Tell me What you Think of my Lifting Program :)

weightliftingdiva

Hi! I'm looking for advice on my lifting program. My goals are to increase strength and maintain muscle while I lose. The losing part hasn't been going so well lately but I definitely feel stronger! Additionally, I warm up with a 5 minute walk and body weight squats before each workout. When I can complete my reps and sets in each exercise, I'll add 5 pounds. I do the exercises in the order presented.

I'm doing ABA/BAB.

A:
Squat hip mobility stretches
Squats 5x5
Rows 5x5
Shoulder Press 5x5
Wall Pushup 2 x 10
Plank 2 sets for 20 sec
Side plank 2 sets for 20 sec
Box Jumps 3 x 8

B:
Single leg deadlifts 3 x 5
Deadlift 5 x 5
Straight-leg deadlift 5 x 5
Incline DB Bench Press 5 x 5
Lunges, each side 2 x 15
Assisted Chin Up 3 x 4 (Trying to increase to 5 reps!)
Dynamic Plank 2 x 10
Dynamic Side Plank 2 x 10

If you have any observations/comments/suggestions I'd love to hear them.

rick_po

Not bad. You have a whole lot of deadlifting on B, and I know many people can't handle that much volume with deadlifts. A lot of programs only do 1x5. The single leg and straight leg deadlifts should probably be later in your workout, as accessory work.

A super minor thing, but I would probably do B in this order: Lunges, Bench Press, Deadlifts. I think lunges are better to warm-up with. But I know some people like to start with deadlifts, so if you have a strong preference, don't pay attention to me.

weightliftingdiva

Not bad. You have a whole lot of deadlifting on B, and I know many people can't handle that much volume with deadlifts. A lot of programs only do 1x5. The single leg and straight leg deadlifts should probably be later in your workout, as accessory work.

A super minor thing, but I would probably do B in this order: Lunges, Bench Press, Deadlifts. I think lunges are better to warm-up with. But I know some people like to start with deadlifts, so if you have a strong preference, don't pay attention to me.

I wondered about the deadlifting too. I just feel like they have different benefits so I'm not sure which one is best to do. I definitely want to do singles to work on balance and bringing my left leg up to speed from muscle imbalance.

cajuntank

Besides the volume on deadlifts like mentioned, my other quick glancing issues might be incline DB bench presses and single leg deadlifts. You will doing shoulders the previous workout and doing incline bench presses puts more stress on the shoulders than flat bench would due to the angle; so you will be tagging shoulders pretty hard once weight increases. Don't see any real reason to do both single leg deads and traditional deads. You are using compound exercises to incorporate the most muscle usage and negating the synergistics of pulling with both legs seems counter-productive to me. Just my thoughts on the matter.

weightliftingdiva

Besides the volume on deadlifts like mentioned, my other quick glancing issues might be incline DB bench presses and single leg deadlifts. You will doing shoulders the previous workout and doing incline bench presses puts more stress on the shoulders than flat bench would due to the angle; so you will be tagging shoulders pretty hard once weight increases. Don't see any real reason to do both single leg deads and traditional deads. You are using compound exercises to incorporate the most muscle usage and negating the synergistics of pulling with both legs seems counter-productive to me. Just my thoughts on the matter.

The shoulder thing is interesting - hadn't hear about that. Should I switch to flat bench?

Also, the idea behind single legs was to make up for muscle imbalances. Should I cut sets of something or an exercise all together?

Thanks.

Darryl4126

Yo keep hitting it hard I like your plan. Keep intensity up and your sweat on... However diet is 80% slam some protien and veggies.

weightliftingdiva

Bump. Any other suggestions?

cajuntank

You are basing your program on a beginner design, so going off of the premise that you are a beginner, then items I mentioned in my post would be applicable. All good beginner programs realize that the foundation exercises (compounds) are the key to the fastest and greatest strength (and muscle if variables are right) growth. I would see single legged deadlifts as somewhat of an isolation exercise that you could incorporate later on once you have your "base" established...and who knows, those imbalances might disappear once you build that base strength and all muscles are firing synergistically like they should. On the benching matter, I personally would do flat bench, because with proper form, you will learn to arch your back which puts you more in a position similar to what you will see as a "decline" bench. This is your body's strongest position due to bio-mechanics that it puts the body's muscle, bones, angles,etc... in. Due to this, it will allow you to lift heavier weight in a safer manner to build up the attaching muscle and ligaments over time that will allow you to incorporate other exercises where the muscle and ligaments aren't so strong (i.e.. Incline bench press). Later on when you progress past beginner program and move into an intermediate level program, then subbing incline bench press for overhead presses would be more applicable, but typically not subbing for flat bench unless your goal is bodybuilding.

weightliftingdiva

You are basing your program on a beginner design, so going off of the premise that you are a beginner, then items I mentioned in my post would be applicable. All good beginner programs realize that the foundation exercises (compounds) are the key to the fastest and greatest strength (and muscle if variables are right) growth. I would see single legged deadlifts as somewhat of an isolation exercise that you could incorporate later on once you have your "base" established...and who knows, those imbalances might disappear once you build that base strength and all muscles are firing synergistically like they should. On the benching matter, I personally would do flat bench, because with proper form, you will learn to arch your back which puts you more in a position similar to what you will see as a "decline" bench. This is your body's strongest position due to bio-mechanics that it puts the body's muscle, bones, angles,etc... in. Due to this, it will allow you to lift heavier weight in a safer manner to build up the attaching muscle and ligaments over time that will allow you to incorporate other exercises where the muscle and ligaments aren't so strong (i.e.. Incline bench press). Later on when you progress past beginner program and move into an intermediate level program, then subbing incline bench press for overhead presses would be more applicable, but typically not subbing for flat bench unless your goal is bodybuilding.

Okay, thanks.