New training split

[Lee]

I really need to cut my volume down, im currently training 5 or 6 days a week, hitting all muscle groups except legs twice a week. i wrote up a new plan and was looking for input. im currently cutting and trying to maintain all my muscle, which i know is hard but i think being young will help.

i was thinking this:
sunday - cardio
monday - back/bis
tuesday - chest/tris
wednesday - cardio
thursday - legs
friday - shoulder/bis
saturday - cardio

 

[Lee]

here i wrote up a full routine, any changed i should make?

*sunday - cardio

*monday - chest/tris
*chest
incline db press 5x5
incline db flies 2x10
flat db press 2x8
*triceps
skull crushers 5x5
close grip bench 2x8
tricep extension 2x8

*tuesday - back/bis
*back
tbar row 5x5
dumbbell row 2x8
lat pulldowns 2x8
*biceps
preacher curl 5x5
straightbar curl 2x8
incline hammer 2x8

*wednesday - cardio

*thursday - legs
*legs
deadlifts 5x5
hack squat 2x10
legs press 2x10
calf raise 2x10

*friday - shoulder/bis
*shoulders
shoulder shrugs 5x5
front raises 2x10
side raises 2x10
*biceps
preacher 5x5
straight bar 2x8
incline hammer 2x8

*saturday - cardio

 

[bigstve12]

Why biceps 2X a week?? If your trying to cut i dont think the 5X5 is the best way. I like to use 10-12 reps while cutting with short rest periods, if any at all. On shoulder day your first exercise should be a compound overhead press instead of shrugs..go with millitary or DB overhead presses

 

[gmanlax7]

i would definatly make pullups one of back day's priorities

they have done more for my back then pulldowns ever did in a much longer time span

 

[Debaser]

No offense intended, but it looks like just about any old split routine. I mean you're using 5x5 methods, but why are you training bis so much? You're doing way too much on just one day, and then you're doing them AGAIN. Do you realize that pulling movements hit your bis pretty hard just by themselves? If you were totally set on 5x5 4 day split (inefficient for hypertrophy by its very nature) then I would go about it like this:

Actually screw it I'm making it 3 days/week, I'm really having a hard time making a logical 4 day split. Most people have the 4th day as a delt day but this is ridiculous, why not hit them on chest day since they're used anyway?

Monday

Dips or bench 5 x 5
Close grip bench 2 x 8
Push Press 2 x 8

Wednesday

Partial deadlift 5 x 5
Close grip pulldown 2 x 10
Row (hammer or dumbell or whatever) 1 x 10
Bicep curl 2 x 10

Saturday

Squat 5 x 5
Stiff-legged deadlift 2 x 10
Calf raise 2 x 10

The reason I made the last day Saturday is to allow 2 days rest after Wednesday for your lower back, it would not be wise to stiff-legged deadlift so soon after hitting partial deads.

Anyway this isn't an optimal program, but it's as close as I could get to yours while giving it an actual recommendation.

 

[CobraUTAH]

Lee deciding on a good split has been the hardest part for me now that I'm doing the 5x5 routine. I'm currently doing what you are doing using the push pull method and training chest/tri's and then back/bi's with a seperate date for legs and shoulders totalling 4 days of lifting. I throw calves and abs in on various days depending on how recovered I feel. Anyway I'm curious as to what is the best split and have devised one other split. Monday Chest, Tuesday Bi's and Tri's, Wednesday Rest, Thursday Shoulders, Friday Legs. The reason for this other split and the reason that the pushpull method doesn't seem right for this 5x5 routine is that say on chest tri day you do 5x5 with heavy bench or incline and then you want to do 5x5 close-grips for your tri's, that seems like a ton of chest movement. Also when doing Back/Bi's day your doing some bi work when doing back and vise versa, basically your bi's are getting hit twice once during back and once during the actual bi workout. So I changed to put chest by itself. Bi's and Tri's together in the form of a superset 5x5 routine I don't know if that will be good or not. Then back with shoulders. That way I feel more intensity can be devoted to that area alone and it won't be extra fatiqued from doing a similar motion from another exercise.

 

[Lee]

how bout this then?

Sunday - cardio

Monday - Back/Bis
Tbar row 3x8
Pull Up 3x8
Dumbbell row 3x8
Preacher curl 3x8
Incline hammer 3x8

Tuesday - cardio

Wednesday - Chest/Tris
Incline db press 3x8
Incline db flies
Skull Crushers 3x8
Flat db press 3x8
Tricep Extension 3x8

Thursday - cardio

Friday - Legs/Shoulders
Hack Squat 3x8
Leg press 3x8
Calf Raises 3x8
Leg extensions 3x8
Shoulder shrugs 3x8
Front raises 3x8
Side raises 3x8

Saturday - cardio

 

[gmanlax7]

you threw out the deads ?!

 

[Lee]

no ill do deads with legs and shoulders some times, not every week though

 

[PolishHammer1977]

Lee,

If you are trying to cut down on volume, I assume you want to use the exercises with the most productivity.

Squats for Legs

Deadlifts and pull ups for BACK

Inline press and dips for CHEST

Military/push press for SHOULDERS

Close grip bench for TRICEPS

Barbell curls for BICEPS


I think you can honestly gain a tremendous amount of power and strength from these alone. No need for all the added sets. One mans though.