critique my routine (for mass)

[powerrack]

Here is my current routine for mass. Point out anything I'm doing wrong, or give me some suggestions (this is my current routine as I often change it after 4-5 weeks):

Day 1 Chest and Bis
warm-up
Incline Barbell Press 3sets 4-8reps
Flat Db Press 3sets 6-10reps
Incline Flyes 2sets of 8-10
1set drop set
Seated Db Curls 3sets 4-8reps
Preacher Curls 3sets 6-10reps

Day 2 Rest

Day 3 Back
warm-up
Power-Rack Deads 3sets 4-8reps
T-Bar Rows 3sets 4-8reps
Reverse Grip Pulldowns 3sets 6-10reps
One Arm Rows 3sets 6-10reps
Rear Raises 3sets 6-10reps

Day 4 Delts and Tris
warm-up
Smith Machine Press 3sets 4-8reps
Side Raises 2sets 6-10reps
1set drop set
DB Shrugs 3sets 4-8reps
Dips 3sets 4-8reps
Pushdowns 3sets 6-10reps

Day 5 Rest

Day 6 Legs
warm-up
Squats 2sets 4-8reps
1set 15reps
Leg Press 3sets 15-20reps
Leg Extension 2sets drop sets
Stiff Leg Deads 3sets 4-8reps
Leg Curls 3sets 4-8reps

Day 7 Rest

Note: I train abs twice a week and calves twice a week.

Any suggestions would be taken. All sets I listed are hard sets after warm-ups. I only do warm-ups on the first exercise then that is it. When I do biceps after chest or tris after delts I do a few warmup sets before I do that different bodypart.

[Ozzy]

IMO you are over training back and legs

8-10 sets on each are ample. For back i would do deads, wide grip chins and bent over rows, for legs just squats, sldl's and calve training. Thats it. Remember you grow outside the gym not in it.

[powerrack]

Why is it that we seperate arms so much, and say I have to do this and that do get this part of my biceps or triceps, but then when we look at a huge muscle like the legs, we only say do squats and one or two more exercises , then your done. Can anybody answer this, b/c it never made sense to me.

[hyper]

I have tried a new workout that goes against everything that I believe...but I have gain about 20 lbs (still pretty lean) in about 4 weeks...and I am not on tons of AS.

[Ozzy]

Squats and deads are anabolic and work the whole body. They cause the body to produce more GH than anyother exercises and are more taxing on the CNS.

If you train alot after these you will risk over training and reduce gains.

[powerrack]

Thanks for the explaination Ozzy! I have reconsidered and made the following choices:

Quads/Hams: 9 total sets after warm-up on first exercise - 3 total exercises
Calves: 3 total sets after a couple warm-ups - 1 exercise
Back: 9 total sets after warm-ups on first exercise - 3 exercises
Chest: 7 total sets after warm-ups - 3 exercises
Delts: 6-7 total sets after warm-ups- 3 exercises
Biceps: 3-4 total sets after warm-ups - 2 exercises
Triceps: 3-4 total sets after warm-ups - 2 exercises

Does that look bettter guys? I plan a rep range of 5-8 on most exercises. I only listed my work-sets up there.

[Ozzy]

Looks ok to me. You could do a couple more sets on chest if you wanted IMO. 9 would fine. Make sure that you use weighted dips for mass building

[powerrack]

cool, thanks for the advice ozzy!

[Big A]

Lets take back, from your routine. AFTER warmups, 9 sets for 3 exercises. So 3 sets per exercise. Why three sets? Are the first two leading to the third one wich will be a proper work set? If so then the first two are warmp ups as well, and apart from the first exercise, you don't need them.
If all three are work sets, then you will be over training as you will be eating in your recovery ability too much.
Why would you need 3 work sets for? A proper work set is when you stimulate muscle growth (that's the job you are supposed to do). So that work set needs to be 100% effort - muscle growth stimulation only happens when you did 100% effort, because only after 100% effort, the muscle has to adjust/grow. If your work set stimulated muscle growth (100% effort), why do two more? You can't go over 100% effort. 100% is maximum. So the following two sets are just a waste and a drain on your recovery. Instead, you should move onto a work set on a different exercise, to stimulate the muscle from a different angle. You don't need any warmups for that exercise as you are fully warmed up from the previous work set.

That is one of the most fundamental principles when it comes to designing your routine.

[Ozzy]

Big-A, when training 3 sets would you not find it advisable to work up through your weights (adding a little more each set) using the final set of your exercise as your 100% set going to failure?

By still going heavy, yet not going to failure, would this not cause the final set to recruit more muscle fibers? By only doing a couple of light warm ups would you not limit your final set? If you do a couple of heavy sets not to failure (ie not 100%) would some fibers already be exhausted and therefore new fibers would be recruited in order to reach your maximum effort?

[Big A]

That's what I am saying. If he does it the way you say, then those 2 sets are warm ups as well. And then if he does them again for every exercise for that muscle group, after the first exercise, then he is wasting his energy/recovery ability as he doesn't need those additional warm ups for those exercises as his muscles will be fully warmed up after doing a 100% set.
Regarding recruiting the muscle fibers, that's the purpose of using various exercises for the same muscle group.

[Ozzy]

ok, im with you now. Cheers.

[powerrack]

thanks for the info guys.

[powerrack]

ok here is my 99% finalized routine, based on your guys' suggestions:

Day 1 Chest and Biceps
Incline Bar Press warmup, 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Flat Dumbell Bench Press 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Incline Flyes 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Barbell Curls warmup, 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Preacher Curls 1set to failure 6-8reps

Day 2 REST

Day 3 Back
Deadlifts warmup, 1 set to failure 4-6reps
Bar Rows 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Chins 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Rear Raises 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Machine Crunches warmup, 1 set to failure 15reps

Day 4 Delts and Triceps
Seated Military Press warmup, 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Side Laterals 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Barbell Shurgs warmup, 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Pushdowns warmup, 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Skull Crushers 1 set to failure 6-8reps

Day 5 REST

Day 6 Legs
Squats warmup, 1 set to failure 6-8reps, 1 set of 15-20
Leg Press 1 set to failure 12reps
Leg Curls warmup, 1 set to failure 6-8reps
Stiff Leg Deads 1 set to failure 6-8 reps
Standing Raises warmup, 1 set to failure 8reps
Toe Press on Leg Press 1 set to failure 8reps

This routine is sort of modelled after Big A's but not 100%. I hope this is better. I will start this up after a few days of rest and tell you how it goes.

[Big A]

Now we're talking /t\
But do traps on back day not shoulder day as they are part of the back.

[powerrack]

cool stuff Big A, I'll just switch rear raises and shrugs and it'll work out fine.

[Ozzy]

Im due to swap routine in a few weeks so think i will give this a bash too.

[powerrack]

well I started the routine today, and did legs. Wow! I'm sore as hell. I ended up being able to use more weight for more reps. Why? b/c you can give it your all on one set , without worrying about having to do another set. Mental focus goes way up when training like this. So far I like it, so I will stick to it.

[JAYBLAISE]

I WOULD INCREASE THE WEIGHT AND LOWER THE REPS WITH EVER SET COMPLETED

8-10 FIRST SET
6-8 NEXT AND SO ON AND ADD AS MUCH WEIGHT AS POSSIBLE EACH SET.........JUST MY TWO CENTS