New Routine - comments/criticism welcome.

MagicMarker

Hello fitness enthusiasts!!

I've gotten bored with my current routine, so I decided to make myself a new one, and I was wondering what ya'll think.

Target is to lose fat & maintain lean mass.

All 5x5.

Bench Press
Dumbell Shoulder Press
Upright Row
Bent over Row
Close Grip Pull Down
Deadlift & Squat (alternating days)
Leg Curl

I would like to superset each of the above with one of the following.

Bench Dips
Hyperextentions
Push Ups
Crunches
Planks
Lunges
Tricep Pushdown

This would be done a minimum of 3 times per week, sometimes 4, with 1-2 days cardio.

When supersetting I'm not sure if it's best to stick to the same muscle groups or target completely different ones? So if anyone has any suggestions as to what to pair together I'd be grateful. The reason for supersetting is to up the intensity and keep the heart rate up, I find lately I'm not pushing myself enough!

Cheers.

cardio,shoot me

I like alot of the exercises you put down, but im just wondering do you plan on doing that all on the one day? I doubt i could do that all that with high intensity on the one day.

Id get rid of the tricep pushdown and the crunches as they wont really be doing anything that the squat and bench wont be doing.

brutusthebarber

As cardio said above do you plan on doing them all in the one day??

You could easily get 4 different sessions out of those exercises and not get bored at all!

With supersetting I find that I'm pushed harder if I do two completely different exercises eg. do the Bent over row with pushups. <-- Thats just an example, IMO doing two different exercises keeps the body guessing so might be worth a try.

You could also use the push/pull for supersets.. bench press with rows. Just another option.

Crunches aren't the worst exercise in the world, just don't get bogged down doing 3 sets of 20. Maybe one set of 10-15 and change it each routine i.e. reverse crunch, legs in air, that kind of stuff.

Hope that helps!

MagicMarker

Yeah all in the one day:o Apart from deadlifts and squat, I'd alternate when I do those.

I do a similar amount of exercises at the moment, but they're not supersets so you guys are probably right in that it's too much, although I will give it a try tomorrow and see how it goes.

Oh, and getting rid of crunches is fine with me!:pac:

rubadub

Try some hanging knee raises instead of the crunches, will get your forearms working too just holding in that position.

MagicMarker

I'll definitely give them a try, not sure how many I'll manage though!

brianthebard

If you're using heavy enough weight (about 75% or more of your 1rm) for all five sets then you probably won't need more than 5 exercises imo. Podge was following bill starr's 5x5 programme a while ago, maybe have a look at that for ideas?

itsallaboutheL

Dude, IMO your going to have to choose between 5x5s, the supersets, and the large selection of exercises..

If you do them as outlined you wont be lifting heavy enuff in the 5x5s with the supersets and doing that many exercises 5x5 to actually make progress in any direction!!

You're kinda trying to dip your toe in every where, theres no need for 5x5 on tricep pushdowns and the other isolation exercises, you want to be hittin for 8-12 for growth,

WAIT actually what are your GOALS?????? and what is your current routine like??

MagicMarker

Losing fat is the goal, not looking or expecting to grow just to keep what I've got.

My old routine was as follows...

Bench Press: 2x12 + 2x12 warm up
Bent over Rows: 2x12
Seated Row: 2x15
Lat Pull Down: 2x12
Bodysquats: 3x12
Leg Curls: 3x12 (supersetted with BS)
Lateral Raises: 2x12
Bicep Curls: 2x12
Shoulder Shrugs: 2x20
Tricep Pushdowns: 2x15

I did this for for about a month or so and then I switched to 5x5 because I wanted to lift more, that's what I've been doing for the last couple of weeks.

So you think the new routine would be better if I switched back to 3x12?

Brian?

MagicMarker wrote: »

Hello fitness enthusiasts!!

I've gotten bored with my current routine, so I decided to make myself a new one, and I was wondering what ya'll think.

Target is to lose fat & maintain lean mass.

All 5x5.

Bench Press
Dumbell Shoulder Press
Upright Row
Bent over Row
Close Grip Pull Down
Deadlift & Squat (alternating days)
Leg Curl

I would like to superset each of the above with one of the following.

Bench Dips
Hyperextentions
Push Ups
Crunches
Planks
Lunges
Tricep Pushdown

This would be done a minimum of 3 times per week, sometimes 4, with 1-2 days cardio.

When supersetting I'm not sure if it's best to stick to the same muscle groups or target completely different ones? So if anyone has any suggestions as to what to pair together I'd be grateful. The reason for supersetting is to up the intensity and keep the heart rate up, I find lately I'm not pushing myself enough!

Cheers.

If you're doing full body routines 3x a week, I like to do this.

Squat/Deadlift 5x5, alternating each day.

Giant sets (I think) All 3x8, no breaks, 30sec rest after last excercise:

db bench>1 arm db row> lunges
BB military press> chins> SL deadlift
CG bench> EZ bar curl> calf raise.

Hits your whole body, keeps your heart rate up and is over quickly and painfully.

itsallaboutheL

briankeating wrote: »

If you're doing full body routines 3x a week, I like to do this.

Squat/Deadlift 5x5, alternating each day.

Giant sets (I think) All 3x8, no breaks, 30sec rest after last excercise:

db bench>1 arm db row> lunges
BB military press> chins> SL deadlift
CG bench> EZ bar curl> calf raise.

Hits your whole body, keeps your heart rate up and is over quickly and painfully.

i'm liking this!! +1, its similar what isaid to that polishpaddy chap re Giant sets and Barbell comlexs and the like, its pretty sweet for fat loss too,

a big shout out to doing supersets with upper to lower body splits also to really get some blood flow going and keep your heart rate up.

same for antagonistic muscle groups etc

EDIT: which is exactly what he has said, dude thats a perfect program template for fatloss as far as im concerned (aaaaltho i do know fcuk all soooo its up to urself!!!)

MagicMarker

briankeating wrote: »

If you're doing full body routines 3x a week, I like to do this.

Squat/Deadlift 5x5, alternating each day.

Giant sets (I think) All 3x8, no breaks, 30sec rest after last excercise:

db bench>1 arm db row> lunges
BB military press> chins> SL deadlift
CG bench> EZ bar curl> calf raise.

Hits your whole body, keeps your heart rate up and is over quickly and painfully.

That looks pretty sweet actually!

Can I replace the chins with lat pulldown? I can't do chins!

I may have issues with the SL Deadlift because of my complete lack of flexibility.

itsallaboutheL

MagicMarker wrote: »

That looks pretty sweet actually!

Can I replace the chins with lat pulldown? I can't do chins!

I may have issues with the SL Deadlift because of my complete lack of flexibility.

Essentially its an upperbody push, upper body pull, Lower body giant set MM so you can throw whatever you want into that template,

or go upper body pull, lower body, upper body push if you want some serious PHA action.

Yes i said Peripheral Heart Flow and feck the lot a ye!!

MagicMarker

briankeating wrote: »

If you're doing full body routines 3x a week, I like to do this.

Squat/Deadlift 5x5, alternating each day.

Giant sets (I think) All 3x8, no breaks, 30sec rest after last excercise:

db bench>1 arm db row> lunges
BB military press> chins> SL deadlift
CG bench> EZ bar curl> calf raise.

Hits your whole body, keeps your heart rate up and is over quickly and painfully.

I tried this out this morning. I have to say it was a really great workout!! I haven't sweated so much in a long time!! I switched the chins for pull downs and my inflexibility meant the SL Deadlifts were gradually turning into regular deadlifts! :rolleyes:

But overall it was great, my body feels like it got a really good workout, which I'll probably feel in the morning.

Brian?

MagicMarker wrote: »

I tried this out this morning. I have to say it was a really great workout!! I haven't sweated so much in a long time!! I switched the chins for pull downs and my inflexibility meant the SL Deadlifts were gradually turning into regular deadlifts! :rolleyes:

But overall it was great, my body feels like it got a really good workout, which I'll probably feel in the morning.

No bother man, as itsallabouttheL said, you can substitute lat pulldown for chins or anything else really once you keep it push, pull, legs.

billyhead

I would be interested in trying this workout also. I was just wondering do you encourage that you go to failure on every set. Also should you do a warm up set first before starting the 5 sets for the dealifts or Squats and the 3 sets for each othre exercise? I forgot to ask do you mean by the split that you do DB bench, db rows and lunges on one day and then bb military presses, chins and SL deadlift the next or do you do them all on the same day (which seems a little excessive)

billyhead

I also got this 3 day a week workout of the bodybuilding.com website. What would be your opinions on this? The reason I am going to do 3 days a week is becasue I am doing a Ring of Kerry cycle in July and the other days are going to consists of cycling into work and one long cycle at the weekends. The cycle to work is about 13 miles each way so i think I would be knackered to try and hit the gym during my lunch time to do more then 3 days a week weight training

Squats 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Leg Extensions 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Leg Curls 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Dumbbell Pullovers 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Barbell Overhead Shoulder Press 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Seated Rows 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Bench Press 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Barbell Bicep Curls 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Tricep Extensions 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Weighted Pullups 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Weighted Dips 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Standing Calf Raises 1 X 8 - 12 reps
Abs - 1 X 10 - 15 reps

Brian?

billyhead wrote: »

I would be interested in trying this workout also. I was just wondering do you encourage that you go to failure on every set. Also should you do a warm up set first before starting the 5 sets for the dealifts or Squats and the 3 sets for each othre exercise? I forgot to ask do you mean by the split that you do DB bench, db rows and lunges on one day and then bb military presses, chins and SL deadlift the next or do you do them all on the same day (which seems a little excessive)

Personally I never go to failure on anything. You should do warm up sets for all excercises.

All on the same day, except you alternate 5x5 Squats and 5x5 Deadlifts. You could as easily do 3x8 or whatever you feel, I just don't like squatting or deadlifting more than 5reps.

Try it out, its not excessive at all. Takes me about 45 mins.

Brian?

billyhead wrote: »

I also got this 3 day a week workout of the bodybuilding.com website. What would be your opinions on this? The reason I am going to do 3 days a week is becasue I am doing a Ring of Kerry cycle in July and the other days are going to consists of cycling into work and one long cycle at the weekends. The cycle to work is about 13 miles each way so i think I would be knackered to try and hit the gym during my lunch time to do more then 3 days a week weight training

Squats 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Leg Extensions 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Leg Curls 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Dumbbell Pullovers 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Barbell Overhead Shoulder Press 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Seated Rows 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Bench Press 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Barbell Bicep Curls 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Tricep Extensions 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Weighted Pullups 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Weighted Dips 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Standing Calf Raises 1 X 8 - 12 reps
Abs - 1 X 10 - 15 reps

I don't know if thats any good, but why do so many different execises? There is an awful lot of isolation in there. I think if you're doing 3x full body workouts a week it should be nearly all compound movements.

itsallaboutheL

briankeating wrote: »

I don't know if thats any good, but why do so many different execises? There is an awful lot of isolation in there. I think if you're doing 3x full body workouts a week it should be nearly all compound movements.

it looks like a load a bollox tbh!

Transform

totally agree on the program - totally rubbish and not taking your goals, level etc into consideration

MagicMarker

Transform wrote: »

totally agree on the program - totally rubbish and not taking your goals, level etc into consideration

That directed to me or Billyhead?

Transform

billyhead wrote: »

I also got this 3 day a week workout of the bodybuilding.com website. What would be your opinions on this? The reason I am going to do 3 days a week is becasue I am doing a Ring of Kerry cycle in July and the other days are going to consists of cycling into work and one long cycle at the weekends. The cycle to work is about 13 miles each way so i think I would be knackered to try and hit the gym during my lunch time to do more then 3 days a week weight training

Squats 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Leg Extensions 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Leg Curls 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Dumbbell Pullovers 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Barbell Overhead Shoulder Press 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Seated Rows 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Bench Press 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Barbell Bicep Curls 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Tricep Extensions 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Weighted Pullups 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Weighted Dips 1 X 8 - 10 reps
Standing Calf Raises 1 X 8 - 12 reps
Abs - 1 X 10 - 15 reps

The above program is a mixed lucky bag - just throw whatever you can think of into a program!!

No structure at all and would be better to do fewer exercise and more sets - the other program posted was ok - 3 exericses in a row but i did not like the sequencing for my own reasons e.g. two triceps exercises instead of triceps and biceps exericse

Brian?

Transform wrote: »

The above program is a mixed lucky bag - just throw whatever you can think of into a program!!

No structure at all and would be better to do fewer exercise and more sets - the other program posted was ok - 3 exericses in a row but i did not like the sequencing for my own reasons e.g. two triceps exercises instead of triceps and biceps exericse

The routine I put up or the OP's original one?

itsallaboutheL

briankeating wrote: »

The routine I put up or the OP's original one?

yours didn't have two tricep in a row, it was push-pull-lower was it not?

Transform

sorry brian i read your one wrong - triceps, biceps and calves, good combination for magics needs.

the other program is pants though!

ragg

Can someone look at workout and see if its balanced for me?

Transform

put it up with you stats and goals and current diet

ragg

thanks, got it sorted now - it didn't seem to be balanced enough - it was a little quad dominant and i couldn't think of a way to fix it - got it now

Brian?

Transform wrote: »

sorry brian i read your one wrong - triceps, biceps and calves, good combination for magics needs.

the other program is pants though!

Grand so, you had me a little befuddled there. I'd be happy to hear if you think I can improve on that by the by.

Butty

briankeating wrote: »

If you're doing full body routines 3x a week, I like to do this.

Squat/Deadlift 5x5, alternating each day.

Giant sets (I think) All 3x8, no breaks, 30sec rest after last excercise:

db bench>1 arm db row> lunges
BB military press> chins> SL deadlift
CG bench> EZ bar curl> calf raise.

Hits your whole body, keeps your heart rate up and is over quickly and painfully.

I really like this routine also.

For the giant sets, is the correct routine to do a set of 8 on each of the 3 exercises and repeat 3 times? Take 30 seconds rest and move onto next giant set as per below

E.g.
DB Bench - 1x8
1 arm db row - 1x8
lunges - 1x8

repeat twice more. 30 secs rest.

then start BB military row set.