Your favourite scheduled routine

Benburb Dog

I am about to complete a 6-week routine I got from one of the fitness magazines--Men's fitness I believe.

Now I'm ready to move on. It has been a great routine and I think it has given me a good base to build up. But now I need to start moving into more serious weight lifting.

Can you recommend a routine that has worked for you? Before and after pics are always useful but I will take your word for it.

I prefer routines with a definite time span, because it helps me to see the light at the end and it focuses me more. Plus I know I will be changing routines periodically.

Thanks.

Arsenal1986

look at Westside for Skinny Bastards Cant speak highly enough of it its on Defrancotraining.com

Benburb Dog

Thanks Arsenal. I also found the No Tshirt workout or something like that from Men's fitness.

mickmac

Is that the workout from the free book Benburb?

If so then I've just started it too. It's good to know that it can produce results.

If you don't mind me askin, what sort of progress did you make? I'm still in the "trying to find everything possible to motivate myself stage" so any advice or comment would be welcome.

Cheers

amazingemmet

I second westside of skinny bastards. I done the first version of it a while back and got amazing results. Starting the third version of it next monday as well

Hanley

May as well start off on the right foot... http://www.startingstrength.net/workouts/

Pj!

Where are the details of those workouts? Online or in the mags. Or both?

Benburb Dog

mickmac wrote: »

Is that the workout from the free book Benburb?

If so then I've just started it too. It's good to know that it can produce results.

If you don't mind me askin, what sort of progress did you make? I'm still in the "trying to find everything possible to motivate myself stage" so any advice or comment would be welcome.

Cheers

I'm not sure if it's the same book. Mine has building strength on one side, and the other side has abs workout.

In any case, this is what works for me:
• I always buy myself new kit for any new endeavor I undertake. So for working out, not just any t-shirt or shorts will do. They have to be cool, sexy, and sporty. IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL IN IT, not what others at the gym will say.
• I workout early in the morning because there are a a dozen things that will sabotage an evening workout if you don't have discipline (I don't).
• I don't think I can do a full-year plan, that is why I like 6-week plans (or fixed length as such).
• My objectives are not far-fetched. I just want to see more definition in my muscles, with a little rounding out of them too ... I will move to more later.

What I have seen so far:
• I have been getting stronger (lifting heavier wieghts more easily)
• I have seen my weakness: My core (midsection) is much weaker than I thought. Some of the abs exercises are very challenging. This is important to know, as I like running long distance, and rectifying this would improve my running.
• But I am looking forward to moving on to the muscle building stage.

Good luck, keep in touch if you want to share more MickMack.

Benburb Dog

Arsenal1986 wrote: »

look at Westside for Skinny Bastards Cant speak highly enough of it its on Defrancotraining.com

This workout seems good and demanding, but a little too challenging for someone who will not be working out with a partner.

Lifting some of these free weights for a 3-5 rep max weight by myself is a bit daunting.

Arsenal1986

dont be put off by that you could do 3 - 5 rep maxes without a spotter it wouldnt be ideal but always err on side of caution an leave one rep in the tank as they say as in if 2nd last rep was v hard then dont bother with last one.....also the beauty of the program is the way you can customise it so just sub in exercise u dont need a spotter for eg chin ups or db bench of even barbell floor pressing for max effort upper body and deadlifts for lower body

Hanley

Arsenal1986 wrote: »

dont be put off by that you could do 3 - 5 rep maxes without a spotter it wouldnt be ideal but always err on side of caution an leave one rep in the tank as they say as in if 2nd last rep was v hard then dont bother with last one.....also the beauty of the program is the way you can customise it so just sub in exercise u dont need a spotter for eg chin ups or db bench of even barbell floor pressing for max effort upper body and deadlifts for lower body

Well said. Max effort doesn't mean you have to fail. Failing isn't good.

Benburb Dog

Thanks Arsenal and Hanley. I may look into it more carfully and see if I can design a routine based on the available equipment in my gym (1Escape in Smithfield), and my capabilities.

I may post before and after pics ... for when I am cast in the next version of the movie "300" :-)