Refine, or redesign?
I'm just tossing out my current training outline, I've been doing more or less the same program for 18 months consistently and I like it, but I know it can always be better.
One day a week I mountain bike for 5-6 hours.
I also have a very physical job climbing trees and hiking through the bush.
I have max 6 hours a week to lift.
I train 4-6 days a week recovery dependant.
I take atleast one set of each excercise to failure and beyond, and track my progressive overload on paper.
Push day:
Incline bench 3 sets 8-12 reps
Tricep Variations 5 sets 8-16 reps (ex. 3 sets weighted dips, 2 sets skull crushers)
Side delts 3 sets 8-12 reps
Rear delts 3 sets 12-16 reps
Machine chest fly 3 sets 8-12 reps
Pull day:
Row variations 5 sets 6-12 reps (ex. 3 sets dumbell rows, 2 sets bent over rows)
Pull down variations 5 sets 6-12 reps (ex. 3 set wide grip over hand pulldowns, 2 sets narrow underhand)
Curl variations 5 sets 6-16 reps (ex. 3 sets cable rear curls, 2 sets preacher curls)
Facepulls 3 sets 12-16 reps
Leg day:
Smith machine split squats 3 sets 8-16 reps
Hamstring curls 3 sets 6-16 reps
Quad extensions 3 sets 8-16 reps
Leg press 3 sets 8-16 reps
Calve variations 5 sets 8-16 reps (ex. 3 set standing calve raise, 2 sets soleus)
(I cannot squat or deadlift, I'm all mangled from a car accident among other traumatic injuries)
When I am not recovered enough to lift but feel systemically OK, I do 45 minutes of zone 2 cardio and skip the lift, when I feel systemically worn out I just take the day off and rest completely.
I'm open to any feedback and suggestions, either on refining this approach or trying something new.
- Bookmark
- 0
- 0
I honestly think you should just dirty bulk and see what happens. I bet you cant consistently gain 2lbs a week for 10-12 weeks. If you gain a little to much one week oh well. The way I see it, with your job and the amount of calories you burn even if you put on 30lbs, you could do a cut for 4 weeks and drop 10lbs easy then rebuild another 20lbs after that.
I'm hesitant to add body fat as I'm very estrogen prone, even relatively lean I need ai on 250mg t or my nipples flare
I get what you’re saying. I bulk in the late fall/winter, then cut in the spring and maingain in the summer. That way I look best when it matters. In the winter I am covered up most of the time so it just makes sense to add body mass at that time.
Just dial it in, take more ai or add mast or primo to help with e2 control. That’s what I do.
Have you checked out Chase Irons? He has a great video on how to run your first cycle
Is there an upper limit to what's reasonable for a mortal to take in terms of ai?
Is 25mgs a day of aromasin going to fuck me up? Genuine question lol.
I have primobolan, and I can't wait to try it!
First cycle and all I've been advised to stick to one compound.
You could take that much. There is no official rule book, it’s all person to person at the end of the day. It may impact your cholesterol but in the grand scheme of things I wouldn’t say it’s to bad.
I guess just lean bulk and build some muscle this first cycle bc you’ll be experimenting for prob the first 2 years before you find out what compounds work best for you
OpieCunninghamSame here I like to bulk this time of year. Im kind of thinking of skipping bulking, but damn I love to eat! I had my head/life right this year and busted ass and got in the best shape since I was in my mid 20"s, yeah Im old AF. It seems to get harder and harder to drop the BF, Plus, Im starting to learn at this stage in my life cardio is as important as strength. But damn.........I love to eat!
1) squat and deadlift is overrated from a bodybuilding/hypertrophy perspective. Horrible stimulus to fatigue ratio. Your program seems fine to me except I’d put rear delts on back day or skip them entirely. Full ROM pulling movements where you really protract/retract your scaps engages a ton of rear delt. Just like incline bench does a ton of front delt. I’d focus on side delts.
2) you burn relatively no calories during the act of lifting weights. I can try to find the study but essentially the energy required to move 500lb 1 meter is equivalent to just 1-2 calories. This notion that lifting alone is this massive calorie burner is extremely false.
3) cardio is 10x more important once you start running gear for the cholesterol and heart health benefits. Not for the cutting of fat benefits.
4) your job is why your calorie demand is so high. That’s a significant amount of NEAT. I’m in your boat too. My maintenance cals is in the 4,000 range. It sucks trying to eat enough to adequately bulk. I found drinking cals was my way to fix this. I start drinking whole milk like it’s water. 1/2 to 2/3 a gal a day. And make smoothies with several giant spoonfuls of pb or almond butter in them.
OpieCunninghamBro, I got winded just looking at your routine. Im kind of at a dilemma also, but in a different way.. In fall/winter I generally I cut back cardio (to zero lol), and start eating any and everything to bulk up. This last year I really stuck with my cardio, ate good and clean, and got into probably the best shape of my life; looks wise. Now, Im thinking do I really want to sacrifice my BF just to add a few more pounds, just to do the whole diet/cardio thing all over again? Im at the point in my life, I dont want to bench 450, but I want to look like I can. Unlike you staying busy throughout the day, I have a desk job, so most likely burn a butt load of calories just day to day; therefore it is harder for me to lose the winter inches. I dont know what your stats are; height, weight, BF, etc, and I wouldnt necessarily say youre over training, but I would think you would need to consume a lot of calories throughout the day just to maintain your weight.
Weight gain has indeed been a bitch. I was doing 0 steady state cardio in the gym for a long while and wasn't gaining weight then either, adding it in (1-2 times a week) hasn't made it any worse.
I eat a shit load of food, trying to keep it clean but eating a little dirtier now on cycle trying to consume more calories.
Being at the bottom of the natural testosterone range was absolutely holding me back, 3 weeks on cycle#1 and I've hit PRs on half my go to excercises and gained 10 pounds without carrying a ton of water.
A serious bulk and cut has its place I know, but I do not want to get fat, I'd rather make slower progress and look half decent year round. Also I aromatase to estrogen like a mother fucker so getting fatter would probably have my popping AI like tic tacs.
OpieCunninghamYeah, my homeboy can hold a bottle of Test and get gyno. I can shoot 1000mg's a week and other than put on size/strength/libido, not have any sides. Tren on the other hand, 4 cc's in and I';ll catch 3 felonies; Tren is like tequila to me, I'll do some next level idiotic shit fo real!