All Pro Beginner Routine

paprad

I plan to switch from NROL to the AllPro routine that Sara linked in another thread. I had a few doubts I wanted to clarify:

This is the routine given:
Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

a) This routine has no lunges (my nemesis) and while that pleases me no end, I am also wondering if that is okay - are lunges essential? And since they are my weak spot, should I be giving them up totally or persevering?

b) I have access to a small gym in the building that has a multi gym and dumbells (no squat rack). I bought a small bar and some free weights upto around 40 lb to get me going - but I have no bench at home. So I can do some of the routine at home, then rush upstairs (to the building gym) for the bench press, and then rush home and finish it off. Does the break in the middle mean I should re-warm up with cardio - or the bench-specific warmups (at 25 and 50% of final weight) will be enough?Or lug my bar and weights up and down (cumbersome but do-able).

c) Bench press : I could either do it at the gym with dumbbells (that go up to 20 lb each. That would keep me busy for a while). Or I could use the machine bench press. I know the general recommendation is pro-free weight and anti-machine. At my current level of beginnerness (I have done strength training for a month) - does it really matter? I had a shoulder injury last year which is fine now. So: dumbells/my bar on bench or use machine bench press?

d) Bent over rows : the gym has a lat pull down machine and seated rows. I have been doing those at around 50-60lb for 3 sets of 10. Can I exchange seated rows or pull downs (or both) for bent over rows? Or will I lose something with not having the standing version?

e) I started doing window-sill pushups with NROL - should I ditch these and only stick to AllPro's routine? His routine seems simple and clearly works, I don't want to mess with his routine. Otoh, having done 1 month of pushups I don't know if I should dump them now.

I do plan to join a better equipped gym after a few months, when I finish a few cycles of AllPro.

Hendrix7

a - no lunges are not essential the squats and single leg dl's will cover the lower body side of things just fine

b - I would just bench first / or last so you have less hassle - there is no need to warm up between every single exercise once you have done an exercise involving those joints/muscles you are good to go.

c - use free weights

d - use your dumbells for the rows
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/DBBentOverRow.html

e - yes

cmeiron

You can also try floor presses instead of bench presses - I know at least one person doing All Pro's who is doing this substitution.

Also, a few of us have an All Pro Group, if you care to join! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/12657-all-pro-s-beginner-weight-lifting-routine I'm on the second week of my fourth cycle of this program, and LOVE it. I've been doing it all with dumbbells at home, so there are definitely work-arounds for all the lifts, even if you have no racks or bars

paprad

Thanks Hendrix

Cmeirun - you (and of course, Sara, who steered you to it) are the reason why I switched to AllPro. Delighted there's a group for this, will toddle over immediately. Thanks

pandorakick

I second cmeirun ^^^^

I'm also on my fourth cycle and am doing it completely from home, with dumbbells and without a bench

Sarauk2sf

Your questions have basically already been answered, but just toad my 2c.

Re the push ups, if you really want to keep doing them, tack them onto the end of the routine, but they are not essential and should not replace bench press.

You can have a decent amount of time between lifts (in reference to you having to do bench at a different place) and it not be an issue as long as you are warmed up properly in the first place.

paprad

Sara, thanks for your inputs - and thanks for putting me onto this routine.

One more question - AllPro says to do cardio and abs on the other days

What ab work would you recommend? I was doing Swiss Ball Crunches (with weights) and Prone Jackknife in NROL4W workout, but that doesn't seem like enough. And how does one progress the ab work in a similar manner to the routine itself - adding reps is fine, but reducing intensity within the week and adding load end of every cycle - how does one do that with abs? Or is it not necessary to do that?

Sarauk2sf

To make ab work harder, you can add weights.

Does the gym you use have either a roman/captain's chair (hanging leg raises) or a high cable?

paprad

Thanks Sara.

Gym has a lat pull down and seated rows. Also has leg press and machine bench press.

No hanging leg raises. But it has a chair where you rest your upper arm - elbow on heavy pads and hold on to the bars and crunch forward for ab work. It looks like this one here : http://www.shapingconcepts.com/images/abdominal_crunch_machine.jpg
So far I have avoided these because it looks like an unnatural pressure on the neck

There's also one of these - called Ab King Pro - http://www.ecvv.com/product/634035.html

paprad

Doing bench press on the floor - I have a hardish cushion that would take most of my torso - should I lie down on that so that my arms aren't resting on the floor itself? I presume resting arms on the floor is a no-no?

Also, i was taught (aeons ago!) to put my feet up in the bench press and press my lower back into the bench. When I read about the correct form now, the lower back is arched - almost decidedly so (in one video the trainer slid his hand under the lower back to show the gap). Would that be right?

pandorakick

Doing bench press on the floor - I have a hardish cushion that would take most of my torso - should I lie down on that so that my arms aren't resting on the floor itself? I presume resting arms on the floor is a no-no?

Also, i was taught (aeons ago!) to put my feet up in the bench press and press my lower back into the bench. When I read about the correct form now, the lower back is arched - almost decidedly so (in one video the trainer slid his hand under the lower back to show the gap). Would that be right?

Hmm, I was taught that I should press my lower back against the surface of the bench or floor....

I do floor presses because I don't have a bench. The disadvantage of this when compared with bench presses is that you have a smaller range of motion because the floor gets in the way of your arms. This makes the movement somewhat less effective then with a regular bench press. So If you could safely and comfortably elevate your torso somewhat to improve the range of motion of your arms, I personally would do so.

Sarauk2sf

Doing bench press on the floor - I have a hardish cushion that would take most of my torso - should I lie down on that so that my arms aren't resting on the floor itself? I presume resting arms on the floor is a no-no?

Also, i was taught (aeons ago!) to put my feet up in the bench press and press my lower back into the bench. When I read about the correct form now, the lower back is arched - almost decidedly so (in one video the trainer slid his hand under the lower back to show the gap). Would that be right?

Hmm, I was taught that I should press my lower back against the surface of the bench or floor....

I do floor presses because I don't have a bench. The disadvantage of this when compared with bench presses is that you have a smaller range of motion because the floor gets in the way of your arms. This makes the movement somewhat less effective then with a regular bench press. So If you could safely and comfortably elevate your torso somewhat to improve the range of motion of your arms, I personally would do so.

Back should be arched. You have a small arch on a floor press (although I am not sure there is anything wrong with having a big arch - it is just not as feasible to get a big arch when on the floor). The arch on a bench press is dependent on the individual and their goals, but should be there to some degree or another. Do not press lower back against the surface (unless doing more of an isolation move). For the programs like SL and SS and AllPro - arch.

Usually floor presses are used as an assist to bench presses as they help with the sticking point that people often have with bench.

Sarauk2sf

Doing bench press on the floor - I have a hardish cushion that would take most of my torso - should I lie down on that so that my arms aren't resting on the floor itself? I presume resting arms on the floor is a no-no?

Also, i was taught (aeons ago!) to put my feet up in the bench press and press my lower back into the bench. When I read about the correct form now, the lower back is arched - almost decidedly so (in one video the trainer slid his hand under the lower back to show the gap). Would that be right?

Your arms rest on the floor in between reps. Don't put cushions under you. A thin mat is fine, bit nothing else.

Sarauk2sf

Thanks Sara.

Gym has a lat pull down and seated rows. Also has leg press and machine bench press.

No hanging leg raises. But it has a chair where you rest your upper arm - elbow on heavy pads and hold on to the bars and crunch forward for ab work. It looks like this one here : http://www.shapingconcepts.com/images/abdominal_crunch_machine.jpg
So far I have avoided these because it looks like an unnatural pressure on the neck

There's also one of these - called Ab King Pro - http://www.ecvv.com/product/634035.html

I am not a fan of ab machines.

A couple of suggestions - do stability ball crunches, but add weight by holding a DB to your chest, and/or, get an ab roller thingy. They are actually pretty effective and cheap! http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/ab-roller

paprad

Thanks Sara, for the clarifications on the arch and the abs

RE the bench press, one of the training videos on Youtube had the man doing this little wiggle to ground his lats (?) on the bench - so it seemed to me. Would that be right? That apart from the arch in the lower back, there is also an .. umm... how to describe this.. a hollow in the centre of the upper back between the lats? Heh, I am clearly not very good in describing the move. Okay - would the upper back be just flattened against the bench and

Your arms rest on the floor in between reps. Don't put cushions under you. A thin mat is fine, bit nothing else

In the bench version, the arm doesn't rest against anything, so is the floor press a structurally different move? If I get to rest between reps, will I then be able to manage a higher weight on the floor?

Sarauk2sf

Thanks Sara, for the clarifications on the arch and the abs

RE the bench press, one of the training videos on Youtube had the man doing this little wiggle to ground his lats (?) on the bench - so it seemed to me. Would that be right? That apart from the arch in the lower back, there is also an .. umm... how to describe this.. a hollow in the centre of the upper back between the lats? Heh, I am clearly not very good in describing the move. Okay - would the upper back be just flattened against the bench and

Your arms rest on the floor in between reps. Don't put cushions under you. A thin mat is fine, bit nothing else

In the bench version, the arm doesn't rest against anything, so is the floor press a structurally different move? If I get to rest between reps, will I then be able to manage a higher weight on the floor?

Yes - it is a similar but different lift.

You engage your lats for both bench and floor. Due to the angles, you set your shoulders better into a bench (or, at least I do).

You should be able to bench more as you use the stretch reflex which is taken out of the equation with a floor press. Plus you have less leverage.

For bench - watch the Rippetoe videos on youtube.

paprad

Thanks so much Sara. You've been a huge help in so many ways.

Sarauk2sf

You are welcome

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