New routine - 4 day split

[Captain T]

I'm just coming off an upper/lower split and looking at doing a 4 day split so I can work in more cardio to lean up. This is what I've come up with:

Sat: CHEST & BIs
Flat DB press 1x10, 1x8, 1x6, 1x4
Incline BB 3x8
Weighted dips 1x10, 1x8, 1x6
Cable flyes 2x15
BB curls 3x8
Seated incline DB curls 2x10

Sun: BACK & TRAPs
Deadlift 4x 3-6
Wide chinup 3x10
BB row 1x10, 1x8, 1x6
Wide lat pulldown 3x10
BB shrugs 2x6
20kg Plate shrugs 2x30

Mon: cardio

Tue: DELTs & TRIs
BB press 1x10, 1x8, 1x6, 1x4
DB press 3x8
Lat raise 3x12
Close grip BP 2x8
Skullcrushers 2x12
Cable extensions 2x15

Wed: cardio

Thu: LEGs
Back squat 2x20, 1x15, 1x10
Lunges 3x15
SLDL 1x10, 1x8, 1x6
Ham curls 3x10
Standing calf raise 3x15

Fri: rest

I'll also be doing 25mins cardio each weight training day.

How does the plan look?
:thanks:

 

[kdpboa]

How do you feel about switching your leg day and your back day so you're not hitting back the day after bi's?

I have been following a very similar split and have really enjoyed it!

 

[brk_nemesis]

How do you feel about switching your leg day and your back day so you're not hitting back the day after bi's?

I have been following a very similar split and have really enjoyed it!

agreed. Hitting bi's the day before back day could pose a problem. Same goes with the trap work on sunday, and delts on monday. You'll probably get some indirect involvement between delts, and traps between the days. I'd switch the days as kdpboa said, for the best probability for recovery.

 

[Captain T]

Fair enough, I'll switch legs and back/traps days. Although I have delts on Tuesday not Monday so there is a day's rest but I take your point.

How do the exercise and set/rep selection look? As I said I made it up completely so any modification would be good. Or if there is a tried & tested routine out there I'd appreciate a pointer.
:thanks:

 

[kdpboa]

I personally really like the excercise selection! I usually start out with a barbell pressing excercise for chest, but many like DB's so that's just preference. I also usually use the first excercise of the day as more of a strength builder so I use 3-6 reps for 4-5 sets, but like I siad that is just what I prefer!

All in all, I think it is a greats start for what my opinion is worth! Mostly compounds and you're not doing 25 sets pper muscle group! Def. a good start!

 

[Captain T]

Thanks kdpboa. I can't do flat bench press because of a shoulder injury, but incline/decline and close grip BP are fine.

I'm actually not going to switch back and legs days, instead I'm changing it to be:

Sat: chest/tris
Sun: back/bis
Tue: delts/traps
Thu: legs

Decided to do that because Tue & Thu I train at 7am and thats way to early to be deadlifting.

 

[brk_nemesis]

Thanks kdpboa. I can't do flat bench press because of a shoulder injury, but incline/decline and close grip BP are fine.

I'm actually not going to switch back and legs days, instead I'm changing it to be:

Sat: chest/tris
Sun: back/bis
Tue: delts/traps
Thu: legs

Decided to do that because Tue & Thu I train at 7am and thats way to early to be deadlifting.

If thats the case you will have M,W,Fri as rest days, so your recovery should be very good. Im on a 3 day DC style routine, and Im getting better gains than when on my old 5 day routine.

 

[Captain T]

If thats the case you will have M,W,Fri as rest days, so your recovery should be very good. Im on a 3 day DC style routine, and Im getting better gains than when on my old 5 day routine.

I'll still be doing cardio on Mon & Wed - 30-40mins steady state but I think thats still enough recovery time.

 

[power675]

Your exercise selection and organization is okay, but why are you switching your routine up? Was the upper / lower building muscle for you? If you're going on a diet, you should stick with the plan that built the muscle in the first place to help you keep it. How does changing from one routine to another give you more time for cardio? Can't you just do 4 days a week, alternating upper and lower?

 

[Captain T]

I'll have more time for cardio because the exercises will be worked through quicker and I'll also have more left in the tank to do cardio.

Truth is I started getting bored of upper/lower and didn't feel motivated. I'll do this for a couple of months then switch back.

 

[diezel]

Is there a reason to go as low as 4 reps for your db chest press and bb shoulder press? How long do you rest between sets ? Are you looking to do more of a recomp or more concerned with losing weight?

 

[Captain T]

Diezel - I use 10,8,6 reps as its meant to be best for hypertrophy, then I go low rep just so that I can increase the weight a little more and get a little strength work in. Rest times are about 90 secs for legs/back/chest exercises and about 45 secs for delts/bis/tris/traps.