Critique my Ectomorph Mass Building Routine..

CrownRoyal

CrownRoyal

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Alright, so I've been lifting for a few years now, I'm very much accustom to each of these lifts and have executed them before (as well as many others, i.e. I can handle advanced lifts/techniques). Anyway, I'm a hard gainer and it's time to bulk, so I'm eating a like a horse. Here's the workout I came up with, similar to an older routine I followed. My goal is to gain muscle size/mass. PLEASE, if you have any suggestions, feel free. The only downside to this routine is that it looks as if I'm pushing the workload on each given day; then again, maybe I'm wrong. Thanks in advance bodybuilding gurus, here it goes.

Monday:

Incline barbell bench - 12,10,8,6
Bent over barbell row - 4x8-12
Push press - 12,10,8,6
Lat pull down (wide grip) - 4x8-12
Lateral Cable Raise (Standing SS w/ Bent Over) - 4x8-12
Close grip pull downs - 4x8-12
Straight arm dumbbell pullovers - 4x8-12
Barbell shrugs - 4x8-12

Tuesday:

Squats - 12,10,8,6
Stiff leg dead lift (or glute ham raise) - 12,10,8,6
Standing calf raises - 4x8-12
Dumbbell lunges - 4x8-12 (each leg)
Close grip barbell curls - 4x8-12
Skull crushers - 4x8-12
Reverse barbell curls 4x8-12
Cable push downs (bar/rope) - 4x8-12
One-arm cable reverse curls - 4x8-12

Wednesday:

Off

Thursday:

Incline dumbbell bench - 4x8-12
Hammer pull down machine - 4x8-12
Flat dumbbell bench - 4x8-12
Seated cable row - 4x8-12
Seated Military Press (smith) - 4x8-12
Flat dumbbell Fly - 4x8-12
Arnold Press - 4x8-12
Standing Cable Fly - 4x8-12
Dumbbell Lateral Raise SS w/ Read Dealt Fly - 4x8-12

Friday:

Deadlift - 10,6,4
Front Squat - 10,8,8,6
Leg Press - 3x8-12
Leg Curl - 15,12,8,6
Seated Calf Raises - 4x8-12
Wide grip barbell curls 4x8-12
Weighted dips - 4x8-12
Seated incline dumbbell hammer curls - 4x8-12
Behind the back barbell wrist curls - 4x8-12
 
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CrownRoyal

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bump! sorry I left out part of the routine for Friday, it's all there now.. Anyone?
 
CrownRoyal

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Anyone? plz?
I hope to start this routine today.. Thanks in advance.
 

MMAMONSTER19

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I dont like it, your doing to much. im going for mass as well and i have 4 exercises per workout with 4 sets and im struggling to be able to do my fourth exercise every workout i use all my energy and all my intensity. to build mass you need to be able to complete every exercise with the same intensity as you did the first one. your workout is just an overload and you may be able to do all that work, but you wont be getting as much back in return as in size put on. my opinion shrink your workouts down if your an experienced lifter and have been lifting for a few years than you should swap it for dc training or something like a muscle group daily routine, like chest monday and tuesday legs ya know man. and just looking at your routine tuesdays and fridays both have squats and deads on em dude those are the two most important muscle building exercises to help promote growth hormone, and by doing them on the same day you will not promote it i do deads on tuesdays and squats on friday and im still sore till the next workout put intensity into your workouts, you need to separate em but hey you can do whatever you like this is my opinion and this is how ive put on mass so i suggest getting a new routine. also whats your macro and calorie count like? are you taking any supplements? get your diet in check first to grow man
 
CrownRoyal

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I dont like it, your doing to much. im going for mass as well and i have 4 exercises per workout with 4 sets and im struggling to be able to do my fourth exercise every workout i use all my energy and all my intensity. to build mass you need to be able to complete every exercise with the same intensity as you did the first one. your workout is just an overload and you may be able to do all that work, but you wont be getting as much back in return as in size put on. my opinion shrink your workouts down if your an experienced lifter and have been lifting for a few years than you should swap it for dc training or something like a muscle group daily routine, like chest monday and tuesday legs ya know man. and just looking at your routine tuesdays and fridays both have squats and deads on em dude those are the two most important muscle building exercises to help promote growth hormone, and by doing them on the same day you will not promote it i do deads on tuesdays and squats on friday and im still sore till the next workout put intensity into your workouts, you need to separate em but hey you can do whatever you like this is my opinion and this is how ive put on mass so i suggest getting a new routine. also whats your macro and calorie count like? are you taking any supplements? get your diet in check first to grow man
See, I have Squats on Tuesday and Deads on Friday.. All though there are similar lifts on those days too (front squats, stiff leg deads), they are just assistance exercises, and they hit the muscles a bit differently from straight squats or deads. Also, the reason each of those exercises are first on those days is because they are my major compound movements I am focusing on for those days. The rest of the lifts on those days are far from taxing as much as those major compound movements. The scheme I followed is similar to some older bodybuilding routines, minus the fact that I am only working each muscle group with around 12 (some a little more, some a little less).. A lot of older BB routines have the muscle groups being worked 16-20+ times. I already tried out this routine for 2 days; despite taking about 1:20 to complete the given workout (with about 1 1/2 min rest between sets), I was able to complete it was great intensity and finished feeling destroyed (probably the hardest workout I've had in awhile). Thanks for your input though...

Anyone else? I'm looking to get an opinion from some mass monsters, or some o.g. bodybuilders. Thanks in advance.
 
MPFit

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for bulking i've always had success with a split like:
Monday- Chest
Tuesday- rest
Wednesday- Back
Thursday- Rest
Friday- Abs and Legs
Saturday- Shoulders and arms
Sunday- Rest (sometimes I train my forearms if I'm bored)

I try and have a day off between major muscles (except legs because I have genetically larger legs and have always been "bottom heavy"- I still try to get them more "cut-up" tho)
I too only do 3-4 workouts per group with my rep range from 4-6.. and I am burnt after almost all my workouts.. Keep your weights up and don't overtrain- it's utterly detrimental to progress
 
CrownRoyal

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way too much volume for an ecto
Damn.. I got the layout idea from arnold's bb'ing book. Can you or anyone else recommend a good split for an ecto? I can work out any day(s) mon-fri...
 

MoTiV

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I'm an ecto and I use upperbody / lower body split routines.

I don't bodybuild anymore though, I train for functional strength and power so I don't know if my routine is what your looking for. Also, I'm not trying to gain a lot of weight but it is very easy to do so on my routines if you apply the correct diet and amount of sleep.

I would say unless your training at an extremely low intensity (50-70%) then your volume is extremely high and you'd be better off with a simpler program.
 
CrownRoyal

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I'm an ecto and I use upperbody / lower body split routines.

I don't bodybuild anymore though, I train for functional strength and power so I don't know if my routine is what your looking for. Also, I'm not trying to gain a lot of weight but it is very easy to do so on my routines if you apply the correct diet and amount of sleep.

I would say unless your training at an extremely low intensity (50-70%) then your volume is extremely high and you'd be better off with a simpler program.
Hmmm.. What are your stats (age/weight/height)? And have you posted your routines anywhere that I can take a look at? Thanks man.
 

MoTiV

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My Stats:

5'11"
178lbs (usually closer to 170lb)
29.5 yo

I might be keeping a log on here when I start my new program next month but I'm not sure yet because I'm not good at keeping up with online logs. I keep detailed logs on EXCEL which include workouts/diet/supps/sleep and some other minor things I find important.

The basis of my next program is implementing Prilepin's Table to my workouts and change the intensity of each workout in such a way so I train at a different intensity in my 3 main weight training workouts each week.

I've spent the last 2 weeks starting the program somewhat to see how long each workout takes me and to find out my maxes in each of the main lifts I will be performing so I know what weights to work with next month. Because of this I've been eating like crazy because I'm slightly overtraining since I work up to over 90% of my 1 RM for all my main lifts. As a result I've shot up in weight a good 5 lbs without even trying.

The basis of my workout is the following:

3 Lower Body Workouts:

LB-1 - Back squat; Box Squat; Pullthroughs; Standing Claf Raises

LB-2 - Leg Press; Deadlift; Racklift; Seated Calf Raises

LB-3 - Front Squat; Romanian Deadlift; Goodmornings; Leg Press Calf Raises


3 Upper Body Workouts:

UB-1 - DB Bent Rows x1x; BB Inc Press x1x; DB Lying Inc Kelso Shrug x1x; Shoulder Snatch; Pullovers; DB Seat Rear Lateral Raise; Inc DB Curls; BB Seat Wrist Curls

UB-2 - Free Weight (FW) Machine Pulldown; BB Decline Press; BB Shrug x2x; Corner Press; JM Press; BB Upright row; Preacher Curls; Pinch Grip

UB-3 - FW Machine Seated Row; DB Inc Press; FW Mach Lying WG Kelso Shrug; Machine Shoulder Press; BB Close Grip Dec Press; Pos Delt Bent Rows x1x; BB Standing Curl; BB Standing Wrist Curls

I also have a bunch of other workouts including 4 olympic/power workouts that I do but it would be too much for someone just starting a program like this and those are for my specific goals.

I didn't include my AB workouts but I do 2 ab exercises before each of the routines mentioned above to make sure my core is tight and stable.

So a typical week for me with these workouts would be a MWF split like the following:

WEEK #1: LB-1 / UB-1 / LB-2
WEEK #2: UB-2 / LB-3 / UB-3
WEEK #3: Repeat

For me week #3 I concentrate on olympic lifts and dynamic efforts on bench, squat and I work on lagging bodyparts and then I repeat the process in week #4

I'm also fluctuating the intensity of each workout so that of the 3 workouts per week each will be performed at a different intensity level (60-69%;70-79%;80-89%;90-100%)

I won't be using 90-100% unless I feel its necessary to figure out my new max on some exercises.

So now my workouts would look like this:

WEEKS 1&2: 60% / 80% / 70%

WEEK #1: LB-1 / UB-1 / LB-2
WEEK #2: UB-2 / LB-3 / UB-3

WEEKS 3&4: 80% / 70% / 60%

WEEK #3: LB-1 / UB-1 / LB-2
WEEK #4: UB-2 / LB-3 / UB-3

Weeks 5&6: 70% / 60% / 80%

WEEK #5: LB-1 / UB-1 / LB-2
WEEK #6: UB-2 / LB-3 / UB-3

So over the 6 weeks I'll workout each of the 6 routines 3 times each and each time will be worked at a different intensity.


I know this sounds very complex compared to most routines but its the culmination of over 5 years of serious training and research by me and it works for me. It revolves around Boris Sheiko's workouts, Westside Training, and Prilepins Table. I get very bored in the gym and I realized my body doesn't respond very well to doing the same exercises very close together. The more I spread them out the better the results I see.

More important than all that stuff I just typed its important to EAT and SLEEP@!! I don't eat less than 3200 calories a day and usually it ends up being around 3500 much of which is consumed in the 3 meals around my workout (Pre-Wo, Post-WO, Post-Post-WO)
 

RipdnTxs2

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I am a ECTO as well and over the years I have found training each bodypart once a week is plenty, with around 7-10 sets 8-14 reps. The single best thing that has helped me is to SLOW down the rep and really squeeze the contraction on EVERY rep. With my own metabolism I really try to eat every couple hours small meals. You said u r using the same routine as one of the worlds greatest set of genetics, Arnold. No offense but I doubt u have those same genetics, more is not always best, especially us Ectos....
 

MoTiV

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I am a ECTO as well and over the years I have found training each bodypart once a week is plenty, with around 7-10 sets 8-14 reps. The single best thing that has helped me is to SLOW down the rep and really squeeze the contraction on EVERY rep. With my own metabolism I really try to eat every couple hours small meals. You said u r using the same routine as one of the worlds greatest set of genetics, Arnold. No offense but I doubt u have those same genetics, more is not always best, especially us Ectos....
Yea I'm pretty sure Arnold wasn't an ecto, also he did have a little help...

I too hold and squeeze with every rep on exercises that allow me to do so. Thats what the x1x stands for, the 1 is a pause where I hold the weight still for a count of 1 and then push it back up or let it go back down depending on the exercise.

Another simpler program that works very well is Westside for Skinny Bastards. Do a google search and you'll find a ton of info on it.
 
CrownRoyal

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Alright, here is the last routine I was following, I have done it for about 3 months and have made weight gains (now starting to plateau), but I don't know if it's tailored exactly to a true ectomorph, which I am (I ran cross country in HS, I have a super fast metabolism I burn weight when I'm doing nothing, I have to eat above 3500 calories to gain any weight, my bones are skinny/frail). Can anyone give me some tips on perhaps mixing up this workout a bit and changing it so that it would suit a true ectomorph (i.e. better exercises for building mass, better rep ranges, etc)? Also, am I working out too many days? And my major weak area is my arms, which I know isn't important, but I hate being judged by people I know I could plow through like a tank. Again, my goal here is MASS gaining, I'd love to get into amateur bodybuilding. Also, I am not a novice when it comes to many lifts/Olympic lifts/etc, so I am open to anything.

Monday: Upper Heavy

Incline Bench (Barbell) - 2x5-6 , 1x10-15 (burn set)
TBar Row or Barbell Row - 2x5-6 , 1x10-15 (burn set)
Pushpress - 2x5-6 , 1x10-15 (burn set)
Lat Pulldown - 2x5-6 , 1x10-15 (burn set)
Cable Lateral Raise SS w/ Rear Lateral Raise - 3x10-15
(Standing Straight / Bent Over)

Tuesday: Lower Light

Squats - 2x5-6 , 1x5-6 (backoff set) , 1x10-15 (burn set)
Stiffleg Deadlifts or Glute Ham Raises - 4x8-15
Tricep Extensions SS w/ Barbell Curl - 4x10-15
Dumbbell Lunges - 4x5-6

Thursday: Upper Light

Incline Bench (Dumbbells) - 4x6-10
Hammer Pulldown/back Machine - 4x6-10
Flat or Decline Dumbbell - 4x6-10
Dumbbell or Hammer Strength Row - 4x6-10
Incline Dumbbell Fly - 3x6-10
Dumbbell Lateral Raise SS w/ Rear Deltoid Fly - 3x6-10

Friday: Heavy Lower

Deadlift - 3x3, 1x10-12 (burn set)
Front Squat or Barbell Lunge - 3x5-10
Leg Press - 3x5-6
Leg Curl - 3x5-6
Dumbbell Hammer Curl SS w/ Dip - 3x5-6

I could never express how much thanks I have for the support of the bodybuilding community in helping me to strive in trying to achieve my bodybuilding goals.
 
CrownRoyal

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Please, if anyone could help me with the routine.. Thanks
 

RipdnTxs2

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U said your goal is to gain mass, with that said if u r consuming 3500 calories a day and not gaining, add another small protein rich meal for a few weeks, also IMO the really low reps u r doing had never really given size results, I was always more concerned with just getting through the set instead of feeling the muscle work. I thnk your routine looks good, but again if u r not gaining after increasing calories then I would drop to three days a week for a month and see what how your body reacts.
 
CrownRoyal

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U said your goal is to gain mass, with that said if u r consuming 3500 calories a day and not gaining, add another small protein rich meal for a few weeks, also IMO the really low reps u r doing had never really given size results, I was always more concerned with just getting through the set instead of feeling the muscle work. I thnk your routine looks good, but again if u r not gaining after increasing calories then I would drop to three days a week for a month and see what how your body reacts.
So any ideas on re-writing the routine to best fit an ectomorph? I wish there was a forum somewhere full of ectomorph experts haha.
 

RipdnTxs2

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I like your routine,due to the fact u have most all of the basic multi-joint movements, deads, squats, etc. I would just up the reps and really try to feel the muscle working all through th rep, I,m sure others will have some solid advise coming....
 
CrownRoyal

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I like your routine,due to the fact u have most all of the basic multi-joint movements, deads, squats, etc. I would just up the reps and really try to feel the muscle working all through th rep, I,m sure others will have some solid advise coming....
Thanks for the advice bro.. Yeah, as I read more and more, it looks like higher rep ranges are def better for mass gaining, with lower rep ranges being for strength gaining.

I hope others will come along with some solid advise also, haha.. where they atttt
 
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