Intermediate Bodybuilding Routine (Progressive Overload)

[ThatOneLurker]

Let me preface this by saying that this may seem convoluted but it's based off of a lot intuitive feel that I've noticed from myself over the years.


PPL

D1: Push

Flat Barbel Bench Press
Dumbbell Shoulders Press
Chest flye of your choice
Dumbbell Pullover
Tricep Pressdowns
Side Raises

D2: Pull

Chin Ups
Seated Rows
Row of your choice
Rear Delt Flyes (full ROM)
Bicep curl of your choice

D3: Legs

Front Squat or High Bar Back Squat
RDL
Leg Extensions
Lying or Standing Leg Curls
**Alternate between Standing Calf Raises and Seated Calf Raises each session**

Rep Target = 30 reps (60 reps for calves)

for compounds :

Pick a 10RM, increase when you can perform 12 reps in your first set, however you will use 1 minute rest periods (2 minutes for leg compounds) and only take your next 2 sets to failure, at that point you'll drop the weight to a 15-20RM and utilize 20-30 second rest periods (40-60 seconds for leg compounds) until you rest pause your way to 30 reps.

For Isolations

Pick a 12RM, add weight once you can perform 15 reps in your first set and rest pause your way to 30 reps with the same weight (they are isolations after all, you don't have to drop the weight).

Alternatively, you can perform 6-8 sets of 12 reps with a 20RM using 30-60 second rest periods and increase the weight once you can perform all sets with the given weight. (Recommended for leg isolation movements)


Deloads: Deload after 3-4 weeks, you'll decide when you feel like doing the deload. Spend your deload week how you wish. You can take the week off, or perform the 1st set of each exercise, or lower your work set weight. Up to you really.

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Why 2 sets to failure with a 10RM and then dropping to a lower weight to Rest pause to 30?

Including your first set (which should also be to failure), you're doing 3 sets to failure in total which isn't enough to fry your CNS over time, provided you're used to high volume training. The lower weight still allows you to squeeze in the volume/pump/blood flow/MMC.

Choosing 30 as your rep target still allows you to finish fairly quickly and ensure you're not spending 2 hours in the gym.


Why no incline bench?

Incline bench is going to target mostly your upper sternocostal fibers. Flat bench targets most of your sternocostal fibers to begin with.

Why DB pullovers?

DB pullovers target the clavicular head of the chest very well. The clavicular head of the pectoralis major is involved in extension of the humerus once the humerus is in a flexed position.

DB shoulder press over OHP?

DB seated shoulder press allows for greater isolation of your front delts, if you'd prefer doing OHP then go ahead. I dislike the OHP as it bothers my triceps tendon.

Credit: Kelei's original intermediate/advanced routine

*Disclaimer*:

I am not boasting incredible lifts nor am I the be-all-end-all of hypertrophy training.

I may also not know the answers to all of your questions, in the event of this I'll simply tell you so. I'm not here to pretend to know everything and give you a half-assed answer on things I don't know much about it. However, if I do know a decent amount about the subject you're asking about I will try my best to answer it. Just keeping it real.

This is simply how I prefer training and if you're looking for a more bodybuilding oriented routine that isn't insane on volume (for the non-OJ sippers here) then this may be for you. Either way, I hope you all receive the gains you're striving for regardless of your goal.

[davo26]

subbed. not actually doing it yet as still happy with keleis routine, so just gonna keep reading with interest, see how it goes.....

[Alyion]

Pretty cool, thanks for posting this - I like the reverse pyramid style setup you've included. I still run the standard Kelei routine, but I pretty much run sets now with 2 min rest and count the sets over reps.

[Sleefa]

No deadlifts and no 5 rep sets?
Is this real?

[SXElifter]

A new thread for the Kelei community.

I must say, the method you laid out for compound movements is pretty much how I have been training, I kind of took what Kelei laid out and kept evolving/tweaking it.

[ThatOneLurker]

No deadlifts and no 5 rep sets?
Is this real?

5 rep sets aren't superior to 10 rep sets when we're talking about hypertrophy.

A new thread for the Kelei community.

I must say, the method you laid out for compound movements is pretty much how I have been training, I kind of took what Kelei laid out and kept evolving/tweaking it.

Yeah that's exactly what I've been doing but I think this is widely adaptable for most people. I feel like there's a lot of flexibility here for people to not get bored with in the long term.

[Rebinho]

This exaacly what i wished for !! Thank you so much!

SUBBED! And will hopefully sticky!!

[nerynery]

Good stuff. A follow up for kelei's followers!

[sooby]

so wait I'm kind of confused, let me know if this is how it works.

Say you choose 225 as your 10 RM

Your first set of squats you would do 10 reps of 225 (12 if you can), then for the second and third sets you would still do 225 but do it to failure. then drop the weight (let's say 185 lbs) then do a total of 30 reps in how many ever sets it takes?

[ThatOneLurker]

so wait I'm kind of confused, let me know if this is how it works.

Say you choose 225 as your 10 RM

Your first set of squats you would do 10 reps of 225 (12 if you can), then for the second and third sets you would still do 225 but do it to failure. then drop the weight (let's say 185 lbs) then do a total of 30 reps in how many ever sets it takes?

Let's say you did 225lbs for Squats

Set 1: 10 reps
2 minute rest
Set 2: 5 reps
2 minute rest
Set 3: 5 reps


That's 20 reps already

once you drop down to your 15-20RM you're going from whatever number you reached prior to 30 total reps.

The idea was that as your weight increases on these exercises, even with a 1-2 minute rest you will not be getting 8-10 reps again.

It may not seem like you're doing a lot of sets with your 15-20RM but that's the point, they'll add up over the course of the workout. It's just for a little extra volume. You can however increase your volume over time (to perhaps 35 total reps, then 40, then 45, etc..) if you feel it isn't sufficient enough for you.

[Rebinho]

Why no incline bench?

Incline bench is going to target mostly your upper sternocostal fibers. Flat bench targets most of your sternocostal fibers to begin with.

Why DB pullovers?

DB pullovers target the clavicular head of the chest very well. The clavicular head of the pectoralis major is involved in extension of the humerus once the humerus is in a flexed position.

So just to understand cleary the DB pullover will work upper chest?

And what about chin ups instead of pullups? I can't do a chin or pull ups`? Should I do wide grip pulldown or what ?

[ThatOneLurker]

So just to understand cleary the DB pullover will work upper chest?

And what about chin ups instead of pullups? I can't do a chin or pull ups`? Should I do wide grip pulldown or what ?

Yes, you'll target the clavicular head (the muscle belly for it is very small when in comparison to the sternal fibers) more when you're resisting extension of the humerus from a flexed position which is a portion of the ROM during the DB pullovers. You'll have to play with the Mind muscle connection (MMC) to get it down.




Chin ups involve shoulder extension moreso than shoulder adduction; the lats are involved in shoulder extension, adduction and internal rotation but it is primarily a shoulder extensor.


If you cannot perform chin ups then I recommend doing lat pulldowns (shoulder width grip) with a supinated grip (palms facing you) or performing the negatives of a chin up.

[nerynery]

Chin-ups for me are the king of upper back and bicep exercises.
Increasing from BW @ 72kg + 15kg x 10 reps to now BW @70kg + 40kg x 10 reps single-handedly made my lats and biceps huge compared to what they were.

I've been stuck at that weight for couple months now (plus my left elbow was asking for a rest from such high weight), so recently I switched up to Pull-ups and I'm currently @BW+30kg x 10.. and I can say that I feel my lats working more on Chin-ups. Try for yourself.. put your arm to the side like on a pull-up and feel the lat with the other hand. Now do the same for the chin-up... what a difference!

[Rebinho]

Do you recommend wide grip, too with the bench press? Sorry with many questions ?

[ThatOneLurker]

If you prefer to bench that way then sure.

I recommend a grip slightly outside of shoulder width but that's just personal preference.

[Mr-Nathan]

which muscle group is the D2 "row of choice" for? which do you use?

[kingmode]

Tbh pretty bad. Exercise selection and order are maybe the only things that are okay but anything else is straight up broscience garbage.

For real.. You shouldn't be writing programs with that little knowledge.

[mzakflip40]

Tbh pretty bad. Exercise selection and order are maybe the only things that are okay but anything else is straight up broscience garbage.

For real.. You shouldn't be writing programs with that little knowledge.

Like what exactly?

[Broscientist88]

Sounds good OP and if it interests you awesome, I'm not sure if there's an advantage to just increasing the weight in a 6-12 rep range whenever you can and taking 2-3 mins between sets, but to each their own.

[gesler0811]

Been running Kelei's routine for better part of a year now, and tbh was about ready to tweak it a little bit and this may just do the trick. Subbed, and considering this one for switching over.

[ThatOneLurker]

which muscle group is the D2 "row of choice" for? which do you use?

Your midback such as the rhomboid major/minor, lower traps, teres minor/major, rear delts, etc..

I prefer chest supported rows, less of a chance to cheat by using the lower back.

Sounds good OP and if it interests you awesome, I'm not sure if there's an advantage to just increasing the weight in a 6-12 rep range whenever you can and taking 2-3 mins between sets, but to each their own.

Increasing your 10RM on compounds is superior to the lower rep ranges in terms of hypertrophy. The rest periods are for those that have been training in that rep range for a while. Their training weights run closer to 80-85% of their 1RM for 10-12 reps and the rest periods prescribed in the OP are suited for them. Novices can get away with lower rest periods as their training weights are lighter and closer to 70-75% of their 1RM.

Been running Kelei's routine for better part of a year now, and tbh was about ready to tweak it a little bit and this may just do the trick. Subbed, and considering this one for switching over.

Let me know how it goes. Feel free to ask questions.

[banjoman23]

I like it. Looks solid.

[ThatOneLurker]

I like it. Looks solid.

Awesome. Keep me updated on your progress.

[cagliostro]

Too little volume for me. Concernig the db pullover i hate that exercise, it has a decreasing strength curve and it's bad for your spine.
For upper chest I found out the dbs floor press with elbows flared out to be the best exercise, actually what really matters in developing the upper chest is the elbows position, not the angle. Doing it on the floor rather than on the bench is better for your shoulder joints cause posterior mobility is reduced when elbows are flared out, so doing it on the ground solves this issue.
Ok for the db shoulder press, personally I like alternating weekly dbs and barbell ohp

[Nubygaines]

What the hell is this mess?

[cosm0]

subbed. not actually doing it yet as still happy with keleis routine, so just gonna keep reading with interest, see how it goes.....

sorry im an absolute retard but how do you sub to a thread? been using bb for years and never knew u could sub, where do posts appear if you are subbed?

[Madwestmo]

Where's the mobility or conditioning work ?

Looks like a list of exercises to me , which isn't a routine

[banjoman23]

Awesome. Keep me updated on your progress.

Didn't mean I was doing it. Just that it looks solid. PPLs are great and I'd like to try one someday, but they don't happen to fit very well into my schedule.

Not sure why all the hate here, it's a pretty standard PPL. Sure, a lot of PPLs won't rest-pause their way to a rep goal, might have longer rests, and/or incorporate deadlifts on pull day. Whatever. Broscientist88's post was good.

[kingmode]

Like what exactly?

Despite u negging me for no reason like a true beta Im going to answer ur question..

There's so much wrong with this that its not worth explaining. OP wants to help u guys for free which is cool but really he is just spreading wrong information n seems to have little knowledge of programming or training.

N pls nobody come wih chit like"but look at his avi".. Idgaf.

[ThatOneLurker]

sorry im an absolute retard but how do you sub to a thread? been using bb for years and never knew u could sub, where do posts appear if you are subbed?

Go to the top of a thread, click on thread tools and "subscribe to this thread" will be there.

Didn't mean I was doing it. Just that it looks solid. PPLs are great and I'd like to try one someday, but they don't happen to fit very well into my schedule.

Ah that's still fine. I'm still interested in your progress. What are you currently running?