What is Your Gym Rountine? Need Help on Mine!!!

chulita1493

This was my workout today:
Squats 4 20, 15, 12, 10
Leg Press 3 15, 12, 10
Leg Extension 3 20, 15, 12
Leg Curl 4 20, 15, 12, 10
Straight Leg Deadlifts 3 15, 12, 10
Calves
Exercise Sets Reps
Seated Calf Raise 3 15, 12, 10
Standing Calf Raise 3 20, 15, 12

Plus couch to 5 k routine which was intervals walking/running for 30 minutes and abs for 15 minutes. Felt great at the end. but this all depends on your goals.

just_Jennie1

30 min cardio -- I run 3-3.5 miles Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri. Wed. is my "easy" day on the Arc Trainer -- followed by 60-75 min. of weights. I do one muscle group per day alternating legs and abs and alternate between free weights and the cable tower. Depending on time we might mix it up and do half cable/half free weights. Leg days and ab days are different as well.

Today was tri's on the cable tower and abs. I lift as heavy and typically do 3 sets of 10, 8, then 6 reps.

Tomorrow will be bi's and legs.
Friday chest/abs
Saturday back/legs
Sunday shoulders/abs
Etc.

I like this sort of routine because I can focus on the muscle that I am working and not feel as though I'm too tired to work the next muscle group (when I used to do splits on back/bi day I was pretty tired after working my back when it came time to do my bi's).

JoRocka

Ideally, you break up your weights by muscle group so you don't overwork muscles and they all get attention. Trying to lift 3x a week, you can do back and biceps, chest and triceps, shoulders and legs.

meh- I'd rather do big compound moves- isolating exercises are great for body builders- but for people who want to just be fit? strong? big compound lifts are crucial- and time saving.

CC my post from another post.

rule #1 about lifting
you will not bulk unless you are eating a calorie surplus

rule #2
there is no such thing as toning.

Check out those programs- I can't access the gold's gym one at work- but really want you want to see are compound lifts split 2-3 times a week.

What are compound lifts and how do I know which ones they ares Jo?

What excellent questions!!!

Compound lifts are lifts that use your whole body- rather than isolating specific muscles- they do more to raise your heart rate and get essentially the most 'bang for your buck' they are exceptionally helpful for developing 'muscle tone' and general over all strength and mobility (very important as well)

The following are examples of compound lifts
> Squats (any type- back- front, zercher, jefferson, overhead)
> Dead Lift (any type- straight leg, traditional, romanian and single)
> Bench- (full arch- not flat back- incline/decline qualify but as you change the angle - you change the target and becomes less whole body)
> Over head Press- strict over head press- not a push press- which includes a 'bounce'

walking lunges, hammy raises, pull ups, push ups, rows are also excellent additions to these lifts.

you can start getting into power lifting- clean's jerks' and snatches- SUPER fun-but stick with the above lifts for now-

Examples of NOT compound lifts (I.e. isolations)

bicep curls
tricep press downs
leg extensions/curls
ab/aductors
flys (although fly is wicked fun- it's still not compound)
90% of the shoulder stuff you people do is all isolation stuff too

something to know. If you chose to curl. DO NOT CURL IN THE SQUAT RACK. this is lifting rule NUMERO UNO for gym etiqutte- it's rude- and ignorant- and all sorts of things. just don't do it.

Second rule.

PUT YOUR WEIGHTS AWAY. RACK THEM.

if you can lift them- you can re-rack them. seriously- also- super rude to not re-rack them. and for the love of all things holy- put them back not where you found them- but where they GO- i.e 10's in the 10 slot- not the 70's in the 10 slot- so rude- so annoying.

hopefully that was helpful- let me know if you have more questions- good look on starting to lift- lifting iz ze awesome.

seriously- it's awesome.

FrnkLft

Oh my god some of these people have complicated routines. You don't need all of that, it's bull**** if you're not doing the main compound lifts.

You should start with a basic program, one that is based on the "big four", fundamental compound lifts. Once you have progressed a bit and gotten used to the movements, you can start expanding to isolation movements. Don't bother with isolation work right now, it's not meant for you, you're not a bodybuilder and you don't know enough about your weaknesses to incorporate them into your workout.

Start with either Starting Strength (book) or Strong Lifts 5x5. They are very similar, barbell programs that have you doing the primary, compound movements that any serious lifter bases their routines around.

You will hit everything by doing these, and they are very simple.

Squat
Deadlift
Bench Press
Overhead Press

and:

Starting Strength - Power Clean
SL 5x5 - Barbell Row

You should also pick up a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women. The workout routine at the end of the book is a little complicated for my tastes (though still good), but the information in the book otherwise is excellent for women.


I'm using an intermediate program, and here is what my routine looks like. You should do what I suggested above for now.

Notice something, I only do 6 lifts per day, and I hit everything 2x week. All of the extra work outside the main lifts is to make sure I balance out my routine and build strength in areas that are weaker. You don't know enough about your weeknesses to bother with this right now.

Wendler 5/3/1 program, BBB Template 2, Var 2

Day 1: Bench 5/3/1 & Press BBB
Day 3: Press 5/3/1 & Bench BBB
+ Dips, Laterals, Incline BB, Curls

Day 2: Deadlift 5/3/1 & Squat BBB
Day 4: Squat 5/3/1 & SL Deadlift
+ DB Row/Chins, DB Shrugs, Calf Raises, Cable Crunch

SHHitsKaty

This entire question is redic.

One routine that works for someone, is not going to necessarily work for another person. A grown man's lifting routine, weights, etc. is not going to necessarily work for a 30 year old woman and vice versa.

And I still think 20 minutes is nothing in the gym. If you can kick your own *kitten* in 10-15 minutes, you must not be in that great of shape. Even Crossfit workouts don't end that quickly.

jacksonpt

If you can kick your own *kitten* in 10-15 minutes, you must not be in that great of shape. Even Crossfit workouts don't end that quickly.

*puts flak jacket on*

explosivedonut

My gym routine is really strange. I know people here will tell me I am probably being dumb, but w/e. This works for me.


I do this 6 days a week:

Run .5 miles to the gym.

Work 1 major muscle group incorporating both compound and isolation exercises, I rotate the days so one body part will be worked twice a week. The major muscle groups I work are: Arms (biceps/triceps), Back, Chest, Shoulders, Legs. For example my arms workout is: Close grip bench press, tricep pushdowns and preacher curls in a superset, dumbbell hammer curls, tricep kickbacks, concentration curls, and wide grip pull ups (these are mostly in there because I suck at pull ups so I do some variation with nearly every workout except chest and legs day).

Run back home .5 miles.

Stretch while eating post workout meal.

This works for me. Though once I am able to do deadlifts (I have a bad back, and hurt my back doing a 135lb deadlift, so I have been taking a break from them while building strength in my back) I might switch it up to stronglifts or starting strength.

just_Jennie1

Oh my god some of these people have complicated routines. You don't need all of that, it's bull**** if you're not doing the main compound lifts.

That's a pretty blanket statement since you don't know the goals of the people who posted their routines and their reasons for doing the workouts that they do.

She asked for what people's gym routines are and some people, myself included, have let the OP know what we are doing.

dannytrees1

My only advise to you since i do not know you is to watch what the other gals are doing,
Also watch some videos on weight lifting.
You do not want to lift heavy when you dont know how...Lift light untill you can lift right.

donnysoule

are you sure? I heard it only takes 8 minutes to build abs.... ;-)

lawlorka

Here is my weekly routine. I've just gotten it finalised as I was doing other things, but this will be my routine until I at least hit goal weight.

Mon/Wed/Sat - New Rules of Lifting For Women
Tue/Fri/Sun - C25K (will progress onto 10k programme)
Thursday - rest day

Mon/Wed - fitness class at lunchtime - at the moment this is Boxercise on Monday and Step on Wednesday.

If I feel I have the energy, I also do a 20min row after my run or lifting session.

I also walk my dog every morning before work for an hour - usually about 2.5miles and for a bit longer on the weekends.

sarahrbraun

If you aren't sure what you should be doing in the gym, investing in a couple of sessions with a good trainer might be a place to start. Let them know up front that at the present time you are only doing a couple of sessions with them but may be back to get more information later.

There are a few web sites that show different exercises for each body part that you can look into as well. Just google them

this^^^^

I hired a trainer for what was supposed to be 8 sessions, just to get more confidence in a routine. I enjoyed it so much, I ended up using him 1-2x a week for 6 months! My trainer was nice enough to write out the routines that he led me through, and I keep them in a file at the gym. My trainer also knows that I WANT him to call me out if he sees me doing something with bad form


The money I spent on the trainer was totally worth it!

Krista916

I run 2-4 miles every other day, and on my off days I lift. One day upper body, one day lower body and the last day I do a little HIIT. I pretty much stay away from machines and use free weights and plates.

jillianbeeee

No gym. I have a treadmill, bench and weights at home (bought at yard sales and thrift shops) . I use jillian micheals videos and go out for a walk/jog/run. Not gonna give a gym my money and easier to wake up and have it in front of me, staring at me, keeps me motivated. I have found that cardio with weights work the best. Planks and push ups have become a passion now lol

Samstan101

My routine is as follows:

Sunday: Run (typically 3-5 miles) outdoors
Mon: Rest day
Tues: 30mins elliptical trainer (gym)
Wed: 35mins upper body weights session (gym)
Thurs: 30-35min Treadmill run (gym)
Fri: 30min elliptical trainer (gym) or sometimes a 30min swim
Sat: Depends on family commitments but if I can't get a walk in then I'll do 20-30mins on the bike turbo at home.

I don't do leg weights at the moment as I reckon that lugging me about up hills and at the gym is a workout in itself (inc stiff muscles after cardio). I do intend getting into free weights at some point but the routine is working for me at the moment so loathed to change it.

jacksonpt

Putting together your own gym routine is something best left to people who really know the ins and outs of what they're doing. Since that clearly isn't you, you're better off following a pre-fab routine like Stronglifts.

I'm not sure I agree. There's a difference between throwing together a bunch of lifts that seem like they make up a good routine and getting some quality input about to do to hit your goals.

Additionally, threads like this can help people understand why certain lifts are better than others. I've learned a ton from my own posts very similar to this. Yes, it's easy to say "just do strong lifts or starting strength" but there are lots of cases where that's not the best recommendation, nor does it help a person learn what makes a good routine good.

Sure, boxed routines are rarely a bad option, but that doesn't mean they are always the best option.

sewerchick93

I do a full body lift 3 days a week: those days look like this:

10 min cardio warmup either on the bike or fast walking on treadmill

and then 2 X 8-12 (as soon as I can do 12 reps, I up the weight) on the following:

squats
deadlift
chin ups
bent over barbell rows
incline bench press
shoulder shrugs
tricep dips
dumbbell curls
skull crushers
shoulder press
bent over rear delt lifts
hip adduction (using the cable machine)
hip abduction (using the cable machine)
side bends

then follow up with another 20 mins of cardio

JoRocka

This entire question is redic.

One routine that works for someone, is not going to necessarily work for another person. A grown man's lifting routine, weights, etc. is not going to necessarily work for a 30 year old woman and vice versa.

And I still think 20 minutes is nothing in the gym. If you can kick your own *kitten* in 10-15 minutes, you must not be in that great of shape. Even Crossfit workouts don't end that quickly.

Good- you posted BOTH of the ridiculous statements I need to address.

Incorrect- a grown man's routine with the same generic goals as a woman's will be compatible. I lift with a grown *kitten* man. Same work out- and up till he hits 300 plus pounds- we lift the same weight. The only difference comes when you want to change goals. And I mean SPECIFIC goals. Like body building vs OLY vs Powerlifting. Then you're focus/lifting will be different but it's primarily a function of diet and testosterone.

And all I can say is B*thc please.

And I had a bunch typed up- but then I realized you wouldn't read it- since clearly you aren't good at reading...

then I was going to post a picture- and then realized you would just dismiss it and say- well anyone can look like that if they diet properly.


So I'll leave this here- and you probably will never watch it- or even all of it.

I'm sure you will dismiss it as well- but I lift heavy AND I do this stuff- AND I dance. Meh- I am more than comfortably saying I'm in better shape than you- and I don't say that lightly because we have some FABULOUS athletes on this site- but clearly since you have no idea how to work out other than what fit magazine says... I already know... I'm just better off than you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ezdnc5r-g4

Oh- and yes- yes- some of them do. Check Fran scores.
http://www.myfrantime.com/workouts/leaderboard#workoutId:627&affiliateId:0&wodAffiliateId:1&gender:m&tab:0&page:1