Tried and True...

Starting tomorrow it's back to the tried and true. I will be breaking my workouts down into the long-used "push/pull/legs" split again. I traditionally keep it around the big three and figure this is how I will work it:

Mondays - Pull:

I like starting the week off with a challenge. For whatever reason when I break this split down I like training back first thing in the week. Probably because back takes me a bit to recover from and honestly, back is my favorite to work.

The day looks like this:

• Deads - varied sets/reps but never more than a set of 6 reps. Not much sense going beyond that.
• Row variations - typically barbell first, then fill in the gaps afterward with either dumbbells, low cables, body weight inverted, etc. Again, sets and reps based on what I feel like that day.
• Lat work - pulldowns, chins (sometimes both), rope lat pulldowns, etc.
• Direct bicep work - kept to a minimum since they're a synergist in the big pull exercises, but hitting them with a couple sets each of maybe two curl variations doesn't hurt.

Wednesday - Push:

Probably my least favorite day, but because it's my least favorite I need to work doubly hard at it so I excel. Typically...:

• Flat bench - varying the reps and sets and even throw in some DB's, but again I don't do the 15 rep variations. Meaningless to me. Put some weight on the bar and move it = mass on the ass.
• Incline Bench - again, variations here include DB's and the Smith machine, but it's again a number of sets and work them hard.
• Dips - a staple of a good tricep workout, in my opinion. Whether assisted, body weight, weighted bench, they're good for mass.
• Maybe another direct isolation exercise for triceps - like rope pulls or DB extensions, but nothing that requires a lot of sets.
• Perhaps some light raises or shoulder pressing to get some blood to the shoulders - but not a lot of direct work. That's what benching is for.

Friday - Legs:

By far my second favorite of the week. I'm traditionally strong in these lifts anyhow and always have been for some reason. I do keep it very simple and limited to a few lifts though:

• Squats - king of all, I keep the weight on the bar and pound out a number of sets. As far as back squats are concerned, I use variations like sumo stance to help work the various muscles used. Again, weight on the bar = mass on the ass, so I don't get too shy about what weight I use here. Yes, my goal is lean - but putting muscle on helps. And it's not like muscle mass gets added by leaps and bounds - it's a slow process.
• Front Squats - I've learned to replace leg pressing with this. Partly because to load up the leg press machine is a PITA, partly because I like the work I get from this better.
• SLDL's - as if I didn't do enough to my legs, I come back with this lift. Hammer the hamstrings with it, or it's closely related cousin the RDL.
• Assistance - from there I move on to things like pull-throughs, adductor/abductor work, and some other "core" items. The core is more than abs - it's the glutes, the groin, the hips, low back - so I try to do some work to strengthen that.

In a nutshell, that's what we're going to be up to for the next unspecified period of time. I will probably ride this for 12 weeks or so. Eating will be super clean, or as super clean as possible, to make the most of getting lean on this. I will add that information in a later post.