Need Help/Advice On New Routine

[Wigfur]

Hi all. New to the site and like what I see.

I've been lifting weights since 16. Now 21, I've only really been serious about lifting and bodybuilding for the past 1.5-2yrs. In that time frame I've only done high volume training. My only source of knowledge was Arnold's Encyclopedia and I believed every word because why would Arnold give me lies? If it worked for him, it could work for me.

As of two weeks ago, I realized my flawed thinking. High volume, from what I've been told from many, many, sources, will not give you the type of gains as doing HIT.

With saying that in the past 3 months I've been bulking using this routine.(For the first 2months I was on a 3day split. For this past month and a half I've been on a 5day split. This routine is the current 5day)

Chest Day:
Incline Flys: 8-10reps/5sets
(Supersetted)
Incline DB Press: 6-8/5
Flat bench Cable Flys: 8-12/4
Flat bench DB Press: 6-8/4
Decline BB Press: 6-10/3
DB Pullovers: 6-10/3

Legs:
Squats: 10,8,6,5,4,2(for a total of 5sets)
Keystone Deadlifts: 10,8,6,5,4(total of 5sets)
Leg Extensions: 6-10/3
Donkey Calves: 10-15/3

Shoulders:
Neutral Grip DB Press: 6-8/3
DB Laterals: 6-8/4
BB Front Raises: 6-8/2
(Supersetted)
BB Uprights: 6-8/2
DB Circles(Around the Worlds): 6-10/2
(Suppersetted)
L Laterals: 6-10/2
Face pulls: 8-12/3
Reverse Peck Deck: 6-8/3
Standing DB Shrugs: 6-8/3

Back:
T-bar Rows: 6-10/4
BB Rows: 6-10/4
Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns: 6-10/3
(Suppersetted)
Cable Rows: 6-10/3
Back Extensions: 6-10(then body weight after failure)/3
Incline DB Shrugs: 6-8/3

Arms:
EZ Bar Curls: 6-10/5
Preacher Curls: 6-10/3
Hammer Curls: 8/4
21's Cable: 3sets
Hammer Bar Press: 10,8,6,4(4 total sets)
DB Tricep Extension: 8-12/3
French Press(Over the Head DB): 8,6,4(3 total sets)

A lot of sets, a lot of exercises. I saw gains, but probably could have seen better if doing something better. Overall I gained 10lbs of lean mass. I can see a difference.

I'm not too sure where to go from here. I've done a lot of reading on HIT, but it's still not clear. You've got Mentzer and DC training just to name a few.

I thought I had everything figured out when I was doing high volume, but now I'm just confused and frustrated.

Oh and my stats are...

21yrs old
6ft, 194lbs
Bench: 1rpm 275lbs(haven't tested this in 2months)
Squat: I've never tried a 1rpm cuz of a bad back, but I can do 265x2 a the end of my squat set
Deadlifts: Same as back. 245x2 at the end of my set routine above.

[Darkhorse]

My only source of knowledge was Arnold's Encyclopedia and I believed every word because why would Arnold give me lies? If it worked for him, it could work for me.

Arnold told the absolute truth on what works... The problem is that it worked FOR HIM and HIS genetics. So if Arnold had a brother, that book would probably work well for him. LOL.

In bodybuilding, there is no absolutes. Some people need low volume, others do fine with a lot of volume, ect. One size never, ever fits all.

As of two weeks ago, I realized my flawed thinking. High volume, from what I've been told from many, many, sources, will not give you the type of gains as doing HIT.

High volume works great if you're advanced enough... Individual recovery, supplements, strength base, ect all play a factor. If you look at Coleman, Cutler, Arnold, ect, you'll find that high volume worked wonders for them -> Great genetics, great super supplements, and last but not least, they use a TON of weight.

HIT as in Mike Metzner's Heavy Duty sucks IMHO. If that's what you're referring to. But, many many people do very well with a low volume, high intensity template. DC training is a great program IME. But, it's extremely tough. I think it's wonderful for someone who hit a plateau muscle mass wise. But for an average lifter, if you can gain doing something easier, then why the fuck not?

21yrs old
6ft, 194lbs
Bench: 1rpm 275lbs(haven't tested this in 2months)
Squat: I've never tried a 1rpm cuz of a bad back, but I can do 265x2 a the end of my squat set
Deadlifts: Same as back. 245x2 at the end of my set routine above.

If you cannot squat and deadlift, then you'll never realize your full potential. Those are the meat and potatoes of making a full body growth response. You've done yourself a grave disservice working so hard on your upper body (which is apparent with the bench) compared to putting the work into the lower body.

If you have a 275 bench, you should be at a 350 squat and 400-450 deadlift. I understand you have a bad back... But can you elaborate on that?

[Wigfur]

I've got bulging disks in my l3,4,and 5. Plus I've got the beginnings of degenerative disk disease. I thank my mom for it and recently found out about it the beginning of this year.

I have been working on my squats and deadlifts though. I do keystone deadlifts because I feel it more in my hammies.

And the reason why I said that "Volume was a grave mistake" is because I some how let a couple of people on another bodybuilding board shake my thinking, but after talking to a friend of mine who I know and who has a great body tell me the exact same thing as you did and what I had thought myself, that there is no one size fits all.

DC training was what I was talking about. I went on the boards and did some questioning and was told by one of the people there that I should probably gain some more weight before going at it. He said probably around 215. I think that's a bit much, but he's probably right because I should get my squats/deads up first.

I have to say that in my routines I did do heavy weight, heavy for me anyways. Obviously i'm not pushing around 300lbs, but I don't go light.

What is your opinion on the above routine I listed? Too many exercises? Too many sets? Should I maybe tone down the exercises and maybe do like a Workout A1,A2 for chest and so on with different exercises for each?

[Scorcher2005]

Definately too many exercises for one muscle group per day.

[Wigfur]

I was thinking about making it 3 exercises per body part and then having two different workouts per body part and interchanging them weekly.

Like a workoutA and B for chest and so on.