best results from a routine

[morg]

just out of interest, whats the most productive bodybuilding routine you have ever used.

 

cheers

[xjohanx]

When I first got serious with training I did a 5 a week split which (looking back at it) seems kind of weird

 

Mon: Triceps, shoulders

Tue: Biceps, forearms

Wed: Legs

Thu: Chest

Fri: Back

 

I gained a lot of lean mass with that program combined with shitloads of food. However it is hard to compare, I think during the time I did this split was my most active and dedicated time in the gym ever. I never missed a session, ever, during like 6 months.

I think consistency is the most important thing, the difference between a really good routine compared to a average routine won't very big if you just stick to the plan.

[chrisjs]

madcow's adaptation of Bill Starr's 5x5. Helped significantly when I started lifting heavy about two years ago. I've tried a few very different routines since then, and nothing worked as well. Right now I'm doing a similar 5x5 routine, but my exact exercises, days, and weight progression don't look the same.

 

I firmly believe a 5x5 with increasing weight per set and a focus on compound/whole body lifts is an almost universally great routine.

[Lena01]

I got more muscle doing a strength training routine, and didn't get any fat on. Big muscle groups: 3 different exercises x 4 sets x 15 reps, small muscle groups 2 different exercises x (idem). This is how I split it:

 

day 1- chest and biceps

day 2 - back and triceps

day 3- shoulders and HIIT

day 4- upper legs

day 5- leftover muscles: glutes if needed, calves, obliques and abs

 

I also put in 20 minutes of cardio at the end of every day. Got me to my biggest and leanest so far, and I also feel stronger.

[npx]

Hard to say in the beginning you basically gain muscle mass just by looking at the weight. But my biggest increases came when I didn't overtrain and undereat. Then I like to change my program with some new assist exercises or superset change of repetitions etc. As long as I can increase weight I know I am doing something right.

[Fallen_Horse]

I gotta say that a 5x5 routine has been working the best for me so far. In the past 3 weeks I have increased my max squat by 50lbs...

[chrisjs]

I gotta say that a 5x5 routine has been working the best for me so far. In the past 3 weeks I have increased my max squat by 50lbs...

That's great. The 5x5 gets you "up to speed" damn quickly. I have no idea where you're at, but don't be discouraged if you start hitting a wall in a little while.

[CollegeB]

I did my best on the 5x5, but I had a similar period to Johan. I was very dedicated and disciplined then. Also having a buffet to eat at daily helped. I'm trying to pick things back up though...

[joelk]

The best results I have are from the routine/s I am using now. I've been using them for almost 2 years and my physique has improved a lot.

My main program is a modified 5x5 program I have made for myself-

3 day split, Chest, back & abs

Shoulders, biceps & triceps

Hamstrings, quads & calves

I pick 2-3 exercises per body part and generally train everything once per week.

I alternate that workout with a HIT/DC program, same bodypart split but all single set exercises with some rest/pause sets and heavy negatives added in. I also do less exercises, 1-2 per bodypart.

These have worked better than anything else I've tried in the past

[Theresaann]

Being a girl, the results I want might be different than most guys, but I've been getting FREAKING amazing results using really tough isometric workouts. No more than 3 pound weights (or no wt-for real), and high reps, and I'm getting more ripped and toned (and SMALLER, tighter) than with traditional weight training-heavy weights, lower reps.

 

I workout at home with dvds. The best ones I've found are the Squeeze workouts by Tracy Effinger, and the Barre method, and I use tough cardio by Amy Bento on alternate days. These are avail. through collagevideo.com. Just wanted to share cause I'm 44 and getting my 25 year old body back after two kids is something I want to share with EVERY woman! We do not have to have "mommy butt" for the rest of our lives!!

[IRVofNorth]

I'll jump on the 5x5 bandwagon too. I've mostly used either full body or upper-lower split.

The Waterbury inspired 5x5 program has been most effective strenght-wise for me. I did three full body workouts per week with three compound and two isolation movements per day. This was brutally effective in getting my squat and deadlift numbers up, but also burned me out so fast that I had to take it easy end recover every fourth week.

[blabbate]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's better to train antagonistic or synergistic in a single workout? E.g. biceps/triceps vs. chest/triceps?

[VeganEssentials]

Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's better to train antagonistic or synergistic in a single workout? E.g. biceps/triceps vs. chest/triceps?

 

I've always gone the antagonistic route when possible for the most bang for my buck for growth, but for leaning out, synergistic style training suits me just fine. I always look at it this way - why focus on a body part for best growth on a day you're already taxing it indirectly? If I do chest work first, my triceps are already half fried by the time I get to them later on, so if I want to go with triceps-specific work, I'll usually put it on a day where they're not already done in by the time they come around for direct work. Same reason I won't train chest and shoulders on the same day - if I do chest work first, my shoulders are considerably weaker by the time I would get to them, so I always split those days. Why would it be ideal to have your overhead pressing strength weaker from front delts getting burned out by chest work beforehand? That kind of thing never made sense to me, and I think that a lot of people don't realize that it can really hinder one's overhead pressing strength (hence the likely reason shoulders are most people's least-favorite body part to train, since they're overtraining them indirectly first via other movements like benching and then find gains to be minimal). I've often wondered how much more progress people would see in some areas if they'd split their training to a greater degree to avoid interference, such as keeping chest/shoulders separate and legs/lower back on different days. I think that for some, it would be a pleasant surprise if they'd stop doing movements that are unintentionally pre-exhaustive before getting to major body parts such as these.

 

But, training synergistically seems to work for some people for best gains, so I can't say it's not ideal for some people. But for me, I want to be able to work each part to the best degree possible, and it just isn't possible to do so if I'm already pre-exhausted from similar movements first.

[sosso]

I noticed a pretty big gain in size and strength following the routine written by veganessentials, which was a 5 x 5 split, with two warm-up sets and three work sets, going almost to failure by the last set. Day 1 is chest & upper back, Day 2 is legs and shoulders and Day 3 is lower back, traps & grip.

 

Another great one is Rippetoe's Starting Strength. There are several different versions and no matter which one you do you'll be squatting every workout. If you're not used to squatting every workout it will be tough at first and you will get sore, but after a while it's fine. My squat has progressed a lot with this routine.