PLEASE help me with my routine!!

[TBP]

SORRY FOR THE LONG READ; IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE TIME, CAN YOU PLEASE SKIP TO THE PARAGRAPH WITH THE FIRST SENTENCE BOLDED!! THANKS

Hey guys. It has been difficult for me to find time to go to the gym as I have had so much work these past few months and I just recently got over being sick. But, now that I'm better, I am definitely ready to get back into it.

Stats-
Age: 17
Height: 5'11''
Weight: 170 lbs
Goal: gain mass

Below is a routine I created using Cowpimp's guide to designing a split routine. It is an upper horizontal/ upper vertical/ legs, calves, abs split.

Day 1- Upper Horizontal
BB Bench Press
DB Incline Press
DB Incline Fly
Bent-over BB Row
One-arm DB Row
BB Curl

Day 3- Upper Vertical
WG Pull-up
CG Lat Pull-down
Military Press
DB Shoulder Press
Face Pulls
Skull-crushers

Day 5- Legs/Calves/Abs
Back Squat
SLDL
Leg Press
GHR
Planks
Medicine Ball Chops
Side-bends (plate or DB)

For the most part, I have ommitted most of the "optional" isolation exercises. The only exception is chest (I added DB Incline Flys) because compared to my other muscle groups, my chest is severely lacking. I believe my exercise selection is fine (if I'm wrong, please correct me) as I tried selecting basic compound movements and also based my choices on Cowpimp's guide.

My problem is with the set/rep scheme. I do not even know where to begin when determining the number of sets and reps I should perform per workout or exercise. I have looked at Prilepin's table, read a lot of articles, and looked over routines that have been made by members of this forum. However, I still do not understand how one decides how many reps and sets they should assign to each exercise or workout. Do I use percentages? etc.

Also, I would like to not waste my time. I understand that as of now, what I have posted is a routine, but not a program. I have read a few articles on periodization, but because I am still confused about sets/reps, I'm having trouble creating an actual program.

I know I've written a lot and have asked a lot of questions, but I would really appreciate any help any of you could offer me. I have been working out on and off, but I've always had difficulty designing programs or routines because I do not understand how to figure sets/reps.

Thanks for all of the help.

 

[Built]

First of all, I am damned impressed with a seventeen-year-old who is this organized.

Okay. Reps and sets. A scheme I like was one I read in a Christian Thibaudeau article, T NATION | 3 Ways to Get Big!

So for chest, for instance, you could do 5x5 barbell bench, 3x8 dumbbell inclines and 2-3x12 flyes.

Next up I'd mention deadlifts- how about doing those on back day, followed by bent over rows (personally I'm a huge fan of unsupported t-bar rows) and one-arm dumbbell rows. You could use the same format - 5x5, 3x8, 2-3x12

For lats, the one thing I'd warn you about is wide grip anything. Keep your grip no wider than your shoulders, and if you can do your chins weighted, please do so.

Experience will tell you which muscle groups respond best to higher or lower volume, higher or lower rep ranges and training frequency. For instance, for myself, my quads grow best with higher volume and rep ranges, as do my shoulders. My biceps grow with just a little extra concentration work, and my hams grow in my sleep with low-rep heavy work.

Does this help?

 

[ihateschoolmt]

^ That. Definitely add deadlifts to that routine.

 

[Gazhole]

Do what Built said and you have a solid routine there.

 

[Phineas]

I'd split lower body into two workouts -- one for pushing (squats) and one for pulling (deadlifts).

I agree with Built's advice on the rep ranges. 5 x 5, 3 x 8, 2-3 x 12-15 is a great set up for muscle development. Certain major movements work much better at submaximal loads, so deadlifts you would use for 5 x 5. 3 x 8 might be something a little simpler and more accessory-oriented like good mornings or romanian deadlifts. For the high rep range on the third exercise you could do one more compound of an isolation like glute-ham raises or leg curls.

I'd suggest throwing in rack pulls as your 5 x 5 on horizontal pull. Technically, they're still a hip-dominant exericse, as they're essentially half deadlifts. However, in the context of muscle building they work really well in conjunction with rows -- plus you wouldn't want them taking conventional deads away from the 5 x 5 slot on your lower pulling day.

Here's a great setup for horizontal pulling: rack pulls 5 x 5; dumbbell bench rows 3 x 8 (you can do these on higher reps but these are stricter than bent over rows and will give you the added benefit of grip training when performed heavy); barbell bent over rows 2-3 x 12-15.

And ya, this is very impressive for a 17 year old. Kudos on the research!

 

[TBP]

Thanks guys for all of the very helpful responses.

I added deadlifts to my "Upper Horizontal" day and replaced the BB Bent-over rows with T-bar Rows. For my "Upper Vertical" day, I replaced WG Pull-ups with Weighted Chin-ups. Also, I will take your advice Built and perform Lat-pulldowns and similar exercises with a grip that is no wider than my shoulders.

Additionally, I have applied the set/rep scheme recommended to me by Built and Phineas (I would appreciate it if you guys could review what I have done to make sure that I fully understood what you guys told me). However, I did not know the number of sets/reps that I should have assigned to BB Curls, Chin-ups, Lat Pull-downs, or Skull-crushers.

Unfortunately Phineas, I am unable to split my lower body workout into two workouts because I can only workout 3 days a week. I would love to do rack pulls, but do you think I should replace deadlifts with them even though I would not be able to perform deadlifts at any other time during the week? Also, did you mean One-arm DB Rows or Chest Supported DB Rows on a bench when you said "dumbbell bench rows" in your recommendation for a horizontal pulling set-up?

Below is my edited routine:

Upper Horizontal:
BB Bench Press 5x5
DB Incline Press 3x8
DB Incline Fly 2-3x12-15
Deadlifts 5x5
T-Bar Row 3x8
One-arm DB Row 2-3x12-15
BB Curl ?

Upper Vertical:
Wighted Chin-ups ?
Lat Pull-downs ?
Military Press 5x5
DB Shoulder Press 3x8
Face Pulls 2-3x12-15
Skull-crushers ?

Legs/Calves/Abs:
Back Squat 5x5
SLDL 3x8
Leg Press 2-3x12-15
GHR 2-3x12-15
Planks
Medicine Ball Chops
Side-bends (DB or BB)

How important is the order of the exercises in a workout? For example, should I place deadlifts at the begining of my "Upper Horizontal" day workout because it is a compound movement?

Thanks again guys. I've recieved more help from you guys than I've ever recieved from any other site or person.

 

[ihateschoolmt]

Upper Horizontal:
BB Bench Press 5x5
DB Incline Press 3x8
DB Incline Fly 2-3x12-15
Military Press 5x5
DB Shoulder Press 3x8 alternate these with military press sometimes

Upper Vertical:
Deadlifts 5x5-10
SLDL 5x6-10 alternate with dead once a month or so if you want
Weighted Chin-ups 3x6-10
Lat Pull-downs maybe alternate those in every month or so to replace chins
T-Bar Row 3x8 alternate these with rows sometimes
underhand BB Row 2-3x12-15
BB Curl 1-2 x6-10 meh maybe

Legs/Calves/Abs:
Back Squat 5x5-10
front squats 3x5-10 alternate again
Leg Press 2-3x12-15
Planks
Medicine Ball Chops
Side-bends (DB or BB)
.

Yes you should do deadlifts first, on back day if you can't workout 4 days a week. something like this is good, you had a fairly decent routine to start I made a few suggestions for you, but take what you want from it.

 

[Built]

You got all this help because you did your homework and you're receptive to the feedbac you asked for. Seriously, I could kiss you.

Do the deads at the beginning. And there is nothing wrong with splitting this up into four workouts with two lower-focus and two upper-focus. Just rotate through them.

Week 1:

Upper 1
Lower 1
Upper 2


Week 3

Lower 2
Upper 1
Lower 1

It can actually be a nice way to train.