Critique my plan (2.9k reps)

[Obnoxious123]

Workout A
Chest - Barbell, Dumbbell, or Machine - Incline, Flat
Shoulders - Barbell, Dumbbell, or Machine - Press
Traps - Barbell or Dumbbell - Shrugs
Hamstrings - Seated/Lying Leg Curls, Lunges
Triceps - CGBP, Overhead Extension, Pushdowns
Abs - Cable/Decline Crunch, Leg Raise

Workout B
Upper back - Pullups, Barbell Row, Lat Pulldown, T-Bar Row
Lower back - Deadlift, Hypers
Quads - Front/Hack Squats, Leg Press
Biceps - Hammer Curls, Barbell Curls
Forearms - Barbell Wrist Curl
Calves - Seated Calve Raise, 45 Degree Sled

I will choose ONE of the exercises listed for each muscle group, and do it in the order listed above.

Large muscle groups will be 1 warmup set, and 2 heavy work sets of 5-8 reps. Smaller muscle groups (such as biceps) will be no warm up sets (since they will be warmed up beforehand) with 3 work sets of 8-12 reps. Abs will be 3 work sets of 25 reps. Calves will be 4 work sets of 15-20 reps. Forearms will be 3 sets of 20 reps (I use to do this and responded well but quit it a while ago, want to start up again).

Will either be done in just a 2 day a week fashion (but I will increase my work load) or keeping my set and rep scheme now and doing M/W/F in consecutive order (Workout A on Mon, Workout B on Wed, Workout A on Fri, Workout B on Mon, etc.).

I normally just do 1 major muscle group a day, but I've been seeing people grow very well with less days.

Please note, I have Osgood-Schlatter in my left knee and it makes me only able to do light back squats (which I will probably incorporate). Front squats align my knees better and I have no pain when doing them.

Thanks

[samseed101]

Overall, I think it looks like a pretty good routine. It soulds like you're fairly advanced and have a good grasp.

One thing I would change (just personal preference...) I'd move the deadlifts and squats up higher on the list for Workout B. I know it's different muscles, but I prefer being fresh (or fresher) for those lifts. Pullups can be exhausting and I don't like feeling fatigued before those two lifts.

I've done squats first in workouts, and I've done deadlifts first in a workout. For me, it seemed to work best to hit the squats first on a fresh body, then do the deads. The pullups could probably go third.

Like I said, it's just personal preference. But when I do pullups (usually weighted) I get tired and out of breat, and by the time I start doing the next exercise, I'm slightly depleted.

[samseed101]

Just to add, a lot of your exercises are the ones I am using during my HST routine I'm running right now. Only I'd doing full body 3X a week, as per the program.

[Obnoxious123]

Originally Posted by samseed101

Overall, I think it looks like a pretty good routine. It soulds like you're fairly advanced and have a good grasp.

One thing I would change (just personal preference...) I'd move the deadlifts and squats up higher on the list for Workout B. I know it's different muscles, but I prefer being fresh (or fresher) for those lifts. Pullups can be exhausting and I don't like feeling fatigued before those two lifts.

I've done squats first in workouts, and I've done deadlifts first in a workout. For me, it seemed to work best to hit the squats first on a fresh body, then do the deads. The pullups could probably go third.

Like I said, it's just personal preference. But when I do pullups (usually weighted) I get tired and out of breat, and by the time I start doing the next exercise, I'm slightly depleted.

I would just be doing body weight pullups, but I definitely will take what you said into consideration. I will see how I feel doing it both ways, thanks!

Originally Posted by samseed101

Just to add, a lot of your exercises are the ones I am using during my HST routine I'm running right now. Only I'd doing full body 3X a week, as per the program.

Ah, well my gym is a very small family owned gym and they don't have a lot of different things. I have to make due with what we have. I haven't looked into HST, I just chose what exercises that I enjoy the most.

Thanks though

[samseed101]

Originally Posted by Obnoxious123

I would just be doing body weight pullups, but I definitely will take what you said into consideration. I will see how I feel doing it both ways, thanks!

In that case you may be fine. You can always play it by ear and see how you feel after pullups. If you feel that it is affecting your other lifts, then you cvan move it down the list a bit. If it's a non-issue, then leave it as is.

Ah, well my gym is a very small family owned gym and they don't have a lot of different things. I have to make due with what we have. I haven't looked into HST, I just chose what exercises that I enjoy the most.

Thanks though

I think those are good choices. I'm a big fan of larger compound exercises, and you have plenty of them in your workout. But at any rate, it looks like some time went into putting this together and I'm guessing it came as a result of knowing what does and doesn't work for you.

In case you're curious and wanted to read some, here's a link to the HST program to see how it works. Interesting concept but it DOES work

[Obnoxious123]

Originally Posted by samseed101

In that case you may be fine. You can always play it by ear and see how you feel after pullups. If you feel that it is affecting your other lifts, then you cvan move it down the list a bit. If it's a non-issue, then leave it as is.



I think those are good choices. I'm a big fan of larger compound exercises, and you have plenty of them in your workout. But at any rate, it looks like some time went into putting this together and I'm guessing it came as a result of knowing what does and doesn't work for you.

In case you're curious and wanted to read some, here's a link to the HST program to see how it works. Interesting concept but it DOES work

Thanks again man, I'll look into it!

[RoccoTanno123]

seems solid overall. just a few suggestions..

drop lat pulldowns, as pullups are a superior compound mvmt and you should always pick them if given a choice. Additioanlly, I would choose deadlifts over hypers 95% of the time. And unless you have tried stld and found they overwork you're lowerback, I would opt for them on hamstring day or GMs, just do to their compound nature and strong carryovers

It seems to me that provided adequate protein intake and rest that you ought to be able to do this routine for a 4x a week split, as opposed to 3x.

[Mlrc]

Overall, it looks pretty solid. If that's the order you're going to be doing it in, definitely move your quads and lower back exercises up to the top. Especially since you have said you have some knee problems, though they only seem to bother you for one type of exercise, it would be a much better idea to do at least quads first. Squats and deadlifts are two of the most demanding exercises on their, and two of the most important in my opinion.

Otherwise, it looks really good. I like how you already planned for the smaller muscle groups as compared to the larger muscle groups, and that you're approaching them differently, which is what a lot of people neglect to do.

[jimi g]

Originally Posted by Obnoxious123

Workout A
Chest - Barbell, Dumbbell, or Machine - Incline, Flat
Shoulders - Barbell, Dumbbell, or Machine - Press
Traps - Barbell or Dumbbell - Shrugs
Hamstrings - Seated/Lying Leg Curls, Lunges
Triceps - CGBP, Overhead Extension, Pushdowns
Abs - Cable/Decline Crunch, Leg Raise

Workout B
Upper back - Pullups, Barbell Row, Lat Pulldown, T-Bar Row
Lower back - Deadlift, Hypers
Quads - Front/Hack Squats, Leg Press
Biceps - Hammer Curls, Barbell Curls
Forearms - Barbell Wrist Curl
Calves - Seated Calve Raise, 45 Degree Sled

I will choose ONE of the exercises listed for each muscle group, and do it in the order listed above.

Large muscle groups will be 1 warmup set, and 2 heavy work sets of 5-8 reps. Smaller muscle groups (such as biceps) will be no warm up sets (since they will be warmed up beforehand) with 3 work sets of 8-12 reps. Abs will be 3 work sets of 25 reps. Calves will be 4 work sets of 15-20 reps. Forearms will be 3 sets of 20 reps (I use to do this and responded well but quit it a while ago, want to start up again).

Will either be done in just a 2 day a week fashion (but I will increase my work load) or keeping my set and rep scheme now and doing M/W/F in consecutive order (Workout A on Mon, Workout B on Wed, Workout A on Fri, Workout B on Mon, etc.).

I normally just do 1 major muscle group a day, but I've been seeing people grow very well with less days.

Please note, I have Osgood-Schlatter in my left knee and it makes me only able to do light back squats (which I will probably incorporate). Front squats align my knees better and I have no pain when doing them.

Thanks

Alright I'll bite. This program doesn't make sense to me... For a two day split most ppl would opt for a push-pull routine, or do a routine where the primary movers and secondary movers are done on oppposite days (ie:chest and triceps would not be done on the same day). You haven't done either so I'm not sure what you're going for here...

As well I think most ppl get enough forearm stimulation from just hanging onto the bar in heavy compound lifts like the deadlift, however you have said that you responded well to forearm training and so I understand why you have it in there (consider doing exercises that work out the forearm instead of doing just forearm workouts.... like pinwheel curls) ie: include it in the biceps routine. Time in the gym is best optimized after all.

Because what you have laid out resembles closer to a push pull than a opposites routine I would recommend you do this:

Workout 'A' (push)

Chest
Quads
Shoulders
Calves
Tri's

Workout 'B' (pull)

Deadlifts
Hamstrings
Back
Abs
Biceps

You'll notice the only 'flaw' is I put in abs under 'pull.' The reason I did this is b/c you can really fit it in either workout without compromising other groups.

You'll also notice I left the smaller muscles later in the workout (ie: Bi's and tri's).

I consider 'traps' to be part of your back. I do not think that many ppl need to work out traps on their own either. Deadlifting and bent over BB rows are a great way to develop traps and back thickness without isolating the trap muscle (picture yourself holding a heavy bar that your doing either of the aforementioned exercises with, in proper form- your traps are already heavily actived in pulling your scapula back in order to keep the chest out as well as heavily activated in just hanging onto the bar without letting your shoulder girdle droop). Doing trap only exercises in my view is a waste of time when you can hit them hard by working out your back in compound movements.

I have also spaced out the muscle groups in the routine. Doing shoulders directly after working out your chest seems like a waste to me. Your chest will be tired... and your secondary muscle, your front delt (ie shoulder) will also be tired from a chestpress. Going directly into a shoulder press after a chest press will not allow you to hit that muscle group effectively. That's why I threw quads in after- its a big 'push' muscle and totally unrelated to the chest.

I don't like push pull routines as much as some others, but if you are going to do it consider those points.

[Xchubbykid]

I too had Osgood-Schlatter, in my right knee, i took a month of all sport and leg workouts, and the swelling went down, doctors always advice " rest" no matter what, but it worked for me, nothing to do with help for the routine, but seriously give your knee a chance to recover