Is my simple, beginner strength routine missing anything important?
Options
toxikon
Posts: 2,384 Member
Hey all, I'm a woman who has finally returned to strength-training and I'm hoping to keep it ultra simple to begin with to keep my motivation high and my workouts fairly quick. Do you see any glaring muscle groups I'm missing with this full-body 3x a week plan?
Thank you!
- Barbell deadlifts (3 sets of 6-8)
- Barbell squats (3 sets of 6-8)
- Dumbbell bench press (3 sets of 8-10)
- Dumbbell bent-over rows (3 sets of 8-10)
- Machine overhead shoulder press (3 sets of 8-10)
- Machine lat pull-downs (3 sets of 8-10)
- Planks (3 reps to failure)
Thank you!
4
Replies
-
I wouldn't do the whole routine 3x per week...break it out into an A/B
Workout A:
- Squats
- Bench Press
- Bent over Rows
- Dips/Assisted dips (you don't have that in there I know)
- planks (most people start with a time and work it up)
Workout B:
- Squats
- OH press (use dumbbells or barbells, not a machine)
- Dead lift
- lat pull downs or assisted pull ups
- planks
This is basically the Starting Strength format which is a well established program...biggest difference would be your set and rep range and accessory work.2 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I wouldn't do the whole routine 3x per week...break it out into an A/B
Workout A:
- Squats
- Bench Press
- Bent over Rows
- Dips/Assisted dips (you don't have that in there I know)
- planks (most people start with a time and work it up)
Workout B:
- Squats
- OH press (use dumbbells or barbells, not a machine)
- Dead lift
- lat pull downs or assisted pull ups
- planks
This is basically the Starting Strength format which is a well established program...biggest difference would be your set and rep range and accessory work.
Thank ya! I was debating whether I should split it up or not. That all sounds good to me. I'm planning to start with lat pull-downs (I have baby arms) then working towards pull-ups. Dips are a good idea.1 -
Nope, nothing glaring.1
-
cwolfman13 wrote: »I wouldn't do the whole routine 3x per week...break it out into an A/B
Workout A:
- Squats
- Bench Press
- Bent over Rows
- Dips/Assisted dips (you don't have that in there I know)
- planks (most people start with a time and work it up)
Workout B:
- Squats
- OH press (use dumbbells or barbells, not a machine)
- Dead lift
- lat pull downs or assisted pull ups
- planks
This is basically the Starting Strength format which is a well established program...biggest difference would be your set and rep range and accessory work.
Thank ya! I was debating whether I should split it up or not. That all sounds good to me. I'm planning to start with lat pull-downs (I have baby arms) then working towards pull-ups. Dips are a good idea.
Just make sure you're focusing on your big lifts (compound) first. When I did starting strength, I just focused on those lifts and added in accessory work like dips and pull-ups like 4-6 weeks in or something. I don't think it hurts to throw them in there, you just want to make sure you're getting everything right and all you can out of your compound movements.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I wouldn't do the whole routine 3x per week...break it out into an A/B
Workout A:
- Squats
- Bench Press
- Bent over Rows
- Dips/Assisted dips (you don't have that in there I know)
- planks (most people start with a time and work it up)
Workout B:
- Squats
- OH press (use dumbbells or barbells, not a machine)
- Dead lift
- lat pull downs or assisted pull ups
- planks
This is basically the Starting Strength format which is a well established program...biggest difference would be your set and rep range and accessory work.
Thank ya! I was debating whether I should split it up or not. That all sounds good to me. I'm planning to start with lat pull-downs (I have baby arms) then working towards pull-ups. Dips are a good idea.
Just make sure you're focusing on your big lifts (compound) first. When I did starting strength, I just focused on those lifts and added in accessory work like dips and pull-ups like 4-6 weeks in or something. I don't think it hurts to throw them in there, you just want to make sure you're getting everything right and all you can out of your compound movements.
Yeah, that makes sense. I always do my deadlifts and squats first to make sure I have enough energy to do them properly. I'm starting slow with very low weights to focus on form!1 -
Unless you are very disciplined about your number of workouts/week, I would not be in any hurry to move to a split routine. IMO, if life gets in the way, you would be better off dropping down to 2x/wk full body workouts than messing around with a split routine. The research is not definitive, and, quite frankly, as a beginner you will see significant improvement no matter what you do, but what research there is suggests that whole-body routines are better for beginners than split routines.5
-
Unless you are very disciplined about your number of workouts/week, I would not be in any hurry to move to a split routine. IMO, if life gets in the way, you would be better off dropping down to 2x/wk full body workouts than messing around with a split routine. The research is not definitive, and, quite frankly, as a beginner you will see significant improvement no matter what you do, but what research there is suggests that whole-body routines are better for beginners than split routines.
Thanks for your input! I've been going to the gym on my lunch-breaks, so I have time for about a 30-40 minute workout Mon-Fri most weeks. So I was thinking about aiming for a Mon-Wed-Fri routine.1 -
try to switch up the exercises with something slightly different each day. like instead of planks every workout, do a different AB exercise each workout, otherwise your body gets too used to the same plank and nothing else gets exercised. Another example for the Machine overhead press, do seated dumbbell press sometimes, or standing barbell press. Look up the variations for each of your exercises and do a different variation each workout.
Or just get on a program like strong lifts, or Strong curves, or NROLW.5 -
try to switch up the exercises with something slightly different each day. like instead of planks every workout, do a different AB exercise each workout, otherwise your body gets too used to the same plank and nothing else gets exercised. Another example for the Machine overhead press, do seated dumbbell press sometimes, or standing barbell press. Look up the variations for each of your exercises and do a different variation each workout.
Or just get on a program like strong lifts, or Strong curves, or NROLW.
For a beginner, I would respectfully disagree with this advice. A beginner needs to pay more attention to learning proper form and techniques—that process can be negatively affected by changing exercises too frequently. Overall, varying exercises too much is one of the bigger mistakes that lifters make.
If one needs to introduce variety, it is better to vary reps, sets, recovery intervals, even speed to some extent, rather than randomly changing exercises.
6 -
I think its pretty safe for a beginner to do a variety of ab exercises besides planks. I've never seen a beginner program that does the same exact exercise every single workout. But yes form and technique is important, but changing up exercises isn't' going to mess with form, if anything its going to help build form and technique.2
-
Variety has its place, especially the longer one follows a lifting program. But again, I would disagree with the ideas that someone needs to do something “slightly different each day” or that frequently changing exercises (as a beginner) is “going to help build form and technique”.
http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/members/Pros-And-Cons-of-Exercise-Variation.cfm
https://www.t-nation.com/training/exercise-variety-is-making-you-weak
I’m not surprised that you haven’t seen published beginner programs like what I describe. It’s hard to be a guru when you tell people the best thing for them is to master a half a dozen exercises before trying to learn 20 or 30.2 -
so how long would you recommend someone take to master a plank before their form is good enough to move on to something really simple like ball ab crunches or leg raises?1
-
you are suggesting she stick with the same exact few movements so im' asking how long to stay with that same exact movement. My question is as ridiculous as your statements that beginners should not have variety in their workouts.4
-
I like your routine, but agree with above poster: use free weights instead of machines (OHP). Also, you will need to work in some progression. So, start adding weights after a week or two. As you add weights, you might find the need to decrease the reps. This is where a program would come in handy. But it's a good place to start. Of course, you don't need to do the plank, but you can also do whatever ab work you want. It's just not necessary when doing compound lifting.0
-
I may be speaking a little beyond my knowledge at this point, so take it for what it's worth, but I believe sticking with the same lifts over time will yield better results, both in terms of strength gains and progression with each individual lift. From everything I've read, secondary lifts can be swapped in and out based on need / desire, but main core lifts should remain pretty constant throughout a routine.0
-
It’s missing the most important part of a strength training routine. It’s progression scheme.
So you do 6-8 reps every time. What is in place ensuring you actually progress steadily while also ensuring you don’t overload your body inhibiting your ability to recover and adapt. Even beginner workouts should consist of some sort of progression.2 -
I may be speaking a little beyond my knowledge at this point, so take it for what it's worth, but I believe sticking with the same lifts over time will yield better results, both in terms of strength gains and progression with each individual lift. From everything I've read, secondary lifts can be swapped in and out based on need / desire, but main core lifts should remain pretty constant throughout a routine.
Correct. The old "muscle confusion" thing from the '70s got debunked quite a while back.
There's nothing wrong with switching up exercises/changing the routine occasionally, but it's certainly not necessary, nor is it necessarily beneficial. Using the same primary lifts both enables you to better gauge/manage your progression and also builds technical proficiency in those lifts. And it's certainly not beneficial to switch them out from workout to workout. Unless you're a Crossfitter, I guess. And that's a whole 'nother subject.1 -
Wasn't mentioned yet - but @cwolfman13 gave a different order than you gave too.
Now, perhaps your list was the order you were planning on doing it, perhaps it wasn't.
But not a good order if it was.
Notice cwolfman alternating between lower, and upper pulls and pushes - gives better ability to recover between lifts.
And for sure confuse your muscles by swapping things up by
progressively adding weight as time goes on.
Oh, to progress on planks - add time. Or eventually a weight to your back. Or do crunchs - for that part, no big whoop.
Probably tighten your core more on all standing lifts anyway.
Let time be your factor if you attempt 3 x full body weekly, or 3 x a 2-day split.
If you really can get the 30 min in for 2-day split, not so bad.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 390 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 921 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions