well the last workout, full body 3 times per week i think was better for strenght than hypertrophy so that’s why I decided to change..

i will train 4 times per week

monday - push
tuesday - pull
wednesday - off
thursday - push
friday -  off
saturday - pull
sunday - off

well about the weight I don’t know… what you think that works the best ?

I think use this workout for 3 bulking months before the summer and also during the cutting phase

after reading the T-nation article i think my chest exercises will be
guillotine press
incline dumbell press
peck-deck

and then to complete the push workout close grip bench press and a isolation exercise maybe some rope and for legs squats

what you guys think ?

PUSH
bench press 5x4-6
incline bench press 5x4-6
(I am thinking about add some guillotine bench press, because of this article http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/inside_the_muscles_best_chest_and_triceps_exercises and maybe do bench and incline press with dumbells )
lateral raises 2x8-10
close grip bench press 5x4-8
hack squat 6x4-8
+abs

PULL
sumo DL 5x3-6
chins 4x5-8
pull-ups 4x5-8
rear fly’s with dumbells 2x8-10
barbell curl 5x4-8

inverted concentration curl 3x6-8
*maybe do some cardio hiit

my rep range is 40 - 60 for each body part

I like the push-pull routine.

Is that work sets when you wrote 5 sets of 4-6? If that is, then it’s too much work for twice a week unless you really periodize your training. You will have to go for one easy day and one hard for both push & pull. And I don’t think you will recover from a twice a week dead lift with 5 sets.

For chest pick 2 multi- joint and one isolation. Dumbells are better if you want to get a good stretch.

anoopbal - 30 March 2010 04:47 PM

PUSH
bench press 5x4-6
incline bench press 5x4-6
(I am thinking about add some guillotine bench press, because of this article http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/inside_the_muscles_best_chest_and_triceps_exercises and maybe do bench and incline press with dumbells )
lateral raises 2x8-10
close grip bench press 5x4-8
hack squat 6x4-8
+abs

PULL
sumo DL 5x3-6
chins 4x5-8
pull-ups 4x5-8

rear fly’s with dumbells 2x8-10
barbell curl 5x4-8

inverted concentration curl 3x6-8
*maybe do some cardio hiit

my rep range is 40 - 60 for each body part

I like the push-pull routine.

Is that work sets when you wrote 5 sets of 4-6? If that is, then it’s too much work for twice a week unless you really periodize your training. You will have to go for one easy day and one hard for both push & pull. And I don’t think you will recover from a twice a week dead lift with 5 sets.

For chest pick 2 multi- joint and one isolation. Dumbells are better if you want to get a good stretch.

so how do you think I should periodize ?

-change the sets and reps ?
-heavy and light days ? (the difference between light and heavy days it’s just the weight ?)

so how do you think I should periodize ?

-change the sets and reps ?
-heavy and light days ? (the difference between light and heavy days it’s just the weight ?)

I would keep one day heavy and another day light. The light will be 70 - 80%1RM of the heavy.

Why don’t you keep the work sets to 2- 3? If you think that’s not working, you can always bump it to 3 or 4 next cycle. Whenever on doubt, start low. Since you are a beginner, 2-3 sets are more than enough for you.

Jim@TBF - 18 February 2010 09:59 PM

I am sure everyone here would be happy to help, but could you give us some more info about yourself:
Age
Height
Weight
% bodyfat
Yrs of training experience

This info would help a lot with helping make suggestions for you.

Age 37
Height 5´10”
Weight 164
% bodyfat 17-18% (estimated)
years of trainning (couple of months doing push ups, racquetball-squash player for years)
My goal (somewhere around 10% bf and 170-75 lbs)

So with the imput, I´m looking for a simple 2 per week day full upper body workout. Really not insterested in legs as I play squash and racquetball 2 times per week. Also I´m including once a week 20 minute HIIT on a treadmill, so I think my legs have enought work and they look big compared to my core and arms. Might be confused with all the reading but it seems I should focus on lifting heavy (according to my capabilities of course). Also I would prefer to avoid standing excercises like squats, dead lifts, and bend rows as I´m recovering from low back pain. So if one of those are a must I would prefer an alternative with machines or an equivalent safer excercise. My current diet is around 1,700-1,800 calories 30% protein,30út,60% carbs. I have access to a gym with plenty, freeweights, machines etc.
Thanks for your help,and once again congratulations on you work
Johnny

1)incline bench press/dips 3-4x8-12
2)chin-ups/pulldowns 3-4x8-12
3)lateral raise 3-4x12-15
4)biceps(any exercise) 3-4x12-15
5)triceps(any exercise) 3-4x12-15

Thanks Anatoly!

And I would add take one day to failure and the other day not to failure for these exercises. With just 2 days and no leg, you will recover fine.

And just so that you know the worse thing you can do when you treat pain is not to do any exercise for that part. You can always do free squats and light leg press.

Thanks Anatoly, I started doing your routine, monday, wednesday and friday. At the beginning I thought 2 days but I felt fine so did it 3 days. My question is today a had a poor performance comparing to mon and wed, does that means the workout was useless? Is it because a needed to rest more?
The only exercise I increased my performance was the chest press, I think because I was doing some push ups prior to my new gym experience.
thanks!
johnny

First don’t make a conclusion based on one workout
one workout means nothing
If you fill beaten up as weekend comes drop weight by 10% and make it “easy” day
it perfectly normal
and don’t blame yourself on this: easy workouts not useless
good luck

Anatoly - 31 May 2012 05:47 AM

1)incline bench press/dips 3-4x8-12
2)chin-ups/pulldowns 3-4x8-12
3)lateral raise 3-4x12-15
4)biceps(any exercise) 3-4x12-15
5)triceps(any exercise) 3-4x12-15

I’ve been kind of following your advice for a 1.5 months, my workout is as following:
bench press machine 4 x 8-12
lat pulldown 3 x 8-12
cable pulldown (front) 3 x 8-12
lat rise 3 x 8-12
tricep press machine 3 x 8-12
Bicep barbell or dumbell 3 x 8-12

At the first 3 or 4 weeks I was able to do it 3 times per week, but not anymore I need more rest. Now I can do it only 2 times, monday and friday. The third (wend) day I do some cardio leg curls, abs, core exercises.
So I have a some questions:

Should I stay doing it 2 times per week?
Or should I try a 3 day (mon,wend,fri) split with some legs on it (curls & extensions) if so, any suggested routine?
I wish I could squat, row (can do it on a sitting machine) or dead-lift but my back is in constant pain, so I stay away from them.

Thanks

johnny Marr - 11 July 2012 11:11 PM

Anatoly - 31 May 2012 05:47 AM

1)incline bench press/dips 3-4x8-12
2)chin-ups/pulldowns 3-4x8-12
3)lateral raise 3-4x12-15
4)biceps(any exercise) 3-4x12-15
5)triceps(any exercise) 3-4x12-15

I’ve been kind of following your advice for a 1.5 months, my workout is as following:
bench press machine 4 x 8-12
lat pulldown 3 x 8-12
cable pulldown (front) 3 x 8-12
lat rise 3 x 8-12
tricep press machine 3 x 8-12
Bicep barbell or dumbell 3 x 8-12

At the first 3 or 4 weeks I was able to do it 3 times per week, but not anymore I need more rest. Now I can do it only 2 times, monday and friday. The third (wend) day I do some cardio leg curls, abs, core exercises.
So I have a some questions:

Should I stay doing it 2 times per week?
Or should I try a 3 day (mon,wend,fri) split with some legs on it (curls & extensions) if so, any suggested routine?
I wish I could squat, row (can do it on a sitting machine) or dead-lift but my back is in constant pain, so I stay away from them.
Thanks

You can train twice a week for a while and after 2-3 weeks return to your regular(3 times a week) schedule.
And repeat