PLEASE critique if needed!

[klog88]

Hello. I am 6'4" 187 lbs. My goal is to gain lean mass in my upper body.

How does this routine look for gaining lean mass?

Monday: Chest, Triceps, Light Cardio

Tuesday: Back, Biceps, Light Cardio

Wednesday: Shoulders, Traps, Light Cardio

Thursday: Off

Friday: Chest, Triceps, Light Cardio

Saturday: Back, Biceps, Light Cardio

Sunday: Shoulders, Traps, Light Cardio



Any help is much appreciated!!!

[Merk0135]

Looks like a good routine other than you have no leg day, have a seperate day for shoulders and traps, do cardio everyday even though you want to bulk and obviously an ectomorph and only have one day of rest. What routine did you get this from, men's health?

[HammerTech]

If you want mass in your upper body, you have to do legs. And when I say "do legs" I mean deep squats, leg presses, stiff leg deads - and not leg extensions and leg curls on the nautilus. I know it seemingly makes no sense but it's true. Also, 6 days of training with one off and all that "light" cardio is not going to help. You grow when you rest.

May want to go back to the drawing board on this one.

[joemomma]

Agreed. You won't gain any weight or size with that much cardio and no leg day. Ditch the cardio, get a leg day in there, and focus on diet. You'll need to eat well, and a lot of it to gain any size. Work your shoulders on chest day, they get beat up plenty as-is. Same goes for traps on back day. Focus on the big three - bench, squat, deadlift. Look into a legs/push/pull routine.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by HammerTech

If you want mass in your upper body, you have to do legs.

Let me start off by saying, only a fool doesnt train his legs so I'm certainly no advocate of not training legs, but the statement above is simply not true and I have to flip the coin and discuss it. Maybe we are talking symantics here, but you said ..If you want mass in your upper body, then you "have" to do legs....This is not true because anyone can obtain upper body mass without ever doing squats or training the legs what so ever.

Just check out most of the big dudes that are in prison, most of them DO NOT train their legs. You see some huge benchers and dudes with guns that are bigger than professional wrestlers, yet again, alot of them have stick legs. How'd they get so big if they never trained legs? Because it 100% possible.

Now with that being said, those same dudes could have gotten ALOT bigger than they were IF they would have trained legs. They could have surpassed all of their numbers had they just chosen to take advantage of what leg training brings to the table, this is not arguable and I am not trying to do that what so ever. Again, only a fool doesnt train his legs.

Again, maybe it's just word play, but you cant say that one "HAS" to do legs in order to get a big upper body....it can still be done. However, I think unless you have an unjury that prevents you, then you are an idiot if you dont train legs

OK ok, it's a damn slow day here at work LOL!

.

[klog88]

Thank you everyone for your help, i will take this advice and change things up a bit. I will keep this thread updates with my results. Also note, i just started stacking Cell Mass and NO Xplode today as well.

[Eighth Wonder]

Originally Posted by klog88

Also note, i just started stacking Cell Mass and NO Xplode today as well.

Great gains await you.

[HammerTech]

Originally Posted by BiggerGuns=LongerDrives

Maybe we are talking symantics here, but you said ...

That's exactly what we're talking. If dude has 6 days to throw at CHARMS work, he can make the time to do legs and it will benefit him in the long run.

OP - glad to see an open-minded approach. Good luck. I'm not a believer in CellMass or NO-Explode myself, but will be interested to see how you do. They never worked for me.

[Merk0135]

No-explode helped my clean my colon.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by Merk0135

No-explode helped my clean my colon.

No-Explode helped to clean the corrosion off my battery cables......or wait, maybe that was Dr. Pepper?

[jlozan84]

Originally Posted by klog88

i just started stacking Cell Mass and NO Xplode today as well.

Good call. You def cannot reach your goals w/out that $100 investment.

[klog88]

Originally Posted by jlozan84

Good call. You def cannot reach your goals w/out that $100 investment.

Appreciate the your input

[klog88]

Well, its been 2 weeks since i have started my new split, and supps. I have noticed that i am feeling "harder" throughout my chest and arms, but no major differences in my physique (obviously its only been 2 weeks). My strength has increased though, which is nice to see. I will update every 2 weeks.

[BTH]

Sounds like you need something like I am doing. I am trying to gain mass, strength, and am also a hardgainer. Here is my current routine:

Monday:
BB Squats:heavy
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Flat Bench
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Pendlay Row (or you could to Bent Over Row)
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

weighted hypers: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Shrug: 8rx3s
Pullovers: 8-10r x 3s
Calf Raises: 10r x 75%; 10r x 3 sets working

Wed:
BB Squats: (working sets is 75% of Mondays)
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Standing OH BB Press
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Deads:
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Rear delt Row
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Side lateral raise: 8-10r x 3s

Front raise: 6-8r x 3s

Friday:
BB Squats: heavy
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Flat Bench
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Pendlay Row (or you could to Bent Over Row)
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Close Grip Bench
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Reverse curl:
3 sets of 8-10

Skull Crushers:
3 sets of 6-10

Saturday or sunday: short run (2 miles for me)

[klog88]

Thanks for the routine info bud.

[lordofsherwood]

i guess this routine is not for u...this is a very intense routine and cannot be continued on a long run....this is more towards the powerlifting side and definitely for sumone very experienced...

also klog, as the others say, u MUST do legs. PERIOD.

[BTH]

Originally Posted by lordofsherwood

i guess this routine is not for u...this is a very intense routine and cannot be continued on a long run....this is more towards the powerlifting side and definitely for sumone very experienced...

also klog, as the others say, u MUST do legs. PERIOD.

I'v been on it for 4 months now, and plan on continuing. It is working well.

[MindFreak]

Originally Posted by BTH

Sounds like you need something like I am doing. I am trying to gain mass, strength, and am also a hardgainer. Here is my current routine:

Monday:
BB Squats:heavy
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Flat Bench
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Pendlay Row (or you could to Bent Over Row)
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

weighted hypers: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Shrug: 8rx3s
Pullovers: 8-10r x 3s
Calf Raises: 10r x 75%; 10r x 3 sets working

Wed:
BB Squats: (working sets is 75% of Mondays)
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Standing OH BB Press
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Deads:
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Rear delt Row
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Side lateral raise: 8-10r x 3s

Front raise: 6-8r x 3s

Friday:
BB Squats: heavy
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Flat Bench
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

BB Pendlay Row (or you could to Bent Over Row)
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Close Grip Bench
50% of working x 10 reps
75% or working x 5 reps
working sets 5r x 3-5 sets

Reverse curl:
3 sets of 8-10

Skull Crushers:
3 sets of 6-10

Saturday or sunday: short run (2 miles for me)

(unless i am reading this wrong) you are doing heavy BB Squats every monday, weds and friday? "heavy" flat bench on mon and friday? the more i look at it, it looks like you are doing pretty much doing "heavy" full body workouts every monday, weds and friday. if i am reading this wrong i apologize. if not, in my opinion, this is a HORRIBLE routine.

if you want to gain and strength look into max-ot. about 1000% better than this routine.

[BTH]

I've removed the squats from Wed, and the routine is working for me. It is derived from the Bill Starr routine for intermediates, and the exercises are pretty much the same as the one written by Bill Starr. I am just doing 3x5's and 5x5's in place of the ramping with only one working set. So if you think it is a bad routine, then your argument is with Bill Starr, a great lifting coach.

Bill Starr 5x5 - Madcow Intermediate or Linear Version

[MindFreak]

Originally Posted by BTH

I've removed the squats from Wed, and the routine is working for me. It is derived from the Bill Starr routine for intermediates, and the exercises are pretty much the same as the one written by Bill Starr. I am just doing 3x5's and 5x5's in place of the ramping with only one working set. So if you think it is a bad routine, then your argument is with Bill Starr, a great lifting coach.

Bill Starr 5x5 - Madcow Intermediate or Linear Version

i dont care whose routine that is. i still thnk it sucks. but if its working for ya then that's all that matters.