Critique my Workout Regiment and Make Suggestions Please!
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Spadesheart
Posts: 463 Member
So, I've been lifting since January, and using the Jefit app to track my workouts, which is actually fantastic. They suggest a regiment, which I tweaked to get it to something that was easier to do in my gym setting, as well as adding in 1-2 cardio days along with the 4 weight training days.
This is what I'm doing right now:
Chest and triceps
-Barbell bench press
-machine fly
-dips (I still suck at these)
-barbell incline bench press (also still suck at this)
-Rope tricep pushdown on cable machine
Back, Bicep and Forearm
-Barbell deadlift
-Barbell bent over row
-Barbell curl
-Reverse barbell bent over row
-Wide grip lat pulldown
-Either incline dumbbell curls or alternating dumbbell hammer curls
Shoulders and Legs
-Squats
-Barbell shrug
-Barbell standing military press (just added this, haven't done it yet)
-Machine lying leg curls
-Dumbbell shoulder press
-Dumbbell lateral raise (still suck at this)
-Leg press
Core
-Planks
-Leg raise
-Decline crunches with weight (pretty sure I'm holding the weight wrong)
-Cable standing oblique crunch (definitely doing this wrong)
-Rotary torso machine
-Ab crunch machine
Cardio
-1-2 days 45 mins to 1 hour on elliptical or AMT machine with high resistance.
The questions!
Are there any exercises I should absolutely be doing that I am not?
Is there anything here I should be getting rid of? (please say the standing oblique crunch thingy, feels awkward)
Core seems to be the weak day, I'm honestly not sure what else I should be doing there at all. I don't enjoy body weight exercises too much.
Any other suggestions and critiques are appreciated.
This is what I'm doing right now:
Chest and triceps
-Barbell bench press
-machine fly
-dips (I still suck at these)
-barbell incline bench press (also still suck at this)
-Rope tricep pushdown on cable machine
Back, Bicep and Forearm
-Barbell deadlift
-Barbell bent over row
-Barbell curl
-Reverse barbell bent over row
-Wide grip lat pulldown
-Either incline dumbbell curls or alternating dumbbell hammer curls
Shoulders and Legs
-Squats
-Barbell shrug
-Barbell standing military press (just added this, haven't done it yet)
-Machine lying leg curls
-Dumbbell shoulder press
-Dumbbell lateral raise (still suck at this)
-Leg press
Core
-Planks
-Leg raise
-Decline crunches with weight (pretty sure I'm holding the weight wrong)
-Cable standing oblique crunch (definitely doing this wrong)
-Rotary torso machine
-Ab crunch machine
Cardio
-1-2 days 45 mins to 1 hour on elliptical or AMT machine with high resistance.
The questions!
Are there any exercises I should absolutely be doing that I am not?
Is there anything here I should be getting rid of? (please say the standing oblique crunch thingy, feels awkward)
Core seems to be the weak day, I'm honestly not sure what else I should be doing there at all. I don't enjoy body weight exercises too much.
Any other suggestions and critiques are appreciated.
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Replies
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What's the schedule like? I suggest checking out Candito's Linear Progression program. Has done wonders for me, combined with a small amount of cardio.1
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Did you make that lifting program yourself?2
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rfajitas12345 wrote: »What's the schedule like? I suggest checking out Candito's Linear Progression program. Has done wonders for me, combined with a small amount of cardio.
I mean, it usually ends up taking the whole week. I hit the four lifting days in rapid succession if I can, and if I'm really hurting I'll take a rest day in-between. I do leg day last and do a cardio day after that as I've found that it helps with recovery. The day after if my muscles feel like they can handle it, I either start back with the weights. If not that it's either rest or cardio. I try not to have full rest days, buy by nature of life, 1-2 usually happen regardless.
I don't keep to a weekly schedule, I just feel it out. If my muscles can handle it, I lift. If they can't, I don't. Usually ends up being a week anyways though.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Did you make that lifting program yourself?
It's mostly the lifting program the app spit out after I put in my particulars back in January, with a couple additions to compensate for a couple subtractions of things that would be difficult to do in my gym. There are also a couple additions that are just from my research on compound exercises.0 -
Seems like that would not be the most efficient or effective routing... how new are you to lifting?
If you are new, I would suggest a 3 day/week full body workout program or a 4-day push/pull (hit each muscle twice, lower push and upper push same day, upper pull and lower pull on the same day) or upper/lower 4 day/week. When new you can hit each muscle group much more often than the once a week you are. Look into starting strength, stronglifts 5x5, PHUL
If you are set on keeping this routine, I would suggest moving all the isolation exercises to the end of the workout. (e.g. for chest, do the flys as the last chest exercise, or don't do at all. For Back/bicep move curls to after finishing your back, leg curls at the end of leg day, not before leg press.) Also, core does not need a whole day for itself. why not add one core exercise to the end of each of the other day's instead.4 -
Personally I would look at adding some dumbell exercises, only because I know that I have imbalances and using dumbells is slowly improving this. I don't currently have leg days as I'm in the final stages of marathon training, but I break upper body in to 2 workouts.
Monday is shoulders and arms and my main lift is barbell shoulder press which I'm currently doing as a pyramid with the starting (and finishing) weight getting ever so slightly heavier each week.
I then also do barbell bicep curls before moving on to accessories.
Dumbbell shoulder press
Skull crushers (with dumbells)
Lateral raises
Front raises (with a twist)
Tricep extentions
Rotator cuff work
Dumbbell bicep or hammer curl (I alternate them each week)
Each of these I do 3 sets of 10 with a weight that is challenging and if I can complete without having to push the last couple reps I go up a weight.
Thursdays I do chest and back with barbell bench being my main lift, do a pyramid again but am also working on upping my 1rpm on this lift so do extra lifts at a higher weight. Accessories are
Close grip barbell bench
Incline dumbell chest press
Decline dumbell chest press
Pull ups (assisted)
Single arm row
Lat pull down
Farmers walk.
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Core: I do a lot of mountain climbers, scissors, decline sit ups, if I have a friend or trainer with me we'll play catch with the 14lb medicine ball for extra oomf, I do 55 sit ups every morning for fun, planks, hanging knee raises, slam ball, burpees, hollow rocks.... there are so so so many you could do. I would get really bored with this routine quickly so while I work the muscle groups I want to on a regular basis, I do it with different exercises week to week. Not all of them get changed out every week, but a good mixture.1
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Seems like that would not be the most efficient or effective routing... how new are you to lifting?
If you are new, I would suggest a 3 day/week full body workout program or a 4-day push/pull (hit each muscle twice, lower push and upper push same day, upper pull and lower pull on the same day). When new you can hit each muscle group much more often than the once a week you are. Look into starting strength, stronglifts 5x5,
If you are set on keeping this routine, I would suggest moving all the isolation exercises to the end of the workout. (e.g. for chest, do the flys as the last chest exercise, or don't do at all. For Back/bicep move curls to after finishing your back, leg curls at the end of leg day, not before leg press.) Also, core does not need a whole day for itself. why not add one core exercise to the end of each of the other day's instead.
It's just been since January, but I'm taking to it better than I thought I would. This is mostly just to ensure I don't lose anything as I get lighter right now. Surprisingly, I've built much more strength in a couple months than I thought i would. 30 pounds from now I'll be going back to maintainence calories plus a little for exercise so I can actually build something more substantial. I will look into your suggestions!
Great, I'll move around the exercises to reflect what you're saying.
Frankly, I do not like core day so that would be welcome. If I keep on a similar setup, what would I replace core day with?
Also what's a bro split?0 -
Spadesheart wrote: »Seems like that would not be the most efficient or effective routing... how new are you to lifting?
If you are new, I would suggest a 3 day/week full body workout program or a 4-day push/pull (hit each muscle twice, lower push and upper push same day, upper pull and lower pull on the same day). When new you can hit each muscle group much more often than the once a week you are. Look into starting strength, stronglifts 5x5,
If you are set on keeping this routine, I would suggest moving all the isolation exercises to the end of the workout. (e.g. for chest, do the flys as the last chest exercise, or don't do at all. For Back/bicep move curls to after finishing your back, leg curls at the end of leg day, not before leg press.) Also, core does not need a whole day for itself. why not add one core exercise to the end of each of the other day's instead.
It's just been since January, but I'm taking to it better than I thought I would. This is mostly just to ensure I don't lose anything as I get lighter right now. Surprisingly, I've built much more strength in a couple months than I thought i would. 30 pounds from now I'll be going back to maintainence calories plus a little for exercise so I can actually build something more substantial. I will look into your suggestions!
Great, I'll move around the exercises to reflect what you're saying.
Frankly, I do not like core day so that would be welcome. If I keep on a similar setup, what would I replace core day with?
Also what's a bro split?
Bro split is just a name for bodybuilder split style program, which when not on gear, isn't usually the most efficient. As for the core day, you can just run a 3 day program. can lift every second day, or 3 in a row day off followed by 3 days on. play with it to fit your schedule and recovery3 -
Looks like a bit much for somebody who has only lifted a couple months.
I would condense down quite a bit as you can really do without leg curls, shrugs, dips or tri push downs, one of the rows, a couple of the abs.
It's not that you can't utilize them all, its just the stimulus needed to accomplish any goal at your experience is going to be low. It would be better off to save some volume for later.
Think long term.
Edited to add: I also like to see this programming reflect more positive load management.3 -
Chelle8070 wrote: »Core: I do a lot of mountain climbers, scissors, decline sit ups, if I have a friend or trainer with me we'll play catch with the 14lb medicine ball for extra oomf, I do 55 sit ups every morning for fun, planks, hanging knee raises, slam ball, burpees, hollow rocks.... there are so so so many you could do. I would get really bored with this routine quickly so while I work the muscle groups I want to on a regular basis, I do it with different exercises week to week. Not all of them get changed out every week, but a good mixture.
Ha, 55 sit-ups every morning "for fun." You monster.
Boredom isn't so much the issue for me, I just don't want to think about it too much. The app makes it easier, I could make like alternative exercises days if I wanted, maybe I will!0 -
Spadesheart wrote: »Seems like that would not be the most efficient or effective routing... how new are you to lifting?
If you are new, I would suggest a 3 day/week full body workout program or a 4-day push/pull (hit each muscle twice, lower push and upper push same day, upper pull and lower pull on the same day). When new you can hit each muscle group much more often than the once a week you are. Look into starting strength, stronglifts 5x5,
If you are set on keeping this routine, I would suggest moving all the isolation exercises to the end of the workout. (e.g. for chest, do the flys as the last chest exercise, or don't do at all. For Back/bicep move curls to after finishing your back, leg curls at the end of leg day, not before leg press.) Also, core does not need a whole day for itself. why not add one core exercise to the end of each of the other day's instead.
It's just been since January, but I'm taking to it better than I thought I would. This is mostly just to ensure I don't lose anything as I get lighter right now. Surprisingly, I've built much more strength in a couple months than I thought i would. 30 pounds from now I'll be going back to maintainence calories plus a little for exercise so I can actually build something more substantial. I will look into your suggestions!
Great, I'll move around the exercises to reflect what you're saying.
Frankly, I do not like core day so that would be welcome. If I keep on a similar setup, what would I replace core day with?
Also what's a bro split?
Bro split is just a name for bodybuilder split style program, which when not on gear, isn't usually the most efficient. As for the core day, you can just run a 3 day program. can lift every second day, or 3 in a row day off followed by 3 days on. play with it to fit your schedule and recovery
3 days on with a rest, or a day or two of cardio in-between actually sounds quite enticing. Will look into that.0 -
One last thing I will point out. Adherence or ability to adhere to a program is the most important factor. In other words, running a program that isn't the "best" but you still do it on schedule, you will have better results than the perfect program that you don't adhere to.4
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One last thing I will point out. Adherence or ability to adhere to a program is the most important factor. In other words, running a program that isn't the "best" but you still do it on schedule, you will have better results than the perfect program that you don't adhere to.
Valid! It's been 2 months and does feel different this time around. 2019 is self improvement year. Let's see where I am by the end of it.0 -
Pardon me if the question had already been asked and answered but what are your goals that you hope to achieve with lifting?0
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pierinifitness wrote: »Pardon me if the question had already been asked and answered but what are your goals that you hope to achieve with lifting?
Right now it's to make sure at the very least that I don't lose any muscle as I lose weight, and general conditioning and strengthening until I'm actually in the position to gain real muscle, which would be 30 pounds down from now. At my pace, that should be 3 months. I'd lose 2 pounds a week on my calorie restriction alone, and I know I shouldn't be building any muscle while I'm in such a heavy deficit. I definitely am though, just a little at a time. I am dramatically stronger than when I started, really was not expecting it. Whenever I had tried lifting before, it never took.
General health as well, which has been going pretty well. Since starting working out, my resting heart rate has gone down 20, and my blood pressure is super healthy too. I attribute that likely more to the rather intense cardio though.0 -
Given your stated goals, I think your workout is too busy. I’d favor barbell work of compound lifts and skip the isolation work. Assuming you have no limitations, I’d include bench press, overhead press, Pendlay rows, squats and trap bar deadlifts, 3 sets of 6-10 reps, 3 times a week. I’d walk also on other days.
After three months, I’d make an assessment and go back to the drawing board.2 -
Looks like a bit much for somebody who has only lifted a couple months.
I would condense down quite a bit as you can really do without leg curls, shrugs, dips or tri push downs, one of the rows, a couple of the abs.
It's not that you can't utilize them all, its just the stimulus needed to accomplish any goal at your experience is going to be low. It would be better off to save some volume for later.
Think long term.
Edited to add: I also like to see this programming reflect more positive load management.
Whoops, missed this one. This site needs a better notification system. I looked up positive load management, are you just talking about not overworking the body?0 -
pierinifitness wrote: »Given your stated goals, I think your workout is too busy. I’d favor barbell work of compound lifts and skip the isolation work. Assuming you have no limitations, I’d include bench press, overhead press, Pendlay rows, squats and trap bar deadlifts, 3 sets of 6-10 reps, 3 times a week. I’d walk also on other days.
After three months, I’d make an assessment and go back to the drawing board.
Is there a benefit to doing the full body exercise 3 days instead of the muscle group exercises as I'm doing now, considering the conditioning that is taking place? I'm assuming 30 pounds from now, I'd have to take up a lot of these exercises again, is it not beneficial? Like am I gonna overwork them or something?0 -
Spadesheart wrote: »Looks like a bit much for somebody who has only lifted a couple months.
I would condense down quite a bit as you can really do without leg curls, shrugs, dips or tri push downs, one of the rows, a couple of the abs.
It's not that you can't utilize them all, its just the stimulus needed to accomplish any goal at your experience is going to be low. It would be better off to save some volume for later.
Think long term.
Edited to add: I also like to see this programming reflect more positive load management.
Whoops, missed this one. This site needs a better notification system. I looked up positive load management, are you just talking about not overworking the body?
Good load management includes the external loads(load or useful stress actually from the barbell) and internal loads(fatigue, life issues, etc...non useful stress outside of training).
Regulation of both are important for long term successful training.
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