Does this strength training routine look okay?

ghouli

Hi folks. I had posted a thread a little while ago about starting squats. I did them once at the gym and loved it, but am still feeling iffy and self-conscious about using the weights at the gym. I know I shouldn't be feeling that way, but yenno.

I do want to have strength training in my plan, though, and have been looking at fitnessblender videos. ALSO I'm a complete noob and honestly, weight lifting makes me feel kinda dumb because I just don't...get it? Like reading about things online, the different programs and stuff just makes my brain crap out on me, I dunno why. Just wanted to throw that out there in case you read this and think "that is an awful plan" haha. I'm definitely still learning.

So basically what I planned out is:

Day 1: Legs/abs
Day 2: Upper body
Day 3: Abs
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Legs/abs
Day 6: Upper body
Day 7: Rest

Is that...okay? Bad? Super stupid? Decent? I used a plan I had found online on some forum or something, and modified it a bit because on the original it broke it down into more specific things, like back/chest/shoulders/arms, etc. And the fitnessblender videos work the upper body as a whole instead of just those specific parts, if that makes sense? And I put abs every other day because that was what was in the original plan. Is that too often?

SORRY I'M REALLY BAD WITH WORDS AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN THINGS.

Any help, advice, words of wisdom, etc etc would be really appreciated. I want to get experienced opinions before I start anything.

rainbowbow

I'd say to adopt a training program that already exists that you want to do without modifying it.

Most people who have their own plan will forget to train certain muscle groups, will train at an inefficient frequency, will train without progressive overload, etc.

You also don't specify the specific exercises you are doing for those days so who knows.


In general, unless you are familiar with creating a well-rounded routine, i'd suggest you don't try. Muscle imbalance, improper frequency/technique, can all lead to injuries.

nordlead2005

While the split itself is OK, with no idea what exercises you'll be doing no one can tell you if it is any decent.

As a beginner you should just pick a program tailored to beginners and do whatever it says.

For example, you could pick Strong Lifts 5x5, it is an ABA, BAB program where you do full body 3x per week. 3 exercises each day, with 5 sets of 5. It is simple, everything you need to know is on a single website.

If you don't like that, you could pick Strong Curves and follow whatever that says, or follow New Rules of Lifting for Women and whatever that says. If you want body weight exercises you could look into nerdfitness beginner bodyweight program or similar.

Doing that will get you much better results. Honestly, I wish someone told me that exact same advise 15 years ago.

rainbowbow

If you're looking to start lifting weights, and you feel like a total n00b, i'd suggest you do the New Rules of Lifting For Women. There are many other great beginners lifting plans, but i think this one would be helpful because it starts off with a few things like machines, bosu balls, etc. which may help you feel more comfortable. It doesn't just throw you into pure weight lifting. Kind of like you are working your way up and around the gym, so eventually you'll feel really comfortable with pretty much any exercise or area of the gym.

Just my 2 cents.

giantrobot_powerlifting

There's "strength training" and then there is strength training that is organized in a program. Something like you have set up there is just fine if you want to just go in the gym and "lift some weights." Others are going to insist to you that you must be on a formalized program.

But it seems to me that you are just at the phase of getting your feet wet, so the planning that you are doing is just fine and may allow for lots of experimentation that may allow you to pick a formalized weight training program sometime in the future if that is your desire.

EDIT: That's lots of ab work, unless you are rehabbing or correcting an imbalance. You can probably remove that dedicated day and stick a cardio or some other kind of conditioning program instead.

ghouli

Forgot to mark this thread to find it later lol. Thanks guys!!

LKArgh

Google a beginner's program. Any program really. Especially if you have no experience to decide which exercises to include in your program. Google and choose something that sounds simple, i.e. which does not include 50 different exercises per week but that focuses on the basics. Can't the gym provide a basic plan for you? Usually most gyms have generic programs, which might be not perfect and not tailored to your needs, but they are a start.

jmule24

nakedraygun wrote: »

There's "strength training" and then there is strength training that is organized in a program. Something like you have set up there is just fine if you want to just go in the gym and "lift some weights." Others are going to insist to you that you must be on a formalized program.

But it seems to me that you are just at the phase of getting your feet wet, so the planning that you are doing is just fine and may allow for lots of experimentation that may allow you to pick a formalized weight training program sometime in the future if that is your desire.

EDIT: That's lots of ab work, unless you are rehabbing or correcting an imbalance. You can probably remove that dedicated day and stick a cardio or some other kind of conditioning program instead.

What @nakedraygun is trying to say is look into Strong Lifts 5x5 or Ice Cream Fitness 5x5. They are great programs that everyone should start with.

giantrobot_powerlifting

jmule24 wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

There's "strength training" and then there is strength training that is organized in a program. Something like you have set up there is just fine if you want to just go in the gym and "lift some weights." Others are going to insist to you that you must be on a formalized program.

But it seems to me that you are just at the phase of getting your feet wet, so the planning that you are doing is just fine and may allow for lots of experimentation that may allow you to pick a formalized weight training program sometime in the future if that is your desire.

EDIT: That's lots of ab work, unless you are rehabbing or correcting an imbalance. You can probably remove that dedicated day and stick a cardio or some other kind of conditioning program instead.

What @nakedraygun is trying to say is look into Strong Lifts 5x5 or Ice Cream Fitness 5x5. They are great programs that everyone should start with.

That's not what I am saying at all Joe.

If she just want's to go in and lift some weights without some formalized program what she has set-up is just fine. Not everyone feels comfortable getting under the bar at first. (I know I didn't if I think back two decades+ ago.) But at least what she has done has set up some kind of plan to follow, which is more than 90% (totally made up stat) of lifters do at the gym anyway. Would it be great if she just did SL or ICF, sure, but never everyone is so inclined.

We (all of MFPland) shouldn't let our dogmas become a barrier to someones fitness if they have an otherwise reasonable plan. Also, we should trust the intelligence of others to discover for themselves when something isn't working to come back and ask.