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View Full Version : Mixing things up...how to re-focus my routine - some help?



AlphaBrass01
06-04-10, 8:22 am
I am posting my current routine below. Overall, I like it a lot, but would like a little more growth in my chest and arms. I'm feeling good about legs and back, and really good about shoulders (they're not REALLY strong yet, but I'm making great progress). Some specific things I want to do are incorporate deadlifts and work toward increasing progress in my chest and arms, as noted earlier. Any suggestions would be really helpful. My overall goals are building lean muscle and increasing strength.

Oh, and being that I train before work, there are some time limits on my sessions, so I can't really make them any longer. I have looked into some powerlifting programs, but since I work out alone (not many people that want to be a training partner at 5am), maxing out and going extremely heavy is a little scary sometimes. I've also tried 5x5 routines, and have trouble sticking with them and letting them work as intended. In order for me to not become frustrated and stay motivated, I find other programs keep me training at a higher level.

Thanks for any help!

Here's what my current routine looks like:

Monday

Squat
Hack squat
Single leg extension
Stiff leg deadlift
Lying leg curl

Wednesday

Incline barbell bench press
Machine chest fly
Flat dumbbell bench press
Straight arm EZ bar pullover
EZ bar curl
Rope cable curl

Thursday

Bent over EZ bar row
Underhand t-bar row
Low seated cable row
Lat pull
Hyperetension
Seated calf press

Saturday

Standing military press
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
Dumbbell shrug
Machine rear delt fly
Two-arm front dumbbell raise
Rope tricep pulldown
Standing dumbbell overhead tricep extension
Standing calf press

Aggression
06-04-10, 9:07 am
Do you do that workout every time? Be sure to switch things up. That's what always worked for me. I'd always hit chest and biceps on a Wednesday, but I never did the same routine twice. Mess around with different rep ranges and exercises to see which work the best for your body. For example, I found out that my biceps grow better when I keep all the reps around 10 or more. For chest, I did the FST-7's at the end of my workout, which definitely helped fill it out a bit. Keep the basics in there; barbell curls and bench presses, but switch the other shit up and have fun in the gym.

Goliathus
06-05-10, 1:37 pm
x2
keeping to the same set thing week after week is a good way to allow your body to get used to what you're doing.

My workouts change every time I'm in the gym, just depends on how I feel that day.

Cellardweller
06-05-10, 6:00 pm
If you're looking for a change up, you can

use dumbells in place of cable flyes
use dumbells in place of a barbell
use a barbell in place of dumbells
you can switch the order of exercises to preexhaust or refocus on a different area. Do incline BP before flat or vise versa. Do leg extensions before squats. stuff like that.

MojoMike36
06-05-10, 7:00 pm
Add a drop set to your last set for each exercise. That will spice up a bland routine. Once you find your best mass builders its hard to deviate.