Question about exercise selection on Matt Reynolds DFHT

[SDHW]

also, why is there two chest exercises, and only one back exercises for the upper body day?

 

[BiggT]

I hope you start a journal.....we're the exact same size for the most part, I'd love to follow along.

As far as your question about exercise selection......when getting out of the mindset of "BB Training", what you have to do is stop thinking 'bodyparts' and start thinking 'movements'.....you can tailor something to yourself.....say your bench is 405, but you can only row 250x5 and you want to bring your back strength up for example......again, at your level, the 'generic' template is just a guidline, grasp the theory and then apply it to something that you customize for you.

 

[Neo22]

As far as your question about exercise selection......when getting out of the mindset of "BB Training", what you have to do is stop thinking 'bodyparts' and start thinking 'movements'.....you can tailor something to yourself.....say your bench is 405, but you can only row 250x5 and you want to bring your back strength up for example......again, at your level, the 'generic' template is just a guidline, grasp the theory and then apply it to something that you customize for you.

I don't have a clue what you mean here. On upper body days you have 3 pressing movement and one rowing movement. I will ask for your opinion though, for bodybuilding purposes do you think this split will work better than the other routine I had posted as long as weights are going up?

 

[BiggT]

I don't have a clue what you mean here. On upper body days you have 3 pressing movement and one rowing movement. I will ask for your opinion though, for bodybuilding purposes do you think this split will work better than the other routine I had posted as long as weights are going up?

It's impossible to say something will work 'better' or 'worse' than something else, as long as they are both centered around progress. DFHT is a solid routine centered around progress.....the routine you posted is a solid routine centered around progress.....both are much, much better than 99% of the garbage people do in the gym and all the so-called 'bodybuilding routines' out there.

I'd look at it this way.....all a 'routine' is, is a way to organize your training so that you foster progress......look at each routine and look at yourself, and decide on whatever one you think will keep you the most consistent and allow you to keep upping the lifts and progressing. When looking at any good, solid routine, there is no magic, the ONLY key is progress......I think both routines would work great for 99% of the population for a fixed period of time, when you stall out or begin to stall out, don't overhaul and do a 'new routine'.....but take the principles behind what you're doing and use it to make adjustment, and that will be your new routine for the next temporary period.......as long as what you do fosters progress, there is your routine.....calling something a 'program' or 'routine' is just a way to neatly package it.

 

[Neo22]

It's impossible to say something will work 'better' or 'worse' than something else, as long as they are both centered around progress. DFHT is a solid routine centered around progress.....the routine you posted is a solid routine centered around progress.....both are much, much better than 99% of the garbage people do in the gym and all the so-called 'bodybuilding routines' out there.

I'd look at it this way.....all a 'routine' is, is a way to organize your training so that you foster progress......look at each routine and look at yourself, and decide on whatever one you think will keep you the most consistent and allow you to keep upping the lifts and progressing. When looking at any good, solid routine, there is no magic, the ONLY key is progress......I think both routines would work great for 99% of the population for a fixed period of time, when you stall out or begin to stall out, don't overhaul and do a 'new routine'.....but take the principles behind what you're doing and use it to make adjustment, and that will be your new routine for the next temporary period.......as long as what you do fosters progress, there is your routine.....calling something a 'program' or 'routine' is just a way to neatly package it.

I see what you're saying, and I really liked my old split. I just wasn't progressing on it, maybe it was due to frequency or maybe it wasn't I'm not for sure.

 

[BiggT]

Well, how far did you progress with it until you stopped?.....and what in particular got stuck and at what set/rep ranges did u get stuck? What were your goals? If mass was one, were you eating enough to move the scale up about 1lb a week?

With some more info....I could suggest some adjustments to get you progressing for the next 4 week block or so, then when you slow down, you can see what I did and make some more tweaks.....it isn't routine overhaul and doing a 'new program', it is making changes here and there to get past a road block.

 

[Neo22]

Well, how far did you progress with it until you stopped?.....and what in particular got stuck and at what set/rep ranges did u get stuck? What were your goals? If mass was one, were you eating enough to move the scale up about 1lb a week?

With some more info....I could suggest some adjustments to get you progressing for the next 4 week block or so, then when you slow down, you can see what I did and make some more tweaks.....it isn't routine overhaul and doing a 'new program', it is making changes here and there to get past a road block.

Got to where I was repping 315 on deads for 12 or more. Bench had never done flat BB but with db's was repping the 100's for 6. Then squats was up to 275x6. I wasn't seen muscle growth and it seems even adding more cals I was just gaining fat.

 

[BiggT]

You need to look at where you're stuck and make the adjustments.....deadlift is easy, DROP those reps, man....try triples or 5's and you'll see a lot of progress out of them, I guarantee.

Swap a main lift for the upper body, instead of flat D-Bell, train for a big incline barbell or flat barbell in the 4-6 range, on squats, I'd have to see your whole layout, but most likely, you could scale back 25lbs for 6, then add 10lbs a week for 4 weeks and most likely hit a 15lb PR......just something along those lines.

 

[Neo22]

You need to look at where you're stuck and make the adjustments.....deadlift is easy, DROP those reps, man....try triples or 5's and you'll see a lot of progress out of them, I guarantee.

Swap a main lift for the upper body, instead of flat D-Bell, train for a big incline barbell or flat barbell in the 4-6 range, on squats, I'd have to see your whole layout, but most likely, you could scale back 25lbs for 6, then add 10lbs a week for 4 weeks and most likely hit a 15lb PR......just something along those lines.

Here was the leg routine
warmup
squats 8,8,8,6
leg press 12,10,10,10
sldl 8,8,8,6

 

[BiggT]

Neo, what I would do is warm up with something that you don't count, maybe 135x10....then 185x6, 205x6, 215x6, 235x6, 205x10 to finish off......the next week finish with 250x6, then the next finish at 265x6, then 280x6 the next, then go for a new PR every week making 5lb jumps until you start to stall out.....increase the backoff set each week too. After squats, I'd SLDL for 4 sets of 8.....then finish off on the leg press for 4 sets of 8.