Hey all,..
Been looking for a three times a week full body routine lately, but have given the Max OT a second look too,...

It had been a while since I read over the program, and hadn't remembered it as a five days a week lifting routine. Am I off the mark in thinking that could get you in trouble, or is the fact it's suppose to be a super short intense workout, that only hits a single muscle group per day, that saves you from becoming over trained?

I like the idea of the low rep range, and the short lifting time, consentrating on one muscle group, even done at high intensity, but every day has me a bit puzzled. Lately I have had the idea I might need that day after to recover a little better, but I have been doing more excercises than what would be done per day with Max OT. I have been tacking on a few minutes of cardio after my lifting as well,...Think that would still be Ok on the max OT program? That would round out the entire workout, including 20 minutes of cardio, to about an hour.

This week would be a good week to start something new, as I'm on vacation,....Well,..Sort of. I'm off work anyway,...Working on everything that needs repair,..Wife's car, the house, the inlaws house, the folks house,..and on and on,..:bang: Some vacation,...!

Anyway,..Your thoughts much appreciated.

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Here is another 5 day routine,..Is this not too much?

What does it take to get away with a routine like this? Pro Body Builder?

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Max OT can get away with 5 days in a row because it is only one "part" getting trained every day. It has its ups and downs, but the biggest down IMO is that you only hit everything essentially once a week and you need to find 5 days a week to get to the gym. Time consuming on the most part.

If you do it by the book you probably wont need the next day to recover. I never fully enjoyed MaxOT when I was doing it though, as three or four days after I do legs or chest I feel like I'm ready to do those again.

betastas,..
Thanks for your thoughts,..I'm not sure I can stick with it. It's a mental thing, but I feel like can't give it the effort it deserves to really work, as I workout alone.

I know the idea of volume, and breaking down the muscle, isn't the only way to build, but I feel like I can't push hard enough, "safely", to do the "Super Heavy" lifts to failure.

I'm trying it out, but have reservations. Yesterday didn't go well at all,..."Leg Day"

I think I will be taking a more volume related routine, and changing the set/rep scheeme, or a more basic, three times a week routine, and see how that goes for hitting muscle groups more than once a week. That's what I really want right now, but can't seem to find a set that covers everything without over training,...


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I'm doing Max OT 5 days/wk, for the past 5 weeks.

The short sessions are cool. Sometimes (MOST times) I feel like I'm not in the gym long enough. 30-40 minutes is typical, and that includes warm-up. I AM making noticeable gains, though, so I'm sticking with it.

I think a guy said earlier in this thread that he's ready for another leg workout 3-4 days later, and doesn't want to wait a week between sets. I definitely get that, too. For now, I'll stay on the program.

As for cardio, I've heard from many I trust, that if you're trying to bulk and WANT to do cardio, you should do it at least 8 hours before or after weights. You can do one in the morning, and the other in the evening. Sometimes I'll be at the gym, and after weights I see the cardio machines and I wanna climb on (except on leg days!). I look at it the way you do, it's a good way to round out the hour. However, I think you should read up first. Not saying it WILL hurt your gains, and I don't know the science behind it, but if you work as hard for your gains as I do, you oughta look into it.

It took me a couple of weeks to really know what weight to use on each exercise, but since then I've seen steady progress.

I'm doing Max OT 5 days/wk, for the past 5 weeks.

The short sessions are cool. Sometimes (MOST times) I feel like I'm not in the gym long enough. 30-40 minutes is typical, and that includes warm-up. I AM making noticeable gains, though, so I'm sticking with it.

I think a guy said earlier in this thread that he's ready for another leg workout 3-4 days later, and doesn't want to wait a week between sets. I definitely get that, too. For now, I'll stay on the program.

As for cardio, I've heard from many I trust, that if you're trying to bulk and WANT to do cardio, you should do it at least 8 hours before or after weights. You can do one in the morning, and the other in the evening. Sometimes I'll be at the gym, and after weights I see the cardio machines and I wanna climb on (except on leg days!). I look at it the way you do, it's a good way to round out the hour. However, I think you should read up first. Not saying it WILL hurt your gains, and I don't know the science behind it, but if you work as hard for your gains as I do, you oughta look into it.

It took me a couple of weeks to really know what weight to use on each exercise, but since then I've seen steady progress.


rehabber,..
Thanks for the input. Time is my enemy,...Very much so,..so I do my cardio right after Ilift. I try to keep it pretty short,..20 minutes or so,..as I just can't cut free to do it at another time during the day. I realize there is two schools of thought on this, but right now, I'm trying to lean out a bit more before I bulk.

Now if I can find a routine I'm happy with that will allow a day between lifting days, I may cut the cardio from lifting days. That would be great. I may have come across soemething that will work, and will be posting it for review,...

For now however, like yourself, I'm sticking with it. It is different, but most of it is coming together,...

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Well, good luck with it. Even if you DO go for cardio after a lift, I don't think it's THAT big a deal. Besides, the point for most of us is to just FEEL good. Lifting weights then jogging, heck, it's good exercise and it feels great.

I was gonna say that maybe after working out for a few weeks you'll be in better shape and require less sleep each night.... but I'm finding that I need about 30-60 minutes MORE rest. It's probably either the change in diet (a lot more protein) or my body needs sleep to build all that extra muscle I'm packing on ;)

Well, good luck with it. Even if you DO go for cardio after a lift, I don't think it's THAT big a deal. Besides, the point for most of us is to just FEEL good. Lifting weights then jogging, heck, it's good exercise and it feels great.

I was gonna say that maybe after working out for a few weeks you'll be in better shape and require less sleep each night.... but I'm finding that I need about 30-60 minutes MORE rest. It's probably either the change in diet (a lot more protein) or my body needs sleep to build all that extra muscle I'm packing on ;)

Ha! Sleep? When are we suppose to do that?,..I think that is one of my biggest issues. I don't get enough rest. So much going on, and not enough time to get it all taken care of,..I cram my workoputs in between other things. As soon as I'm done working out, it's right back to getting something else going, or finished,...Up late alomost evry night trying to keep up. I'm not one to even set and watch TV. I do movies every so aften, but never have a time each day when I just set and relax,...Life has me wound around it's finger right now,...I'm trying to slow it down, but my work isn't allowing that to happen,...I'm trying to improve my diet, and how I workoput, to better acheive my goals, but it's tough without a little more freedom of time,...

Thanks for the support,..A plan is slowly coming,...

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The farther you get in the MAX-OT course you'll see they have 3 or 4 day splits set up you can do. I read through the course just recently and have decided to set up a 4day split (may go to three but four is looking good) and just do workouts the MAX-OT way (if you catch my meaning) low reps heavy weight. That leaves me with at least three days to do HIT and if I'm not working I can do cardio the 8hrs before or after deal.

Honestly what I did: went through all of the recommended exercises MAX-OT employs, printed off multiple copies of John's MAX-OT spreadsheet and assembled my split. When I go to the gym on Leg/Calves day I pick 4-5 exercises from the list and make my leg/calves day, log my workouts so I can see how I've improved on wts and swap out the exercises when I feel bored (except squats I love em). I think the whole ideal with MAX-OT is that you get the principle down pat and apply it to your workouts. It does help that its spelled out in days, but I can't always do 5 days a week and if I did I'd skip out on alot of cardio.

The farther you get in the MAX-OT course you'll see they have 3 or 4 day splits set up you can do. I read through the course just recently and have decided to set up a 4day split (may go to three but four is looking good) and just do workouts the MAX-OT way (if you catch my meaning) low reps heavy weight. That leaves me with at least three days to do HIT and if I'm not working I can do cardio the 8hrs before or after deal.

Honestly what I did: went through all of the recommended exercises MAX-OT employs, printed off multiple copies of John's MAX-OT spreadsheet and assembled my split. When I go to the gym on Leg/Calves day I pick 4-5 exercises from the list and make my leg/calves day, log my workouts so I can see how I've improved on wts and swap out the exercises when I feel bored (except squats I love em). I think the whole ideal with MAX-OT is that you get the principle down pat and apply it to your workouts. It does help that its spelled out in days, but I can't always do 5 days a week and if I did I'd skip out on alot of cardio.


This pretty much what I have decided to do if I can't find a completely spelled out routine. Kind of a mix and match, as long as basic principles are kept in order,...Not 100% sure what I'm going to go to just yet however. I think I am splitting hairs, but really be able o hit it hard, I think I need to feel good about the routine,..

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