Looking for some input on my new training program

**CaptainNapalm** · 04-14-2011, 12:53 PM

So summer is a few months away and I decided to make some changes to my workout routine for the next three months. The goals of this program are to reduce the number of days in the gym from 4 to 3 because with the weather getting nicer I'd like to be more active outside (rollerblading, volleyball). Other goals I have are to incorporate some isolation exercises since for the past few months I've been only doing heavy compound lifts with no isolation whatsoever. That being said, I put together a program which includes 3 days in the gym (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) with First day being upper body day (heavy compound lifts), second day being lower body and shoulder day (heavy compound lifts) and third day being accessory day basically focusing on isolation lifts for all major muscle groups. I know the last day looks like it's packed with too many sets but personally it's the compound lifts that drain me quickly and I can do isolation for a long time with very little rest between sets since it doesn't tire me out. I've bulked to the weight I want to be at approx. 210lbs so I'm not really looking to gain or drop weight on this program but to slowly continue progressing with strength and muscle size while reducing a bit of body fat (yes I'm going to be on a good diet plan but that's not pretaining to this post). I should also mention that my main focus over the next three months in terms of symmetry development is to add size and strength to my back muscles and arms so that's why you see more sets for back than anything else. I should also mention that I want to still try to hit every major muscle group twice weekly (once with heavy compound lifts and on another day with some form of isolation). Please review below and let me know what you guys think. Thanks in advance for your time and input!

Day 1: Upper Body (Compound Lifts)
Bench Press: 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Wide-grip Pulldowns: 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Barbell Rows: 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Dips: 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set 16 sets total for Day 1

Day 2: Lower Body / Shoulders (Compound Lifts)
Squats: 5 sets, 8-15 reps/set
Rack Pulls: 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Deadlifts: 2 sets, 6-12 reps/set
Shoulder Press: 4 sets, 6-12 reps/set 15 sets total for Day 2

Day 3: Full Body Accessory Day (Isolation Lifts)
Bench Press (close grip): 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Lateral Raises: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Dumbbell Flys: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Barbell Curls: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Preacher Curls: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Tricep Extensions: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Tricep Pulldowns: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Seated Cable Rows: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Reverse Leg Curls: 2 sets, 8-12 reps/set
Squats: 1 set (135lbs), to failure 19 sets total for Day 3

WEEKLY TRAINING SUMMARY
Chest
Bench Press: 4 sets
Bench Press (close grip): 2 sets
Dumbbell Flys: 2 sets
Total Sets Weekly for chest: 8 sets (4 compound / 4 isolation lifts)

Back
Wide-grip Pulldowns 4 sets
Barbell Rows: 4 sets
Seated Cable Rows: 2 sets
Rack Pulls: 4 sets
Total Sets Weekly for back: 14 sets (12 compound / 2 isolation lifts)

Shoulders
Shoulder Press: 4 sets
Lateral Raises: 2 sets
Total Sets Weekly for shoulders: 6 sets (4 compound / 2 isolation lifts)

Legs
Squats: 6 sets
Deadlifts: 2 sets
Reverse Leg Curls: 2 sets
Total Sets Weekly for legs: 10 sets (8 compound / 2 isolation lifts)

Arms
Dips: 4 sets
Tricep Extensions: 2 sets
Tricep Pulldowns: 2 sets
Barbell Curls: 2 sets
Preacher Curls: 2 sets
Total Sets Weekly for arms: 12 sets (8 tricep / 4 bicep)

**ihateschoolmt** · 04-14-2011, 05:19 PM

Why aren't your shoulders on upper day? every lift in your upper routine hits the shoulders. Also if I was you I would put the isolation exercises on their respective days and just do upper lower upper one week and lower upper lower the next, but if you want to keep them separate That looks fine.

**CaptainNapalm** · 04-16-2011, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by ihateschoolmt

Why aren't your shoulders on upper day? every lift in your upper routine hits the shoulders. Also if I was you I would put the isolation exercises on their respective days and just do upper lower upper one week and lower upper lower the next, but if you want to keep them separate That looks fine.

I find that if I try to squeeze in shoulders on upper body day it ends up being a bit much as heavy shoulder presses drain me so with other compound lifts on upper body day it would be tough to do. Also, since shoulders work durning every upper body lift, from personal experience, it would be difficult to go heavy on the after doing 12-14 sets of heavy compound lifts related to upper body. Doing them first on upper body day, again from personal experience, makes me suffer on other lifts like chest. So I've always did shoulders on leg day which works out great for me. My workouts have always been set up with at least a days rest between workouts which gives my shoulders (which get attacked during upper body day) time to recover for their respective day two days later. I also like the idea of keeping my upper body somewhat alive on leg day since if I grouped shoulders with upper body day my upper body would be resting completely for 3-4 days before I hit it again with just isolation lifts and a full week before it feels any compound lifts.

In terms of grouping isolation lifts with there respective lifts on compound days, I've did this before with good success however Im looking to try something a bit different now. I always find that after doing some heavy compound sets for back and chest I am unable to give it my all for isolation lifts in the end and just end up going much lighter on iso lifts than I would if I wasn't taxed from compound lifts to begin with. So having a strict accessory day for isolation allows me to focus just on isolation in one day giving the routine a cleaner more structured look I guess and allowing me to focus on hitting my problem areas more.

**ihateschoolmt** · 04-16-2011, 10:39 AM

Ya that routine looks fine then, but how are you focusing on problem areas if you are doing equal amounts of isolation exercises for everything?

**CaptainNapalm** · 04-16-2011, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by ihateschoolmt

Ya that routine looks fine then, but how are you focusing on problem areas if you are doing equal amounts of isolation exercises for everything?

Problems areas being a) back, and b) arms

As such I incorporated more back work than anything else (14 sets /week) and for arms hence the reason I introduced the accessory day where I can focus on doing heavy bicep tricep exercises with out being burdened with exhaustion of doing heavy compound lifts in the same day. I already did the accessory day today and it hasn't even been 12 hours and my arms area already screaming.

**triweeklyllama** · 04-19-2011, 08:41 PM

i think you need to do more on you legs. 10 sets a week probably isn't enough. You are doing more on arms (bi's, Tri's) than legs (Calves, quads, hammys, glutes). You muscle mass in your legs is probably about 5x that of your arms so you need to treat it that way. Having said that, it really depends on your goals.

**Glycomann** · 04-19-2011, 08:54 PM

If you're knocking yourself out squats and deads probably a nogo on the same day.

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