Upper/Lower Split Critique

KParrott1348

Please Critique. It is high volume, set up for strength and hypertrophy. Please tell any imbalances you see.

Lower A:
Warmup Walking Lunges 2x12
Warmup Good-mornings 2x8
Deadlifts 5x5
Romanian Dead Lifts 3x6-8
Leg Press 3x8-10
1a.Leg Curl 3x10-12
1b.Leg Extension 3x10-12
2a.Calf Press 3x15-20
2b.Calf Rolls 3x15-20
Pikes, Planks, Hip Lifts

Upper A:
Warmup Dumbbell Incline Press 2x10-12
Warmup Dumbbell T’s (shoulder mobility)2x10-12
Bench 5x5
Bent over Rows 3x6-8
Overhead Press 3x6-8
Lat Pull Downs 3x8-10
1b.Lateral Raises 3x8-10
2b.Rear Delt Pulls 3x8-10
2a.Tricep Pushdowns 3x10-12
2b.Dumbbell Curls 3x10-12

Lower B:
Warmup Walking Lunges 2x12
Warmup Goblet Squats 2x10-12
Squats 5x5
Front Squats 3x6-8
Split Squats 3x8-10
1a.Back Extensions 3x10-12
1b.Hip Thrusts 3x10-12
2a.Standing calf raise 3x15
2b.Seated Calf Raises 3x15
Decline crunches, piles, Reverse crunches

Upper B:
Warmup Lat-pulls 2x10-12
Warmup Dumbbell T’s (shoulder mobility)2x10-12
Pull-ups 5x5
Seated Shoulder Press 3x6-8
Incline Barbell Bench 3x8-10
Dumbbell Flys 3x10-12
1a.Seated Row 3x8-10
1b.Dumbbell Bench 3x8-10
2a.Dumbbell Curls 3x10-12
2b.Skull-crushers 3x10-12

TavistockToad

Why not just follow an actual programme?

KParrott1348

Well, that’s what that is. But none of them are perfect, ya know? I’m getting other opinions before I commit to this one.

pbryd

As you know it is a lot of volume. If you feel you can recover from it then it's fine, because every program works, until it doesn't.

So my question would be, do you really need that many exercises? Or can you progress on less.

I'll critique the first bit.

• Why warm up with lunges and good mornings when your first exercise is deadlifts, why not just warm up with deadlifts?
• Following deadlifts with RDLs is going to torture your lower back
• Leg curls are probably redundant if you have already done RDLs
• Pikes, planks and hip thrusts are also probably redundant after deadlifts and RDLs

So i'd strip out the excess and start with

• Deadlifts 5x5 (start light working up to a heavy set of 5
• Leg Press 3x8-10
• Leg Curl 3x10-12
• Calf exercise

If you feel you can do more exercises when training full bore on that, then add something extra.

But don't start with your maximum workload.

KParrott1348

That is fantastic advice.

jdog022

What’s wrong with PHUL as it’s been designed?

ritzvin

pbryd wrote: »

As you know it is a lot of volume. If you feel you can recover from it then it's fine, because every program works, until it doesn't.

So my question would be, do you really need that many exercises? Or can you progress on less.

...

If you feel you can do more exercises when training full bore on that, then add something extra.

But don't start with your maximum workload.

ditto...

If you are new to weightlifting, then you'll make progress without spending huge amounts of time in the gym (ie a basic full body program 3x/week at <1hr per session). No sense overdoing (or over-complicating) it, which will make it less likely to continue long term.

yes to it being overly redundant. No need to throw every exercise under the sun at your hamstrings in the same session.

Chieflrg

pbryd wrote: »

As you know it is a lot of volume. If you feel you can recover from it then it's fine, because every program works, until it doesn't.

So my question would be, do you really need that many exercises? Or can you progress on less.

I'll critique the first bit.

• Why warm up with lunges and good mornings when your first exercise is deadlifts, why not just warm up with deadlifts?
• Following deadlifts with RDLs is going to torture your lower back
• Leg curls are probably redundant if you have already done RDLs
• Pikes, planks and hip thrusts are also probably redundant after deadlifts and RDLs

So i'd strip out the excess and start with

• Deadlifts 5x5 (start light working up to a heavy set of 5
• Leg Press 3x8-10
• Leg Curl 3x10-12
• Calf exercise

If you feel you can do more exercises when training full bore on that, then add something extra.

But don't start with your maximum workload.

My thoughts as well. Don't waste time with warmups that aren't specific to the lift you are warming up for. For example take out walking lunges and just warm up with the bar for squats and add a plate every warm up set.

Your volume is sickly high. Doing goblet squats, back, front, and split is overkill. That literally is 13 sets of 77-103 reps of squats in one day? I squat three times a week and don't need that much as a competitive powerlifter.

Hip thrusts are inferior to other lifts just from the ROM. Your deads and squats should be ample stimulas.

It's not that it's imbalanced, it's just a overload of exercises. I would weed out at least half of them for scheduled dosage.

mmapags

Chieflrg wrote: »

pbryd wrote: »

As you know it is a lot of volume. If you feel you can recover from it then it's fine, because every program works, until it doesn't.

So my question would be, do you really need that many exercises? Or can you progress on less.

I'll critique the first bit.

• Why warm up with lunges and good mornings when your first exercise is deadlifts, why not just warm up with deadlifts?
• Following deadlifts with RDLs is going to torture your lower back
• Leg curls are probably redundant if you have already done RDLs
• Pikes, planks and hip thrusts are also probably redundant after deadlifts and RDLs

So i'd strip out the excess and start with

• Deadlifts 5x5 (start light working up to a heavy set of 5
• Leg Press 3x8-10
• Leg Curl 3x10-12
• Calf exercise

If you feel you can do more exercises when training full bore on that, then add something extra.

But don't start with your maximum workload.

My thoughts as well. Don't waste time with warmups that aren't specific to the lift you are warming up for. For example take out walking lunges and just warm up with the bar for squats and add a plate every warm up set.

Your volume is sickly high. Doing goblet squats, back, front, and split is overkill. That literally is 13 sets of 77-103 reps of squats in one day? I squat three times a week and don't need that much as a competitive powerlifter.

Hip thrusts are inferior to other lifts just from the ROM. Your deads and squats should be ample stimulas.

It's not that it's imbalanced, it's just a overload of exercises. I would weed out at least half of them for scheduled dosage.

Agree! And agree with those that suggest following a program designed by a professional like PHUL.