EXPERTS - Please critque my routine

[neoguri]

EXPERTS - critque the PERFECT routine

If anyone has a few extra minutes, I would value any comments/criticisms on my routine, which I have perfected/adjusted/readjusted for myself over several months.

I am 25, 170lbs w/ 16% bf. I have a 4 day split, where I lift/rest every other day (lift, rest, lift, rest, etc.) I always start with 5 min warmup run before starting. no stretching. no cardio.

I am progressively overloading, always with strict form, last heavy set to failure.
1-2 min rests between sets.

The stats below are as of the last time I worked each.

Day 1: Chest
Barbell Bench Press
95 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 6
205 x4

DB Incline Bench Press
55s x 6
65s x 6
75s x 3

Dips to failure
14, 12, 11

Pec Deck
100 x 8
120 x 8
140 x 6

- Day 2: rest day -

Day 3: Legs
Barbell Squats
95 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 8
225 x 6
235 x 3

Leg Press
180 x 8
270 x 8
360 x 6
410 x 3

Plate loaded knee curls
45 x 8
65 x 8
85 x 8
95 x 6

- Day 4: rest day -

Day 5: Back / Biceps
Deadlifts
95 x 10
135 x 8
185 x 8
225 x 6

Widegrip Pullups to failure
8, 5, 3

Widegrip Lat pulldowns
120 x 8
140 x 8
160 x 4

T Bar Rows
35 x 8
45 x 8
55 x 6

Standing Barbell Curls (i think i have disproportiately weak/small biceps)
45 x 8
55 x 6
65 x 4

Standing Alternating DB Curls
15s x 10
20s x 8
20s x 6

- Day 6: rest day -

Day 7: Delts / Abs
Seated DB Press
30s x 10
50s x 8
60s x 6
70s x 4

Standing barbell presses
50 x 18
60 x 15
75 x 12

Alternating side DB raises
20 x 10
20 x 10
20 x 8

Weighted Decline situps
0 x 10
10 x 10
25 x 8

Weighted Crunch Machine
80 x 10
100 x 10
120 x 10
140 x 8

- Day 8: rest day before starting over

I am focusing on gaining muscle. My diet is in slight calorie surplus from high protein and fiber, moderate carbs, low fats. Supplements: protein, creatine, glutamine, multi-vitamin. Drinking lots of water and sleeping 8hrs.

This workout has been working well for me, and I have been making good strength and size gains, (topping each workout), but I would like to know if there are any areas I am missing, rear delts perhaps? Should I incorporate more isolation exercises?

Also, it takes me 8 days to hit the same muscle group again. Should this be a concern? This is the only way I can hit each group hard, otherwise they are still sore from being used as secondaries/stabilizers or my body is systemically tired.

so any critiques/tips/suggestions/advice? thanks in advance.

 

[Creepusmaximus]

Looks good to me. How long you been doing this routine? My advice is when this gets comfortable, switch up your routine. You might want to try a different split too.
Chest-tris
back-bis
legs-shoulders

On off days do the abs.

If your just starting your routine will work. You have all the compound movements in there which are the most inportant.

 

[al420]

I think the rep ranges are a tad high - why not push more weight less times? Personally I like to keep my reps around 5.

Looks like a lot of fluff on Back day as well. Scratch the Wide Grip pulldowns and the Tbar rows and do BB rows (Pendlay style, not body builder style).

On leg day the "culrs" are useless IMO. Your hammys should be toast from squatting and if they are not your not going heavy or hard enough. Same w/ leg press, waste of time. Do BB Lunges or some Plyo work instead. The leg press WILL NOT make your legs grow.

 

[xblitz44x]

8 days in between squats and presses would be a concern to me but if you're making gains and you enjoy the program then milk it. It's probably a good idea to keep a log and make sure that you're slowly (but surely) increasing the weight from week to week on your core lifts: Squat, Dead, Bench, and maybe Chins.

People may respond to this and bark "No, do the 5x5!" but if you're making gains from week to week and enjoy the program then roll with it until you get stuck. When you do get stuck, I have the feeling the first thing you'll need to do is eliminate crap like pulldowns and lateral raises and up your frequency but we'll address that when the time comes.

 

[neoguri]

Thanks for the tips. I have been keeping a log and have been topping my previous workouts in weight and/or reps.

Interesting that you both said to cut out pulldowns. Aren't these one of the best exercises for your lats? I dont think I am strong enough to get enough volume from pullups alone.

Eventually, I want to get my strength up to where I can do weighted pullups with perfect form of course, from a dead hang to top of chest.

But are you guys recommending I scrap lat pull down all together, right now?

also lat raises for delts are unnecessary? as long as i have the heavy db and bb shoulder presses?

 

[xblitz44x]

Interesting that you both said to cut out pulldowns. Aren't these one of the best exercises for your lats? I dont think I am strong enough to get enough volume from pullups alone.

Eventually, I want to get my strength up to where I can do weighted pullups with perfect form of course, from a dead hang to top of chest.

But are you guys recommending I scrap lat pull down all together, right now?

also lat raises for delts are unnecessary? as long as i have the heavy db and bb shoulder presses?

How many pull-ups can you do right now? If it's just 2 or 3, then do something like this:

Set 1
2 pull ups
wait 1 minute
2 more pull ups

Wait 3 minutes

Set 2
2 pull ups
wait 1 minute
2 more pull ups

Wait 3 minutes

Set 3
2 pull ups
wait 1 minute
2 more pull ups

After you've trained this for a week, cut down your minute to 30 seconds, then to 15 seconds and soon you should be able to do 4-5 per set, no problem. Also, it might be best to do these first since you'll be fresh.

As for laterals, if you can throw 30 lbs onto your behind the neck press, or go down the rack 15 more lbs per dumbell then your delts will be developing just fine. When you're a huge dude and more concerned with symmetry then you can start throwing some lateral raises in there.