Thanks for asking.
It may come as a shock to you, but I also workout about the same as you guys. I either do 3x a week wholebody, or if I split, it becomes 6x a week, upper body / lower body split.
Whether I split it depends on how busy I am at my "real" career (although I suppose just like you guys, I'd rather believe that bodybuilding is my "real" career and office work is just something to help me be able to keep up my "real" career). If I have one full hour with no hassle, I do a full body. It normally only takes me 45-50mins to workout, but I'd like a full hour so I don't feel rushed. If I'm really busy and can only afford less time, that's when I do a split. So for Monday, for example, I'll do upper body, takes me less than half an hour. Then on Tuesday, I'll do lower body, also half an hour.
My routine is usually composed of the following compounds:
==Flat bench
==Incline / Decline bench, I usually alternate them
==Chins with weight belt
==Military Press
==Deadlifts
==Squats
==Barbell Shrugs (along with deadlifts, the top motion, if I'm pressed for time; otherwise, I do it separately)
==Barbell Rows / T-Bar Rows (I also alternate them between workouts)
(Total: 8 compounds/ workout)
I don't do them in exactly the same order all the time. Usually, though, after warming up, I start with either deads or flat bench, then end with squats.
After all the compounds, I do the following isolations:
-- Incline DB curls
--Concentration curls
--Skullcrushers (with tricep bar) lying on bench
--DB overhead extensions (standing)
--Leg extensions
-- Abs on a decline bench while holding on to a plate
--As an additional workout for my calves, I also stand on my toes then back again to my whole feet while holding a barbell more or less equal to what I deadlift.
(Total: 7 isos / workout)
All in all, I do 15 exercises per workout. How I manage to do that in 50 minutes is simple. You may be aware of this technique. I only do one good set for each (usually 8 focused reps), and I superset as best as I can.
This is simply consistent with my belief that, the human body being composed of so many complex muscle groups, it takes so many varied good exercises to be able to hit all groups EQUALLY and sufficiently. Yes, if you deadlift, bench and do chins, you may be hitting all muscles already, but not equally - I'm sure you would agree. You'll hit all muscles, ok, but while some may already have more than enough stimulation, some may be left a little lacking. Hence, a lot of different exercises. No need to knock yourself dead, do 8 good reps, call it good, go to the next exercise.
I don't believe in using submaximal weighs MOST of the time. The lowest I go is lessen my max by about 15-25 lbs, depending on how big my max is for that exercise. I start my workout "cycle" (since that's what you call it, I simply call it a workout phase, but i understand the word "phase" means different to you) with that weight level (just 15 lbs or so lighter than my max), then move to my max in just after a week.
I also don' quite believe in SD. What I do when I plateau is I go for a strength training phase (or cycle, as you call it). Naturally, I deload first, then finish the strength "cycle". After that, I start my normal routine (starting with 15lbs lighter for the first week, just to be sure I give myself a little break from the extreme weights).
What do I do for my joints? Good question. The thing is, my joints don't get punished. If you've read what I've written so far, I stick to 8 reps. My "max weights" are for that. Don't call that submaximal training though. Submax training is doing lighter than that, and expecting to grow. Also, I believe taking in enough EFA's (fish oil is still best for this) helps the joints.
I'm about 5'6", and I weigh at around 170 lbs. I'm currently at 10-11%bf. Based on HST's own max-size-calculator (which is pretty much the same as all max size calcs I've seen, so kudos, that thing works great), this is damn close to my genetic ceiling. I don't expect much growth anymore (I'm 31 going on 32, been working out since 20), just gonna squeeze out the little that's due to me, and that's it, I'll go to church and thank the good lord for making me reach my max potential. I don't plan to use steriods, don't know much about them, but maybe after two years and I become dissatisfied with my max genetic limit, I may try them out, I have to be honest.
My diet is pretty simple and ho-hum. Steak, potatoes. Fish. Bread. Maybe russian salad or chicken salad. I stopped taking protein powder or shakes years back, I was around 26, when it finally dawned on me they were just robbing me blind (the supps companies, I mean). Why pay $$$ for a tub containing about 300-500g of protein, when in meat form that costs about only 1/10 or less? Before that I thought, quite foolishly, that they were magic bullets. Stupid me. Well, at least I got out of that.
-The Real Deal