Need help With my Routine

[mariaisabella]

Hey,

i‘ve currently Seen That my Progress is really slow or basically Stuck at some exercises. Also, my strength Level isnt really where it should be concidering my Training Time
I‘m doing a P/P Routine That i‘ve created based on a Template, just changed some exercises.
Some details:
- 20 y/o M
- Training for around 3 years, paused half a year because of covid though
- 183cm(i think 6‘0), 87Kg (191lbs)

Push:
Bench press Barbell 4x6 (maybe DB Soon)
Barbell Squat 4x8
Incline Press 3x8
Leg extention 3x10
Barbell Shoulder press 3x8
Lateral raises 3x10
Tricep extention 3x10

Pull:
Romanian deadlift 3x8
Lat Pulldown 3x8
Leg curl 3x10
HS Iso Lateral Row 4x8
Face Pulls 4x10
Cable Bicep Curl 3x8
Hammer curl 3x8

What do you personally think? What would you Change, do you have any better 4x a week programs for me? Have Seen some, but 3 exercises per workout isnt really my preference…

Thanks in advance!

 

[robertarmerding]

@mariaisabella You could try changing up the split for a while. Sometimes a change can do wonders. Have you ever tried PPL or an Arnold Split? They both feature a 3-way split. I personally prefer Arnold’s system with Chest and back on day 1, Delts and Arms on day 2 and legs/lower back on day 3. I don’t workout every day though, I find that about 4 days a week is the right balance, but my workouts do take 2 hours.

 

[txstudent145]

@mariaisabella Maybe try this one...

Upper A: DB Bench 4x6 - BB Row 4x6 - Incline Bench 4x8 - V Bar Pulldown 4x8 - Cable Fly 4x10 - Hammer Curl 4x10 SS DB Lat Raise 4x10 - Cable Overhead Ext 4x10 SS Facepull 4x10

Lower A: Squat 4x6 - RDL 4x8 - Leg Press 4x10 - Leg Curl 4x10 - Calf Press 4x10 - Abs

Upper B: Overhead Press 4x6 - Pullup 4xAMRAP - Incline DB Bench 4x8 - T-Bar Row 4x8 - Dips 4x10 - Incline DB Curl 4x10 - Cable Lat Raise 4x10 SS Cable Rear Delt Fly 4x10

Lower B: Deadlift 4x6 - Front Squat 4x8 - Lunges 4x10 - Leg Extension 4x10 - Calf Raise 4x10 - Abs

 

[garwo123]

@mariaisabella This is honestly a great program. I can't see anything really wrong with it. You may be at that stage where increases in weight and reps is only going to come every few sessions if you've been continuously training for the past year. Have you been running this program for that entire time?

 

[mariaisabella]

@garwo123 Hi, First: thanks for your Feedback!
I havent Done This exact program for the whole time.
Started like 2019 with a Program Made by the coaches at the Gym Which basically wasnt good, used That for 1 year or so. Then started with Upper/Lower and then got to Push Pull.
I think i’ve started with this program i posted maybe around 5-6 Months ago, apart from small changes (adding Incline, adding OHP instead of shoulder press,..)

 

[garwo123]

@mariaisabella You have the basis for a great program and I'm still standing by my hypotheses that you're just at that stage where results are going to be slower now. Congrats on being intermediate dude Welcome to the family.

I would recommend specializing for blocks to focus on bringing body parts and lifts up. Like if you wanted to bring up your hamstrings, you could start by adding a few sets of conventional deadlift prior to your RDLs as an accessory lift and bringing the sets and reps up a little. You could even work your program around to give yourself a glute and hamstring day. You don't need to do anything that hyperspecializes your programming until you're more advanced a few years down the line but this is the stage you're probably at now.

I'd keep the skeleton of this program though regardless because it's genuinely good. There's going to come a time where you need to write a new program to use as a base, but as long as you're getting gains with small tweaks, and you're not bored, then you don't need to do that yet.

 

[mariaisabella]

@garwo123 Hey, thank you for the Feedback!

I‘ve Applied some changes regarding reps.
I‘m thinking about a Power and a Hypertrophy day for the Main Lifts. Does That make Sense? Accessoires will stay the Same.

Push Power:
Bench 4x6 changed to 5x5
Squat 3x8 changed to 3x6
OHP 3x8 changed to 4x5

Push Hypertrophy:
Bench 4x6 to 4x10
Squat 3x8 stays
OHP 3x8 stays

 

[nholman]

@mariaisabella Do you do the same exact push/pull workouts twice weekly each? You could slightly alter them with a push A workout and push B workout. Same with pull days. I do PPL split and as an example my 1st leg day is quad dominant and my 2nd leg day is glutes and hamstring dominant. some exercises I love that I don’t see you listed is pull ups/ chin ups, dips, SLDL, dumbbell pullovers, close grip bench press, and lunges.

 

[mariaisabella]

@nholman Yeah currently 2x a week each.

That would be a really Good idea. Do you think A and B with different exercises or different rep Ranges would be better? Like 1 day with low reps for strength, 5x5 for example and the other with 8-12 for Hypertrophy?

I‘m currently working on pull ups (can do 1 max.) but have Never thought about dips etc, i‘ll think about how to implement them!

Thanks for the Feedback

 

[stacieleigh]

@mariaisabella If you want 4 days do a proper upper lower split. I generally do a Bench into Pendlay Row vs Military Press into Chin up for upper days. It works opposing movements for vertical vs horizontal movements. Legs do one day squat focus and the other deadlift / hip hinge focus

 

[mariaisabella]

@stacieleigh Why do you prefer U/L to P/P?

 

[stacieleigh]

@mariaisabella The way you’re doing it it’s more of a full body, full body not push pull. Push generally means tricep chest shoulder, pull is back biceps, and legs is any muscle from the waist down.

Doing a properly structured upper lower split will allow you to diversify your exercises and hit every muscle part 2x per week so you can get enough volume to properly over load

 

[mariaisabella]

@stacieleigh Well, i‘m doing chest, shoulder, Triceps and quads on Push day 2x a week and back, biceps, rear delt and Hams 2x a week so i Dont really get your Point

 

[stacieleigh]

@mariaisabella The point I’m making is you should mix it up to have opposing movements so that you don’t overly tax the same muscle groups to ensure you can give each section proper work. By doing full body 4x a week starting with the same movements all you’re doing is gassing out early and sub optimally training the last parts of your workouts or you are inefficiently training the early part of the exercise in order to save energy for the end of your workout.

By mixing and matching you can have a day specifically to legs or to your horizontal movements which will allow you to properly over load the muscles in those areas.

 

[clarissa_]

@mariaisabella Do your future self a favor and give legs the attention they deserve — at least a day dedicated to them. A PPLU would keep your upper body the focus of your training, and mitigate imbalances.

 

[mariaisabella]

@clarissa_ I think That would be a Good idea. P/P/U/L is something i‘d actually try.

Would you think That 3 excercises for quads and 2 for hams would be okay or Not enough for a Lower day?

 

[clarissa_]

@mariaisabella One squat movement (doesn’t need to be a barbell squat, could be a smith or hack squat or leg press)

one hip hinge movement (RDL, SLDL, Good morning)

One leg curl, one leg extension, and one calf press.

… and you’re good

 

[mariaisabella]

@clarissa_ So basically the movements i have all together in 1 day + calves

Sounds Good, but obv higher volume on That day then

 

[clarissa_]

@mariaisabella Not necessarily. Start at low-moderate and focus on making progress. If things stall, you can slowly increase volume. Good luck champ