Thread: Upper/Lower split

i dont think its necessary to do both flat and incline bench press in a full body style routine. your avoiding your calfs, traps, and I guess what you are concerned about in your arms.

i also think deadlifts should be incorporated somewhere.

Originally Posted by JoeR.

I am really tired of the seperate bp split, and my workout partner was telling me his split back in highschool days. It consisted of an upper body day, all coumpound movements, and a lower body day.

So, im looking for advice on this split im pondering

Upper:
Bench Press x 2
Incline Press x 2
Seated Overhead Press x 2
wide-grip chins x 2
Bent over BB rows x 2
upright rows x 2

total = 12 sets <-- more arm work?

Lower:
Squats x 3
Hack Squats x 2
Leg Press x 2
Straight leg deadlift x 2
Lay leg curls x 2

total 11 sets


How does this look interms of hitting every muscle adequatly? I am thinking something like upper/lower/rest/upper/lower/rest/rest, where 2 of those rest days I will throw in some cardio where I do abs and calfs too.

Im kind of concerned about lack of arm work, due to an injury over a month ago I havent been able to do arm workouts till very recently, and even before the injury I took it easy on them because I knew I get hurt easily while doing biceps. Now that the size of my arms seems to be shrinkin, I am thinking its time to start doing the curls again. Should I add in a set or two of some curls? Mabye some close grip pullups?

Thanks
Joe

i suggest stiff legged deads....straight locked legs during deads can=problems.

IMO you could add some arm work...a second upper body day, but that depends on your goals

i dont think its necessary to do both flat and incline bench press in a full body style routine. your avoiding your calfs, traps, and I guess what you are concerned about in your arms.

I dont think only 2 sets of chest really does it do you? Thats why I added the incline, also because it hits the shoulders some too, and the next lift on the list is overhead press. Just trying to lead into it I guess.

I am not avoiding my calfs, I said I do them on my cardio days. My traps have always grown with using lifts such as bent over BB rows, and Upright rows plenty.

I am concerned wabout my arms, thats why I want mroe opinions if its ok to add some arm work in a upper/ lower split. I know most are all compound movements, and their isnt any compound bicep movement I can think of.

suggest stiff legged deads....straight locked legs during deads can=problems.

Sorry for the confusion, that is what I meant. I dont ever lock my knees.

in your pics you look proportional...traps look great for your size. In fact I think that your traps do not any isolation training.

with your routine I think that you are in a maintenance grind...W/ how low your volume is I wouldn't expect a whole lot of growth IMO

Originally Posted by JoeR.

Upper:

Incline Press x 3.....next workout do flat or decline
dips x2......next workout do lying tri ext
Seated Overhead Press x 3
wide-grip chins x 2
Bent over BB rows x 3
upright rows x 2
shrugs 1 or 2
db curls x2

total = 18-19 sets

Lower:
Squats x 3
Hack Squats x 2
SLDL x 3
standing calf raise x 3
total 11 sets


How does this look interms of hitting every muscle adequatly? I am thinking something like upper/lower/rest/upper/lower/rest/rest, where 2 of those rest days I will throw in some cardio where I do abs and calfs too.



Thanks
Joe

twice a week this looks fine

first, don't do the same exercises from one upper to the next and from one lower to the next. there are a ton of compound exercises out there to switch it up and it'll be more productive.

Originally Posted by JoeR.

Upper:
Bench Press x 2
Incline Press x 2
Seated Overhead Press x 2
wide-grip chins x 2
Bent over BB rows x 2
upright rows x 2

total = 12 sets <-- more arm work?

why only 2 sets per exercise? how many reps per set? i'd nix the incline press and do it on the second upper body day.

Lower:
Squats x 3
Hack Squats x 2
Leg Press x 2
Straight leg deadlift x 2
Lay leg curls x 2

total 11 sets

you could always use one lower day as a quad dominant and one as a ham dominant switching up the set/rep parameters for each.

How does this look interms of hitting every muscle adequatly? I am thinking something like upper/lower/rest/upper/lower/rest/rest, where 2 of those rest days I will throw in some cardio where I do abs and calfs too.

that's fine but throw the calfs/abs in at the end of your lower body days rather than on cardio days.

Im kind of concerned about lack of arm work, due to an injury over a month ago I havent been able to do arm workouts till very recently, and even before the injury I took it easy on them because I knew I get hurt easily while doing biceps. Now that the size of my arms seems to be shrinkin, I am thinking its time to start doing the curls again. Should I add in a set or two of some curls? Mabye some close grip pullups?

no need to be concerned. that's what compound exercises are for. if it makes you feel better, at the tail end of your upper body days why not throw in one isolation movement. hammer curls on the first upper and skull crushers on the second as suggestions.

I'd like to see what your rep ranges and golas are before making a contribution.

I could never do an upper/lower with my goals, I'd be so fucked after back and chest I could do nothing else.

Hm, lots of replys where to start. Ok I see why you would use a upperA, upperB and lowerA, and lowerB scheme. I was just tryign to keep it simple, bu inreality maybe thats why my current workout isnt doing it anymore.

So here is goes

Upper A
Decline Bench x 3
Seated Overhead Press x 3
Dips x 2
wg Chins x 3
cg pulley rows x 2
Upright rows x 3

Total sets 16

Upper B
Flat Bench x x 3
Seated Db Press x 2
BB rows x 3
Lat pulldowns x 3
side laterals x 2
bent over " " x 1
Hammer curls x 2

Total sets 16

Lower
Squats x 3
Hack Squats x 2
SLDL x 3
standing calf raise x 3
total 11 sets

Only one lower because thats the ideal workout, I dont need more ham work, and really I dont need a whole lot of leg work. Personal preference is my legs are big as they arm, at this rate my legs are goign to look like Platz legs. JUst kiddin but I do legs but my Upper body need to catch up in thickness.

Abs are stayin on cardio days, thats how I like it. Repranges vary, usually I dont plan it out. But I vary them from lift to lift while staying inside he 3-12 range mostly.

Goals are to gain some mass, and shock my body into growing again. Plus to try something new that might help me grow quicker. I have one more question, how would this kind of split look on cycle? I am not planning on one but I was curious because most "on" splits are the standard 4-5 day different muscle a day thing.

Comments?

there's no one 'ideal workout' for lower. it's ultimately your decision but there are a ton of very good exercises you could incorporate on a second lower body day.

Originally Posted by JoeR.

Hm, lots of replys where to start. Ok I see why you would use a upperA, upperB and lowerA, and lowerB scheme. I was just tryign to keep it simple, bu inreality maybe thats why my current workout isnt doing it anymore.

So here is goes

Upper A
Decline Bench x 3
Seated Overhead Press x 3
Dips x 2
wg Chins x 3
cg pulley rows x 2
Upright rows x 3

Total sets 16

Upper B
Flat Bench x x 3
Seated Db Press x 2
BB rows x 3
Lat pulldowns x 3
side laterals x 2
bent over " " x 1
Hammer curls x 2

Total sets 16

Lower
Squats x 3
Hack Squats x 2
SLDL x 3
standing calf raise x 3
total 11 sets

Only one lower because thats the ideal workout, I dont need more ham work, and really I dont need a whole lot of leg work. Personal preference is my legs are big as they arm, at this rate my legs are goign to look like Platz legs. JUst kiddin but I do legs but my Upper body need to catch up in thickness.

Abs are stayin on cardio days, thats how I like it. Repranges vary, usually I dont plan it out. But I vary them from lift to lift while staying inside he 3-12 range mostly.

Goals are to gain some mass, and shock my body into growing again. Plus to try something new that might help me grow quicker. I have one more question, how would this kind of split look on cycle? I am not planning on one but I was curious because most "on" splits are the standard 4-5 day different muscle a day thing.

Comments?

I think that looks great. And I totally agree with you on the legs, it hits all around and doesn't really need to be changed...Just my opinion.