I'm about to start working out again. In the past i use to just do random exercises for a different muscle 5 days a week.

example: mon - chest, tues - legs, wed - traps, etc.

I never had a set routine excpet for what day i worked which muscle group.

Now, i'm trying to have something more structured. Is it smart to just do all compound movements for each muscle group to bulk up? I don't want just a chunky look though. I'm affraid if i do all compound movements thats the look i'm going to achieve. Any insight?

Hows about hitting 2 muscle groups per day.

A 3 on/1 off example: Monday=Triceps/Chest, Tuesday=Legs/Back, Weds=Biceps/Shoulders, Thurs=Rest

you could do 2 on/1 off. or even 1 on, 1 off. whatever is good for you. experiment until you find your thing.

You should incorperate deadlifts and squats into the mix. Those 2 will put on the real mass.

So what do you mean by chunky? Did You mean bulky?

A lot of the so called Bodybuilders who look like that arent on point with their diets. After realizing it takes some discipline and self-control to eat clean and they cant for the life of them do so, they then call themselves "powerlifters." This phenomenon occurs usually after a bulking cycle gone wrong, in which the blubbed subject cannot rebound from because they lack discipline.

i digress.....

Compounds wont give you a blubbed appearance, eating like a Fat ass, not doing cardio and giving up on yourself by labeling yourself a "Powerlifter" will.

Do your compounds bro, theyre great...but alternate with isolation exercises too.

i tried the 2 muscle groups a day in the past but i would be in the gym for about 2 hours. I was always told that any longer than 1 hour in the gym is not a good thing. Should i do deadlifts & squats twice a week? My bi's are a pain in the a$$ to get growing as well.

Look at how powerlifters and strongman train, multi joint all compound, and they are huge.

they are big but they don't have alot of deffenition.

Thats because of diet. The only difference between them and BB'rs is diet. Off season IFBB pro's are just as smooth.

what do you think about every other day with 2 muscle groups a day? How do you guys do that with out spending 2 hours in the gym?

Do lots of body parts, and you'll do more work in less time

You dont have to lift in high volume to build mass , you have to go heavy. For example on chest day, do flat bench, incline bench and finish with cable flies till it burns. right now im doing a bulk up type workout, 2 on 1 off. chest/bi's. back/tris. shoulders/traps/abs. (no legs yet becasue of a recent injury that has prohibited me from doing them). But evrybody is different and you just have to kind of play around with routines and rest days to see what works for you. 3-4 different exercises for each body part with 1-3 mins between sets and heavy weight should be a good starting point.

das a good routine..but dont i have to lift each body part twice a week? to bulk up or is it better liftin OD killin it once a week and das it? b.c i use to do chest Mondays and then again on wensday bc by wensday i wasnt sore i was good to go.

I'd suggest a whole body split. You should only do isolation once you know what you need to isolate. Compounds should be the basis of every routine, IMO.

PLEASE don't do the typical *12 set bicep 3x/week* everyone in the gym seems to be doing! If you want big biceps, you need to lift some HEAVY weights! You can't get big lifting the same 25lb dumbbells! So if you want to lift heavier, try strengthening your posterior chain! You'll be able to get more weight up there! Counterintuitive, I know, but try it! Hypertrophy is not just a localized occurrence!

Starting with a big compound lift every workout (dead, squat, bench, chin), and do isolation after that. I usually base the rest of my workout around the compound. So if I do bench, I'll do shoulders too. If I do dead, I'll do other hamstring lifts. If I do chin, I'll add more back work in, or maybe some bicep (not often though, just don't have time for it).

You might try looking for a pre-planned routine to start out with, but after a while, you'll see that one routine won't fit everyone, and you'll have to customize it.

I like to read a lot about lifting theory, rather than just doing prefab routines. That way I know WHY something works, and HOW to make changes to it to continue progress. Rather than just being spoon fed something.

Barbells are for bulking, dumbbells are for cutting. Simple as that.

Compounds are key. Deadlifts, Benches, Squats, Overhead Press, Bent Row, and Chinups/Pullups.. all key foundations to a great lifting program. Far too often less experienced lifters believe they are getting less of a workout if they're not focusing on specific groups. Start by building yourself up with compound exercises and then introduce focused lifts --

EX:

Chinups x 6/5/4/3/2
Bent Barbell Row x 3-4 sets
Cable Row/Dumbbell Row 3-4 sets

THEN

Barbell Curl/Hammer Curl/Preacher Curl "in that order" 3x8-10 each

Your body will trigger more growth if you start by getting yourself going with a big compound exercise. Most people can get by simply on those compounds alone starting off, as no matter what you do, you're going to get stronger regardless. Doing compound exercises will make sure you build a stronger base and progress more smoothly later on.

And 2 hours is too long, it shouldn't take you more than 1 hour to execute this. After an hour your body is going to begin to release cortisol? due to stress, and then you're just wasting your time. Hit the weights hard, time yourself in between sets, and get out.

I've progressed personally from 1 on 1 off to now 3 on 1 off. It's something you have to feel out. Remember you grow when you're resting

wow what a stupid post.

You're probably one of those morons that thinks diets makes abs. 500 crunches twice a day is all you need folks, and dumbbells.

I know how to drop bodyfat, cut carbs and lots of cardio on top of lifting weights.

Abs are ONLY made from your diet. Keep doing 500 crunches a day and go to Mcdonalds a couple times a week and see what happens.

I say best bet would be to dangle the Big Mac at the height of your crunch, so that you can facilitate eating and crunching at the same time. And when you're not crunching, get yourself one of those gazelle cardio machines!

You couldn't be any wronger, situps burn stomach fat.