:: ?'s on my routine ::

[muskles]

Okay, I'm about to go off anavar in a couple of days, and have been doing the routine below for about 4 months with continued success. My fiance think that I need to do less once I go off my cycle because he thinks I'll need more recovery time. I really don't want to go to the gym less, though.

Here's my current routine :: 8-10 reps 3 sets 3 - 4 ex per bodypart
day 1 chest ::
bench press
incline bench
decline bench
day 2 biceps ::
barbell preachers curls
dumbbell curls
hammer curls
day 3 off
day 4 tri ::
close-grip bench press
sitting barbell tricep extensions
pulley push down
day 5 back ::
deadlift
seated rows
seated pulley - behind neck
day 6 off
day 1 shoulders ::
upright rows
shoulder press
dumbbell shrugs
day 2 off
day 3 legs :: (3 sets of 12 - 15 reps)
squats
leg press
lunges
leg extensions
standing calves
:: repeat ::

60-90 sec rest between sets.

Any thoughts on how I should switch it up? My diet will continue to be a keto / cutting diet with 1 carb-up per week on leg day. I need to get my BF checked soon. I'm guessing I'm around 18%, but want to get to 12%.

Thanks

 

[Gladiola]

That doesn't seem like too much to me. But I'm kinda confused - the cycle is 9 days - so each body part is worked only 1X every 9 days - with 3 days off in that time period?? You have days 1-6 then starting over with day 1 - I'm lost

 

[muskles]

i basically do 2 days on / 1 day off.. since my schedule is too hectic on fridays i usually do 1 day on / 1 day off for a couple days out of the week. my current routine hits 1 body part about every 8 or 9 days. my fiance helped me set up this routine.. his thinking being that some exercises are really hitting more than one bodypart anyways, so it's okay to concentrate on one part less often than a 7 day period.

he tells me i should pyramid them.. but many times i end up reverse pyramid-ing my sets... don't know if that's a good method or not. i also throw in a 4th set or exercise sometimes if i think i got it in me. OR, sometimes i'll just go until failure which could be anywhere from 6 to 15 reps. it's hard when i don't usually have a spotter, so i just try to make sure that i'm lifting as heavy as possible while being able to do at least 8 reps.. sometimes i need to go lighter, though, not having a spotter and then i'll go to failure to make sure the muscle gets exhausted.

 

[Pink Space Biscuit]

It might be a good idea to switch it for shock value, but I don't see how that routine is too much for someone not "on". I hit each body part every 6-7 days and I'm fine with my recovery.

 

[muskles]

yeh, he said i needed to suprise myself since i've been on the same basic routine for quite awhile.. he he.. i told him i'd act surprised next time i lift

i have done HIT training with noticeable results before.. where you do 1 set of each body part as heavy as possible 2 or 3 times a week alternating between heavier on back one day and heavier on legs the next. it's a longer workout fewer times per week. i just don't really like that schedule because it gets me out of my training groove.. and i'm finally addicted to the endorphins so i itch to go to the gym... i don't want to lose that by not training as often.

at the same time, i can see his point of " you grow when you rest " so make sure you get lots of rest between exercise. i need to read up on active recovery.. Spatts? any advice for me, porfavor??

 

[muskles]

Thanks Spatterson I will post again after I've sorted through the AR threads and have a chance to put together a new routine.. I know change is good, but sometimes changing up my routine just gets me outta my groove and its gets hard to stay consistent.. hopefully that won't happen this time

 

[Gladiola]

72 hours is plenty of rest...a week and a half is a bit much.

Ditto all that Spatts said.

Another good option is to do the larger muscle groups (legs, chest, & back) 2X per week & then arms (shoulders, bis & tris) 1X per week since, as you said, shoulders bis & tris are all worked with the chest & back exercises. I think more than 2X per week is excessive though.

I really gotta read that AR stuff too. I'm also gonna post on the Power Lifting board for some 'cleans' advice. Woo-Hoo, fun stuff!

 

[Hannibal]

...and sometimes you find a new groove that really gets your mojo workin'!

...your mojo is definitely workin...the new groove is leading to some BIG NUMBERS!!!!

 

[Hannibal]

Well, I wasn't talking about me, but thank you.

yeah I know...I was just using you as a successful example of someone that changed up their routine and found what worked for them....in your case it was a bit different..in that you also changed the focus of your training...but the bottom line is change is good.

 

[muskles]

but the bottom line is change is good.

i know this is true! i know people that have stuck with the same routine for year after year with great dedication and see NO RESULTS! i'm sure most of us do. i'm still relatively new to the sport, so i don't THINK i've hit any plateaus with my lifting even though i've been on the same routine for awhile. my dedication is much strong than it was 6 months ago, so i'm pretty sure changing up my routine this time will be a really good thing and "get my mojo workin'"

well, still haven't had time to go through the AR threads, but hope to go through them and hammer out my new routine today. tomorrow is my last day of anavar and i'm also getting my bf checked, so i'll have a nice baseline to start a new routine