If you enjoy training four days a week or would like to, I am going to list a tested and proven way to split up your training.
It's called the Push-Pull routine. The thing I like about this type of schedule is it allows you to spend a maximum of four-five hours per week in the gym. If you are a busy person but still enjoy serious bodybuilding, this routine will give you the best of both worlds.
To begin with, the title of this routine, push-pull, explains how it works.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
No, wait, that's not the whole article.
On Monday and Thursday, you would work Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps (pushing movements).
On Tuesday and Friday, you would work Legs, Back, and Biceps
(pulling movements).
Doing frontal thighs and calves should be defined as pushing movementsm, but when these two areas are being worked, other muscle groups will not be invloved. Therefore, it doesn't matter if we put them in with the pulling movements.
The bodyparts are divided in a way that allows for complete rest the following day [of those specific muscles, not of the entire bodily system, of course. We all know that already, right?]
For example:
Monday you work chest, shoulders and triceps. During the following training days, these muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) are not being used, but are recuperating. However, if you did chest, shoulders, triceps AND biceps on Monday, on Tuesday when you worked your back you would also be using your biceps again from rowing or lat pulldown movements. This would apply if you did chest and triceps on consecutive days. The pushing movements done for chest would involve the triceps and the next day your triceps are worked again. This would also hold true if you did shoulders and triceps, or chest and shoulders on consecutive days. This could cause overtraining in a particular area.
You will be working each muscle group twice a week, but by doing three bodyparts per session, you can really intensify your training. My training partner, Rick McKay, and I push each other through by doing negatives or railroading at the end of each set.
Here's Bill Starr talking about railroading:
With this type of intensity you can really tear up each area with a minimum of sets. Here is our present program:
MONDAY/THURSDAY
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Bench Press
Dips
Press Behind Neck
Dumbbell Laterals
Upright Rowing
Triceps Pressdowns
Barbell Triceps Extension
Whew.
TUESDAY/FRIDAY
Back, Biceps, Legs
T-Bar Row
Front Lat Pulldown
Barbell Curl
Incline DB Curl
Leg Curl
Squat
Calf Raise
The sets and reps may vary on a particular day. For example, we may do 10-12 sets for biceps if we are really getting into them, or we might do everything heavy one day and keep the reps around 6. I can't stress the importance of intensity enough. The last 2-3 reps of each set should be difficult to complete, whether you are doing 6 or 12 reps!
THIS IS WHY SETS AND REPS SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS A GUIDELINE AND NOT FOLLOWED PRECISELY.
The Push-Pull routine has been around for many years, mainly because of the results it has produced. If you have reached a plateau in your training, give this program a try. I am sure it will help further your progress.
Enjoy Your Lifting.