My proposed workout Routine(HardGainer)

[legaljuicer]

Ok. Here is what I am planning on for my next workout routine. Please critic. I will be using M-1T, 4-ad cyp. Eating like a PIG, etc.

improve previous by 5lbs or 2 reps
rest/pause - rep till failure - pause - repeat till total REMEMBER TO STRETCH
day one weight/rep weight/rep weight/rep weight/rep
bench/dip
close grip bench press
military/dumbbell press

day off

day two
squat
deadlift
calf raise
abs

day off

day three
pull-down
row
barbell/dumbell curl
hammer curl

 

[sikdogg]

I don't know about you, but squats and deadlifts on the same day is too brutal for my lower back.

 

[candle25]

Ok. Here is what I am planning on for my next workout routine. Please critic. I will be using M-1T, 4-ad cyp. Eating like a PIG, etc.

improve previous by 5lbs or 2 reps
rest/pause - rep till failure - pause - repeat till total REMEMBER TO STRETCH
day one weight/rep weight/rep weight/rep weight/rep
bench/dip
close grip bench press
military/dumbbell press
*Unless your pecs, delts, and tris are overly developed, this isn't enough IMO.

day off

day two
squat
deadlift Kick this to day 3 w/ the rest of the back and replace with leg curls.
calf raise
abs

day off

day three
pull-down Pullups might be better.
row I like shrugs.
barbell/dumbell curl
hammer curl

I'll post another 3 day split in just a sec...

 

[candle25]

Monday-Legs, Shoulders
Squats 5x6-12
Leg Curls 3x6-10
Calf Raises 3x8-15
Seated DB Military Press 4x4-8
DB Side Laterals 2x8-12
DB Bent Over Raises 2x8-12

Wednesday-Chest, Biceps, Traps
Flat DB Press 4x4-8
Incline DB Press 4x6-10
Cable Crossovers 3x8-12
EZ Bar Curls 4x4-8
Alternating Hammer Curls 2x8-16 (4-8 each arm)
DB Shrugs 3x8-12

Friday-Back,Triceps
Deadlifts 5x4-10
Lat Pulldowns 4x4-8
Bent Over EZ Bar Rows 3x6-10
Skullcrushers 4x4-8
Rope Pushdowns 2x8-12

 

[legaljuicer]

thanks for the suggestions. I will look at changing my routine around.

 

[tatortodd]

Monday-Legs, Shoulders
Squats 5x6-12
Leg Curls 3x6-10
Calf Raises 3x8-15
Seated DB Military Press 4x4-8
DB Side Laterals 2x8-12
DB Bent Over Raises 2x8-12

Wednesday-Chest, Biceps, Traps
Flat DB Press 4x4-8
Incline DB Press 4x6-10
Cable Crossovers 3x8-12
EZ Bar Curls 4x4-8
Alternating Hammer Curls 2x8-16 (4-8 each arm)
DB Shrugs 3x8-12

Friday-Back,Triceps
Deadlifts 5x4-10
Lat Pulldowns 4x4-8
Bent Over EZ Bar Rows 3x6-10
Skullcrushers 4x4-8
Rope Pushdowns 2x8-12

I wouldn't consider this a hardgainer routine.

~Todd

 

[Supa Freek 420]

*Unless your pecs, delts, and tris are overly developed, this isn't enough IMO.

Done with the right amount of intensity this is definitely enough.

 

[Stroyer]

For a hardgainer routine, What I would change,
Day One would do (in this order):
bench
military
dips

Day 3 I would do either or the hammer curls or bb/db curls but not both.

And the comment that was made about doing deads with legs, some people's lower backs just cant recover enough training lower back directly on upper back day, then indirectly from heavy squats, Myself included, I could never pull more than 405 for reps with years of training deads with upper back, since I grouped deads with legs, my deads have improved unbelievably...suprises me even on some days..lol..

One of the reasons I started training deads with legs, was after watching and conversing with a few PL's who do just that, one in particular who now holds the IPF world record in his class in the bench, who by chance trains at the same gym as I and you legaljuicer

 

[Future]

You will be undertraining. I personally believe the whole hardgainer concept is a myth.

 

[tatortodd]

My personal experience with both traditional volume training and hardgainer training leads me to disagree that it's a myth.

Have you read the 90+ pages of the "cycles on pennies" thread at animal's site? Have you personally tried a hardgainer routine?

~Todd

 

[Future]

Yes I have tried the training. It sucks.

 

[andro69]

Everybody has different recuperative abilities. Being an ecto and lifting for 20 years, I know that anything more than 6 sets per bodypart will cause me to overtrain within a few months. I actually made better progress on the Mentzer/Brawn type of workouts compared to volume training. Then you have guys in the gym 1-2 hours and then going back the next day.

 

[RaulJimenez]

Yes I have tried the training. It sucks.

It sucks? that is not a valid explanation .

 

[Future]

Obviously eveyone has different recup. abilities. The problem with the hardgainer type routines is they generally keep people undertrained. I have tried their training and I got smaller and weaker. I gave it 2 years and followed everything to a t. It didn't help me at all.

 

[RaulJimenez]

If you got smaller or weaker, either you didn't trained max effort, or you under-eat. There is no way to get smaller and weaker on a hardgainer routine if you follow it and hit it hard and rest.

 

[Griffin]

If a hardgainer routien is done properly and diet is in check you should have good progress. I have been doing variations of hardgainer routiens for almost a year now and have made very good progress with it on and off gear.

 

[Jcc]

Obviously eveyone has different recup. abilities. The problem with the hardgainer type routines is they generally keep people undertrained. I have tried their training and I got smaller and weaker. I gave it 2 years and followed everything to a t. It didn't help me at all.

Funny, I'm getting bigger and stronger on it. So are other people. It's as simple as that.

 

[Future]

If you got smaller or weaker, either you didn't trained max effort, or you under-eat. There is no way to get smaller and weaker on a hardgainer routine if you follow it and hit it hard and rest.

It's convenient that most hardgainer's say that.

 

[Future]

Funny, I'm getting bigger and stronger on it. So are other people. It's as simple as that.

And other people don't. It's as simple as that.

 

[Future]

If a hardgainer routien is done properly and diet is in check you should have good progress. I have been doing variations of hardgainer routiens for almost a year now and have made very good progress with it on and off gear.

The only time I made ok progress was when I was using it to recover in between other training cycles. And basically anything works when you are on gear...well within reason.

 

[Jcc]

And other people don't. It's as simple as that.

That's cool. All I'm saying is everyone's different. So no need to knock something that DOES work for certain people.

 

[Future]

Fair enough. I see where you are coming from. I type faster than I think.

 

[tatortodd]

How about getting this thread back on track and helping Legaljuicer with his hardgainer routine?

~Todd

 

[Future]

How about getting this thread back on track and helping Legaljuicer with his hardgainer routine?

~Todd

I agree.

bench/dip close grip bench press military/dumbbell press

How about this:
Bench Press (Flat or Decline)2-3 work sets
Incline dumbell Presses (need to hit the pec minor)2 work sets
Dips bwtxfailurex2-3 sets
Skull Crushers
Dumbell Laterals
**too many pressing movements can be hard on the rotators

day off

day two squat deadlift calf raise abs

Squat? how many sets? I would do about 8-10 sets
Maybe stiff Legged Deads (4-6 sets)
Calves are good (8 sets)
LOTS OF ABS

day off

day three pull-down row barbell/dumbell curl hammer curl

Barbell Rows
Close Grip Pulldowns
Chins--if these are hard just do negatives with them
Preacher Dumbell Curls--hits the bi the best
Hammers--great for brachs! and grip

Just be sure to hit the muscle hard with enough sets. Some of the workouts may seem like too much but not when you consider that you are generally only doing 2-3 actually sets to failure. For example, squats I listed for 8-10 sets but that INCLUDES warm ups and down sets. Down sets are nice to help you from getting too sick when working a large bodypart of just do some light cardio afterward.

 

[supersoldier]

I don't know about you, but squats and deadlifts on the same day is too brutal for my lower back.

Squats+Deadlifts+M1T= BAD THINGS. Trust me, your lower back will hurt so bad you'll want to crawl in a hole and die.

 

[RaulJimenez]

Definitely, separate Squats and Deadlift when using M1T.

 

[iron addict]

Quote by Future:

You will be undertraining. I personally believe the whole hardgainer concept is a myth.

Then you REALLY haven't been around that many trainees, nor thought things out very much. If we are all so much alike everyone should have the same ability to get as big and strong as say, Ronnie Coleman. Correct? Using this thesis, yes, that would be correct. But welcome to the real world. And in the real world people vary a HUGE degree in their tolerance to training volume and frequency. I train people for a living and will tell you flat out the primary thing I provide is designing routines that work for the individual based on THEIR ability to recover. What is pure magic for one person will be pure poison for another. I don't doubt you got smaller and weaker on a hardgainer style routine. SOME do. This doesn't mean these types of routines are not EXACTLY what a true hardgainer needs to make gains. The proposed routine isn't bad at all, but the fact is it will be not enough for some, perfect for others, and ACTUALLY TOO MUCH for SOME people. There is so very much individual response to training and diet. If that is your pic in the atavar it looks like you have fair genetics. That is one of the big problem with people that have good genetics. They assume everyone is, or should be like them, and it's simply not the case.

Iron Addict

 

[Gethuge]

Quote by Future:

Then you REALLY haven't been around that many trainees, nor thought things out very much. If we are all so much alike everyone should have the same ability to get as big and strong as say, Ronnie Coleman. Correct? ..........That is one of the big problem with people that have good genetics. They assume everyone is, or should be like them, and it's simply not the case.

Iron Addict

I'd have to totally aggree with Iron Addict here. A basic hardgainer routine is a perfect starting point for all. If it doesn't work then you start adjusting up or down in volume and intensity untill you find a plan that gets things moving.

As for the routine it's actually pretty good. I would make some very simple chages though.

1) put dips at the end of day 1 so that the tris don't get bombed before you do your military presses

2) I probably wouldn't do both dips and close grip bench on the pressing day just because the tris don't need the extra work. Concentrate on either dips or close grips, not both.

3) either more the deads to day 3 or do SLDL instead. Not sure why but regular deads on squat day seem to bother many peoples lower backs more so that sldl's and deads. Go figure!

4) on day 3 pick one biceps exercise that serves your purpose best. Throw in shrugs to hit the traps directly. Shrugs seems to be another one of those amazing mass building exercises, probably because of the amount of weight you can handle in such exercises.

Just some suggestions....my 0.02 cents worth.

 

[legaljuicer]

thanks for the suggestions. Check out the progress on IA new site.

 

[Gethuge]

thanks for the suggestions. Check out the progress on IA new site.

IA's new site looking great!! And of course the info is top notch!

 

[VanillaGorilla]

A few points...........

If you got smaller or weaker, either you didn't trained max effort, or you under-eat. There is no way to get smaller and weaker on a hardgainer routine if you follow it and hit it hard and rest.

Yes there is .........I tried Neurotic mike Menzers routine and it did not work and I got weaker. Granted he is on the extreme end of the low volume philosophy. Doing 2 sets once a month is not enough to stimulate growth.
IA you a making a huge mistake in you assumption.....

If we are all so much alike everyone should have the same ability to get as big and strong as say, Ronnie Coleman. Correct?

No this is not correct. Coleman is the size he is because of steroids..period. The guy has a pharmaceutical factory in his veins. So you argument is baseless. The argument that someone else might throw in "I take steroids and I don't look like a pro" is also baseless. The pros take ....well probably every steroid add in some GH, insulin, various thyroid drugs. The pros also spend a boat load of money on drugs. When Andreas Munzer died a magazine article estimated he spend 100,000 a year on drugs and Flex wheeler wrote recently that it cost him about 10,000 a contest. No one spends that kind of money who isn't a pro. You absolutely can not use how a pro looks and his training methods compared to an average guy as an argument to prove that Low intensity is the way to go. Put the "average Hardgainer" on the drugs they are taking and watch what happens.
In my opinion the hardgainer is a myth. Also don't tell me low volume is the way to go IF YOU ARE TAKING STEROIDS and getting results on a HIT training routine. Did it ever occur to any of you who do this that maybe it's not the training routine........... but that possibly the gains you are making are because of the drugs? If you have only been training a year .... don't tell me the HIT works. Most routines will work for a while but variables such as volume need to be constantly changed. No routine last forever. The sooner you learn that you can cut down on allot of wasted time and frustration.