the order of things

Capt_Apollo
Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
talking to a friend of mine, she said how at the end of her work outs now, she's going to do as many push ups in a row that she can. she wondered if it was a good idea. i told her that i like to sandwich my work outs with body weight exercises, but that she shouldn't max out every day, to allow a little rest.

it got me thinking of how i work out. on lifting days, i tend to warm up with a short run or jump rope and 50 jumping jacks, and then about 10-20 reps of air squats, lunges, push ups, and pull ups. then i hit the barbell for one of the four big lifts (squat, dead lift, chest press, overhead press). i follow a 5/3/1 plan, so i push my max in my last rep.

then i hit a few machines and dumb bells. finally, i usually end with body weight moves again. the end-of-work-out body weight exercises are usually broken up into 5 sets, 10-20 reps, as are most of my supplemental exercises.

i feel like this is a "natural" way of strength training, as you are getting tired during the session. but i was wondering if this is how others tend to work out?

also, now i want a sandwich.

Replies

  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
    I do a very, very short warm up and then follow NROL. So, no, that is not how I do it, lol.

    Also, what kind of sandwich would you like?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    On squat and deadlift day, I begin with about 10-15 minutes of mobility (basically follow Joe DeFranco's Agile 8).
    On bench and OHP day, I sometimes do the mobilty; usually skip it. In an ideal world I would do it every time.
    Then I do the warmups and main lift
    Then I do 2 assistance exercises
    And done.

    On bench or OHP day I might add some conditioning afterwards, but usually do that on non-lifting days.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    bump
  • jlo9871
    jlo9871 Posts: 26 Member
    Well, you sound like you know what you're doing and that it's working for you.

    I am a 41 yr old female...just started working out.

    Let me know your thoughts on my "routine."

    First, I do 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. Level 1 incline. Interval 3-min walk/2-min jog.
    Then, I hit 9 circuit training machines (both arms & legs).
    I do 3 sets of 10 reps at a manageable lifting weight.

    Do you think this is a good way to start out? I welcome any advice you may have to pass along.

    I'm also trying to stay around 1200 calories/day. But think I may need to up that to 1400 or so to see better results.

    Thanks!
    Jodi
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    On squat and deadlift day, I begin with about 10-15 minutes of mobility (basically follow Joe DeFranco's Agile 8).
    On bench and OHP day, I sometimes do the mobilty; usually skip it. In an ideal world I would do it every time.
    Then I do the warmups and main lift
    Then I do 2 assistance exercises
    And done.

    On bench or OHP day I might add some conditioning afterwards, but usually do that on non-lifting days.

    what do you mean by "mobility"?


    and i know a lot of people say not to use machines, but sometimes they can be very good for your work out. they can more directly hit some muscles that would otherwise not be worked out.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    On squat and deadlift day, I begin with about 10-15 minutes of mobility (basically follow Joe DeFranco's Agile 8).
    On bench and OHP day, I sometimes do the mobilty; usually skip it. In an ideal world I would do it every time.
    Then I do the warmups and main lift
    Then I do 2 assistance exercises
    And done.

    On bench or OHP day I might add some conditioning afterwards, but usually do that on non-lifting days.

    what do you mean by "mobility"?


    and i know a lot of people say not to use machines, but sometimes they can be very good for your work out. they can more directly hit some muscles that would otherwise not be worked out.

    Any sort of active stretching / foam roller type of work.

    I generally do this Agile 8
    http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/weight-training-weight-lifting/warm-up-your-hips-agile-8-a-631289.html

    I usually add shoulder dislocations, doorway pectoral stretch, and maybe a little downward dog.

    If I had access to machines I would potentially do leg curls or leg press sometimes, as Wendler prescribes them as assistance work. But all I have is my barbell and dumbbells and haven't hit a wall yet.

    I believe the 3 pillars of training are: strength, mobility, and conditioning
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Well, you sound like you know what you're doing and that it's working for you.

    I am a 41 yr old female...just started working out.

    Let me know your thoughts on my "routine."

    First, I do 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. Level 1 incline. Interval 3-min walk/2-min jog.
    Then, I hit 9 circuit training machines (both arms & legs).
    I do 3 sets of 10 reps at a manageable lifting weight.

    Do you think this is a good way to start out? I welcome any advice you may have to pass along.

    I'm also trying to stay around 1200 calories/day. But think I may need to up that to 1400 or so to see better results.

    Thanks!
    Jodi

    no one should ever be at 1200 calories.

    http://theskinnyequation.blogspot.com/p/weight-loss-calculators.html

    use this to figure out your BMR and TDEE.

    your BMR is the bare minimum that you should be eating for your age, height, and weight. it is your basal metabolic rate, which is the bare minimum of calories you need if you were just laying in bed.

    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. it is what you burn on a daily bases based on your activity.

    i like to take my TDEE that is at lightly active and subtract 20-10% for weight loss. i don't add exercise calories, but i don't worry too much about going a few hundred calories over my daily goal, because it all balances out.

    your body works on a weekly basis, rather then a day-to-day basis. this means that if you go over your calories by 500 on monday, and then on tuesday and wednesday you are under by 250 each day, it all balances out.


    as far as what you are doing, that all depends on what your goals are. it sounds like a pretty decent beginner routine. beginners can see a lot of great benefits from circuit training in the first months.

    i'd start to learn the barbell lifts, such as squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and chest press.

    and if something is hard, such as push ups, chest press, pull ups, etc. guess what? that is the stuff you have to work on more. i don't mean to neglect legs, but we all tend to train on things that we are more comfortable with.
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
    I warm up with a few sets at 40% Max then I rock and roll through my work out and I'm out of the gym in 60 mins. I save the cardio for rest days I run 3 miles twice a week.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    I thought this was what a workout is. Or at least that is how I learned that weights workouts go. Get your face red, get your muscles all running like well oiled machines and your heart pumping in your chest and jump in to your lifts. Then do that one thing that is your current nemesis. Cool down. Stretch and get coffee.

    I feel like this is the difference between getting your workout in... and killing it! High five!

    I like the one that will help me level up stronger.
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
    Oh and...Front squat is my accessory lift to all my accessory lifts.
  • SueSlick
    SueSlick Posts: 268 Member
    Since I am still kinda new to the whole lifting thing, I am happy to have a program to follow. Nrol4w starts with a few stretches then there are 2 different workouts to follow. So far, so good.
  • mrsricta
    mrsricta Posts: 88
    Well, you sound like you know what you're doing and that it's working for you.

    I am a 41 yr old female...just started working out.

    Let me know your thoughts on my "routine."

    First, I do 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. Level 1 incline. Interval 3-min walk/2-min jog.
    Then, I hit 9 circuit training machines (both arms & legs).
    I do 3 sets of 10 reps at a manageable lifting weight.

    Do you think this is a good way to start out? I welcome any advice you may have to pass along.

    I'm also trying to stay around 1200 calories/day. But think I may need to up that to 1400 or so to see better results.

    Thanks!
    Jodi

    no one should ever be at 1200 calories.

    http://theskinnyequation.blogspot.com/p/weight-loss-calculators.html

    use this to figure out your BMR and TDEE.

    your BMR is the bare minimum that you should be eating for your age, height, and weight. it is your basal metabolic rate, which is the bare minimum of calories you need if you were just laying in bed.

    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. it is what you burn on a daily bases based on your activity.

    i like to take my TDEE that is at lightly active and subtract 20-10% for weight loss. i don't add exercise calories, but i don't worry too much about going a few hundred calories over my daily goal, because it all balances out.

    your body works on a weekly basis, rather then a day-to-day basis. this means that if you go over your calories by 500 on monday, and then on tuesday and wednesday you are under by 250 each day, it all balances out.


    as far as what you are doing, that all depends on what your goals are. it sounds like a pretty decent beginner routine. beginners can see a lot of great benefits from circuit training in the first months.

    i'd start to learn the barbell lifts, such as squats, dead lifts, overhead press, and chest press.

    and if something is hard, such as push ups, chest press, pull ups, etc. guess what? that is the stuff you have to work on more. i don't mean to neglect legs, but we all tend to train on things that we are more comfortable with.

    YES!! I started out thinking that I need to eat 1200 calories or less each day to lose weight, obviously it was working but I was starving, had no energy and felt crappy by the end of a couple of weeks! I am SO GLAD that I figured out how to calculate my BMR and TDEE because I was WAY under eating!!

Categories