Right now, I have put trying to attain strength gains from weight training on the back burner as I attempt to get into the best shape I've been in for quite some time. I am currently using a bodybuilding style of weight training and am basically training by instinct. By that, I mean that the exercises that I perform on any given day depends mostly on how I feel, what is or isn't sore and on the equipment available. I plan out my first couple of exercises and then wing it from then on and try to get as much as I can get done in as little time as possible. I try to get as good a pump ("The Pump"- explained here by Arnold) as possible without sitting around and picking my nose. Since the weight is not that heavy, the reps are little higher and the rest periods are also quite low (45-60 seconds).
Currently my split has a tendency to look like this:
Day 1: Chest, Triceps, Abs, Cardio
Day 2: Back, BicepsCardio
Day 3: Rest/Cardio
Day 4: Shoulders, Traps, Cardio
Day 5: Legs, No Cardio
Day6: Rest/Cardio
Day 7: Repeat Cycle
| BodyPart/Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Chest | ||
| Flat Press (DB or BB) | 3 | 8-12 |
| Incline Press (DB or BB) | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dips or Decline Press | 3 | 12-20 |
| Triceps | ||
| Cable Pressdowns | 3 | 12-20 |
| French Press | 3 | 10-12 |
| Overhead Extensions (DB or BB | 3 | 12-15 |
| Back | ||
| Wide Grip Pull Ups or Pull downs | 3 | 15-20 |
| BB Rows | 3 | 8-12 |
| Close Grip Pull Ups or Pull Downs | 3 | 12-15 |
| DB Rows | 3 | 10-12 |
| Deadlifts | 3 | 12-6 |
| Cable Rows | 3 | 12-15 |
| Hyperextensions | 3 | 15-20 |
| Biceps | ||
| BB or DB Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Preacher Curl | 3 | 12-15 |
| Hammer Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
| Shoulders | ||
| Overhead Press (DB or BB) | 4 | 12-6 |
| Seated Lateral Raises | 3 | 15-20 |
| Bent Raises | 3 | 12-15 |
| DB Shrugs | 3 | 15-20 |
| Legs | ||
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 20+ |
| Front or Back Squats | 4 | 12-8 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 20+ |
| Lunges | 3 | 10-12 |
| Stiff Legged Deadlift | 3 | 15-20 |
| Hamstring Curls | 3 | 12-15 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 10-12 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 20+ |
I Know that it looks like a lot [for legs and back]; but if I rest minimally my workouts never last any longer than 60 minutes and I'm usually sweating like a pig and am totally exhausted by the end. So far it is working quite well, one great thing about decreasing the weight and checking my ego at the door (as opposed to when I was a younger buck) I have avoided suffering any injuries over the last year (the first year since I began training by the way) and have been making fairly steady progress all year long!
How much does your training environment influence your exercise choices and workout intensity?
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