I spoke to a guy in the gym today (relative newbie, but building a good foundation) who trains five days a week with about 20 sets per bodypart. He didn't seem too happy with his progress, and less so when he found out that I only train once a week...
Anyway, seeing as this is supposed to be an informative discussion board for natural bodybuilders I figured it would be better to post the routine that helped me build my base here rather than simply email it to him as I promised...
So here you go guys, a good solid routine based on a push/pull/legs split which concentrates on heavy compound movements, without superfluous exercises. When I started this routine my bench/squat/deadlift
poundages were 135, 185 and 185 lbs respectively (and that was with 4 years training under my belt). When I progressed to a more simplified routine a couple of years later I was using 245, 315 and 315 lbs (and forty pounds heavier). Enjoy:
Monday:
Barbell Bench Presses: ...medium grip
Barbell Incline Presses:
Dumbbell Flyes: ...done in a hugging motion to stress the pecs
(Dumbbell Pullovers:) ...only done every second week
Dumbbell Lateral Raises:
Dips: ...going down till the elbows are at 90 degrees
Close Grip Bench Presses:
Wednesday:
Bent-over Barbell Rows: ...row to the stomach, and do them bent-over at 90 degrees
T-bar Rows:
...again to the stomach, whether Ronnie Coleman does them that way or not.
Lat-pulldowns: ..close-grip underhand grip
Barbell Deadlifts: ...narrow stance, straps and double overhand grip
Barbell Upright Rows:
Barbell Curls:
Dumbbell Curls:
Friday:
Barbell Squats: ...down till the femur is parallel to the ground, body upright
Leg Presses:
Leg Extensions: ...a little hold at the top helps a lot
Seated Calf Raises: ..slow and heavy, all the way up onto your tippy toes
Standing Calf Raises: ...again slow, with a good stretch
Leg Curls: ...curl heavy, it works
...do this routine for a few months, with two sets per exercise. I know, I know... it's only 14, 14 and 12 sets (totalling 40 sets per week, not per workout), but it works.
This is a beginners Heavy Duty or HIT routine, the secret is to do the workouts in 40 mins with the heaviest poundages that good form and your pain threshold will allow. If you aren't finished at the forty minute mark, leave the gym... and endeavour to do better next time.
After a couple of months (maybe 6 months) as your poundages begin to climb, you switch to doing only ONE set per exercise. This will allow further progress, once the workouts are kept to 20 - 30 mins.
After that, drop to two workouts a week.
Personally, I'm now training only ONCE per week.... and still making good progress.
Ten sets, in 45 mins.
Unbelievable, but true... I regularly row with 200 lbs, squat (on a smith machine) with 400 lbs and do floor deadlifts with 405 lbs... all of those for reps, and no one is more surprised than I am.
Try it.
The Luke