I was just curious as to what workout routine everyone is currently using… Push/Pull/Legs, GVT, FST-7, DogCrapp, 8x8, 5x5, Bro split, etc ?
This week is a deload / rest week for me.
I will be starting Layne Norton’s PHAT Training routine next week.
Put my own thing together to focus on strength gain on the big lifts (bench, squat, deads, etc.), for the back half of this year, focusing on one body part per day (chest, back, legs, arms, shoulders, abs) with a mix of sets and rep ranges.
Here is a copy of my first 3 week split. Excuse any typos.
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Layne Norton’s program is layed out like this…
DAY 1: Upper Body Power
DAY 2: Lower Body Power
DAY 3: Rest
DAY 4: Back and Shoulders Hypertrophy
DAY 5: Lower Body Hypertrophy
DAY 6: Chest and Arms Hypertrophy
DAY 7: Rest
I really like these types of workouts. Every muscle gets hit twice a week and I get low rep/heavy weight & high reps/lighter weight in the same week.
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Here’s the most common regimen my trainer puts me through:
Week 1:
1: Push Day (Power)
2: Pull Day (Power)
3: Leg Day (Power)
4: Push Day (Hypertrophy)
5: Pull Day (Hypertrophy)
6: Leg Day (Hypertrophy)
Week 2:
1: Chest
2: Back
3: Legs
4: Shoulders
5: Arms
My rest days are erratic, dependent on my life outside the gym 
.
…then repeat week 1 (in case that wasn’t obvious, lol)
We do other variations for different cycles. I just completed a cycle that was 5 days every week, but 2+ hours per workout:
1: Push
2: Pull
3: Legs
4: Upper Body
5: Lower Body
I’m brand new, having only started seriously lifting in January, and I appreciate all the info I’m getting on this forum 
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Welcome to the forum and and the world of lifting ! Both are addicting. Im an older guy so I need at least 2 days of rest a week. Looks like a solid routine there.
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Right on, I just crossed the 40 mark myself. Mike might set up a section of the forum for the Masters folk
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PHAT is a solid routine.
My coach is Neil Hill and he has me using his Y3T split. It breaks down as 3 week cycle, which repeats over and over again. The idea, is to target all 3 types of muscle fibers on different weeks.
Week 1 = 10-12 rep range at heavy weight with slower negatives and eccentric hold.
Week 2 = 14-18 rep range of lesser weight, with the aim of a longer “time under tension”, such as 3-4 second negatives.
Week 3 = This part blows. I did 700+ total reps for Legs today. The idea is to utilize Giant Sets/drop sets of higher reps (much lighter weight of course), to be able and hit the total rep range per giant set. They consist of 4-5 exercises. My quad giant set went like this today. I did this 5xs before moving to a similar split for hammies/glutes.
[Giant Set = Leg Press (80 reps) / 30 Body weight squats / triple drop set of leg extensions for 15 reps each / and 30 lunges]. No rest in between each exercise and 2min of rest between giant sets. Its very humbling to be using 180lbs on leg press or leg extensions with 40lbs! Haha.
It sounds silly, but it is incredibly challenging. After a while, I think it helps to throw in some wrenches to your training. If we aren’t improving somehow, then we really wont progress as much as we’d like.
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I’ve been doing CoolCicada’s PPL for about two years now and it’s worked great. Basic push/pull/legs routine but lower rep/heavier weight on compound lifts and more volume/lighter weight for accessories which I’m a fan of.
Might switch it up for PHUL or PHAT in the future.
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Yeah, I have done similar programs to PHAT, with both high volume, low volume days for all muscles twice a week. I really progress the best with these types of programs. I have never been able to grow by doing each body part once a week.
I did 12 weeks of FST-7, targeting different compound and isolated muscles.
It is exhausting.
Now I’m doing a 6- week upper-lower body splits to deload and recover.
Earlier this year (January, maybe beginning of February), I started “Fierce 5” Novice. A 3-day split like so:
Workout A
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Pendlay Rows 3x8
Face Pulls 3x10
Calf raises 2x15/Tricep pressdowns 2x10 Superset
Workout B
Front Squat 3x5
Overhead Press 3x5
Romanian Deadlift 3x8
Lat Pulldowns 3x8 (any grip)
Ab work 2x15/Bicep curls 2x10 Superset
Days: Monday “A”, Wednesday “B”, Friday “A”, Monday “B”, etc, etc
I was actually doing that program while in a deficit, even though it’s meant to be progressive overload for gains. Oddly enough, I think I made a bunch of newb gains because it definitely improved ALL compound lifts.
I just started Fierce 5 Intermediate, which is basically a 4-day upper/lower split, similarly designed as the above but with added lifts and slightly different progression. This time though I’m actually eating for the gains, so can’t wait to see how it goes (started a 300 calorie surplus for now by upping carbs and a bit of protein). I’ll post the Fierce 5 Intermediate if anyone wants to see it since I don’t want to make this post crazy big.
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I have taken things from other programs and just kinda wing it day to day depending on how I feel.
Being 40 and having a physical job for 10 hrs a day then Hitting the gym can be a shock at times. With arthritis creeping in I have to just make my workouts work for what kind of day I having.
Using Mike o’hearn program on heavy days 7 sets of 3. With basically max weights is serious. But it takes it out on the nervous system if done for more than 4-5 weeks. So I have been having some light hypertrophy days to help flood the previous worked muscles with blood and that helps with repair pretty well.
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It’s always interesting to hear about different workout routines! Deload weeks are crucial for recovery and progress. Layne Norton’s PHAT Training routine is well-regarded for its combination of power and hypertrophy training.
For those looking to explore hypertrophy training further, RP Strength has a detailed guide that covers all aspects of hypertrophy training. You can find it here: Complete Hypertrophy Training Guide
Feel free to share your experiences with different routines and how they’ve worked for you!