Abbreviated Routines (Ex - 5x5, squat/bench/deadlifts,etc)

[SweetDaddySiki]

Hi! Checking for feedback on abbreviated routines. I'm 58 yrs old; lifetime natural; doing full body routines 3 days a week. Works well for me; I seem to gain more muscle/keep fat down when I do full body's than when I try splits. Went to a gym during Thanksgiving vacation and someone told me that I should cut down and do less exercises (squats, bench, deadlifts, rows for me since I don't have a chin up bar, overhead presses). Said I'd gain more size and recover better that what I'm doing now. I'm assuming I would pack on more size for those bodyparts because I would be able to use heavier weight but what about areas that aren't directly worked like arms (biceps, triceps, forearms) and hamstrings and calves? I've alway included exercises for these. Didn't know if I would get spaghetti arms. Thanks!

[Donny]

Hi! Checking for feedback on abbreviated routines. I'm 58 yrs old; lifetime natural; doing full body routines 3 days a week. Works well for me; I seem to gain more muscle/keep fat down when I do full body's than when I try splits. Went to a gym during Thanksgiving vacation and someone told me that I should cut down and do less exercises (squats, bench, deadlifts, rows for me since I don't have a chin up bar, overhead presses). Said I'd gain more size and recover better that what I'm doing now. I'm assuming I would pack on more size for those bodyparts because I would be able to use heavier weight but what about areas that aren't directly worked like arms (biceps, triceps, forearms) and hamstrings and calves? I've alway included exercises for these. Didn't know if I would get spaghetti arms. Thanks!

Read " Brawn " by Stuart Mc Robert
Thereīs a free download for his books if you search

[Donny]

on the subject of direct arm training, i remember talking to the Great Bill pearl on the phone about this.
i told him i was doing just Chins (supinated grip) for back/biceps & he told me to also use a Preacher Bench

so you can do 2 things here; either pre-exhaust with preacher curls first then chin ups or the opposite.

[IroNat]

Hi! Checking for feedback on abbreviated routines. I'm 58 yrs old; lifetime natural; doing full body routines 3 days a week. Works well for me; I seem to gain more muscle/keep fat down when I do full body's than when I try splits. Went to a gym during Thanksgiving vacation and someone told me that I should cut down and do less exercises (squats, bench, deadlifts, rows for me since I don't have a chin up bar, overhead presses). Said I'd gain more size and recover better that what I'm doing now. I'm assuming I would pack on more size for those bodyparts because I would be able to use heavier weight but what about areas that aren't directly worked like arms (biceps, triceps, forearms) and hamstrings and calves? I've alway included exercises for these. Didn't know if I would get spaghetti arms. Thanks!

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Donny]

I think itīs more a question of Genetics & your Goals.
If you want to look like a Bodybuilder then train your Biceps/ Triceps & impress the Gals 
Direct arm work is coming ..the pump 

I am waiting for the posts---but Gymnasts donīt train their biceps or triceps --sure they do like a sprinter squats

[chaos]

Hi! Checking for feedback on abbreviated routines. I'm 58 yrs old; lifetime natural; doing full body routines 3 days a week. Works well for me; I seem to gain more muscle/keep fat down when I do full body's than when I try splits. Went to a gym during Thanksgiving vacation and someone told me that I should cut down and do less exercises (squats, bench, deadlifts, rows for me since I don't have a chin up bar, overhead presses). Said I'd gain more size and recover better that what I'm doing now. I'm assuming I would pack on more size for those bodyparts because I would be able to use heavier weight but what about areas that aren't directly worked like arms (biceps, triceps, forearms) and hamstrings and calves? I've alway included exercises for these. Didn't know if I would get spaghetti arms. Thanks!

The heavier lifting will work the rest of your body that you aren't directly hitting. You might not get the most size in certain bodyparts, but the strength will increase. I used to use 5x5 one week, 3x5 the next week and 1x5 final week for my compound lifts, then start the cycle over.  I would throw in auxiliary lifts and do sets of 10 with those.

[Humble Narcissist]

Try 1 bodypart a day training. Total focus on 1 muscle and almost impossible to overtrain.

[Donny]

Try 1 bodypart a day training. Total focus on 1 muscle and almost impossible to overtrain.

It works too ( bro split) & if doing Abbreviated workouts i still think some accessory work in there is good.
Calves, Biceps, triceps..

[SweetDaddySiki]

Update: I've ditched my (complete) full body routine for a 3 day routine of squats, deadlifts, bench presses, standing overhead presses, and rows. So far so good. I'm able to live the heaviest I've lifted in years. What's weird is that my body and joints feel better than when I was doing a complete full body. Have a lingering golfer's elbow and that's better since I'm not doing curls. My arms aren't looking too bad since I'm not doing direct arm work. Just need to add walking or some sort of cardio between days but I'm lazy and it's hot here in NC.

[Donny]

Update: I've ditched my (complete) full body routine for a 3 day routine of squats, deadlifts, bench presses, standing overhead presses, and rows. So far so good. I'm able to live the heaviest I've lifted in years. What's weird is that my body and joints feel better than when I was doing a complete full body. Have a lingering golfer's elbow and that's better since I'm not doing curls. My arms aren't looking too bad since I'm not doing direct arm work. Just need to add walking or some sort of cardio between days but I'm lazy and it's hot here in NC.

Get a mountain Bike itīs much more fun than walking. I cycle most morning for about 1 hour but obviously i give it some Gas to get a decent workout.
some people go on long cycle tours but i just keep it to about 1 hour.
Itīs not so much for "fat burning" but to work my heart.

[IroNat]

Update: I've ditched my (complete) full body routine for a 3 day routine of squats, deadlifts, bench presses, standing overhead presses, and rows. So far so good. I'm able to live the heaviest I've lifted in years. What's weird is that my body and joints feel better than when I was doing a complete full body. Have a lingering golfer's elbow and that's better since I'm not doing curls. My arms aren't looking too bad since I'm not doing direct arm work. Just need to add walking or some sort of cardio between days but I'm lazy and it's hot here in NC.

c

How do you arrange the exercises over the three days?

[SweetDaddySiki]

Get a mountain Bike itīs much more fun than walking. I cycle most morning for about 1 hour but obviously i give it some Gas to get a decent workout.
some people go on long cycle tours but i just keep it to about 1 hour.
Itīs not so much for "fat burning" but to work my heart.

That's a good idea. I'll try that

[SweetDaddySiki]

c

How do you arrange the exercises over the three days?

I do them all each day: Squats, deadlifts, bench, overhead presses, rows. I'm 59 and lifetime natural and I was google'ing what routine would be best for me at my age and natural state and this routine was the consensus (Though they said do rows if you can't do pulldowns or chins and I don't have equipment for either). Working great so far but knowing me I'll jump to another routine and proclaim that its the best routine ever   

[IroNat]

I do them all each day: Squats, deadlifts, bench, overhead presses, rows. I'm 59 and lifetime natural and I was google'ing what routine would be best for me at my age and natural state and this routine was the consensus (Though they said do rows if you can't do pulldowns or chins and I don't have equipment for either). Working great so far but knowing me I'll jump to another routine and proclaim that its the best routine ever   

I guess I'm confused. 

You said you ditched your "complete full body routine".

What you are now doing IS a complete fullbody routine.

 

[Donny]

I guess I'm confused. 

You said you ditched your "complete full body routine".

What you are now doing IS a complete fullbody routine.

 

without splitting hairs here, itīs an abbreviated workout..ala "Brawn" as an example.
still hitting everything but not directly ..

[SweetDaddySiki]

Oh sorry. I was doing crunches, calf raises, squats, stiff leggs, rows, bench, behind the neck presses, curls, lying extensions, wrist curls. I consider it the standard full body routine. My problem is that the heavier I lift for each exercise the harder it gets to complete the routine. What I'm doing now is less exercises but easier for me to lift heavier without gassing out.

[IroNat]

Oh sorry. I was doing crunches, calf raises, squats, stiff leggs, rows, bench, behind the neck presses, curls, lying extensions, wrist curls. I consider it the standard full body routine. My problem is that the heavier I lift for each exercise the harder it gets to complete the routine. What I'm doing now is less exercises but easier for me to lift heavier without gassing out.

Thanks.