Tweaking my Routines
SashThompson
Posts: 130 Member
Just wondering whether what i'm doing currently with my training is the most beneficial for what i am trying to achieve. I am aiming for a body shape somewhere in between a body builder shape and a physique shape. (i'm not going to say i don't want to get to bulky... i promise!)
Currently i train 6 days a week, I do 20-40 mins of cardio to begin with and then i lift for anywhere between 45-60 mins.
I train mostly big muscle groups, training legs at least twice a week, chest, back, shoulders etc once a week. and If i train biceps and triceps i generally do them together on one day but i don't train them every week
I'm already squatting and deadlifting decent weight. I don't bench because of shoulder injuries however, i do use dumbbells and chest press with a decent amount of weight. I'm a very competitive person so very rarely go near the under 10kg area.... it makes me feel pathetic haha =P
I'm 5'2", 51kgs, i'm aiming for a total of 1670 calories before my exercise calories so usually just over 2000 calories a day. Probably eat a few more carbs than I should honestly and definately don't drink enough water but im working on both those things. Just wondering if anyone can tell me if what im doing is ok for my goals or whether im completely on the wrong track altogether.
Thanks in advance for any advice you guys may have =D
Currently i train 6 days a week, I do 20-40 mins of cardio to begin with and then i lift for anywhere between 45-60 mins.
I train mostly big muscle groups, training legs at least twice a week, chest, back, shoulders etc once a week. and If i train biceps and triceps i generally do them together on one day but i don't train them every week
I'm already squatting and deadlifting decent weight. I don't bench because of shoulder injuries however, i do use dumbbells and chest press with a decent amount of weight. I'm a very competitive person so very rarely go near the under 10kg area.... it makes me feel pathetic haha =P
I'm 5'2", 51kgs, i'm aiming for a total of 1670 calories before my exercise calories so usually just over 2000 calories a day. Probably eat a few more carbs than I should honestly and definately don't drink enough water but im working on both those things. Just wondering if anyone can tell me if what im doing is ok for my goals or whether im completely on the wrong track altogether.
Thanks in advance for any advice you guys may have =D
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Replies
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You should probably post the actual routine (what exercises you do on what days, and how many setsXreps?) if you want a routine critique.0
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It varies quite a bit but i'll do my best, i cant put down days because I dont train a specific muscle group every single tues etc but i'll put down what i do for each muscle group.
Legs:
Squats
Set 1: Warm-up bar only (20kgs) 15-20 reps.
Set 2: 55kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 55kgs - 10 reps
Set 4: 60kgs - 10 reps
Set 4: 60-62.5kgs - 10 reps (depends how the last set went) Also am going to start putting my starting weight up by 2.5-5kgs every week.
Stiff-legged Deadlifts
Set 1: Warm-up bar only (20kgs) 15-20 reps
Set 2: 30kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 35kgs - 10 reps
Set 4: 40kgs - 10 reps
Set 4: 45kgs -10 reps
Reverse Dumbbell Lunges
Warm-up set with body weight only -10 each leg
3 sets: 5kg plates in each hand - 10 reps each leg
Hamstring curls:
3 sets: 15-20kgs - 10 reps (seated)
Back:
Lat pulldown
Set 1: 16.5kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 18kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 24kgs - 10 reps
Pull-ups (full proper pull ups from dead hang)
3x max which is usually 10, 7, 5.
Seated Row
Set 1: 24kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 33kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 40kgs - 10 reps
Rear delt row
Using TRX - Body weight only, 3 sets of max
Wide grip bent over row:
Set 1: 20kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 25kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 30kgs - 10 reps
Chest
Dumbbell chest press:
Set 1: Warm-up 15kg dumbbells - 10reps
Set 2: 20kg dumbbells - 10 reps
Set 3: 22kg dumbbells - 10 reps
Set 4: 24kg dumbbells - 10 reps
Set 5: 26kg dumbbells with a spotter - 10 reps.
Cable chest press:
Set 1: 10kgs each arm - 10reps
Set 2: 12.5kgs each arm - 10 reps
Set 3: 15kgs each arm - 10 reps
Wide grip dips
3 sets - body weight only - 10 reps
Decline press ups
3 sets - body weight only - 15-20 reps
Shoulders & Bis/Tris: (i have a rotator injury hence the teency weights, i'm workin on it =P)
Dumbbell Shoulder press
Set 1: 6kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 8kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 10kgs - 10 reps
Dumbbell lateral raise
Set 1: 3kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 4kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 5kgs - 10 reps
Internal/External cable rotation:
3 sets: can usually only manage the top plate which is 1.25kgs can somtimes push through 2.5kgs and i aim for 10 reps but cant always hit it.
Tricep Rope pulldown
Set 1: 16.5kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 18kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 24kgs - 10 reps
Bicep single arm ezybar curl
Set 1: Bar only 7.5kgs - 10reps each arm
Set 2: Bar only 7.5kgs - 10reps each arm
Set 3: 10kgs - 10 reps each arm
Tricep Overhead rope extention (cable)
Set 1: 12.5kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 12.5kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 15kgs - 10 reps
Bicep dumbbell curl
Set 1: 8kgs - 10reps
Set 2: 10kgs - 10 reps
Set 3: 10kgs - 10 reps
I rotate these workouts, i try to up my weights at the first sign that the set was easy. I do abs every single day, usually between sets as an active rest type thing. some days i change it completely and throw a cross-fit style workout in. not very often because they kill me.
Any thoughts or advice is appreciated. Ta xx0 -
Why do you do cardio first before weight training?0
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I have tried leaving it until after my weights but to be honest it just doesnt happen, or i'll do 5 minutes and then leave. It works better for me, mentally, if i do it before.0
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Its not too bad a routine...though id make some changes to it, but i need go go through it a little more(which i will) before i can advise.
My first point though,
Weights first. Always first. Im not going to go into it, buy please trust me here.
im going to assume also that you are doing some form of "boring" steady state cardio right? Drop that too.
opt instead for some HIIT type cardio instead. You'll be done in ten minutes and you can use it as a finisher aftrr the weights. For the intervals you can do what you like: 30seconds on 30 off, 10 on 50 off or a couple of sets of tabata. Whatever really, just go hard! Give it ten minutes after each session. Will be just as effective as forty minutes on a boring treadmill.0 -
Ok! I quite like your workout to be honest!
Couple of small things just to refine it...
arm day: take your bicep curls to fail on the final sets.
Also do your lateral raises first, and dont up the weight on those, just use them to help get things moving. Id even suggest using only the 3kg for all sets.
Back: do your pullups first. Then the pull downs.
And think about dropping the seated row and adding instead one arm db rows. Youll find you can go heavier with the db row (ie more than half of your bb rows).
Love the leg day. A good honest 10rep program. Plug along with that for as long as possibe and youll see great gains everywhere if you keep your nutrition on point. Id only add GHRs to the mix, but a good chance your gym doesnt have the bench.
And for chest, just start moving reps up! Get to 15's then add weight to them and start.0 -
Thanks for the advice i appreciate it. I actually did half my cardio at the end of my workout today
but will change it up, just have to stop being so lazy... argh :P
Will make those couple of changes starting from tomorrow and keep at it for a while
Thanks again!!0 -
I'd probably add in or switch rear delt flies (pec deck or dumbbells) to shoulder day. For me, it helps my shoulders feel a lot better after doing a few exercises that focus mainly on the front head of the deltoid.0
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Its not too bad a routine...though id make some changes to it, but i need go go through it a little more(which i will) before i can advise.
My first point though,
Weights first. Always first. Im not going to go into it, buy please trust me here.
im going to assume also that you are doing some form of "boring" steady state cardio right? Drop that too.
opt instead for some HIIT type cardio instead. You'll be done in ten minutes and you can use it as a finisher aftrr the weights. For the intervals you can do what you like: 30seconds on 30 off, 10 on 50 off or a couple of sets of tabata. Whatever really, just go hard! Give it ten minutes after each session. Will be just as effective as forty minutes on a boring treadmill.
^^^^^ This. I agree on the cardio first thing. My thought is why are you even bothering with cardio right now. If you want to build enough muscle to be between a physique and body building level, you need to be seriously focused on muscle gain, not any sort of fat loss. I can see doing cardio (in HIIT form to engage all muscle fibers) on your non lifting days, but why waste energy on cardio, especially before lifting, that you could be putting into your lift? Your routine looks pretty good. I understand that you mix it up, so it isn't concrete, which is good. Keep up the good work!0 -
Its not too bad a routine...though id make some changes to it, but i need go go through it a little more(which i will) before i can advise.
My first point though,
Weights first. Always first. Im not going to go into it, buy please trust me here.
im going to assume also that you are doing some form of "boring" steady state cardio right? Drop that too.
opt instead for some HIIT type cardio instead. You'll be done in ten minutes and you can use it as a finisher aftrr the weights. For the intervals you can do what you like: 30seconds on 30 off, 10 on 50 off or a couple of sets of tabata. Whatever really, just go hard! Give it ten minutes after each session. Will be just as effective as forty minutes on a boring treadmill.
I vote for dropping cardio altogether also..I know, sacreligious! But steady-state will eat away at your muscle gain, not add to it and since we don't know what your nutrition looks like, it's doubtful that any fat loss is occurring.
I would up the weight and lower the reps (to 5-6 max) every other week, staying with the 10-rep pyramid if you like that.
I didn't see squats in your leg routine...did I miss it? (i can't go back and look til I post this reply
). That and the deads will be plenty of core/ab work for you and you can eliminate ab work specifically for now...they aren't a big muscle group and don't add a big kick to the metabolism when they get worked. Same for bi's and tri's...add them when you have time but I wouldn't skip a set of bent over rows to get them in.
Focus on the big complex lifts first and then work down into the smaller muscles if you have time, but no more than about 30-45 minutes total, so as to not exhaust your CNS. A good refueling PWO meal of protein and starchy complex carbs and good rest will get your muscles busy building and when you have a good muscle base, then you can do a cut and pare off whatever fat you have.0 -
Thanks guys, really appreciate all the advice. Will take it all into consideration, Im just about to head off to the gym now so will do a short warm up and skip the cardio.
Cathleenr, you did miss the squats, i always always squat, cant do a leg day without them 0 -
Why are most of your sets 10 reps? If your goal is ultimately hypertrophy, you can serve that purpose better with rep ranges that specifically elicite a hypertrophic response. Here is an article about it I read some time ago. It's pretty informative.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/musclespecific_hypertrophy_chest_triceps_and_shoulders
Not all muscles are created equal, and so they shouldn't all be trained the same.0
