How Does This Routine Look?

[thetopdog]

I'm going to start cycling very soon, and I'm looking for some input on my current routine. I understand training and diet are 90% of the game, so I don't want to start a cycle if those 2 aren't in order

I'm 5'10", 21 years old, ecto/mesomorph, 200lbs, probably 12-14% BF, been training for exactly 2 years now. Started out around 155-160lbs, with a 115lb max bench, so I've made some good progress naturally.

315 bench
350 squat (estimated, never maxed out)
350 dead (estimated, never maxed out)

Here's my routine. I used to do chest/tris and back/bis, but my arms really lagged behind when I was doing that, so I switched to give arms their own day. I know some say it's too much volume for arms, but I feel that it's been working for me (I could just be delusional though)


Day 1-Arms
DB Curl-3 sets
CG Bench-3 sets
DB Preacher OR DB Hammer Curl-2 Sets
Pushdowns-3 Sets
Cable Curl-2 Sets

Day 2-Deads/Miscellaneous
Deadlift-4 sets
Calf Raises-3 sets
Shrugs-3 sets
Weighted Incline Situps-3 sets
Ab Machine-3 sets

Day 3-Chest
BB Flat Bench-3 sets
DB Flys-3 sets
Incline DB Press-3 sets

Day 4-Back
Weighted Chins-4 sets (last set is usually bodyweight only)
T-Bar Row-3 sets
Calf Raise-3 sets
Cable Row-3 sets

Day 5-Legs
Squats-4 Sets
Leg Press-3 Sets
(I know this seems like low volume for legs, but I go all out, and very heavy, and I can barely walk after, let alone think of doing more exercises. Tell me if it's too little though)


Any advice would be appreciated. I don't do this 5 days in a row, it usually takes me 8 days to complete this cycle, I basically listen to my body to know when I should take time off. I also avoid direct shoulder work because I feel I get enough from chest and back day, and when I did add in shoulder work, I wasn't really progressing so I figured I was overtraining. I've only been working out for 2 years though, so you guys proably know this shit much better than I do

 

[thetopdog]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, all exercies are done heavy, 5-8 reps (more often than not 5 or 6 reps), with a few exceptions (I usually get 8-12 reps on leg press)

And I'm trying to train strictly for size if that matters, I'm 100% a bodybuilder, not a powerlifter, although I understand that you have to lift heavy to grow

 

[pullinbig]

let us know how it works.

 

[thetopdog]

let us know how it works.

Well, I've been using this routine for a while now and it's been working pretty well for me (hard to tell exactly how well becuase I had to take some time off due to exams, then again becuase I hurt my hand punching some punk on new years ), I was just wondering if there's anything fundamentally wrong with it that needs to be corrected before the cycle, becuase I want to get maximum benefit out of my cycle

 

[DADAWG]

if your deadlift stalls out you might try subbing rack pulls very other week , some cant handles heavy deads every week .

 

[thetopdog]

if your deadlift stalls out you might try subbing rack pulls very other week , some cant handles heavy deads every week .

Thanks for this advice. I'm relatively new to deadlifts, so I don't see it stalling out any time soon, if anything, I can see my grip giving out so I may need to get some straps. Are Rack Pulls are where I put the barbell on the safety bars in the squat rack and pull from there?

Any more advice would be appreciated

 

[MuffDyver]

let us know how it works.

lol.. i love the way pullinbig responds to these posts because he knows that its just to much work in one week. lol, deep down hes like, yea, good luck with thta one.

and topdog, if your looking for good strenght gains and uscle gain routines, look at the stickys above and you will find some great ones. prefferaby DC or pullinbig in the deadlift sticky.

 

[thetopdog]

lol.. i love the way pullinbig responds to these posts because he knows that its just to much work in one week. lol, deep down hes like, yea, good luck with thta one.

and topdog, if your looking for good strenght gains and uscle gain routines, look at the stickys above and you will find some great ones. prefferaby DC or pullinbig in the deadlift sticky.

I don't do it all in one week, I do it in 8 or 9 days depending on how I'm feeling. And I don't think it's too much volume, only 9 sets for chest, 10 for back, etc. But I could be wrong

I'll check out those routines you mentioned though, I've looked at the DoggCrap routine before, and I have no idea how to do some of those exercises, and the stretches. I was also thinking of doing a 5X5 routine a some point, but I wasn't exactly sure how to set it up

 

[MuffDyver]

yea, the DC is a tough routine to learn and its recommended that if you do not know exactly how to do it, than dont. but im gonna give you some awseome links on DC training and if you read them over and over, you should get the gist of it...

www.steroidology.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56428 , www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2875
www.chadnicholls.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=48&page=2&sort=lastpost&order=&pp=35&daysprune=-1

and for a good pullinbig one.. www.steroidology.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30846&page=6&pp=25

 

[pullinbig]

I don't do it all in one week, I do it in 8 or 9 days depending on how I'm feeling. And I don't think it's too much volume, only 9 sets for chest, 10 for back, etc. But I could be wrong

I'll check out those routines you mentioned though, I've looked at the DoggCrap routine before, and I have no idea how to do some of those exercises, and the stretches. I was also thinking of doing a 5X5 routine a some point, but I wasn't exactly sure how to set it up

there is only one way to know if its gonna work for you. start and make mods as you get into it.

at the gym when i start training a new guy i sart them off on a 2xw routine for a month or two then we up it to 3xw and see if they hold up OK.

my online clients i start off on a 3xw because most are used to 5-6 times per week. many toimes later ill cut them back to 2xw if they are over training.

i suggest laying off the juice til you get your routine dialed in.

 

[MuffDyver]

i suggest laying off the juice til you get your routine dialed in.

strongly agreed. i was gonna do m1-t but then was told by many pros that its not a good idea until you get your routine in check and make sure its a good one. so then once you get your perfect routine and do it for a while, then its a good time to start the juice so you can get the maximum results.

 

[thetopdog]

there is only one way to know if its gonna work for you. start and make mods as you get into it.

at the gym when i start training a new guy i sart them off on a 2xw routine for a month or two then we up it to 3xw and see if they hold up OK.

my online clients i start off on a 3xw because most are used to 5-6 times per week. many toimes later ill cut them back to 2xw if they are over training.

i suggest laying off the juice til you get your routine dialed in.

I appreciate your help. This routine has been working for me, and working well. I've put on over 20lbs since Sept, increased my bench about 40lbs, squat by about 40 lbs and deadlift by 100lbs (admittedly I was weaker than usual at the end of the summer due to a long cut). And this is with taking the whole month of January off due to an injury and exams.

I didn't make this thread becuase my current routine isn't working, I made it to see if there's anything fundamentally wrong with it. So if it has been working for me, would it be wrong for me to start my cycle soon?

I'm not trying to sound like a know it all, I appreciate all your advice and I realize that you guys know a lot more than I do

 

[jackcity10]

I'm relatively new to deadlifts, so I don't see it stalling out any time soon, if anything, I can see my grip giving out so I may need to get some straps.

Any more advice would be appreciated

for deads do you use an over under grip? like 1 hand overhand 1 hand under. it makes it dumb ez to hold up the bar.
i cant really give advice because im such a rokie, but i also too a big break from lifting, also started up in sept., and have also put on the same amount of weight as you have (percentage wise, its an estimation, but i went from 139 to 154). but the variable with us is that i kept changing my routines and not sticking to them, and just leanred how to squat and deadlift, so basically trained bad. so ya dundudundundundundundunnnn