NEO_72

Hi everyone, I just have a question on the validity of my thinking in a new routine. Past three years I've been gaining, then leaning, then gaining, then leaning. Like 4 months gaining, 2 weeks misc off time, then repeat, then 2-3 months cardio. I want to keep gaining, but to stay a bit leaner during the year. I'm just doing this for myself - no plans on competing. Just because it makes me feel good about myself.

My training split has always been Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri on - weekends and Wednesday off. I do each group once/week, but calves/abs twice. The splits are always different though month to month.

What if I did low-intensity cardio twice a week for 30-45 minutes, just to burn some fat? Would it mess up my gaining more than just a bit? I was thinking I would do cardio Mon/Thurs week 1, then Tue/Fri week 2, and repeat. And then I would do heavy compound workouts on non cardio days, and isolation workouts on cardio days. Would that disrupt my gaining effort too much? Can you have the best of both worlds? I'm just sick of being a slob with 25 lbs to lose every spring (hahahaha) just to get another years worth of . I'd like to keep it more dialled in all year.

Anyway, I don't know if that was clear. Please let me know what you think? And I'm open to ideas on trying to keep the pants from splitting gaining.

Thanks!
Corey.

NEO_72

Sorry for the self bump, mods....

Basically I just thought doing some maintenance cardio while gainnig would limit the amount I'd need to lose at the end of a season. I'm just wondering if it would cost me much in the gians? And due to the time constraint of throwing in cardio twice a week, I'd need to shorten the time spent on weights on those two days. I thought those shorter days could be more intense to make up for the time - throw in supersets, drop sets, circuits etc. So here's an example, based on my current arms-prioritized split:


Week 1:
Mon:Arms/Calves - heavy
Tue:Shoulder/Traps/Abs - light & 30-45 mins cardio
Wedff
Thurs:Chest/legs- heavy
Fri:Back/Abs - light & 30-45 mins cardio

Week2:
Mon:Arms/Calves - light & 30-45 mins cardio
Tue:Shoulder/Traps/Abs - heavy
Wedff
Thurs:Chest/legs- light & 30-45 mins cardio
Fri:Back/Abs - heavy

Any advice on this? And how's the split to you guys, considering I'm weak point training on arms, then shoulders. Next fall I plan to keep the focus on arms, and go for lat width.

Thank you for your time!

BTW, I spend about 75 minutes on a heavy day. So a light day would get about 30-45 minutes, then cardio. I didn't list the excersices, cause I change them up. But like 4-6 sets each chest, back, legs, shoulders/traps; 3 each bi's/tri's, abs; 2 each forearms, calves.

Tough Old Man

I do low intensitiy cardio 5 days a week for 45 min's. Doesn't seem to effect my gains in anyway. As long as I keep it to a brisk walk. Otherwise I will up the intensity and only go about 20 min's either way seems to work for me. I workout Mon thru Fri and my cardio is on the same days. Sat and Sun is rest days for me. I even send the wife out on the weekends to mow the yard and pick up the dog shit. Like I said it's rest day for me!

PTYP

Im no expert, but since no one is responding, Ill throw my $.02 worth. First of all, for lean gains, put your diet in check. There is no reason to have 25 lbs to lose if your diet is ok. Check out the diet section of this forum for clues on where you can make changes.

Secondly on the routine, You have a 4 day split and doing 2 bps per day which is ok, but the placement of certain bodyparts needs to be arranged. Ill list your routine and then provide comments on why you might think about changing it:

Mon: Arms/Calves - Bi, Tri, and calves are what I would consider minor muscle groups and do not need 75 mins of training on them. 5-6 sets of each is plenty, not to mention that bis are incorporated as a secondary muscle group on back day, and tris with chest and shoulders, and calves if you are doing any form of squatting routing (leg press, squat, hack squat, lunges, etc.)


Tues: ok

Wed: ok

Thurs: Chest/Legs- Wow, these are major muscle groups and you are going to try and incorporate them on the same day. 1 of 2 things is going to happen here, either 1. only the first muscle group will be pushed to their limits and the 2nd will suffer because you will be so tired after the first group, that you will exert less effort on the second group, or 2. To get a good workout on the 2nd muscle group you will have to lessen the first a bit as to not be tired and hence only working both groups a % of its limit. (Hope this makes sense). The leg is a huge muscle group and should have a day dedicated to it. I always opt to split the leg day and do quads on 1 day and hams on another, but that is my personal preference.

Fri: Ok

A typical split that you might consider:

Mon: Chest/tri
Tues: Back/bi
Wed: Off
Thurs: Leg
Fri: Shoulder(Traps)/calf

Abs just throw in at the end of your workout somewhere. This type of workout incorporates a 1 major muscle group and 1 minor muscle group. The major you do high volume (8-12 sets) and the minor you do light volume (3-5) sets.

And for the cardio, because you dont really have a "cardio" day in your mix where you can legitimately run for 45 mins w/o sacrificing the lifts, why not do more high impact stuff for 15-20 mins. This will certainly get your your heart rate up, and make you sweat like a pig.

For what its worth.

NEO_72

Thanks Tough Old Man - so low cardio doesn't affect the gains. Cool.

PTYP - I agree with what you've said. You're demo split is exactly one I've done in the past, although opposed chest/bi's, back/tri's. I've been doing this current split for 3 months, just because I wanted to prioritize arms. My chest and back have taken off after 2 years or priority, but the arms/shoulders are lagging. (Note - the chest/legs day is rough, and legs take a small back seat to chest).

I guess I'll go back to pasting arms as finish to the larger parts. But I've gained 1/2 inch on the arms in 3 months with that split.

And I'll look at my diet. I keep it tight Mon-Fri, but go off a little on weekends. Right now I'm 222 and 19%bf, according to my calipers, so I don't know if i have exactly 25 lbs to lose. Maybe 15-20 to get to 13% with the same lean mass. But I want to keep it more dialed in all year, so you're right when you say diet.

Well, thanks for the input. I'm off for the weekend, so I'll see all you guys Monday!