Training Chest / Shoulders / Triceps

[ali88]

Starting a new job soon, won't be able to get the gym as much as I have - four days a week.

I think my best option would be combining Chest / Shoulder / Triceps, but would this be detrimental at all to any of the muscle groups?

Are there many other options for a three day split without sacrificing too much?

[John Prophet]

chest/delt/triceps is a very standard way to do things....at least it WAS for years....nowadays people are too into the "one bodypart a day" deal...but for many years people did chest/delt/tri because they wanted to hit them more than once per week

I myself am doing chest/d/t and I have a client doing it also...both making good gains

along these lines perhaps (sort of a low volume approach)

bench 3-5x5
incline db press 3x10
abs (to give delts/tris a few minutes rest)
military press 3-4 x 5
side laterals 3x10
lying tri ext 3-4 x8-10
(optional) tricep pressdowns 3x10

[dbcb314]

i have an actual push or chest/tri/delt day as well...

only real problem is I kill myself the first two exercises and don't have much left for the last two, so you need to plan your exercises well and maybe rotate each week to which bodypart get the emphasis and gets done first.

[USMARINE8152]

like the above poster said make sure u rotate what exercises u preform first. mainly the chest or shoulder exercises. One work out start out with bb bench then next workout start out with BB military press.

[John Prophet]

i have an actual push or chest/tri/delt day as well...

only real problem is I kill myself the first two exercises and don't have much left for the last two, so you need to plan your exercises well and maybe rotate each week to which bodypart get the emphasis and gets done first.

yep, you have to sort of plan the workout ahead of time. See---> "strategy"

if you spend an hour on chest you can sort of figure on not having much left for delt/tri, lol....so you have to keep that in mind

sometimes what I would do is end chest with flyes, to give the tris a little break before I do overhead pressing


if your chest is good but your delts suck...dont be afraid to even do delts BEFORE chest


also, keep in mind, you may feel your triceps are weaker but just remember they are already getting a lot of work before you even get to them...so overall they are getting plenty of "indirect" work before you get to the direct tri work

[ali88]

Wow thanks guys. Lots of good replies.

I'll definately be making the change, probably switching between chest and shoulders to start with weekly.

I tend to fixated on one type of routine (the one that I'm on) and then when I have to make a change it feels like it's 'wrong'. Still need to learn the whole variety aspect of weight lifting.

[The Archangel]

I alternate between 3 and 4 day splits.
3 day
Chest/Shoulders/Tri's (abs)
Legs
Back/Bi's (abs)

4 day
Chest/Shoulders
Legs
Back
Bi's and Tri's