Looking For Suggestions/Advice On Gym Routine

Sparkles281

I've picked my gym routine up again and am looking or some advice on my plan/schedule. In the past I've alternated cardio and strength training days with a "rest day" in between. For example, Monday I did 20 minutes of intervals on the elliptical, followed by some bicep curls, triceps curls and reverse grip dumbbell rows.

Tuesday:
- Warmed up with 10 minutes on the treadmill and did 3 sets of 10 of the following:
- Bulgarian squats
- Sumo squats
- Bicep curls
- Triceps curls
- Reverse grip dumbbell rows
- Chest Press
- Stability ball crunches
- 30 sec plank x 2 (working my way up to 60 seconds straight as my core strength is nil)

I'm pretty sore today and planned on taking a "rest day" and just walking my dog around the lake, which is 3.8 Km. In the future I plan on going for a swim. Also, upping the cardio to 40 minutes and leave the arm work for "weight day" starting tomorrow.

My ultimate fitness goal is to be in better shape and start running again, and possibly go back to playing rugby.
I'm open to any and all suggestions!

ryanwood935

I would recommend cutting out all those isolation movements and skip to barbell squats, bench press and rows. I certainly wouldn't do any more volume than 3x10, and if aren't feeling the burn at those reps, increase the weight. Just make sure your form is proper (see youtube for this).

Doing cardio on your days off lifting can help with some of that soreness. Also keep in mind that the first week or two is always brutal. You will not feel as sore after each workout down the road.

dbmata

Playing rugby? I don't think bis and tris like a curl bro are going to help that.

I'd mix my time 50/50 between lifting for strength and power, and cardio. (Why? Well, after long discussion with a sports medicine doctor who cares for a lot of rugby players, that's where he's seen the best improvement for non-elites.)

With lifting, I'd do a mix of 50% -70% 1RM lifts for high reps in a supersetted protocol with no rests. Then I'd do 80-95% work as well on different days. From the way I work, I'd split upper body and lower body.

Lifts:
Lower body I'd do:
Squats
Deadlifts
Lunges (jumping, walking)
Box jumps (weighted and not)
jump squats (weighted and not)
hip thrusters
GHDs
Front squats
and I'd learn some oly stuff for explosiveness

Upper body:
Bench
Shoulder delt supersets
Pull ups
Rows
Dips
Push ups
Crunches
Russian Twists
Push press with a DB
some accessory work

Then with the cardio:
I'd swim, run, sprints.

Then I'd also add in yoga, probably work that pattern 6 days a week?

Just thoughts, I'm no trainer, but this is akin to what my strength coach and doctor have me doing.

JustinAnimal

I would recommend cutting out all those isolation movements and skip to barbell squats, bench press and rows. I certainly wouldn't do any more volume than 3x10, and if aren't feeling the burn at those reps, increase the weight. Just make sure your form is proper (see youtube for this).

Doing cardio on your days off lifting can help with some of that soreness. Also keep in mind that the first week or two is always brutal. You will not feel as sore after each workout down the road.

I second this. I'm all for variety, but I've had pretty decent success with compound workouts (specifically, the ones mentioned above). I also am a total believer in barbell squats and have begun doing squats with each and every workout, regardless of whatever else I do.

ETA: Not sure what your cardio routine is, but in addition to endurance stuff, I'd throw in some intervals and/or sprints. I imagine with rugby, you want lots of general strength, ESPECIALLY in the lower body / core, and the ability to sprint intermittently over a long period of time.

Sparkles281

As a forward (loosehead prop, specifically) you basically have to haul *kitten* across the field to get to any sort of ruck/maul situation, so definitely need to work on sprints. Looks like I'll be Youtubing some new things tonight! Thanks everyone!

singingflutelady

I would at least change the order of your lifts on tuesday.... You should do the squat before the bulgarian split squats. Do the big compound lifts before the isolation lifts. I would also do the chest press before the tricep exercises and the rows before the bicep. If I were to use your schedule I would do squat, chest press, rows, bulgarian split squat, bicep curls, triceps, and abs last. I would probably superset the chest press and the rows and another superset of biceps and triceps. I would agree with the others to focus on the compound lifts more and perhaps start doing overhead press. You have to earn your isolation lifts by doing your compounds.