My Gym Brehs - I Need Some Suggestions/Ideas for Workour Routines

[Walt]

@Malta
@krackdagawd
@GinaThatAintNoDamnPuppy!
@HHR
@MMSex
@ocmfII
@houston911


Let me give you some context with a rundown of what I've been doing...

About a year and a half ago I hit an all time low in terms of physical fitness. I was always a slim athletic dude, but multiple back surgeries related to my basketball playing days and a very intense relationship with bourbon and fine dining had me at 6'6, 260, sluggish and very both inside and out.
I had to look at myself like and get back on my grind in terms of diet and exercise. Six months later I was down to 225 and feeling as spry and handsome as ever.

These days I'm sitting at 237 and cut the fukk up like I used to be.

So, bearing in mind that I have had multiple back surgeries and always have to be cautious about that, what routines or individual exercises would you suggest?

My cousin is a personal trainer for pro baseball players, and he has hit me with the last two routines I followed, which are variations on a couple of classics.

The last 5 months have been split between:

* 5x5 with 7 minutes of intense cardio between every individual exercise.
* My cousin's version of German Volume Training, which is what I'll be done with in 3 weeks. It also incorporates cardio.

I'm currently doing dumbbell presses, standing shoulder presses, barbell curls, overhead pulldown for my upper back, farmer's walks (these shyt surprised me with how effective they are), a couple different core exercises, and flys. Very basic.

My left calf muscle used to be gigantic - it was my jumping leg. Now it's smaller than the right due to atrophying after my most recent surgery. Been trying to build it back up, but haven't had much success. Any suggestions on how to address that issue would be appreciated.

I stopped deadlifting during volume training at my cousin's suggestion because he was concerned about my back. So any deadlift variations would be appreciated too.

On the most basic level, I want either new exercises or a new combination of reps/sets.

Thanks a lot in advance, my breh brehs

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

Oooo its gonna be tough to build a big routine while tip toeing around your back. The big thing is what are you trying to achieve? Are you trying to get big? Just tone up/maintain?

I would do a simple push/pull/legs routine and start off very light on the legs. Do squats, stiff leg deads and calf raises on leg day. Add accessories if you want. Go from there.

 

[Walt]

Oooo its gonna be tough to build a big routine while tip toeing around your back. The big thing is what are you trying to achieve? Are you trying to get big? Just tone up/maintain?

I would do a simple push/pull/legs routine and start off very light on the legs. Do squats, stiff leg deads and calf raises on leg day. Add accessories if you want. Go from there.

I'm cautious with my back, but I don't completely neglect it. My cousin just didn't want me to do volume training for it.

I want to maintain being cut while also putting some more mass in the chest and shoulder area. I've got a weird frame in that I look slim as fukk, but my shoulders are pretty wide and my upper body is long. I'm looking for some new dumbbell press and fly variations, as well as some new chest exercises in general. Same with shoulder. Also a new mix of splits in terms of days. I've gone from working out 5 to 6 days a week to just 3 days a week with this volume training. I'd like a balance between those two - is it possible to rock with a milder volume training routine? That shyt be having me feel right as fukk.

 

[-G$-]

didn't even get a mention alert for this , just randomly came across this thread.

good to hear you're getting back into it though.

gonna read in more detail when i get a chance but actually taking off in a few mins to head over to doc/PT to work on my own shyt/shoulder

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

I'm cautious with my back, but I don't completely neglect it. My cousin just didn't want me to do volume training for it.

I want to maintain being cut while also putting some more mass in the chest and shoulder area. I've got a weird frame in that I look slim as fukk, but my shoulders are pretty wide and my upper body is long. I'm looking for some new dumbbell press and fly variations, as well as some new chest exercises in general. Same with shoulder. Also a new mix of splits in terms of days. I've gone from working out 5 to 6 days a week to just 3 days a week with this volume training. I'd like a balance between those two - is it possible to rock with a milder volume training routine? That shyt be having me feel right as fukk.

U dont need the new new. The classics work. You could probably get away with something like this

A day- Upper body (3x10 everything)
DB bench press
Dips
Horizontal rows (your choice- cable, Hammer Strength, dumbbell whatever)
Chins
Shoulder press (your choice- BB, DB, machine, behind the neck)
Lateral raises or upright rows

B day- Lower body
Squats
Romanan deadlifts
Calf raises

I would prob do A-B-A each week MWF

You do that, EAT, sleep right, lay off that Courvoisier (nikka I spelled that rite the first time!!!!!), you will get right. Cardio would help too. Maybe do each workout once a week and lite nikkas up on the weekend to keep your heart strong. Good to go

@ your back. Seems like a blessing in disguise tho

 

[Walt]

U dont need the new new. The classics work. You could probably get away with something like this

A day- Upper body (3x10 everything)
DB bench press
Dips
Horizontal rows (your choice- cable, Hammer Strength, dumbbell whatever)
Chins
Shoulder press (your choice- BB, DB, machine, behind the neck)
Lateral raises or upright rows

B day- Lower body
Squats
Romanan deadlifts
Calf raises

I would prob do A-B-A each week MWF

You do that, EAT, sleep right, lay off that Courvoisier (nikka I spelled that rite the first time!!!!!), you will get right. Cardio would help too. Maybe do each workout once a week and lite nikkas up on the weekend to keep your heart strong. Good to go

@ your back. Seems like a blessing in disguise tho

Will try this routine out when I get done with my German Volume joint. I've been on my workout grind for a year and a half, so I already feel "right," I'm just trying to ease myself into the next level and stay motivated for the grind.

 

[Walt]

didn't even get a mention alert for this , just randomly came across this thread.

good to hear you're getting back into it though.

gonna read in more detail when i get a chance but actually taking off in a few mins to head over to doc/PT to work on my own shyt/shoulder

Yeah, I'm not receiving notifications when people quote me and @ me today. Was wondering why so many of my reliable Coli people were fronting on me. Makes sense now.

Good luck with that shoulder.

 

[ScoopNScore]

Glad u putting down the Maker's Mark, thats the hardest step. Incorporate some jump rope into your workout, its the GOAT for calves and cardio. Start slow but gradually do more until u consistently breaking sweats. Also dont forget to go HAM on stretches, it will keep u loose n will help with rehabbing different areas of ur body

 

[Jesus Is Lord]

Dont believe this wavy haired fancy nugga didn't mention my name . Fukk it, I ain't sharing shyt. I had plans to turn this nugga into The Bionic Man Steve Austin injected with the strength of 80 midgets. I been strong since I was cream with no physical form and got stronger from my summers of free lunch in the hood.

 

[Walt]

Dont believe this wavy haired fancy nugga didn't mention my name . Fukk it, I ain't sharing shyt. I had plans to turn this nugga into The Bionic Man Steve Austin injected with the strength of 80 midgets. I been strong since I was cream with no physical form and got stronger from my summers of free lunch in the hood.

I didn't mention you becase I was worried you had no time for me - what with your extensive list of clients who range from Wall street tyc00ns to up and coming hood legends.

For everyone who might not be reading my first post too closely: I'm a former athlete - think Division I - and I went from 260 to 225 in six months. I'm not on some novice shyt, so basic advice won't be so helpful. I just need variety and new ideas. I'm 6'6, 237, and in very good shape. There's no fat on me and a lot of strength. Still, I want to get stronger, and i feel like I'm running out of routines, and my cuzzo has professional baseball players to worry about, so I don't want to keep harassing him for free. But I ain't on some novice level shyt, keep that in mind.

 

[Houston911]

im trying to figure out what im gonna do to bro. i havent lifted in almost 2 months

and yeah the popup didnt work for me either

@Malta @krackdagawd

 

[ScoopNScore]

im trying to figure out what im gonna do to bro. i havent lifted in almost 2 months

and yeah the popup didnt work for me either

@Malta @krackdagawd

2 months tho? If this is ur first break, then you're gonna be after your first workout, that initial muscle soreness is no joke especially around the joints. Two days later, u gonna feel after your energy goes up and you ready for your next day in the gym.

 

[-G$-]

from my personal experience- the best gains i ever made (strength and size) and the best i ever felt physically was when i was dialed into PHAT on an extended and consistent basis. granted most people don't have the time to incorporate the full program + some additional cardio into a typical adult life w work, relationships, commitment etc. i know it doesn't fit into my life any more. but i think finding a routine that enables you to incorporate some power style lifting w bodybuilding work really gives you a great balance. personally, once my shoulder is better, i'm going to look into creating a 4 day version that works w my schedule.

that being said, you with your back (and now me w my shoulder) will have to work around those sensitive spots. for me it will be easier because instead of having separate shoulder/back and chest/arms hypertrophy days i will prob just combine them into one upper body day and lay off the shoulder and chest work a bit so i'm not hitting my rotator cuff w so much volume. i guess the back is a little trickier because it's involved in pretty much every compound movement. if you're already getting away w squatting, benching, military press etc w no back problem it seems there's not much you're missing by the way of important compounds. it was already mentioned but instead of DLs you can do SLDLs, RDLs. rack pulls (maybe on a smith) would probably be more controlled but put more stress on your back so that may not be an option. you can also isolate hams and do more leg curl style work (seated / lying / @GinaThatAintNoDamnPuppy! does some new exercise w a ball n/h that he may be able to tell you about) so they're not neglected if all sorts of DLs bother you. do you wear a belt when you lift? that may help stabalize your back through some of these lifts, especially w heavier weight.

at the end of the day it will be a lot of trial and error for you to personally find which exercises are ok w your back. everybody's body is different and everybody's injuries heal differently. power style lifts may be out of the question for you because the weight may bother you, or hypertrophy lifting may bother you when the volume goes up. but my opinion is that a combo of both work best for development.

sorry if that's rambling at all, i think the less busy i've become at work, the dumber it's making me.

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

Stability ball hamstring curls. I love em

 

[HHR]

Upper back or lower back?

Does it prevent you from doing back work like pulls or are you more worried about putting weight on it like squats?