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Rileh

New member
Routine critique please.

M 179cm 74kg, slow bulking, main goal is aesthetics (about 70% aesthetics, 30% strength)

Been doing SS for a couple of months with accessories but schedule changed and now the 3 days I can gym are in a row (Tues, Wed, Thurs), so I opted for a PPL split. (Back/Biceps, Chest/Shoulders/Tris, Legs/Core). Also considering moving shoulders to Leg day



PULL (TUES)
1x5 Deadlift
3x5 Barbell Rows
3x12 Cable Rows
3x12 Lat Pulldowns
3x12 Rear Delt Fly (?)
3x10 DB Shrugs
3x10 Barbell Curls
3x10 Hammer Curls

PUSH (WED)
5x5 Bench Press
3x5 OHP
3x12 Incline DB Press
3x12 DB Shoulder Press (I like to do it standing for a bit of core)
3X10 Close Grip Bench Press
3x10 Tricep Extensions (Cable)
3x10 Tricep Pushdowns
3x15 Lateral Raises

LEGS (THURS)
(all relatively light except squats, also have big calves)
5x5 Squats
(sorta want front squats somewhere idk)
3x12 Leg Extensions (very light, bad knees)
3x8 Box Jumps
3x8 Romanian Deadlift
(Hyperextensions?) for spinal erectors
Bike HIIT
Core work

What do you guys do for ab/ core?

Might do some BWF work on Saturdays + I usually run on Sundays. My leg day is bad because my legs are quite large in proportion to my body with huge calves (I walked on my toes as a child) + I have an imbalance that I am trying to correct due to a knee

Cheers
 
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Gteat. The success of the routine will depend on the effort you put in taking into account your bad knees.
 
How long do you reckon your training session is gonna be?? Probably not enough pulling movements either, compared with all that pushwork
 
I'm no expert, but I'll just tell you what I would do. Sorry for the impending long paragraph's but have a good read and I'm sure other members will chime in if need be.

PULL (TUES)
1x5 Deadlift
3x5 Barbell Rows
3x12 Cable Rows
3x12 Lat Pulldowns
3x12 Rear Delt Fly (?)
3x10 DB Shrugs
3x10 Barbell Curls
3x10 Hammer Curls
I'd add another pulling movement here. Or increase Deadlift into another 3x5 or 5x5 to match the pressing movements. High isolateral row would be a nice way to hit rear delts, as would any rear delt fly. I tend to do these on a shoulder day.

PUSH (WED)
5x5 Bench Press
3x5 OHP
3x12 Incline DB Press
3x12 DB Shoulder Press (I like to do it standing for a bit of core)
3X10 Close Grip Bench Press
3x10 Tricep Extensions (Cable)
3x10 Tricep Pushdowns
3x15 Lateral Raises

You've got a Chest movement, then a Shoulder movement, then a Chest movement. And right at the end after triceps lateral raises.
It's up to you if you're focussing entirely on a press regime, but for the sake of hitting body parts, I'd go Bench, Incline DB Press, DB Shoulder Press, Lateral Raises then Tricep movements starting with closegrip bench.

LEGS (THURS)
(all relatively light except squats, also have big calves)
5x5 Squats
(sorta want front squats somewhere idk)
3x12 Leg Extensions (very light, bad knees)
3x8 Box Jumps
3x8 Romanian Deadlift
(Hyperextensions?) for spinal erectors
Bike HIIT
Core work

Keep any eye on your knee during squats, bad tracking of the patella (knee cap) can lead to some serious problems, especially if you have a tendency to but more weight on your toes than heels. Even on deadlifts because of my left foot going inward my whole left side tracks different requiring some very deliberate concentration and spotter to correct.
Squatting in bare feet or flat soles will make you have to correct without support of a conventional runner.

Barbell Squats are probably one of the best leg exercises, just be wary of form. Maybe wrap up your knees on the last few sets but don't be reliant.

Box Jumps are quite high impact, I'd be wary with your knees, personally wouldn't even do them.

Doing deadlifts and romanians, you shouldn't need any hyperextensions unless you really want to.


Bike is great cardio for bad knees, low impact. As I was getting my own knee better, I did a lot of heavy resistance work on bikes to strengthen it.

 
I'm no expert, but I'll just tell you what I would do. Sorry for the impending long paragraph's but have a good read and I'm sure other members will chime in if need be...

Thanks, I think I'll change Deadlifts to 3x5, 5x5 just kills me for the rest of the day.

As for Push day, I was alternating chest and shoulder to give it a break but I guess that isn't a good idea, I'll group them up. I push day today and felt a bit fatigued at the end, didn't get a good sleep last night so I guess that doesn't help either. I'm thinking of removing CG Bench as 6 sets of tris should be enough right? I do like the low rep OHP for strength too.''

For legs, my goal is strength and athleticism over size for rugby, so thats why I went with box squats for a more functional movement and I don't have trouble with them as long as long as I don't jump down carefully. Do you think I could incorporate Power Cleans, maybe 3x5? I feel hamstrings a lot after Barbell rows and deadlifts on Pull day so maybe I dont even need the high rep RDL for size also.
I might remove leg extensions all together as they put a weird torque on my knees that I don't like. And yeah I agree on the bike, doing sprints on a high resistance setting was the idea.
 
How long do you reckon your training session is gonna be?? Probably not enough pulling movements either, compared with all that pushwork


Pull and Push took me about 1hr 15mins, although I skipped Close grip bench for push as I was tired
 
If you want to do Arnold's then do them. Even alternate them when you get bored, really just a small change can be refreshing.
 
I'd group them personally because with chest you'll only really have some anterior deltoid contraction which shouldn't over fatigue your shoulders.

Keep close grip or add skullcrushers instead and take away one of the other exercises or alternate between them weekly, making sure you keep at least one large triceps movement in there.

Box Squats are good, you were saying Box Jumps the two are different things.
Box Jumps involve more power, but have a higher impact.
If you want a lower impact power exercise, you're better off adding a fast concentric (upward) phase to a regular squat/box squat or a fast eccentric (downward) phase for the type of functional power a rugby player requires, you could do similar with a deadlift.
Once you've mastered the fast concentric, then the fast eccentric, you can then master the transition between both.

RDL are possibly one of the best ways to train hamstrings, you'll use a lot of glute strength which is important also.
There are no downsides to teaching both muscles to work in unison compared to the lesser interaction involved in a conventional deadlift.

Leg Extensions basically but the brunt of the strain on the patella being the only joint that moves in the exercise.
Anyone who has bad knees should avoid, or aim for lighter higher 15-30 rep sets.

Thanks, I think I'll change Deadlifts to 3x5, 5x5 just kills me for the rest of the day.

As for Push day, I was alternating chest and shoulder to give it a break but I guess that isn't a good idea, I'll group them up. I push day today and felt a bit fatigued at the end, didn't get a good sleep last night so I guess that doesn't help either. I'm thinking of removing CG Bench as 6 sets of tris should be enough right? I do like the low rep OHP for strength too.''

For legs, my goal is strength and athleticism over size for rugby, so thats why I went with box squats for a more functional movement and I don't have trouble with them as long as long as I don't jump down carefully. Do you think I could incorporate Power Cleans, maybe 3x5? I feel hamstrings a lot after Barbell rows and deadlifts on Pull day so maybe I dont even need the high rep RDL for size also.
I might remove leg extensions all together as they put a weird torque on my knees that I don't like. And yeah I agree on the bike, doing sprints on a high resistance setting was the idea.
 
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