Can't decide!

[mike456]

I cant decide whether I should do Total Body 2-3 Times a week, Push/Pull/Legs, or upper/lower 2 times a week

My goals are to get stronger and get some size in my arms, I can make a good routine for any of those types, but I cannot decide wich 1 to do, I been training for alittle over a year, I havent made much size gain, but I gained alot of strength, but still weak, when I first started I was maxing out at about 60-70lbs on the bench , I never did legs, except some leg extensions/curls occasionally, I wasnt on a set routine and would just do what I felt like doing, now my max bench is 120 for about 8, at 1 point I was doing 125 for 10 but I stopped lifting for about 10 days and my strength went down quickly

can someone suggest what type of routine I should do for my goals?
thnx

 

[Gazhole]

Well i do push/pull/legs, and in about 2/3 months my bench has gone from 121 to 143, my squat (my weakpoint was/is also my legs) from about 100 to 132 and still rising steadily, and my deadlift has shot up from 132 to 176 (today \m/).

Though push/pull/legs isnt 100% the reason for my strength gains, its a major factor. Ive never tried TB or upper/lower, but atm im incredibly happy with the progress im making.

Also atm, i vary intensity + rep range every week. I worked out my heaviest weight + rep range first, then worked out two "levels" down from there for the other two weeks. So 4 reps becomes 6 becomes 8, and the weight is adjusted accordingly.

I do my lightest week first, next week is the next heaviest, then the heaviest to finish off. Then repeat it. After 3 or 4 cycles increase the weight on the exercises youre getting too comfortable with.

Thats just what i do. Other people may have things better suited to you, but in conjuction with moderate supplementation, watching my diet as much as possible, and good protein intake, this has worked well for me.

 

[assassin]

push pull legs or push pull thighs i don't believe in total body workouts

 

[mike456]

mods, what do you suggest?

 

[Squaggleboggin]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not new to lifting.

With this in mind, I believe you'd benefit greatly from a push/pull/legs routine because you can use high intensity and have a lot of time to recover. You can switch between this and upper/lower two times a week depending on your recovery capabilities and throw in some full body routines for a couple weeks to shock your body or freshen things up.

They're all viable splits, it just depends on your recovery abilities. Besides, it's probably best to rotate between them anyways, unless you're having really good progress and you don't mind doing the same type of split for a long time.

 

[mike456]

alright so far every1 said push/pull/legs, so push/pull/legs it is...

 

[fufu]

I just started an upper/lower 4 days a week. I've already found out I have to be very careful of overtraining.

 

[mike456]

Yea I dont think I can do upper/lower or Total Body, If im gonna be training with high intensity(since my goal is strength), upper/lower and total body don'g give enough recovery time...

 

[mike456]

with Push/Pull/Legs I am going to be training in the 4-6 rep range, will I have to deload after acouple of weeks to give my body rest from the high intensity?

 

[topolo]

I don't think so.

 

[mike456]

This is what I will be doing for strength and size in my arms
Push
BB Flat Bench Press 3x4-6
BB Incline Bench Press 3x4-6
BB Military Press 3x4-6
Cable Dips 3x4-6
DB Triceps Extensions 3x8-12

Pull
BB Yates Row 3x4-6
Cable One-arm Row 3x4-6
Assisted Pull-up 3x4-6
BB Upright Row 3x4-6
BB curls 3x8-12

Legs
BB Stiff-Leg Dead lift 4x4-6
Step-Up 4x4-6

Im thinking when I deload, ill keep push/pull/legs but just do lots of isolation exercises with high reps(10-12)- is this a good idea?

 

[kenwood]

howmany threads are you gonna make? just do what they suggested

 

[mike456]

im gonna do a push/pull/legs but don't know how to deload... just tryin to get some opinions

go do some bench pressing kenwood and then go learn some new gangster lingo so you could be cool.

 

[mike456]

Strength training (four weeks)
Push
BB Flat Bench Press 3x4-6
BB Incline Bench Press 3x4-6
BB Military Press 3x4-6
Cable Dips 3x4-6

Pull
BB Yates Row 3x4-6
Cable One-arm Row 3x4-6
Assisted Pull-up 3x4-6
Upright Row 3x4-6

Legs
BB Stiff-Leg Dead lift 4x4-6
Step-Up 4x4-6

Deloading (2 weeks- not sure how many weeks???)
Push
BB Flat Bench Press 3x10-12
BB Overhead Press 3x10-12
DB Fly 3x10-12
DB Triceps Extension 3x10-12

Pull
BB Yates Row 3x10-12
Assisted Pull-up 3x10-12
Reverse Fly 3x10-12
BB Curl 3x10-12

Legs
Leg Extension 3x10-12
Leg Curl 3x10-12

this is what I think im going to do, put any input
thnx

 

[fufu]

If you want strength I would go to the 1-3 rep range as well.

 

[kenwood]

im gonna do a push/pull/legs but don't know how to deload... just tryin to get some opinions

go do some bench pressing kenwood and then go learn some new gangster lingo so you could be cool.

todays an rest day

 

[mike456]

yea i think im gonna change the repr ange to 1-5 reps for all exercises during the strength training weeks, I dont know why I had 4-6...

 

[fUnc17]

i would have a deload even with 4-6.. still using heavy weight. and you don't need to deload for 2 weeks. if your training for strength i'd stay at 5 reps or fewer.

also i think your complicating things too much, just go workout and stop being so anal

 

[mike456]

FUNC- lol i know im makin things complicated, judt one last question, how many weeks should I deload?

 

[fUnc17]

deload with lighter weights for 1 week then take a week off entirely from weight training

 

[CowPimp]

I say try something else and see how you like it. I definitely prefer higher frequency than push-pull-legs has to offer.

 

[viet_jon]

this might not answer your question, but, I don't think your working hard enough. That's your gains/improvements after 1 year? think u need to push yourself more.

I started 2/3 months ago, and almost doubled all my weights since i started.

But I'm still newb, so I can't suggest routines.

 

[assassin]

I say try something else and see how you like it. I definitely prefer higher frequency than push-pull-legs has to offer.

ok do u really think it provides little frequency .....i do push pull legs and i repeat every 6 days so every muscle is worked every 6 days is that enough frequency.... (according to my little knowledge frequence is how many times the muscle is worked per week..)....

 

[CowPimp]

ok do u really think it provides little frequency .....i do push pull legs and i repeat every 6 days so every muscle is worked every 6 days is that enough frequency.... (according to my little knowledge frequence is how many times the muscle is worked per week..)....

Sometimes people consider frequency how frequently one trains, but in the context of bodybuilding, I use it to mean how frequently a muscle group/movement pattern is trained. That is pretty low frequency. I think every 2-4 days makes more sense.

 

[assassin]

Sometimes people consider frequency how frequently one trains, but in the context of bodybuilding, I use it to mean how frequently a muscle group/movement pattern is trained. That is pretty low frequency. I think every 2-4 days makes more sense.

so that will be one day high intensity and the other day after 2-4 days less intensity?? cause i don't think somebody could work his muscles with the highest intensity with just 4 days of rest... am i right???

 

[CowPimp]

so that will be one day high intensity and the other day after 2-4 days less intensity?? cause i don't think somebody could work his muscles with the highest intensity with just 4 days of rest... am i right???

Sure you can. You just have to have planned unloading phases. You could alternate intensity and volume levels though, a la undulating periodizaiton. That is a great way to organize a program. I train my squat and deadlift Mondays and Fridays and my bench press on Wednesdays and Sundays; this is essentially an upper-lower split.

 

[assassin]

Sure you can. You just have to have planned unloading phases. You could alternate intensity and volume levels though, a la undulating periodizaiton. That is a great way to organize a program. I train my squat and deadlift Mondays and Fridays and my bench press on Wednesdays and Sundays; this is essentially an upper-lower split.

u mean something like that full upper higher intensity / lower / full upper lower intensity

 

[CowPimp]

u mean something like that full upper higher intensity / lower / full upper lower intensity

You can look in my journal if you want. I don't want to whore up Mike's thread too much. I have actually changed this program slightly already, but the changes are pretty minor.

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showpost.php?p=1361642&postcount=625