I hit a plateau...need advice changing up routine

[shiek49]

I've been working out for almost two years now. I've seen good gains and increased energy since I began working out. However, I feel like i've hit a plateau and stopped showing any visable gains. Below is my weekly workout. If some of you more experienced guys could offer some advice on changing up my routine, i would greatly appreciate it.

Monday - shoulders/forearms
3 reps/10 arnold press
3 reps/10 seated military press
3 reps/10 barbell upright row
3 reps/10 dumbell front raises
3 reps/10 barbell shrugs
3 reps/10 dumbell wrist curls
10 min. ab work

Wednesday - back/biceps
3 reps/10 wide grip lat pulldowns
3 reps/10 close grip lat pulldowns
3 reps/10 seated cable rows
3 reps/10 deadlifts
3 reps/10 one arm dumbell rows
3 reps/10 hammer curls (standing or seated)
3 reps/10 barbell curls

Friday - chest/triceps
3 reps/10 bench press
3 reps/10 incline bench press
3 reps/10 decline bench press
3 reps/10 dumbell flys
I usually end with as many push ups as I can do.
3 reps/10 skull crushers
3 reps/10 dips
3 reps/10 overhead dumbell extensions
10 min. ab work

** I really don't spend much time on my legs like I should. If I do, it's usually on thursday and i only hit a few exercises. **

 

[sensamilia]

Jesus Christ

 

[shiek49]

too much ??

 

[barc77]

I would say cut the amount of sets in half over all. Focus on a compound movement, for chest/tri day,back/bi day, and shoulder/misc. day.

Try 3-4 good working sets of flat bench, then do 1 or 2 sets of tri excercises, then maybe 2 sets of flies.

Back/bi, focus on rows, or deads for the day 3-5 sets, and another couple sets of back excersises, then 1-2 sets of bi's

If you you are able to do 3 sets of dead lifts after all the rows and pulldowns on back/bi day you need to up the weight or intensity. The same with the pushups at the end of a chest/tri work out. If you are doing a set of 20 or 30push-ups you should up the weights for your chest/tri sets.

Overall less sets, more weight (lower the reps per set if necessary) and lift legs. And, of course proper diet, and taking in enough protein

 

[StanUk]

That is a horrendous workout! Seriously i dont wanna use this as a scape goat but you might wanna read the stickies.

Id look at changing:

1. Your split, its not good, and its really not a good idea to neglect legs.
2. Sets/reps, 3 sets of 10 is not gonna work forever!
3. Your excersizes, add more compound, and get rid of more isolations.

 

[VILBAUGH]

whats wrong with you man??

SQUAT!!!!!!!

 

[Uthinkso]

I'd like to see some form of squat in there as well as some form of deadlift. You need to dedicate one day to legs all on their own. Train quads, calfs, hams, get it all.

You are doing too much work, I won't use the "overtraining" tag but thats a lot of work for a given training session. Select 2-3 movements per body part if you intend to train a split routine like you have above. Make two of those movements compound and one isolation. This promotes growth and strength building, and overall gives you a much more complete work out. By using compound movements, you recruit more of the muscles in a given area. Example: dumbell curls isolate the bicep, but hammer curls work the bicep and the forearms rather well. Honestly thats one of the simplest examples, but you get the point.

I know my body responds to push/pull/legs routines, and I switch to that every fourth month to shock my system, and it gets me growing again after I've slowed a bit. Typically I train upper/lower/upper/lower, then rotate it the following week and start with lower, and so on.

I've only been training since January, and this is just my two cents. I'm sure some of the resident experts will chime in with some advice. Hopefully more than read the stickies.

 

[CowPimp]

Just go read the stickies. Your program lacks a lot:

There is nothing for the lower body save for deadlifts. That's great, but you need more.

You are way too anterior dominant.

Your loading parameters never change, or any variables for that matter.

 

[Duncans Donuts]

Trash routine, change it completely. Too much volume, no lower body work. CP is right, you are push dominant, you must suffer from a lack of balance.

 

[VILBAUGH]

in no way, shape or form is a hammer curl a compound movement.

that is a terrible example.