workout program advice - what do u think of this?

padraigcarroll

Howdy,

Im putting together a workout for myself for a period of 8 or 9 weeks, and need to see what u pro's think! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I don't mind going back to the drawing board, as I've got another week to get it down on paper! So please feel free to criticise!!!!!


Some excercises are based on having a spotting partner to do a 1 rep max as the last set, where there wont be a partner it will be a same weight set done slowly to failure.

What I've come up with so far is a 5 day week training routine to lose fat and build lean muscle at the same time
Diet isnt sorted yet fully, but will involve at least 4 scoops of protein per day, 1 multivit , bcaa's, glucosamine+chrondroiton , and hopefully no carbs after 6pmish. with 5 - 6 meals per day.

Cardio is done at approx 7am Monday - Thursday
Consists of a 30 minute jog at approx 60% - 65%
6 bcaa's , 1 glucosamine+chrondroiton tab before jog and also in evening for lean muscle mass retention and joint protection.


Weights done in the evening at approx 6 - 6:30pm Monday to Friday
When the Friday routine isnt possible it is simply dropped, which may occur every second week (not a definite).

Saturday and Sunday are days off which will involve walks or possibly swimming (not definite every week)

Weights for the legs wont be done, as with the jogging/walking/swimming Im happy enough they are getting plenty of work.

Stretching is done with weights when possible or bodyweight.

********************************************************************

workout 1 chest & triceps

Chest :
Bench Press (5 sets) 1 warmup/3/1 max
Dumbell press (3 sets) 2/1 max (done flat or slight incline depending on shoulders)

Triceps :
Skull crushers (3 sets) 3 equal
Cable pushdown (3 sets) 3 equal
Dumbell kickbacks (4 sets) 3/1 Max

Chest stretch : Flat Fly Stretch Inline Fly Stretch

********************************************************************

workout 2 Shoulders & Biceps

Shoulders:
1 from the following -> side lateral raises/front raises/upright rows (2 sets) equal
Shoulder press machine (4 sets) /1 Max
Seated Dumbell presses (4sets) 3/1 Max

Biceps:
Preacher Curls (4 sets) 3/ 1 max or else 1 set slow to failure
Concentration curls (3 sets) equal
Barbell curls cheat curls (3 sets) equal

Stretch : High Pulley Stretch

********************************************************************

workout 3 back /Lats /Traps

Back:
Wide-Grip Lat pull-downs (4 sets)
Barbell rows or else T-bar rows (2 sets)
Dumbell Rows (3 sets)

Neck:
Widegrip barbell shrug (3 sets)
closegrip barbell shrug (3 sets)

Back Stretch : High Pulley Stretch, verious other stretches
Neck Stretch : right to left look, up and down temples to shoulders

********************************************************************

workout 4 Forearms & Abs

Forearms:
dumbell wristcurls (3 sets)
reverse dumbell wristcurls (3 sets)
Reverse Barbell Curls (4 sets)
seated or standing HAMMER CURLS (2 sets)

Abs:
Crunches
Crunches with legs in air
Crunches with legs flat out
leg raises
Reverse crunches

Forearm stretches: barbell stretch across a bench

********************************************************************

workout 5 Triceps & biceps + stretching

Triceps:
French Presses (2 sets)
Dips (2 sets) to failure
Close grip bench press (2 sets)

Biceps:
Incline dumbbell curls (2 sets)
Standing Easybar curls (2 sets)
Seated concentration curls (2)

Biceps Stretching: Incline and flat stretch using dumbells
Triceps Stretching: Incline and flat dumbell stretch behind head

********************************************************************

0utshined

You've put a lot of work into designing a plan which is admirable but it really depends on where you're coming from.

If you're only starting to weight train then I would suggest compound exercises like Squat's, Deadlifts, Presses and Rows 3 days a week. Cardio is important and could be used as an active recovery on the days you're not doing weights. The most important thing is to ease yourself into it and make it just something you do rather than something you feel you have to do.

YMMV,
0.

padraigcarroll

At it a couple of months now, gradually building strength and some definition, and losing some fat, all be it slowly!
My workouts had been a little inconsistant hence making a plan to stick to.

BrianD3

My comments on your workout plan are similar to outshineds. I think you are doing too much work on biceps, triceps and forearms and not enough back work. You seem be doing a lot of fiddly isolation and machine work and curl type exercises. You're doing weights 5 times a week yet you're not doing any weights for your legs at all, IMO this is mad. Just because you utilise your legs during swimming and jogging doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't do weight training for your legs. Also I think doing cardio and weights 5 times a week is a bit much and will result in overtraining.

My final comment is that I think you could do with simplifying your exercise routine. I'm of the opinion that someone who just wants to build some muscle and strength can do really well just doing 5 or 6 compound exercises eg bench, deads, squats, mil press, chins, rows, cleans.

padraigcarroll

Cheers for the advice BrianD3!

Ok, so......
I was a bit worried, especially towards the end of the week, that there would be too much work on the biceps, buy going into the forearms etc straight after a biceps day.
Lets say it was a 4 day week
would this work?
monday - chest/triceps
tuesday - shoulders/biceps/forearms
wednesday - Legs/abs
thursday - back/traps/neck


thanks again guys

Easygainer

padraigcarroll wrote:

What I've come up with so far is a 5 day week training routine to lose fat and build lean muscle at the same time
Diet isnt sorted yet fully, but will involve at least 4 scoops of protein per day, 1 multivit , bcaa's, glucosamine+chrondroiton , and hopefully no carbs after 6pmish. with 5 - 6 meals per day.

Cardio is done at approx 7am Monday - Thursday
Consists of a 30 minute jog at approx 60% - 65%
6 bcaa's , 1 glucosamine+chrondroiton tab before jog and also in evening for lean muscle mass retention and joint protection.


Weights done in the evening at approx 6 - 6:30pm Monday to Friday
When the Friday routine isnt possible it is simply dropped, which may occur every second week (not a definite). -> looks good, try separate meals as pro/fat or pro/carb too...

Saturday and Sunday are days off which will involve walks or possibly swimming (not definite every week)

Weights for the legs wont be done, as with the jogging/walking/swimming Im happy enough they are getting plenty of work.

Stretching is done with weights when possible or bodyweight.

********************************************************************

workout 1 chest & triceps

Chest :
Bench Press (5 sets) 1 warmup/3/1 max
Dumbell press (3 sets) 2/1 max (done flat or slight incline depending on shoulders) ----> take out the db presses, just same exercise but eating into recovery

Triceps :
Skull crushers (3 sets) 3 equal
Cable pushdown (3 sets) 3 equal
Dumbell kickbacks (4 sets) 3/1 Max ----> 1 extension and 1 pressing movement would be plenty - go with skull crushers and close grip bench or something similar but use free weights

Chest stretch : Flat Fly Stretch Inline Fly Stretch

********************************************************************

workout 2 Shoulders & Biceps

Shoulders:
1 from the following -> side lateral raises/front raises/upright rows (2 sets) equal
Shoulder press machine (4 sets) /1 Max
Seated Dumbell presses (4sets) 3/1 Max --> again1 will do

Biceps:
Preacher Curls (4 sets) 3/ 1 max or else 1 set slow to failure
Concentration curls (3 sets) equal
Barbell curls cheat curls (3 sets) equal ---> too much work for a small muscle - do one curling movement like barbell curls and one movement to hit brachialis like hammer curls

Stretch : High Pulley Stretch

********************************************************************

workout 3 back /Lats /Traps

Back:
Wide-Grip Lat pull-downs (4 sets)
Barbell rows or else T-bar rows (2 sets)
Dumbell Rows (3 sets) ---> take out the db rows, add in deadlifts - it's THE best exercise for a good back. Maybe do rack chins instead of pull downs

Neck:
Widegrip barbell shrug (3 sets)
closegrip barbell shrug (3 sets) one or other would do

Back Stretch : High Pulley Stretch, verious other stretches
Neck Stretch : right to left look, up and down temples to shoulders

********************************************************************

workout 4 Forearms & Abs

Forearms:
dumbell wristcurls (3 sets)
reverse dumbell wristcurls (3 sets)
Reverse Barbell Curls (4 sets)
seated or standing HAMMER CURLS (2 sets)

Abs:
Crunches
Crunches with legs in air
Crunches with legs flat out
leg raises
Reverse crunches

Forearm stretches: barbell stretch across a bench

--> No need for a separate workout, just do the hammer curls as I said above for forearms, and throw in abs whenever you do cardio - you could then split routine to MWF if you wanted to help recovery

********************************************************************

workout 5 Triceps & biceps + stretching

Triceps:
French Presses (2 sets)
Dips (2 sets) to failure
Close grip bench press (2 sets)

Biceps:
Incline dumbbell curls (2 sets)
Standing Easybar curls (2 sets)
Seated concentration curls (2)

Biceps Stretching: Incline and flat stretch using dumbells
Triceps Stretching: Incline and flat dumbell stretch behind head

********************************************************************

my recommendation

Mickk

Why a 1 rep max? Are you trying to get bigger or be a powerlifter? And what is the point of doing a 1rm as the last set in an exercise? Unless your first four sets are only warm ups then your only doing one working set or if the first four sets are working sets your 1rm wont nearly be as strong as it should be. For size it is best to fail in the 12 to 6 rep range, anything less than that you are working just for strenght.

Also lately I have been training biceps with chest rather than back and triceps with back. This way you are effectively hitting your triceps and biceps twice a week rather than once (once directly when training them and once secondary while training the bigger muscle eg biceps get used while doing back). It has been working for me

Mickk

Also the day layout of
"monday - chest/triceps
tuesday - shoulders/biceps/forearms
wednesday - Legs/abs
thursday - back/traps/neck"
is good but I would have a break in between tuesday and wednesday. Doing four days in a row with the right intensity is too much, your body needs time to recover. Don't forget you don't grow in the gym, you grow in the days after when your body repairs your muscle...

padraigcarroll

Easygainer
Thanks man, thats some excellent info there, much appreciated. I'll make the changes accordingly try and get a better plan together.
Can I ask ya another question?...... say for example monday
chest and biceps
chest i take out the db presses, so I only do benching, how many sets would you reccomend? At the moment the way i had been benching is, 1) warm up with no weights, 2) 8 reps of 15kg each side, then 3 sets of 20 kg each side, then 1rm wich at the moment is a mere 2x15 kgs on either side this is with someone spotting me.
What way do you think I should change the benching seeing as I will not be doing the extra sets of db presses? Or should I keep the way I do the sets the same?

Mickk
Well, the way we end up doing the 1rep max at the end of say benching, shoulders, biceps etc..... basically this Lithuanian bloke in the gym, advised us when benching, to do the 1 rm at the end of a session, to increase strength.
So all other sets we try to do with good form etc, then at the end the 1rm for strength gains.

Now like i was saying to easygainer, at the moment my benching is like a little girl's! my 1rm is 60kgs+ weight of bar which i think is 25 kgs, but, we have done the 1rm at the end of each benching session for the last 3 weeks, and it has helped me go from 3 sets of 4 reps with a 15 and a 5 kg on either side (20kgs) (with a spotter) to this week doing 3 sets of 7 reps. if i can do 3 sets of 8 next week, then im going to increase (at the end of next week...) the weight from the 15 and 5 to say maybe 15 and 10, drop back to 3 sets of 4 reps hope fully, and increase the 1rm a bit, the build up to 3 sets of 8 again and so on.
That was the thinking behind it anyhoo.
is that flawed? or do you reckon its ok to try?

thanks again for all the input lads I do appreciate it big time.

Mickk

In my experience 1rm is only good for once every 6 months or so just to see how much you can do. I would definately now recommend doing 1rm every workout. It is an easy way to pick up an injury. Especially while you are quite new to serious training you will definately respond to intensive sets of 6-12 reps.

Also if you can do three sets of 8 you are not pushing hard enough on the first two sets. If you max out on a set and you get 8 reps, when you go back two minutes you should only get 6 or 7 if you really pushed to get 8 in the first set. Your muscle will be torn and will just not be quite as strong.

Using this format your bench and all other lifts will go up and you will get bigger aswell.
Good luck

padraigcarroll

ahhhh sound!
thats omething i was definitely doing wrong, id only aim for say 3 sets of 7, and even if i cud do 8 or 9 on set 1 i didnt so as to save for more at the end,
ok cool
that makes sense
Thanks again mick! mucho appreciated

Mickk

No problem mate,
the other advice I would give you is to make sure you are getting enough rest. You seem to be eager but rest is when you grow. Read up on overtraining and make sure you don't do it. Less is more...
Good luck