What next?

[fitme]

Okay guys I'm into my 7th week of this 4 day split thing....I'm planning on doing 8 weeks and then switching..what should I do? Should i just swich up exercises now or should i go back to full body workouts?lol Keeping in mind that I do want a bigger upper body...LOL.. I guess more rest time is needed inbetween bodyparts?

We all know my questions are stupid so please be nice to me.. LOL

Dont ask me for names of exercises that i do cause honestly I dont know all of them..

Right now this is what i'm doing..

sun..chest/back
mon..off
tues..legs
wed..off
thurs..tri's/bi's
fri..shoulders..
sat..off

Please dont laugh....its a little off than what you told me Hawkwind!

[jennyd]

Strictly speaking from my point of view, I'd continue to do a 4 day split, but switch your routine.
Add weight, change rest periods, switch days and order of the routine, do different exercises.
I wouldn't go back to doing full body workouts. My opinion is that they're ok to do every once in a while, but if you're training is very intense, then they're pretty hard to do.

[Hawkwind]

Not a stupid question at all Fit. I won't laugh.

I would ask you this though:

• How do you feel about this last training cycle?
• Did you find you had weak areas?
• Did you find you had strong areas?
• Based on the above what would you like to improve?
• What in particular about your upper body do you want to improve?
• Did you like this split?

[Hawkwind]

Originally Posted by jennyd

Strictly speaking from my point of view, I'd continue to do a 4 day split, but switch your routine.
Add weight, change rest periods, switch days and order of the routine, do different exercises.
I wouldn't go back to doing full body workouts. My opinion is that they're ok to do every once in a while, but if you're training is very intense, then they're pretty hard to do.

Big bump to Jenny's post.

I want to emphasize what she said about full body workouts.

Yes I do them...but I have a specific goal in mind and I have to monitor myself carefully as they are very stressful on the central nervous system.

[CubanChick]

Originally Posted by jennyd

Strictly speaking from my point of view, I'd continue to do a 4 day split, but switch your routine.
Add weight, change rest periods, switch days and order of the routine, do different exercises.
I wouldn't go back to doing full body workouts. My opinion is that they're ok to do every once in a while, but if you're training is very intense, then they're pretty hard to do.

I agree with JD.. I would probably stick with the 4day and just change up the exercises, lower your reps, increase your weight!!

[fitme]

Originally Posted by Hawkwind

Not a stupid question at all Fit. I won't laugh.

I would ask you this though:

• How do you feel about this last training cycle?
• Did you find you had weak areas?
• Did you find you had strong areas?
• Based on the above what would you like to improve?
• What in particular about your upper body do you want to improve?
• Did you like this split?

I do like the 4 day split cause i've always done full bodyworkouts prior.

I think with my goals I do need to rest the body parts..

I want to improve everything...LOL

I however, want my shoulders bigger and a wider back..i dont care too much about tri's and bi's being bigger..lol I dont want to look like steelgirl...

My only concern really is legs. I really dont like doing them just one day a week. Does anybody else feel like that or is it just me?

Do you guys think i could switch that up into two days?

I really cant imagine doing full body workouts anymore..i would KILL myself..

[ktinspired]

personally I like doing legs twice a week. but thats just me

[jennyd]

Originally Posted by ktinspired

personally I like doing legs twice a week. but thats just me

I do mine twice a week too.

[Hawkwind]

Then by all means. Stay with your 4 day split.

I see no reason that you cannot do a second leg day if that's really what you want to do. I work my quads and calves one day...and then I work my hams and often my calves again a second day.

BUT!

Since I tend to go rather heavy on both quad and ham work (for me) I always make sure to have 48 hours rest at the very least. I prefer to not go heavy on both during one workout. It's just too much for my system. Especially since my exercises of choice for my quads is squats and for my hams it's Romanian dead lifts. A lot of secondary work is going on with those lifts when I'm working over the 100# mark on them.

No reason not to focus on your delts and lats either and just 'maintain' your bi's and tri's if you are happy with them. Bi's, tri's and delts often get a lot of work indirectly during other lifts.

So what you may want to do before you start your next training cycle is study up on various exercises that specifically target your delts and lats. And familiarize yourself with exercises that tend to target the quads and hams so you can do them on different days also.

[jlozan84]

Personally, I wouldn't switch to something different until you stop making gains or they slow down dramatically.......

[fitme]

Yes i'll do that Hawkwind.

What's a good routine then? Where I can incorporate legs on 2 days. I guess it doesnt matter really huh? Quads with? Hams with?

[Hawkwind]

I tend to work my hams all alone. My preference would be to add them to your shoulder day, your legs would be fully recovered from your Tuesday quad/leg work. Do your ham work first and then your shoulders.

That way you haven't really deviated from the routine you are doing now. Which is a plus ... as JLo mentioned if you are still making gains you don't really need to change up too much on your routine now.

[Hawkwind]

BTW fitme. I know that training without changing things up frequently has been a big change for you. Kudos.

[fitme]

Originally Posted by jlozan84

Personally, I wouldn't switch to something different until you stop making gains or they slow down dramatically.......

So, what's the longest time period that you would stay on a routine?

I feel harder and stronger now that I've split things up though...i kinda like it..

[fitme]

Originally Posted by Hawkwind

I tend to work my hams all alone. My preference would be to add them to your shoulder day, your legs would be fully recovered from your Tuesday quad/leg work. Do your ham work first and then your shoulders.

That way you haven't really deviated from the routine you are doing now. Which is a plus ... as JLo mentioned if you are still making gains you don't really need to change up too much on your routine now.

Sounds good...i'll just switch up the legs then fer now and see in another month....

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by jlozan84

Personally, I wouldn't switch to something different until you stop making gains or they slow down dramatically.......

/\ BUMP

Get the man a cigar ~ because he speaks of great knowledge


"If it aint broke, dont try to fix it"

[jlozan84]

Originally Posted by fitme

So, what's the longest time period that you would stay on a routine?

I feel harder and stronger now that I've split things up though...i kinda like it..

Whatever works for you...I was just commenting.

As far as your question - I would stick with the same routine for years on end if it was working.

[fitme]

Okay thanks Jlo and thanks everybody else that responded!