Feedback on Program generated by an app

IR1SH RANG3R

Hi Everyone. I was hoping to get some feedback on a routine I've had generated for me by an app that bases it on responses to some initial questions.

I'd class myself as intermediate coming back to the gym after a few months off. Main goal is to lose some body fat while maintaining what I have (also doing 3 runs per week). I'm also moving into a calorie deficit so really just some feedback on the below would be great. Thanks in advance!

3-day full body routine:

• Day 1
  • Barbell Bench Press 4 sets x 5 reps
  • Wide grip Lat Pulldown (Cable) 4 x 15
  • Machine Leg Extension 4 x 15
  • Cable Pushdown with Rope 4 x 10
  • Cable Kneeling Crunch 3 x 11
• Day 2
  • BB Romanian Deadlift 3 x 5
  • Close grip Lat Pulldown (Cable) 4 x 10
  • Pec Deck Chest Fly 5 x 14
  • EZ BB Preacher Curl 5 x 10
  • DB Lateral Raise 3 x 12
• Day 3
  • BB Back Squat 4 x 6
  • DB Standing Overhead Press 3 x 10
  • Machine Seated Row (Chest Supported) 5 x 12
  • Machine Seated Leg Curl 3 x 15
  • Cable Lateral Raise 3 x 12

Black Sheep

The sets and reps are unusual... On the high side in both respects. No one programmes sets of 11, that must be the AI!

Exercise order is, in places, not what I would pick... But it's just oddly arranged, not dangerous.

Mellor

exercise selection is ok.

Grouping is weird. Hitting the same muscle on sequenial days. Same movement multiple days (DB vs Cable). Sets and reps are unnecessarily complicated.

I’d question how much of that is generated and how much is cookie cutter. I wonder if I generated a program would it be different?

Mr. CooL ICE

Any info on intensity? 4x6 @ 80% vs 70% or how many reps in reserve, etc?

IR1SH RANG3R

Thanks for the feedback, will try to respond/follow up on them all:

• Grouping and arrangement seems to be the main issue - any specifics to call out on this?
• I think the app seems to have certain preferred exercises for specific muscle groups but I've generated a few programs based off the same answers and have gotten different ones each time (albeit minor tweaks here and there in some cases)
• Nothing specific on intensity for individual exercises unfortunately

Black Sheep

Take a look at this thread:-

Beginner Strength Programmes — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin'

If you are going to rejig that AI programme, it might just be easier to do one of these proven programmes that lots of people have done and gotten great results from. Don't mind the thread title, they're not just for beginners.

There is a lot of support and information out there concerning each of them, which can be helpful.

Greyskull LP is a 3 day a week fully body programme worth looking at for starters.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122495132#Comment_122495132

Forgetting the app. What are your goals. I'd be inclined to go tried and tested myself

IR1SH RANG3R

Main goal at the minute is losing body fat while maintaining any muscle previously built in so much as possible. Thanks for linking through that post on beginner programmes - agree that the concepts never really change. I did do SL 5x5 years ago for a long time and found it nice and simple. Really like the look of the greyskull one and found a detailed primer post about its concepts online that I've read through. Think I might just stick with that for now for a few weeks while upping the cardio and dialling in the diet.

Appreciate all the help here.

Black Sheep

Greyskull is very good. The PDF version of the 3rd edition is worth looking for.

IR1SH RANG3R

Sorry for coming back after a while but set up a Greyskull programme based on what I read and would appreciate any feedback on the choices here. It would run A1, B1, A1 for week 1 and then A2, B2, A2 for week 2. Rinse and repeat:

• A1 - OHP 2x5 1x5+, Chin Up 2x5 1x5+, Squat 2x5 1x5+, Tricep Extension (Cable) 3x10, FacePulls 3x10, Core 3x12
• B1 - Bench Press 2x5 1x5+, Chest Supported Machine Row 2x5 1x5+, Deadlift 1x5+, Preacher Curl 3x10, DB Lateral Raise 3x10
• A2 - Bench Press 2x5 1x5+, Chest Supported Machine Row 2x5 1x5+, Squat 2x5 1x5+, Preacher Curl 3x10, DB Lateral Raise 3x10, Core 3x12
• B2 - OHP 2x5 1x5+, Chin Up 2x5 1x5+, Deadlift 1x5+, Tricep Extension (Cable) 3x10, FacePulls 3x10

Thanks again

Black Sheep

I think I'd raise the reps on the supported machine row, and I personally wouldn't want to do them before deadlifting.

Main thing is the main lifts and progressing them. I think you have the layout right.

Table on assistance work, you may have seen this.

Some guidance on sets and reps here. You'll note he usually does lower sets and reps. He's warming up then doing 2 heavy sets for most movements, and trying to progress weight or reps each week. I'd do no more than 2-3 assistance movements a workout.

IR1SH RANG3R

Thanks for the feedback, I had read the info you linked there but went down a rabbit hole of variations which may have confused a couple of issues you raised. I was looking at the chest supported row as more of a main lift than an accessory as a replacement for BB Rows which I know can generally be a main lift in other LP programs. Agreed though that doing them before deadlifting is shooting myself in the foot.

The other thought I had was that I might have a bit too much of a focus on the back?

Black Sheep

I think you're good in terms of balance, tbh. Two compound back movements are fine, and I would count the face pulls as just for shoulder health.

I must admit I didn't always follow his idea of lower body compound after upper body compound.. just personal preference.

Good luck with it!

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122597417#Comment_122597417

Took me a while to figure out the point of the A1, B1, A2, B2 layout. Missed there was 3 per week.
That's the program, but when I did it that was the part of found the most annoying to mentally sort out. It's becomes a bit easier to you think of it as an A/B alternate. But the lower main lift is aligned to days of the week.

For exercise order, squats and deadlifts need to be sooner. First of second lift. I have a similar breakup, and I do deadlifts and squats first followed by OHP or Bench. You could do squats first on monday, and second on friday. Put deadlifts where they suit, first or second lift.

Assistance looks ok. But there's no lower body assistance. I think to have primary assistance that I always do, and secondary assistance that I swap around. For reference, I primarily do: Pulls ups, Rows, hip thrusts, leg extensions, curls, tricep extensions. And on "other" secondary days I sometime do; chest/reverse flys, lat raises, calf raises.

Cill94

To be honest you're at the point where you now have a programme that, like all general templates, is 'good enough'.

From here it's about actually just giving it a go for long enough to see what the effects are like and then adjust as needed. The most accurate feedback you'll get is from the training itself.

Alf Veedersane

Yeah, totally agree. It's easy to get too caught up in trying to optimising a workout at the expense of actually doing it.

Kick off, be consistent and tweak it a little over time if needs be.

Black Sheep

When it's a linear progress like this, as I've said many times before, the difficulty/intensity is all backloaded to near the end. It's hunky dory for the first few months.

When you are at a very heavy, near 5RM squat, but have to get it for 3 sets, and have backed off and tried again, that's where it's tough...

At that point it will probably be obvious why his assistance work doesn't involve any lower body stuff apart from calves.

IMO some pullups, some curls and a tricep movement, and something like machine row or chest supported DB row and forget about them then and run the main lifts out.

At the end you'll dread your squats and deadlift day but probably not even think about the rest.