review on my chest workout please

[topnate]

Hey there , been lifting for 9 months now , had some decent gains. was on the chest/bi back/tri leg/shoulder split.
Now i've changed it to one muscle per day , (shoulders with legs tho)
And my chest routine is
BB bench x3 (8-10)
BB incline x3 (8-10)
DB bench x3 (8-10)
DB incline x3 (8-10)
Incline flies x3 (8-10)
pec deck x3 (8-10)
Cable decline x3 (8-10)
end of every workout i'll just throw in a couple of abs workout. never done this much chest workout before as it was always paired up with biceps.
Should i switch it up between dumbells and barbell on a weekly basis or just stick to this?
Thanks!

[Overload]

So if you're doing a muscle a day does that mean you're working out every day of the week? Woudn't recommend that. I'm sure you'd have overlap at some point. Meaning you're going to be working similar muscles several times. For example, working chest hit triceps and shoulders. Then you come along and hit shoulders the next day or day after. Now that hits triceps again if you do any kind of overhead pressing. Then you come along and work on triceps. So basically hitting triceps 3 times a week if I'm understanding what you want to do.

As for your chest workout, I also don't feel 21 sets for chest is needed at all. If you go hard with the first couple of exercises, you should be spent and the other exercises are somewhat pointless imo. If you like all those exercises, I'd rotate them during different workouts.

Even in my gung ho younger days I never did what you have in mind. But to each his own.

Good luck.

[topnate]

Day1:Chest
Day2:back
Day3:Rest
Day 4: shoulders
Day 5: biceps&triceps

This is somewhat of the routine that i came up with. So which one do you think i should eliminate? and how many exercises/sets should i be doing? for my last months i was doing db bench db incline pec deck and barbell bench after that biceps. i feel exhausted and weak doing this plenty tho , or should i just alternate between barbell and dumbells?

[bucsdodgers]

Their is nothing wrong with this. Try it for 8 weeks, if you get result then stick with it. Just change your days and exercises around ever so often.

[Overload]

Day1:Chest
Day2:back
Day3:Rest
Day 4: shoulders
Day 5: biceps&triceps

This is somewhat of the routine that i came up with. So which one do you think i should eliminate? and how many exercises/sets should i be doing? for my last months i was doing db bench db incline pec deck and barbell bench after that biceps. i feel exhausted and weak doing this plenty tho , or should i just alternate between barbell and dumbells?

Well, that's different than a muscle per day. I took it as chest 1 day, back 1 day, biceps 1 day, etc. That's a 4 day split. Nothing wrong with that. Me personally would keep the total sets lower than 21 for each bodypart or at the very least keep arms total sets lower than the bigger muscle groups.

So try what you came up with for a few weeks and see how you feel. If you're making progress, then it's working. If you stall sooner than later, tweak it by cutting back a bit on total volume.

[topnate]

Well, that's different than a muscle per day. I took it as chest 1 day, back 1 day, biceps 1 day, etc. That's a 4 day split. Nothing wrong with that. Me personally would keep the total sets lower than 21 for each bodypart or at the very least keep arms total sets lower than the bigger muscle groups.

So try what you came up with for a few weeks and see how you feel. If you're making progress, then it's working. If you stall sooner than later, tweak it by cutting back a bit on total volume.

Pardon me , im new at this. okay yes so 4 day split it is. Alright i'll try it for a couple of months. Kinda bored with the old routine. Will drop the number of sets as i go! thank you !

[kanis999]

There is a limit to how much growth you can stimulate in a given workout. Chances are, as a beginner, you reach that limit for chest around 25-35% of the way through that routine of yours.

[k9pit]

TBH, it looks like a plan to do a "whole lotta nothing" unless your goal is to build endurance and cardio capacity.

The reason I say that is because if you're going to plan for all of that, there is a very high chance that you will pull back on your intensity to get it all done. Pulling back on the intensity usually leads to shortchanging your overall effort.

If you go hard on the following, you should be covered:
1. Incline Bench Press variant (BB or DB) - 3 to 4 worksets
2. Flat or Decline BP variant (BB or DB) or Weighted Dips - 4 worksets
3. Fly variant (DB or Cable) - 2 to 4 worksets

[topnate]

There is a limit to how much growth you can stimulate in a given workout. Chances are, as a beginner, you reach that limit for chest around 25-35% of the way through that routine of yours.

So this is a bad thing?

[topnate]

TBH, it looks like a plan to do a "whole lotta nothing" unless your goal is to build endurance and cardio capacity.

The reason I say that is because if you're going to plan for all of that, there is a very high chance that you will pull back on your intensity to get it all done. Pulling back on the intensity usually leads to shortchanging your overall effort.

If you go hard on the following, you should be covered:
1. Incline Bench Press variant (BB or DB) - 3 to 4 worksets
2. Flat or Decline BP variant (BB or DB) or Weighted Dips - 4 worksets
3. Fly variant (DB or Cable) - 2 to 4 worksets

my idea is too build mass. your scheme gives up to 12 working sets. is this sufficient enough considering im on a 4 day split?

[Get-n-fit]

And my chest routine is
BB bench x3 (8-10)
BB incline x3 (8-10)
DB bench x3 (8-10)
DB incline x3 (8-10)
Incline flies x3 (8-10)
pec deck x3 (8-10)
Cable decline x3 (8-10)

Waaay too much IMHO. quality VS quantity would go a long ways here. Try cutting the exercises in half..ie, do DB's one week and then BB the next. Either way, cut back

[K5Mathews]

Totally agree.

Their is nothing wrong with this. Try it for 8 weeks, if you get result then stick with it. Just change your days and exercises around ever so often.

[davisj3537]

A traditional intermediate routine would have 1-3 chest exercises....you have 7. I'd be willing to bet you haven't reached intermediate status yet given that you've been splitting and only been working out for 9 months. So in that case most beginner programs have 1 chest exercise....you have 7.

Read a dozen intermediate routines and read a dozen beginner routines. Pick one you like...don't try adjusting yours.

[BushcraftAl]

Day1:Chest
Day2:back
Day3:Rest
Day 4: shoulders
Day 5: biceps&triceps

This is somewhat of the routine that i came up with. So which one do you think i should eliminate? and how many exercises/sets should i be doing? for my last months i was doing db bench db incline pec deck and barbell bench after that biceps. i feel exhausted and weak doing this plenty tho , or should i just alternate between barbell and dumbells?

You're missing half your body. Here's a hint: you're standing with them.

[Overload]

You're missing half your body. Here's a hint: you're standing with them.

Ha, didn't even notice that. OP would be better suited then to put biceps with back and triceps with chest and have a leg day in there.

[davies1991]

Imo way to much volume bro, if your relatively new to training try starting strength or stronglifts, both will give you a good base level of strength and size, you could go onto a more advanced split later on

[Peteday1]

Waaay too much IMHO. quality VS quantity would go a long ways here. Try the exercises in half..ie, do DB's one week and then BB the next. Either way, cut back

^^

I agree with this. Stick to the 8-10 range, you could even keep the same weight and just focus on absolutely nailing your technique before upping the weights.

You might watch videos on youtube of dudes doing a session as long as yours or what not but remember they might be on steroids and therefore can workout harder. Take a bit out of this session and really focus on quality and trust me you'll be hurting!

[Pain Zone]

Waaay too much IMHO. quality VS quantity would go a long ways here. Try the exercises in half..ie, do DB's one week and then BB the next. Either way, cut back

This. I think that's way too much.

[kanis999]

So this is a bad thing?

Yes, I'm saying you're wasting the other 65-75% of your time in that workout. Put more body parts into a single session with less sets per body part.

[TJP33]

Quality over quantity...
I read this earlier thinking we were just naming all the chest exercises
No legs- no respect. Unless in a wheelchair, I'm a hardass but I'm not Kanye.
Beginners don't write programs..

[topnate]

Quality over quantity...
I read this earlier thinking we were just naming all the chest exercises
No legs- no respect. Unless in a wheelchair, I'm a hardass but I'm not Kanye.
Beginners don't write programs..

Legs are with shoulders of course as mentioned in my first post. I did not realize that i didnt type that out at the following post. Anyways thank you all for the feedback , shall reduce it to 12-15sets!

[davisj3537]

I think the major concept you are missing is that since you are a beginner you don't have the knowledge needed to write a program. You writing a program that is good is like winning the lottery...it isn't gonna happen bud. Nothing against you, but it takes years of experience and hundreds of hours of research to do it correctly. You don't have either.

The bottom line is you should be using an expert designed routine.

[KDG730]

Hey there , been lifting for 9 months now , had some decent gains. was on the chest/bi back/tri leg/shoulder split.
Now i've changed it to one muscle per day , (shoulders with legs tho)
And my chest routine is
BB bench x3 (8-10)
BB incline x3 (8-10)
DB bench x3 (8-10)
DB incline x3 (8-10)
Incline flies x3 (8-10)
pec deck x3 (8-10)
Cable decline x3 (8-10)
end of every workout i'll just throw in a couple of abs workout. never done this much chest workout before as it was always paired up with biceps.
Should i switch it up between dumbells and barbell on a weekly basis or just stick to this?
Thanks!

This is way too much volume. Stick to 2-3 presses with some accessory moves. You don't need to do flat and incline with both barbells and dumbbells. Its the same movement. Pick one or the other

[k9pit]

my idea is too build mass. your scheme gives up to 12 working sets. is this sufficient enough considering im on a 4 day split?

my idea is too build mass. your scheme gives up to 12 working sets. is this sufficient enough considering im on a 4 day split?

If you go intense enough, yes.

You may also play around with the frequency as well (i.e., throw in a random set of chest (but not a full routine) at the end of another training day).

I hate to sound like a bb.com robot here, but what i'm going to say is true more times than not.....you may find the most value in getting on a routine like ICF 5x5, where frequency of stimulating of the same bodyparts several times a week with moderate volume has been proven quite effective in gaining mass.

Plus as a beginner (and beyond for that matter), the more quality reps you get in with the big lifts every week the better your technique becomes. So doing the big lifts like BB bench 2-3 times a week pays off big later. You'll find your rhythm a lot better and have "go to" moves (a base) for when you become an intermediate and start writing your own programs.

Either way you go:
Your way 1x week, a scaled down way 1x a week, or a full body way 3x a week, you'll make some mass gains as long as you eat and rest good....but you have to find which is the most effective for you. As a beginner, the full body way 3x a week has been proven pretty effective.

[kanis999]

OP you should read through the 'Routines' thread in my 'Noob Bible' that I just put as my forum signature.

Here's the quote that applies most to you:

"A routine to get you big and strong doesn't need to be filled with loads of "stuff" just heavy work on the important lifts at a frequency that you personally can recover from. If you decide to put together your own program remember to keep it

Simple
Basic
Focus on big lifts
Strength Progression"

[Overload]

"A routine to get you big and strong doesn't need to be filled with loads of "stuff" just heavy work on the important lifts at a frequency that you personally can recover from. If you decide to put together your own program remember to keep it

Simple
Basic
Focus on big lifts
Strength Progression"

Excellent advice. See too many threads on "should I do hammer curls, wrist curls, reverse wrist curls all on the same day?"