Strength training question?

cwolfman13

I'm the worlds slowest work-outer, so I don't do full body or I'd spend 5 hours at the gym every time.

If I warm up for 15 minutes, split my workout up by muscle group, and spend 25 minutes on cardio afterward, I can get it all day in an hour and a half, 4xs a week.

I do legs and glutes, arms and shoulders, abs and back, and some sort of torture with my trainer. Lately it's been an obscene amount of chest work since she's figured out that I avoid it like the plague. It works for me because it keep me way less overwhelmed.

You can do full body in 45 minutes or less.

Day A:

Squat
Deadlift
Bench Press

Day B:

Squat
Pendlay Row
Overhead press.

Three days a week, alternate A-B. And Voila, whole body worked in the most efficient way possible.

Boom....beat me to it. Full body is the exact opposite of time consuming isolation, assistance work. These lifts should be at the core of any lifting regimen.

MsEndomorph

I'm the worlds slowest work-outer, so I don't do full body or I'd spend 5 hours at the gym every time.

If I warm up for 15 minutes, split my workout up by muscle group, and spend 25 minutes on cardio afterward, I can get it all day in an hour and a half, 4xs a week.

I do legs and glutes, arms and shoulders, abs and back, and some sort of torture with my trainer. Lately it's been an obscene amount of chest work since she's figured out that I avoid it like the plague. It works for me because it keep me way less overwhelmed.

You can do full body in 45 minutes or less.

Day A:

Squat
Deadlift
Bench Press

Day B:

Squat
Pendlay Row
Overhead press.

Three days a week, alternate A-B. And Voila, whole body worked in the most efficient way possible.

Boom....beat me to it. Full body is the exact opposite of time consuming isolation, assistance work. These lifts should be at the core of any lifting regimen.

I don't know how to quote more than one person, but thanks to the multiple people who gave me info! I don't doubt it - but I'm not really creating my own workout right now...just following a list from my trainer. I'm sure she'd switch me to a full body workout, but I'm not really sure I'm seeing a benefit over splitting? Once I add in my cardio on separate days (which I tend to prefer when I'm doing full body) I think the time commitment would be the same. Is there some other benefit to doing it all at once? And doesn't doing the same thing week after week get boring?

GetSoda

When you squat:
You engage your entire rear posterior chain. Glutes, hamstrings.
You engage your quadriceps, calves.
To keep the bar in place and good form, you engage your "core" and create stability.
You even, to some degree, have your shoulders and arms under tension.
One rep works all of those muscles at once, IN UNISON, the way the body is designed to work.

vs isolation to work the same muscles:

When you do a leg extension you work:
Your quadriceps in an unnatural way.

Squatting takes about the same amount of time.


When you bench press, You engage your deltoids, triceps, lats, and if you're bracing, your legs, hips, and "Core" for stability. Even your neck depending on style. Everything works together to move you through a natural motion.

When you do a tricep kickback you:
Work your tricep in an unnatural way.


Do you see the difference now?

That's not to say isolation is trash or has no use. Isolation can be used once you're more advanced and find you lack in a particular area. Maybe your chest is good ina bench press, but your triceps are weak and you need to throw in other exercises. Though the se are typically compound too - close grip bench, dips...

Hamstring curls might be really handy if you end up quad dominant.

Curls can help with chinups. Or just to get hyooge guns if that's what you like.


Isolation is also useful for bringing up VISUAL muscle imbalances, toward symmetry. More bodybuilding stuff there.

MsEndomorph

I understand that. I'm not doing isolation for the most part.

Last week looked like this:
Day 1: Jumping Lunges, Mountain climbers, box squats w/barbell, jump squat w/barbell, and weighted lunges

Day 2: Military press, lateral raise, front raise, push ups, bench press, rear delt raise, arc press

Day 3: Planks, glute bridges, cable kick backs, calf raises, incline sit-ups.

Day 4: Good Mornings, that thing where you sort of lie down and pull the bar toward you? T-bar something? No clue what it's called...etc.

So. I'm not sitting around doing bicep curls on a machine. I'm just trying to figure out the benefit of working literally every single muscle in one day. Is it faster results? Fewer things to worry about?

elizzieliz1977

You can do abs as many times a week as you want. You should do arms and back one day and legs on another day. It helps you focus more on those muscles. Abs and cardio you can do everyday.

GetSoda

I understand that. I'm not doing isolation for the most part.

Last week looked like this:
Day 1: Jumping Lunges, Mountain climbers, box squats w/barbell, jump squat w/barbell, and weighted lunges

Day 2: Military press, lateral raise, front raise, push ups, bench press, rear delt raise, arc press

Day 3: Planks, glute bridges, cable kick backs, calf raises, incline sit-ups.

Day 4: Good Mornings, that thing where you sort of lie down and pull the bar toward you? T-bar something? No clue what it's called...etc.

So. I'm not sitting around doing bicep curls on a machine. I'm just trying to figure out the benefit of working literally every single muscle in one day. Is it faster results? Fewer things to worry about?

Efficiency really. A beginner is better off just doing ohp/military press and progressing than to do front, lateral, or other deltoid exercises ad naseum. You can ask my shoulder what overuse injuries feel like.

What sort of progression plan are you on? Where's your deadlifts?

HelloDan

I'm just here to make up the numbers for ironanimals side. It must be bromance!

IronPlayground

I understand that. I'm not doing isolation for the most part.

Last week looked like this:
Day 1: Jumping Lunges, Mountain climbers, box squats w/barbell, jump squat w/barbell, and weighted lunges

Day 2: Military press, lateral raise, front raise, push ups, bench press, rear delt raise, arc press

Day 3: Planks, glute bridges, cable kick backs, calf raises, incline sit-ups.

Day 4: Good Mornings, that thing where you sort of lie down and pull the bar toward you? T-bar something? No clue what it's called...etc.

So. I'm not sitting around doing bicep curls on a machine. I'm just trying to figure out the benefit of working literally every single muscle in one day. Is it faster results? Fewer things to worry about?

Day 2 has got to be brutal on your shoulders. I'd look at changing things up. I would focus on upper and lower alternating each day. Day 1 - OHP, Day 2 - Deadlifts, Day 3 - Bench Press, Day 4 - Squats. You can add additional exercises on those days that compliment the areas being worked as well as the antagonist muscles (opposite side) that need to be balanced.

ironanimal

I'm just here to make up the numbers for ironanimals side. It must be bromance!

Only once you spot my squat.

GetSoda

I'm just here to make up the numbers for ironanimals side. It must be bromance!

Only once you spot my squat.

np: Unchained Melody

HelloDan

I'm just here to make up the numbers for ironanimals side. It must be bromance!

Only once you spot my squat.

Sure, you won't have to worry about failure, as if that happens, I'll just lift if over my head! :laugh:

JoRocka

You can do abs as many times a week as you want. You should do arms and back one day and legs on another day. It helps you focus more on those muscles. Abs and cardio you can do everyday.

headdesk

you wouldn't sqat as many times as week as you want... or bench as many times a week as you want... so why would you do abs as many times a week as you want?

besides- doing "abs at the end of every workout" is rubbish. Part of the beauty of compound movements or plyos is to engage the "Core"

doing abs as often as you want is like doing curls as often as you want... which is stupid.



OP stick to the A/B workout with compound movements.

I also can't believe no one has said this yet- but feeling sore is NOT a great indicator of how great a workout you had. I've been working out for years- I've been legit sore 2-3 times the last year or so- maybe. And usually because I've simple done a completely different workout. being sore/tight isn't a great indicator. It just means you used muscles you haven't been.

MsEndomorph

I understand that. I'm not doing isolation for the most part.

Last week looked like this:
Day 1: Jumping Lunges, Mountain climbers, box squats w/barbell, jump squat w/barbell, and weighted lunges

Day 2: Military press, lateral raise, front raise, push ups, bench press, rear delt raise, arc press

Day 3: Planks, glute bridges, cable kick backs, calf raises, incline sit-ups.

Day 4: Good Mornings, that thing where you sort of lie down and pull the bar toward you? T-bar something? No clue what it's called...etc.

So. I'm not sitting around doing bicep curls on a machine. I'm just trying to figure out the benefit of working literally every single muscle in one day. Is it faster results? Fewer things to worry about?

Day 2 has got to be brutal on your shoulders. I'd look at changing things up. I would focus on upper and lower alternating each day. Day 1 - OHP, Day 2 - Deadlifts, Day 3 - Bench Press, Day 4 - Squats. You can add additional exercises on those days that compliment the areas being worked as well as the antagonist muscles (opposite side) that need to be balanced.

It is brutal. And today my knee that "clicks" when I walk decided Day 1 is too hard on my joints as well. Definitely going to take y'all's suggestions and change it up a bit. I gotta say I'm getting some amazing results, but it isn't worth joint damage.

Hadabetter

The PDF document linked below contains just about everything you need to know about fitness, conditioning, strength training, diet, supplements, rest and recovery, etc. It is evidence based, and not bro-science. I hope you find it useful.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByOi2FANUMbGTXdWMzgwdzcxSlE/edit

CindyC60

For strength training, I do the Group Power class a few times a week and a circuit training-type boot camp class 2 or 3 times a week and let the coaches figure out what I should do.

ironanimal

I understand that. I'm not doing isolation for the most part.

Last week looked like this:
Day 1: Jumping Lunges, Mountain climbers, box squats w/barbell, jump squat w/barbell, and weighted lunges

Day 2: Military press, lateral raise, front raise, push ups, bench press, rear delt raise, arc press

Day 3: Planks, glute bridges, cable kick backs, calf raises, incline sit-ups.

Day 4: Good Mornings, that thing where you sort of lie down and pull the bar toward you? T-bar something? No clue what it's called...etc.

So. I'm not sitting around doing bicep curls on a machine. I'm just trying to figure out the benefit of working literally every single muscle in one day. Is it faster results? Fewer things to worry about?

Day 2 has got to be brutal on your shoulders. I'd look at changing things up. I would focus on upper and lower alternating each day. Day 1 - OHP, Day 2 - Deadlifts, Day 3 - Bench Press, Day 4 - Squats. You can add additional exercises on those days that compliment the areas being worked as well as the antagonist muscles (opposite side) that need to be balanced.

It is brutal. And today my knee that "clicks" when I walk decided Day 1 is too hard on my joints as well. Definitely going to take y'all's suggestions and change it up a bit. I gotta say I'm getting some amazing results, but it isn't worth joint damage.

Dump the jump squat/jump lunges. Unless you land absolutely perferctly every time, you will jolt you knee on every rep. Swap your jump squats for front squats and your jump lunges for Stiff Leg Deadlifts.

helpfit101

You don't need a split. You need a full body workout 3 times per week. Do 3sets 12 reps. Check again 1 year from now.

You also don't need to focus on glutes unless you have some muscle imbalance. Just do big compound moves like squat and deadlift.

girlie100

Just chiming in to support ironanimal, testing 1RM or 5RM is how you track your progress.

I also agree with just about everyone else, do Stronglifts 5x5 everything u need in 45mins 3x a week and quickest way to progress as a 'newbie' key it with eating right and the BF will drop

MsEndomorph

I understand that. I'm not doing isolation for the most part.

Last week looked like this:
Day 1: Jumping Lunges, Mountain climbers, box squats w/barbell, jump squat w/barbell, and weighted lunges

Day 2: Military press, lateral raise, front raise, push ups, bench press, rear delt raise, arc press

Day 3: Planks, glute bridges, cable kick backs, calf raises, incline sit-ups.

Day 4: Good Mornings, that thing where you sort of lie down and pull the bar toward you? T-bar something? No clue what it's called...etc.

So. I'm not sitting around doing bicep curls on a machine. I'm just trying to figure out the benefit of working literally every single muscle in one day. Is it faster results? Fewer things to worry about?

Day 2 has got to be brutal on your shoulders. I'd look at changing things up. I would focus on upper and lower alternating each day. Day 1 - OHP, Day 2 - Deadlifts, Day 3 - Bench Press, Day 4 - Squats. You can add additional exercises on those days that compliment the areas being worked as well as the antagonist muscles (opposite side) that need to be balanced.

It is brutal. And today my knee that "clicks" when I walk decided Day 1 is too hard on my joints as well. Definitely going to take y'all's suggestions and change it up a bit. I gotta say I'm getting some amazing results, but it isn't worth joint damage.

Dump the jump squat/jump lunges. Unless you land absolutely perferctly every time, you will jolt you knee on every rep. Swap your jump squats for front squats and your jump lunges for Stiff Leg Deadlifts.

Done. Thanks. Fortunately I hate jumping and love deadlifting.

Sorry to hijack your thread OP. Hopefully you got some good advice!