Tom Mutaffis 3-Day Split

[Hypermania]

Hi, I'm looking to do the 3 day split in the original post.

Just a few (dumb) questions

What is a "Leg Curl / Feet High Leg Press Superset (2 sets)"? I know of leg curls...and of Leg Presses. But what do you mean by this one thing? Is it two exercises? Or one?

For "- Walking Lunges (2 sets)", my gym doesn't have too much room in it at times. Walking lunges may not be possible for me. I'll try to do them though. If not, what exercise can I replace with it?

Lastly (this may have been answered in the topic, if so sorry), why dumbbell flat benches? Why not barbell? Just curiosu

[BillabongVolcom]

Hi, I'm looking to do the 3 day split in the original post.

Just a few (dumb) questions

What is a "Leg Curl / Feet High Leg Press Superset (2 sets)"? I know of leg curls...and of Leg Presses. But what do you mean by this one thing? Is it two exercises? Or one?

He means you would do Leg Curls then immediately do High Feet Leg Press with no rest. You Superset both of these exercises, then rest after you completed both exercises then repeat for 1 more set.

[TomMutaffis]

First routine looks good Tom, I might use it when I start my cut sometime early next year.

When you ran the program, I'm assuming you were eating in a surplus... any experiences on it while in a deficit? Also, how about the progression from week to week, as well as starting weights?

Your routine does not need to change when going from a surplus to a deficit; you simply need to adjust your progression and intensity.

Depending on how drastic your restriction is you will either want to focus on maintaining strength or moderating strength loss. I have made the best gains with a power/volume rotation, but each person responds differently to training and has different recovery abilities.

Starting weights should be challenging but not overwhelming. Remember, you do not have to have more weight on the bar to increase strength. A lot of people make this mistake and end up with missed reps or poor technique. It is possible to build strength simply through repetition.

The program is easily adaptable to your specific needs or objectives.

[TomMutaffis]

Hi, I'm looking to do the 3 day split in the original post.

Just a few (dumb) questions

What is a "Leg Curl / Feet High Leg Press Superset (2 sets)"? I know of leg curls...and of Leg Presses. But what do you mean by this one thing? Is it two exercises? Or one?

For "- Walking Lunges (2 sets)", my gym doesn't have too much room in it at times. Walking lunges may not be possible for me. I'll try to do them though. If not, what exercise can I replace with it?

Lastly (this may have been answered in the topic, if so sorry), why dumbbell flat benches? Why not barbell? Just curiosu

A superset is where you perform one exercise and then immediately perform another exercise without resting. This is a training technique that is commonly applied in bodybuilding.

Leg Curl / Feet High Leg Press = Perform one set of leg curls and then quickly go to the leg press and perform a set of leg press. This counts as (1) superset. Make sure to have the leg press loaded and keep a towel or something on the equipment so that it is not occupied when you return from the leg curl.

If you cannot do walking lunges then standing lunges are fine, but you really do not need much space to do them. You can perform walking lunges with 15-20 feet of space, it just requires you to turn around a bit more.

I prefer dumbbells for flat bench because they put a lot less strain on the shoulder joint and allow a trainee to go to failure without the need for a spotter. It also requires more stabilization and it is harder to use poor form unless you are simply limiting your range of motion.

Hope this helps - let me know if you have any other questions.

[Ironwake]

Your routine does not need to change when going from a surplus to a deficit; you simply need to adjust your progression and intensity.

Depending on how drastic your restriction is you will either want to focus on maintaining strength or moderating strength loss. I have made the best gains with a power/volume rotation, but each person responds differently to training and has different recovery abilities.

Starting weights should be challenging but not overwhelming. Remember, you do not have to have more weight on the bar to increase strength. A lot of people make this mistake and end up with missed reps or poor technique. It is possible to build strength simply through repetition.

The program is easily adaptable to your specific needs or objectives.

Thanks, I planned on switching off a beginner type template in about 2 months... for a full 6 months on Starting Strength .. starting to slow down

You mention either 'maintaining strength or moderating strength loss' how different in terms of calories are these two from each other?

[pixeljr]

Thank you for the feedback, let me know how the programs work for you.

No problem. I am on a bulk right now, going very slowly. Took 2 months to go from 183lbs to 188. Guess I am scared to gain weight faster then that, always been a fat kid all my life (250lbs+).

I am looking at your the first split you posted and thinking of doing that or starting Madcows 5x5.

Either way thank you for your posts. Read it all and have taken a lot from it.

There is just so much to read on training that its easy to get lost very fast.

[blackrazor]

Tom, outstanding GVT. I have a concern in bringing up my arms and shoulders. How could I specialize them using your GVT, which I really like or your other routines?

[Hypermania]

Awesome, thank you BillabongVolcom and TomMutaffis

One last question. The routine for a beginner should be:

Workout A: Pulling (Back/Biceps/Deadlift)
Deadlifts 2 x 8-10
Chin ups 3 x 8-10
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows 2 x 8-10
Close Grip Pulldowns 2 x 8-10
Barbell Curls 2 x 8-10
Hammer Curls 1 x 8-10

Workout B: Pushing (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps)
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 2 x 8-10
Incline Barbell Bench Press 2 x 8-10
Dips 2 x 8-10
Seated Dumbbell Military Press 3 x 8-10
Overhead Dumbbell Extension 2 x 8-10
Side Laterals 2 x 8-10
Pushdowns 2 x 8-10
Cable Crossover / Pec Deck 1 x 8-10


Workout C: Lower Body (Legs)
Squats 3 x 8-10
Straight Leg Deadlifts 2 x 8-10
Walking Lunges 2 x 8-10
Leg Curl/Feet High Leg Press Superset 2 x 8-10
Calf Raises 3 x 8-10


I just wanted to make sure the compounds were supposed to have that many reps. I'm basing this off your second post in the topic. I dropped a set from each compound and put the reps up.

Thanks in advanced.

[FatSoonGone]

What do you think of

Back/Triceps

Chest/Biceps

Legs/Shoulders

[Joelift]

Hey Tom, not sure if you're keeping up with this thread still, but anyone else can answer as well - in the 4 day split for the chest routine you use a standard incline press and later on a hammer strength incline press, what's the reasoning behind this?

I know that some body builders and lifters in general favor the incline press over flat bench for aesthetic reasons; is that the case here? I'm assuming not, but curious about the exercise selection.

Thanks

[TomMutaffis]

Thanks, I planned on switching off a beginner type template in about 2 months... for a full 6 months on Starting Strength .. starting to slow down

You mention either 'maintaining strength or moderating strength loss' how different in terms of calories are these two from each other?

I think that you are placing too much emphasis on calories; but if you wanted to define a range I would say that anything up to a 500 calorie/day deficit would be a maintenance strength program, and then anything over a 500 calorie deficit should shift the focus to simply moderating strength loss. The only thing that you really need to look at is the overall volume of your program.

When you are eating maintenance calores or 'bulking' you can get away with a bit more high intensity work, but when in a deficit you want to keep your volume down to allow for recovery.

[TomMutaffis]

Tom, outstanding GVT. I have a concern in bringing up my arms and shoulders. How could I specialize them using your GVT, which I really like or your other routines?

The way that I typically specialize a bodypart is by training them early in my workout, and by training them directly after a 'Rest' day.

For arms I would say that DB/BB curlse and either dips or close grip bench would be good movements to focus on. For Shoulders I would recommend DB Military Press. Another good shock principal to incorporate could be high rep isolation movements. Westside Barbell has some of their lifters do 100 rep pushdowns at the end of their pressing work, and a lot of the lifters have made some good hypertrophy gains with the increased volume.

Sometimes with smaller bodyparts a GVT program is not idea because of the volume (10x10); and you can always try something like the FST-7 protocol or 'cluster sets'.

I would be happy to write up a customized program for you if you can provide me with a bit more information on your current split, training background, strength levels, etc.

[TomMutaffis]

Awesome, thank you BillabongVolcom and TomMutaffis

One last question. The routine for a beginner should be:

Workout A: Pulling (Back/Biceps/Deadlift)
Deadlifts 2 x 8-10
Chin ups 3 x 8-10
One-Arm Dumbbell Rows 2 x 8-10
Close Grip Pulldowns 2 x 8-10
Barbell Curls 2 x 8-10
Hammer Curls 1 x 8-10

Workout B: Pushing (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps)
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 2 x 8-10
Incline Barbell Bench Press 2 x 8-10
Dips 2 x 8-10
Seated Dumbbell Military Press 3 x 8-10
Overhead Dumbbell Extension 2 x 8-10
Side Laterals 2 x 8-10
Pushdowns 2 x 8-10
Cable Crossover / Pec Deck 1 x 8-10


Workout C: Lower Body (Legs)
Squats 3 x 8-10
Straight Leg Deadlifts 2 x 8-10
Walking Lunges 2 x 8-10
Leg Curl/Feet High Leg Press Superset 2 x 8-10
Calf Raises 3 x 8-10


I just wanted to make sure the compounds were supposed to have that many reps. I'm basing this off your second post in the topic. I dropped a set from each compound and put the reps up.

Thanks in advanced.

That routine looks good. It can be adjusted based on the individual but you should make good strength/size gains with those rep ranges and the overall amount of volume.

For a beginner the most important thing is to work hard, avoid overtraining, learn proper form, and get your body acustom to training so that you can start to incorporate more advanced principals without running into recovery problems.

We can always customize things for your specific needs; just let me know if you would like for me to write something up for you.

[TomMutaffis]

What do you think of

Back/Triceps

Chest/Biceps

Legs/Shoulders

I do not like that template because you are basically training your triceps in every single workout. If you are doing a M/W/F split you would still allow for enough recovery time in many cases, but I still believe that you can make better gains with a push/pull breakdown.

[TomMutaffis]

Hey Tom, not sure if you're keeping up with this thread still, but anyone else can answer as well - in the 4 day split for the chest routine you use a standard incline press and later on a hammer strength incline press, what's the reasoning behind this?

I know that some body builders and lifters in general favor the incline press over flat bench for aesthetic reasons; is that the case here? I'm assuming not, but curious about the exercise selection.

Thanks

You can use whichever Hammer Strength chest machine you prefer; I just feel like I get the most out of the Incline Press and for me it actually seems like more of a flat bench press due to the angle.

For most individuals incline pressing is easier on the shoulder joint; and pec tears / rotator problems / labrum tears are less common on incline. Dumbbells are usually the best option but not every gym has heavy DB's.

I like to include a lot of variation in my training and hit each muscle group from different angles. This has always produced good results for me.

[blackrazor]

I am in the military and have been working out every since 93 when I came in. My current split went from Chest/Shoulders/Tris, Back/Bis, and then Legs to just one bodypart at a time. All over the place. I am 5'8" at 181 pounds not all muscle(around the gut) working on that.....I do not have exact numbers for my strength levels but I would say its around average to high depending on the lifts.

The way that I typically specialize a bodypart is by training them early in my workout, and by training them directly after a 'Rest' day.

For arms I would say that DB/BB curlse and either dips or close grip bench would be good movements to focus on. For Shoulders I would recommend DB Military Press. Another good shock principal to incorporate could be high rep isolation movements. Westside Barbell has some of their lifters do 100 rep pushdowns at the end of their pressing work, and a lot of the lifters have made some good hypertrophy gains with the increased volume.

Sometimes with smaller bodyparts a GVT program is not idea because of the volume (10x10); and you can always try something like the FST-7 protocol or 'cluster sets'.

I would be happy to write up a customized program for you if you can provide me with a bit more information on your current split, training background, strength levels, etc.

[CookAndrewB]

Westside Barbell has some of their lifters do 100 rep pushdowns at the end of their pressing work, and a lot of the lifters have made some good hypertrophy gains with the increased volume.

Tom,

I will say that I've been doing very high rep, very light resistance work for triceps and biceps and the hypertrophy gains have been phenomenal. I aim for 100 total reps, but frankly I never get close before I'm uncomfortably pumped and unwilling to push further. I've been using bands for these exercises, vice iron weight or pulley machines. The resistance curve matches nicely, even in a lower resistance band.

I will also say that this type of work is best for isolations because you don't get compensatory movements to cope with fatigue. In larger compounds your body will change the movement pattern to allow fatigued muscles to rest. For instance, a squat may become more quad dominant as the hamstrings and glutes tire. In an isolation there is no possibility of this, and thus higher rep work seems to work better.

Hope you had a good holiday, Tom.

[Ironwake]

I think that you are placing too much emphasis on calories; but if you wanted to define a range I would say that anything up to a 500 calorie/day deficit would be a maintenance strength program, and then anything over a 500 calorie deficit should shift the focus to simply moderating strength loss. The only thing that you really need to look at is the overall volume of your program.

When you are eating maintenance calores or 'bulking' you can get away with a bit more high intensity work, but when in a deficit you want to keep your volume down to allow for recovery.

Thanks Tom, I'll let you how the program goes when I give it a try next year.

[TomMutaffis]

I am in the military and have been working out every since 93 when I came in. My current split went from Chest/Shoulders/Tris, Back/Bis, and then Legs to just one bodypart at a time. All over the place. I am 5'8" at 181 pounds not all muscle(around the gut) working on that.....I do not have exact numbers for my strength levels but I would say its around average to high depending on the lifts.

I would break up your split differently.

Something like this program may work well for you:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm

Another way to look at things would be to break it down into smaller workouts and spread your training over a 5-day split:

GVT 5-Day Split:
Monday: Back (Chins GVT), Rows for Accessory.
Tuesday: Chest (DB Bench GVT), Incline / Decline BB for Accessory
Wednesday: Legs (Squat GVT), Leg Curl for Accessory
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Biceps / Triceps (Curls GVT, Dips or CGBP GVT), Very little Accessory work.
Saturday: Shoulders (Accessory workout - Seated DB Military, Side Raises only)
Sunday: Rest

With regard to body composition, diet is going to be the most important factor. Do you currently track your calories / macronutrients / etc.? If you would like to post up your current diet I would be happy to see if there are any ways that we might be able to tweak things for you.

I can also write up a more comprehensive program with detailed accessory work if you think that the split above is a good option for you.

Hope this helps!

[TomMutaffis]

Tom,

I will say that I've been doing very high rep, very light resistance work for triceps and biceps and the hypertrophy gains have been phenomenal. I aim for 100 total reps, but frankly I never get close before I'm uncomfortably pumped and unwilling to push further. I've been using bands for these exercises, vice iron weight or pulley machines. The resistance curve matches nicely, even in a lower resistance band.

I will also say that this type of work is best for isolations because you don't get compensatory movements to cope with fatigue. In larger compounds your body will change the movement pattern to allow fatigued muscles to rest. For instance, a squat may become more quad dominant as the hamstrings and glutes tire. In an isolation there is no possibility of this, and thus higher rep work seems to work better.

Hope you had a good holiday, Tom.

Glad to hear that the high rep / high volume protocol has worked well for you. It can definitely be challenging when you go for a 50+ rep 'marathon set'.

It is interesting that you mentioned bands; Chris Mason is currently drafting an article on bodybuilding training with bands and it should be released some time later this month.

[kitarpyar]

Glad to hear that the high rep / high volume protocol has worked well for you. It can definitely be challenging when you go for a 50+ rep 'marathon set'.

This set-up sounds a lot like the bodybuilding system advocated by Dr Fred Hatfield (mix of 5,10-12 and 40 rep sets) in spirit at least.

[Hypermania]

That routine looks good. It can be adjusted based on the individual but you should make good strength/size gains with those rep ranges and the overall amount of volume.

For a beginner the most important thing is to work hard, avoid overtraining, learn proper form, and get your body acustom to training so that you can start to incorporate more advanced principals without running into recovery problems.

We can always customize things for your specific needs; just let me know if you would like for me to write something up for you.

Thanks a lot for your help.

[james0566]

Tom, you've created a very informative thread. It will help many people here. Thanks for your time spent! Your knowledge and desire to help others, is truly refreshing! REPS!

[blackrazor]

Great, I will give it a go. Thanks for all your help.

I would break up your split differently.

Something like this program may work well for you:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/luis13.htm

Another way to look at things would be to break it down into smaller workouts and spread your training over a 5-day split:

GVT 5-Day Split:
Monday: Back (Chins GVT), Rows for Accessory.
Tuesday: Chest (DB Bench GVT), Incline / Decline BB for Accessory
Wednesday: Legs (Squat GVT), Leg Curl for Accessory
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Biceps / Triceps (Curls GVT, Dips or CGBP GVT), Very little Accessory work.
Saturday: Shoulders (Accessory workout - Seated DB Military, Side Raises only)
Sunday: Rest

With regard to body composition, diet is going to be the most important factor. Do you currently track your calories / macronutrients / etc.? If you would like to post up your current diet I would be happy to see if there are any ways that we might be able to tweak things for you.

I can also write up a more comprehensive program with detailed accessory work if you think that the split above is a good option for you.

Hope this helps!

[WarChant]

Tom what kind of weight progression do you suggest on the 4/5 day routine. Specifically on the big 3 lifts? What about he isolation lifts?

I just started the routine this week. I loved the back day, I'm hitting chest today. I have one more week of maintaining/bulking, then I'm starting my cut.


Thanks for the info.

[ATL_K9]

Looks really good. I'm gonna run with it for the next 4 weeks and see how it goes. Thanks!

[TomMutaffis]

Tom what kind of weight progression do you suggest on the 4/5 day routine. Specifically on the big 3 lifts? What about he isolation lifts?

I just started the routine this week. I loved the back day, I'm hitting chest today. I have one more week of maintaining/bulking, then I'm starting my cut.

Thanks for the info.

The weight progression really depends on the individual and your goals / diet. There are two methods which I have found to be very successful, one for strength and the other is more of a hybrid solution (hypertrophy/strength).

Option 1: 5/3/1 Protocol
Week One - Three sets of (5), progressive increase on each set.
Week Two - Three sets of (3), progressive increase on each set.
Week Three - Set of (5), Set of (3), Set of (1)
Week Four - Deload
Week Five - Repeat

*I will attach a spreadsheet that you can use to determine weights; just plug in your maxes.

Option 2: Dual Progression
This is the one that I would use for bodybuilding. You basically alternate from week to week between 'volume' and 'power' workouts. A volume day for a strength athlete might be something like six sets of four, and a volume day for a bodybuilder might look more like the FST-7 protocol or something similar. The power day is usually a 3x3, or a 'cluster set' of singles (multiple singles performed with moderated rest periods).

Let me know what you think and we can come up with something specific to your goals / lifestyle / etc.

[WarChant]

The weight progression really depends on the individual and your goals / diet. There are two methods which I have found to be very successful, one for strength and the other is more of a hybrid solution (hypertrophy/strength).

Option 1: 5/3/1 Protocol
Week One - Three sets of (5), progressive increase on each set.
Week Two - Three sets of (3), progressive increase on each set.
Week Three - Set of (5), Set of (3), Set of (1)
Week Four - Deload
Week Five - Repeat

*I will attach a spreadsheet that you can use to determine weights; just plug in your maxes.

Option 2: Dual Progression
This is the one that I would use for bodybuilding. You basically alternate from week to week between 'volume' and 'power' workouts. A volume day for a strength athlete might be something like six sets of four, and a volume day for a bodybuilder might look more like the FST-7 protocol or something similar. The power day is usually a 3x3, or a 'cluster set' of singles (multiple singles performed with moderated rest periods).

Let me know what you think and we can come up with something specific to your goals / lifestyle / etc.

Wow, I really appreciate the in-depth response. Do you think I'd be able to make decent strength gains using the 5-3-1 method while under reduced calories? I'm about to hit the bed, but I'll give you more information on my "cutting plan" tomorrow.

Thanks again for all the help.

edit-

I'm planning to start on about 2000 cals tomorrow (about 600 under maintenance), using your 4-day split and 2 days of HIIT cardio a week. I'm also playing a couple club sports and will add LISS after lifting if necessary.

If I use the 5-3-1 with your 4 day split, what would my deloading days look like? Do I run the rest of the program as you laid it out?

[TomMutaffis]

Wow, I really appreciate the in-depth response. Do you think I'd be able to make decent strength gains using the 5-3-1 method while under reduced calories? I'm about to hit the bed, but I'll give you more information on my "cutting plan" tomorrow.

Thanks again for all the help.

edit-

I'm planning to start on about 2000 cals tomorrow (about 600 under maintenance), using your 4-day split and 2 days of HIIT cardio a week. I'm also playing a couple club sports and will add LISS after lifting if necessary.

If I use the 5-3-1 with your 4 day split, what would my deloading days look like? Do I run the rest of the program as you laid it out?

It really depends on the individual; the 5/3/1 works well for natural trainees and does not have very aggressive progression so you shoudl be fine as long as you are reasonable with your maxes (the numbers that you use to calculate working weights). I would say to give it a try and if you start missing lifts after a couple of weeks then abandon the 5/3/1 and go with a different protocol.

Let me know if there is anything else that you would like to discuss.

[BillabongVolcom]

bump this thread. Theres a lot of good information in this thread.