Hypertrophy/Bodybuilding Routine

[sepandee]

Hi everybody I think I know the answer to this but I just wanted to be sure. On this version of the routine it says the deload week is complete rest from the gym, does that mean no lifting at all instead of just the first set of 10 like before?

It depends. We all seem to have a different approach. Some take a week off, some do the first set, some do light cardio and stretching, and some don't have a deload scheduled at all because life eventually forces everyone to "deload" for a few days or a week.

[JealousFist]

It depends. We all seem to have a different approach. Some take a week off, some do the first set, some do light cardio and stretching, and some don't have a deload scheduled at all because life eventually forces everyone to "deload" for a few days or a week.

Thanks man, I appreciate it.

[chown]

For those who follow this routine, everybody uses pauses reps or touch and go?

Because squatting twelve times with a pause give me some dizziness. Perhaps I have to squat, or even bench, with less wieght.

Do you guys feel this?

[EmperorRyker]

For those who follow this routine, everybody uses pauses reps or touch and go?

Because squatting twelve times with a pause give me some dizziness. Perhaps I have to squat, or even bench, with less wieght.

Do you guys feel this?

It's not pause reps, it's rest pause. Look at the original post to see how it works.

[chown]

It's not pause reps, it's rest pause. Look at the original post to see how it works.

Eish.. I've been doing all wrong.

[sepandee]

Eish.. I've been doing all wrong.

Oh, haha. Sorry, but I had to laugh. I thought you're doing rest pauce with pause reps!

[ewillers55]

OK, so Im in my third month of this, and I love the gains, but starting my fourth month Im DYING. No energy, or motivation. numbers stagnating and its harder to meet previous goals. I kinda feel like crying because Im so tired when I lift. Sincere feeling of dread. I take a full 7 days off every 4th week, but now Im thinking to go through a week of regular training except just with light weight. Good idea?

[JealousFist]

OK, so Im in my third month of this, and I love the gains, but starting my fourth month Im DYING. No energy, or motivation. numbers stagnating and its harder to meet previous goals. I kinda feel like crying because Im so tired when I lift. Sincere feeling of dread. I take a full 7 days off every 4th week, but now Im thinking to go through a week of regular training except just with light weight. Good idea?

It sounds like a problem with your diet maybe. Have you leaned out? You just might not be getting enough carbs to refuel your glycogen, that happened to me for a week or so. I felt a lot like what your describing. But im, for sure, no nutrition expert lol.

[ewillers55]

It sounds like a problem with your diet maybe. Have you leaned out? You just might not be getting enough carbs to refuel your glycogen, that happened to me for a week or so. I felt a lot like what your describing. But im, for sure, no nutrition expert lol.

i stopped taking creatine and protein my deload week, and just forgot about my diet during those days. now that Im thinking about it, I barely ate anything. Im gonna try and focus on the carbs.

[SXElifter]

OK, so Im in my third month of this, and I love the gains, but starting my fourth month Im DYING. No energy, or motivation. numbers stagnating and its harder to meet previous goals. I kinda feel like crying because Im so tired when I lift. Sincere feeling of dread. I take a full 7 days off every 4th week, but now Im thinking to go through a week of regular training except just with light weight. Good idea?

It is likely due to your diet like previously mentioned. What have you been doing with your body weight? Cut? Bulk? Recomp? How many carbs have you been eating? (this is likely where the main issue lies) Your actual food sources are extremely important as well and could help a lot (whole milk, whole eggs, and unprocessed meat are the best foods you can possibly eat, in addition to some other carb sources).

[chown]

Oh, haha. Sorry, but I had to laugh. I thought you're doing rest pauce with pause reps!

Only pause reps. But now I'll change that. Rest pause all the way.

Gains, I'm coming for you.

[ThomasBrah]

Just so im clear:

There's not direct shoulder pressing movements in this routine? ie barbell OHP or dumbbell OHP?
-Im assuming there isnt because the front delts get worked enough with all the chest pressing movements, and you dont want overdeveloped delts?

Actually how many times a week are you working side delts? I never thought about training them more than 2X a week but im curious to see what other people are doing

[Alyion]

There's not direct shoulder pressing movements in this routine? ie barbell OHP or dumbbell OHP?
-Im assuming there isnt because the front delts get worked enough with all the chest pressing movements, and you dont want overdeveloped delts?

Correct, although I personally started to develop shoulder pain which went away when I starting overhead pressing again - I now include this lift in my workout, but that's just me - I would rather have overdeveloped delts if it means healthy shoulders

[ThomasBrah]

Correct, although I personally started to develop shoulder pain which went away when I starting overhead pressing again - I now include this lift in my workout, but that's just me - I would rather have overdeveloped delts if it means healthy shoulders

Thanks for the reply. I had overdeveloped shoulders a couple years ago and an underdeveloped chest. Stopped front delt exercises altogether and it's seemed to even out.

How many times are you guys working your side and rear delts every week?

Right now I'm doing rear delts 2X a week and side delts 3-4X's. This too much? I'd imagine you can't really have overdeveloped side delts.

[Joggeli]

OK, so Im in my third month of this, and I love the gains, but starting my fourth month Im DYING. No energy, or motivation. numbers stagnating and its harder to meet previous goals. I kinda feel like crying because Im so tired when I lift. Sincere feeling of dread. I take a full 7 days off every 4th week, but now Im thinking to go through a week of regular training except just with light weight. Good idea?

I had the exact same problem. For me, it was simply because this routine can get extremely boring very quickly. Doing the exact same 2-3 workouts 2x/week over and over again was just not my thing. I stopped looking forward to training after a few weeks. It just felt like tedious work.

That being said, I loved the results when I did this routine and I'm still trying to find a way to make it work for me.

[sepandee]

I had the exact same problem. For me, it was simply because this routine can get extremely boring very quickly. Doing the exact same 2-3 workouts 2x/week over and over again was just not my thing. I stopped looking forward to training after a few weeks. It just felt like tedious work.

That being said, I loved the results when I did this routine and I'm still trying to find a way to make it work for me.

You can always change the lifts after a while if you get bored with them.

[timst]

I'm looking for some advice from the more experienced guys in here.

A little background info: for like the past year I've been following a really volume workout combined with carb cycling, (abbreviated training inspired by Leangains.com and the book Beyond Brawn). I was focussing on the big three + chins and per week I've hit like 10 reps per exercise combined with extreme high intensity (based of 1 RM). Work capacity was (and is) obviously severely lacking, since I rested for like 5 minutes in between sets. I dropped the carb cycling and this workout regime and for the last week I've done the PPL as described in the OP and boy it was a humbling experience. From 10 reps on bench per week total to 60 per week total for a higher rep range + ~ 30 sec rest between sets was brutal, but I like it. My concerns are with what would be the best setup for someone on my level.

I've read through the older Kelei topics and a full body approach would be more appropiated for people that haven't met the strength guidelines he mentiones in these topics. Looking at those guidelines, I would be qualified as a beginner. My stats:

Bench: 0.85 x bw for 11 reps (I obviously lack conditioning, but I don't think that I would hit the required bw x 10 when I get used to this routine in a few weeks)

Front squat: never did them. Last week I tried them and I hit 0.72 x bw for 12 reps. Could have done more, but since my fingers/wrists fell like they would break I stopped after 12. Also in the follow up sets my grip was really the limiting factor. I'm still struggling to get my grip/form down, but I don't think that I would hit the 1.25 x BW x 10 reps front squat goal even when I get my grip down.

RDL: also never did them. Last week I did around bw x 10.

Would you guys advice me, since I'm not an intermediate as per Kelei's standards, to do a beginner PPL as described in the earlier Kelei thread? Or would you advice me just to continue with the PPL? Obviously I'm looking for the most efficient way to train. I know frequency is king for the less advanced lifter, so I'm kinda doubting my current routine. Any recommendations/comments would be appreciated.

[mzakflip40]

Anyone else getting burnt out doing rest pause with this? I've doing rest pause sets with 15-45 sec rest periods depending on the exercise for about 2-3 months now, but I'm just starting to feel unmotivated with training style. Does any one switch up their rep schemes/training style frequently?

[smeyichou]

Anyone else getting burnt out doing rest pause with this? I've doing rest pause sets with 15-45 sec rest periods depending on the exercise for about 2-3 months now, but I'm just starting to feel unmotivated with training style. Does any one switch up their rep schemes/training style frequently?

Do you deload regularly?

[Khalicks]

^ And do you follow the OP's nutrition advice, etc.?

[eriram]

Kelei Break from Rest Pause

If any of you would like to take a break from strict rest-pause training for a while I recommend the following guidelines:

- Pick a weight you can lift 8-12 times
- Perform 3-5 sets per exercise
- Rest 60 seconds between each set
- Take each set to failure (as many full reps as possible, you shouldn't literally fail)
- Add more weight once you can complete 12 reps in your first set.

This is a middleground between straight sets and rest-pause, you still spend plenty of time near failure but not to the same extent as proper rest-pause.

[sepandee]

I'm looking for some advice from the more experienced guys in here.

...

Would you guys advice me, since I'm not an intermediate as per Kelei's standards, to do a beginner PPL as described in the earlier Kelei thread? Or would you advice me just to continue with the PPL? Obviously I'm looking for the most efficient way to train. I know frequency is king for the less advanced lifter, so I'm kinda doubting my current routine. Any recommendations/comments would be appreciated.

What are your 1RMs? Bench, back squat, deadlift.

Anyone else getting burnt out doing rest pause with this? I've doing rest pause sets with 15-45 sec rest periods depending on the exercise for about 2-3 months now, but I'm just starting to feel unmotivated with training style. Does any one switch up their rep schemes/training style frequently?

Kelei Break from Rest Pause

If any of you would like to take a break from strict rest-pause training for a while I recommend the following guidelines:

- Pick a weight you can lift 8-12 times
- Perform 3-5 sets per exercise
- Rest 60 seconds between each set
- Take each set to failure (as many full reps as possible, you shouldn't literally fail)
- Add more weight once you can complete 12 reps in your first set.

This is a middleground between straight sets and rest-pause, you still spend plenty of time near failure but not to the same extent as proper rest-pause.

This is pretty much what I've been doing. There's some limited research to suggest that *perhaps* going to failure more often (through more sets) with less breaks, all else being equal (e.g. volume), is more beneficial for hypertrophy than doing the same volume but with fewer sets/failures. Personally, I remain unconvinced and, even if I was to be, I would shrug my shoulders and say 'meh.' Do whatever keeps you in the gym. For me, that means trying to get out fo the gym as quickly as possible, which with the addition of 15 min stretching + all my rehab exercises, becomes a challenge. So on push and pull days, I stretch my lower body in between sets and do my rehab exercises, resulting in a roughly 1 min break in between each set. So generally, my sets look like this: weight x 10/8/8/6/6/6/5

[goatpecs]

stopped reading at elbows flared upper chest no arch bench press

[Alyion]

stopped reading at elbows flared upper chest no arch bench press

^^ Shame, you missed out on some excellent advice then - especially the part where he states that exercises are individual and can be substituted when needed.


...oh wait - that was before the bench press recommendation....

[timst]

What are your 1RMs? Bench, back squat, deadlift.

Thanks for the reply. I've already decided to do a PPL.


I have another question for you guys. From monday - friday I train before I go to work. I have about 60-75 minutes to complete my workout. I've noticed that I can't finish my workout in time if I do 50 reps per exercise. For example on push day, I needed to skip my flys because I had no time to do them. Benching and incline benching took up way too much time to add another chest exercise, so I did some rope pulldowns and called it a day. For my back day I've noticed the same. If I do 50 reps per exercise, I can't finish my whole workout in time. On saturday and sunday I don't have this problem so on the weekends I'm doing 50 reps for all exercises. Time is no issue here.

So my question is: would you guys advice me to reduce the volume from monday to friday to 30/40 reps so I can do all exercises (and therefore have more variety?) Or should I just pick less exercises (for example leave the chest fly out of my program and stick to flat and incline bench) and pump out 50 reps for those? I've read about the importance of variety in the past topics, but I'm curious to hear what you guys think about this.

[mzakflip40]

Does anyone incorporate direct trap work into their pull day? (i.e shrugs)

[goatpecs]

^^ Shame, you missed out on some excellent advice then - especially the part where he states that exercises are individual and can be substituted when needed.


...oh wait - that was before the bench press recommendation....

Sorry bro I value my rotator cuffs

[TripleStack]

Subbed, I need a change-up. How many sets total per muscle group? And did I read that right - deload (no lifting) every 3 weeks? Lift 3 weeks / take 1 off?

[sepandee]

Thanks for the reply. I've already decided to do a PPL.


I have another question for you guys. From monday - friday I train before I go to work. I have about 60-75 minutes to complete my workout. I've noticed that I can't finish my workout in time if I do 50 reps per exercise. For example on push day, I needed to skip my flys because I had no time to do them. Benching and incline benching took up way too much time to add another chest exercise, so I did some rope pulldowns and called it a day. For my back day I've noticed the same. If I do 50 reps per exercise, I can't finish my whole workout in time. On saturday and sunday I don't have this problem so on the weekends I'm doing 50 reps for all exercises. Time is no issue here.

So my question is: would you guys advice me to reduce the volume from monday to friday to 30/40 reps so I can do all exercises (and therefore have more variety?) Or should I just pick less exercises (for example leave the chest fly out of my program and stick to flat and incline bench) and pump out 50 reps for those? I've read about the importance of variety in the past topics, but I'm curious to hear what you guys think about this.

I ask again. What are your lift #s like?

[sepandee]

Tendinosis in medial elbow. Freaking bummer. God, I hate getting old