Routine Suggestion

B

backknee

New Member
Hi guys,
I've been lurking on the HST board since Feb '05.  My gains have been stagnant for TOO long.  From reading some of your previous posts; I believe an HST principled routine could be a welcome change AND up my size???
Quick stats:
Age:36
Weight: 235 lbs (BF 15-16%)
Height: 5'11"
Arm: 18.25" - flexed, no pump
chest: not sure, but wear a 50 coat
waist: again not sure, wear 36 pants
thigh: 27.75"
Emotional stability - dropping at an alarming rate (no gains)
Typical training is 2 - 3 days a week, fullbody, compound movements but no system or plan, just as much effort as I can muster.
What do you guys think of this set-up?
- 6 days per week, fullbody, alternating days, 1 set each
Day 1
Squat
Bench
Deadlift or Row
Military
Curl
Calf Raise
Day 2
Leg Press
Incline
Weighted Chin
Weighted dip
DB Curl
Toe Press
Is this too much?  Not enough?  Squat and Deads on different days? Drop leg press, move deads to day 2? too old for more size?  6 days a week fun or a burden?
Feedback much appreciated.
Bob
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Emotional stability - dropping at an alarming rate (no gains)
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Hahaha. Keep the sense of humor, you'll need it around here.

Your stats are impressive. Assuming you are currently a natural lifter, it will be difficult to build on too what you have already achieved, but I am sure you know that. That being said, a shift in your body comp while maintaining all that muscle will make you look 10 lbs. bigger, even if you didn't gain a pound. I am 6'1" and 240 lbs. with ~10% bf and I look bigger than when I weigh 255 at 16-17% bf.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]What do you guys think of this set-up?
- 6 days per week, fullbody, alternating days, 1 set each
Day 1
Squat
Bench
Deadlift or Row
Military
Curl
Calf Raise
Day 2
Leg Press
Incline
Weighted Chin
Weighted dip
DB Curl
Toe Press
Is this too much? Not enough? Squat and Deads on different days? Drop leg press, move deads to day 2? too old for more size? 6 days a week fun or a burden?
Click to expand...
6 Days a week is fine. Personally, I like to split my body in two. Makes for a great party gag! Seriously though, I do a lower body and upper body split. I usually train 5x/week, so upper, lower, upper, lower, upper. It allows me to add a little more volume and variety considering I don't have to leave anything in the tank like I do with a fullbody workout. I use "clustering" for my sets and reps. As you may have read, reps become the control and the weight and number of sets are the adjustable variables. My training log is a lot less cluttered now.
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As far as doing squats and deads on same day, it depends on how and why you do deads. If you do them more for back development, then keep them in there and maybe just do partial deads instead of full deads. There are a FEW guys who do both traditional deads and squats on the same day and have no issues as far as overtraining, so it really will depend on yoru recovery ability. I like leg presses for leg development. I don't alternate between leg presses and squats in a cycle, rather one cycle I will do squats and the leg presses on the next cycle.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (BIZ @ June 07 2005,5:56)]Makes for a great party gag!  
Click to expand...
So does CHEESE :D Sorry old joke

I agree with BIZ, at your level it would make more sense to keep splits, either am/pm or daily. The increase you would get from the added sets, with your conditioning level could be a boost. The number of exercises is fine IMHO.

Too old?, nah age is in the mind just ask O&G ;)
 
Biz & DKM,

I want to thank you guys for responding. I can imagine you guys get tired of "how does my routine look" posts, so again I appreciate it.

Biz -

I've always been a natural lifter, no AAS. I 've got quite a few buddies who are on stuff but they all seem to be miserable. I wonder why they take all that stuff just to weigh 225 lbs? I just couldn't do it because then I would have to figure out how to get up to 300 lbs hahaha. I've tried taking creatine a couple of times; but get headaches by the 2nd day (probably not enough water).
I have been on a bulking diet for 25 years! No seriously, I have never been on a diet (bulking or cutting) I just eat the normal unhealthy American diet, only twice as much. After reading your post, I'm thinking the body comp shift might be best improvement I can make right now. I am in a unique situation now (gym is 5 minutes away, I work at home, I'm my own boss) so I have plenty of time to read the forums, look at porn, and maybe stick to a diet. I have read where you competed i may be asking for some help with a diet.

The deads are for back.

DKM -

I have thought about splitting workouts, but just can't seem to get away from the fullbody. Just can't get excited about doing just legs and calves. On the other hand when i do my favorite exercises first (inclines, chins, etc) my mood is elevated, I'm jacked up and have no problem squatting and doing other heavy leg work. don't know why this is. Typically, I do leg work last in a routine, right before quitting. It's like a hard sprint to the finish line. AND it is too tiring to do anything else! I'm hoping with the chance to sleep a little more and get on regular protein intervals, the everyday will be ok.
Something like:
Lift from 8 - 9 am
9am - 50g pro
11am - 50g pro
1pm - 50g pro
3pm - 50g pro
5 pm 50g pro
7pm - 100g pro
10 pm - 50g pro
will not track carbs and fat to begin with. sleep 9 hours.
I have never tried any type of regimented eating before so this will be an experiment.

quote from Biz
As you may have read, reps become the control and the weight and number of sets are the adjustable variables. My training log is a lot less cluttered now.
Thought I'd share...just for fun.
I'm all about less clutter. My variable is time. Not TUT, but time for a given bodypart. For instance, on a fullbody routine, everything gets 5 minutes of work. The first set for each respective bodypart (excluding warmup) is the weight and goal rep for the day (15/10/5, etc)
The remaining balance of the 5 minute block is for:
1) fun
2) pumping up
3) looking in the mirror and yellling "I'm the man!"
4) isolation momvements
5) pre-exhaust
6) rest-pause
7) whatever

chest as an example: only 1st set is recorded in training log
0 - 1 minute - bench press x 10
1 - 1.5 minute - rest, with deep breaths
1.5 - 2 minute - bench with same weight x 5
2 - 3 minute - rest
3 - 4 minute - really heavy pec deck x 10
4 -5 minute - bench press x 10 with 25% less weight
done - rest 3 minutes and begin next bodypart

there is no scientific basis for this (that i know of) it just keeps training fun and interesting because of the infinite number of combinations, rep speeds, exercises for each bodypart. but simple becuause you only record the 1st set into your training log.

Bob
 
If you are investing this much time and thought into your training, why can't you committ to a good diet? To be quite honest, HST can bring about some remarkable results, but you really shouldn't expect much if you aren't keeping an eye on nutrition.
 
Baby A,

That's a good question. To be honest, I've never really thought a lot about nutrition or training until the last couple of months or so.
The best response I can give is that I have had very modest goals: get big, get strong, relieve stress and most importantly just enjoy the training. None of these goals has ever required any complicated nutrition or training plan.

I will probably take a lot of heat for this, but here is what a 'typical' day looks like:

7am - 32 ounces of water
8am - caffiene pill
8:30am - 10am - train fullbody (3 days per week)
11am - 32 ounces of water
11am - 6pm - sip on approx. 10 - 20 ounces of orange juice
7pm - Big salad
8pm - Big dinner - 20 oz steak & potatoes or 10 -12 tacos or 3-4 hamburgers or any large southern dinner.
10pm - dessert - milkshake or popsicles or whatever

I can imagine what your responses may be:
1. I need pre and post workout nutrition
2. I need six smaller meals spaced through out the day
3. I need more protein
4. Eating that much at night will make you fat
5. i need creatine or flax oil or any number of supplements

As the competitive bug is starting to bite, i know i will need to make some adjustments to keep my muscle and lose some fat and I'm hoping i will be able to bounce some ideas off you guys.

Bob
 
I would be willing to bet that if you made no other alteration to your current diet other than adding in pre and post WO nutrition, you would make great gains. Of course that is assuming that you have been making solid gains with your current diet.

You don't have to eat 6 meals a day. You don't have to eat every 3 hours and all the rest of that bs. The bottom line is, you need to watch your caloric intake for the day depending on what your goals are, with particular attention paid to nutrition pre and post WO, of course. Other than that, there are a few tweaks that can be made here and there, but no other major requirements.
 
By the way, sorry to hijack this thread that was addresed to other bros.... I just figured that you guys were off reading studies or dictionaries or whatever you experts are doing these days.... :)
 
Baby A,

No problem with the hijacking. And your suggestion with the pre and post nutrition is the 1st change I will make. I guess I'll just have to break down and buy some protein powder!

Eating minimally during the day and heavy at night helped me break the 18" arm plateau, along with adding weight to my rep maxes. Maybe 100g protein post workout can push it close to 19".

I hear you on the 6 times a day stuff. not necessary.

Bob
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (backknee @ June 07 2005,10:52)]I will probably take a lot of heat for this, but here is what a 'typical' day looks like:
7am - 32 ounces of water
8am - caffiene pill
8:30am - 10am - train fullbody (3 days per week)
11am - 32 ounces of water
11am - 6pm - sip on approx. 10 - 20 ounces of orange juice
7pm - Big salad
8pm - Big dinner - 20 oz steak & potatoes or 10 -12 tacos or 3-4 hamburgers or any large southern dinner.
10pm - dessert - milkshake or popsicles or whatever
I can imagine what your responses may be:
1.  I need pre and post workout nutrition
2.  I need six smaller meals spaced through out the day
3.  I need more protein
4.  Eating that much at night will make you fat
Click to expand...
You're right, you do need smaller meals.. skipping breakfast is absolutely horrible for your metabolism, and having two big meals (especially that dinner you listed!) and dessert that late are killer. Change up the ways you eat and what you eat (more protein as you said) and that should help you out with your goals.
 
I do agree with the comment about adding in a breakfast, even if it's just something small like a banana. Personally, my pre and postworkout shakes are my breakfast right now, as I workout almost immediately after waking.

Eating late at night won't make you fat. Eating way too much food in a day will make you fat, but if you're bulking then who cares?
 
Totentanz,

I workout in the morning also and skipping the breakfast plus a caffiene pill gives me a good "workout buzz." Most times I do take some watered down gatorade to the gym and sip while warming up.

From my expereince, total cals make you fat. I wish I had measured my bodyfat before I statred eating this way. I know I weighed about 228 lbs. Since then I have gotten as high as 247 lbs and still had the same waist size for pants - for what it's worth.

Bob
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (baby a @ June 07 2005,10:42)]I just figured that you guys were off reading studies or dictionaries or whatever you experts are doing these days.... :)
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You DON'T want to know
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[b said:
Quote[/b] ]From my expereince, total cals make you fat
Click to expand...
YUP.

As da BIZ-ness said, You could definatley give clustering a try, stick with the big 6 exercises, but at your size I am not sure how much more unasisted growth you may get, unless you eat eat a lot more tacos and burgers, then go for a cut.
 
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