2008 Routine

Celtic67

Hi Guys,
My goal for 2008 is to lose some bodyfat and pack on some muscle. I'm currently about 5'11 and 13 Stone.
I intend to lift weights 2-3 times a week doing full body sessions. The routine I have in mind is:
Squats, Shoulder Press, stiff leg deadlifts (the one which allows the knees to be bent I think), Bench Press, Pull Ups, Calf Raises, Dips, Bi-Curls,Crunches - 2 sets of each with 10-12 reps.
Should I use the same routine 3 times a week or put in alternate excerises for e.g. replace squats with Deadlifts (which I dont have much experience at) or S-L-Deadlifts with Leg Curls on the second day?
I have used gym before and have developed decent chest and back but need to get the legs and shoulders in line.
I also intend to do cardio 3 times a week & consume approx 2,000 Kcals a day for 4-8 weeks.

Any thoughts?

Colm_OReilly

I know I've touted this before but have you considered www.startingstrength.net/workouts for your weights?

The designer of this program, Mark Rippetoe, answers a host of questions reguarly over at Strengthmill.net forums so you can get advice from the source.

What are you planning to do for Cardio? Long, extended runs will have a catabolic effect (break down your body) which will impede muscle growth. Short, intense sprint work will have a better overall effect, or you could add in a metcon workout since it appears you like the iron.

Seriously though, invest the time learning the deadlift. Don't worry about the weight you're lifting at first, if you get the technique down you'll notice the weight will catch up quickly enough.

timetogetfit

i like the look of that routine but is it just for building strength or will you build muscle too, also how long should one rest in between sets as it isnt mentioned and should one do some form of cardio on the off days?

Hanley

timetogetfit wrote: »

i like the look of that routine but is it just for building strength or will you build muscle too, also how long should one rest in between sets as it isnt mentioned and should one do some form of cardio on the off days?

If you make big gains in your strength, then your muscle will have no choice but to grow bigger. This is especially true for beginners and intermediates. Everybody wants to feel the burn and shape their guns cos it's easier, but you can't shape muscle that's not there!!

Train to get stronger, eat big and you absolutely without a shadow of a doubt WILL grow. It's not complicated at all.

I'd say rest as needed, but don't take extra rest jsut for the sake of it. 60-120 sec is probably good, maybe more, maybe less. You shuld be able to feel it yourself as you go thru it.

Celtic67

Colm,
Thanks for the reply.
Would you consider that my planned routine below contains too many exercises and should be toned down? My goal for the first 6-8 weeks of the year is to reduce bodyfat but also to have established a base in weight training to maybe concentrate solely on putting on muscle for a while after that. As regards cardio I intend to do 30-40 mins 3 times a week using a Stationary Bike, Crosstrainer & Threadmill. I plan on consuming about 2000kcals a day.
"Squats, Shoulder Press, stiff leg deadlifts (the one which allows the knees to be bent I think), Bench Press, Pull Ups, Calf Raises, Dips, Bi-Curls,Crunches - 2 sets of each with 10-12 reps"

Colm_OReilly

timetogetfit,

Hanley's dead on with his advice. Rip ahs reported people puting on up to 40lbs I believe with Starting Strength. They're guzzling milk as well with this program (a gallon a day). I'd deviate from Hanley in the rest though, prob 2-3 minutes is necessary.

Celtic,
I think your routine is inefficient, and probably based on exercises you like the look of, to be blunt. I've provided you with a proven program.

Why aren't you doing proper deadlifts? Also, deadlifts hit you pretty hard, a novice training them 3x/week would be overkill imo (although Hanley might know another program which incorporates more frequent DLs)

Now, continuing on the process of bluntness, your cardio idea is cr@p. If your aim is ultimately muscle mass and strength, then start with SS. If you're planning on running on a calorific deficit (which I'd wager 2000kcals is for most people) you'll need the rest days to recover and make decent muscle gains. Again, the caveat here is provided the food you eat is decent and you're getting your protein in.

At 30-40 minutes "cardio" you're going to be entering a catabolic state, and your body will take extra time to recover. Ironically, anaerobic (think sprint, short training) will not only improve your musculature but also burn more fat than the traditional viewpoint of cardio.

If you really want a decent cardio workout, do a CrossFit metcon workout. There's literally 100s on the site, anything that says "for time" or "as many rounds as possible" is a metcon workout. Look up Cindy and try it, tell me you aren't gassed at the end of it.

Rip has suggested if you are integrating SS with CrossFit, do so only after a few weeks (8 maybe?) and then add in one metcon workout on a rest day. Next week add in two metcons, continue until you notice a stall, then drop one of the work days.

Colm

Hanley

On deadlifting regularly... intensity and load management in the form of number of barbell lifts is the key there. It's much to overcomplicated to worry about when you're only getting started since alot of the prevailing theorys will only apply to those with a good bit of exp anyway so it's a bit of a moot point. Just follow the starting strength workout as mentioned. It seems to be the same thing that myself and Colm always say when someone comes on looking for a beginners program, and we say it for a very good reason. It's damn good.

timetogetfit

I would like to follow it as the author outlines but he doesnt mention how long you should rest in between sets

Hanley

timetogetfit wrote: »

I would like to follow it as the author outlines but he doesnt mention how long you should rest in between sets

Umm if you were to read either mine or Colms posts above you'd see that I said 60-120sec and Colm said 2-3 mins. Just rest as needed. get started and you'll quickly learn how much time you need.

Dragan

Hanley wrote: »

Everybody wants to feel the burn and shape their guns cos it's easier

Ever trained with a with a nationally competitive bodybuilder in the off season when they are moving vicious weight for volume? It's far from easy.

For me there are two types of training. Hard and easy. The goal does not have any real affect on which way someone's training would seem to me.

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

What are you planning to do for Cardio? Long, extended runs will have a catabolic effect (break down your body) which will impede muscle growth.

The above is not an absolute though. Correct manipulation of diet before, after and during runs will save you a lot. Simple thing like amino acids will make a major difference.

Sprints are the ideal for me though.....metcon work is just another league for stripping adipose.

Hanley

Dragan wrote: »

Ever trained with a with a nationally competitive bodybuilder in the off season when they are moving vicious weight for volume? It's far from easy.

I never said it was easy. I said it was EASIER. I don't know if you noticed, but I was talking about beginners and intermediates, whom I mentioned specifically. For someone in either of those 2 classes, psuhing curls hard while slacking on squats and deadlifts is a complete waste of time. And you don't seriously expect me to believe a set of curls (even in the off season) is as hard as pushing thru heavy squats and deadlifts do you?

And for the record yes, I do. I train with one who's won several NABBA shows year round, and from time to time with 2 top 3 finishers from different classes in the '07 show.