Frankie NY's Mass Building Program

hey frankieNY iv been doing 4x5 on everything but here lately iv been doing 3x5 on bench and incline and 4x5 on everything else , because iv had to start doing push ups at work three times a week new thing the came up with, will i still get the strength in my chest and the mass to im going for doing the 3x5 a week, and iv reached a sticking point on my bench iv been adding five lbs every week untill this week i had to stay the same is it because of the pushups ,

Should I start this routine with much lower weights than my current max on bench,deadlift and squat. If I start close to my current max how could I keep raising the poundage each week??

Frankie my friend ...

More on the chest/shoulder thing: Would it be okay to maybe swap the order on alternate weeks - such that chest was done first one week and shoulders the second? If not, my shoulders will never be lifting anywhere near what they could ...

if not, just say so :)

thanks

Frankie ive decided to give your routine a go natural till at least christmas i did the leg day today and i enjoyed it it makes nice change concentrateing on 3 exercises instead of 5 or 6 but i have a few question here gos
1)I trained hard probably not with the heavyest weight i could use as it was my first day and wanted to find my feet and brake into it but still at the end of it my legs didnt feel as id worked them hard as they do if i do more exercises im just a bit worried about the lack of exercises can u resure me that they will GROW! and should i feel f**ked at the end of the session.
2)How long should the session last the leg day took me about an hour?
CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by crazyhorse

hey frankieNY iv been doing 4x5 on everything but here lately iv been doing 3x5 on bench and incline and 4x5 on everything else , because iv had to start doing push ups at work three times a week new thing the came up with, will i still get the strength in my chest and the mass to im going for doing the 3x5 a week, and iv reached a sticking point on my bench iv been adding five lbs every week untill this week i had to stay the same is it because of the pushups

---

It's probably not because of the pushups, unless you're doing massive amounts of them. Plateaus are perfectly normal. You're not going to add 5 pounds every week, even though you'd sure like to. I would do 5x5 on bench not 3x5. That may help.

If you're stuck at a plateau for more than two weeks, consider taking a week off if you've been on 5x5 for at least 8 weeks.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sword

More on the chest/shoulder thing: Would it be okay to maybe swap the order on alternate weeks - such that chest was done first one week and shoulders the second? If not, my shoulders will never be lifting anywhere near what they could

---

I would always do at least one chest movement to start your push workout and then the shoulder movement. Doing at least one chest movement first serves to properly warmup your shoulders and triceps before moving into direct shoulder work.

Also, don't forget that bench work hits the shoulders hard, so you are working them when you do chest movements.

Even if you do two chest movements first and then your shoulder exercise, your shoulders will get big and strong. Don't worry.

quote:

---

Originally posted by richyd

1)I trained hard probably not with the heavyest weight i could use as it was my first day and wanted to find my feet and brake into it but still at the end of it my legs didnt feel as id worked them hard as they do if i do more exercises im just a bit worried about the lack of exercises can u resure me that they will GROW! and should i feel f**ked at the end of the session.
2)How long should the session last the leg day took me about an hour?

---

Your approach is a good one. Easing into 5x5 is good. You don't want to jump right into a weight where it takes everything you've got to get 5 reps on the last set. By starting a little lighter you're building momentum. If you want to know more about momentum, read my post "5x5 Refinements and Advanced Topics".

Once you work up to heavier weights, 5 sets of heavy squats and 5 sets of heavy SLDLs should leave you totally drained and give you DOMS for days.

It also takes a while to get used to doing only 3 or 4 exercises per workout. When you're accustomed to doing 5-6 exercises per work, your body, whether consciously or unconsciously, knows that you're going to be doing 5 or 6 exercises that day, so you instinctively hold back. It's like knowing you're going to run a marathon, so you don't sprint the first 1/4 mile. When you are only going to be doing 3 or 4 exercises, you can go all out on each one. Not holding back and not overtraining is what will take you to new levels of strength and size.

In terms of how long your workout should take, I'd allow 15 minutes for warmup cardio and stretching and then 60-75 minutes for the weights.

Frankie,

I'm done with the 1st week of your program, and i know its still really early but i'm a bit skeptical because i didn't really feel anything after each session. i didn't feel like i was worked out, and i lifted with great intensity, and heavy weights. I am goin to continue the routine for the 10-12 weeks, i just wanted to know if this was normal or what? I mainly concerned about my biceps, triceps, and abs.. they didnt feel anything at all, where back shoulders and chest felt a very tiny little bit... if you could give me your thoughts i would appreciate it!

thanks,
hctpf5

I've been following the routine 4 a couple of months now and am really enjoying it. I did a stint on Max-OT and then some German Volume Training, but I really feel like this is doin a lot more good.
Anyway, having looked at some recent posts I'm worried I'm not doin enough warming-up/stretching. I really only do a couple of warm-up sets at about 50% of my 5x5 weight and a couple of minutes of stretching...The thing is, I've got it into my head that doin much more than this will reduce my intensity/strength in the work sets. Am I heading for an injury?

Meadlord:

I would do 5 minutes of warmup cardio at a moderate pace. Break a slight sweat and get your heart rate up a little.

Then, stretch for about 10 minutes. Stretch your legs, groin, back, and upper body. Even if it's PUSH day, stretch your lower back and legs as you'll use them both with overhead presses.

Now, you're ready to hit the weights. For each exercise do one warmup set with 50% of your work set weight for 5 reps and a second warmup set with 75% of your work set weight for 5 reps. Next, do your five work sets. Two warmup sets at 50% work weight aren't enough. You need the warmup set at 75%.

It is a total misconception that warmup sets should be in the 12-15 rep range. Warmup sets that light don't do anything other than burn up energy and don't help you with injury prevention.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Frankie NY

Once you work up to heavier weights, 5 sets of heavy squats and 5 sets of heavy SLDLs should leave you totally drained and give you DOMS for days.

---

I'm doing something similarly abbreviated and, I like to think, intense, and the DOMS peak a couple of days later and then take a couple of days to subside. I am going back to the gym when I feel like I've recovered and the soreness has nearly gone; this means that my two day, full body split is taking up to ten days! Do you think that my recovery time is excessive?
A. squat, dips, bent over db row, calves
B. DL, military press, wide grip chins, calves
[yeah, calf DOMS last longest]
Thanks,
Z

Hi Frankie, I just started with Pull today. Went easy cos I'm not too used to the rows and I need to perfect my technique. Next week I'll start with some decent weight. Should I be trying to up the weight on each exercise by a few pounds each weeks or should I expect slower progress on the second and third exercise each day? The first exercise each day looks to me like the heavy 'main' one. Should I give each the same priority when adding weight?

Frankie, a question I mean to ask....Is it OK to use the EZ bar for curls or should I use a straight one?

quote:

---

I would do 5 minutes of warmup cardio at a moderate pace. Break a slight sweat and get your heart rate up a little.

Then, stretch for about 10 minutes. Stretch your legs, groin, back, and upper body. Even if it's PUSH day, stretch your lower back and legs as you'll use them both with overhead presses.

Now, you're ready to hit the weights. For each exercise do one warmup set with 50% of your work set weight for 5 reps and a second warmup set with 75% of your work set weight for 5 reps. Next, do your five work sets. Two warmup sets at 50% work weight aren't enough. You need the warmup set at 75%.

It is a total misconception that warmup sets should be in the 12-15 rep range. Warmup sets that light don't do anything other than burn up energy and don't help you with injury prevention.

---

Cheers, I'll give that a go, thanks 4 ur help!

Rapoza:

If you've been training for at least 6-9 months with weights, then I would recommend you move to a split routine where you don't work the full body in each workout.

If you're squatting and deadlifting, then you don't need to work calves for now.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lars

Should I be trying to up the weight on each exercise by a few pounds each weeks or should I expect slower progress on the second and third exercise each day? The first exercise each day looks to me like the heavy 'main' one. Should I give each the same priority when adding weight?

---

Your first exercise is your priority exercise - deadlifts, bench press, and squats. You can expect to add more weight over time to these exercises than to your second and third exercises. This is to be expected since you have less and less energy as your workout goes on.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lars

Frankie, a question I mean to ask....Is it OK to use the EZ bar for curls or should I use a straight one?

---

Use a straight bar as it hits the biceps more directly. 9 times out of 10 when people complain about wrist pain when using a straight bar it's because they have weak wrists not because of any anatomical defect.

Why do they have weak wrists? Because they use straps, don't deadlift, and don't train their grip.

hi frankie
i think i am goin to switch to your routine as i feel i have been overtraining in my first year of bb . i know you cant gain lean muscle so with this routine to gain mass how do you get the tone/definition or is it something that comes after awhile?
sorry i sound stupid but was set in my ways to start with

majorinsano:

You're doing much better than I did when I was younger. I overtrained for about the first 5-10 years I lifted.

I've already answered your question in another post. Read:

http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=60886

Let me know if you have any more questions.

thanks frankie i will take your advice and try this routine .
i will keep you posted !!!!