Most successful program you've used?
- Thread starter AdelV
- Start date
Dukethumper
Member
I have been doing a mix of DC and PHAT and it is working wonders, am currently logging it along with some supps
MrKleen73
Legend
I think in many ways less can be more in that regard. Sometimes when trying to squeeze in 7-8 exercises you don't end up with as many quality sets or reps as doing limited exercises but getting into a good groove with them.
For instance, just the other day the gym was too damn busy. I finally got on a squat rack after 6 sets of lying leg curls, then did 8 sets of ass to grass squats @ 315x5 and I am feeling it everywhere in my legs today. I have been enjoying the 1-2 exercises per body part, but lots of sets for them approach and it is a nice change up.
pro45
Member
That is a lot exercises for chest.
Whisky
Well-known member
This is very true. I know when I’m tight on time I’ll just focus on hitting good reps with a heavy compound.
Yesterday I had 45 mins max so quickly warmed up to 330 on deads, then pulled a double at that weight on the minute for 30 mins. Bust out 100 reps of band pull aparts at the end.
Wouldn’t do that every session but I think sometimes there’s a lot to be said for doing one exercise well and with intensity....
Distilled Water
Board Sponsor
Ironically I’ve seemed to respond and look beat on low volume but can you body say FU and want more volume?
Since coming off I moved to higher volume and I look drastically better over the past few days.
Since coming off I moved to higher volume and I look drastically better over the past few days.
MrKleen73
Legend
Interesting, how long were you on the lower volume, and how intense was the lower volume?
Maybe you are like Ronnie, his genetic markers were such that it was extremely hard for him to damage his muscles. So he has to lift heavy and higher reps and volume to really grow well.
I assume you haven't changed your nutrition any during this time or you would probably suspect that as part of the issue bit it is worth asking if you have changed up the diet at all with the change back to higher volume...
Could just be from a massive increase in insulin sensitivity / Glut 4 activity from a higher number of explosive reps pulling things into the muscle. YOu are both using more, and needing more glycogen to fuel the workouts which is probably all getting pulled into the muscle with the higher demand and increased insulin sensitivity.
Interesting either way!
R1balla
Board Sponsor
It is. But everybody responds differently. I prefer high volume. I don’t use this year around. It will have me burnt out and exhausted. I use it for maybe 4-6 weeks at a time.
MrKleen73
Legend
You only doing 1 chest session a week like that or do you have it on a rotation that doesn't follow the calendar week like every 4 days or something?
R1balla
Board Sponsor
For the set up I listed above, it’s once a week.
MrKleen73
Legend
That's what I figured when I looked at it and if only once a week that really is not that many exercise or sets in that scenario because you have an entire week to recover.
R1balla
Board Sponsor
Yep. Now I do incorporate workouts in my triceps routine that will hit chest as well. Dips, close grip bench, reverse grip bench ...etc but chest isn’t the focus.
MrKleen73
Legend
So getting in some secondary mover action, a great way to double up on training stimulus without going overboard.
Distilled Water
Board Sponsor
Oh I was straight DC for the majority of last year. (2 actually) Advanced protocol (5 day training) but it was 2-4 working sets per body part and balls to the wall.
Matt put me on a higher volume workout at the beginning of prep bc we weren’t doing cardio and my look got a lot sharper.
It’s been 12 weeks post show and started slagging heavy iron for about 10 days and felt my look got worse but had some nagging pains. Went back to the pre contest split and night and day. Very strange. Maybe I’m just carrying over my intensity from lower volume to my higher volume workouts?
MrKleen73
Legend
I am sure, but there is also the increase in mitochondria and sarcoplasm as well the fact that with the PEDs you have managed to proliferate, differentiate, and pull more nuclei into the cells, higher volume stuff is gradually going to become your bread and butter. I think once people get to a certain level volume and or increasing volume becomes of greater importance for hypertrophy due to these changes as strength increases are also harder to come by AND harder to recover from when weights get too high due to massive strength.
Higher volume with enough intensity is always going to leave you more insulin sensitive than lower volume heavier workloads. So there is that nutrient partioning effect and I would imagine that post show you were increasing carbs first in the refeed process? Either way whatever increase in carbs there was is going to be handled better with a moderate-high intensity higher volume workout than something like DC which is AWESOME for increasing actual protein accrual IE muscle fiber growth and thickness, not sarcoplazm increases.
Less full muscles = smaller and softer look due to thickening of the skin and subcutaneous fat layer since it is not stretched as tight around your body. Changes the look completely. Doesn't mean you still wouldn't be growing just not visibly as WOW in the process.
Oconns28
Well-known member
Currently running 5/3/1 and it's helping me get stronger for sure! My layout looks like this
Day 1 - 5/3/1 format Bench
- Hypertrophy shoulders
Day 2 - 5/3/1 Deadlifts
- 8-12 rep range Squats and legs
Day 3 - 5/3/1 OHP
- 8-12 rep range Bench
Day 4 - 5/3/1 Squats
- legs hypertrophy
Each day has some additional work. It's been working for me! Any thoughts or tweaks?
Day 1 - 5/3/1 format Bench
- Hypertrophy shoulders
Day 2 - 5/3/1 Deadlifts
- 8-12 rep range Squats and legs
Day 3 - 5/3/1 OHP
- 8-12 rep range Bench
Day 4 - 5/3/1 Squats
- legs hypertrophy
Each day has some additional work. It's been working for me! Any thoughts or tweaks?
kl1234
Member
I’ve ran 5/3/1 for years. It’s great for strength... but beats the hell out of you after the get go. It gets too hard to continually increase weight after you have been at it for awhile. With that said- it’s a great, easy to follow program. You just won’t be able to stick with it forever... otherwise I would be benching 1000 lbs by now
Oconns28
Well-known member
I’ve ran 5/3/1 for years. It’s great for strength... but beats the hell out of you after the get go. It gets too hard to continually increase weight after you have been at it for awhile. With that said- it’s a great, easy to follow program. You just won’t be able to stick with it forever... otherwise I would be benching 1000 lbs by now
Yep I hear you! Short term it's great but can't be fun forever. I'm either going to drop the weights back down a bit and ramp back up or switch to another program for a period of time
pro45
Member
Is that a John Meadows routine?
bruno.camilo
Member
I luv FST-7
Keep it a secret, lol
Keep it a secret, lol
Country
Member
Yrs ago to add size Dante's doggcrapp training system added mad size on me. Now i train to failure then after the heavy lifting ill lower the weight and bang out as many reps as i can. I also do weak point training so say my rear delts are lacking ill start with them 1st in my workout while i have the most energy.
AdelV
Well-known member
I figured 'd bump the thread after creating it so long and forgetting about it.
What are everyone's thoughts? Has anyone tried various programs?
I have done a bro split for 10+ years, it works for me. I am tired of training 4 x a week, and as i'm busy I skip days.
Last week I tried 2 x full body workouts, I admit they were grueling. I normally breeze through high volume 20+ sets on major body groups without breaking a sweat.
I was dying with the full body workouts, I managed 58 sets in 105 minutes.
I was doing 5-6 sets per body part and heavy. I had no idea what I was doing, I think the 2nd time in the week I trained I felt like I tweaked my lower back. It may be too straining on my body, and by the time I go to arms I felt weak.
I am looking to maybe rotate training programs:
Week 1: Push Pull Legs
Week 2 Bro Split 4 Days with volume, medium weight
Week 3 3 x Full Body
Week 4 Bro Split 4 Days with lower set, heavy focus.
Does anyone recommend any? Otherwise I will just push super volume, weights and worried 'll injury myself.
My main interest in PUSH PULL/FULL BODY is basically I want to cut 1 day off, and do something different like Yoga, or Cardio for a change.
What are everyone's thoughts? Has anyone tried various programs?
I have done a bro split for 10+ years, it works for me. I am tired of training 4 x a week, and as i'm busy I skip days.
Last week I tried 2 x full body workouts, I admit they were grueling. I normally breeze through high volume 20+ sets on major body groups without breaking a sweat.
I was dying with the full body workouts, I managed 58 sets in 105 minutes.
I was doing 5-6 sets per body part and heavy. I had no idea what I was doing, I think the 2nd time in the week I trained I felt like I tweaked my lower back. It may be too straining on my body, and by the time I go to arms I felt weak.
I am looking to maybe rotate training programs:
Week 1: Push Pull Legs
Week 2 Bro Split 4 Days with volume, medium weight
Week 3 3 x Full Body
Week 4 Bro Split 4 Days with lower set, heavy focus.
Does anyone recommend any? Otherwise I will just push super volume, weights and worried 'll injury myself.
My main interest in PUSH PULL/FULL BODY is basically I want to cut 1 day off, and do something different like Yoga, or Cardio for a change.
Rostam
Well-known member
How did you manage mixing these two?
R1balla
Board Sponsor
I’m doing the same routine (slightly modified to fit my schedule) and it’s amazing. Haven’t been this sore in a long time.
R1balla
Board Sponsor
I d done that in the past but I see most progress when I stick to a routine for short term. I can make progress notes on compound lifts and try to beat it...etc.
But yes, once in a while I will change it weekly. Keeps me interested and motivated.
f4iguy
Member
My current split, 5 days per week. I perform a lot of glute and lower back accessory work throughout the week.
Day 1 chest / back (pull ups & rows) / biceps
Day 2 legs & Abs
Day 3 off
Day 4 shoulders / triceps / abs
Day 5 back / paused Bench / calves
Day 6 low bar paused squats / conventional deadlifts & deadlift variation / traps
Day 7 off
Day 1 chest / back (pull ups & rows) / biceps
Day 2 legs & Abs
Day 3 off
Day 4 shoulders / triceps / abs
Day 5 back / paused Bench / calves
Day 6 low bar paused squats / conventional deadlifts & deadlift variation / traps
Day 7 off
DEVANS89
Well-known member
Being sore is no joke, first week of legs and I was hobbling around a few days later
When i do chest/shoulders I’m sore but pumped at the same time
It’s a love/hate thing
R1balla
Board Sponsor
Being sore is no joke, first week of legs and I was hobbling around a few days later
When i do chest/shoulders I’m sore but pumped at the same time
It’s a love/hate thing
My wife is doing it with me as well. Well, 2 days of it. Chest/back and legs. She loves it.
UCSMiami
Well-known member
Day 1 Push Chest/Shoulders/Tricep. compound movement- OHP, Benc,, Incline, Decline, Dips, Pecdeck, rear deltoid
Day 2 Pull Back/Biceps. compound movement, Pullups, various pulldowns, assorted rows, farmers walk superset
Day 3 Squats/deadlift, calf extension
repeat
heavy 3 weeks out of four
moderate 1 week out of four.
that is in the early morning
cardio is bootcamp on weekends 2x
spinning on weekdays evening 2x
Day 2 Pull Back/Biceps. compound movement, Pullups, various pulldowns, assorted rows, farmers walk superset
Day 3 Squats/deadlift, calf extension
repeat
heavy 3 weeks out of four
moderate 1 week out of four.
that is in the early morning
cardio is bootcamp on weekends 2x
spinning on weekdays evening 2x