ExRx.net

5/3/1 refers to Jim Wendler's program.

http://strength-basics.blogspot.com/200 ... 5-3-1.html

Note that this is a 4 week periodization cycle. That's really an advanced program. If you haven't tried a weekly cycle (Heavy/light), try that first. Once that doesn't work try the 5/3/1/.

there are guys in my gym who will literally do bicep curls in every conceivable position, free weight, pulley-systems, preachers curls, standing curls, super-setting... you name it... they do it all on one day - i'll a 90 min work out (incl queuing for equipment!) and in that whole time they are still doing biceps!

I've never bothered to do that, my routine is remarkably close the the OP.
Is all that excessive targeting as excessive as it looks to me?

Someone recently recommended i try focusing on 'Negatives'. Are they particularly beneficial? I was told that the majority of muscle damage and therefore growth (scar tissue creation etc) is done on the negative movement while most str is built on the positive movement... True/false?

I have large arms and I usually only do 2-3 sets of biceps/triceps at the end of my chest/back day.

Although, I will say, if you want big arms - having a day where it's an 'arm day' can be of benefit. I tried removing mine for a few months and I really feel like I had better progress with a day specifically for arms.

Out of curiosity, do these guys work other parts of their body on other days? Or are these the guys who think the bicep is the only muscle worth working? If they only work biceps, what do they look likes? Spindly legs?

Working negatives is a bit of a special technique that is good for some situations, but not too useful for general purposes. If you can't get 1 rep of concentric, doing negatives may get you enough strength to get to the point where you can do concentrics. Like on chin-ups. Also when a lift plateaus, people use them to "break through" the plateau. For example you get spotters to lift the bar on bench, then you lower it to your chest yourself, using more weight than you can actually press.

What you refer to as "muscle damage" is not really damage, but part of the normal physiology of muscle development and strength gain. The muscle fibers are disrupted, and reform in a stronger way. "Scar tissue creation" is a bad thing, implying injury! Most people notice more soreness after exercises that have a large eccentric component, but I don't really think anyone knows why that is. It just is. Also, people tend to recover faster from lifts with a lighter eccentric, like the olympic lifts, for which most people lower the bar quickly with only slight control or drop it altogether.

Heh, they do a few muscle parts... some do whole body, but like over what i assume is a 10 day cycle...
Most of them though do have quite skinny legs...
the 10 cycle thing brings me to another question though... ok so reading the forums one thing is clear, what works for one person may not be effective for another. However, i try to train each muscle group twice a week. Is that in general, suitable or would i be better off doing one group per day over say a 10 day 'week'.

current regime is:
monday - chest, back, hamstrings/ + some CV
Tuesday - shoulders, tris & bis, leg press + some CV
wednesday off
thurs - repeat monday
fri - repeat tuesday
sat & sun ... spent with missus

Ah kk cool! I've used it so far on D'bell side raises but with the pulley... so i use one hand to pull the wire down and then lower slowly with the other... that being said, i only do it right at the end of a set to force out 3-4 negative reps at the end of a normal set... Should i be focusing negatives more on weights that are simply too heavy like you mentioned for breaking plateaus? (i have hit a plateau on shoulders... particularly should press)


is lifting to failure effective?

heres my plan..

mon - chest - 12 sets between 3 or 4 exercises.
- tris - 4-8 sets between 2-3 exercises, (doing less because your chest exercises indirectly fatigure triceps, try not to overtrain them

tues - back - 15 sets between 4-5 exercises
- bicep - 4-8 sets between 2-3 exercises (again you worked back hard and your biceps are being hit as well, don't overtain)

wed - shoulders - 15 sets between 4-5 exercises

thursday - legs and calved - 15 sets between 4-5 exercises.


Work cardio in a little bit after every weight session if you can, restart schedule whenever you feel you have rested enough whether it be on friday or again starting on monday. Fit abs in every morning or night if you have the time, or with certain workouts whenever you like.

try to change up your muscle groupings and workouts every 6 weeks to avoid adaptation.

my success - 20 years old, lifting for 3 solid years. 172lb, 16 inch arms, 6 feet tall, 7.8% body fat.

goodluck.

The idea that you're lifting four days in a row and then rest for three days doesn't sound so nice to my ears. Yeah, your muscle groups vary, but when you do chest, you also work with your biceps and shoulders, and when you work your shoulders, you also train your biceps, triceps, and oftenly back and chest. There is a risk you won't give your upper body muscles even 24 hours of rest between exercises. Be careful with that, your muscles develop with resting. I would prefer something like Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun or something like that if you train four times a week.
I never work out two days in a row, unless I have no choise. But that's just me.

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Prove the impossible!

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We have a lying spammer wanta be in our mists.
He does have amazing bulking techniques however

smelled you a mile away son

well played Oscar, well played

7 point 8 percent body fat!

I'll take advice from no one but him from now on.

However, he didn't notice that the thread is a year old, and several of the principals are no longer around.

Yes, Oscar, well played. You have a great memory.

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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

That's an optimistic way to look at it.

No life
Bad work ethic

might be two others.

Being 6 foot tall and haveing 16 inch arms isnt that big. I'm 5'8 with 16 inch arms and I feel like a little b1tc#. I'm 193 lbs... and... not sure about the body fat maybe 14-17% lol

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"Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door"

Kyle Chandler

Don't feed the troll. This guy cam on the board, dug up an old thread, and then was arrogant and rude, and hurt our sensitive feelings. Let him fade peacefully away.

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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