If you enjoy training four days a week or would like to, I am going to list a tested and proven way to split up your training.
It's called the Push-Pull routine. The thing I like about this type of schedule is it allows you to spend a maximum of four-five hours per week in the gym. If you are a busy person but still enjoy serious bodybuilding, this routine will give you the best of both worlds.
To begin with, the title of this routine, push-pull, explains how it works.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
No, wait, that's not the whole article.
On Monday and Thursday, you would work Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps (pushing movements).
On Tuesday and Friday, you would work Legs, Back, and Biceps
(pulling movements).
Doing frontal thighs and calves should be defined as pushing movementsm, but when these two areas are being worked, other muscle groups will not be invloved. Therefore, it doesn't matter if we put them in with the pulling movements.
The bodyparts are divided in a way that allows for complete rest the following day [of those specific muscles, not of the entire bodily system, of course. We all know that already, right?]
For example:
Monday you work chest, shoulders and triceps. During the following training days, these muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) are not being used, but are recuperating. However, if you did chest, shoulders, triceps AND biceps on Monday, on Tuesday when you worked your back you would also be using your biceps again from rowing or lat pulldown movements. This would apply if you did chest and triceps on consecutive days. The pushing movements done for chest would involve the triceps and the next day your triceps are worked again. This would also hold true if you did shoulders and triceps, or chest and shoulders on consecutive days. This could cause overtraining in a particular area.
You will be working each muscle group twice a week, but by doing three bodyparts per session, you can really intensify your training. My training partner, Rick McKay, and I push each other through by doing negatives or railroading at the end of each set.
Here's Bill Starr talking about railroading:
With this type of intensity you can really tear up each area with a minimum of sets. Here is our present program:
MONDAY/THURSDAY
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Bench Press
Dips
Press Behind Neck
Dumbbell Laterals
Upright Rowing
Triceps Pressdowns
Barbell Triceps Extension
Whew.
TUESDAY/FRIDAY
Back, Biceps, Legs
T-Bar Row
Front Lat Pulldown
Barbell Curl
Incline DB Curl
Leg Curl
Squat
Calf Raise
The sets and reps may vary on a particular day. For example, we may do 10-12 sets for biceps if we are really getting into them, or we might do everything heavy one day and keep the reps around 6. I can't stress the importance of intensity enough. The last 2-3 reps of each set should be difficult to complete, whether you are doing 6 or 12 reps!
THIS IS WHY SETS AND REPS SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A GUIDELINE AND NOT FOLLOWED PRECISELY.
The Push-Pull routine has been around for many years, mainly because of the results it has produced. If you have reached a plateau in your training, give this program a try. I am sure it will help further your progress.
Enjoy Your Lifting.
Ok, you suckered me in with your snazzy intro graphic. I thought the article would be about pulling sleds and pushing cars. Nope more of that dang muscle pumping!
ReplyDeleteHello Jan! The whole of "bodybuilding" has no appeal for me anymore, honestly. This may be the last strictly physique entry here, hopefully. Anyhow, to put two expressions together . . . muscle spinning's a lot like spinnin' your wheels! Anyhows, I've lost all interest in the physique end of this game over the last while . . . so . . . in my view the posts will be way WAY more interesting now!
ReplyDeleteHey, if a b-building article also deals with strength-building, fine and dandy. It's this tiresome desire for square-edged boobs and scintillating serratus with no concern for strength that I find uninteresting.
DeleteYes, exactly! Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, anyone? I mean, I love Reg Park(could compete with the lifters in his day) but when you posted the "How I trained" article and he listed for delts: press behind neck, regular presses, and dumbbell presses, all in the same workout. Really?
DeleteHello Frank! That's the first routine he said he did in that article. 90 sets. 20 years old. A whole different animal from the rest of us, that one. Incline D.B Press – 5 sets of 5 reps
DeleteFlat Bench D.B. Press – 5x5
Pushups with Press – 5 x 10
Standing Barbell Press – 5x5
Press Behind Neck – 5x5
Standing Two D.B Press – 5x5
Chins – 5x8
Barbell Row – 5x8
D.B. Row – 5x8
Barbell Curl – 5x8
Incline D.B. Curl – 5x8
Central Loading Curl – 5x8
Standing D.B. Triceps Curl – 5x8
Lying D.B. Triceps Curl – 5x8
Triceps on Lat Machine – 5x8
Donkey Calf – 5 sets
Cross Bench D.B. Pullover – 5x8
Yikes! There's a whole lotta repetition there and I don't mean reps. It'd be pointless for most to attempt that. You'd make a week or two and burn out quick.
Note that, other than the calf raise, there's no leg work. A whole different animal.
Delete