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gong 06-20-2008 01:27 AM

2 day split routine
 
Hi,

I just want to get some feedback on a new routine I'm putting together. I've done fullbody workouts for about a year now and now want to try out a split routine.

Goal is to gain mass

Workout A

Incline DB Bench 5 x 5
Decline barbell Bench 3 x 8-10

Pull ups 4 x failure
DB rows 5 x 5

Barbell curls 3 x 6-8

Workout B

Deadlift 5 x 5
Leg Extensions 4 x 10

Military press 5 x 5
Lateral raise 3 x 8-10

Close-grip bench 3 x 6-8


Workout A - Monday and Friday
Workout B - Tuesday and Saturday

I have knee issues, squatting movements are out of the question. Deadlifts are about the only proper exercise I can do for legs. The leg extensions are only in there for something extra. I know they are not a very good exercise. I will try to replace them with lunges or bulgarian squats in time.

Is there anything I should add or change ?

Ross86 06-20-2008 03:01 AM

Do an upper/lower split or a push/pull split. The split you posted doesn't make much sense to me. Can you do leg press?

gong 06-20-2008 03:30 AM

why doesn't it make sense ?

The reason I don't want to do an uppler/lower split is because I can't do much for legs, so I thought I'd spread it out. Plus, I don't like working chest and shoulders in the same workout, as one will always be sacrificed.

No access to a leg press either. I train at home.

_Wolf_ 06-20-2008 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gong (Post 59335)
Workout A

Incline DB Bench 5 x 5
Decline barbell Bench 3 x 8-10

Pull ups 4 x failure
DB rows 5 x 5

Barbell curls 3 x 6-8

make this into:

Incline DB Bench 5 x 5
Pull ups 4 x failure

Decline barbell Bench 3 x 8-10
DB rows 5 x 5

Barbell curls 3 x 6-8


Quote:

Workout B

Deadlift 5 x 5
Leg Extensions 4 x 10

Military press 5 x 5
Lateral raise 3 x 8-10

Close-grip bench 3 x 6-8
change this into

Deadlift 3x5
Military Press 5x5

Lunges 3x10
Close Grip Bench Press 3x6-8

Glute Ham Raises 2-3 sets


don't expect this routine to work forever. you will need to make improvements and adjustments in weights, reps and sets. the exercise selection by itself is fine. do your hip mobility work, etc.

regarding your knees...people who have had knee injuries and been told that they can never again squat, have come back to set records. i believe on of the 800 or 900 lbs squatters used to have massive knee problems after his accident and his doctor told him that he could never lift again. they guy went on to set the world squat record plus he had some good bench and deadlift numbers too (i cant remember this guy off the top of my head).

look into squats (squatting properly = as deep as you can = WAY below parallel assuming you dont have hamstring flexibility problems) and see if perhaps squatting slightly once a week and then working on form for even 6 months will lead to correct squatting. look into this.

ofcourse, if you are completely incapacitated and cannot squat no matter what....then you might need to make some changes.

good luck.

gong 06-20-2008 02:51 PM

thanks wolf, I actually thought about alternating the exercises that way so I could hit them harder, so I might give that a try. Is this enough volume ?

About the squatting. Mate I wish I could. I've tried a few times. But after a couple of sessions the knee gets progressively worse. Same thing with lunges and Bulgarian squats, but I'm going to try again with these, starting light and slowly slowly working my way up. Hey, I've got to do the best with what I've got.

Ross86 06-20-2008 11:22 PM

Bench press is primarily a shoulder exercise. That's why I prefer to do chest & shoulders on the same day. Otherwise you'll be doing shoulders & triceps two days in a row.

gong 06-21-2008 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross86 (Post 59427)
Bench press is primarily a shoulder exercise. That's why I prefer to do chest & shoulders on the same day. Otherwise you'll be doing shoulders & triceps two days in a row.

yeah true, but I'm really trying to bring up my Military Press, hence separating it from chest day. I think a bit of overlap is good.

Ross86 06-21-2008 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gong (Post 59430)
yeah true, but I'm really trying to bring up my Military Press, hence separating it from chest day. I think a bit of overlap is good.

I understand trying to bring up your military. I'm doing the same thing. That's why I do military for my first pressing movement. It's easy to prioritize it that way.

Why is overlap good?

_Wolf_ 06-21-2008 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross86 (Post 59443)
Why is overlap good?

because if you are doing a split and if you have large overlap it means your frequency of hitting each muscle group is more. does this make sense? i never look at this stuff in terms of muscle groups...i like to break things down into lifts.

_Wolf_ 06-21-2008 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gong (Post 59412)
thanks wolf, I actually thought about alternating the exercises that way so I could hit them harder, so I might give that a try. Is this enough volume ?

its more than enough volume. you need to learn to progress and hence wave the volume a bit as you go on. for example,

Decline barbell Bench 3 x 8-10

this means that lets say you start out with 100 lbs on this exercise, ok?

Week 1 = 100 lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets
Week 2 = 100 lbs x 9 reps x 3 sets
Week 3 = 100 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets
Week 4 = 110 lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets
Week 5 = 110 lbs x 9 reps x 3 sets
Week 6 = 110 lbs x 10 reps x 3 sets
Week 7 = 120 lbs x 8 reps x 3 sets
etc

do not take anything other than Pull-ups to failure.

Quote:

About the squatting. Mate I wish I could. I've tried a few times. But after a couple of sessions the knee gets progressively worse. Same thing with lunges and Bulgarian squats, but I'm going to try again with these, starting light and slowly slowly working my way up. Hey, I've got to do the best with what I've got.
so if you have knee problems, do the following...

look up http://www.bulletproofknees.com/ and buy that book ASAP

do whatever is written out for you in that book.

learn to do things slowly. for example, lets say you start squatting today, alright? perhaps going all the way down is hurting your knees? no problem..here's the solution: squat onto a box. Next week, squat onto a smaller box. Then squat the week after into an even smaller box. Slowly and steadily, you will build up the capacity to squat deep. Read up on squatting form. watch other people's videos who have good form (do not look at anyone at a powerlifting meet and think that is good form because its NOT) and then mimic the exact form. once you have succeeded in hitting a decent depth (lets say it takes you 3 months at the most, ok?) then focus on using weight. So take the empty bar and squat. Just use the empty bar for the first week. then add 5 lbs to the bar every week from there on. Before you know it in 2 years you'll be repping 225 lbs. Its only when you take these small baby steps will you be able to reach your goals.

If that book is too expensive for you, buy Eric Cressey's book called Maximum Strength: http://www.ericcressey.com/maximumstrength.html and do the warm-ups in the book. they will help with flexibility and mobility. do them slowly and cautiously. do not rush into things. if lets say you do a particular exercise and it hurts your knees the next day...lets say it hurts unbearably, then it means one of the two:
1.) you werent doing a particular exercise correctly
2.) that exercise is bad for you

if it is #2 then drop the exercise.

good luck, dude and read up on the injuries sticky posted here by Eric3237


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