# What routine are you currently using?



## MuscleGauge1 (Apr 29, 2013)

What is your workout or training routine? How many times per week do you train? Let's see what everyone is doing.


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## Z499 (Apr 29, 2013)

took a week break, I have no set routine. Sometimes ill hit the same muscle group 2 days in a row if its not sore. i try to lift a minimum of 4 days a week


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## Ted Shred (Apr 30, 2013)

After 6 weeks of a full-body routine 3x week, and then 7 weeks of a 4-day split, I'm currently on a 3-day ABA/ BAB type routine 3x week.  A = Squats, chinups, DB shoulder press, calves (gastro), and abs/ leg extension on alternating days; B = RDLs, bench press, calves (soleus), dips, and ham curls/ machine row on alternating days.


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## heavylifting1 (Apr 30, 2013)

I go in there and switch body parts and make sure I work my body and get a nice pump that lasts throughout the day. Routines should be changed up around every 6 weeks so your body can have all of your muscle fibers worked.


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## Dr.G (Apr 30, 2013)

at the moment: i don't workout according to days of the week , i follow more or less this sequence

day1- back, rear delts biceps
day2 - cardio 30 minutes, abs
day3- chest, triceps
day4- legs/abs
day5-rest or back (only 6 sets) Biceps only 8 sets
day6- cardio 30 minutes/abs
day7: chest (only 6 sets)/shoulders without rear deltoids
day 8: rest
back to day 1 repeat the sequence
i don't stay in the gym more than 70 minutes


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## heavylifting1 (May 1, 2013)

I'm not trying to tell you what to do but it is more beneficial to train abs a few times per week at least.





Dr.G said:


> at the moment: i don't workout according to days of the week , i follow more or less this sequence
> 
> day1- back, rear delts biceps
> day2 - cardio 30 minutes, abs
> ...


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## Dr.G (May 1, 2013)

^^ i do train abs almost every other day...


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## Swfl (May 1, 2013)

Exercise, eat, sleep, repeat.

3-4 days a week 

chest and tri's
back and bi's
legs
shoulders and abs.

sometimes cardio but not much right now (tren)




MuscleGauge1 said:


> What is your workout or training routine? How many times per week do you train? Let's see what everyone is doing.


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## c4x (May 1, 2013)

Bright and early at 6:45 everyday.
1. Chest,Tri's Abs
2.Back, bi's
3.Legs,calf's Abs
4.Abs ,Light chest, HEAVY shoulders
5.Sometimes light back work, sometimes rest days
6.Cardio, tri,bi's (arm day) 
7.Legs, Abs
Usually have boxing and jiu jitsu at night so thats my cardio
Everything is a superset and each exercise is 8 sets each. about 13-15 reps.


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## PushAndPull (May 5, 2013)

My current program revolves around six basic compound movements: Back squat, deadlift, military press, pull-ups, BB rows, and flat BB bench press.

*Tempo* is 1/0/2/0

*Rest periods* are 4 minutes.

*Intensities* range from 70-85% 1rm and are staggered. 
Example starting intensities:
Day 1: Deadlift 80%, military press 70%
Day 2: BB rows 80%, flat BB bench press 70%
Day 3: Weighted pull-ups 80%, squats 70%
All Intensities are increased 5% per week until 85% and then it's returned to 70%. If I successfully complete lifts in any exercise with good form then I add 10lb to it's 1rm

*Sets/reps:* I use 5x5 for intensities 70-80% and 4x4 for 85%

*Additional upper body exercises:*
These exercises are teamed up with the compound movements: Deadlifts/upright rows, bench press/french press, military press/corner press, pull-ups/curls, rows/Bent over laterals on incline
I only perform the additional exercises when that compound movement is at a low intensity. Example: Deadlift 80%, military press 70%, corner press. Sets/reps are 3x10, tempo is 2/0/2/0, rest period 2 minutes, and intesity is determined by experience.

*Additional lower body exercises:* I hike twice a week and consider this enough.


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## MuscleGauge1 (May 5, 2013)

PushAndPull said:


> My current program revolves around six basic compound movements: Back squat, deadlift, military press, pull-ups, BB rows, and flat BB bench press.
> 
> *Tempo* is 1/0/2/0
> 
> ...


 This is a great routine simple yet complete and full of compound exercises I love this I might start it once I finish my StrongLifts program. Its taken me about 6months to really get a good feel for the workouts and see some progress I've stuck with it and its working well so far. I would suggest using it if anyone is looking to gain some strength and size.


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## Watson (May 6, 2013)

5 day split

day 1 legs,
day 2 chest,
day 3 off,
day 4 back,
day 5 shoulders,
day 6 arms,
day 7 off,

sometimes on off days ill run abs, obliques etc

6 on list each day, 80% of the time i get all 6 done, 8 weeks i change at least 4 of the 6


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## PushAndPull (May 8, 2013)

MuscleGauge1 said:


> This is a great routine simple yet complete and full of compound exercises I love this I might start it once I finish my StrongLifts program. Its taken me about 6months to really get a good feel for the workouts and see some progress I've stuck with it and its working well so far. I would suggest using it if anyone is looking to gain some strength and size.



You're using the SL5x5? I don't like that there is no vertical pulling, otherwise it looks like a solid beginner program.


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## Dr.G (May 8, 2013)

not sure what good can   5x5 and 5x4 sets/reps do...these are very low reps especially for big muscle groups


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## dave 236 (May 8, 2013)

Dr.G said:


> not sure what good can   5x5 and 5x4 sets/reps do...these are very low reps especially for big muscle groups



They're great strength routines. Thats what.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2


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## PushAndPull (May 8, 2013)

Dr.G said:


> not sure what good can   5x5 and 5x4 sets/reps do...these are very low reps especially for big muscle groups



Then you have obviously have zero experience doing them. Builds both size and strength.


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## MuscleGauge1 (May 8, 2013)

Yes that is the program I am using and it is working well for me. I have gained some muscle and now I'm working on trimming some fat my diet is on point so it's just lifting that I have to worry about.


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## PushAndPull (May 9, 2013)

^^^ Sounds like a solid routine. Although I would add some vertical pulling, maybe alternate it with rows.


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## Dr.G (May 9, 2013)

i don't think 5 reps is good for building muscle at all, it is good as a complementary exercises but not as your main training method.  Of course you will get results with low reps , any type of exercising will give you results but for best muscle growth 5 reps is very very low.....i use low reps only as one of the sets if i am doing 4 sets of a given exercise.
training on the basis of low reps is done for strength and still it should not be your basic training routine. and  push pull on the contrary i do have lots of experience in whatever type of training you want...in my opinion sticking with one type of training method for a long time is not good, i've been training for 36 years or more so .....my training methods and techniques and information are not dug out of google, there was no google at that time, there are acquired in the gym! there are lots of written stuff you can find on the net and tons of names for different routines and methods, but it does not mean that they hold any value or anything new.


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## PushAndPull (May 9, 2013)

As far as you've tried it before, I don't believe you. It's also obvious that you clearly believe that you know everything and have nothing to learn.
I mean look at this thread
http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/t...es-5x5-routines-gain-mass-if.html#post2644099
Some of the guys in there really know what they're talking about. Did you ask any of them questions or engage them, no. But then why ask anyone questions when you know all the answers? You're closed minded and not going to learn anything here. The sad thing is, after all those years you seem to have very little knowledge of training.


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## Dr.G (May 9, 2013)

Push Pull : no need to read any article for me but if this routine suits you then as you wish stick with it and you are right i may not know anything, whatever suits you.... 

as for the others my opinion is that the muscles need to be stimulated for enough time so that you hit all the fibers. the fibers in a given muscle group do not work instantaneously all at the same time, some fibers come into play after few reps (after some time) doing 5 reps will make you use the same fibers all the time and somewhat ignoring other fibers. The more experienced powerlifter you are the less reps you probably need to stimulate all the fibers of a given muscle. But for a bodybuilder 5 reps is too low. it is good to do from time to time to step out of a plateau and to gain strength which in return helps with gaining muscle (it is all related) but it is not good to make it a routinely BASIS for your workout, it is a complementary method + a 5 rep routine can be good for muscle growth if not too much rest is taken in between sets, like 30-40 secs but again this is not a good basic routine it can also lead to injury.


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## PushAndPull (May 9, 2013)

Dr.G said:


> Push Pull : no need to read any article for


What are you talking about? It's a thread and you're in it.



Dr.G said:


> me but if this routine suits you then as you wish stick with it and you are right i may not know anything, whatever suits you....


I agree that you have no idea what you are talking about


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## Dr.G (May 9, 2013)

^^^ how can i engage in a discussion when you call me closed minded and a liar? i stated my opinion and you don't like it so you call me a liar, i am 52 and do not wish to discuss with someone who calls me a liar and with a lack of training knowledge, so i am sorry if i offended your training techniques but hey you are free to believe what you want.


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## svt2001 (May 9, 2013)

I'm sure everything "works" just not forever.  I think that it's just important to lift a little more every workout or do an extra rep (progressive resistance).  I started the Starting Strength program 3 weeks ago and love it.  You only work out 3 times a week and squat every workout.  In 3 weeks, I added 40 pounds to my squat and 60 pounds to my deadlift.  I do 4 sets of 5 reps (3 sets felt too low and 5 sets felt too high. I also put on 9 pounds during these 3 weeks.  Have you ever met a skinny guy with chicken legs squatting 300 pounds?  Strength and mass is highly correlated.


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## Dr.G (May 9, 2013)

^^^ strength and mass not always correlated it is the area under the curve strength/time that is correlated with mass. for example you can have smaller muscles for which all the fibers engage together in a second and have more short term strength than someone with bigger muscles but whose muscle fibers do not engage all together.
if you want to build size then strength training alone will get you to a plateau in size although you are gaining strength and eventually you will also plateau in strength..whereas if you want to train for strength, high repetitions will get you to a strength plateau although you are gaining size, and eventually you will plateau in size too.
the best way for size is to train with moderate to high reps as your basic training and insert some low reps training or sets from time to time.
now low reps and high reps are not defined by precise numbers  they are relative to a given person. For some 8 reps are seen by his body as high reps and for another they are seen as low reps.
but  experimenting and time will get you to know your body and what you really need. in general 8-15 reps are good a good rep range i would use the higher end for bigger muscles. and 3-6 reps are considered low reps.


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## dave 236 (May 9, 2013)

Dr.G said:


> ^^^ how can i engage in a discussion when you call me closed minded and a liar? i stated my opinion and you don't like it so you call me a liar, i am 52 and do not wish to discuss with someone who calls me a liar and with a lack of training knowledge, so i am sorry if i offended your training techniques but hey you are free to believe what you want.


Because every thread you enter you immediately tell everyone you're the ultimate authority on supplement s or training or what ever the subject may be. You dare call someone closed minded? Nearly every one of your posts are spoken  as if the opinions you espouse are the absolute undisputed only way to do or think anything, yet you rarely offer anything in the way of evidence to your expertise, only anecdotal bs and a lot of self aggrandizing. It leads me to the conclusion that you are either delusional or you are joking badly and no one gets it.


Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2


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## PushAndPull (May 9, 2013)

Dr.G said:


> ^^^ how can i engage in a discussion when you call me closed minded and a liar? i stated my opinion and you don't like it so you call me a liar, i am 52 and do not wish to discuss with someone who calls me a liar and with a lack of training knowledge, so i am sorry if i offended your training techniques but hey you are free to believe what you want.



Just like in the other thread, there is no discussion. You believe you are right and everyone else is wrong so what's there to discuss? I guarantee that you have learned nothing from this site, because how can you learn something new when you know everything already. It's obvious by your posts that you have no experience in this type of routine and when that happens you go to your default response which is basically : i've been bodybuilding forever and i've tried everything. This is clearly a lie as your posts reveal your ignorance on the subject. You're unable to accept that fact that you still have things to learn and so you will remain ignorant.


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## svt2001 (May 9, 2013)

Training, diet, etc. can get complicated.  I found some success in thinking about what guys in jail do.  I'm sure that they don't debate their magic formula of "lift something and eat everything that you are given." I adopted this prison mentality and started eating a $.75 cent one pound bag of rice coupled with $1.25 half gallon of 2% milk coupled of course with heavy lifting.  It has worked so far.


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## Dr.G (May 9, 2013)

i never claimed that i am not learning in fact i am still learning and i never claimed that it is my way or nothing, you understood it like that because you just don't like my opinion in fact my first response to you was that i was not sure if low reps is a good training method for muscle growth and you answered right away that i have zero experience ,,,,an assumption you made just because i was questioning your methods which by the way is not exactly the well established training methods developed through hundreds of years. Now as the internet became very popular many people started posting articles about training methods and inventing new names for them just to try to be interesting or smart asses,,,,not knowing that these methods and other methods have been used since ancient greece. in fact very little advances in performance in weightlifting has been accomplished for the last 100 years and most of these advances are due to drugs. As far as bodybuilding is concerned i see no advances and probably a  regression since drugs took more importance than training.


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## PushAndPull (May 9, 2013)

Yes your post was, not sure what good 5x5 set/reps can do......these are really low rep ranges. You're clearly being dismissive to the routine. Just as you were in the other thread, where many knowledgeable people already posted their reasoning. So that confirms that you are familiar with the reasoning for those rep ranges and you were simply being dismissive.


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## Dr.G (May 9, 2013)

you took it like that... anyways there are no needs to pursue the argument it is better to stick to the discussion about training without name calling don't you think so?


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## PushAndPull (May 9, 2013)

Alright then. As far as gaining size in rep ranges outside of the typical 8-12 I can't word it better then cowpimp and gaz did in your previous thread with them.





Gazhole said:


> You can gain mass in pretty much any rep range. I don't buy into the so called "mass building range" of 8-12, because i refuse to believe that there's a significant different between 7 and 8 reps, or 12 and 13. Hell, even 6 and 8 reps are similar enough.
> 
> All you need to get bigger is a surplus of calories, and an increased training load over a long enough period of time to allow your body to grow. How you increase your training load is almost irrelevant because different people will respond better to different things, but the general principle works across the board.
> 
> ...






CowPimp said:


> 8-12 rep sets are not necessarily considered optimal.  What is considered optimal is using weights between your 5-12RM.  This corresponds to about 70-85% of your 1RM.  Performing 5 sets of 5 using a flat weight for all work sets means you have to use about 80% of your 1RM.  This is right in that optimal range.
> 
> Furthermore, just because there is an optimal range doesn't mean that no hypertrophy can results from training outside of it.  The main problem with weights heavier than that is it is hard to accumulate enough volume to maximally stimulate hypertrophy, though you should still see some.  Training lighter than that will not likely result in significant amounts of hypertrophy unless you are completely new to resistance training, then as little as 40% of 1RM can stimulate hypertrophy.


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## RcKJ (May 9, 2013)

PushAndPull said:


> Yes your post was, not sure what good 5x5 set/reps can do......these are really low rep ranges.


5x5 are usually only done for power lifts. For those who want to get to that extra weight. For example, stuck and can't bench that shiny 3 plates? Try to work up to 5x5 with 275 (with proper warm-up). Doing either 5x5 or 5/3/1 are both excellent for that. They're not set ranges for mass, but for strength. Lifting heavy ass weight. Just takes time like anything else worth working for. Also, not defending anyone, but from my own experience it's great for adding power. Not so much mass.


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## RcKJ (May 9, 2013)

But as far as routines go, I usually lift 5 days a week. Fridays and Sundays being rest days. In the order of:
Chest (heavy), back/bi's, shoulders, chest ("light")/tri's, rest, deads/legs, rest

I focus every workout around a powerlift. Then work into more isolated movements. What's the point of getting big if you aren't strong? Haha


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## PushAndPull (May 9, 2013)

RcKJ said:


> 5x5 are usually only done for power lifts. For those who want to get to that extra weight. For example, stuck and can't bench that shiny 3 plates? Try to work up to 5x5 with 275 (with proper warm-up). Doing either 5x5 or 5/3/1 are both excellent for that. They're not set ranges for mass, but for strength. Lifting heavy ass weight. Just takes time like anything else worth working for. Also, not defending anyone, but from my own experience it's great for adding power. Not so much mass.



I've added just as much mass if not more using 5x5 routines. I've also added a lot of mass using other routines that do not use normal rep ranges, like the 20 rep squat routine. Supposedly a rep range of 20 is suppose to be for endurance only, not mass. But as cowpimp pointed out, it's the accompanying intensity that matters. You can do 8-12 rep range with 50% intensity and make zero gains. The problem in a program focusing on strength is getting enough volume. 5x5 is high volume routine for strength training, and you can definitely gain mass on it. That's why it's so popular. Likewise, the problem in a program focusing on volume is the intensity. As long as your program has sufficient volume, intensity, progression, etc... then you should gain mass. If you're using a good 5x5 routine and not gaining mass, then the first thing I would look at is my diet.


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## futureMrO (May 9, 2013)

monday chest/tries/abs
tuesday front legs/shoulders/calves
wednesday back/bis/forearms 
thursday chest/tris/ abs'
friday back legs/shoulders/ calves 
off saturday and sunday EAT!!!!


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## Dr.G (May 10, 2013)

i explained in an earlier reply in this thread the logical reasoning behind going higher reps and the correlation between strength and size.......it is not all in the intensity but also in the duration  in order to fully use all the muscle fibers......and  also that low and high reps are relative to a person for some 8 reps is high and some others 8 is too low ..it depends on their type of muscles and their lifting history.


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## RcKJ (May 10, 2013)

PushAndPull said:


> I've added just as much mass if not more using 5x5 routines. I've also added a lot of mass using other routines that do not use normal rep ranges, like the 20 rep squat routine. Supposedly a rep range of 20 is suppose to be for endurance only, not mass. But as cowpimp pointed out, it's the accompanying intensity that matters. You can do 8-12 rep range with 50% intensity and make zero gains. The problem in a program focusing on strength is getting enough volume. 5x5 is high volume routine for strength training, and you can definitely gain mass on it. That's why it's so popular. Likewise, the problem in a program focusing on volume is the intensity. As long as your program has sufficient volume, intensity, progression, etc... then you should gain mass. If you're using a good 5x5 routine and not gaining mass, then the first thing I would look at is my diet.


Excellent points! Not saying I haven't gained mass from 5x5 but I always found that it helped me better with strength opposed to mass. But it's also going to come down to genetics. Some people may react well to lower reps while others react better to higher reps. Personally I prefer higher reps for everything that isn't a powerlift. But I totally agree with what you're saying.


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## DegenerateSteve (May 15, 2013)

Speaking of the 5x5....I use one of Jim Stoppani's books for help designing and cycling new programs it's got a pretty interesting one called "higher-strength" in which after you do your 5x5 you do an additional rep where you drop the weight to 45-50% of what you were doing and bust out 25-30 of them. The high rep kicker supposedly triggers more growth hormone. I'm not a scientist so I won't get into all that, but I've personally tried it with awesome results.


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## RcKJ (May 15, 2013)

DegenerateSteve said:


> Speaking of the 5x5....I use one of Jim Stoppani's books for help designing and cycling new programs it's got a pretty interesting one called "higher-strength" in which after you do your 5x5 you do an additional rep where you drop the weight to 45-50% of what you were doing and bust out 25-30 of them. The high rep kicker supposedly triggers more growth hormone. I'm not a scientist so I won't get into all that, but I've personally tried it with awesome results.


dang it if I only read that sooner I would have thrown that in my shoulders today! Haha oh well there's always next time.


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## MuscleGauge1 (May 15, 2013)

These are great routines guys and good conversation. Lets see what everyone else is doing right now and see how its working for them. What kind of results have you had with your current routine? What are some of your personal records and maxes? Whats your favorite exercise in your routine?


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## DegenerateSteve (May 15, 2013)

yea it worked well for me. I can't train shoulders super heavy anymore though. Messed up my rotator wrestling when I was younger, it flares up if I train heavy for to long.


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## DegenerateSteve (May 15, 2013)

Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength - Google Books

I'm on week 6 of Jim's "big guns" program.  It works. I posted the link if anyone wants to check it out. My arms have shown noticeable gains in size and I got my vein visible and decently pronounced. If I could do it over from the jump I would have adjusted my diet and planned a little better, I honestly haven't eatin enough to gain much. I did eat very clean though and have been lowering bf.


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## Burrn (May 18, 2013)

Senior lifter here, doing oldschool full body 3 days a week.


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