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Input on 4-Day Split

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Bjergkanin
Level 1

Join date: Jan 2010
Location:
Posts: 3

Hello

I am currently doing starting strength, been doing it for two months. My overall training experience is greater than two months though, but I have been serious for about 3-4 months. I have come to a point where I feel, that I could hit my muscles better, by splitting them up in smaller groups. I was thinking of something like this:

Monday: Breast/Triceps

Flat BB Bench 3x5
Incline DB Bench 3x5
Dips 3x8
Closegrip Benchpress 3x8
Skullcrushers 3x8

Tuesday: Back/Biceps

Chinups 3x8
BB Rows 3x5
Seated Rows 3x8
BB Curls 3x8
Preacher Curls 3x8

Wednesday: Legs

Squat 3x5
Deadlift 1 or 2 sets x 5
?? - Suggestions needed
?? - Suggestion needed

Thursday: Shoulders

Seated Military 3x5
Lateral raise 3x8
Reardelt raise 3x8
?? - Suggestions needed

My stats are the following:

Height: 5'11
Weight: 164lbs

Squat: 285lbs x 5
Deadlift: 265lbs x 5
Bench: 175lbs x 5
Military: 135lbs x 5

I am currently bulking, I started at 147lbs. My short term goal is to hit 175lbs by April, and I would like to hit a decent 200lbs in august/september.

TheDudeAbides
Level 0

Join date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 2941

I think you did a nice job as far as exercise selection. Personally, that is too much to do in each workout. I prefer one compound movement and one or two additional isolation exercises.

Mon - do dips or cgbp, but not both

Tue - switch bb rows and chins

Wed - don't expect to squat and deadlift heavy on the same day; consider rotating these exercises in a light/heavy fashion ...? so round one, back squat with (light/medium) SLDL or RDL as the deadlift assistance. Round/week 2 deadlift with (light/medium) front squat, leg press, hack squat, etc

Thu - looks good; I'm not a fan of db lateral raise ... it becomes difficult to use strict when the weight gets heavy (for me); chins could go here as well

4 days/week is fine, although you may find that going four days in a row can be tiresome

Good job!

mr popular
Level 1

Join date: Nov 2005
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 1943

TheDudeAbides wrote:
I think you did a nice job as far as exercise selection. Personally, that is too much to do in each workout. I prefer one compound movement and one or two additional isolation exercises.

Mon - do dips or cgbp, but not both

Tue - switch bb rows and chins

Wed - don't expect to squat and deadlift heavy on the same day; consider rotating these exercises in a light/heavy fashion ...? so round one, back squat with (light/medium) SLDL or RDL as the deadlift assistance. Round/week 2 deadlift with (light/medium) front squat, leg press, hack squat, etc

Thu - looks good; I'm not a fan of db lateral raise ... it becomes difficult to use strict when the weight gets heavy (for me); chins could go here as well

4 days/week is fine, although you may find that going four days in a row can be tiresome

Good job!

What the hell is with these posts lately?

Did the entire world magically get more fragile or something and I didn't notice? What the OP has written up is a completely ordinary bodybuilding routine. If you think one of those workouts has too many exercises, you're a lazy pansy or you were born with no athletic ability whatsoever.

I swear it feels like I'm taking crazy pills when I log onto these forums.

You aren't a FAN of lateral raises cuz it's too hard? So instead of lateral raises, he should be doing chinups? On shoulder day!?

Working out 4 days in a row is "tiresome"?

Please tell me I'm just missing the punchline.

OP: Your routine looks pretty good. You will probably have to tweak things over time and make little changes until it's just right, but overall your chest/triceps and back/biceps days look good.

For your "suggestion needed", add barbell shrugs to your shoulder day.

For your legs day, I recommending keeping the squat, but doing romanian deadlifts instead of conventional (3x8), and then leg curls and another quad exercises (leg press, hack squat, front squat, leg extensions)

I'd say "good luck", but you've got goals and a plan, so you won't be needing it.

flipHKD_6
Level 1

Join date: Jun 2007
Location: Nebraska, USA
Posts: 293

If it helps you (the OP) decide, I agree 100% with Mr. Popular. Ain't nothin' but a peanut!

TheDudeAbides
Level 0

Join date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 2941

mr popular wrote:

TheDudeAbides wrote:
I think you did a nice job as far as exercise selection. Personally, that is too much to do in each workout. I prefer one compound movement and one or two additional isolation exercises.

Mon - do dips or cgbp, but not both

Tue - switch bb rows and chins

Wed - don't expect to squat and deadlift heavy on the same day; consider rotating these exercises in a light/heavy fashion ...? so round one, back squat with (light/medium) SLDL or RDL as the deadlift assistance. Round/week 2 deadlift with (light/medium) front squat, leg press, hack squat, etc

Thu - looks good; I'm not a fan of db lateral raise ... it becomes difficult to use strict when the weight gets heavy (for me); chins could go here as well

4 days/week is fine, although you may find that going four days in a row can be tiresome

Good job!

What the hell is with these posts lately?

Did the entire world magically get more fragile or something and I didn't notice? What the OP has written up is a completely ordinary bodybuilding routine. If you think one of those workouts has too many exercises, you're a lazy pansy or you were born with no athletic ability whatsoever.

I swear it feels like I'm taking crazy pills when I log onto these forums.

You aren't a FAN of lateral raises cuz it's too hard? So instead of lateral raises, he should be doing chinups? On shoulder day!?

Working out 4 days in a row is "tiresome"?

Please tell me I'm just missing the punchline.

OP: Your routine looks pretty good. You will probably have to tweak things over time and make little changes until it's just right, but overall your chest/triceps and back/biceps days look good.

For your "suggestion needed", add barbell shrugs to your shoulder day.

For your legs day, I recommending keeping the squat, but doing romanian deadlifts instead of conventional (3x8), and then leg curls and another quad exercises (leg press, hack squat, front squat, leg extensions)

I'd say "good luck", but you've got goals and a plan, so you won't be needing it.

BWAHAHAHAHA You're too funny

What's wrong with hitting 2-3 exercises hard and calling it a day? I have a life and family outside of the gym. One hour is all the time I can afford, which is my perspective.

Would love to see pics of your stunning physique.

Join date: Jun 2006
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 316

TheDudeAbides wrote:

What's wrong with hitting 2-3 exercises hard and calling it a day? I have a life and family outside of the gym. One hour is all the time I can afford, which is my perspective.

Would love to see pics of your stunning physique.

Nobody said there was anything wrong with that, but that certainly doesn't make doing more wrong. 4-5 exercises is a totally normal amount, and the OP actually has a pretty good setup, with a few tweaks that were suggested by mr popular and that the OP will find for himself with time on the program. Telling him to drop exercises because you don't like them or because you don't have time for them, is kind of retarded.

Can we see pictures of your stunning physique?

TheDudeAbides
Level 0

Join date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 2941

eeu743 wrote:

TheDudeAbides wrote:

What's wrong with hitting 2-3 exercises hard and calling it a day? I have a life and family outside of the gym. One hour is all the time I can afford, which is my perspective.

Would love to see pics of your stunning physique.

Nobody said there was anything wrong with that, but that certainly doesn't make doing more wrong. 4-5 exercises is a totally normal amount, and the OP actually has a pretty good setup, with a few tweaks that were suggested by mr popular and that the OP will find for himself with time on the program. Telling him to drop exercises because you don't like them or because you don't have time for them, is kind of retarded.

Can we see pictures of your stunning physique?

That's why I said "personally" ... as in I personally do not do that many exercises a day. I also agree that it's a good setup, even said so.

You can see my svelt body from two years ago in my hub.

TheDudeAbides
Level 0

Join date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 2941

eeu743 wrote:
Telling him to drop exercises because you don't like them or because you don't have time for them, is kind of retarded.

I went back and reread everything ... you guys are correct. I prefer only doing 2-3, and yes sometimes 4 (whoa) exercises a workout. Nothing wrong with that or more. My perspective had to do with time constraints, although I never stated that.

EDIT: and I prefer machine lateral raises to db's, as that was not communicated as well

Join date: Jun 2006
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 316

TheDudeAbides wrote:

You can see my svelt body from two years ago in my hub.

Exactly

TheDudeAbides
Level 0

Join date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 2941

eeu743 wrote:

TheDudeAbides wrote:

You can see my svelt body from two years ago in my hub.

Exactly

lulz ouch

Join date: Jun 2006
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 316

TheDudeAbides wrote:

eeu743 wrote:
Telling him to drop exercises because you don't like them or because you don't have time for them, is kind of retarded.

I went back and reread everything ... you guys are correct. I prefer only doing 2-3, and yes sometimes 4 (whoa) exercises a workout. Nothing wrong with that or more. My perspective had to do with time constraints, although I never stated that.

EDIT: and I prefer machine lateral raises to db's, as that was not communicated as well

Good, we win the argument.

TheDudeAbides
Level 0

Join date: Jul 2007
Location:
Posts: 2941

eeu743 wrote:

TheDudeAbides wrote:

eeu743 wrote:
Telling him to drop exercises because you don't like them or because you don't have time for them, is kind of retarded.

I went back and reread everything ... you guys are correct. I prefer only doing 2-3, and yes sometimes 4 (whoa) exercises a workout. Nothing wrong with that or more. My perspective had to do with time constraints, although I never stated that.

EDIT: and I prefer machine lateral raises to db's, as that was not communicated as well

Good, we win the argument.

ha ha "argument"

boys argue, men discuss or debate

Bjergkanin
Level 1

Join date: Jan 2010
Location:
Posts: 3

Thank you all for your input. I am going to run Starting Strength the week out, and start on the 4split on monday. I added leg curls (3x5), leg extensions (3x5) and BB shrugs (3x5 or 3x8?)

goochadamg
Level 4

Join date: May 2007
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Posts: 1210

Bjergkanin wrote:
Thank you all for your input. I am going to run Starting Strength the week out, and start on the 4split on monday. I added leg curls (3x5), leg extensions (3x5) and BB shrugs (3x5 or 3x8?)

Leg curls/extensions? Meh. Throw in some highish rep bulgarian split squats and ab work* on your "leg" day.

*And I don't mean 100 situps or flutter kicks or any of that stupid shit. ;)

mr popular
Level 1

Join date: Nov 2005
Location: Florida, USA
Posts: 1943

Leg curls and extensions are fine, but doing them for 3x5 would be absolutely retarded. If you're going to do them, they should pretty much never go below 8 reps. 3x12 is what I do.

And the shrugs could be 3x8, although a lot of people like repping out for a good 12-15 on shrugs. You will find what works best for you once you get in there and start doing it. I know you've been doing Starting Strength for a while, but please don't get caught up in this "3x5" scheme...

Read this to learn what it means to train like a bodybuilder:

http://tnation.tmuscle.com/..._free_of_charge

For more information on how real people get huge, refer to my sticky:

http://tnation.tmuscle.com/...best_of_tnation

Bjergkanin
Level 1

Join date: Jan 2010
Location:
Posts: 3

Thanks for the links, I'll take a look at them today. As for the rep schemes, I will try to experiment along the way, but I'll take your word and try 3x12 and 3x12 on leg curls/ext and shrugs. If the curls/ext doesn't work out, I will try the split squats instead :).

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