Workout

There is no right or wrong. This is what is working for me right now, I might change it later.

Here is my regimen. I optimise for a few things (I don’t know a lot but these seem important to me):

1. There is no goal for my workouts. I don’t think of them having an end goal. I want to keep working out all my life. It is an infinite game to me. There are some intermediate goals I have (a handstand pushup seems pretty cool and a +75% pistol squat too but those are more like checkpoints).
2. Gotta keep doing progressive overload which comes in the form of more weight, more reps, or better tempo (slow eccentric and hold at the deepest stretch).
3. Optimise for load under tension.
4. I do myoreps (only for smaller moments) and lengthened partials. Nothing that will tax out the CNS.
5. I want to get as much as I can out of the shortest duration of the workout.
6. Stimulus to fatigue ratio has to be optimised. I want to workout, but I don’t want it to interfere with the rest of my life.
7. I don’t wanna get huge. I wanna stay lean. I want to play a lot of sports so I want to keep my mobility up. I do wanna get a little bigger in my upper body tho, shirts and polos fit better that way.
8. I want to focus on technique, mobility and injury prevention. So, if I can use lesser weight and a slower tempo to really give myself a similar stimulus I will do that.
9. Warmups are nothing special. Just get my body warm and then do a few light sets of the muscle group I am going to target and that is mostly enough.
10. Nutrition is the key. Having enough protein, taking creatine for recovery and also, getting enough carbs and fats to have the energy for the workouts.
11. The training frequency of different muscles is different. My forearms and side delts recover quick so I train them more often. Forearms for the aesthetics and also frisbee and calisthenics, and delts are mostly for aesthetics, so I focus more on the volume for those for hypertrophy.
12. I might get into supersets later. But for now this program is working for me. The thing is, a lot of the movements I do are compound movements so I don’t wanna overtax my systems.
13. I don’t like a crowded gym. So, I go when there are very few people.
14. I don’t cool down a lot after my workouts because I believe that actually reduces the muscle growth.
15. If I have the time I also do some zone 2 training after my workouts.

Push Day

• Push-Ups (3x max reps, perfect form) — First one being regular floor pushup. This is to track my progress. The next 2 sets are deficit pushups to get that good stretch at the bottom and hold it.
• Dips (3x8-12) — I lean a little ahead and set the grip a little wide for a more chest dominant movement.
• Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press (3x8–12) — Eventually going to Pike-pushups.
• Overhead Tricep Extension (3x10) — But only the lengthened position so I do about 2/3 of the total ROM.
• Wall Handstand Hold (3x max time) — This helps me progress toward a handstand pushup.
• Seated lateral raises and/or forearm stuff (depending on how much time I have left that day, but I try to get in at least one set close to failure (or leave a few reps in reserve)).

Running for 20 mins (optional — if time permits).

Pull Day

• Cable Rows (3x10-15) — I want to do inverted rows but don’t have the equipment at my current gym.
• Negative Pull-Ups (3x5) — Different grip each time (Underhand, Neutral, Overhand).
• Machine Assisted Pull-Ups (3x max reps) — Different grip each time.
• Chin-Up Isometric Hold (3x max time) — Different grip each time.
• Cable Bicep Curls (3x12) — Or bench ones if the cable machine isn’t free.

Cycling for 30 mins (if time permits).

No forearm/delt work because by the end of all of these my forearms are on fire because all of them require grip work. Also, I know there is good reason to use straps here because my grip does fail before my back does, but I feel that since I want to develop a solid grip strength as well so I will take the tradeoffs for now.

Legs + Core Day

• Deficit Weighted Pistol Squats (3x5 each leg) — There is some imbalance here between my right and left leg, but those I will get rid of slowly.
• Lateral raises (this way I can work them when they are fresh and also, this gives my legs a little time to recover).
• Weighted Shrimp Squats (3x6 each leg)
• Forearm training (again, volume. and also, gives me time to rest because the jump squats are quite cardio intense).
• Jump Squats (3x15) alternated with Weighted high effort max vertical training (4x3).
• V-Ups (3x10) — These give me a good muscle connection and also, I just feel solid after doing these.
• Hollow Body Hold (3x40 sec) — Increasing the time more and more now.
• Side Plank + Reach Through (2x each side) — These aren’t super difficult but I try to do them slow and just takes a minute, so why not?

(I mostly swim after this to flush the lactic acid out and also just cool down. I understand that it is not the most optimal thing for muscle growth, but I enjoy swimming a lot) — Saturdays I do a longer swim because Sunday is my day off so my muscles do recover.