My 6 Week Routine

[home_gym_guy]

Just yesterday, started a modified version of a workout I did all through high school, which helped me get my bodyweight from 103 to 175 in about 2.5 years. Now, I'm back down to a measly 138, after not working out for a long time.

The routine does a 6 week periodization cycle, 3 weeks of increasing intensity, followed by 3 weeks of less intense, but with heavier weights (lower reps) to let your body catch up.

The routine I'm doing is at (I would paste it here, but it would be a REALLY long post): http://www.openfitness.net/get_attachment.jsp?message_id=4&attachment_id=1&object_id=0

Basically, it's a 4 day per week: Mon = Chest/Back/Biceps/Abs, Tues = Shoulders, Legs, Triceps, Thurs = Full body, Sat = Full body

Every set is to failure (although I don't know about doing squats to failure anymore, THAT is a killer), you acheive different intensity levels by varying reps, sets, and rest between sets.

Has anyone tried a routine like this before? I know what you're probably thinking...OVERTRAINING. All I can say, is it worked like magic for me before, so I'm trying it again. Actually, before, I was doing a 6 day split, Monday's bodyparts were also done on Wednesday and Friday, Tuesday's bodyparts were also done on Thursday and saturday.

 

[home_gym_guy]

By the way, I kept a record of my body weight last time I went through this 6 week routine. I attached that here as a chart, you can see my body weight start to spike. Unfortunately, after about 8 weeks or so, I took a new job 500 miles away, so I had to put all of this on hold until just yesterday (which is why it slowly drops off)

 

[d-dub]

My two yen...

You gotta balance your push/pull volume and poundage. If you bench you need to balance it with a bent over row. If you Military Press, you need Pull Ups. I only had a quick look at the program but it looks like theres lots more pressing than there is pulling. You also had a lot of upper body stuff, but not nearly as much lower body stuff.

If it were me I would keep it simple. Do 3 or 4 times per week full body. Change no. of reps on each of the days. ie Have a 5x5 day, hit some at 3x12 on day 2, and a day at 8x3. Avoid going to faulure all the time, it will extend your recovery time.

And lastly - if you are not growing you arent eating enough. Its not because you need more leg curls and tricep kickbacks

It sounds like you had some good success before. Good luck and have fun.