The Most Optimal 3on/1off BB program, ever. (srs)

[agrier9]

Personally I'm a big frequency advocate so I don't think this program is optimal but I'm also still learning.

[DerekEt]

I'm not going to answer that for you, but I will say this:

- You get to Press four times a week in a controlled manner. People's presses are what always lag, and this avoids overtraining your press muscles, while also giving you high frequency.
- You are able to gauge both your Bench and Military Press separately while recovered instead of throwing them all in one day
- You can train Back and Biceps separately , something which is always nice
- You don't have scorched erectors from Pull day when going in to do Legs. We already had complaints about that on page 1 from people; over time as you increase poundages you will find that doing 2.5 - 3.5 plate Barbell Rows and 6+ plate TBAR Rows followed by Squats the next day....is just ridiculous and unnecessary. Especially if you have 3 days to split your training over

People can get good results on anything; P/P/L is a standard method and many people do it (although I think L/P/P is better IMHO). Regardless the concept of what he has mapped out is good, and it's up to people to decide what they want to do. 3on/1off has stood the test of time since the 1970's where it produced multiple world champions up to today, and when most people start this kind of training they normally never go back.

[Lendogg]

This is exactly how my routine is set up. I like it. The only thing I do differently is do my first power movement in the 3x5 range for chest, back, quads, shoulders, and hams. I like having some strength training in my routines.

Ex.
BB Bench 3x3-5
In DB 3x6-8
Dips 3x6-8
Fly 3x8-15

[MaiArrendersi]

Thanks for the info. I think I migh try this out.

[ama828]

I'm doing chest/tris/shoulders then legs then back/biceps. 3 on 1 off. Seems to be working well for me.

[lefteris7]

aren't bis overloaded? being hit 4 times a week 2 directly and 2 indirectly? They are a small group.

[DerekEt]

Personally I'm a big frequency advocate so I don't think this program is optimal but I'm also still learning.

not sure if srs?


Do you understand it's 2x every 7 days? That's 2x/wk frequency. So you personally do 3x a week frequency in bodybuilding when you are Squatting/Rowing/Benching 300-400+ pounds? lol? Also the fact you can call Pressing 4x a week low frequency is pretty ridiculous IMHO.

[DerekEt]

aren't bis overloaded? being hit 4 times a week 2 directly and 2 indirectly? They are a small group.

No. In fact you will most likely see some of the best Bicep growth in your life srs

[DerekEt]

I'm doing chest/tris/shoulders then legs then back/biceps. 3 on 1 off. Seems to be working well for me.

That's a good routine too. Kevin Levrone ran that as his 3on/1off. 3on/1off...is 3on/1off =)

All you did is switch Delts and Biceps. It's preference;but most people benefit very well from separating Chest/Delts and separating Back/Biceps. Increased press frequency, more emphasis on a bodypart without it being fatigued, less overuse on the same tendon, and the list goes on. Everything works

[AlexRowell]

I literally wrote up an incredibly similar routine last night since I'll be starting to workout in my home gym after Christmas.

[Zplasch]

It's a compeltely normal routine but of course since you have a wall of text and alot of pictures people will hop on this without even thinking about it

No teenager should do a routine like this..

[SmallLats]

its all about 6 days on, 1 day off. Works for me.

[AmazinJason]

3 on 1 off would be 2x every 8 days, not 7.

On
On
On
Off
Repeat

That's once every 4 days -> twice every 8 days.

Just sayin. Good routine though.

[agrier9]

not sure if srs?


Do you understand it's 2x every 7 days? That's 2x/wk frequency. So you personally do 3x a week frequency in bodybuilding when you are Squatting/Rowing/Benching 300-400+ pounds? lol? Also the fact you can call Pressing 4x a week low frequency is pretty ridiculous IMHO.

Yeah I don't press 4x a week exercise selection varies greatly. However, I do agree that intermediate to advanced lifters could benefit from 2x a week frequency vs 3x. However, my problem with the program is it misses a beat on the second week. p/l/p off p/l/p(you get proper frequency here) however next week off p/l/p off p/l and you miss the last pull day in a seven day time frame. Maybe I'm being too picky but I believe it would be better to do upper/lower off p/l/p off or simply p/l/p/p/l/p but if the delts being hammered is the issue the routine that incorporates upper/lower would probably be the best. I'm actually considering switching to upper/lower off p/l/p off because I'm starting to linger in the intermediate-advanced phase in my bodybuilding career.

Edit:

I think I'm going to actually make the switch to this routine:

Upper(Focus heavily on compound lifts and work in the lower rep range 4-7)
Lower(Same as upper)
Off
Back/Delts(Focus on the 6-12 rep range)
Legs^
Chest/Arms^
Off

or basically PHAT lmfao
I might also add this routine gives me the ability to do cleans on back/delts day one week and the next week do deadlifts on the second leg day without a conflict while keeping squats as the staple the first lower day.

[Tb0282]

Is this the program you wanted people to test?

Looks good, might give something like this a try once I'm done strength training (which may be soon, I messed up my lower back)

[Kevin1195]

Looks pretty solid. Dont think im quite advanced enough for only 2x a week frequency yet. Im currently milking the hell out of 3x a week.

[jake1224]

ITT Op makes up a whole lot of logic that seems to work for him and thus applies it to everyone

Your split is not extraordinary, would not train six days a week/10

[Meadey]

Tried this while doing PHAT the way Layne set it out. Prefer Pull/Push/Legs in whatever order; mainly because I like to hit my back with huge volume and shoulders are my strong point so I can add them after chest.
Also wasn't a fan of Chest Arms, felt so... boring. That's probably my problem though and probably why I have a small chest.

[TonedJordan]

I work a night shift at the minute so cant do this routine (gym shuts too early on Sat + Sun). Is it worth me starting this and doing it like this:

Week 1: M = day 1 , T = day 2, W = day 3, T = rest, F = day 1, Sat x - Sun x
Week 2: M = day 2, T = day 3, W = Rest, T = day 1, F = day 2, Sat x - Sun x
Week 3: M = day 3, T = Rest, W = day 1, T = day 2, F = day 3, Sat x - Sun x
Repeat.

Or would this completely defeat the point of the routine? Atleast this way I am still increasing the frequency that I do each workout compared to if I did something like a five day split. At the minute that is what I am doing but as a P/P/L. Better to replace it with the above? Just until I am back on regulars permanently which should be soon, then I can do it as it was designed to be done!

Thanks

[ButteredWaffles]

Ethan , whats your opinion on Pendlay Rows vs Bent over BB rows? Pendlay Rows mainly for strength and bent over rows for size

[mdolan18]

No teenager should do a routine like this..

Explain? I'm a teenager and I was considering giving this a try except maybe removing an exercise or two from each day

[elitecorey]

-Barbell Curl 3x6-8 / Lying French Press 3x6-8
-Incline Dumbbell Curl 3x8-10 / Tricep Pushdown 3x8-10
-Preacher Curl 3x8-10 / Overhead Extension 3x8-10

What do the '/' mean? Alternating every time?

[DerekEt]

3 on 1 off would be 2x every 8 days, not 7.

On
On
On
Off
Repeat

That's once every 4 days -> twice every 8 days.

Just sayin. Good routine though.

yeah, I meant in the span of 7 days, you train everything twice, if you understand what I mean

Day1- chest/arms
Day2- legs
Day3- delts/back
day4-off
day5-chest/arms
day6-legs
day7-delts/back

as you can see, you trained everything twice in a 1 week/7 day period.

[DerekEt]

Ethan , whats your opinion on Pendlay Rows vs Bent over BB rows? Pendlay Rows mainly for strength and bent over rows for size

If you are bodybuilding, do it the way you see pro's doing it nowadays IMHO. Watch a video of Coleman or Yates Rowing, it isn't pretty, and it's more upright. I don't like bent over nor Pendlay Rows, if you do, that's fine. My back exploded training it Yates/Ronnie style; it makes it a LAT exercise instead of primarily middle back/upper back like Bent-Over-Row.

[Arabianmuscles]

Ethan, In another thread you said that these sets weren't all working sets. Instead you said to pyramid to your top working set for the desired rep range. Why is this better?

I thought it went like this: The more working sets you have for said bodypart --------> better muscle growth for said better bodypart.

[andrewzw11]

Took a quick glance.

No normal squats, no normal deadlifts. Son are you srs?

[DerekEt]

Took a quick glance.

No normal squats, no normal deadlifts. Son are you srs?

You can do normal squats. You dont need deadlifts. I deadlift 500+ and never train the lift. If you want to Deadlift, this isn't the right program for it, this is for bodybuilders not starting-strength crew Red wannabe's =/

[Arabianmuscles]

Ethan, In another thread you said that these sets weren't all working sets. Instead you said to pyramid to your top working set for the desired rep range. Why is this better?

I thought it went like this: The more working sets you have for said bodypart --------> better muscle growth for said better bodypart.

Incase you missed it ^^^^^^^

You can do normal squats. You dont need deadlifts. I deadlift more than you ever will in your life and don't do them. Do you even lift

[douglasmich]

What do you mean on the chest arms workout ?
Are those arm exercises of super sets ??? Or do you choose an even amount of TRI and BI??


And I'm looking to cut but I really want to try this , should I postpone my cut and test this out? Or just cut on legs push pull and keep raping my delts

[corvade]

derrick, How do you prefer your lateral raises to be performed?

Also, I contract my scapulae when doing Upright rows with DB's(To save the rotator cuffs), and i feel that it really targets my traps primarily with a little bit of my side delts.

Also, why no hammer curls? Work the lateral head, and the brachialis at the same time, right?


Would greatly appreciate your answer.