Programme Advice

Carb

Hi all,

I've been a lurker around here for some time, so I thought it would be a good place to seek some advice as there appears to be a wealth of experience. I'm aiming to do a half ironman competition next September. I've been doing a weights programe for a couple of weeks to improve my strength as I've been sitting behind a desk for the past ten years. I've been doing a split programme which means that over a two week period each workout gets done three times. The problem is that I may need to drop one of the days to spend more time in the pool.

I'm hoping that some of you may be able to take a look at my programme and advise whether I can make better use of my time. I only have about 45min - 1hr for each workout. Am I better doing a full body twice a week or leaving it split over the two days. Any particular exercise that would be better than what I'm doing. Am I better doing less reps. This particular prgramme was prepared with the aim of getting me use to doing weights again. Current reps and weight included. I'm just under 5' 6", and about 70kgs.

Day 1 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3
Exercise Reps Kg Reps Kg Reps Kg
Squats (Smith machine) 13 55 13 55 13 55
Hamstring Curl (Individual legs) 13 27.5 13 27.5
Leg Extension (Individual legs) 13 25 13 25
Single Leg Calf Raise (Dumbell) 13 9 13 9
Back Extension 20 N/A 20 N/A 20 N/A
Plank 30secs N/A 30secs N/A 30secs N/A


No need to comment on the Smith machine. I know the thoughts on it here :)and I want to get off it soon anyway. The three leg exercises have been good as I appear to have one leg much stronger than the other and doing them this way has helped even things out. The downside is that doing it this way is quite time consuming which is why I only do two sets.

Day 2 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3
Exercise Reps Kg Reps Kg Reps Kg
Lat Pulldown 13 25 13 25 13 25
Dumbell Bench Press 13 12 13 12 13 12
T-Bar Row 13 27.5 13 27.5 13 27.5
Braced Shoulder Press 13 9 13 9 13 9
Bicep Curl (Cable M'hine) 13 36 13 36
Triceps (Cable M'hine) 13 41 13 41


No major issues with this. A standing rather than seated lat pulldown would probably be better for swimming, and I struggle to get excited about the bicep and tricep curls. I just don't see the major benefit in doing them when they probably get a good workout during the other exercises anyway. I struggle on the shoulder press. I use to do a lot of weights ten years ago and even then, my shoulders were my weak point.

At the moment I'm probably about 3-7kgs heavier than I want to be, so weight gain is certainly not an aim. Strength and endurance are the main focus. Anyway, sorry for the longwinded post. Thanks for reading and any advice will much appreciated.

boredasfuk

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Brian?

Severly lacking in deadlifts. Your numbers are quite low so you can alternate deadlift and squat every time you go to the gym. Ditch the leg curls and leg extensions and do stiff leg deadlifts and lunges instead.

Why 13 reps of everything? I'd deadlift and squat 5x5 and do 3x8-10 on the rest.

Carb

briankeating wrote: »

Why 13 reps of everything? I'd deadlift and squat 5x5 and do 3x8-10 on the rest.

I've a fairly broad, muscular build. Previous times when my aim was to bulk up, I did this very easily on 5-8 reps. Endurance sets seem to indicate about 20 reps. As I was only getting back into lifting weights, the feeling was that about 13 reps was a good level if I had a fear of increasing size with lower reps, but wouldn't have the abilitiy to lift much 20 times.

In hindsight, given that I've about nine other sessions of running, swimming cycling, bulking is not going to happen. So lower reps for the moment maybe the way forward.

Brian?

Carb wrote: »

In hindsight, given that I've about nine other sessions of running, swimming cycling, bulking is not going to happen. So lower reps for the moment maybe the way forward.

With all that cardio you'd be doing well to bulk up alright. Are you training for a triathlon?

Carb

briankeating wrote: »

With all that cardio you'd be doing well to bulk up alright. Are you training for a triathlon?

Yeah, I intend doing a couple of different distances during next summer and finishing with a half ironman in September (fingers crossed). I'm pretty much starting from scratch.

Brian?

Carb wrote: »

Yeah, I intend doing a couple of different distances during next summer and finishing with a half ironman in September (fingers crossed). I'm pretty much starting from scratch.

Fair play to you. I'd say now would be the time to hit the weights hard, low rep strength training then, you're going to want to change that as you up the miles on the road and in the pool though. I have no idea of specifics though.

Carb

briankeating wrote: »

Fair play to you. I'd say now would be the time to hit the weights hard, low rep strength training then, you're going to want to change that as you up the miles on the road and in the pool though. I have no idea of specifics though.

Thanks for that.

The reason I put my current programme up is because I think it deals reasonably well with what I need. ie in general tackling cycling and swimming muscles. What I'm try to guage is if there are better exercise (compund movements) that may reduce the number of different exercises.

I think what you suggested covers the legs well. Do squats, deadlifts and lunges in general hit similiar areas?