# Bulking/mass programs - Do you ever change it?



## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

*Do you ever change your bulking program?*​
No, I've found one that works so I'll stick with it 1456.00%I like to periodise my training 520.00%I do a program for a while, then switch to another624.00%


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Thought it might be interesting to see how people go about this, so I've knocked up a poll. Do you stick with the same program all the while you're bulking; or do you periodise with periods of mass, strength and power; or even hop from program to program?

I personally pretty much stick to the same program. I see no reason to keep changing all the while it keeps producing good results and fuelling my goals. I have no other goals besides mass and strength - the program is certainly producing both better than any other style of training or split I've tried, so it'd make no sense to me to change my split or the style of training. I deload every couple of months to allow accumulated fatigue to dissipate and avoid plateaus. I believe it's necessary to deload pretty often with high-intensity training (Yates' style is my method of choice). I like to keep the intensity the same (i.e. still training to absolute failure) during my deloads but use a massive decrease in volume to allow proper recovery. Pretty much just one easy, non-CNS-taxing exercise per bodypart throughout each deload week, with no set-prolonging techniques.


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## Bad Alan (Dec 30, 2010)

I use periodised training to keep progression constant all the time. I find this optimal and glad to be working with some of the best in the business with this style ATM @ah24. Unless you're a freak IMO you have to be clever with training to see the best possible results.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Bad Alan said:


> I use periodised training to keep progression constant all the time. I find this optimal and glad to be working with some of the best in the business with this style ATM @ah24. Unless you're a freak IMO you have to be clever with training to see the best possible results.


Good points. If you do the same thing week in, week out forever you're gonna stall out soon enough. I'm of the opinion though that deloading every so-often works as a type of periodisation in itself, as from my experience it works as a reset and you can return to your old program as if it's something new and keep progressing.


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## IGotTekkers (Jun 6, 2012)

Iv always done heavy with few reps/sets. Now doing high volume low weight. Can't say what's better yet


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## 36-26 (Jun 30, 2009)

I always end up going back to low volume heavy weights 5-8 rep range. It just feels right. High reps or high volume just tires me out.


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## Ash1981 (Jun 16, 2009)

> Thought it might be interesting to see how people go about this, so I've knocked up a poll. Do you stick with the same program all the while you're bulking; or do you periodise with periods of mass, strength and power; or even hop from program to program?
> 
> I personally pretty much stick to the same program. I see no reason to keep changing all the while it keeps producing good results and fuelling my goals. I have no other goals besides mass and strength - the program is certainly producing both better than any other style of training or split I've tried, so it'd make no sense to me to change my split or the style of training. I deload every couple of months to allow accumulated fatigue to dissipate and avoid plateaus. I believe it's necessary to deload pretty often with high-intensity training (Yates' style is my method of choice). I like to keep the intensity the same (i.e. still training to absolute failure) during my deloads but use a massive decrease in volume to allow proper recovery. Pretty much just one easy, non-CNS-taxing exercise per bodypart throughout each deload week, with no set-prolonging techniques.


I cant see how training to failure on a deload week isnt going to tax your cns


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Ash1981 said:


> I cant see how training to failure on a deload week isnt going to tax your cns


It's only 2 easy exercises per workout (for example, just leg extensions and leg curls on legs), which granted might tax a bit but not enough to put a significant dent in my recovery. People work harder than that lifting heavy sh1t at work every day lol.


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## Ash1981 (Jun 16, 2009)

I said:


> It's only 2 easy exercises per workout (for example' date=' just leg extensions and leg curls on legs), which granted might tax a bit but not enough to put a significant dent in my recovery. People work harder than that lifting heavy sh1t at work every day lol.[/quote']
> 
> Yea like ****ing me lol


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## RowRow (Nov 17, 2011)

I every so often change things up. From frequency, volume, rep range, intensity, everything really every 4 weeks or so. Generally training is either ramped up or down depending on where I am with things


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## Echo (Sep 24, 2013)

I have a set program and just tweak as I progress


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Ash1981 said:


> Yea like ****ing me lol


 :lol: Yeah it's easier for me to recover during a deload week due to having a desk job


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## Wallace86 (Jan 20, 2013)

I done 6-8 weeks low reps 5-8 range heavy weight, now doing 12 reps lighter weight loving it a well deserved change then when get to 6-8 weeks il change again to either 5x5 or back to 8-6. Never really done the 12 rep range as always done heavy 5x5 or 6-8 rep range loved that but wow liking this high reps,

But I will go back it's boosted me a little bit and feeling a lot more pumped I just like to mix training up.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Ripping it up said:


> I done 6-8 weeks low reps 5-8 range heavy weight, now doing 12 reps lighter weight loving it a well deserved change then when get to 6-8 weeks il change again to either 5x5 or back to 8-6. Never really done the 12 rep range as always done heavy 5x5 or 6-8 rep range loved that but wow liking this high reps,
> 
> But I will go back it's boosted me a little bit and feeling a lot more pumped I just like to mix training up.


Interesting. I always work in a range of 6-12 so I dabble in both worlds really. I start with a weight I can do 6 reps to failure with, then keep pushing for one more rep each workout on that movement. Once I hit 12 reps I'll increase the weight to drop back down to 6 reps again (formula on my spreadsheet works it out for me and it's pretty fcking accurate). So on every movement I spend a good few workouts in a lower range, then a few in a moderate range and a few in a higher range before adding weight and starting the cycle again. Sort of like built-in periodisation and allows me to progress without any bullsh!t.


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## Wallace86 (Jan 20, 2013)

I said:


> Interesting. I always work in a range of 6-12 so I dabble in both worlds really. I start with a weight I can do 6 reps to failure with' date=' then keep pushing for one more rep each workout on that movement. Once I hit 12 reps I'll increase the weight to drop back down to 6 reps again (formula on my spreadsheet works it out for me and it's pretty fcking accurate). So on every movement I spend a good few workouts in a lower range, then a few in a moderate range and a few in a higher range before adding weight and starting the cycle again. Sort of like built-in periodisation and allows me to progress without any bullsh!t.[/quote']
> 
> I like the sound of this and il maybe incorporate this in to my next work out change up  always like to keep it lively when it comes to workouts! Don't drop the weight dramatically tho and on most weeks il train 2x body part each week and on 1 I like to do a heavily set just so my PB don't hinder.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

Ripping it up said:


> I like the sound of this and il maybe incorporate this in to my next work out change up  always like to keep it lively when it comes to workouts! Don't drop the weight dramatically tho and on most weeks il train 2x body part each week and on 1 I like to do a heavily set just so my PB don't hinder.


I train each muscle group twice a week as well, basically doing an upper/lower split but I do the early Dorian Yates style one in which you do arms on the lower day instead. So pretty much a torso/limbs split.


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## Wallace86 (Jan 20, 2013)

Yeah I'm doing a upper/lower split also


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## gearchange (Mar 19, 2010)

I have found a routine that works for me,Its taken a few years.All I do now is adjust it slightly depending on whether I am bulking or cutting.I have seen so many chop and change due to a youtube vid or magazine article on kai Green or Dorian yates and in the end have no way of knowing what works and what does not.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

gearchange said:


> I have found a routine that works for me,Its taken a few years.All I do now is adjust it slightly depending on whether I am bulking or cutting.I have seen so many chop and change due to a youtube vid or magazine article on kai Green or Dorian yates and in the end have no way of knowing what works and what does not.


Agree with this. Ironically though it was being a fan of Dorian's philosophies that got me into training the way I do, but after trying several methods I truly believe I've found a style I'll be sticking with for a long time, already been doing it for several months and it just keeps producing results. Not even Dorian could get me to change my routine now.


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## DarthMaulscle (Dec 26, 2012)

I follow my main routine almost year round, it incorporates heavy days and high volume days. I will sometimes change my routine for 6-8 weeks of the year to a strength based routine before returning to my typical 'bodybuilding routine'.

I do tend to go lower reps on my heavy days when looking to add mass however, focusing more on the 8-10, and occasionally 6's, as opposed to as high as 12 (which I cover in my high volume days anyway)


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## DarthMaulscle (Dec 26, 2012)

Last year, I changed up my routine for around 6-8 weeks where I did a 5 day strength split.

However since I started getting ready for my first show, which was last January, i've stuck with the same routine. Obviously certain exercises change from workout to workout, but the core of the routine remains the same.


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## bigchickenlover (Jul 16, 2013)

Its tough to say "I know what works" as we always change or find out new info. But I know what I like and how my body will react.

Food wise il eat same day after day unless I want to put a lot of mass on then il add calorie's in simple really..

Training is always hard and heavy on compound movements and high reps for isolation

Easy life


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## reza85 (Jan 11, 2009)

I tend to high volume mostly with 4/6 weeks of very low volume sets 3 to give the connective tissue and tendons a break joints love it


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## lew007 (Nov 7, 2003)

I said:


> I train each muscle group twice a week as well' date=' basically doing an upper/lower split but I do the early Dorian Yates style one in which you do arms on the lower day instead. So pretty much a torso/limbs split.[/quote']
> 
> Can you post up a typical routine please mate?


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## lew007 (Nov 7, 2003)

ps im a switcher, most recently been on the blood and guts style intensity, but split over 3 days. i have found im struggling to fight off a cold lately and im wondering if this intensity hasnt been too taxing to help recovery. had a week off and still feeling pretty w£nk so perhaps a deload next week and review from then on.

lew


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

lew007 said:


> Can you post up a typical routine please mate?
> 
> ps im a switcher, most recently been on the blood and guts style intensity, but split over 3 days. i have found im struggling to fight off a cold lately and im wondering if this intensity hasnt been too taxing to help recovery. had a week off and still feeling pretty w£nk so perhaps a deload next week and review from then on.


My routine is currently as follows mate (a "/" between exercises means I alternate them each workout):

Workout A

DB bench/incline bench

Flyes

Arnold press

Chins

Incline supported DB rows/widegripped barbell rows

Rack pulls

Workout B

Dumbbell curls/hammer curls

Overhead DB extensions

Leg curls w/ 3 dropsets (you can focus more and more on contracting the upper part of the hams with each weight drop)

Leg extensions

Squats

I train at home so my equipment is limited (bench w/ leg attachment, pullup bar and barbell and dumbbell bars with weights). You can change some of the exercises for similar exercises, for example pulldowns instead of chins, different types of row etc.

Yeah mate I'd recommend delaoding before starting tbh. Proper failure training like HIT is very harsh on the CNS and I personally delaod every 8 weeks. I find that if I don't I start getting prone to illness, start stalling all over the place and even going backwards. Had to experiment a bit to find the sweet spot but I found it in the end, someone elses might be less or more time.


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## lew007 (Nov 7, 2003)

> My routine is currently as follows mate (a "/" between exercises means I alternate them each workout):
> 
> Workout A
> 
> ...


Thanks mate, tried workout a yesterday and it went very well! Sore in all the right places, I like training back with chest or shoulders. I find it helps keep my loose shoulder joints centred and minimizes aggrevating my r/c impingement.

Gonna train eod or near as possible to allow as much recovery between workouts tho.


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## nWo (Mar 25, 2014)

lew007 said:


> Thanks mate, tried workout a yesterday and it went very well! Sore in all the right places, I like training back with chest or shoulders. I find it helps keep my loose shoulder joints centred and minimizes aggrevating my r/c impingement.
> 
> Gonna train eod or near as possible to allow as much recovery between workouts tho.


Nice one mate  Yeah I go with one day on one day off in general, though I'll take an extra day off if I need. On occasion I might do workouts A and B on consecutive days, but I always take a day off after workout B. No good training your upper body the day after training your arms haha.


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