Herc's (over)training routine

[Herc]

Ok,

I know what everyone is going to say…

OVERTRAINING

But I have had good results with this program, both last year in Japan (went from 175 to 185 same bf%) and during the last few months. Over the late summer I went to a 3 day a week push pull and lost a ton of mass (185 to 180 + 3% bf)

I will admit this routine has gotten a little out of control as of late as I keep adding drop sets or heavy sets without getting rid of lighter sets (this does list everything including warm-ups so it’s not quite as bad as it seams). I allow only 1 min. between sets so even the longest workouts are done in about 1.5 hours and I do a 5 min warm-up on the rowing machine.

I know I need help on the following: Arms in general, and Delts big time. Back can always use help, but I’m liking my chest and abs routine.

Here are some changes I’m making on the split, plus any you might recommend.

Monday : same Chest/Back but add deadlifts
Tuesday: keep as shoulder/abs day but need a new routine for shoulders
Wed: Change from Legs/Bicep to Legs/Triceps so biceps get more focus on Thursday
Thurs: Change to Bicep/Chest/Abs
Fri: Keep as clean-up day with light shoulders/ legs/ back

Workouts that I've been using since Nov. follow... I hope this works...

[Herc]

Chest / Back

[Herc]

Shoulders / Abs

I tweaked my back doinfg upright rows so I cut this a little short

[Herc]

Legs / Bicep

Back still bothering me so no squats or hacks today

[Herc]

Here is one so you can see the squats and hacks

[Herc]

Tricep / light Chest / light Back / lower abs

[Herc]

Skipped the last couple of Fridays for one reason or another, but here is an old one

[Chris Rodgers]

OUCH!!!


Do you want my honest opinion on this split and workouts? Or do you want me to seriously try and just work with what you have?

[Herc]

Go ahead and shoot away...

When I was writing it I was defending/ justifying what I've been up to for the last couple of months, but now I've resolved to not worry about saving something that's probably broken anyway.

I will probably always workout 5 days a week, but other than that suggest away...

[Chris Rodgers]

OK, all I looked at was your split and the chest/back workout and delt workout.


First off-- way too many sets. You are doing way too many warmups and just extra sets. No need. Save your warmups for your first big exercise. After that you shouldn't need any. Just do 1-2 sets of everything else you do.

Now, with that split you do realize your shoulders and triceps are all getting pounded Monday-Wednesday? Three days in a row is overkill.

Not sure what you mean by the clean-up day. I know two days after my leg workout it would hurt to squat or deadlift the bar!

Are you dead set on hitting the weights 5 times per week?? Could you settle for 3-4? If so, we can come up with tons of good stuff for ya. % days is pushing it in most cases(natty anyway).

[Herc]

Clean up for legs is light deep squats so I can walk, I don't know why but it's the only way I've found to not be sore for the whole weekend.

Triceps used to be on Thurs. Like I said I was thinking about switching to Wed. however right now I count Thurs. as one of my best workout days.

I'm natty and will be for a long time as I don't know enough to juice, however I seem to have good recovery. I'm always pumped / sore / wrung out when I leave the gym, but by the next morning or early afternoon I'm fine or only have slight soreness remaining.

I don't know if you read my "posting panic" thread, but even though I was kidding around a couple of those questions I did want to ask, especially the "could I be a starved easygainer? " of course it should read "could I be a starved easygainer who didn't clue in until too late?"

[Herc]

New Shoulder / Bicep Routine