Lessening lower body while on bulk???

jenglish712
jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
edited November 23 in Social Groups
OK, I'm not talking about completely skipping leg day. I have ran 5/3/1 3 cycles and plan to do 3 more on more or less standard BBB.

I plan to run this (my current plan) through about the end of November : (5/3/1 lift first in bold)

Bench-5x10 OHP- 5x10 Lats- 1-2 mile run
Squat- DL 5x10- 5x10 chestwork- 1-2 mile run
OHP- bench 5x10, 4x4 pullups- 1-2 mile run
Deads 5x10 squat- 5x5 dips- 1-2 mile run

My chestwork is typically DB presses with occasional flys, lats is often cable pulldown or low row, but some DB row. I try to get another 3 and 5 mile run in on my rest days


SInce I want to try to put on some upper body mass, I thought my accessory work while on a surplus for 3 mos should stimulate that

Bench-5x10 OHP- 5x10 Low row - 4x8 curls
Squat- DB press 5x10- 5x10 DB row - 4x8 curl
OHP- bench 5x10, 4x4 pullups- 4x8 lateral raises
Deads- 5x5 dips- 5x10 chest flys- 4x8 curls

This winter would probably only include the 5 mile trail run to keep up some basic endurance conditioning. I would still run my main lifts the same. My DL and squat may not increase as steadily since I will be losing some volume. But I really want to grow upper body some this winter.

Replies

  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    There are a few things with this program that wouldn't work for me - first is the running. If you are going to drop the runs at the end of each workout you'll probably see results quite quickly. I dropped my cardio after my lifting this year and have seen definite muscle/ strength gain. I don't know the exact science behind it but my PT tells me it is something to do with how the body uses glycogen.... folks on here will be more knowledgeable about this.

    Second thing is the way you have grouped the exercises. It's great if you are able to do full body each time but my body wouldn't recover enough between days if you are doing this 4 times per week. So I do an upper/ lower split which would group bench, rows, flyes, DB press etc with no leg work. The lower split would be something like squats, leg press, split squats, calf raises. Then my other upper would be OHP, pull ups, lateral raises etc. Leaving deads and other leg work for the second lower day.

    If you are in tune with your body you'll have a good idea of what works for you. But I personally have seen greater upper body gains by doing a split than full body each time.
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    I'm not really noticing much trouble with recovery... except sometimes on my 5x10 squats @40% right after deads. But I am running 10-20 miles a week and in deficit besides running 5/3/1 with BBB so I was thinking with a surplus and 5 miles a week of running I should be golden on recovery then. Maybe I am still tolerating the full body stuff 4x a week. I'm at 148 (would like to see 135-140 by bulk) and this week benched 150x4, OHP 100x4 and Squatted 250 x4... I expect to pull 275 at lest 4 times tomorrow. So relative to bodyweight I am still not really pounding it out.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Where I read this and how I remember probably aren't important but I thought doing dead's more then 1-2 times weekly puts a great/vast/tremendous stress on your CNS. I probably glanced through a body building site or remember it from a thread but most of 'the early risers' at my local gym avoid dead's past 2 days. These early risers also seem to know a poop ton on mechanics/technique and overall body comp then the everyday gym rat.

    As jo_marnes mentioned above you will see (me n=1) a quicker/faster improvement if/when you cut back cardio in terms of muscle growth and/or retention. In my laymen's head, less aerobic, more anaerobic work and slight changes to dietary intake lead to muscle response you are looking for. Best of luck.
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    Just to be clear the top routine is what I currently do with the first exercise mentioned done according to Wendler's 5/3/1. It's essentially Boring But Big with abs switched out for more chest and added runs.
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