How complex is your training program??

[The Dude]

This occurred to me today as I spoke with another competitor at my gym. We talked of frequency, sets, weights, methods of progression, etc.
I always thought my method was very simple. I now see that it is anything but. I train each muscle once every 9-11 days. That is the most frequent I can train. I've learned this over nearly two decades of training. I also do only one working set per exercise and 2-4 exercises per muscle group. I occasionally use drop sets. I employ various other tactics for my chest and calves.
I realized today that my body is overworked and needs a deload phase. A few weeks ago I got a slight twinge in my left tricep. I have since avoided the exercise and continued to train very heavy. I had to start wearing elbow bands as my elbows started bothering me. I thought it was from the cold. Then on Sun I hurt my quad on a relatively light weight. Today training chest I felt the tell tale signs that my body wants a break. So the next 12 workouts I will use 70% of my best for the same number of reps. No compound movements. All this while I am on a supplement regimen that should have me recovering in hours. I don't know of anyone that trains as infrequently as I do. I also don't know of many people that log everything as I do and use progressively heavier training as a means for growth.
How is yours structured?

 

[nuknuk]

I train with lots of sets and volume, high reps and heavy weight. If I feel I need to train something twice a week, I will. I like no music as well, just my mind and I talk trash to myself. I vision alot with my mind when I train.

 

[big in vegas]

I change my routine up from week to week. I just go on feel, if I feel great, I'll go heavy with as many reps as I can get in, if I feel a little lazy, I'll start with high reps then go into a little lower reps and drop sets to compensate

 

[The Dude]

I train with lots of sets and volume, high reps and heavy weight. If I feel I need to train something twice a week, I will. I like no music as well, just my mind and I talk trash to myself. I vision alot with my mind when I train.

You and I are polar opposites with training style (although I do higher reps as well) and I can not train without music. I do also envision the muscle contracting and having everything totally under my control as well. I think of it as man handling the weight. I feel like each rep should "look" perfect otherwise the weight has won. I also have a weird all out set ritual that started in my high school wrestling days. I will rub the index finger of my right hand up and down as hard as possible between my eyes while they are closed right before an all out effort. I did this when I wrestled as well and nearly 80% of my matches ended with me pinning the other guy in the first 30 seconds.

 

[The Dude]

I change my routine up from week to week. I just go on feel, if I feel great, I'll go heavy with as many reps as I can get in, if I feel a little lazy, I'll start with high reps then go into a little lower reps and drop sets to compensate

My weight progression is different. I'll only up the weight on days where I feel good and normal. On my "strong" days I do the same weight as the previous time and go for more reps. I NEVER up the weight on those days. Those days honestly scare me.

 

[Pharm_Fed]

I don't think mine is very complex but I recently changed it and don't like the change. Was thinking about something different today actually. Usually do 3-4 exercises of 3-4 sets for compound movements, and 2 exercises of 3-4 sets for smaller muscles and isolation exercises. My split was previously:
M-Chest/Tris
Tu-Quads/Hams
W-Off
Th-Back/Bis
F-Shoulders/Calves

I switched to this at the beginning of the year to try and bring up my legs:
M-Chest/Back
Tu-Quads/Calves
W-Off
Th-Shoulders/Bis/Tris
F-Hams/Calves

The only problem with this new split is chest and back together is a lot of heavy movements. If I train chest first, I'm too exhausted to train my back like I want. Also shoulder, biceps and triceps is a lot of sets to try and fit in one hour. I was actually thinking about doing something like the Dude was describing where one muscle every 9 days or so. Didn't seem complicated but maybe it is more so than I thought.

 

[Boomer]

i think my training is simple but to others it doesnt look so simple. I train 5 days - Each body part once per week. each body part has a specific number of sets where i know i grow off. for eg. chest is 16-18 sets, bis is only 9-12sets, Back is 18-20 sets etc.. each exersice (apart from the last one) will have 1 specific set which will be my " super heavy set" where i get about 4 reps in only (if i get more reps then i go heavier next week) the rest is at 8-10. I belive doing this get my CNS firing big time to help increase my strength week after week... so far its been working like a treat. My last exercise is always a lighter more isolate "pump" exercise where i try fill the muscle up with as much blood as possible to try and stretch the fascia as much as i can... great way to leave the gym to .. being pumped hard!

 

[BiggerStronger]

Mine is simple:
chest/tris
back/bis
shoulders/abs
off
legs/abs

2-4 exercises per muscle group

 

[Chris250]

I actully train simular to you. But hit every muscle group once per week. But, I only do once working set for most bodyparts, and 2-4 movments for each part

 

[big in vegas]

My weight progression is different. I'll only up the weight on days where I feel good and normal. On my "strong" days I do the same weight as the previous time and go for more reps. I NEVER up the weight on those days. Those days honestly scare me.

I know a lot of people that actually train that way too. I may give that a try as I'm always looking to try something new.