u succesful losers

nturner612

@#%$%$!!! scale refuses to move...jus sayin) how often shold i change my routine? or should i keep it longer (and whats longer) to b able to increase my weights? Currently this is what i have (i do split sessions cuz i work out on my lunch break, i do cardio and take classes a few times in the evenings.)

**** i have just started trainin for a half marathon in May. I throw in ab moves in between sets when im not dying and extra exercises when i have extra time (i.e. no slowpokes or sitters) id appreciate ur input

set/rep/weight
deadlift 3/15/40
deepsquat 3/10/5
lunge 3/15/40
side lunge 2/15/40
leg ext 3/10/65
butt machine 2/10/60

tricep press 3/12/60
chest press 3/15/15
open fly 3/12/10
pulldown machine 3/15/65
pullups 2/10/86

moustache_flavored_lube

Seems pretty solid! make sure you are paying attention to your nutrition

I would swap out the tricep press / chest press for bench / pushups. (same thing more efficient)

I switch up my routine in the following situations.
* I am not seeing progress or having trouble getting "PUMP" and getting sore after a routine
* I am bored (this is really important)
* The change doesn't need to be major. Try doing things in a different order, play with your rest in between sets, try a drop set / strip set, add an extra set or different exercise for the muscle group .

stljam

If I had been following your routine, I would now progress as such...

1) Make sure I was taking measurements to see if that devious scale was being misleading
2) I'd shift to fewer reps, more weight and maybe more sets - Perhaps a 5x5 or something similar. Even upping weight and going to 4x8 may help.
3) I'd make sure I was really pushing my cardio (higher speed, tougher incline, more resistance, weighted vest, etc). When doing cardio, I try to make sure I am exhausted, dripping in sweat, can't hardly do anymore almost everytime. I'll track calories burned and try to surpass (gets harder as your weight drops). I'll track mileage, strides per minute, etc. and keep trying to best prior results. You get the idea.
4) I also would add bench press and or pushups, progressing to bosu and other crazy pushups (great for shoulder stabilty, core, chest and arms if done appropriately)

moustache is right - changing it up for boredom is super important...1) if you get bored, you are more likely to half ar$e it whether that means form slipping, not pushing yourself as hard, etc. or 2) stop doing it. Both are bad.

waldo56

Why so many reps with such light weight?

Troublemonster

^^I would tend to agree. I am a fan of lifting heavy for actual progress. It is not just the movement of the exercise that challenges ou muscles it is the actual resistance. Having said that it looks like you are probably not challenging your muscles at all.

Also, set weight for the workout means you're doing it the same weight every time? If that is the case then that is part of our problem as well. Your body gained strength to meet the challenge of your workout but will not make progress because you're not forcing it to do so.

As an example; my wife has only dead-lifted about 4 times in her life as she just started lifting with me. She lifted 155 for 5 yesterday and we did 4 sets. Her lightest set was 95lbs for 12 reps. We try to keep things in the 6-12 rep range and make sure the weights are such that at the end of each set we are at or within a rep or two of failure.

contingencyplan

You should be doing waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more weight and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay fewer reps. Also proper barbell/dumbbell exercises will obsolete many of those machines as the results they produce is nowhere NEAR as good.

nturner612

thanks guys! i appreciate ur comments. unfortunatly i am still one of those people "afraid to jump" and do those 5x5's (i know shame on me:grumble: ) i shall take that leap of faith :smokin: