ExRx.net

Hey guys.

I currently do this routine on back & biceps day with a friend:

Lat pulldowns (to activate biceps and for lats obvs)
Seated curls
Seated row
Preacher curl (lever)
Wide barbell curls
Reverse Curls
Underarm narrow pull-up (single set as many as we can)

Now comes the problem..potentially:
We do 3 SETS of 6 REPS for all of them!! (Apart from the pull-ups.) You're looking at over 18 sets. I have become aware that that is too many sets..but I would stress that we only do biceps ONCE a week.

Would this be a better routine?:

Lat pulldowns/Pull-ups
Seated curls
Seated row
Wide barbell curls
Reverse Curls (single set as many as we can)

All @ 2 sets of 8 reps each? I know it's still a weird set-up (I know a lot of you won't like the idea of 2 sets each) but I like to do lots of different exercises to hit the biceps from all angles. I would stress that again, we would only do this once a week.

Any ideas, suggestions?
Really appreciate it, guys.

chin ups/pull downs
dumbell row
rear delt fly
barbell curls

3 sets of 8 - 12 for each of them, and do the routine TWICE a week. Trust me on this

That looks like a good pull routine to me. That would be my advice as well.

I'm always suspicious when I see the same rep-set scheme for every of many exercises. Why would your needs, and the demands of the exercises be so similar for them all?

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Cheers, guys. Jungledoc, why would they differ? If you look above the routine suggested has uniform 3 sets on each stipulated?

They would differ, because the exercises themselves differ, the needs of each person are different and different for different parts of your body. Don't just cookie-cutter every exercise.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

I think the you should emphasize the difference between main exercises and assisting/accesory exercises. That should atleast have some sort of difference in rep/set scheme. In example some bigger moves are usually more sets, but less, or same in reps. Or higher intensity in many cases. Then the isolating or assisting muscle workout comes next. Some with high rep and set scheme, some exercise you only need to do two or three short or long sets if that. Mainly because it's just isolation, and you have worked that muscle already in your workout.

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Prove the impossible!

Cool. So basically 12 sets is good for back/biceps days. Cheers for all your help, guys.

Well, no. Nobody said that, but sure, if that's what you want to do, break a leg.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

Neurosis, it's not so much that 12 sets is recommended, just that there happens to be 4 exercises.

Those 4 exercises will hit every part of your back, there's no need for anything else. 3 sets per exercise is fairly standard for beginner bodybuilder type routines. You can increase the number of sets to 5 per exercise but it's not really necessary. If you do decide to increase the number of sets for an exercise, make it either the pull ups or rows. You do NOT need more than 3 sets for your biceps.

And yeah, keep the reps between 8 and 12 for ALL of the exercises. Back and biceps love sets of 8 to 12.

Okay, cool. I get ya'. Cheers.

What's the goal of this routine, and what are your overall fitness goals?

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don't you know there ain't no devil
that's just god when he's drunk

Well, I guess it was to pack on mass to start, I'm more in the ecto region, although now I'm up to 77KG and I'm 5'10' that may not be true anymore. I mostly spend my time doing squats and deadlift.

I'm in my 30's, so when I take on too many calories it goes to my belly so I don't eat loads of calories.

If you try to gain mass, you need calories. It all comes down to what calories to consume more. Not all eating habits with high calorie goes to belly the same way. 30's ain't even a bad age to gain muscle mass.

How experienced are you by the way? That can affect to the effiency of the program. If you are just starting out, then bodybuilder routine might not be the best option for mass gains. I think that strength is the foundation to hyperthrophy.

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Prove the impossible!

I see. I think. So..it's about what kind of calories or where I get them

Would you suggest heavy weight and low reps?