Weight training regimen - critique
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It will feel easy for the first couple weeks. Wait until you get to the last couple weeks of the cycle (11-12 reps) - you'll be glad you started out light! I ran four cycles of AllPro's routine - it gets brutal toward the end of each cycle.Just wanted to say thanks again for all of the input/advice. Workout was good tonight. Most felt fairly easy, but I will follow the advice on adding reps and weight. Struggled a bit on curls, but I WILL get stronger. Very stoked about this guys/gals.
If you're doing a straight 20% cut from TDEE, I wouldn't eat back calories for cardio or weight training. If you determined your TDEE correctly, they're already accounted for....One last question until I get through the first cycle ... since the number I am using covers lifting calories, should I still add back cardio that is separate from lifting days or just leave it alone?
Wait a second, @jha- so you accounted for lifting in your TDEE but not cardio, am I correct in that assumption? If you did not account for it at all when you did your TDEE, you can still add back your cardio calories, but be prepared for a lot of questions on it, because it's a little different than the way most people figure out their calories.
I have actually been thinking of trying something similar because my hunger doesn't match up on my lifting days. Lets call the partial-exercise TDEE more of an advanced calorie calculation, though. It will work out fine if you do it right, but it's a little more complicated than straight TDEE-20% or the Eat back calories method, and it will be a little confusing when you explain it to people.
if my assumption is wrong, disregard this whole post. Its late.0 -
Wait a second, @jha- so you accounted for lifting in your TDEE but not cardio, am I correct in that assumption? If you did not account for it at all when you did your TDEE, you can still add back your cardio calories, but be prepared for a lot of questions on it, because it's a little different than the way most people figure out their calories.
I have actually been thinking of trying something similar because my hunger doesn't match up on my lifting days. Lets call the partial-exercise TDEE more of an advanced calorie calculation, though. It will work out fine if you do it right, but it's a little more complicated than straight TDEE-20% or the Eat back calories method, and it will be a little confusing when you explain it to people.
if my assumption is wrong, disregard this whole post. Its late.
Nope you are absolutely correct. I figured TDEE based on lifting three days a week. But, I'd love to be able to do some cardio and ab work on off days as recommended at the bottom of the lifting schedule post I was sent. I didn't figure them this week so I could just see how my body feels with these lifts.
I'm probably causing the majority of the confusion
I'm actually insanely good with numbers, but when I don't have my head around the theory, I muck it up trying to understand what the hell it all means. 0 -
Wait a second, @jha- so you accounted for lifting in your TDEE but not cardio, am I correct in that assumption? If you did not account for it at all when you did your TDEE, you can still add back your cardio calories, but be prepared for a lot of questions on it, because it's a little different than the way most people figure out their calories.
I have actually been thinking of trying something similar because my hunger doesn't match up on my lifting days. Lets call the partial-exercise TDEE more of an advanced calorie calculation, though. It will work out fine if you do it right, but it's a little more complicated than straight TDEE-20% or the Eat back calories method, and it will be a little confusing when you explain it to people.
if my assumption is wrong, disregard this whole post. Its late.
Nope you are absolutely correct. I figured TDEE based on lifting three days a week. But, I'd love to be able to do some cardio and ab work on off days as recommended at the bottom of the lifting schedule post I was sent. I didn't figure them this week so I could just see how my body feels with these lifts.
I'm probably causing the majority of the confusion I'm actually insanely good with numbers, but when I don't have my head around the theory, I muck it up trying to understand what the hell it all means.
Strictly for simplicity sake you might be best off using a TDEE estimation method that includes all activity and just eating relatively consistently day to day regardless of rest vs exercise.0 -
Oh, you like numbers hey!
Have a place to log your stats too, and get your numbers down.
Mostly description, link near bottom.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones0 -
Wait a second, @jha- so you accounted for lifting in your TDEE but not cardio, am I correct in that assumption? If you did not account for it at all when you did your TDEE, you can still add back your cardio calories, but be prepared for a lot of questions on it, because it's a little different than the way most people figure out their calories.
I have actually been thinking of trying something similar because my hunger doesn't match up on my lifting days. Lets call the partial-exercise TDEE more of an advanced calorie calculation, though. It will work out fine if you do it right, but it's a little more complicated than straight TDEE-20% or the Eat back calories method, and it will be a little confusing when you explain it to people.
if my assumption is wrong, disregard this whole post. Its late.
Nope you are absolutely correct. I figured TDEE based on lifting three days a week. But, I'd love to be able to do some cardio and ab work on off days as recommended at the bottom of the lifting schedule post I was sent. I didn't figure them this week so I could just see how my body feels with these lifts.
I'm probably causing the majority of the confusion I'm actually insanely good with numbers, but when I don't have my head around the theory, I muck it up trying to understand what the hell it all means.
Strictly for simplicity sake you might be best off using a TDEE estimation method that includes all activity and just eating relatively consistently day to day regardless of rest vs exercise.
In my opinion, this is the best approach as long as you do not have a bunch of long endurance type cardio.0 -
Noted. I will adjust my total to account for the cardio. I don't imagine it will be much until the weather warms up and I'm outside more.
That spreadsheet is AMAZING. Thank you for it!0 -
@AnvilHead Yes ... I want to struggle. I want to know I am pushing myself. If I were to get to week five and not be struggling with 12 reps, then that may mean I set my weight too low. No matter, I can up it per the regimen and go for the next five weeks.
I threw myself at on Monday and it was decent work. I probably need to focus on what weight for each lift. I don't know what it supposed to be called or even if it exists, but when I was done, I felt bigger or just pumped. Maybe that is adrenaline or whatever. But, damn it felt great. When I was done, my wife asked me "Are you ok?" I said, "No baby, I am much better than ok." Even in my weak state compared to most people, I felt like I had moved a freaking mountain. I want MORE.
The only thing that I wish I had at home was the vertical thing that you do squats on at a gym. But, I have to do with what I have and push....0 -
Exactly. As AllPro says, it will even out after your first cycle. You'll quickly find out where you were too ambitious and not ambitious enough. By the time you finish the first cycle, you'll have a pretty good idea of both.@AnvilHead Yes ... I want to struggle. I want to know I am pushing myself. If I were to get to week five and not be struggling with 12 reps, then that may mean I set my weight too low. No matter, I can up it per the regimen and go for the next five weeks.
Yep, gotta do what you can with what you have. You can always do front squats (until the weight starts getting heavier, at which point you'll have trouble cleaning the bar up into position), Zercher squats, Bulgarian split squats, goblet squats (with a dumbbell) - there are a ton of variations. Nice thing about the routine is that you can adapt it to your situation and still get a good workout from it.The only thing that I wish I had at home was the vertical thing that you do squats on at a gym. But, I have to do with what I have and push....0 -
Thanks AnvilHead. Patience is not something I am good at on most occasions, but I have to have it here.
Question about the warm up sets though. I have no clue if this even matters, but curious. Should you do all warm up sets, then all work sets or do the warm up for each one and then do the full, warm up for the next, then do the full, etc?0 -
Do all the sets for each exercise consecutively - 2 warm up sets, then 2 work sets. Move on to the next exercise only after you've completed all sets of the previous one. This isn't a circuit/superset routine, it's straight sets.Question about the warm up sets though. I have no clue if this even matters, but curious. Should you do all warm up sets, then all work sets or do the warm up for each one and then do the full, warm up for the next, then do the full, etc?0 -
Awesome. Thank you!0
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So I am about to end week two. I upped the reps to 9 for my lifting and yes that one more rep really did make a difference. I can't believe I didn't think about the math as much. That one extra rep is really 28 extra reps. Hrm...
I know that I picked some of the starting weights right as I can feel myself really working. Others I may have went low or way too low. Should I just stick with what I started with and up the 10% every five weeks even if I get to the end of the first five and all 12 reps were a breeze?
I'm most concerned with bench and bent rows. I'm done with bench and literally feel nothing - unless my form is bad and then I feel it in my delts.
And, i STILL cannot do stiff leg DL without feeling it in my back. It should be a ab and hamstring exercise, correct?0 -
My .02 - If you feel like you went REALLY low and are going to blow through 12 reps without effort, you could increase it if you want to - or you could just run one cycle and then bump it up at the end according to how much heavier you think you should go....I know that I picked some of the starting weights right as I can feel myself really working. Others I may have went low or way too low. Should I just stick with what I started with and up the 10% every five weeks even if I get to the end of the first five and all 12 reps were a breeze?
Stiff-legged deadlifts work both the erector spinae (lower back) and the hamstrings/glutes. You should definitely feel it in your lower back - you shouldn't feel pain, but you should feel those muscles getting worked. Take a look here:And, i STILL cannot do stiff leg DL without feeling it in my back. It should be a ab and hamstring exercise, correct?
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/BBStiffLegDeadlift.html0 -
I will definitely wait until the END of the cycle first. I am disciplined enough to do that. I will wait and see how 12 reps feels. I might have a very different story then
I looked at that video and something struck me. His back is arched a lot at full extension. I thought (probably incorrectly) that you were supposed to try and keep your back more concave as in the way you are at the top. Is that incorrect? Attempting to do that may have definitely been what caused the pain. What I attempted to do was to flex my abs and try and engage my legs during the up motion of the rep. Perhaps I was over thinking or over complicating this move?
I guess this comment is more for me than anything, but I am so damn stoked right now. I put on Spotify and go hit the weights at night. Its like my own little world of bliss. When I am doing cardio, I get on the elliptical, also put on Spotify and watch basketball, boxing or whatever sport I can find. I'm blowing through the workout without getting bored. Oddly enough, I was getting soooo burned out on P90X or Insanity when I was doing them. Maybe this is the solution to my boredom?0 -
Closer to this?
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/BBStraightLegDeadlift.html
I do closer to this one, though I don't stand on a platform. I use dumbbells, which are pretty low to ground already.
I have one side much tighter and slightly stronger than the other, so noticed the dumbbell method has helped even that out somewhat.0 -
Actually, the version I do is like the Romanian Deadlift:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/RomanianDeadlift.html
I'm not crazy about the thought of rounding my back during SLDLs....I think it greatly increases the potential for spinal injury. Everything I've ever seen or been told has said don't ever round your back.0 -
Actually, the version I do is like the Romanian Deadlift:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/RomanianDeadlift.html
I'm not crazy about the thought of rounding my back during SLDLs....I think it greatly increases the potential for spinal injury. Everything I've ever seen or been told has said don't ever round your back.
My thoughts exactly. I found that trying to keep it straight tough as nails for me too. I need a mirror so I can see if I am doing it right. I would be really bummed out if I got sidelined with an injury.0
