Updated routine thoughts?

[Animal2692]

Been going on 6 solid weeks lifting here making minor tweaks and changes along the way, NOT program hopping (big difference). I'm actually starting to see hypertrophy everywhere and I can't state how much more it's motivating me to keep putting in the work.

I've added a few exercises in to give some love to neglected muscles and settled on certain exercise variations that I've experimented with which I've found to enjoy the most and having the best MMC on.
Here's where I'm at so far:

Full body 3x a week, 8-10 reps on compounds, up to ~15 reps on isolations, 4 sets each exercise, 7-10 RPE (with closer to 10 on isolations).

Workout A
Squat
RDL
Db bench 
V-bar pulldown
Leg extensions
Lateral raises
Face pulls
Standing calf raise

Workout B
Squat
Lying leg curl
Seated db press
Chest supported db row
Rope hammer curls
Rope overhead tricep extensions
Cable flyes
Standing calf raise

I've really come to love cables for upper body isolation work due to the constant tension throughout. I've added leg extensions for better quad development (such as rectus femoris), lateral raises because nothing else works well enough for side delts, rope tricep extensions over pushdowns due to switching to dumbbells for pressing and to also hit the long head more (makes up biggest part of the tricep, neglected on pressing), and cable flyes to bump weekly chest volume more on the weeks where I'm only db benchpressing once. Definitely love using db's more than a bar for pressing and rowing. The v bar pull down just feels better than weighted pull ups and makes it easier to get more reps in on those last sets when back is smoked, crazy ROM.

I'm not gonna lie, my workouts take quite a while to get through but I get through them no problem. I can split it up into U/L or PPL but I'm constrained by the amount of days I can workout on.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

[air2fakie]

Good to see you finally putting your head down and getting to work. :P Looks good if you're able handle the increased volume. Quick comments:

- Don't think you need 4 sets across the board for all isos. If you must, consider splitting 4 sets of curls with something targeting long head (incline curl, drag curl, etc.) And if rope tri extensions are pushdowns and not overhead, considering doing half of them overhead. If all overhead, keep an eye on elbow pain.

- At this stage, consider dropping chest flyes for some kind of chest press (or another back exercise), but that depends on your personal priorities/preferences.

- Consider a squat variation instead of squat for Workout B.

- Wouldn't worry about the time it takes as long as you think the volume is right for you. Gradual ramp-up in additional exercises is good way to judge that, but not a big deal.

[paulinkansas]

Instead of a v-bar pulldown, you can do it with a rope and get a larger range of motion at the bottom.

[Animal2692]

Instead of a v-bar pulldown, you can do it with a rope and get a larger range of motion at the bottom.

I'm actually going to give that a go, I like the rope a lot.

[AlexSays]

9 out of your 16 exercises are isolations, maybe focus a little more on compounds and sacrifice some exercises (/sets) of isolation

[Animal2692]

Good to see you finally putting your head down and getting to work. :P Looks good if you're able handle the increased volume. Quick comments:

- Don't think you need 4 sets across the board for all isos. If you must, consider splitting 4 sets of curls with something targeting long head (incline curl, drag curl, etc.) And if rope tri extensions are pushdowns and not overhead, considering doing half of them overhead. If all overhead, keep an eye on elbow pain.

- At this stage, consider dropping chest flyes for some kind of chest press (or another back exercise), but that depends on your personal priorities/preferences.

- Consider a squat variation instead of squat for Workout B.

- Wouldn't worry about the time it takes as long as you think the volume is right for you. Gradual ramp-up in additional exercises is good way to judge that, but not a big deal.

Thanks!
Yeah they're all overhead tricep extensions. I put the flyes in to take the triceps out. If I do another chest press then I'd want to take out the tricep extensions because the workouts are already pretty long.

As far as a squat variation, I'm a bit uncertain on that one. If I do leg press or hack, it's going to further lower volume for core. I've been looking at squats as my main core exercise if that makes any sense. Kind of lost core volume switching to chest supported rows, seated db press and the pulldown from pendlays, weighted pull ups, and ohp.

[air2fakie]

As far as a squat variation, I'm a bit uncertain on that one. If I do leg press or hack, it's going to further lower volume for core. I've been looking at squats as my main core exercise if that makes any sense. Kind of lost core volume switching to chest supported rows and the pulldown from pendlays and weighted pull ups

Fair enough, consider programming the B squats slightly diff or even doing a squat accessory (pause, etc.). Up to you.

[Ghawk21]

Thanks!
Yeah they're all overhead tricep extensions. I put the flyes in to take the triceps out. If I do another chest press then I'd want to take out the tricep extensions because the workouts are already pretty long.

As far as a squat variation, I'm a bit uncertain on that one. If I do leg press or hack, it's going to further lower volume for core. I've been looking at squats as my main core exercise if that makes any sense. Kind of lost core volume switching to chest supported rows and the pulldown from pendlays and weighted pull ups

Could try front squats? Then you'll get your core involved.

[paulinkansas]

I'm actually going to give that a go, I like the rope a lot.

Before you do anything, ask yourself WWASD? (What Would Adam Sandler Do?)

[Animal2692]

Before you do anything, ask yourself WWASD? (What Would Adam Sandler Do?)

Well I can tell you that I just had my protein shake and

https://ibb.co/LgcCXVT

[WolfRose7]

I dislike the lazy programming of having one rep range for all exercises and variants generally.

But that's not to say it won't work.

[Filmbuff81]

Hack squats still hit your core.

It’s an axially loaded movement so it would be pretty tough not to.

[Animal2692]

I dislike the lazy programming of having one rep range for all exercises and variants generally.

But that's not to say it won't work.

Well the rep range is larger for isolations because I try to be really strict and focus on MMC. I keep it at 8-10 for compounds on purpose just because I believe it to be more efficient for hypertrophy compared to going as low as 5 reps even though 5 rep sets work for size. Trying to squeeze out as much hypertrophy as possible. I went from a very external focus to a very internal one. I used to keep track of all the weights used on all sets and naturally ended up stopping that after seeing that just a minor tweak in my tempo or form can greatly impact how much weight I'm using. The more I catch my focus drifting off to the weight the better I target the muscle. It's very easy to conflate leaving the ego at the door with getting weaker. My weights have decreased further but only by a little bit over these weeks to the point where I can't target the muscle any better. It's actually felt a lot like replacing an old habit with a new one

[paulinkansas]

Well the rep range is larger for isolations because I try to be really strict and focus on MMC. I keep it at 8-10 for compounds on purpose

He approves

[pondman]

Do what works for you. I made my best gains, when I added leg presses, hack squats and leg curls. Squats are great. I still do them. But they don't build a uniform good looking leg for me- as the people who want to sell you a program will tell you. I lie down on one of those double cable rowing machine for my delt laterals. I've experimented with sitting sideways on a leg press with one leg at a time. A bikini pro showed me that trick. You don't get struck by lightning if you don't follow the gurus. Just be consistent and progress.

[BeginnerGainz]

I'm actually going to give that a go, I like the rope a lot.

Underhand is the the way to go for triceps. Anything overhand tends to involve too much chest and delts.

[Filmbuff81]

Underhand is the the way to go for triceps. Anything overhand tends to involve too much chest and delts.

This is a silly statement

[BeginnerGainz]

This is a silly statement

How so? You should still do overhand Tricep pressdowns but underhand tends to isolate the triceps a little better.

[Filmbuff81]

How so? You should still do overhand Tricep pressdowns but underhand tends to isolate the triceps a little better.

You stated overhand movements involve “too much” chest and delt.

What are you defining as too much to claim underhand is the way to go.

I think that’s a silly broad recommendation

[air2fakie]

How so? You should still do overhand Tricep pressdowns but underhand tends to isolate the triceps a little better.

Underhand unnecessarily limits the amount of weight you can move because it's dependent on your grip, esp on later reps. It's like reverse grip curls for biceps. Not saying you can't do either for specific reasons, but not a better isolation either.

[Ghawk21]

Only time overhand is going to get a bunch of chest and delts involved is if you're bent over the bar/rope/attachment using trash form. Which to be fair is what a lot of people do in order to add more plates. Doesn't mean the grip is the problem.

[BeginnerGainz]

You stated overhand movements involve “too much” chest and delt.

What are you defining as too much to claim underhand is the way to go.

I think that’s a silly broad recommendation

Oh gotcha. Guess I should of said underhand was better at isolating the triceps, without involvement from the chest and delts. Never noticed my grip giving out, as others have mentioned.

It does limit how much weight you can use but that is kind of the point. Like doing BB curls vs incline curls, the same muscle gets worked but with a different emphasis.

[air2fakie]

Oh gotcha. Guess I should of said underhand was better at isolating the triceps, without involvement from the chest and delts.

It does limit how much weight you can use but that is kind of the point. Like doing BB curls vs incline curls, the same muscle gets worked but with a different emphasis.

Assuming you can do overhand tri pressdowns with proper form and not as a decline press variant, don't see any advantage to underhand movements unless you're trying to hit the medial head, which is a waste of time to try to isolate for most ppl.

[BeginnerGainz]

Assuming you can do overhand tri pressdowns with proper form and not as a decline press variant, don't see any advantage to underhand movements unless you're trying to hit the medial head, which is a waste of time to try to isolate for most ppl.

I’ve done it just about every way. Slight lean and I feel it in the long head a little more. Longer, more forward lean and my abs feel it. Medial head is worked anytime you straighten your arm.

[MyEgoProblem]

Yeah... Never noticed chest & delt take over.
But any extra stimulus is never a bad thing. Does anyone really want to limit their shoulder growth? It's not like the tricep will get less growth from it really.

My pov.
We Should all endeavour to able to do #isolation work from any angle or grip cleanly and work the target muscle thougroughly without having to do weird cavalier /seedman stuff to fix a lack of kinaesthetic awareness. If the intention is actually to focus that one movement.

Only time I can see it turning into a chest movement happens is deliberate bro form.

Not that I really care about 'movement guru' stuff at all.
Work is work. Everyone is built differently to a degree and different variations work better fit different people. But ofc some just lift like crap and don't realise.

Only time overhand is going to get a bunch of chest and delts involved is if you're bent over the bar/rope/attachment using trash form. Which to be fair is what a lot of people do in order to add more plates. Doesn't mean the grip is the problem.

The Jackhammer press(down)
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My personal fave tricep movements that I feel the best doing?

Jm press for a heavy hitter
Band kickback w/ upper arm behind midline
Db Tate/Williams press for medial head
EZ bar LTE for long head

Straight up fave.. Rolling db extensions done Ryan kennelly style