Thread: Full Body Routine Critique

as far as the cardio, i've yet to do any cardio since reducing calories. been strength training through a cut, lost fat and gained strength. if i did cardio i dont think i would have been able to gain or even maintain my strength. why not just do some sprints?

Originally Posted by fUnc17

as far as the cardio, i've yet to do any cardio since reducing calories. been strength training through a cut, lost fat and gained strength. if i did cardio i dont think i would have been able to gain or even maintain my strength. why not just do some sprints?

Oh no, i am happy to hear anyone's opinion on this. I just put in HIIT because i believed that this was the best way to burn fat while maintaining muscle after hearing reading and hearing from many people. I just want to hear from people who are experienced with cardio sessions and what they think is best for burning fat. I will honestly admit that in my single year of training, i have done regular cardio (other than warmup) at least 5-7 times. I just never bothered to do it because i was very focused on just getting big.

How should i go about doing sprints? How many yards per sprint? RI? Give me the scoop.

Originally Posted by shiznit2169

Oh no, i am happy to hear anyone's opinion on this. I just put in HIIT because i believed that this was the best way to burn fat while maintaining muscle after hearing reading and hearing from many people. I just want to hear from people who are experienced with cardio sessions and what they think is best for burning fat. I will honestly admit that in my single year of training, i have done regular cardio (other than warmup) at least 5-7 times. I just never bothered to do it because i was very focused on just getting big.

How should i go about doing sprints? How many yards per sprint? RI? Give me the scoop.

well i would probably stick to just eating accordingly and training consistently at first, after about 8 weeks or so start adding sprints. something like 2x30m, 1x60m once a week is fine to start with, maybe twice a week at the last 1-2 weeks of your cut.

you have to be careful with cardio esp on a cut. your training full body 3x week which is already taxing on your CNS. not to mention your eating under maintenance and this is completely ignoring any other day to day functions you are doing (work, school, sports, etc.). Since your natural, like me, if you start doing crazy intense cardio sessions your going to overtrain yourself at some point since your in a caloric deficit. This is why people lose strength on a cut, they burn way too many cals way too fast and leave nothing left in the tank, on top of not properly planning out their training and deloading (you have this down).

Its good to train hard in the gym but you need to leave something in the tank for other, real life stuff. your not working out to feel burnt out all the time, your working out to look AND feel good.

Nice post func, thanks for the input. I will probably cut out the cardio sessions and just focus on my training and eating habits since this is my first time cutting. I will see how this goes and then make adjustments accordingly. It's just the diet that i am most worried about because not only is it my first time, it's also a mental thing because i am afraid to lose my hard earned muscle i have been working for this past year. It took a lot of reading/researching, smart training and 4000-5000 calories a day of food to get where i needed to be and i'm not about to shut it all down the drain because of a messed up diet.

Originally Posted by shiznit2169

Nice post func, thanks for the input. I will probably cut out the cardio sessions and just focus on my training and eating habits since this is my first time cutting. I will see how this goes and then make adjustments accordingly. It's just the diet that i am most worried about because not only is it my first time, it's also a mental thing because i am afraid to lose my hard earned muscle i have been working for this past year. It took a lot of reading/researching, smart training and 4000-5000 calories a day of food to get where i needed to be and i'm not about to shut it all down the drain because of a messed up diet.

Just take it slow man, its really easy. The best advice i could give is go by the mirror and not the scale. My heaviest weight was 230lbs @ 6'3", now I am 202 and a shit load stronger than I was 30 lbs ago, go figure.

I like to mix it up: sprints (on a bike or running), skipping sessions or stair running. I keep these sessions between 15-30 minutes.

Bike: warm up 10min then I get out of the saddle and sprint for 30-60 seconds recover for 30-60 seconds. 6-10X end with a cool down, the ride home.
Sprints: I do line sprints on an outdoor field: side to side (lateral) then forward and back.
Skipping: I skip for 3min rounds
Stairs: I have a set of outdoor stairs by my house that I walk/run up. I mix it up: 1 stair at a time then 2. I start with a warm up (walking up) then I run them several times and end with a set of walking and stretching.
I do this 3x a week.

Thanks for the input BakerBoy

Guys, keep in mind that there is still the training routine that needs to be tweaked. I am not really heavily focused on cardio and i was just putting it in there because i thought i needed to but i will cut it out for now and just focus on my diet and see how it goes.

Just give me feedback on the training aspect of it.

I think there is way too much volume. The intesity is great, but the amount of sets is un needed and will work against you.

Back Squats: 8x3 @ 5RM reduce sets to 3-4
Seated Cable Rows: 8x3 @ 5RM I see no point in doing 3 reps of cable rows, change the reps to 8-10, its ok to keep some rep ranges the same you dont always have to change everything
DB Bench Press: 8x3 @ 5RM same as above
DB Romanian Deadlift's: 3x12 @ 15RM 8-12
Wide Grip Pullups: 3x12 @ 15RM i would pick a number and do them weighted, get to that number in as many sets as it takes and improve on the number of sets from week to week
Standing Military Press: 3x12 8-12 or you could do the same rep range and intensity as your back squats... so 3-4x3. This way you have an upper body strength movement and a lower body strength movement.

comments made in bold, apply that to your other days.

I think you would be better off doing something like... heavy total body/off/heavy total body/off/light total body/off/off

Alright, how does this look

First half of the cycle

Workout A

Back Squats: 3-4 x 5-12
Seated Cable Rows: 3 x 8-12
DB Bench Press: 3 x 5-12
DB Romanian Deadlift's: 3-4 x 6-12
Wide Grip Pullups: Pick a # and go for it regardless of how many sets
Standing Military Press: 2-3 x 6-12

Workout B

BB Romanian Deadlifts: 3-4 x 5-12
Seated DB OH Press: 2-3 x 6-12
Neutral Grip Chinups: pick # and go for it
Turkish Getups: 2-3 x 8-12
Birddog Planks: 2-3 x 10-12
OH DB Extensions: 2-3 x 8-12

Second half of the cycle

Workout A

Front Squats: 3-4 x 5-12
Incline Bench Press: 3 x 5-12
Yate's Rows: 3-4 x 6-12
Farmer's Walks: 2-3 x distance
YTWLs: 2-3 x 8-12
Incline DB Curls: 2 x 8-12

Workout B

Deadlifts: 3-4 x 5-12
Close Grip Chinups: pick # and go for it
Seated DB Arnold Press: 2-3 x 6-12
Bulgarian Squats: 2-3 x 8-12
Bent Rows: 3-4 x 6-12
Dips: 2-3 x 5-15

That is better than your other one, but i still think could be better. This is what I would do...

Heavy
Back squat 3x3
Standing OH press 3x3-5

Cable rows 2-3x8-12
DB Bench 2-3x8-12
DB RDL 2-3x8-12
Weighted pullups

Heavy
Deads off the floor 3x3
BB Bench 3x3-5

Weighted Chins
Arnold press 2-3x8-12
BB Rows 2-3x8-12
Weighted dips 2-3x8-12

Light
Front squats 2x8-12
Incline BB Press 2x8-12
DB Rows 2x8-12
Turkish getups 2x8-12
Farmers walk 2-3 sets

Originally Posted by fUnc17

That is better than your other one, but i still think could be better. This is what I would do...

Heavy - Monday
Back squat 3x3
Standing OH press 3x3-5

Cable rows 2-3x8-12
DB Bench 2-3x8-12
DB RDL 2-3x8-12
Weighted pullups

Heavy - Wednesday
Deads off the floor 3x3
BB Bench 3x3-5

Weighted Chins
Arnold press 2-3x8-12
BB Rows 2-3x8-12
Weighted dips 2-3x8-12

Light - Friday
Front squats 2x8-12
Incline BB Press 2x8-12
DB Rows 2x8-12
Turkish getups 2x8-12
Farmers walk 2-3 sets

Repeat

So, it would come out to be like this? (See comments in bold). I'm not exactly sure how you would split it up into 3 days per week.

Originally Posted by shiznit2169

So, it would come out to be like this? (See comments in bold). I'm not exactly sure how you would split it up into 3 days per week.

heavy/off/heavy/off/light/off/off

Alright, i'll take it into consideration. I'm waiting for other experienced members to chime in and see what they have to say before i give it a go. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by fUnc17

That is better than your other one, but i still think could be better. This is what I would do...

Heavy
Back squat 3x3
Standing OH press 3x3-5

Cable rows 2-3x8-12
DB Bench 2-3x8-12
DB RDL 2-3x8-12
Weighted pullups

Heavy
Deads off the floor 3x3
BB Bench 3x3-5

Weighted Chins
Military press 2-3x8-12BB Rows 2-3x8-12
Weighted dips 2-3x8-12

Light
Front squats 2x8-12
Incline BB Press 2x8-12
DB Rows 2x8-12
Turkish getups 2x8-12
Farmers walk 2-3 sets

I think the original program might take you too long. That is, doing 8x3 for 3 different exercises in the same session. In the sticky I purposefully kept it to two exercises to keep the volume to reasonable levels. I think there was even a discussion about it within the thread, heh.

fUnc's idea of sticking some heavier sets at the beginning of your sessions and following up with accessory work is a good one. That's what I will be doing after I finish this unload week; actually, it's what I'm doing during the unload as well.

If you really want to stick to your originial idea you could, but I would limit the 8x3 exercises to two each session, and possibly cut down to 5 or 6 sets of 3 so that the volume is encroaching on hypertrophy territory, yet you will still have time to do more exercises in a given session.

Also, don't try to periodize planks, overhead extensions, and other isolation movements in the same fashion. I don't think doing 8 sets of 3 reps with overhead extensions is the best idea. It seems like your isolation work needs to be more evenly divided among the different sessions too, as opposed to having it all on one day.

I might rework your original program as follows:

Day A:
A1 - Squats 6x3
Rest 75sec
A2 - Seated Cable Rows 6x3
Rest 75sec

B - DB RDLs 3x12 - 30sec RI
C - Military Press 3x12 - 30sec RI
D - WG Pullups 3x12 - 30sec RI

E1 - OH DB Extensions 3x12
No Rest
E2 - Incline DB Curls 3x12
No Rest


Day B:
A1 - BB RDLs 6x3
Rest 75sec
A2 - DB Bench Press 6x3
Rest 75sec

B - Front Squats 3x12 - 30sec RI
C - NG Chinups 3x12 - 30sec RI
D - Seated DB OH Press 3x12 - 30sec RI
E - Turkish Getups 3x12 - 30sec RI
(I suggest sticking to 6 per side; 12 per side would take forever with these)

After a week or two switch the places of the lower body movements in each workout, and switch the position of the pulling movements in the first workout (Rows with chins) and the pressing movements in the second workout (Bench with OH Press).

Thanks Pimp, makes more sense.

I'll be back on the full body train with you shortly. It's good to see some people using this style of training 'round here.

^ ive noticed that too. Seems like quite a lot of people are changing to this at about the same time. I'll be starting one in not too long.

IM is becoming like an online city of some sort, Full Body seems to be the latest "fashion" :P.

Originally Posted by Gazhole

IM is becoming like an online city of some sort, Full Body seems to be the latest "fashion" :P.

Hahaha!

It's just kind of funny because most of the more active mods in the training forum aren't bodybuilders at all, but this is a bodybuilding forum.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Hahaha!

It's just kind of funny because most of the more active mods in the training forum aren't bodybuilders at all, but this is a bodybuilding forum.

That does defy convention a little, but hey! It seems to work!

Anyway, looks like another solid full body program here! Hope it works well for you, Shiznit!

Be pretty cool if IM was a real live (not Alive) city though...you mods would be like, police or something. Prince would be a Prince LITERALLY. Every other building would be a gym. Open Chat would be the most terrifying place on Earth if it were a city district...

Talk about post workout high, i appear to be PWO-tripping.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Hahaha!

It's just kind of funny because most of the more active mods in the training forum aren't bodybuilders at all, but this is a bodybuilding forum.

This is so true. When i first came here, everybody was just simply doing bodyparts and only quite a few were doing some form of upper/lower or full body. Ever since you, pfunk and some other experienced members started writing up those stickies and preaching total body or upper/lower workouts, the shift from bodypart training to movement training changed dramatically. Everyone seems to enjoy doing those programs and they are getting better results (i can say this from my experience in only 1 year!). They are also learning and developing their own programs.

Another reason why i wanted to go back to full body is because i have been reading a lot of articles from alan cosgrove and mel siff. Those two guys are geniuses and they can't convince me more than enough to do full body. I like challenges, i like breathing heavy after intense sessions, i love being drenched in sweat, and i love lying down on the ground after a workout. Bodypart training just simply doesn't do that. I just kept growing and getting stronger!

Originally Posted by Gazhole

That does defy convention a little, but hey! It seems to work!

Anyway, looks like another solid full body program here! Hope it works well for you, Shiznit!

Be pretty cool if IM was a real live (not Alive) city though...you mods would be like, police or something. Prince would be a Prince LITERALLY. Every other building would be a gym. Open Chat would be the most terrifying place on Earth if it were a city district...

Talk about post workout high, i appear to be PWO-tripping.

Thanks. Yes, it would be pretty cool especially if we all lived in the same area and trained together at the gym with all the equipment needed. It would be insane and fun.

Tell me about it. I get motivated just by talking to people on here, and its just a message board.

If everyone was working out in the same gym, jesus...