Posted: 5/6/2026 12:49:03 PM EDT
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I have a mental block that I can't seem to get over. For years I've always done very basic programs. Boring But Big probably being the best run I had as far as results go. I cycle my bodyweight by about 15-20 lbs a year, with my leanest being late summer. My goals have never been strength related, I just like looking pretty good naked and being able to actually lift and move things. I really need to incorporate more isolation work I think, and change my strategy. I've always fallen into a 1-2x a week schedule where I hit it hard, then take lots of recovery time. I can't come up with a plan that appeals to me though with more days and more isolation work. Upper/Lower with one heavy barbell exercise each day could work, but I'll have to work in longer than one week cycles. I've done PPL in the past and did get good results, but my elbows got smoked and my legs kind of fell behind. Just looking for some insight on a plan I could slap together for fast but more frequent summer workouts. |
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The routine that I've done with the fastest sessions is Bald Omni Man's Beast Slayer. Look up some of his programs. Some are free, some are paid. He does a lot of full body powerbuilding. Hard to explain without checking his stuff out. It's different from everything I've tried. If you can swing 5 days a week, Alex Bromley's Kong: Savage Size should have relative quick sessions. I'm pretty sure you can find it for free. I try to do at least one 12 week bodybuilding/powerbuilding routine every year. I try to follow them strictly and never change exercises unless equipment is unavailable for the same reasons you said. |
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If isolations and looking good are the goal. Why not just do a bro split? That way you can specialize the muscles you want the most. Easy to smash a muscle for 35-45 minutes then get in 25-30 minutes of cardio after everyday so you can be lean & aesthetic. I know it get shit on a lot on social media. But from what I've seen after 20 years in the gym I'm convinced its the best option for a regular guy who wants to be lean/aesthetic/healthy. |
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Originally Posted By ICEAGE: If isolations and looking good are the goal. Why not just do a bro split? Â That way you can specialize the muscles you want the most. Easy to smash a muscle for 35-45 minutes then get in 25-30 minutes of cardio after everyday so you can be lean & aesthetic. I know it get shit on a lot on social media. But from what I've seen after 20 years in the gym I'm convinced its the best option for a regular guy who wants to be lean/aesthetic/healthy. Probably ideal really, but a 5 day split is tough for me, 3-4 is about the max, with 3 being where I'm going to land the most. PPL with extra isolation made my arms bigger, but left my legs behind, but that was like 15 years ago, I could probably program it more intelligently this time around. |
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Originally Posted By Jarcese: The routine that I've done with the fastest sessions is Bald Omni Man's Beast Slayer. Â Look up some of his programs. Â Some are free, some are paid. Â He does a lot of full body powerbuilding. Â Hard to explain without checking his stuff out. Â It's different from everything I've tried. If you can swing 5 days a week, Alex Bromley's Kong: Savage Size should have relative quick sessions. Â I'm pretty sure you can find it for free. I try to do at least one 12 week bodybuilding/powerbuilding routine every year. Â I try to follow them strictly and never change exercises unless equipment is unavailable for the same reasons you said. I have Bromley's book, I'll look in there for it. |
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Originally Posted By sitdwnandhngon: Probably ideal really, but a 5 day split is tough for me, 3-4 is about the max, with 3 being where I'm going to land the most. PPL with extra isolation made my arms bigger, but left my legs behind, but that was like 15 years ago, I could probably program it more intelligently this time around. Awhile back I ran a push-pull 3 day per week split. M/W/F Push, pull, push. Next week pull, push, pull, repeat. Basically on pull days I trained the entire back side of my body. On push days I trained the entire front side of my body. So yes calves/tris were trained on 'pull' days and biceps were trained on 'push' days. Train priority muscles first with slightly higher volume. Your dominant/less worried about muscles get trained last with lower volume. Probably one of the best 3 day splits for experienced lifters that want slightly more frequency then 1x per week per muscle. |
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Day 1 deadlift, pullups, rows Day 2 bench, incline barrel presses Day3 squat, lunges Day4 chinups, dips, overhead presses(dumbells, .mil, or arnold) If you're going to skip a day skip day 4. If you're running short of time do 10 sets of 25 push-ups for day 2. Or if you have the time add that in as an extra day. Supersets will help you blow through all of those in 30-40 minutes. |
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Originally Posted By 03RN: Day 1 deadlift, pullups, rows Day 2 bench, incline barrel presses Day3 squat, lunges Day4 chinups, dips, overhead presses(dumbells, .mil, or arnold) If you're going to skip a day skip day 4. If you're running short of time do 10 sets of 25 push-ups for day 2. Or if you have the time add that in as an extra day. Supersets will help you blow through all of those in 30-40 minutes. I wrote up kind of a minimalist bodypart split to try out for awhile just for something different. Same rep structure on each day. I just need something different for awhile before jumping back to my normal full body programming. Day 1 - OHP 3x5, Dips 3x10, Tricep Exension 3x10 Day 2 - Deadlift, Harop Curl/Nordic Curl, Hamstring Curl Day 3 - Pendlay Rows, Chinups, Bicep Curl Day 4 - Squat, Weighted Sissy Squat, Leg Extension |
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I've really liked 3x week full body for the last few years. Takes advantage of more times to stimulate growth/trigger muscle protein syntehsis, let's you manage volume over the week, allows for higher frequency without too much systemic fatigue and you can adapt it in many ways. You can have a leg heavy day, pull heavy day, you can have a day with more isolation than compounds, etc. Also, if you miss a day, you don't miss an entire week of a given movement pattern. Right now I'm doing: Day one RDLs Belt Squat Single leg Curls Chest Supported Rows Shoulder Press Incline Machine Flyes (really strecthes the muscles and isolates the pecs better than any movement I've done) Day Two Hip Thruster superset: GHRs and Reverse Hypers Hack Squat Adduction/Abduction Pullups DB Bench Press Day Three Walking Lunge Seated Single Leg Curls Glute Circuit Incline Press superset: straight arm pulldowns and kelso shrugs I add in 2-3 sets of arms, side/rear delts 2-3 times a week. I've had much beter results growing arms with more frequency and low volume. I do boxing or LSD cardio 3-4 days a week. No issues with systemic fatigue or DOMS. |