Pimp my workout (pretty please with a cherry on top)

[Flyboy]

Hey guys, just wondering if you could cast an eye over my workout and suggest any changes that'll make it better...

I currently have the ability to work out 5 times a week, for the next few weeks at least, so would like to take advantage of the opportunity! I know a lot of you guys know a hell of a lot more about effective training than me so was hoping for some input.

My main goals at the moment are to put on some mass and strength, preferably as cleanly as possible but I know that's more diet than training. Been focusing on the biceps a bit as I feel they are a weak point compared to the tri's and they need some beefing up.

So here's what I've been doing for about two weeks now:

Monday:

- Dbell Shoulder Press 12, 10, 8
- Lateral raise 12, 10, 8
- Barbell shrugs (usually on the smith machine) 12, 10, 8
- Skull crushers 12, 10, 8
- Pronated Tricep extension (cable) 12, 10, 8
- Supinated Tricep Extension (cable) 12, 10, 8

Tuesday:

- Cable Curls* 12, 10, 8
- "super-supinated" Bicep Curls 12, 10, 8
- Inclined Dbell curl 12, 10, 8 (with loaded stretch 20 secs at end of each)
- Pronated ez bar curl 12, 10, 8
- Usually finish off on 2 sets of chins to fail, one overhand one underhand, mid grip.

Abs - various, weighted.

Wednesday:

- Squat 12, 10, 8, 6
- Leg Extension 12, 10, 8
- Leg Curl 12, 10, 8
- Calf Raise (standing) 16, 14, 12
- Calf Raise (seated) 16, 14, 12

Thursday:

- Flat Barbell Bench press 8, 6, 4, 1RM
- Inclined Dbell press 12, 10, 8
- Inclined Dbell Fly 12, 10, 8
- Cable Crossover 12, 10, 8
- Dips 3x fail

Abs - Various, Calisthenic

Friday:

- Wide Grip Pull up (usually, works out to around 14, 12, 10... i'm weak leave me alone lol)
- Close Grip Pull down 12, 10, 8
- Dbell Row 12, 10, 8
- Seated Row 12, 10, 8

Sat & Sun off.

In addition I do light fasted morning cardio for about 30 mins about 4 times per week.


So... rip me apart, call me stupid, and let me know how heinously wrong I've got it. One thing that irritates me is I can't make my biceps hurt at all - I go to failure on the last set of the exercise a lot, and generally do one or two more with spotting but even though the muscle has no more to give half an hour later i wouldn't even know i'd done the workout. This is the only muscle group I have this problem with.

Cheers!

[suncloud]

monday - add dips and military press
friday - add deadlifts

i don't know what to say about biceps - maybe you're overtraining them? i mean, 14 sets for biceps is a lot.

[ozarkaBRAND]

<cough> westside <cough>

So, have you ever looked into westside training?

[Usf97j4x4]

monday - add dips and military press
friday - add deadlifts

i don't know what to say about biceps - maybe you're overtraining them? i mean, 14 sets for biceps is a lot.

I agree... personally I dont even train biceps directly. I feel I get enough work from rows, weighted pull ups/chin ups and the like. PS, they dont have to hurt to grow.

[Flyboy]

I agree... personally I dont even train biceps directly. I feel I get enough work from rows, weighted pull ups/chin ups and the like. PS, they dont have to hurt to grow.

LIES!!!! haha... I know but i do like to at least feel like i've done something


Nope, not looked into westside training in the slightest... off to google i go!

As for the biceps, Overtraining certainly hasn't been the past problem, and have only done this routine for two weeks or so now and there's no "symptoms" of being over trained as such. The reason I'm hitting them so hard is because they just seem to sit there and laugh at me.

Cheers for the suggestions, and I'll go and see what all this westside malarky is about!

EDIT - who needs google, there's a massive post on this forum about it... looks like i've got my evening's reading sorted out at any rate.

[Usf97j4x4]

Shame on you for having a routine that doesnt incorporate weighted dips, which is probably one of the best upper body building exercises out there.

[Flyboy]

well I have my gut... that's pretty weighty.

In all honesty I tried to do my dips weighted last week but some bastard has made off with the weight belt. That kind of ruined the master plan.

[Usf97j4x4]

well I have my gut... that's pretty weighty.

In all honesty I tried to do my dips weighted last week but some bastard has made off with the weight belt. That kind of ruined the master plan.

If you are hard up you can grab a DB and hold it with your feet... lol

When I do them, if I can get 10 with that weight its too light.

[Flyboy]

Think i might just buy my own weight belt to take with me... that way i know i'll have one when needed.

So how would this look then guys:


monday - add weighted dips

tues - take away pronated ez bar and chins, add weighted chins for 3 sets and a couple of forearm exercises

weds - as is

thurs - as is (leave dips as is or also make these weighted?)

fri - add deadlift

then in a few weeks when this routine gets tired I might look into incorporating some westside type training.

[stormecho]

If you are hard up you can grab a DB and hold it with your feet... lol

When I do them, if I can get 10 with that weight its too light.

I have lots of guys talking about high, burnout reps on dips. I tend to do them weighted like all hell...Like you said, 7 or 8 good ones for a few sets and I feel like I hit it way better than doing 30 without.

Have you always done it that way, or did you build up to it?

[satyricon]

if your looking for size and strength lose the iso work. no laterals,no tri pulleys, do less work for the bis. do squats with more sets less reps more weight.work on pullups and chins. once i dropped the arm day, and most bicep work and worked on my chins and pullup variations my arms are bigger and stronger than theyve ever been.

[Usf97j4x4]

I have lots of guys talking about high, burnout reps on dips. I tend to do them weighted like all hell...Like you said, 7 or 8 good ones for a few sets and I feel like I hit it way better than doing 30 without.

Have you always done it that way, or did you build up to it?

I basically started that way, but unweighted of course. I'd start by doing them unweighted, if I could do 10 with perfect form i'd add weight. Once I could do 10 with that weight i'd add more. I feel like I am getting the most work in the 6-8 rep range where I am really struggling and not making 10 reps yet. Usually I will do 3 sets of weighted and if I am done for the night i'll do a 4th set unweighted until failure.

I get the most out of compound movements and rarely bother with iso work. I do a lot of weighted dips/pull ups/chin ups, barbell rows, squats, overhead press, deadlifts, etc. They work your entire body.. you really dont even need to work your abs that much.

[Usf97j4x4]

if your looking for size and strength lose the iso work. no laterals,no tri pulleys, do less work for the bis. do squats with more sets less reps more weight.work on pullups and chins. once i dropped the arm day, and most bicep work and worked on my chins and pullup variations my arms are bigger and stronger than theyve ever been.

This is the case for me, I rarely do iso work now. Doing compound lifts also builds strong stabilizer muscles which help your lifts all around.

[rugger48]

I small adjustment i would make is if you are going to take sat and sunday then you should be starting the week off with all the major muscles (legs,chest,back), weakest one first.

[Flyboy]

I small adjustment i would make is if you are going to take sat and sunday then you should be starting the week off with all the major muscles (legs,chest,back), weakest one first.

what, so hit them all on monday!?

Cheers guys, appreciate the help

[THEGEEZ]

I basically started that way, but unweighted of course. I'd start by doing them unweighted, if I could do 10 with perfect form i'd add weight. Once I could do 10 with that weight i'd add more. I feel like I am getting the most work in the 6-8 rep range where I am really struggling and not making 10 reps yet. Usually I will do 3 sets of weighted and if I am done for the night i'll do a 4th set unweighted until failure.

I get the most out of compound movements and rarely bother with iso work. I do a lot of weighted dips/pull ups/chin ups, barbell rows, squats, overhead press, deadlifts, etc. They work your entire body.. you really dont even need to work your abs that much.

SO TRUE !

[Usf97j4x4]

Reagan/Goldwater for 2008!!!!