Strength routine: suggestions? am I missing anything?

abyssfully

I'm not new to strength training, but I have been off of my normal groove for quite some time. I'm 25 and have two little ones, my youngest being 4 months old who I breastfeed. I am not looking to lose massive amounts of weight but want to focus more on strengthening my body while having some excess weight fall off slowly/long term.

My plan for the first 6 weeks (after that I'm going to change the exercises up) is this: I'll be at the gym every second day. First day, upper body - skip a day - then lower body - skip a day - then upper body - skip a day - then lower body - skip a day... etc. I'm aware this isn't a typical workout schedule but it's what works for me and my time at the moment.

For upper - to almost exhaustion in 10 reps, 3 sets: chest press, lat pull-down, shoulder press, triceps press down with rope, biceps curls

For lower - to almost exhaustion in 10 reps, 3 sets: 45 degree leg press with foot placement a little higher, leg extension, lying leg curl, seated hip abduction and adduction

I plan to do 10-15 minutes of light/taking it easy cardio on those same days

I'll do my planks, side planks and reverse crunches on my "off" days (focusing on transverse ab)

I'm not going to restrict my diet, just going to work on stopping stress eating

I'm open to all suggestions about anything! Thank you

*I'll add that once I'm done breastfeeding, I would really love to get into heavier barbell squats, etc., but for now I think that will have to wait*

wellbert

what about:
bench press
overhead press
deadlifts
squats
chin ups
pull ups
?

abyssfully

what about:
bench press
overhead press
deadlifts
squats
chin ups
pull ups
?

I'm a little worried about bench press because I don't have a spotter and I made a mistake once before! I must have looked so cool yelling "heeeeelp" with these two massive muscley dudes running up to help me I'm not strong enough for chin ups or pull ups but would love to work my way there. I'd like to do dead lifts and squats but I'm a little unfamiliar with using the barbell and what not, and I've read about how if you breastfeed your ligaments stay loosened similar to when you were pregnant (thinking about injury here, but correct me if I'm wrong people! If I have nothing to worry about let me know! lol)

(oh, prior to getting a gym pass I was working out at home - although inconsistently - using two 15 lb dumbbells doing squats and walking lunges, etc. so I'm looking to change that up a little bit)

wellbert

I'd suggest picking up some good reading, like NROLFW or Starting Strength.

You can roll-of-shame a failed bench, at least until the weight gets super dooper heavy.

abyssfully

I'd suggest picking up some good reading, like NROLFW or Starting Strength.

You can roll-of-shame a failed bench, at least until the weight gets super dooper heavy.

you just made me look up "roll-of-shame" I am interested in NROLFW and do want to lift super heavy eventually, I'm just not sure if that's ok for a breastfeeding mama. If it is I would definitely love to start.

(((anyone out there bf and lift? advice please!?))))

wellbert

You start out light in any case. There's no reason to not use barbells or dumbbells instead of machines.

abyssfully

I am definitely interested in using barbells - maybe I'm a little intimidated by it? I would probably have to pay the personal trainer to show me how to do each exercise properly. I guess barbells are unfamiliar territory for me. Would you like to come train me? lol

(I'm now googling "barbell exercises for beginners")

Shanel0916

bump

Noflexing

your routine actually sounds pretty good for a beginner. you will have to eventually start a split routine separating body parts once you start getting stronger and more attuned with your body. doing that many sets may require more rest inbetween workout days. you should go any where from a total of 12-17 sets a day.

JasonDetwiler

I'd suggest picking up some good reading, like NROLFW or Starting Strength.

You can roll-of-shame a failed bench, at least until the weight gets super dooper heavy.

you just made me look up "roll-of-shame" I am interested in NROLFW and do want to lift super heavy eventually, I'm just not sure if that's ok for a breastfeeding mama. If it is I would definitely love to start.

(((anyone out there bf and lift? advice please!?))))

I have a 1-yo and my wife is still BF'ing. The awesomeness does get into the breastmilk, so you definitely want to do heavy squats, bench, DL, OHP, PP, PU, PU, and DB rows.

wellbert

I am definitely interested in using barbells - maybe I'm a little intimidated by it? I would probably have to pay the personal trainer to show me how to do each exercise properly. I guess barbells are unfamiliar territory for me. Would you like to come train me? lol

sure let me know next time you're in California LOL

rmhand

I think it looks pretty good.
I'd switch the seated hip abduction and adduction for wide stance and narrow stance squats or doing a wide stance and narrow stance on the leg press.

DopeItUp

Pardon my ignorance but what does breastfeeding have to do with anything?

If you're going to do it, do it right. Get Starting Strength (it's on amazon) and follow the routine. Or follow a similar beginner's routine. You won't be doing huge weights to start with (or within 6 weeks) so I'm not really understanding the problem.

Especially if you're looking to work towards that sort of routine in the future, why not start now? Doing isolation work (especially on machines) isn't really going to prepare you for doing the major compound exercises anyway.

If you're truly worried about bench press, get a spotter or do them in a power rack or get those self-spotting stands. Or use dumbbells. You won't be able to do as much weight with DB but the principle is the same.

Edit: starting out with a split routine is silly too. Doing a basic beginner's program with all of the big compound lifts a few times a week will serve you well for years. Only advanced lifters tend to find extra success with split routines. There's nothing wrong with a split routine of course, it's just not necessary.

abyssfully

your routine actually sounds pretty good for a beginner. you will have to eventually start a split routine separating body parts once you start getting stronger and more attuned with your body. doing that many sets may require more rest inbetween workout days. you should go any where from a total of 12-17 sets a day.

with my every second day made-up routine, it gives me 3 full days in between working each muscle group - I thought that'd be enough?

(upper - skip - lower - skip - upper so three days in between?)

abyssfully

I think it looks pretty good.
I'd switch the seated hip abduction and adduction for wide stance and narrow stance squats or doing a wide stance and narrow stance on the leg press.

I was doing weighted plie squats prior to getting my gym pass with the 15 lb dumbbells; I could do that again)

hiker359

I am definitely interested in using barbells - maybe I'm a little intimidated by it? I would probably have to pay the personal trainer to show me how to do each exercise properly. I guess barbells are unfamiliar territory for me. Would you like to come train me? lol

(I'm now googling "barbell exercises for beginners")

You don't necessarily need a trainer, though they can be helpful. I've just watched a *ton* of videos that demonstrate good form and occasionally I take my camera in and video my workouts. Then when I get home I watch the videos and make myself cues for my next workout.

I'm pretty much a noobie when it comes to dumbbell exercises and have been doing the Stronglifts (www.stronglifts.com) program, so I know how anxious one can be about making sure you have good form and not wanting to hurt yourself. The great thing about this program is you start with the unloaded bar (except for dead lifts) and gradually increase the weight. This gives you time to focus on form and to get accustomed to doing it right before things get heavy and form becomes more crucial.

stroutman81

Firstly, the upper/lower split is actually quite common. It's my preferred way of structuring things, in fact. So I wouldn't label it as being atypical or anything like that.

Couple of random thoughts:

a) I would make changes every six weeks unless you needed to. Change for the sake of change is ridiculous. I know it's the 'in thing' to program hop nowadays, but don't get sucked into that mentality. Change should be well reasoned and deliberate. And generally speaking, it shouldn't be wholesale. By that, I mean some movements might need changing while others might need to stay.

As an example, and keep in mind, this is very general, but I'll typically breakout my movements into lower body and upper body. I'll further divide the lower body stuff into squatting and hip hinging. I'll divide my upper body stuff into vertical pressing and pulling and horizontal pressing and pulling.

When I do make a change, I don't change everything. Maybe my horizontal pushing exercise still feels great after 6 weeks or whatever. I'm not going to stop progressing in that movement simply because some piece of paper tells me it's time to stop. I'd rather fit my program to my body than fit my body to a program. And to do that, things need to be fluid and adaptable based on feel and progress.

Simultaneously, maybe my squat is feeling like poop. I'm having trouble progressing load, everything feels grindy... even warm ups... and they just feel sucky. I'll likely swap that exercise out. But again, it won't be some wholesale change. I'll stick with a squatting pattern, but I'll change movement selection. If I were doing barbell squats, I might swap them for front squats, cambered bar squats, some sort of lunge, leg press, step ups, banded dynamic squats, etc.

You get the point I'm sure.

2) I'd put more pulling in your exercise selection. Your upper body day has 2 pressing exercises (chest press and shoulder press) and one pulling exercise (lat pulldown). In the culture today, most people need more pulling work than pushing work. It's simple... everything's in front of us. And we tend to sit a lot. These variables tend to shorten the muscles on our frontside and weaken our muscles on our back. This is part of the reason why so many people are walking around with rounded upper backs (hunch back) and protruding necks/heads (turtling).

So anything, even out your pushing and pulling.

3) You might consider varying the loading a bit over time. This can be done a bunch of ways. For example, your week could look like this:

Day 1: Upper - heavy horizontal, light vertical
Day 2: Lower - heavy squat, light hip hinge
Day 3: Upper - heavy vertical, light horizontal
Day 4: Lower - heavy hip hinge, light squat

You can throw whatever fluff stuff you want in between or at the end for arms, core or whatever.

By heavy, I'm talking maybe 4-8 reps per set.

By light, I'm talking maybe 10-15 reps per set.

Since reps dictate load, by varying your rep range, you're also varying your load and thus exposing your body to a broader spectrum of stimulus for change.

To translate that above split into exercises, you could do...

Day 1: Upper - heavy horizontal, light vertical

A1 - Chest press 3-4 x 4-6
A2 - Cable Row 3-4 x 4-6
B1- Overhead Press 2-3 x 8-12
B2 - Cable Pulldowns 2-3 x 8-12

Day 2: Lower - heavy squat, light hip hinge

A - Leg Press 3-4 x 4-6
B1 - Single Leg DB Romanian Deadlifts 2-3 x 8-12
B2 - Goblet Alternating Lunges 2-3 x 8-12

Day 3: Upper - heavy vertical, light horizontal

A1 - Assisted Pullups - 3-4 x 4-6
A2 - Barbell Push Press - 3-4 x 4-6
B1 - Head Supported DB Row - 2-3 x 8-12
B2 - DB Floor Press - 2-3 x 8-12

Day 4: Lower - heavy hip hinge, light horizontal

A - Conventional or Romanian Deadlift 3-4 x 4-6
B1 - Step ups - 2-3 x 8-12
B2 - Cable Pull Throughs - 2-3 x 8-12

This is all very general. Exercise selection isn't really important. You could swam any squat movement for any other squat movement you like for example. And volume and loading could be adjusted to meet individual experience or need. The point is, there are ways to expose your body to a broader array of stimulus, which I've found to be more productive for most people.

I'll generally vary loading across the week and across the block, with a block lasting anywhere from 4-8 weeks. And explaining the variation across the block is beyond the scope of this post.

4. Focusing on the transverse abdominis is sort of silly more often than not, but your exercise selection is just fine, so I wouldn't worry about it.

I thought I had more thoughts, but I have a client walking in any minute. If you have questions, let them rip. And no, I didn't mean to totally tear apart your program ideas. In fact, you were much closer to the mark of what I'd consider quality programming than most people are and you could likely realize substantial progress with the setup you outlined, assuming you were consistent and worked hard. I'm just throwing ideas at you to hopefully optimize the process.

abyssfully

Pardon my ignorance but what does breastfeeding have to do with anything?

If you're going to do it, do it right. Get Starting Strength (it's on amazon) and follow the routine. Or follow a similar beginner's routine. You won't be doing huge weights to start with (or within 6 weeks) so I'm not really understanding the problem.

Especially if you're looking to work towards that sort of routine in the future, why not start now? Doing isolation work (especially on machines) isn't really going to prepare you for doing the major compound exercises anyway.

If you're truly worried about bench press, get a spotter or do them in a power rack or get those self-spotting stands. Or use dumbbells. You won't be able to do as much weight with DB but the principle is the same.

It loosens the ligaments, similar to pregnancy, making me prone to injury --- so I've been kind of hesitant to lift heavier HOWEVER if I truly have nothing to worry about, I would love to go all out. And I see your point. Another thing in my mind is that some women say certain types of exercise lowers their breastmilk supply (which I really don't want to happen considering I already barely make enough for him)

I have a 1-yo and my wife is still BF'ing. The awesomeness does get into the breastmilk, so you definitely want to do heavy squats, bench, DL, OHP, PP, PU, PU, and DB rows.

excuse MY ignorance! what do those abbreviations mean?

stacked

*like*:glasses:

stroutman81

your routine actually sounds pretty good for a beginner. you will have to eventually start a split routine separating body parts once you start getting stronger and more attuned with your body. doing that many sets may require more rest inbetween workout days. you should go any where from a total of 12-17 sets a day.

I don't agree with any of this. Nor does most of the current literature pertaining to this stuff. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, but "you will eventually have to..." is definitely not true.

stroutman81

I think it looks pretty good.
I'd switch the seated hip abduction and adduction for wide stance and narrow stance squats or doing a wide stance and narrow stance on the leg press.

Ditto this.