Input to my workout plan and food plan

maracas

This is my usual workout programme i was givin by my PT when i was working out this time last year.I want to start it up again and am starting back in the gym.
My ultimate goal is to put on a stone or so of muscle mostly looking to bulk up my upper body as in bigger arms,chest,shoulders etc.
I am aware it will take hardwork and am willing to do it,but ive been reading that i shuld be lifting heavy working out three days a week and having ample resting periods between.

So i have attached my food plan and workout plan hopping for either some extra pointers food wise and to see if people think it is possible to make my four day plan into thrre days without sacrificing on quality workouts.

Satanta

My advice would be to go to the 3 day split. Also reduce the number of different exercises you do per workout. Loose the drop sets and supersets. I think you are trying to do waaaay too much and that you would be much better off keeping your workouts short and intense and more simple.

maracas

Really,yweah i sometimes feel thats its way too much to do i a workout i reckonid be better off with quality rather than quantity

ray jay

Maracas, the problem you may run into is trying too much after being off exercise for so long, since you may lack the strength and conditioning base to be able to do that sort of volume. You may be better off taking a couple of months to work on basic strength. Say 3x5 for the first month, 5x5 the second so you build up some tolerance. If you can fit in some HIIT on the non-weights days, all the better.

Other than that, your plan looks like a bog standard body building routine, so it suits your goals. If you only want to train it three times per week, you could just do the fourth day's work the following week, i.e. (M W F M) (W F M W) (F M W F) etc. Otherwise just drop some of the exercises.

maracas

ray jay wrote: »

Maracas, the problem you may run into is trying too much after being off exercise for so long, since you may lack the strength and conditioning base to be able to do that sort of volume. You may be better off taking a couple of months to work on basic strength. Say 3x5 for the first month, 5x5 the second so you build up some tolerance. If you can fit in some HIIT on the non-weights days, all the better.

Other than that, your plan looks like a bog standard body building routine, so it suits your goals. If you only want to train it three times per week, you could just do the fourth day's work the following week, i.e. (M W F M) (W F M W) (F M W F) etc. Otherwise just drop some of the exercises.

Thats my thinking aswell,which excersises do you think i could drop in order to keep the workout as good but not as many excercises in one session.

Satanta

Take a look at this plan (attached)

I think it would suit your bodybuilding goals, although it is probably a bit advanced as well for starting out. Do 4 sets of each with reps between 8 - 12. Quality doesnt not equal quantity. Like I mentioned before I would loose all drop and supersets from your plan. They would be more suited to advanced bodybuilders and would have no real value unless you are at an advanced level - in my opinion. I have tried this in my routing before and all you end up with really is a good 'burn'. As for your question on what to drop from your workout plan:

I'd drop these completely:
Cable crossover > push ups > isometric holds x 6
2 handle lat pulldown > technogym pulldown
Straight arm pulldown
Hack Squat

I'd modify these:
Bench jumps > DB flys
Satanta: Drop the bench jumps
BB curls - triple drop set
Satanta: Id drop the drop sets. Just do 4 sets of 8 - 10. Do them before the preacher curls too.
Front Squat
Satanta: I'd do back squat instead
Arnie Press/Smith Machine Press
Satanta: I'd pick one or the other of these in any one session. In fact... I'd probably drop alot of the fly's in favor of doing 2 pressing movements instead.