In your opinion, is this routine too taxing?

[thehighlife06]

CYCLE: 3 Days Per Week
LEVEL: Novice To Intermediate
GOAL: Introduction To Bodybuilding

Legs
• Leg Presses: 3 Sets x 12 Reps
• Leg Curls: 2 Sets x 12 Reps
• Standing Calf Raises: 2 Sets x 12 Reps

Chest/Shoulders
• Flat Barbell Bench Presses:
2 Sets x 10 Reps
• Barbell Shoulder Presses:
2 Sets x 10 Reps

Back
• Front Pulldowns: 2 Sets x 10 Reps
• Barbell Rows: 2 Sets x 10 Reps

Arms
• Barbell Curls:
2 Sets x 10 Reps
• Lying Tricep Extensions:
2 Sets x 10 Reps

other

• Ab Crunches: 2 Sets x 10 Reps
• Aerobic Training: 20 minutes of low
intensity aerobic

Monday: ON
Tuesday: OFF
Wednesday: REPEAT
Thursday: OFF
Friday: REPEAT
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: OFF

This is just a basic routine from animalpak.com, I'm only looking at a routine like this because I really need a simple full body workout 3x a week for a few months. I just wanted a few opinions on if people think doing this 3x a week will potentially be too strenuous and if so, if there is a better recommendation out there for a 3x a week full body program that will still allow some hypertrophy. I just can't hacl DC or HST right now.

Thanks for any opinions.

 

[maldorf]

Way too much volume of lifts in one workout IMO. By the time you get done training legs youll be wiped out and then just end up coasting the rest of the workout. I would do at least a two day split where you lift 2 days on then one day off, repeat.

Something like:

Day 1 :Chest, shoulders, triceps, calves, abs
Day 2:Legs, Back, Biceps

The 2nd day doing legs, back, biceps is too much volume too I think, but if you want to keep it to a 3 day split then that may work out. Better yet would be a 3 day split:

day1:Legs, calves
Day2:chest, shoulders, triceps, abs
Day3:Back, Biceps, calves

 

[maldorf]

Way too much volume of lifts in one workout IMO. By the time you get done training legs youll be wiped out and then just end up coasting the rest of the workout. I would do at least a two day split where you lift 2 days on then one day off, repeat.

Something like:

Day 1 :Chest, shoulders, triceps, calves, abs
Day 2:Legs, Back, Biceps

The 2nd day doing legs, back, biceps is too much volume too I think, but if you want to keep it to a 3 day split then that may work out. Better yet would be a 3 day split:

day1:Legs, calves
Day2:chest, shoulders, triceps, abs
Day3:Back, Biceps, calves

On exercise selection: get rid of leg presses and do squats instead.

 

[thehighlife06]

On exercise selection: get rid of leg presses and do squats instead.

I figured they had Les Presses instead of Squats because it was slightly less taxing. I would prefer Squats anyways.

It's been so long since I have used a split which only worked each muscle once per week but a 3 day split like you mentioned could work very well for me right now.

If I were to go with a split like that, how about doing biceps on day 2 with chest so that they are not pre-fatigued and triceps on day 3 for the same reasons?

Just out of curiosity, obviously mileage may very, but with a 3 day split like that, what kind of volume would you, personally, work with?

I appreciate the response, Maldorf.

 

[maldorf]

I figured they had Les Presses instead of Squats because it was slightly less taxing. I would prefer Squats anyways.

It's been so long since I have used a split which only worked each muscle once per week but a 3 day split like you mentioned could work very well for me right now.

If I were to go with a split like that, how about doing biceps on day 2 with chest so that they are not pre-fatigued and triceps on day 3 for the same reasons?

Just out of curiosity, obviously mileage may very, but with a 3 day split like that, what kind of volume would you, personally, work with?

I appreciate the response, Maldorf.

Keep the sets to just 3 for each exercise. I would not do biceps with chest and triceps with back because if you do that then those muscle groups are going to get hit 4x per week. YOu are going to run that 3 day split 2 times per week so that everything gets hit twice. More than that and youll overtrain those smaller assistance muscles that work on big compound lifts like the bench.

 

[thehighlife06]

You are going to run that 3 day split 2 times per week so that everything gets hit twice. More than that and youll overtrain those smaller assistance muscles that work on big compound lifts like the bench.

So wait, are your saying that split would be 3 days on, 1 day off, 3 days on?

I was under the impression you were just giving a pretty basic split idea like...

Mon - Legs, Calves
Wed - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs
Fri - Back, Biceps Calves

I just assumed it was like that because my original post was a M, W, F routine. I guess I'm a little confused as to what your recommended split looks like.

Ideally, I can find a good M, W, F routine but I'm open to more workout days if the workouts are shorter and cut down on time.

In any event, I really appreciate the help!

 

[maldorf]

So wait, are your saying that split would be 3 days on, 1 day off, 3 days on?

I was under the impression you were just giving a pretty basic split idea like...

Mon - Legs, Calves
Wed - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs
Fri - Back, Biceps Calves

I just assumed it was like that because my original post was a M, W, F routine. I guess I'm a little confused as to what your recommended split looks like.

Ideally, I can find a good M, W, F routine but I'm open to more workout days if the workouts are shorter and cut down on time.

In any event, I really appreciate the help!

Yeah, it would be 3 on 1 off. You can make it 3 on 2 off if you need more rest. THe workouts that way are short. If you go at it hard you can be done in about 30-40 minutes really.

If you go with a MWF routine, then the workouts would be twice as long. Most people find they grow better when you have higher frequency and train a bodypart twice a week. Keep the workout short and intense and dont do those marathon workouts.

 

[Sumpump52]

please tell me you dont do all that every day u go?

 

[tkav1980]

IMO
Day 1
Wide Grip pull ups - 5 sets
Deadlifts or BB Rows - 5 sets
Day 2
Decline press - 5 sets
any fly movement - 5 sets
Dumbell curls - 3 sets
barbell curls - 3 sets

day 3 off

day 4
leg curl - 5 sets
Squats - 5 sets
Standing calvs - 5 sets

day 5
Lateral raises - 5 sets
cable lateral raises - 5 sets
close grip bench- 3 sets
dips 3 sets
day 6&7 off
Repeat.


Each exercise except for squats and bb rows and deads are done to failure. leave nothing in the tank so each set following the first you need to lighten the weight. if you can repeat a set with the same weight you didnt work hard enough on that set.

 

[AJW91]

I'm a HIT guy. I started off by doing whole body workouts. I think that's a solid route to go for a beginner lifter. Here is one good whole body routine, and here is another. Recently, I've been using a split like this, each workout is performed eod (so it's a 8-day cycle):

Back & Delts
1. BTN Pulldown 6-8 reps
2. Pullovers 6-8 reps
3. Bent-over Rows 6-8 reps
4. Shrugs 6-8 reps
5. Upright Rows 6-8 reps
6. Lateral Raises 6-8 reps
7. Overhead Press 6-8 reps
8. Bent Over Lateral Raises 6-8 reps

Quads, Calves, Abs
1. Leg Presses 6-8 reps
2. Leg Extensions 8-12 reps
3. Squats 6-8 reps
4. Stiff-legged Calf Raises 15-20 reps
5. Seated Calf Raises 15-20 reps
6. Trunk Curls 15-20 reps

Chest & Arms
1. Flyes 6-8 reps
2. Chest Press 6-8 reps
3. Barbell Curls 6-8 reps
4. Underhand Pulldowns 6-8 reps
5. DB French Press 6-8 reps
6. Dips 6-8 reps
7. Wrist Curls 8-12 reps
8. Wrist Extension 8-12 reps

Hamstrings, Calves, Abs
1. SLDLs 6-8 reps
2. Leg Curls 8-12 reps
3. Deadlfits 6-8 reps
4. Stiff-legged Calf Raises 15-20 reps
5. Seated Calf Raises 15-20 reps
6. Trunk Curls 15-20 reps