Building a solid routine

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I am trying to figure out whats a good amount of sets per work out. I think I have been mislead for a long time. I have always thought that 4 sets per body part of 8-10 reps per set was the way to go.

I am learning that I am overtraining and there are much more efficent routines.

My current routine

Monday chest and bi's
4 sets of Bench
4 sets of Incline
4 sets of Flys
4 sets of barbel curls
4 sets of incline curls
4 sets of hammer curls
Wedsnday legs
4 sets of squats
4 sets of dead lifts
Thursday back
4 sets of seated rows
4 sets of bent over rows
4 sets of lat pull downs
4 sets of shrugs
Saterday Shoulders and tri's
4 sets miltary press
4 sets front raises
4 sets side raises
4 sets skull crushers
4 sets kick backs
4 sets weighted dips

Anyways just wanted some feed back on what would be a better routine.
 
crader

crader

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I would add calves and leg extensions and another exercise to leg day.
 
Xodus

Xodus

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I am trying to figure out whats a good amount of sets per work out. I think I have been mislead for a long time. I have always thought that 4 sets per body part of 8-10 reps per set was the way to go.

I am learning that I am overtraining and there are much more efficent routines.

My current routine

Monday chest and bi's
4 sets of Bench
4 sets of Incline
4 sets of Flys
4 sets of barbel curls
4 sets of incline curls
4 sets of hammer curls
Wedsnday legs
4 sets of squats
4 sets of dead lifts
Thursday back
4 sets of seated rows
4 sets of bent over rows
4 sets of lat pull downs
4 sets of shrugs
Saterday Shoulders and tri's
4 sets miltary press
4 sets front raises
4 sets side raises
4 sets skull crushers
4 sets kick backs
4 sets weighted dips

Anyways just wanted some feed back on what would be a better routine.
What programs have you tried?

Here are a few articles over on T-Nation regarding designing your own program:


This one esp. regarding the horizontal push/pull & vertical push/pull compounds. You have a lot of isolation exercises (esp bicep curls and triceps).

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1086975

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=766996

Are you doing 4 sets of 4, 6, 8, 10?

Stick to the bigger, compund exercises, pyramid your weights, constantly trying to add weight to your last set.

3x3 @ 80% 1RM is good for strength, 5x5 @ 70% 1RM is good for strength/hypertrophy, 8x8 @ 60% 1RM is good for hypertrophy.



X
 
building mass

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More than anything i am trying to build mass and get some strength gains so i am doing 4 sets of 8-10 reps per exercise.

When I first started working out i tried a routine from Arnold but it was hitting everything twice a week, so i was overtraining all the time.

I am just trying to figure out where 12 set for 3 exercises per muscle group is approperiate and where it is over training. Like my chest can handle 12 set but, doing that for my bicepts feels like i am over training.
 
Xodus

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More than anything i am trying to build mass and get some strength gains so i am doing 4 sets of 8-10 reps per exercise.

When I first started working out i tried a routine from Arnold but it was hitting everything twice a week, so i was overtraining all the time.

I am just trying to figure out where 12 set for 3 exercises per muscle group is approperiate and where it is over training. Like my chest can handle 12 set but, doing that for my bicepts feels like i am over training.
First off, you are not Arnold, or Jay Cutler, or Ronnie Coleman. Do not do their routines, ever.

I'll assume you didn't read the articles, otherwise I don't think you would be asking about bicep training.

If you do appropriate AND heavy compound lifts, your biceps/triceps get hit get pretty hard, therefore you don't need to do 4 sets of anything for them. If you are going to do something for triceps, make it the close grip bench (done correctly - elbows IN) or Skull Crushers. This is called 'assistance work' and will build up your presses. For biceps, DB hammer curls or the occasional BB curl. If you are doing BB Bent over rows with appropriate weight, your biceps take a beating too.

They are tiny muscles compared to everything else, you are over training them. Do any isolations exercises last, after you beat the hell out of them with compounds. I really don't think you need to 'make a day' of it though.


X
 
building mass

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Yeah i have seen DC training, I just always feel hesitant to these new way out of the ordinary training routines. Also with the high reps. isnt it more of strength training routine rather than bulk?
 
Xodus

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Yeah i have seen DC training, I just always feel hesitant to these new way out of the ordinary training routines. Also with the high reps. isnt it more of strength training routine rather than bulk?
High rep == hypertrophy

Low rep == strength

Mid Rep (~5) == strength & hypertrophy


3x3 @ 80% 1RM is good for strength, 5x5 @ 70% 1RM is good for strength/hypertrophy, 8x8 @ 60% 1RM is good for hypertrophy.


Build up your strength, then your muscles will grow when you get into higher reps WITH higher weight.


X
 
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Thanks for the help. That makes sense to me I will incorperate more heavy compound lifts.
 
datBtrue

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Yeah i have seen DC training, I just always feel hesitant to these new way out of the ordinary training routines. Also with the high reps. isnt it more of strength training routine rather than bulk?
I was saying take a look at DC training pretty much to let you know that you are doing too much volume work and not enough intensity. DC training isn't high rep...it is about 8 reps to failure, rack the weight...15 deep breaths...start again to failure so maybe you get 4, rack the weight...15 deep breaths...start again to failure and get maybe 2 or 3 more.

Thats not high reps and if you do this correctly you exhaust all types of muscle fibers and induce enough damage for hypertrophy.

But brother you got a lot to learn and Xodus pointed you to some good articles...there are a lot of good articles at T-nation on training. Xodus really knows what he is talking about and you should try to read a bit to get a better understanding of what he is talking about. You want big biceps...then you need to put on 20lbs of muscle to add an inch of keepable muscle to those biceps....

Happy reading.
 

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