Thread: Need a New Split

Guide To Designing A Routine

Check out that link. It should help you put together a routine that will do you well in terms of gains. Also, the split you propose is push-pull-legs, which is a good split in my opinion. The only thing I would do different is rest after each session.

I suggest doing deadlifts on leg day. Hip and knee extension are a big part of the movement. Once again, lifts like this are why I feel the whole body part split is kind of silly. But I digress. If you had to choose between SLDLs and standard deadlifts I would say switch between them occasionally. Both are great movements, but my preference is the good ol' deadlift in the end.

Maybe this isn't what I am looking for then, I wanted to try and hit everything 2x a week instead of the 1x a week that I have been doing since I started 2 years ago?

Originally Posted by Boost777

Maybe this isn't what I am looking for then, I wanted to try and hit everything 2x a week instead of the 1x a week that I have been doing since I started 2 years ago?

why?

Originally Posted by Boost777

Maybe this isn't what I am looking for then, I wanted to try and hit everything 2x a week instead of the 1x a week that I have been doing since I started 2 years ago?

Try an upper-lower split then. I have an example of one of those routines in the link I dropped you.

What are you trying to accomlplish?

Mass, primarily, and strength secondarily. I thought it would be good to switch to 2x a week just for a change and to see how it works with my body? Bad Idea?

Originally Posted by Boost777

Mass, primarily, and strength secondarily. I thought it would be good to switch to 2x a week just for a change and to see how it works with my body? Bad Idea?

Not at all. Alternating among different frequency levels is definitely something that people don't do enough.

Cowpimp, I have a few questions about the upper lower split. Well firstly, you would not advise the split i proposed because you feel it might be overtraining. I would have 4 days rest between each body part, not sufficient? Secondly, is 4 sets for chest or 8 sets for the week really enough to help gain mass? I am in no way doubting you, just want to be educated

Originally Posted by Boost777

Cowpimp, I have a few questions about the upper lower split. Well firstly, you would not advise the split i proposed because you feel it might be overtraining. I would have 4 days rest between each body part, not sufficient? Secondly, is 4 sets for chest or 8 sets for the week really enough to help gain mass? I am in no way doubting you, just want to be educated

it isn't that the 4 days rest between body parts is over training. Metabolic recovery will have taken place in 48hrs. Most of us train with a greater frequency then even 4 days! Have you calculated the amount of volume you will be doing over the course of 7 days? Even though you are thinking bodyparts (in your head I know it sounds like a good deal....the muscles get 4 days to rest) your body isn't thinking bodyparts. It is thinking CNS stress. Maybe, all that volume would be good if it were something you built up to over a time and then dropped it down to something with much less volume. You have to leave yourself somewhere to go and then somewhere to go back down to. Also, look at your push to pull ratio and the planes you are training your pushes are way over emphasized and your pulls are taking the back seat. Do you think this is good for shoulder health and building strength and stability around the joint and in all planes of motion? I don't!

Okay then I will go with the upper lower split. But now my question is how do I achieve hypertrophy (I don't even know if that's in the right context, i mean how can I increase mass) from just two days consisting of 4 sets each for a specific body part?

Originally Posted by Boost777

Okay then I will go with the upper lower split. But now my question is how do I achieve hypertrophy (I don't even know if that's in the right context, i mean how can I increase mass) from just two days consisting of 4 sets each for a specific body part?

the same way you achieve hypertrophy with any other type of training. i mean, in reality, all we really know is that hypertrophy is triggered by a mechanical load, everything else is really just theory and experimentation

Originally Posted by Boost777

Okay then I will go with the upper lower split. But now my question is how do I achieve hypertrophy (I don't even know if that's in the right context, i mean how can I increase mass) from just two days consisting of 4 sets each for a specific body part?

You eat a shit load of food and implement progressive resistance. Plus, you don't have to do just 4 exercises. That was just an example I whipped up.

So what are the Parameters I should stick with when devising this split. Just make sure that I have the same amount of pushes and pulls, and try not to overtrain?

Originally Posted by Boost777

So what are the Parameters I should stick with when devising this split. Just make sure that I have the same amount of pushes and pulls, and try not to overtrain?

Something like that. So, if you pick a horizontal pressing movement, then pick a horizontal pulling movement to balance it out. An example of that would be the decline bench press being balanced by seated cable rows. For the upper body days, just pick a horizontal and vertical pressing and pulling movement for each day and keep the parameters within what I said (65-85% of 1RM for 24-50 total repetitions). Throw in a little isolation work if you must.

Example:

Upper A:
Bench Press 8x3 @ 5RM - 75sec RI (Horizontal Push)
Bent Rows 8x3 @ 5RM - 75sec RI (Horizontal Pull)
Overhead Press 4x10 @ 12RM - 60sec RI (Verical Push)
Pulldowns 4x10 @ 12RM - 60sec RI (Vertical Pull)
Overhead Tricep Extensions 3x12 @ 15RM - 45sec RI (Isolation Extra)

Upper B:
Hammer Strength Rows 5x8 @ 10RM - 60sec RI (Horizontal Pull)
DB Decline Press 5x8 @ 10RM - 60sec RI (Horizontal Push)
Chinups 5x5 @ 7RM - 75sec RI (Vertical Pull)
Steep DB Incline Press 5x5 @7RM (Vertical Push)
Bicep Curls 3x12 @ 15RM - 45sec RI (Isolation Extra)


Voila, you have a routine. Do the same on lower body days with hip dominant (Deadlifts, good mornings, stepups, PL squats, etc.) and knee dominant (Olympic squats, leg press, lunges, front squats, etc.) movements.

Cowpimp, you think I can get your aim sn so I can just ask you a bunch of questions at once, instead of continually posting? Thanks again man