Well I've had a very successful bulk over the past twelve weeks! :spaz:

I've also got horrible posture. :blank:

The combination has left me with significant (i.e. visible to the naked eye) imbalances. The visual disparity mirrors the measured disparity I found the last time I knew where the hell my Myotape was, only more so. The issues are:


Right Quad significantly bigger than Left
Right Hamstring bigger than Left
Left Calf slightly bigger than Right
Left Erectors significantly bigger than Right
Left Rhomboid/Lat bigger than Right
Left Trap bigger than Right


I can't tell much difference between pecs and my arms seem fairly even. My forearms are the same, but are rather small in comparison to the rest of my body so I want to incorporate more grip-intensive exercises to this new routine.

The 6-10 rep range seems to work extremely well for me in terms of size gains and reliable load progression so I want to stick with that. I'm cutting and have increased my cardiovascular work so I want to move from a 4-day U/L split to a 3 day total-body program with a lot of unilateral and posture lifts. I'm a little leery of abandoning back-squats entirely but if I keep it up I'm going to have one gigantic leg and one tiny one.

This is what I have in mind. Commentary is appreciated.

Monday
-------
Front Squat: 3x6-10
Single Leg DB Deadlift: 3x6-10/side - (start L/weak side)
1-Arm Seated Cable Row: 3x6-10/side - (start R/weak side)
Dumbbell Flat Bench: 3x6-10
DB Standing Shoulder Press: 3x6-8
Triceps/Biceps/Calfs: 1x6-10/side - (start weak side)

Wednesday
-----------
Dips: 3x6-10
Split Squat: 3x6-10/side - (start L)
1-Leg Hamstring Curl: 3x6-10/side - (start L)
Chin Ups: 3xMax
1-Arm Lever Shoulder Press: 3x6-10/side - (start R)
Triceps/Biceps/Calfs: 1x6-10/side - (start weak side)

Friday
-----
Deadlifts: 3x6-10
Lunges: 4x6-8/side - (start L)
DB Bent/Over Row: 3x6-10/side - (start R)
1-Arm Lever Chest Press: 3x6-10 - (start R)
1-Leg Extensions: 3x6-10/side - (start L)
Triceps/Biceps/Calfs: 1x6-10/side - (start weak side)

Just looking at it typed here, I'm wondering where the hell the back squats are. :blank:

This translates to roughly the same weekly volume I'm doing with my current routine. Lunges are set at 4x6-8 'cause I don't know that my CV system could handle 10-rep sets and I see no specific benefit to finding out.

I intend to follow this for eight weeks, re-evaluating after four to get a better idea of what's working.

Thanks in advance!

The leg extensions on Friday seem somewhat superfluous but overall it looks good.
The only problem I see you running into is that these workouts might take a long time to get through with all the unilateral work (I'm under the impression that you sometimes lift on your lunch break or right before work).

The leg extensions on Friday seem somewhat superfluous but overall it looks good.

I find that lunges hit my glutes/hams a lot more than my quads and, since that's the most drastic imbalance, I wanted to have something quad-specific (but not CV brutal) for Friday. :nod:

The only problem I see you running into is that these workouts might take a long time to get through with all the unilateral work.

It was a concern for me, too. I did kind of an impromptu test-run this morning. By doing one side then the other I can cut my rest time down to 30 seconds on most unilateral work and that seems to keep the total time under 55:00.

Thanks George! :D

I find that lunges hit my glutes/hams a lot more than my quads and, since that's the most drastic imbalance, I wanted to have something quad-specific (but not CV brutal) for Friday. :nod:

Low-rep, high-step step-ups :nod:

Right Quad significantly bigger than Left
Right Hamstring bigger than Left
Left Calf slightly bigger than Right
Left Erectors significantly bigger than Right
Left Rhomboid/Lat bigger than Right
Left Trap bigger than Right


The 6-10 rep range seems to work extremely well for me in terms of size gains and reliable load progression so I want to stick with that. I'm cutting and have increased my cardiovascular work so I want to move from a 4-day U/L split to a 3 day total-body program with a lot of unilateral and posture lifts. I'm a little leery of abandoning back-squats entirely but if I keep it up I'm going to have one gigantic leg and one tiny one.

This is what I have in mind. Commentary is appreciated.

Monday
-------
Front Squat: 3x6-10
Single Leg DB Deadlift: 3x6-10/side - (start L/weak side)
1-Arm Seated Cable Row: 3x6-10/side - (start R/weak side)
Dumbbell Flat Bench: 3x6-10
DB Standing Shoulder Press: 3x6-8
Triceps/Biceps/Calfs: 1x6-10/side - (start weak side)

Wednesday
-----------
Dips: 3x6-10
Split Squat: 3x6-10/side - (start L)
1-Leg Hamstring Curl: 3x6-10/side - (start L)
Chin Ups: 3xMax
1-Arm Lever Shoulder Press: 3x6-10/side - (start R)
Triceps/Biceps/Calfs: 1x6-10/side - (start weak side)

Friday
-----
Deadlifts: 3x6-10
Lunges: 4x6-8/side - (start L)
DB Bent/Over Row: 3x6-10/side - (start R)
1-Arm Lever Chest Press: 3x6-10 - (start R)
1-Leg Extensions: 3x6-10/side - (start L)
Triceps/Biceps/Calfs: 1x6-10/side - (start weak side)

Just looking at it typed here, I'm wondering where the hell the back squats are. :blank:

The imbalance you are talking about will take a long time to correct, especially if you keep doing the stuff that got you that imbalance. The calves could take a very long time to even out.

I would suggest stopping back squats altogether. Just a reminder that (barbell) back squats are often called "squats" for short. They are the usual squat with a bar on your traps or back.

Your program doesn't look bad. If you stick to that for a long time it should work.

If you want to go faster I have some suggestions.

The 6-10 rep range sounds good, and since it varies from person to person, you'll have to feel that out for yourself. For single leg exercises I like a mix of some high volume days (like 3x10 or 3x12) and some heavier work which I go by feel. My typical "working" heavy set for single leg deads is 3x6 but I throw in some heavy triples, doubles and singles on occasion. I think that having a little extra strength capacity makes the sets of 6 easier to address with as much load as possible. It's pretty easy to kick your ass with 3x12 single leg deads even if you are off by ten or twenty pounds, but when you get to the low numbers then the right weight makes a lot more difference. The third set of 6 single leg deadlifts should not feel shattering (too much CNS in that case) but you should feel like if you have to do a fourth set it would make you cry.

Split squats are OK, but I would go with Bulgarians (elevate the back foot) and use a little big of "powerlifter" squat form to keep as much of the weight on the front foot and off the back foot. This lets you use less weight than if you balance them more equally. Use your lunge work for the more equal weight distribution work.

I would prefer single arm planche work and pushups with dumbell and cable lifts in addition to or instead of the single arm lever press.

You can also do your dumbell presses one arm at a time, which adds a core workout.

Remember to load the front squats as heavy as works. Most people get more out of a few big front squats then a high volume of little ones. You can always throw the bar on the back and fill in volume.

I find that lunges hit my glutes/hams a lot more than my quads and, since that's the most drastic imbalance, I wanted to have something quad-specific (but not CV brutal) for Friday. :nod:

Bulgarians.