Check out this routine!

[xerbia]

Hey guys, I've been doing DC for the past 2 years and I love it, but I want to try doing a bit more volume again, with a bit less intensity. Just time to switch it up for awhile, but I'm sure I'll go back to DC eventually.

Anyways, my plan is to do a upper/lower body split. It will look like this-
Mon: upper body- chest,back,shoulders, biceps- 4 sets of 8-12 reps per part..16 sets total
Tues:lower body- calfs,quads,hams, and triceps- 4 sets of 8-12 reps per part..16 sets total
Wed: off/cardio
Thurs:upper body-chest,back,shoulders, biceps- 5 sets of 5 per part.. 20 sets total
Fri: lower body- calfs, quads, hams triceps- 5 sets of 5 per part.. 20 sets total
Sat: off/cardio
Sun: off/cardio

So as you can see its a basic upper/lower split with more volume in the beginning of the week, and higher intensity towards the end.

Gonna give it a go for a few weeks and see how it goes.

Any criticism/advice is welcome.

 

[fueledpassion]

Just make sure that you go to failure on each and every set. Otherwise, there isn't enough stress being placed on each muscle group to stimulate maximum growth, or any growth in my case. I personally choose the 6 days per week routine, working each group:

-Individually
-To Failure on as many sets as I can
-10-16 sets per muscle group
-Pyramid with timed rests
-Always with a w/o partner
-Drop Sets on the last set of each exercise

Otherwise if I don't include these metrics/definitions in my routine, I don't grow. But that's just me though.

If you ain't limpin out of the gym, you ain't making progress.

 

[xerbia]

Just make sure that you go to failure on each and every set. Otherwise, there isn't enough stress being placed on each muscle group to stimulate maximum growth, or any growth in my case. I personally choose the 6 days per week routine, working each group:

-Individually
-To Failure on as many sets as I can
-10-16 sets per muscle group
-Pyramid with timed rests
-Always with a w/o partner
-Drop Sets on the last set of each exercise

Otherwise if I don't include these metrics/definitions in my routine, I don't grow. But that's just me though.

If you ain't limpin out of the gym, you ain't making progress.

This would all be subjective though. DC training is the complete opposite of this where you're only doing 5 total worksets each workout, 1 per bodypart.

 

[TexasGuy]

This would all be subjective though. DC training is the complete opposite of this where you're only doing 5 total worksets each workout, 1 per bodypart.

I love DC.

I think your routine looks good to change it up for a bit.

One problem I have with an upper/lower split is that it makes squats, deadlifts et cetera hard to place. With a rest day between lower body and upper body you may recover enough that it doesn't matter but I know that for me, after heavy deads, hitting basically anything involving my traps and even lats within 48 hours can be rough.

I tend to favor a full body push/pull routine when I do a split myself.

I like the variation of heavy and light days too. I tend to fill heavy days with compound lifts and a few isolation lifts I really want to accentuate and light days with a strong focus on isolation lifts myself.

 

[fueledpassion]

This would all be subjective though. DC training is the complete opposite of this where you're only doing 5 total worksets each workout, 1 per bodypart.

And how much lean mass have you acquired doing DC over the past two years? (out of curiosity)

I'm just trying to figure out just how low of intensity you are intending to be at for this routine. I'd figure the lower the volume, the higher the intensity in order to see any progress. And while this might be higher volumes compared to what you were doing in the past, it isn't alot of volume and if you aren't keeping the intensity high (that is: heavier weight, training to failure, and/or fast pace), then how will you train your muscles to new heights?

that was my only concern, really. if you know how to pull it off with only 4 sets per muscle group - consider it a gift from God.

 

[xerbia]

And how much lean mass have you acquired doing DC over the past two years? (out of curiosity)

I'm just trying to figure out just how low of intensity you are intending to be at for this routine. I'd figure the lower the volume, the higher the intensity in order to see any progress. And while this might be higher volumes compared to what you were doing in the past, it isn't alot of volume and if you aren't keeping the intensity high (that is: heavier weight, training to failure, and/or fast pace), then how will you train your muscles to new heights?

that was my only concern, really. if you know how to pull it off with only 4 sets per muscle group - consider it a gift from God.

I've only done DC for the 3 years I have been working out.

Here's a pic from the day I started:

2 years or natural training on DC:

3rd year of training on DC after a 12 week test cycle: few weeks in

DC has worked pretty well for me and many others. I just want to take a bit of a break from the high intensity.

 

[TexasGuy]

Are you keeping your traps small for the width illusion?

 

[xerbia]

Haha nah, I just never do any direct trap work because I think it's unappealing when they're big.

 

[Rob94hawk]

Hey guys, I've been doing DC for the past 2 years and I love it, but I want to try doing a bit more volume again, with a bit less intensity. Just time to switch it up for awhile, but I'm sure I'll go back to DC eventually.

Anyways, my plan is to do a upper/lower body split. It will look like this-
Mon: upper body- chest,back,shoulders, biceps- 4 sets of 8-12 reps per part..16 sets total
Tues:lower body- calfs,quads,hams, and triceps- 4 sets of 8-12 reps per part..16 sets total
Wed: off/cardio
Thurs:upper body-chest,back,shoulders, biceps- 5 sets of 5 per part.. 20 sets total
Fri: lower body- calfs, quads, hams triceps- 5 sets of 5 per part.. 20 sets total
Sat: off/cardio
Sun: off/cardio

So as you can see its a basic upper/lower split with more volume in the beginning of the week, and higher intensity towards the end.

Gonna give it a go for a few weeks and see how it goes.

Any criticism/advice is welcome.

Looks like a long day in the gym the first 2 days. How long does monday take? And what is DC? Thanx