dbflgirl

I am trying figure out my new split forward going and I would love to have some input. My mornings have more time restraints than previously (and I am already getting up at 5:45am), so I need to be in and out of the gym in ~50 minutes. Here are the splits I am considering:

Mon - Quads
Tue - Chest + Biceps
Wed - Shoulders + Abs
Thu - Hamstrings
Fri - Back + Triceps

This is what I have been doing for the last few weeks but I am not sure about having shoulders on the day after chest.

Mon - Quads
Tue - Chest + Back
Wed -Off or cardio
Thu - Hamstrings
Fri - Shoulders and Arms

I like this split but am worried about the volume on Friday

Mon - Chest + Back
Tue - Quads
Wed - Arms
Thur - Shoulders + Abs
Fri - Hamstrings

Any thoughts?

A.FreeRadical

Any of those will work. I am not too fond of doing two major muscle groups (Chest and Back) on the same day, so I would prefer the first plan.

Here is another suggestion for your consideration:

Monday, Quads, Hamstrings and Glutes
Tuesday, Shoulders (including traps) and Abs *
Wednesday, Chest and Triceps
Thursday, Calves, and Abs *
Friday, Back and Biceps

Monday, Squats, SL Deadlifts, Leg Presses (or weighted lunges), leg extentions and leg curls.

Tuesday, Shoulder raises (front, side and rear), Upright rows, Reverse Pec Deck and Overhead Presses. Crunches, Crunches with rotation and Weighted Cable Crunches. (* Use this workout to hit a lagging muscle for a 2nd time.)

Wednesday, DB Flat Bench Presses, Inclined BB Bench Presses, Flyes, Tricep Pushdowns and rope pulls.

Thursday, Seated Calf raises (toes in, nuetral and out), Standing calf raises, Hanging leg raises with and without rotation. (* Use this workout to hit a lagging muscle for a 2nd time.)

Friday, Deadlifts, Pullups (or Pulldowns), seated cable rows (or T bar rows), DB Preacher Curls, Hammer Curls, other Curls.

I like the above because it has 3 days for the big muscle groups (Thighs and Glutes)(Back and Biceps)(Chest and Triceps). It has 2 light days (Tuesday and Thursday) for smaller muscles. By doing something like this you get at least 48 hours rest (for cns recovery) before you hit another major muscle group. I like doing triceps on chest day and biceps on back day because it is impossible to press without doing triceps or to pull without using the biceps. (I know an argument can be made for doing back with tris and chest with bis. I like the efficiency of only hitting these muscles once per week.)

50 minutes is enough for these workouts. You will have to adjust the number of sets and reps to accomplish this.

You will do fine with what ever you decide.

*

__________________


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A.FreeRadical ...the Epicurean bodybuilder

Height: 5'9", Age: 62,
My last high on 2/1/2006 was 196 lbs.
My last low on 8/08/2006 was 167.5 lbs.

Cutting until I am lean
Starting weight: 190 lbs. bodyfat: 19.7%
November 27th: 183 lbs. bodyfat: 18.3% bodyfat
Goal Weight: 176 lbs with no more than 10% bodyfat

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dbflgirl

Thanks, Rad. So you don't see any downside to doing shoulder within a day of chest? That really helps!

I've been doing chest+biceps and back+triceps because I am trying to bring up my arms a bit, especially my triceps. Since they're a smaller muscle group, I think it's fine to hit them twice. I don't especially need to hit my biceps twice -- they seem to get hit plenty during back work. Or maybe they just grow better.

Anyway, you have given me lots to contemplate. Thank you!!

p.s. I don't work my calves -- they are nearly 15" just from the other leg work I do. So I don't need a day for them.

Defiant1

I know hamstrings are a focal point for you.

How about:

Back/Hamstrings
Shoulders/Tris
Off
Quads
Chest/Bis
??

Hamstrings and back work well together especially if you deadlift.

I think these workouts are balanced in terms of effort

Do a little abs 2x per week or even everyday.

dbflgirl

Defiant,

I have taken a break from deadlifting as it was really thickening me up around the middle. But I incorporate SLDLs and RDLs as well as Good Mornings and hyperextensions (not all of these each time, but I rotate them) and these all hit back/hammies. Thanks!

dbflgirl

Here's what I've settled on. Thanks AFR ad Defiant for your help.

Monday - Hamstrings + abs
Tuesday - Shoulders + Triceps
Wed - Back + abs
Thu - Quads
Fri - Chest + Biceps

Thanks again!

Defiant1

I purposedly kept out of the 5 day for you because they can be tough..even if you are only doing 1 or 2 bps

But for a five day that looks perfect.

dbflgirl

I have mixed feelings about 5 days. I will have to see how it goes. I do a lot of one-legged work on hamstring day and that adds time, so I couldn't see a way to buddy up hammies and back and get in and out of the gym as quickly as I needed to.

DarkFalcon

Sounds like you've already decided but I've had tons of success using this protocol. It allows for the proper rest time for each muscle group so you can maximize training every workout. I'm not sure if you can or want to workout on weekends but the rest days split up are more benificial IMHO. Anyway this is how dnyc99 and I do it..
Mon-Shoulders
Tues-Bi's/Tri's (excellent growth by working both and flooding the area with blood)
Wed-Leg's/abs
Thurs-Rest
Friday-Chest
Sat-Back/abs
Sun-off

Everything is spaced so there is no muscle fatigue or DOMS from previous workouts to weaken the current. If you can't do weekends you can always drop the midweek rest day.