Beginner BB Program?

[ninjaa]

I've done Rippetoes but since injuring my knees and pulling my shoulder, I haven't been able to do much in the gym. I started off with Rippetoe's to learn the basic exercises and get my body used to the workload. I've recently started back up now that my shoulder is okay. My knees are still messed.

For now, I can't squat or deadlift (knees). I would like to incorporate those lifts later on, but for now I'm looking for a hypertrophy program. I'm a tall guy and severely need to widen out my shoulders and back and put some mass on in those areas. I'm not addicted to my biceps, but bigger arms (mostly triceps) would help obviously.

I think 3 or 4 day split would work good. Since I'm still pretty newb, what kind of program do you guys think would work good? Just some things I'd like to keep in:

-flat bench press
-press
-squats (re-incorporate when my knees are rehabbed)
-deadlifts (Same as above)

I'm not sure how much volume or which exercises would be best for me. I'm also confused as to how to split up my workouts. Should I go Back/Bi's, Chest/Tri's, Shoulders? Any feedback would be good.

After Rippetoe's, I realize that strength is important but I'd really like a BB focus for the next while. After I put on some mass and start looking like something, I'd definitely like to go on a strength-building phase. Thanks for your help.

[EPMD]

Maybe a push/pull split for your upper body would work well:

Flat Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Overhead Press
Dips
Close-Grip Bench Press (or other triceps exercise)
Lateral Fly

Chinups
Wide-Grip Bentover Rows
Close-Grip Cable Rows
Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Incline Curls (or Preacher Curls)

That way you could cover most of the major upper body moves while maintaining a high 2 times per week frequency on each muscle. If you can't do deadlifts yet, do some hyperextensions to work your lower back.

[ninjaa]

Im not trying to sound like an expert, but with doing flat and incline bench, maybe replace the close-grip bench with skullcrushers? I was told those were really great tri exercise.

Also, when i start to squat again, where should I stick them in? And whats the ideal way to map out these 2 exercise days twice a week?

Like A-B-Rest-A-B? Or should there be a rest day between any days I'm working out?

Edit: Also, I forgot to ask what should the set/reps be for each exercise? And what kind of progression? Rippetoe's was linear, workout by workout, so that was easy to follow. Should I be doing something like 3x8, or 5x5, or what?

[EPMD]

I think once your knees are up for it, you can add in a separate day for leg work (calf raises, leg curls, Romanian deadlifts, leg press, squats). Until then, if you can take the strain without hurting yourself, do as many of those leg moves as possible. If you feel you are ready for leg exercises right now, then you'll probably want to remove some of the repetition (one of the rows, one of the curls, maybe the incline bench press) in the above suggestion I gave you, replacing it with leg work...or again, just adding a third day for legs.

As for the setup...you can be flexible there. If you feel you need an extra day, take it. When I have done 2-day splits in the past, I basically just kept repeating A, rest, B, rest over and over. 3.5 workouts per week is a nice frequency to make good strength gains. Alternatively, I sometimes did Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun workouts. Experiment. For some solid, basic routine suggestions, check out the top sticky:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=115643271

[ninjaa]

yeah I was thinking to add in a seperate leg day. Right now my knees are just messed. It was tendonitis at first but now it's worse pain and I don't know why, i havent been squatting either. Anything that requires bending of the knees is no-go territory, until im cleared by the docs.

Again, what kind of progression? Should I be making weekly bumps in the weight being lifted (i.e. after 2 sessions of each excercise "day", the 3rd session should be increased weight?)? Thanks