Thread: My Upper/Lower Split....Funk...CP...have fun

That's somewhat similar to the upper/lower split I did a few months ago. I think your lower body days are fine. As you mentioned, your upper body days do look a little crowded, I don't think I'd do more than 5 exercises... Even that would be pushing it volume wise on week 2 and 3.

Originally Posted by Seanp156

That's somewhat similar to the upper/lower split I did a few months ago. I think your lower body days are fine. As you mentioned, your upper body days do look a little crowded, I don't think I'd do more than 5 exercises... Even that would be pushing it volume wise on week 2 and 3.

I'll drop one of the supersets at the end...you just confirmed what I though already...which ones do you think though??

Originally Posted by PWGriffin

I'll drop one of the supersets at the end...you just confirmed what I though already...which ones do you think though??

Depends on your weakpoints, and preferences. Personally, I don't like flies or pullovers, so I never really do them.

I don't like the usage of dips and CG benching for your arm work. This is fine, but then you just have more pressing in your program. When I design a program for a client I will include CG bench pressing/dips, but I will count it as a pressing movement. Your chest is involved plenty in a CG press anyway.

I would probably not do BB benching both days and a CG bench on one of them as well. Use dumbbells one of the days or a decline. Benching is pretty stressful on the shoulders as is, especially when you're doing back squats and overhead presses along with it. No need to get crazy with the BB benching.

The leg days look fine to me. You might consider glute ham raises instead of leg curls if you can figure out a way to rig it up though. Those things KILL; I find them far more effective. Leg curls are fine really, I'm just listing my preference. Hypers and reverse hypers are great too if you did decide to go that route, though a little knee flexion is perfectly acceptable.

I wouldn't go heavier than your 8-10RM on the isolation stuff. I don't know if you planned on it, but I don't think it's the best idea.

Day1 Upper
BB Bench Press (upper horizontal push)
Bent Rows (upper horizontal pull)
Arnold Presses (upper vertical push)
CG Lat Pulls (upper vertical pull)
Incline Fly/Reverse Fly Superset (accessory)

Day 2 Lower
S Q U A T S (Quad-dominant)
SLDL's (Hip-dominant)
Lunges (Quad-dominant)
Calf Raises (standing) (accessory)
Abs (accessory)

Day3 Upper
Pull Ups/WG Lat Pulls (upper vertical pull)
BB Military Press (upper vertical push)
DB Rows (upper horizontal pull)
CG Bench Press (upper horizontal push)
Pullovers/Lateral Raises Superset (accessory)

Day4 Lower
D E A D L I F T S (Hip-dominant)
front squat/Hack Squat (Quad-dominant)
Hypers/Glute-Ham Raise (Ham-dominant)
Calf Raises (Accessory)
Abs (accessory)

Periodized as follows:

Week 1 compound/isolation: 3x10-12
Week 2 compund: 5x3-5
week 2 isolation: 3x6-8
Week 3 compund: 4x6-8
week 3 isolation: 3x8-10
Week 4 (unload): 2x15

It is good, but you have too many exercises/sets
(CG Underhand Pull-ups/CG Bench are enough for bis/tri)

Originally Posted by CowPimp

I don't like the usage of dips and CG benching for your arm work. This is fine, but then you just have more pressing in your program. When I design a program for a client I will include CG bench pressing/dips, but I will count it as a pressing movement. Your chest is involved plenty in a CG press anyway.

I would probably not do BB benching both days and a CG bench on one of them as well. Use dumbbells one of the days or a decline. Benching is pretty stressful on the shoulders as is, especially when you're doing back squats and overhead presses along with it. No need to get crazy with the BB benching.

The leg days look fine to me. You might consider glute ham raises instead of leg curls if you can figure out a way to rig it up though. Those things KILL; I find them far more effective. Leg curls are fine really, I'm just listing my preference. Hypers and reverse hypers are great too if you did decide to go that route, though a little knee flexion is perfectly acceptable.

I wouldn't go heavier than your 8-10RM on the isolation stuff. I don't know if you planned on it, but I don't think it's the best idea.

At my gym they don't have a set up for glute ham raises, or I would do them for sure!! Although, I did see a video you posted the other day that showed me how I might set it up... I may do hypers instead of leg curls though...prolly a much better choice....do you use weights with this particular exercise?? Is it a bad idea to a grab a couple plates if you can?? I've heard it said you shouldn't grab more than a 25 or a 45

Ok, I will drop some of the extra sets from the upper body days...and isolation work will be with higher reps. ( I was prolly going to do that anyway....)

And I will drop the second BB Bench Press for Decline DB Pressing, as I love that movement as well, and it's much less taxing on my shoulders. I think that just about covers it....anything else??

Originally Posted by PWGriffin

At my gym they don't have a set up for glute ham raises, or I would do them for sure!! Although, I did see a video you posted the other day that showed me how I might set it up... I may do hypers instead of leg curls though...prolly a much better choice....do you use weights with this particular exercise?? Is it a bad idea to a grab a couple plates if you can?? I've heard it said you shouldn't grab more than a 25 or a 45

What I do at my gym is use the lat pulldown machine. I anchor my feet under the knee pads and rest my knees on the seat. I also set the pin on the stack to the heaviest weight and run a band through where you normally place a bar. This way I can hold the band while I go down for assistance so I don't have to pushup off the ground at the bottom. Just an idea if you were interested on doing them, but you don't have to change this exercise selection on my account. I just really like the movement.

I used to use a barbell on my back during hyperextensions. I got to the point where I was using 100 pounds, and it was causing my to hyperextend my knees. I just avoid hyperextensions at this point because I need to much weight for them to be useful. I don't think going to a weight you can do 10 times or more is bad as long as you don't round your back. I stick to reverse hyperextensions laying face down on a bench at this point, and I use resistance tubes to take it up a notch.

With all of that said, there is nothing wrong with leg curls. Do them up if you want to.

Ok, I will drop some of the extra sets from the upper body days...and isolation work will be with higher reps. ( I was prolly going to do that anyway....)

And I will drop the second BB Bench Press for Decline DB Pressing, as I love that movement as well, and it's much less taxing on my shoulders. I think that just about covers it....anything else??

I think it looks pretty good overall. By the way, how is the training going?

What I do at my gym is use the lat pulldown machine. I anchor my feet under the knee pads and rest my knees on the seat. I also set the pin on the stack to the heaviest weight and run a band through where you normally place a bar. This way I can hold the band while I go down for assistance so I don't have to pushup off the ground at the bottom. Just an idea if you were interested on doing them, but you don't have to change this exercise selection on my account. I just really like the movement.

I wish I could do this...but the seat at the lat pull is too narrow....I too was thinking of doing this exercise when I saw the video you posted in another thread of someone doing them.

I used to use a barbell on my back during hyperextensions. I got to the point where I was using 100 pounds, and it was causing my to hyperextend my knees. I just avoid hyperextensions at this point because I need to much weight for them to be useful. I don't think going to a weight you can do 10 times or more is bad as long as you don't round your back. I stick to reverse hyperextensions laying face down on a bench at this point, and I use resistance tubes to take it up a notch.

I don't know about hypers with heavy weights on the same day I deadlift...might be a lot for my lowerback to handle...but light or even BW hypers might feel pretty good....I just wish I could do the glute ham raises...I might see if there's something I can rig....If I do this....I bet it will catch on like WILDFIRE at my gym...I have NEVER seen anyone do these...

I think it looks pretty good overall. By the way, how is the training going?

Pretty good I think...it's a new studio so we're still trying to get more clients, but it's just a matter of time. Funny thing is....my boss thinks he is the shit when it comes to training, but he's completely clueless. He does body part splits and gives shoulders its own day cuz it's a big muscle.... Does as many sets for shoulders as he would chest or back. He also knew nothing of the difference between training for strength and training for size, and nothing of how the different rep ranges affect the CNS....What REALLY pisses me off is that one of our clients is a friend of mine who wants to put on size real bad....and monday and tuesday when my boss is out of town...I have to train him....using my boss's body part split *sigh*..He has him doing chest and tri's one day and then shoulders the next ARGH...I say why not put legs in between these two so the shoulders and tri's can better recover before shoulder day....he's like whatever...

i like that routine so much .... i think i'm gonna start something like this soon.....do u think cp that'll be more effective than push pull legs .... during my current plan ? (hypertrophy + strength) while cutting..........( i know u couldn't add size while cutting but i could keep as much as osible while adding a little ....it's still almost my second year in weight training

I know we all agreed that my upper body day looked a little crowded, so I cut out one of the accessory supersets....but I finished today in less than 35 minutes. So I'm thinking about adding in a little more accessory work, or another exercise for a lagging bodypart...(chest)....thoughts anyone??