Full Body Workout question, and a cardio question.....

Spaghetti_Bender

I'm just curious, but how many exercises should you do for an upper body workout. Again, i'm looking online at different types of workouts, and saw a 4 day upper/lower split, but not sure as to how many exercises i should do for that upper workout. Also, would doing 15 minutes of cardio after my workouts be ok as far as stimulating growth.........or would that hinder it? I was designating one to two days a week mostly for cardio, but i'm thinking that maybe it's too much, and i wont be gaining muscle by doing that. I know i'll lose fat by being in a calorie deficit, and by lifting, but i've always liked cardio and don't want to slow down muscle growth.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

steve_mfp

A lot of the popular strength programs out there use the main large compound exercises as the base and then add 2-3 accessory exercises to target weak points in those compound exercises.

Your big exercises would be squat, dead lifts, bench press, overhead press/military press. More advanced would be exercises like power cleans.

Things you may want to look into.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982522738/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=nerdfitn-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0982522738

Good book on exercises and programming.

Strong Lifts - i personally have not done this program but a lot of people recommend it especially if you are new to strength training.

http://stronglifts.com/

I personally use Wendler's 5/3/1 system. Generally it is considered an intermediate strength program but it does have programming for advanced work. Several others of us here on this board use it.

Since i was an Arnie fan, my original program I followed in early college was his which is based on Reg Park's 5x5 routine...you'll notice 5x5 routine still exists today (Reg Park is from the 60's). I have the program in my 'Encyclopedia of BodyBuilding' book at home, however, i found a write-up on the oldschool trainer.

http://oldschooltrainer.com/reg-parks-beginner-routine/

Most programs will have you doing a 3-day or 4-day routine. You may opt to go for a 3-day total body routine say M,W,F and then T, R do cardio. Once you start on a regular program 15 minutes isn't really going to impact your muscle growth, maybe if it was a flat out sprint. Soon your warm-up before doing weights will be 15 minutes.

If you do want to do cardio on the same day as lifting I would suggest doing it after. You want to warm up for lifting but you don't want to be tired. Besides making the workout more difficult, you want to make sure your form is good doing free weights or you can easily hurt yourself. If you opt for a 4-day split routine, never do heavy cardio before lower body day...sure you can, but it will suck.

Regardless of what program you follow make sure that you eat right (Sara and Sidesteel have some great stickies in this forum), sleep enough and do proper warm-ups. DeFranco's Limber 11 is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSDLDhbacc

Spaghetti_Bender

Thanks for that information. Much appreciated!