Lean Mass Building: Please comment on my planned routine.....

[re-newb]

I've been lazy for 7 yrs,and only about to re-start bodybuilding. I have to start almost from scratch here. Here is my proposed workout, all suggestions are welcome:

DAY 1:
Chest:
Flat Benches (4 sets x 6-10 reps)
Incline Benches (4 x 6-10)
Flyes (4 x 6-10)
Back: Barbell Rows (4 x 6-10 )
Lat Pulldowns---> Progressing to Chin-Ups(4 x 10-15)
Deltoids: Military Presses (4 x 6-10 )
Traps: Barbell Shrugs (4 x 6-10 )
Biceps: Barbell Curls (3 x 8-10 )
Triceps:Tricep presses (3 x 8-10 )

DAY 2: No Workout

DAY 3:
Abdominals: any suggestions? (crunches, etc?)
Low Back/Legs: Heavy Deadlifts (3 sets x 6 reps)

DAY 4: No Workout

DAY 5:
Legs: Squats (4 x6-10 )
Leg Curls (4x6-10)
Leg Extensions (4x6-10)

DAY 6 and 7: Rest/No workout

I will be taking EAS Simply Creatine. I plan to do a 5-day creatine loading (20g/day), and take 5g daily. Does this sound ok?

Thanks for your "critiques"

[collosus]

Maybe legs on day 1 & 5,try to get them further apart,or maybe try to have only one day.Creatine is always good.

[Boa]

Good to hear you're getting back to training. It looks to me like your routine is way too...unbalanced. You're doing a hell of alot on day one compared to any other day. Whether you're starting out again after a layoff or not, you need to spread the load evenly throughout the week - this way you can maintain maximum focus on EVERY bodypart and your recovery will be better too. Try this:

*MONDAY*
BACK:
1) Medium Grip Chin - as many sets as it takes to get to 30 total reps. Once you can do 3 sets of ten start adding weight. If you can't do 4 or 5 good chins, do pulldowns until you get a little stronger in this area...
2) Barbell Row - 3 sets (1 set warmup, 2 heavy work sets)...
3) Deadlift - 4 sets (2 sets warmup, 2 sets heavy etc.)...
CHEST:
1) Bench Press (flat/barbell) - 4 sets (2 sets warmup, 2 work sets.)...
2) Incline Dbell Press (not too high an incline - no more than 30 degrees) - 3 sets (1 sets warmup to get into the right groove, 2 heavy work sets)...
3) Incline flies - 2 sets (don't go too heavy - go for feel and pump)...

*TUESDAY*
OFF

*WEDNESDAY*
LEGS:
1) Squat - 4 sets (2 sets warmup, 2 heavy work sets)...
2) Front Squat - 3 sets (1 warmup to get into the right groove, 2 heavy work sets)
3) Calf Raise - 3 sets (1 warmup to get into groove, etc.)
4) Seted Calf Raise - 3 sets (same as above)
SHOULDERS:
1) Barbell Press - 4 sets (2 warmup, 2 work sets)...
2) Dumbell Press - 3 sets (1 warmup, 2 work sets)...
3) Upright Row - 2 sets (don't go too heavy - feeeel it)...
You might want to do side laterals - up to you but probably not a priority at this stage...same goes for a couple fo sets of shrugs (Dumbell shrugs preferably)

*THURSDAY*
OFF

*FRIDAY*
BICEPS:
1) EZ-bar Curls(or Barbell if your wrists can take it) - 4 sets (2 warmup, 2 work sets)...
2) Alternate Dumbell Curl (seated) - 3 sets (1 warmup, 2 work sets)...
Again, you might want to add a couple of sets of Concentration Curls or such like, for pumping, but again, I think it's unnecessary (or even counterproductive) at this stage.
TRICEPS:
1) Close Grip Bench Press - 4 sets (2 warmup, 2 work sets)...
2) Lying EZ-bar Extension - 3 sets (1 warmup, 2 work sets)...
FOREARMS:
1) Dumbell Wrist Curl - 3 sets (1 warmup to get the feel, 2 work sets)...
2) EZ/Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl - 3 sets as above...)...

FINISHED...Notice that you only need three sets on secondary exercises - just 1 warmup with a weight 50% or 60% of the weight you use for your 2 work sets. This is really just to get into the groove of the exercise. Don't go to filure in the warmup sets. It's the two heavy sets which are going to build the muscle. The warmups are only there to warmup.

Don't add sets/exercises. If you can do any more on any exercise you're not working hard enough. Keep your form tight. Keep your focus at all times. Put your mind into the muscle you're trying to work (and, in order to do this, be aware of which muscle each exercise targets).

Reps..?
First warmup set with about 50% - 60% of the weight you use in work sets, you need to perform around 12 reps. ..
The second warmup set (only relevant to those heavy, compound movements which usually start each bodypart workout) use about 70%-80% of the weight you use in the two work sets - keep reps from 8-10 for this sets - REMEMBER - it is a warmup, designed to get your muscle/mind used to the heavy weight.
For your two work sets use the same weight for 6-8 reps. Once you can perform AT LEAST 8 reps with this weight on BOTH work sets, up the weight. DO NOT up the weight until this can be achieved IN GOOD FORM. If you cheat you'll soon find youself having to drop back on the weight (or even take a forced layoff due to injury).

I've had good, steady gains on this routine - hope it's given you some ideas...

[re-newb]

I forgot to ask another question, btw: I have a strained left ankle, and have been taking paracetamol/analgesic for the pain for the past week. Are there any counter-constructive effects of these anti-pain tablets on creatine-taking and muscle building? Do you suggest I take as a long lay-off for the ankle to heal, or should I go on and continue training other parts (upper body) while just taking my medicine for the pain in my left ankle?

BOA: Your suggested routine looks lots better than what I have been planning. I'll look into it, and see if I get better gains on this routine. The only thing is, you forgot abdominal training (I have some, though not large, love-handles )....I am thinking of just doing crunches and leg raises to failure. I have reservations on sit-ups after I read that they might not be as specific as cruches in targetting the abs. Also, I have these "Triceps Bar" (the one with two vertical handles along two horizontal bars), and have been using them for triceps extensions before. Any experience with this?

[Bomber33]

Good routines, but getting entire body worked out in 3 days is a little too hard ( I think). I tried these types of workouts ( 3 days a week) I wsn't too impressed with the results I was getting. It just too damn hard to work out two or three major body parts in one wrokout. For example, when doing back ( deadlifts take a lot energy and strength out of you), so by the time you'r done with the back you're already exhausted.....but you got to workout on a chest for which you'll have no energy and strenght at all. Same thing goes for legs and shoulders.
Thee days a week workout should be used if you don't have much time on your hands during week.
Here is the split that i follow ( works for me);
Monday---Back and Abs
Tuesday--Chest, Biceps, Calves
Wednesday--OFF (Protein,Protein,Protein)
Thursday--Legs, Foreamrs, Abs
Friday----Shoulders, triceps, calves
Saturday--OFF
Sunday----OFF
....As far as exercies, post by "BOA" had good exercises.

[collosus]

Abs are something you can do everyday! At the end of your session or break your sets up in between excersises.
So lets just say 3 sets of bench press followed by one set of crunches to failure.
3 sets of cable flys followed by one set of leg raises etc etc.
Abs are the only thing actually want to be superstrong(upper body support)but very small so as long as you have enough energy you can really drive them hard.

[Boa]

Yeh, sorry, forgot about abs. I've got to admit that I'm not all that regular with ab training. I tend to just do a couple of sets of incline crunches followed by a couple of sets of reverse crunches once (maybe twice) per week. My abs seem to get ALOT of work from Deadlifting, Squating...just about every exercise anyway. But like Collosus says, this is one muscle group you want to be VERY strong (in order to help stability and overall power but not big - unless you're after the distended look GH stomach.

By the way Bomber33, I hear what you're saying about the three day vs four day split. To tell you the truth I tend to work Back on it's own now, Legs on their own too, and then...hang on, I've just looked back at your post and I do almost exactly the same split. I figured that Re-newb was restricted by time into doing the Monday, Wednesday, Friday split he mentioned. Mind you, when I began training I didn't find any problems doing two bodyparts a day - don't know if it was because of beginner's enthusiasm or just the limited stress caused by using less than max weights while learning the exercises again. Now though, I'm definately into two on/one off, two on/two off. I did find that trying out a five day on/two day off split, training each bodaypart seperately was too much though. It was just too many days training in a row, and also I gradually found myself doing a little bit more for each bodypart - big mistake. Eventually I lost enthusiasm for training and felt overtrained. Nope, the four day split is the best compromise...

[olympian]

yo bro, when you do legs you have to do quads and hamstrings.squats are always good. you dont need front squats. do leg press and leg extentions ( 3 sets for 8 to 12 reps. for hamstrings do stiff-legged deadlifts, and lying leg curls. thats better. do at least 3 exercises for each body part.

[BigBrother]

BUMP ON BOAS REPLY

(MON-Chest & Back
TUES- Off
WED- Legs & shoulders
THURS- Off
FRI- Bis & Tris)

[jdm001]

Be VERY carefull if you have muscle relaxants mixed into your painkiller. It is popular for strains on muscles to add it into the painkiller. I tried to maintain my workouts when I strained my back and nearly dropped what I thought was a light amount because the muscle relaxants were stronger than I thought.

Also, I found it is easy to overtrain on painkillers. Pay very close attention to what you do. If you find your lifting a whole lot longer or even heavier without feeling as much then the painkillers are making you ignore the warnings and you'll overtrain.


Jm

[Original Poster]

Originally posted by BigBrother
BUMP ON BOAS REPLY

(MON-Chest & Back
TUES- Off
WED- Legs & shoulders
THURS- Off
FRI- Bis & Tris)

The only thing I really don't like about this is Fridays....
.... bi's and tri's on the same day.

I think that is better to work opposing muscles on different days.
I would never recommend to work (specifically target) bi's and tri's the same day.

[Bomber33]

Bottome line is.... that different routnes work differently work for different people.
Also I think a lot depends on your schedule outside the gym. For example I go to school full time and I work 36 hours a week, and between that I try to squeeze in the time for the gym, so by the time I get to the gym I don't have much energy nor enthusiasm to work out. But if I had no work or shcool and just to worked out, ate, slept and ate more,,,,,,,then I think 3 days on 1 day off, could possibly work out!! Thus, depending on your "life" schedule...you need to adjust your work out schedule.

[collosus]

Chi_town

Do you do your whole leg routine on one day?
qauds and hams are opposing muscle groups,just like tri' and bi's
I train chest & back together and Bi's and tri's together and this works well for me,but of course everyone is different.

[Original Poster]

collosus,

You got me there. Maybe you are right. I do do a whole leg routine in one day, but for some reason, I never felt it should apply to legs, since they are such a large muscle group.

Everyone is different !

With arms, I feel that you work bi's and tri's so much as secondary targeted muscles while doing other bodyparts, back, shoulders ect..., that you should not target them as your primary muscles to hit the same day. Just my "O".