new a/b split

M

mindstar

New Member
so right now i'm seeing some impressive upperbody gains and some moderate lower body gains off of a program I believe I stole from Fausto. Thanks bro...it has worked AWESOME for me.

it is
A
Deadlifts
Benchpress
narrow grip Chins
military press

B
Squats
Dips
T-Bar Rows
Military press

I've put on about 12 or so pounds and am at 218 and about 14%...I'm pretty happy.


Now my areas that need refinement are my upper chest, thighs, calves, rear delts and lat width.

With that in mind have a look at a new a/b split and tell me what you think

A
Deadlifts
Benchpress
Wide-grip lat pulls
Military press to the front
Leg press ss w/ calves

B
Squats
Incline DB Press (though this may have to be BB press as my dbs top out at 85lbs)
Seated Rows or bent over rows...
Military press to the rear
Leg press ss w/ calves.

Let me know what you think and if you think I've properly addressed my weak areas...I'm open to all suggestions. Thanks everyone!
 
Why drop dips?

I think if you're doing deadlifts and full ROM squats you don't need direct calf work.

I'm a little confused about about the wide-grip lat pulls, I'm assuming your doing snatch-grip pulls. If so, unless you are also working the snatch, I would stick with clean pulls as you'll be able to pull considerably more weight.
 
exept for rear millitarys it looks fine i would do rear laterals
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<div>
(mindstar @ Aug. 30 2006,13:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">A
Deadlifts
Benchpress
narrow grip Chins
military press

B
Squats
Dips
T-Bar Rows
Military press</div>
What volume/frequency have you used with your program?

I playing with the idea to train a bit &quot;basic&quot; for a while...

//J
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">so right now i'm seeing some impressive upperbody gains and some moderate lower body gains off of a program I believe I stole from Fausto. Thanks bro...it has worked AWESOME for me.</div>

Mindstar

Glad to be of help, awsome that you got some gains
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I would not cahnge much dude, do not drop dips, for shoulders mix lateral raises/rear raises as a superset alternated with the military press (to the front) forget the to the back option not good for shoulders.

Calves - up to you!
 
Thanks guys.

J-son: I trained MWF alternating a/b so I'd get 3 of each per week...I also added decline skull crushers and incline curls in my 5's phase.

Ok, rear military's are out...maybe keep with the Mil press for now and add some rear delt iso's in the 5's phase?

Don't get me wrong, I love the dips, they were the first exercise that I saw as a test of strength when I was a kid, I did them ever day (ok, I wasn't a smart kid). My only reason for exchanging them was to focus more on the upper pec, where I feel I'm lacking a bit. I'll stick with BP and Dips, and throw in some inc pec fly in the 5's?

Wide grip lat pulls are because my shoulder hurts when I try and do wide grip chins...I was doing narrow chins with success, but want to add some width to my back. I was not doing snatch pulls, but may think about them if I do an olympic phase.

Just so I'm clear, doubling up on legs like I've outlines is ok? I do full (powerlifter) squats and deads...but the calves are behind...I'd like to get them up to my arm size, which means almost 2 inches...
sad.gif


Cheers everyone!

ms
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">want to add some width to my back</div>

Bent over rows or cable rows + CG chins and go heavy!
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For chest do slight Incline BP+ Dips, all you need!

Ok, go with calves then, high volume to get them to grow!
 
<div>
(mindstar @ Aug. 31 2006,13:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">J-son:  I trained MWF alternating a/b so I'd get 3 of each per week...I also added decline skull crushers and incline curls in my 5's phase.</div>
Very intresting, how many sets did you do? Did you change it over the cycle?

//J
 
<div>
(mindstar @ Aug. 31 2006,13:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Wide grip lat pulls are because my shoulder hurts when I try and do wide grip chins...I was doing narrow chins with success, but want to add some width to my back. I was not doing snatch pulls, but may think about them if I do an olympic phase.

Just so I'm clear, doubling up on legs like I've outlines is ok? I do full (powerlifter) squats and deads...but the calves are behind...I'd like to get them up to my arm size, which means almost 2 inches...
sad.gif


Cheers everyone!

ms</div>
Definitely do an olympic phase.
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From experience, a powerlifter squat is to parallel, if that. If that's what you're doing, stop. Do olympic squats and do the full ROM, hamstrings on calves. Also, heavy clean pulls may help your calves.
 
<div>
(Fausto @ Aug. 31 2006,19:02)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"> <div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">want to add some width to my back</div>

Bent over rows or cable rows + CG chins and go heavy!
cool.gif


For chest do slight Incline BP+ Dips, all you need!

Ok, go with calves then, high volume to get them to grow!</div>
agree with fausto..everyone seems to think wide grip chins or pulldowns are better.
hold your arms straight up above your head at shoulder width,then move them in to touch your hands together you will feel your lats pull..so when you do close grip chins you get a better stretch.
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<div>
(J-son @ Aug. 31 2006,15:24)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(mindstar @ Aug. 31 2006,13:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">J-son:  I trained MWF alternating a/b so I'd get 3 of each per week...I also added decline skull crushers and incline curls in my 5's phase.</div>
Very intresting, how many sets did you do? Did you change it over the cycle?

//J</div>
standard 1 of 15, 2 of 10, 3 of 5 with warm-ups. The only varriation of this is i usually did 5 or so sets of 5's on BP and Dips to bring up my lagging chest.
 
<div>
(liegelord @ Sep. 01 2006,01:21)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(mindstar @ Aug. 31 2006,13:52)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Wide grip lat pulls are because my shoulder hurts when I try and do wide grip chins...I was doing narrow chins with success, but want to add some width to my back.  I was not doing snatch pulls, but may think about them if I do an olympic phase.

Just so I'm clear, doubling up on legs like I've outlines is ok?  I do full (powerlifter) squats and deads...but the calves are behind...I'd like to get them up to my arm size, which means almost 2 inches...
sad.gif


Cheers everyone!

ms</div>
Definitely do an olympic phase.
biggrin.gif


From experience, a powerlifter squat is to parallel, if that.  If that's what you're doing, stop.  Do olympic squats and do the full ROM, hamstrings on calves.  Also, heavy clean pulls may help your calves.</div>
yeah my squates go to just bellow parrallel, and I'm chicken to go much deeper because of all the knee problems I've had (2 surgeries on my left leg)...

The addition os leg press is meant to address this problem as I feel comfortable going ATG there first where balance isn't so much of an issue.
 
First, do 90 degree bent rows, or Pendlay rows, that'll take care of the rear delt. The load is far more than you will be using for laterals.

Second, keeping in mind you're squatting after knee surgery, not doing full ROM squats keeps the stress on the knees and could lead to another injury. Forget the leg press, lower the weight and do full ROM olympic squats.
 
I'm going to second what liegelord said about squats. I've had minor knee problems in the past, and am 49. I'd been doing just 2 sets of 7 for squats to a bit above parallel (before finding HST), concerned about going lower. Became convinced to try ATG, Olympic squats. Had to drop the weight way down, worked on proper form, very controlled descent at the bottom, shifting strain away from knees.

I've had no problems whatsoever, been doing 20 reps Max-Stim style, and gained over 1&quot; on my thighs in a month.
 
Impressive gains Lifting N Tx. During that month, what was your starting weight for squats and what did you finish the month with?
 
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(liegelord @ Sep. 02 2006,20:47)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Impressive gains Lifting N Tx. During that month, what was your starting weight for squats and what did you finish the month with?</div>
Actually, so light as to be embarrassing. Until the last couple of months, when I discovered HST, I'd been working upper body a lot harder than lower body, and I'm sure that I'm benefitting a lot from being in a relatively untrained state. The increase in measurement to that degree surprised me, but I'm certain of the accuracy. I'm bulking and added a bit of fat, but fat goes almost entirely to my waist, not my legs.

I'd last been doing 260 lbs for the sets of 7, but not even going to parallel, as I mentioned. When I started ATG I went way down to about 115 and just concentrated on perfect form. I've only added about 25-30 lbs from that starting point, so probably body weight is still close to half of my effective resistance. Funny thing is my glutes and hams have been more sore with that than they ever were with 260 and not going deep. My quads, too. Not unpleasantly sore, but enough to know they were being worked. Have to &quot;check my ego at the door&quot; to go so light, but I know that others have had to do the same, but got up to respectable poundages in a relatively short amount of time.

When I compare to what others have posted, by my leg size (thighs 25&quot; now) I ought to be stronger, but I'm sure it will come. Funny, I have worked bench heavy for some time, and my best 1RM is 275. But my arms are a shade under 15 and my chest at nipple height 43, so from what I see others post I'm probably strong for my muscle size in bench. Probably a lot of the contrast is just a CNS and coordination difference. First few sessions I just tried to get comfortable with ATG style, and I'm content for now to add 5 or 10 lbs per week.
 
You're proof full ROM squats, despite the initial lighter loads, are far superior to powerlifting, parallel squats. You're right, the ego has to be checked at the door. However, somebody doing olympic squats with 225 is stronger than someone doing parallel squats with 315.

I've seen kids at the gym doing parallel &quot;squats&quot; with 135 and increasing to 225+. No way they would be able to do full ROM with even 100.

25-30 pounds in a month is good progress. Don't be embarrassed by the weight, unless of course that's what you're still doing a year from now.
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Yeah, liftingnTx!
Good job!
Don't worrty about the weight, leg growth is what matters!

I did the same thing, I was doing kind of a half-squat with decent weight for a beginner(200+lb.s) and I have the most pathetic thighs, and they never got sore.

I switched to full olympic squats and I was SO weak on them, (because of my weak thighs). I am only up to about 180 lb.s for my 6rm, which is weeny, but my thighs are almost always sore, and my wife noticed my legs look alot more solid, which means alot coming from her!

Leigelord, you've got me interested in olympic style lifts....clean and press, olympic squat, power-cleans, etc. Can you direct me to a good website which shows video of performing these lifts properly?
 
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