis/tris
sat: Off
sun: Off

Chest: -dumbell bench press = 3 x 4-6
-dumbell incline press = 3 x 4-6
-dumbell Decline press = 2 x 4-6
-Dumbell fly = 1-2x 4-6 (Alternate in instead of regular bench )

Shoulders: - Military Press = 3 x 4-6
- Barbell Upright Row = 3x 4-6
- Barbell Row (to neck with elbows out)

Back: Seated Row 2/3x set 4-6 (?)
Dumbell Row 2x 10-12
Rear/Front Pulldown 2/3x 6-8
Dumbell shrug 2/3x 6-8
Dumbell Internal/External Rotation 2x 6-8

Arms:
-E-Z Bar curl... 2 x 4-6
-preacher curl...2 x 4-6
-hammer curl...1-2 x 4-6
-CG bench press...3 x 4-6
-skull crush...3 x 4-6
-single arm dumbell extension...1-2 x 4-6

More or less, considering I'm using heavy weights, and largely going for smaller number of reps, I simply need to know if this looks like a comprehensive program for gaining mass. I know there's no leg day, but I have sports commitments that more or less prevent me from beating my legs to a pulp in the gym.

Am I missing exercising a body part to its fullest potential, or am I over-training with too many sets per muscle?

The only "modification" that really ever happens is the attempt to do a heavier weight the next time - I don't modify the exercises that much as the gym I hit is mostly free weights, and fairly few cables/machines (though there are a couple).

Is this going to get me anywhere is the bottom line question, and is there a time frame I should guage myself by.

Cheers
:thumb:

Note: I did drop cardio, as Jodi and a couple of others mentioned that cardio may be counter-productive to mass building. Seems logical to me, especially for an ectomorph like myself.
 
Hmm... no responses.

Man, I'm not killing myself am I? :D

Heh, a simple - "good doggy", or a smack with a newspaper is goo enough for me here. If my routine's pathetic, or lacking, I need to know, otherwise I'm pretty much wasting my time aren't I?

Cheers! :thumb:
 
Squats are a must for a bulking program. I know you mentioned about playing sports, but maybe you can time your legs workout so recovery time doesn't effect your sports performance. I myself play basketball and volleyball, but I just time my legs routine so that it doesn't interfere too much.

Ok enough of that...now on to your body part splits. I don't think working out shoulders and chest together is a good idea. I just think it's too much stress on shoulders for one workout. I would do a split like this:

Day one: Chest/Tri's
Day two: Back/Bi's
Day three: Legs
Day four: Shoulders
*OR combine Legs AND shoulders*
*and incorporate your off days however it suits you*

For hard gainers/ectomorphs like yourselves, it is beneficial to work each bodypart only once a week with high intensity. I don't see the need to only do 2 sets of five different exercises for certain muscles...you would be better off doing 4 sets of compound exercises. For example:

Chest - Bench Press 4X6
Incline DB Press 4X6
Close-grip Bench press 4X6
*Cable Flyes if desired*

Tri's - Skull Crushers 4X6
Cable push downs 4X6
*Weighted dips* note: u can use close-grip to make the transition from your chest to your tri's*

Back - Bent over Rows 4X6
Wide grip pull-ups 4X6
Seated close-grip Pulls 4X6

Bi's - Straight bar curl 4X6 (assuming wrists can take it)
Preacher Curls 4X6
Hammer Curls (or seated incline DB curls) 4X6

Shoulders - Arnold Presses or DB presses 4X6
Upright Rows 3X6
Shrugs 4X6
Lateral Raises 3X6

Legs - Squats 4X6
Leg Extensions (or Leg press) 4X6
Leg Curls 4X6
Calf Raises 4X6

Of couse this routine is subject to change depending on what is available to you...and what # of sets/exercises personally work for you. Good luck!
 
Firstly, let me say I really appreciate the time it took you to do that.

Couple of points behind the rationale on my workout:

I play ice hockey three times a week as the starting goalie - if my legs aren't 100%, I'm as useless as a pylon. It's only for hockey season (sept-march) that this is the case.

Secondly, with my split, each major part IS (to my knowledge) only getting ONE targetted workout per week, so it has seven days to "recharge".

I looked at GoPro's workout for the split - he seemed to think shoulders/chest on the same day wasn't too much trouble, but then again, individuals will always differ on these things.

Only one thing that concerns me is the 4x sets per exercise movement - I normally am flagging by the third set, so if I worked 4 sets, it would have to be dropsets - I can't maintain the same number of reps at the same weight for four sets, considering I use weights that are pretty close to, if not, my absolute maximum.

Do you have any comment on my comments? :D

Again, truly appreciate the time here.
 
Personally I use a training style that is centered around the heaviest, hardest lifts, pull-ups, deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, rack pulls, chin-ups, bent-over barbell rows, power cleans, power cleans from the blocks, power snatches, clean and jerks, good mornings, squats, front squats, hack squats, bench presses, push press, military press, olympic pulls etc., as well as exercise compounds like the Bear (clean from the floor into a front squat, into a push press, into a back squat, into another push press for one rep).

Honestly I believe the more you use 'olympic' and compound lifts the more mass you will gain, simply because these place the most shock on your body and thus encourages lactic acid production and hormone release. You should build your workouts around compound, not isolation exercises, and play around with volumes, goign with 5x5 or 4x6 failure workouts one week, then 7x4 or 8x3 workouts another week.

Squats are absolutely essential. Don't let anyone tell you differently. This is a split that works for me:

MONDAY- Back/biceps
TUESDAY- Chest/triceps
WEDNESDAY- Off
THURSDAY- Delts/traps
FRIDAY- Quads
SATURDAY- Off
SUNDAY- Hamstrings/calves

This really varies, sometimes I do legs all on the same day if I'm not feeling up to a 5 day split...ie this week, I've taken yesterday and today off thanks to a highly grueling leg workout two days ago.

Back/biceps

5 sets to failure wide-grip pull-ups, weighted
5 sets to failure sternum chin-ups
5x5 with 2x12 warm-up conventional deadlift OR 5x5 power snatch from floor
5x5 with 1x10 warm-up neutral grip T-Bar row with barbell
4x6 bent-over barbell row or 4x6 seated cable row, alternates
8x3 (drop-setted) dumb-bell row
5x5 preacher curl SUPERSET 4x6 hammer curl

Chest/triceps
4x6 flat dumb-bell bench press (last two drop-set to failure)
4x6 incline dumb-bell bench press
5x5 weighted dips OR 5x5 decline dumb-bell bench press
8x3 cable-crossover OR limited range dumb-bell pullover
6x4 close-grip bench press OR dips
8x3 cable rope pulldown

QUADS
5x8 conventional squat with 12x1, 10x1 warmups, ALTERNATE with 10x10 conventional squat on higher volume workouts (last set breathing reps...try and get out as many forced reps as possible, take your time)
6x4 front squat
6x4 hack squat SUPERSET with leg press to failure (forced reps done with palms on legs) OR 10x4 step-ups
10x4 leg extension (last two sets hold and squeeze at top for as long as humanly possible...this KILLS your quads!)
Sometimes I'll throw lunges or overhead squats in here for variety

SHOULDERS/TRAPS
5x5 clean and jerk/press from blocks with 1x10 warm-up
5x5 push press
8x3 leaning one-armed lateral raise SUPERSET 8x3 plate front delt raise
8x3 incline rear delt raise
6x4 snatch grip Olympic pull SUPERSET 6x4 clean grip Olympic pull
12x1 overhead barbell shrug
15x2 dumb-bell row/Cuban press complex
15x1 calf machine shrugs

Hamstrings/calves
6x4 standing good morning
5x5 stiff-legged deadlift OR sumo deadlift
7x4 glute-ham raise
6x4 cable ham pull-through
10x3 standing calf raise SUPERSET 10x3 donkey calf raise

As you can see I use a pretty high volume approach with a lot of exercises in one workout...works well for me, though, I don't feel I"m overtraining. Sometimes I'll throw in a crazy workout, like:

THE KILLER
6x4 The Bear
5x6 conventional squats
5x5 clean & jerk
6x4 conventional deadlift
5 sets to failure weighted pull-ups

Peace.
 
Not only have I personally never heard of most of that, but it doesn't answer any of my questions, lol.

But the routine's appreciated - your example shows a different side to training, in terms of increased compound movements, which I lack to a degree.

Again, I iterate the fact that three days of "AAA" level hockey means legs are going to have to be given a pass for the moment - even if I DID work them, they certainly wouldn't get the week's rest they need, and I'd likely get booted off the team. I've done leg workouts and hockey in the same week, and it just isn't feasible. This means squats, and related lower-body exercises are pretty much out for the moment

To reiterate once more, I was mostly following GoPro's workouts when I designed my routine, and his examples don't contain much of what you just listed.

Any particlar one besides the squat you'd really finger as essential?
 
I think all of them would be VERY useful for you in terms of playing sports...they are very power and strength-specific exercises that have HUGE pragmatic carryover into sports performance, I know they helped/continue to help me to no end with basketball. I feel deads, pull-ups, bench presses, rows, pulls, cleans, clean and jerks, snatches, push presses all should be staples of every routine. You can go look them up, I don't know of any sites in particular, seeing as how I picked up all exercises from my coach, but the premise is that the more muscle fibers you stimulate, and the more you recruit them in a manner that is specific to generating power, speed and acceleration for the sport you play, the more efficient your time in the gym is.

Imagine getting a complete body workout every time you step in there, developing more raw strength than you could POSSIBLY generate doing an isolation-based workout, and actually developing attributes that could help you dominate your sport, all the while building more mass than people using more isolation-specific exercises and getting a kick-ass cardio workout to go with the whole package? Do olympic lifts, man, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend them. They develop grit, character, and of course muscle. Plus they're really fun to do.

Peace.
 
And squats are ABSOLUTELY essential. First of all, they recruit more muscle fibers than most any other exercise (save for the really tough ones like the Bear, clean and jerk, snatch, deadlift and all these exercises' variations), which means they help your whole body to grow by sending your body into extreme anabolic shock, but you don't want to end up with chicken legs when your upper body starts showing real development. If there was ONE EXERCISE that I could choose from, and only one, to do for the rest of my life, it'd be squats. No question. The squat is the most important exercise you could possibly do in the weight room. For you as a hockey goalie, I can safely say that doing full squats and developing deeper squat range could have great carryover for you in terms of flexibility and explosiveness. Also good mornings (standing and seated), stiff-legged or sumo deadlifts, ham plate drags (lie down on the floor, place a plate beneath one of your heels, then drag the plate towards you, that's one rep) and glute ham raises will help you immensely.

Peace.
 
Overtraining is too easy to do, when you play a competitive sport, i played several tennis tornaments this summer and couldn't IMAGINE doing full leg routines while training... DO IT IN THE OFFSEASON...

There is no reason to be trying to increase leg power WHILE you compete, it's not smart and definitely not productive imo....
 
^^ I'm sure leg workouts can be scheduled in a manner that does not interfere with his performance in sports..I know I do grueling leg workouts all year (I can barely walk today, which explains me sitting here all day instead of going for a scheduled back workout), while playing basketball three times a week...

Peace.
 
IML Gear Cream!
you can do leg workouts on season... but they must be light and in most cases will lead to overtraining the legs leaving you less powerful and explosive... just remember, competitive sports are about being at the HIGHEST possible level you can be at... meaning your skill in the sport need to be fine tuned as well as your physical strength/endurance... building strength and changing your performance is for the off season... maintaining your muscle mass and being able to get the most out of your body is what ON season is about....

I don't consider playing basketball to be the same as playing in the NBA with a game every other night as well as practise... overtraining would be devastating in that case... while competing in a AAA hockey league and training for tennis tournaments aren't on that level, we take it seriously...
 
^^ Actually I played varsity last year and it was on a national level...and yes, I kept with my squats and my deadlifts year long, as well as cleans, snatches adn presses...but to each his own. I'm an athlete too, I understand that performance is key.

Peace.
 
you played varsity basketball and only played 3 times a week? I agree each person is going to be different... but when I do heavy back routines, the next day, even just practising for 2 hours causes some soreness and fatigue... I think you can probably manage to plan your workouts around actual Matches... you can usually practise with some soreness without any issues... after all, playing sore is just about the norm for the rougher weeks...
 
Heh - ignorant squat question.

By looking at EXRX.net, the best illustrated guide to exercises I know of, all the synergists, stabilizers, and the main target are all "lower body", except for the erector spinae.

Just a potentially stupid question, but how can an exercise that targets mostly the lower body help you put on mass everywhere?

You don't really use your arms much I find... or shoulders... or pecs... I mean... I see how squats are immensely useful for some parts, but I don't understand the claim that they're essential to mass gain in any area other than the lower half of the body. So why all the fanfare?

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBSquat.html

THe first routine example posted by, heh, "Pimpznhustlaz" seems pretty comprehensive to me, and adds to the program I have.

Though the 4 sets is freaky - personally, I normally struggle to finish three sets at the same weight, with the same number of reps. I mean, assuming you're pushing/pulling/lifting the heaviest weights you can, how can one possibly maintain the same number of reps for all the sets?

In such a case, is it best to do the 4 sets as drop sets, or simply push it as many times as you can on the 3rd/4th set?
 
Because your lower body contains the largest muscles in your body, and because you stimulate most, if not all, the muscles in your lower body doing squats, you exercise great stress on your entire frame and create an immense state of anabolic shock in your body, releasing lactic acid and hormones. This creates an impetus for overall growth.

Peace.
 
Ah. Didn't know that, thanks for the info :thumb:
 
One question...

Regarding both of the routines above, the average set number per exercise seems to be about 4 sets, with 6 reps per set.

That's quite alot - at least to an ecto like me. The only way I could successfully do 4 sets of 6 reps would be to make the third or fourth a dropset. Normally I do 3 sets max myself, and I really have to push it to get the third set done correctly at the same weight. 4 likely won't work too well.

So - what do you suggest - lower the heavy weight that I use somewhat? Work the 3rd and 4th as a dropset? Or just do three properly?

Again, cheers for the help :thumb:
 
You can just go with 3 sets instead of 4...no big deal as long as you're putting in full effort 'til failure. Depending on the person, some might say 3-4 exercises at 4 sets may be overtraining. You know your body, so stick with going heavy at 3 sets.

As for the squats...yes, they are the king of all exercises. I am an ectomorph, and when I started to squat was when I really grew. As much as it works your legs and glutes, it also incorporates your upper body by stabilizing the weight. BUT, I can understand not wanting to work legs during a grueling hocky season, especially being a goalie. This is where you have to find the balance of performing well in sports and building mass. You can still build mass while playing competitive sports, but it takes alot of work. Calories and recovery time/rest are key!

Believe me, I've been there...trying to gain mass and playing basketball at the same time. It's almost impossible. I won't discourage you from trying to gain mass during sports season, but do what you can, and really start bulking (including squats) after hockey season is over. You will see much better results!

Once again, good luck!
 
Cheers mate, I'll try and work 'em in somehow

:thumb:
 
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