Creating a program a bit overwhelming

Froot

Does anyone find the idea of creating a program a bit daunting sometimes? There are only so many free weight exercises you can put in there, and then there's cardio and then there's other things like core exercises and all that kind of stuff.

Basically I'm just wondering where do you draw the line between relevant and irrelevant exercises?

rubadub

Froot wrote: »

Basically I'm just wondering where do you draw the line between relevant and irrelevant exercises?

I go for compound lifts that I enjoy doing and that will work a good array of muscles. Chinups, dips, pullups, standing military press, inclined pushups, deadlifts, squats, leg raises on a chinning bar, arnold press.

For cardio I get it all in as functional work in my daily life, cycling & walking everywhere I can.

Froot

I can understand a program like that. It is functional. I get a bit bogged down trying to take it all into account though, core exercises, isolation exercises on machine weights etc etc.

celestial

To get the most bang for your exercising buck, so to speak:

Make compound exercises (the ones Rubadub alluded to above) the core focus of your workout.

Supplement these with isolation work occasionally. I rarely do isolation work (e.g. you will almost never see me doing bicep curls like most guys in the gym - but I still have big arms). I row and I bench and I do push-ups.

Machine weights? What are they? Learn how to use free weights (if you haven't already, and I think you do know how to use them judging by your posts). Steer well clear of em!

On top of that formula add in some HIIT - I find the exercise bike is great for this - plus some moderate intensity cardio now and again.

Most of all, do all of the above at a high intensity with minimal rest periods. In and out, no messing - you see so many people just going through the motions without getting out of neutral - in fact that is 90% of gym goers - don't you be one of those.

Froot

I think the general theme appears to be making compound exercises the bread and butter of your workout. Having incorporated them into workouts before I feel confident they can keep the intensity level up .

I had never really bothered with HIIT because I don't really need bursts of energy that often as I don't play sport anymore. Is it as functional to the average person as normal cardio?

celestial

Froot wrote: »

I think the general theme appears to be making compound exercises the bread and butter of your workout. Having incorporated them into workouts before I feel confident they can keep the intensity level up .

I had never really bothered with HIIT because I don't really need bursts of energy that often as I don't play sport anymore. Is it as functional to the average person as normal cardio?

I would say both are functional, given that there are times when we need to sprint and stop (think running for a bus or train) and times when we need to run longer distances. I would say that HIIT is technically more functional, given that most of the time we will be stopping and starting.

Both are useful in their own ways though.

Froot

Just a further question.

Is there any sense in a program with the obligatory cardio and just squats, clean and jerks (or variations) and dead lifts as the weights program. Would these compound exercises be enough to maintain a good general level of strength and muscularity?

rubadub

Have a read of this regarding cardio & weights and if you really need them both.

http://stronglifts.com/cardiovascular-fitness-aerobic-or-anaerobic-exercise/

Those exercises could maintain you. I have no real desire to get much bigger but would like to keep the little muscle I have built, so I can get away with less weight training per week, than when I was building it.

I saw an interview with a massive strongman contestant, he said the only gym training he did was deadlifts and squats. All the rest was practising various exercises for strongman events. I would get bored doing just deads & squats, I much prefer upper body bodywieght exercises too, chins & dips are top of my list, I can do core work at the same time as these, e.g. raise up your legs while chinning.