Specialization cycles

[w1cked]

You got plenty of volume with that setup given those 5x5 sets are at a solid effort (rpe 8+?). Maybe do flyers a bit higher rep range or you might end up cheating on them

[HeavyLifting145]

Wanted to update everyone that I've been doing spec cycles for the past few weeks and love it. After the 2nd week I thought to myself how the hell was I training any other way prior to this? My recovery is better, my lifts are stronger, and I just feel overall better (not to mention I'm not in the gym for over an hour like before doing different routines). For a while I was afraid of training low volume for maintenance parts, but that was silly. I thought i'd lose muscle by doing only 6-8 sets a week for maintenance muscles but not at all, i feel and look better than ever. Thanks Lyle and everyoine else

[PyromanXP]

Hi guys, I am currently facing a planning issue, I can workout only three times a week.

As an Intermediate / avance, does it make more sense to take the specialization cycle on a 10 days basis and do:
Monday Lower 1 wednesday upper 1 friday lower 2 next Monday upper2 and so on ?

Or lower/upper/rest/fullbody ?
(which seems a bit hard with 5x5 on squat + isolation and 5x5 on Bench + isolation for instance and Then maintenance work)..

But is working muscles twice on a 10 Day basis enough at advanced level or must I find a way to work 4times à week ?

[AlphaBettor]

For 3x/week specialization, something like

Mon: Specialization bodyparts
Wednesday: Maintenance
Friday: Specialization bodyparts

That's every week, not rotating. You might be able to move a touch of maintenance work to the end of the Mon and/or Fri if that Wednesday 'maintenance everything except specialization bodyparts' workout is too much of a bear.

That said, I'm not sure you're going to be able to do quad and chest specialization properly, especially on the same day. That's a difficult pairing.

[PyromanXP]

Thanks for your answer I will try something like this following your advice

Day 1
Squat 5x5
Sissy squat 3-4x8-12
Bench press 5x5
Inclined flies 3-4x8-12
Ss Seal row 3-4x6-8

Day 2
Nordic ham curl 3x6-8
Chinups 3x6-8
Ss Lateral raises 3x8-12
Hammer curl 2x12-15
Ss skullcrushers 2x12-15
Calves 3x6-8
Abs 3x6-8

Day 3
Squat 5x5
Sissy squat 3-4x8-12
Bench press 5x5
Inclined flies 3-4x8-12
Ss Seal row 3-4x6-8

I know that the fatigue sets on specialization part are not supposed to be super setted but I feel like I'm needing a lot of rowing for shoulder health and I would have issue to incorporate it otherwise.

Please feel free to Tell me if you would modify anything

[HeavyLifting145]

Hey Lyle, I wanted to try doing the following spec cycles for upper body. My lower body routine I feel confident in so I'm only going to post the upper body cycles. Can you please tell me how this looks below? I switch spec body parts as you prescribed, specifically I go from:
Chest, to Arms, to Shoulders, to Back, and then repeat again at chest.

chest focus
bench 3x8
incline press machine 2x10
flys 3x12-15
rows 2x8
lat pulldown 2x10
side delts 3x8
bi's 2-3x10
tri 2-3x10

arm focus
cgbp 3x8
tri pusdhown 4x10
peck deck 3x10
row 2x8
lat pull 2x8
side delt 3x10
bi's 3x18
cable curl 2x18

delt focus
shoulder press 3x8
side raises 3x10
facepull 3x12-15
row 2x8
lat pull 2x10
machine press or peck deck 3x8
bi's 3x10
tri's 3x10

back focus
lat pull 3x8
cable row 3x10
machine back 2x10
db press 3x8
side delts 3x8
bis 3x10
tris 3x10

[AlphaBettor]

Originally Posted by PyromanXP

Thanks for your answer I will try something like this following your advice

Day 1
Squat 5x5
Sissy squat 3-4x8-12
Bench press 5x5
Inclined flies 3-4x8-12
Ss Seal row 3-4x6-8

Day 2
Nordic ham curl 3x6-8
Chinups 3x6-8
Ss Lateral raises 3x8-12
Hammer curl 2x12-15
Ss skullcrushers 2x12-15
Calves 3x6-8
Abs 3x6-8

Day 3
Squat 5x5
Sissy squat 3-4x8-12
Bench press 5x5
Inclined flies 3-4x8-12
Ss Seal row 3-4x6-8

I know that the fatigue sets on specialization part are not supposed to be super setted but I feel like I'm needing a lot of rowing for shoulder health and I would have issue to incorporate it otherwise.

Please feel free to Tell me if you would modify anything

I just probably wouldn't do something like this. I don't think you can do chest specialization properly after 8-9 sets of squatting. That is like a Texas Method Volume day with a bunch of extra sets thrown in. However, if you're dead set on it, give it a try and let us know how it goes.

I'd also do something other than sissy squats for your secondary quad exercise. Exercise selection is largely personal but I'd still never recommend that exercise based on safety alone. Hurts my knees just thinking about it.

[PyromanXP]

Well, I am not having much choice (or only spec in one group for the full body, but I feel like I would waste my time for lower body if I am only keeping volume at maintenance level for legs)

For the Sissy squat it's the only exercise I can peform for quad isolation as I am working out at home, I was not used to it I am not adding much weight for now but I am not feeling any discomfort on knees. I dont believe I would be able to do front squat after back squat 5x5 and I do not have access to a Leg ext machine.

Definitely it is hard to do Chest after legs, even the 5x5 on squat is awful to finish, for now I did 2 Weeks, currently weighting 83kgs before starting and adding 500g of Bodyweight per week (so currently 84)

Week 1
Day 1
Squat @120kg 5/5/5/5/5
Sissy @bw 12/10/8/7
Bp @95 5/5/5/5/5
Incline flys @11.5 12/12/11/11

Day 2
Squat @125kg 5/5/5/5/5
Sissy @bw 12/12/11/10
Bp @100 5/5/5/5/5
Inc flys @12.5 12/11/10

Week 2
Day 1
Squat @130kg 5/5/5/5/5
Sissy @5 12/10 Then bw 10/10
Bp @102.5 5/5/5/5/5
Inc flys @14 11/10/10/8

Day 2
Squat @135 5/5/5/5/5
Sissy @5 12/12/9 Then bw 10
Bp @105 5/5/5/5/5
Inc flys @14 12/11/10/10

I will keep my scheme to add 2.5kg on main exercise each workout if previous was 5 on first set and at least 3 on last set, for fatigue sets I will just add weight each time I have one or two reps more on first set and simply deload between sets to reach rep range

I will do this until end of june and Then cut with lyle GBR in a ABA BAB version as mentionned in the corresponding topic as I am already at around 18% bodyfat it May take a while.. Probably the whole summer :/