Is this routine too much

MrSkinny · 12-04-2005, 08:54 PM

Posted this a while back but still not sure about it.

I train to failure on every set of every exercise and include about 2 drop sets on each muscle goup. What do you think of this routine:
For example, Day 1 routine:

Chest
====
Bench 2 warm up, 3 failure sets
Incline Dumbells: 3 failure sets
Pec Dec: 2 drop sets (4 drops)
Cable Cross: 3 failure sets

Shoulders
======
shoulder raise: 1 warm up, 3 failure sets
Deltoid Raise: 3 failure sets
Upright row: 2 drop sets (4 sets drop)
Front Dumbell Raise: 3 failure sets

Triceps
=====
Seated Dips: 3 failue (well sort of)
push down (not sure what its called) 2 drop sets

Stomach - usual stuff, if I can keep the effort up

Takes about 1hr 20 minutes

Some points
========
- If I'm totally honest the odd 'failure set' is a bit half hearted
- After this I am totally knackered. Its taken me a long time to get to this stage and definitely need to be on creatine, but I find since I can only train 3 times a week, so about 4 to 5 days between each body part I need to totally exhaust myself. After about 2/3 months I am getting fatigued and need to scale back for a week or 2
- If I do any less I don't feel like I have done enough.
- The weights start to get really light and girly as I get towards the end exercise of the muscle group, i.e the Cable Cross or Front Raise
- I try something similar on Day 2 (Legs + Back) but this is really tough!!
- I am thinking of either
a) drop an exercise per muscle group, or
b) go to a 3 day split so, 1 muscle group trained intensely per week
- The sets are keep to 8 to 10 which I think might be too low but the drop set accounts for about say 24 to 30 continuous reps I suppose!

What are your thoughts dudes

Cheers all

John

divie · 12-04-2005, 09:24 PM

Read garys post, its called routine for beginers to intermidiate.Ive been doing it for 5 months or so and it works your muscles 3 times a week which is ideal for you as you said you train 3 days.Theres not much point in me telling you any more as garys post explains everything in good detail, but give it a go for a month.

MrSkinny · 13-04-2005, 09:05 AM

Hi divie,
yeah I tried a routine very similar to Garys for about 1.5-2 years before I went to 2 day splits, training 4 times a week, although not as intense as what I have outlined below. The all body workout was good but felt that I couldn't train each muscle group as intensely as gains virtually stopped.

Actually anything less than the routine shown leaves me feeling that I haven't trained enough. As I say, took a while before my muscles could cope with this amount. I remember the first time I tried drop sets - was very sore for days afterwards :shock: Just wondering if I'm hampering my gains by doing too many sets per muscle group. :?
:?
Cheers
Mr S

12-04-2005, 08:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
MrSkinny Making Progress Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London Posts: 255 Rep Power:	Is this routine too much Posted this a while back but still not sure about it. I train to failure on every set of every exercise and include about 2 drop sets on each muscle goup. What do you think of this routine: For example, Day 1 routine: Chest ==== Bench 2 warm up, 3 failure sets Incline Dumbells: 3 failure sets Pec Dec: 2 drop sets (4 drops) Cable Cross: 3 failure sets Shoulders ====== shoulder raise: 1 warm up, 3 failure sets Deltoid Raise: 3 failure sets Upright row: 2 drop sets (4 sets drop) Front Dumbell Raise: 3 failure sets Triceps ===== Seated Dips: 3 failue (well sort of) push down (not sure what its called) 2 drop sets Stomach - usual stuff, if I can keep the effort up Takes about 1hr 20 minutes Some points ======== - If I'm totally honest the odd 'failure set' is a bit half hearted - After this I am totally knackered. Its taken me a long time to get to this stage and definitely need to be on creatine, but I find since I can only train 3 times a week, so about 4 to 5 days between each body part I need to totally exhaust myself. After about 2/3 months I am getting fatigued and need to scale back for a week or 2 - If I do any less I don't feel like I have done enough. - The weights start to get really light and girly as I get towards the end exercise of the muscle group, i.e the Cable Cross or Front Raise - I try something similar on Day 2 (Legs + Back) but this is really tough!! - I am thinking of either a) drop an exercise per muscle group, or b) go to a 3 day split so, 1 muscle group trained intensely per week - The sets are keep to 8 to 10 which I think might be too low but the drop set accounts for about say 24 to 30 continuous reps I suppose! What are your thoughts dudes Cheers all John

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12-04-2005, 09:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
divie Making Progress Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: somerset Posts: 436 Rep Power:	Read garys post, its called routine for beginers to intermidiate.Ive been doing it for 5 months or so and it works your muscles 3 times a week which is ideal for you as you said you train 3 days.Theres not much point in me telling you any more as garys post explains everything in good detail, but give it a go for a month.

13-04-2005, 09:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
MrSkinny Making Progress Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London Posts: 255 Rep Power:	Hi divie, yeah I tried a routine very similar to Garys for about 1.5-2 years before I went to 2 day splits, training 4 times a week, although not as intense as what I have outlined below. The all body workout was good but felt that I couldn't train each muscle group as intensely as gains virtually stopped. Actually anything less than the routine shown leaves me feeling that I haven't trained enough. As I say, took a while before my muscles could cope with this amount. I remember the first time I tried drop sets - was very sore for days afterwards :shock: Just wondering if I'm hampering my gains by doing too many sets per muscle group. :? :? Cheers Mr S