Training back and chest together.

[adamgentile]

So I finally did it, trained chest and back together, it's great! I always heard that it would be to much, especially for us older folks, but not the case at all. I stuck to 3 exercises per body part. I changed my PPL now to:

Day 1 Chest and back
Day 2 Legs
Day 3 Shoulders and arms.

I hope everyone is safe and healthy. I have to say i really appreciate my garage gym even more now, I do feel bad for people who lost their gym. Let's continue to pray and practice our social distancing, so we can get through this.

I picked up this old school plate loading lat pulldown machine last fall, works like a charm. The seat slides off to perform seated rows like below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynWUYcL2iy4

[supramax]

When I saw the 'Training back and chest together' thread title, I figured this would be a thread about the pullover exercise.

[ectoBgone]

I always heard that it would be to much, especially for us older folks, but not the case at all.

Well, your sources of information suck. Stop listening to them.

[smokinal]

I've been training that exact program for around 15 years. Dorian said he had good luck with it for a while so I tried it and love it. It's very efficient as you hit arms and delts on their own day; then again as a secondary muscle group on chest/back day.

The only thing I do different is the order. I do:
Mon=delts, bis, tris
Wed=legs (all; quads, hams, calves), traps, forearms
Fri=chest, back

I do this to give 1 more rest day between arms and my chest/back day. It's easier to train delts and arms with a sore chest and back then the opposite.
And I do abs on mon and fri

There's not a much more efficient 3 day split out there

[adamgentile]

I've been training that exact program for around 15 years. Dorian said he had good luck with it for a while so I tried it and love it. It's very efficient as you hit arms and delts on their own day; then again as a secondary muscle group on chest/back day.

The only thing I do different is the order. I do:
Mon=delts, bis, tris
Wed=legs (all; quads, hams, calves), traps, forearms
Fri=chest, back

I do this to give 1 more rest day between arms and my chest/back day. It's easier to train delts and arms with a sore chest and back then the opposite.
And I do abs on mon and fri

There's not a much more efficient 3 day split out there

Nice, I think Dorian did this split early in his career if I'm correct?

One your split arrangement when you do Chest/back on friday, do you take another day off?

[anonymous]

If you're doing the utterly baffling popular variant of PPL of 3 days on one day off, you're basically hammering your shoulder joints and elbows 4 x a week.

[smokinal]

One your split arrangement when you do Chest/back on friday, do you take another day off?

Not sure I follow...

[adamgentile]

Not sure I follow...

For example you said on Friday you will do chest/back. Do take the weekend off then start your routine back on Monday?

[smokinal]

Sorry; yes, I only train 3 days per week
Mon,Wed and Fri

[adamgentile]

Sorry; yes, I only train 3 days per week
Mon,Wed and Fri

Cool, I'm going to start doing this as well. i would take a day off then start right back on my program, I think i need more rest to be honest.

[audiospirit]

I have been lifting for about 1.5 years now, and have made decent gains using 5x5, All-Pro and then some Fierce 5 now. Run each program for about 6 months. Ready for something new.

I am thinking of switching to a PPL routine, and want to make sure I am doing enough volume. Could you recommend (or link) to a program for a beginner/novice?

[adamgentile]

I have been lifting for about 1.5 years now, and have made decent gains using 5x5, All-Pro and then some Fierce 5 now. Run each program for about 6 months. Ready for something new.

I am thinking of switching to a PPL routine, and want to make sure I am doing enough volume. Could you recommend (or link) to a program for a beginner/novice?

Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Chest
Bench Press or Incline Bench Press
DB Press or Incline Press
DB Flys
Dips

Shoulders
Barbell Shoulder Press
DB side lateral raises.
DB bent over lateral raises.

Triceps
Close grip bench or French Press
DB overhead or Pushdowns

Day 2 – Legs, Calves
Squats
Leg extensions
Leg Curl
Calf raise

Day 3 – Back, Biceps
Pullups
Deadlift - every other week.
Barbell Rows
Either close grip or wide grip pulldowns

Biceps
Barbell Curl 3 sets 8 -10
Alternate Dumbbell curls, or Hammer Curls 3 sets 8- 10 reps

[audiospirit]

Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Chest
Bench Press or Incline Bench Press
DB Press or Incline Press
DB Flys
Dips

Shoulders
Barbell Shoulder Press
DB side lateral raises.
DB bent over lateral raises.

Triceps
Close grip bench or French Press
DB overhead or Pushdowns

Day 2 – Legs, Calves
Squats
Leg extensions
Leg Curl
Calf raise

Day 3 – Back, Biceps
Pullups
Deadlift - every other week.
Barbell Rows
Either close grip or wide grip pulldowns

Biceps
Barbell Curl 3 sets 8 -10
Alternate Dumbbell curls, or Hammer Curls 3 sets 8- 10 reps

Thanks, this is great! So would 3 sets 8-10 reps for all of these at RPE 8 sound good?

[adamgentile]

Thanks, this is great! So would 3 sets 8-10 reps for all of these at RPE 8 sound good?

That will definitely work. I try to go 9-10 sets per big body part, and 6 sets for biceps and triceps. 8-10 rep range is perfect.

[BJoe]

I started doing that when I got back in the gym recently (pre-virus, at least), I would go back and forth between chest and back through my workout to let one recover while working the other over.