blueboy75

My training partner tells me I don't do enough volume for my pull workout, which I alternate between the following:

Workout: Week 1:
Pull-ups: 4 sets bodyweight to failure
Bent-over DB rows: 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
Deadlifts (Conventional): 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
Machine Pullovers: 2-3 sets (12,10,8)

Workout Week 2:
Lat Pull Downs (Narrow Parallel Grip): 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
T-Bar Rows:4 sets (12,10,8,6)
Deadlifts (Conventional): 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
Seated Cable Rows: 2-3 sets (12,10.8)

(FYI - SLDL are done as part of my hamstring workout during legs)

I feel the intensity is more important than volume. I dont really class the 1st set of each exercise as a working set, however the intensity is high on the final 3. All up each workout is 10 working sets of medium-high intensity depending on how im feeling that day.

I dont experience a great deal of DOMS anymore unless I take a week off. My strength is a little inconsistent however over the course of the year has improved about 10-15%. I have also increased size over the year but unfortunately this has not all been muscle.

Im a natural bodybuilder looking for hypertrophy, I would appreciate any comments/suggestions on these routines.

Double D

Plenty if not to much. I wouldnt go to failure on your pullups either.

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KarlW

Why not?

What this means is that when we drop a ball and it falls to the ground, it wasn't the ball that moved (down to the ground), but the ground that moved (up to the ball)

mike456

post your push day, the key is balancing the pushing and the pulling, for every horizontal press put a horizontal pull, for every vertical pressing put a vertical pulling.

P.S. Deadlifts shouldn't go on pull day, they are for the lower body
and for week 2 you are using alot of machines, also drop the machine pull-overs. All you need is rows and pull-ups and some variations of them

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Double D

If you are going to failure on your first 4 sets what are you going to have for the rest of your pull workout? Besides far to many people take things to failure and dont even realize how much in hinders their gains.

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blueboy75

Push is split over 2 sessions/week:

Push 1:
DB Press: 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
Inc BB Press: 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
DB Flyes: 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
Pullovers: 3 Sets (12,10.8)

Push 2:
Seated DB Press 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
DB Laterals: 4 sets (12,10,8,6)
Dips: 4 Sets Bodyweight
Skullcrushers: 4 sets (12,10,8,6)

Do you find when you perform deadlifts on leg day your squats suffer (or vice-versa). Whilst I agree it is more of a lower body workout, it still hits the traps also and rounds out my pull workout (in fact it is the conerstone of my pull workout).

I prefer to space out my big 3 (Bench, Squat, Deadlift) so I can maximise intensity for each. Doing 2 in the same workout is kinda like eating lunch and dinner in the same meal (if you know what I mean)

Double D

If you are preforming 2 days a week for upper I would preform 2 days a week with lower and use squats for one day and deads for the other.

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blueboy75

that makes sense, I guess perform quad & hamstring dominant lower days. thanks.

Double D

Or your could also do 3 days a week with one day being a total body push and the other being a total body pull?

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fufu

Going to failure on pull ups for me can result in some tendonitis.

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Your diet will set you free.

blueboy75

that may not allow me to space apart the big 3. Or are you suggesting doing DL as part of total body pull?

Double D

DL being a total body pull. I just started doing something like this:

Workout A
Squat
bench
OH Press
Dips

Workout B
Deadlifts
Chins/pullups
Rows (your choice)
Bent over laterals
Hypers

This is a 3 day a week program and is kinda goes:
A/B/A-week 1
B/A/B-Week 2

And so on and so forth.

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blueboy75

I like it, but squat and bench on the same day poses a similar problem. Chest is a focus area for me and im sure I would lose intensity by doing squats on the same day as part of the total body push.

Probably best to break legs into 2 days.

It would be interesting to see how many of the experienced lifters here perform any of the big 3 exercises in the same day. Maybe im just being soft.

Double D

I figure I am experienced. I have been at this for 11 years. I have did Starr's 5x5 which has bench, squat, and rows in a day.

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blueboy75

Yeah, I know you know your shit. that 5X5 program sounds like freaking pain.

Ive always been programmed to seperate those exercises, I guess if you get used to performing them together you performance improves.

Double D

Normally whenever you make change and do something you have never did before thats whenever your body says, wtf and decides to grow. I am getting ready to do some circuit stuff in the coming months because I have never did it. So I figure I am in for a treat.

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AKIRA

Doing Bench and Squats on the same day can be hell at first, but you get used to it.

I circuit trained JUST bench and rows and it was a bitch.

6' 209lbs (8/16)
Bench 360 (11/29)
Weighted Pullups 80lbs 3x3 (3/19)
Squat 370
Deadlift after herniation 385lbs 3x3 (3/17)
NASM certified 2/06
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