[Antonio]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts, my question was more towards how to determine if an individual would benefit from more or less if progression happens, not to determine an exact number of sets per exercise, I do 1-2 sets on all of the exercises as I’m running FB split.

[Antonio]

Hi buddy, I’m not a sponsored athlete, but I can share my opinion.

I wanted to run the same split, but I think you won’t be able to recover from Lower A to FB A on time for legs, after three sets of hams, I think it will take you more than 48 to recover.

Because of the programming difficulties with this split, I ended up doing 3 FB sessions weekly.

[Antonio]

It’s not that I don’t feel any fatigue at all, I definitely do. For example, I know I can’t manage 4 sets of chest presses when doing a fb eod. But I can still handle 1 or even 2 sets without much issue.

I think the difficulty for me lies in trying to look at this in a purely linear, mathematical way. The reality might be more complex, like this:

• If I do 1 set, I gain x amount of progress over a certain time frame (y).
• If I do 2 or 3 sets, I still gain the same x amount within that y time frame.
• However, if I push to 4 sets, my progress might decrease to less than x in that same y period.
• On the flip side, if I only do 1 set but stretch the time frame to 2y, I might gain less than x.

I apologize for using mathematical terms, but I’m trying to fully grasp how the rate of muscle gain actually works over different training volumes.

[Antonio]

Hi mate

My 2cents.

Something needs to be first, something has to be last.

What order things go it will be determined by what your priorities are, how well you are functioning, and what impact “muscle group A” has on “muscle group B”.

Once you have a good handle on those parameters, you’ll be in a pretty good spot to make good decisions for your set up.

@bigbenchriche thanks, but in my case, the priority is muscle mass, I’m nowhere near worrying about certain muscles being the priority 😅

[Antonio]

Thanks Marc, much appreciated mate

Michaela I’m totally the same when it comes to quads 😁

[Antonio]

There are zero rules to exercise order , exercise selection or even rep Ranges . The only framework to this stuff is total session volume and body part volume not getting too high . The rest , is entirely and should be , personalised based exactly on what you like doing

Understood JP, have to structure a session in a way that brings ME most progress, got it!

[Antonio]

I think you are over thinking this a bit with the lengthen and shortened ranges. The converging press would be a wiser choice in my opinion as Oscar suggests

I agree here TBH.

I would try both – See which one feels the best in terms of connection within the work and then go at it hard – when it stalls switch to the other[/quote]

Thanks guys 😀

I just like to understand things, everyone these days is talking about emphasizing lengthened position so I want to understand if there’s some merit to it

[Antonio]

Thank you all@youngoscar the only reason I don’t want to include a converging plate loaded press would be because it’s heavier at the top, when performing it for the chest would you still lockout the elbows fully or stop when the chest gets fully shortened?

Personally my choice would be the converging press as It drops off on that fully lengthened position where I am most vulnerable and challenges me in the short position where it is safe and there’s value to be had .

Now if you can’t progress on it because it’s too heavy to get fully short , i would just use the smith machine on a 30 degree incline.

Yes to fully shorten the pec you have to lock the elbow .[/quote]

Got it! People tend to favor pec exercises that emphasize the stretch position because pecs are believed to grow better when trained in a lengthened state rather than a shortened one.

Do you have any thoughts about that @youngoscar ?

[Antonio]

Thank you all

@youngoscar the only reason I don’t want to include a converging plate loaded press would be because it’s heavier at the top, when performing it for the chest would you still lockout the elbows fully or stop when the chest gets fully shortened?

[Antonio]

3 fB or 4 uL , yes , pick one . Take your body weight up

Okay, 3 FB it is then!

[Antonio]

Does anyone have any other ideas?

[Antonio]

I don’t have any , once people keep changing in this way over and over , I don’t have much to offer , as it won’t make a diff . The issue isn’t your split , it’s an inability to just stick to what your doing and progress , there will constantly be a reason that there needs to be a switch , but it’s not real , it never is . It’s just if you can be honest with yourself or not

I think you missed my initial message, we’re not all fortunate to have the option to train on a weekly basis. Due to circumstances changing in my private life, I have to have a weekly split, would you then advise doing 3 fb sessions? Or maybe 4 UL sessions per week?

[Antonio]

JP I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts as well

[Antonio]

I would just move the accessory leg work to the full body day. So id have my lower day compound movements only, and then on the full body day have the accessory like leg ext leg curl etc

Brilliant idea!

[Antonio]

Thank you all, much much appreciated, I’m gonna do 250 P, 60 F and rest from carbs