can anyone suggest a workout routine?

jrochie

Hi All,

Just getting back into the gym again. I'm looking to build strength, upper body mass and definition. Im 23, pretty fit, I play soccer 2 nights a week, walk at least 1.5 miles every evening. I'm 6' and weigh just under 15 stone.
Can anyone recommend a routine I could use to get started? At the moment I'm lifting pretty light weights at the moment. I'm not worried about cardio as I'm doing plenty of that already. Its mainly my upper arms, chest and back I want to build strength in!

Thanks

EileenG

Big compound lifts, done with weights as heavy as you can manage for 8-10 reps.

Squats, deadlifts, bench press, pull-ups, dips, lunges, stiffleg deadlifts, military press, barbell curls, bent over row, plank, hyperextension, wood chopper etc,

All the lower body work will increase your testosterone and growth hormone, which will help to increase your upper body too.

jrochie

excellent that all sounds good, nice and intensive.

should i look at gradually increasing my reps or would you say just stick with that for a while?

thanks again

EileenG

As soon as you can do more than ten reps, increase the weight. Keep it challenging. You should have to struggle to finish the last couple of reps. And be really really glad to hit the showers. But a workout based on those lifts will give you a tough full body workout in a relatively short time.

jrochie

great thanks for that eileen, hitting the gym tomoro evening to get started!

My girlfriend is starting as well and was wondering could you suggest something for her. She wants to tone her upper arms, not increase in size but decrease. She also wants to lose weight on her stomach and hips, and her upper legs. She is 20, and 5'3:D
Her fitness levels would not be as high as mine...
At the moment she is lifting light weight, doing bicep and triceps curls, walking and stomach crunchs.
Thanks again for your advice

EileenG

Same basic routine, just adjust the weights to her strength. One of the biggest myths is that women should train differently to men. Even if they train exactly the same, with the same weights, they won't look the same at the end. Women don't have enough testosterone to get bulky muscles, but they need to lift heavy weights to look fit and toned.

The idea that endless reps with a tiny dumbbell will somehow shape your muscles is wrong (or I'd have the most shapely wrist in the world from clicking my house). Pick that weight aht will just about let you finish 8-10 reps.

For both men and women, the big lifts like squat and deadlift increase overall strength and burn calories. For women, they shape bums and hips and thighs and abs, has to be good.

The main difference is that women usually need to do pull downs or use an assisted pull-up machine, as not many can do a bodyweight pull-up. She may well find that though you are stronger on upper body, she can lift as heavy as you on lower body work.