The Viking's The Bare Bones Series

[Zschnack87]

I work a goofy work schedule.. Two days on, two days off, three days on, two days off, three days off.. then it starts over. I also work swing shifts and 12 hour shifts. I really like the layout of this workout.. would you recommend the first upper/lower body split for my work schedule?

[JustsayGabriel]

Just started doing the full body!

What a killer, but in a good way :-)

I have a rack at home, so I can do everything apart from leg curls and leg presses


My stats for today (bars are always included in the weight):

Back squat: 110kg x 31 reps
Bench Press: 74kg x 25 reps (might do a small increase since i hit the 25rep target but not sure)
Barbell row: 74kg x 24 reps
BB Romanian deadlift (subbed from leg curl): 70kg x 28 reps
BB Military press: 24kg x 21reps (26kg next time!)
Wide grip pulldowns: 54kg x 31reps (56kg next time)
Abs: Now I did Russian twists with a 20kg plate, but I'm not sure if another exercise is better. (Hanging legraise?) 35reps (each side) with 25kg plate.
Calve raises: 80kg x 45reps (85kg next time)


I subbed leg curl for BB Romanian deadlift and on wednesday I'll do lunges instead of leg press. Are those good subs? All the rest I can do as Viking wrote.

The self regulation feels good! I know it'll make me motivated :-) Thanks for the program!

Edit: why does it say i'm 50y old I changed that setting with it won't alter it.... Sad stuff.

[Deep-Voiced-One]

Bumping this thread, not sure if Viking is still active these days on here...but I got around to running the "Bare Bones" full body routine and like it a real lot and find it to be a welcoming challenge with a nice break in the typical set/rep volume and it balancing everything out, I appreciate you writing it and contributing it for free.

The only movement I landed up replacing (since I workout at home) was leg press which I utilize my belt squat attachment in its place instead and I prefer pull ups so I do those instead of lat pulldowns on Day A and C (even though I have a lat machine in my space as well, but use it for the other prescribed movements on Day B).

If I had to nitpick one thing it would be nice to have dips in the routine along with skullcrushers (simply because I like dips as well) but I understand why it isn't to avoid imbalances and no routine is gonna be perfect, but this one is close enough and very well thought out.

Merry Christmas in advance to the lifting community.

[Xpiro]

I kind of want to run the ULPPL (which I’ve been on for about 6 months) as a PPL, but I wonder if doubling everything would accumulate too much fatigue given the already high volume. Changes to the program are discouraged, I know, but it would sort of be like an entirely new program... just utilizing the same exercises. Or maybe even some variations. OR simply shorter pull/pull days by nixing a couple of compounds i.e. no close grip pulldowns (pullups for me) on 1 pull and no incline DB press on 1 push. Thoughts?

[marcv68]

Loving this so far, nice switch from the normal stuff. Will keep plugging away

[davejh77]

Can I just ask some advice?

I have just started following the Upper/Lower/Pull/Push/Legs split. My current gym doesn't have a hack squat machine - what else could I sub that for? I did lower yesterday so swapped it out for the leg extension machine. Are front squats another option?

Thanks.

[Xpiro]

Can I just ask some advice?

I have just started following the Upper/Lower/Pull/Push/Legs split. My current gym doesn't have a hack squat machine - what else could I sub that for? I did lower yesterday so swapped it out for the leg extension machine. Are front squats another option?

Thanks.

Nor does mine so I’ve always done barbell hack squats.

[Zelengorov93]

Can someone please help me? By doing the compounds twice a week, do you go for strength on the upper/lower workouts, and for hypertrophy with more reps and lighter weight on the ppl days, or you just go for strength on all of the workouts?

[VonMaterhorn]

Couldn't find a straight forward answer for those two:

What can be a good substitute to the Incline DB press of Upper 1 split?

When it comes to DBs, my home gym only has them up to 20 kg, which I'm already using. Getting more weights is not an option at the moment.

Also, can one leg press machine be subed with barbell Bulgarian squat?

Other than those two exercise, I can do all the rest of the routine at this home gym.

Thanks!