Basic Strength Workout Advice Please :)

Anonymou5
Anonymou5 Posts: 92
in Fitness and Exercise
Just wondering whether my basic strength programme seems alright:

3x12 - pullups
3x25 - pushups
3x12 - bicep curls
3x10 - single leg squats

Trying to add a bit of muscle mass but not become hugely muscular.

Do this 3 times per week.

Cheers!

Replies

  • drprtr
    drprtr Posts: 2
    Seems a bit weak to be honest.
    Bicep Curls are redundant if you're doing pullups (in fact I think bicep curls are largely redundant anyway) just do more pullups.

    You're not going to become hugely muscular unless you start lifting heavy weights and eating an extra couple of thousand calories a day.

    I'd suggest you add some variety while still looking at compound moves and start increasing the difficulty.
    If you're sticking to bodyweight exercises try some incline/decline pushups, dips, pullups/chinups and inverted rows, try adding some walking/forward/backward lunges and calf raises for the legs. You should add some core exercises as well: situps, crunches, bicycle abs, v-sits, planks and leg raises. If you've got some dumbells try supersetting some flyes with DB bench/floor presses.

    Vary how you perform each exercise as well; explosively will help build power, doing the negative part slowly will increase strength and keeping the reps high will help increase endurance.

    Once you're bored of those check out some of the moves on Beast Skills - http://beastskills.com/tutorials/ - to really ramp up the variety/difficulty.
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  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    3x12 - pullups - Good. Can you really do 36 pullups? That's pretty fit!
    3x25 - pushups - Good, but there's a maximum gain from these you can hit quick.
    3x12 - bicep curls - Be sure to do these in the squat rack, for safety.
    3x10 - single leg squats - Pistol squats are awesome.

    You certainly don't have to worry about GETTIN' HUGE on those.
  • stfuriada
    stfuriada Posts: 445 Member
    Google "Beginner Strength Workout".

    You're welcome.
  • steveinct
    steveinct Posts: 140 Member
    If you are just looking to stay fit, then create a plan where you push and pull across the same plane with all compound muscle movements. In your routine, you are going to end up with shoulder problems since both a push up and pull up will rock your shoulders forward and you have no countering muscle work. For instance, push ups and rows are push / pull on the same plane (horizontal). Military press and pull ups are your push / pull on the vertical plane. You should add dead lifts (alternate with squats or do both). Drop the curls all together unless you want to spend more time in the gym. As many have noted, you should probably go grab a book on the subject. A good place to start might be Starting Strength or New Rules of Lifting.
  • kirstyg1980
    kirstyg1980 Posts: 302
    stonglifts 5x5 or similar

    unless you are eating well over maintenance you will not build muscle and you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit
  • steveinct
    steveinct Posts: 140 Member
    unless you are eating well over maintenance you will not build muscle and you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit

    That is not true, but for the sake of someone worried about getting "hugely muscular" it is. He will never have to worry about getting huge (or even big) while in a calorie deficit. =)
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  • stupidloser
    stupidloser Posts: 300 Member
    You are doing to many reps. Pick a weight heavy enough that it will keep you around 6-8 reps. any higher reps will increase muscle endurance and not muscle growth. When it comes to strength training, your object is to stimulate growth. With hi reps your are just wasting your precious limited glycogen stores. Glycogen stores are very limited so it is better to use them for 6-8 reps of a heavy weight.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    3x12 - pullups - Good. Can you really do 36 pullups? That's pretty fit!
    3x25 - pushups - Good, but there's a maximum gain from these you can hit quick.
    3x12 - bicep curls - Be sure to do these in the squat rack, for safety.
    3x10 - single leg squats - Pistol squats are awesome.

    You certainly don't have to worry about GETTIN' HUGE on those.

    LOL, not nice. But I was thinking the same thing about the pull-ups. And the pushups are a great exercise too. But consider getting some perfect push up handles and mixing in foot elevated pushups. Those are much more difficult and you can do drop sets by switching from those to normal floor pushups without the handles.

    And if you can do 3 sets of 12 pullups then you're already pretty jacked. To be more realistic, try and start with chin-ups, and just ditch the bicep curls. Single leg squats are fine, make sure you do the Bulgarian split squat version though and be very careful with your knees.

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