Cut, Bulk or Maintain

[DREADLIFT]

Hey mate, what do you mean by that? Any specific suggestions or like others have suggested upper/lower?

Also what do people view as the benefits of doing something like upper/lower compared to what I am doing as a 5 day split?

With the bodypart split you really need to be flogging the absolute shit out of your muscles as you have basically an entire week to recover.

Straight sets will only go so far on a bodypart split. You should consider drop sets, forced negatives, rest pause sets, partials, isometrics, forced reps etc to bring that muscle to failure to get the most out of each weekly session.

With the upper/lower the intensity doesnt have to be as high as volune and frequency more than makes up for it.

 

[Neddysmith]

[MENTION=10318]DREADLIFT[/MENTION];

Thanks, i'll look into both option and see what I can workout, I go generally train mon-fri during my lunch break so 5 workouts a week, I have started adding in supersets to the workout usually after the main lifts of squats, bench and dead which I know hammers you. But I have never done something like upper and lower so it could be good to give this a go and find out if it works for me and if I like it.

Thanks

 

[Neddysmith]

Ok so i have checked out a few Upper/Lower splits and more are geared around 2 on 1 off, can anyone see any issues with doing 5 straight and rotating the routines and doing 5 on 2 off, therefore i would be doing the same routine twice a week every 4th week, if that makes sense?

 

[Darkoz]

Ok so i have checked out a few Upper/Lower splits and more are geared around 2 on 1 off, can anyone see any issues with doing 5 straight and rotating the routines and doing 5 on 2 off, therefore i would be doing the same routine twice a week every 4th week, if that makes sense?

Neddy, I'd start off with 2 on 1 off for a couple of months and then adjust accordingly if need be.

Monday - lower
Tuesday - upper
Wednesday - off
Thursday - lower
Friday - upper
Saturday- off
Sunday - off

This will have you working each body part twice a week with 3 days of rest and you're not working out more than 2 consecutive days.

I wouldn't be working out for 5 consecutive days with this sort of routine like you suggest as it doesn't give you enough recovery time as it's far more demanding than working out just one body part per day.

There's no need to make it any more complicated than this or to over think it.

 

[Neddysmith]

OK so having a look around at Upper/Lower splits they are all basically the same, this is what i am going to give a crack starting Monday

Mon
- Squats
- Lunges
- SLDL
- Seated Calf Press
- Crunches

Tues
- DB Bench
- Bentover BB Rows
- Seated Military Press
- Reverse Flyes
- DB Lat Raises
- Dips

Thurs
- Deadlifts
- Front Squats
- Leg Press (if the machines are OK else???)
- Seated Calf Press
- Standing Calf press
- Crunches

Fri
- Incline Bench
- Lat Pull Down
- Seated Rows
- Concentration Curls
- BB Curls
- Push Ups

Anyone got any thoughts on this or would like me to change anything?

I have also redone my diet so as stated a few posts ago i will be on 2500 Cals a day which i dont think i have eaten regularly for a long time so will be interesting how that goes, i will still be logging lifts and weight on a daily basis.

 

[Darkoz]

Do the overhead press standing you pussy.

 

[Neddysmith]

Do the overhead press standing you pussy.

OK done....

 

[Darkoz]

 

[Big Mick]

Do the overhead press standing you pussy.

Why??

I have done both and find the seated better for genuine no cheat presses, standing always seems to involve some sort of leg movement when you start getting to the last reps, I generally do seated one week and standing the next, or what ever I feel like, but mix it up.

Also was doing a one body part per day split, but changed that to training each body part twice a week 6 day split and prefer it.

So:
Monday : Chest/Back/Abs
Tuesday : Shoulders/Arms/Abs
Wednesday: Legs
Thursday : Chest/Back/Abs
Friday : Shoulders/Arms/Abs
Saturday : Legs
Sunday : Rest

My Thur/Fri/Sat workout involves doing different exercises to my Mon/Tue/Wed workout. Abs, is generally one exercise at the end of each session Monday 5 Sets of 20 crunches, Tuesday 5 sets of 20 leg raises, etc etc what ever you like

 

[DKD]

chuck some pullups in there @ ned

 

[Neddysmith]

chuck some pullups in there @ ned

Wish i could do pullups but have found when i include them, I get a tendonitis type pain usually in my left elbow area, so i stay away from them as it effects my other workouts, strangely enough lat pull downs are fine, which is why I do these...

 

[Neddysmith]

Well today in Day 1 of Upper/Lower routine and looking forward to getting stuck into it and seeing the progress i can make, I have also rejigged my diet and eating 2500 Cals a day, which i must say am going to take some time getting used to.

Breakfast consisted on 150g Rump steak, 2 whole eggs, 2 eggs white and slice of Light Rye toast, breakfast of champions and since i have had 1/2 cup of aost with a little honey and cinamon, and man i feel full already.

I think i will initially put on some weight and unwanted BF but i am hoping not too much, and i figure if i lift heavy and put the effort in i should put on some decent size while keeping BF in check.

 

[judgey]

Well today in Day 1 of Upper/Lower routine and looking forward to getting stuck into it and seeing the progress i can make, I have also rejigged my diet and eating 2500 Cals a day, which i must say am going to take some time getting used to.

Breakfast consisted on 150g Rump steak, 2 whole eggs, 2 eggs white and slice of Light Rye toast, breakfast of champions and since i have had 1/2 cup of aost with a little honey and cinamon, and man i feel full already.

I think i will initially put on some weight and unwanted BF but i am hoping not too much, and i figure if i lift heavy and put the effort in i should put on some decent size while keeping BF in check.

I imagine some people on here would caveat that with (provided you move to a more upper/lower split, as opposed to a traditional BB split). I get the feeling that is the case, as these days where you do arms/calves probably aren't tough enough to warrant the calories on those days, perhaps? (noting that I've been running basically the same split as you neddy for a good couple of months).

 

[DKD]

Steak for breakfast? U fierce.