My (newbie)routine. Criticism, ideas?
iulia_maddie
Posts: 2,780 Member
Hi. I should start by saying i'm fairly new to weightlifting(about 6 months) and i workout at home in my basement so my workouts are a little limited by the equipment i have.
I lift every other day, sometimes i do some cardio in between other times i just rest. Here is what i do on lifting days (i aim for full body):
3 sets of 8 reps Dead lifts (130 pounds)
3 sets of 8-10 reps shoulder press (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 8-10 reps bent over rows (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 15 sumo squats with 20 pounds dumbbells on my shoulders (i know this is too little weight too many reps but i don't have a squat rack or a spotter)
3 sets of 8-10 reps bicep curls (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 10 reps triceps dips.
3 sets of 8 reps calve raises (holding the 130 pounds barbell at hip level)
3 sets of 8-10 bench press (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 8-10 reps chest flies(20 pounds dumbbells)
I am also trying to work my way into doing pullups and chin-ups so i am now doing "reverse" chin ups and pull ups, i lift myself up using a chair and then i slowly let myself down. I do planks for as long as i can hold it , and i can do 8 good form real push-ups.
This is pretty much something i put together myself (after quite a bit of creeping on MFP forums) so i would be really grateful for some insight from more experienced people! Ideas, constructive criticism all welcome! Thanks!
I lift every other day, sometimes i do some cardio in between other times i just rest. Here is what i do on lifting days (i aim for full body):
3 sets of 8 reps Dead lifts (130 pounds)
3 sets of 8-10 reps shoulder press (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 8-10 reps bent over rows (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 15 sumo squats with 20 pounds dumbbells on my shoulders (i know this is too little weight too many reps but i don't have a squat rack or a spotter)
3 sets of 8-10 reps bicep curls (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 10 reps triceps dips.
3 sets of 8 reps calve raises (holding the 130 pounds barbell at hip level)
3 sets of 8-10 bench press (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 8-10 reps chest flies(20 pounds dumbbells)
I am also trying to work my way into doing pullups and chin-ups so i am now doing "reverse" chin ups and pull ups, i lift myself up using a chair and then i slowly let myself down. I do planks for as long as i can hold it , and i can do 8 good form real push-ups.
This is pretty much something i put together myself (after quite a bit of creeping on MFP forums) so i would be really grateful for some insight from more experienced people! Ideas, constructive criticism all welcome! Thanks!
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Replies
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Not a bad routine at all. How long is it taking you? I would drop the reps down and the weights up a bit on the compounds (5 ish).
ETA: if you are doing chins then I would drop the curls.0 -
Sara, about an hour and a half. Sometimes i find myself spending more time in the basement but that might be because i dance like a maniac in between sets to some of my favorite songs. I find that my grip is a little week, my leg muscles, glutes could probably take more weight on the dead lifts but i sometimes feel the barbell might slip from my hands.0
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Sara, about an hour and a half. Sometimes i find myself spending more time in the basement but that might be because i dance like a maniac in between sets to some of my favorite songs. I find that my grip is a little week, my leg muscles, glutes could probably take more weight on the dead lifts but i sometimes feel the barbell might slip from my hands.
Is it grip strength or slipping?
If it is slipping, try chalk (I actually like liquid chalk), if it is grip strength, you can add farmers walks in (although I do not know whether your weights go up high enough to be effective).
I would drop the curls and focus on chins. I also do not bother with calves - it really depends on your goal with them. Also, if you are pushed for time, you may want to drop the flys - you are getting a pretty good chest workout with bench and push ups.
I suppose what I am suggesting in a rather rambling way is to go lower rep/higher weight on the compounds, possibly up the sets to 4 and then use the isolation lifts as more goal specific ones (for either hyper or assists in the main lifts).0 -
Thanks Sara, i am going to look into getting some chalk(that should make me feel pretty badass, like a real lifter haha). I googled farmer's walk and i'm going to try that too. I can add more weight plates to my dumbbells.
And yes, i guess chins do use the muscles a bicep curl would. I'm just not at the point where i can do a proper one yet.0 -
Also i asked for weight plates for Christmas so i will be able to up the weight and lower the reps. :happy:0
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Hi. I should start by saying i'm fairly new to weightlifting(about 6 months) and i workout at home in my basement so my workouts are a little limited by the equipment i have.
I lift every other day, sometimes i do some cardio in between other times i just rest. Here is what i do on lifting days (i aim for full body):
3 sets of 8 reps Dead lifts (130 pounds)
3 sets of 8-10 reps shoulder press (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 8-10 reps bent over rows (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 15 sumo squats with 20 pounds dumbbells on my shoulders (i know this is too little weight too many reps but i don't have a squat rack or a spotter)
3 sets of 8-10 reps bicep curls (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 10 reps triceps dips.
3 sets of 8 reps calve raises (holding the 130 pounds barbell at hip level)
3 sets of 8-10 bench press (20 pounds dumbbells)
3 sets of 8-10 reps chest flies(20 pounds dumbbells)
I am also trying to work my way into doing pullups and chin-ups so i am now doing "reverse" chin ups and pull ups, i lift myself up using a chair and then i slowly let myself down. I do planks for as long as i can hold it , and i can do 8 good form real push-ups.
This is pretty much something i put together myself (after quite a bit of creeping on MFP forums) so i would be really grateful for some insight from more experienced people! Ideas, constructive criticism all welcome! Thanks!
Nice program.
If that is in order, I'd suggest moving a few things around to get the bigger muscles worked with the weaker muscles, before the weaker are tired.
So bench press up the list before biceps (getting worked with rows already) and triceps (getting worked with shoulder press already) and in front of shoulder press.
Usually more and bigger muscles being used on bench, especially with dumbbells.
In fact, drop the bi/tri specific work, and add upright-row to get the lateral deltoid, there's biceps again.
So dead 1 time weekly or squat other 2 workouts, bench, bent-over row, calf-raises, upright-row or shoulder press (alternate which one is first), shoulder press or upright-row, planks, pullups or dips (depending on if you did press or row, want opposite direction), dips or pullups, straight-leg deadlift (hams and back).
So your rep range could be just fine, but if you have the strength do do all you are doing, you probably could be going stronger on the earlier lifts and getting more out of them by really being almost to failure within that 3 x 8-10.
So basically that arrangement is:
lower body (kinda full body of course), push, pull, lower, pull, push, mid, pull, push, mid.0 -
Hmm, good point. I've never really thought about the order I do things in and how it impacts. Thx!0
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Thanks Heybales, yes i wrote things down pretty much in the order i do it. I'll start focusing on doing all the big compound moves first before my muscles get a little tired. I've never done an upright-row before, now i'm excited to see if i can do it with 20 pounds dumbbells!
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Thanks Heybales, yes i wrote things down pretty much in the order i do it. I'll start focusing on doing all the big compound moves first before my muscles get a little tired. I've never done an upright-row before, now i'm excited to see if i can do it with 20 pounds dumbbells!
Heybales has a good suggestion imo. Main lifts (compounds) first, then assists (iso) after.0 -
Thanks guys i really appreciate this. 0
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I think that's a lot of Volume for one session, and would recommend if possible you shorten the Compound movement sets to 5 reps and adjust the weight accordingly. Looks fairly well balanced from what I can see. Possibly look into replacing the Bent Over rows with Pendlay rows.
Good start for sure though 0 -
Sorry this is a MUST READ for me later 0
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Also i asked for weight plates for Christmas
I have nothing to add other than to say that is friggin' awesome.0 -
Hey guys i figured i would post an update since you were nice enough to help me out. I had a shorter workout session tonight since well..my family was waiting on me for the third supper i had today.
So, instead of 3 sets of 8 reps 130 pounds deadlifts i did 4 sets of 6 reps 140 pounds.
Instead of 3 sets of 10, 20 pounds dumbbells bench press, i used 25 pounds ones and well i still managed to do 3 sets of 10. I am a little mad at myself about this because it means i was kind of cheating myself out of better results. I am going to increase the weight again next time.
3 sets 5 reps upright rows 25 pound dumbbells (these are hard! i like them)
Plank
Reverse chin-ups. 3X6
That's all i did tonight because, like i said: delicious delicious food..Hey, i most definitely got enough protein:bigsmile: Hope you had a great Christmas!!0
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