Critique my lifting routine :)
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eblakes93
Posts: 372 Member
Hi everyone,
So C25k has been destroying my calves (my calves get very painfully tight when I run, no matter how I stretch and warm-up). I've decided to take a break from it and walk and lift instead, to maintain my overall strength while I lose. I've read NROFLW (okay, well, skimmed really) and trolled on the boards for a while. My goals are to maintain muscle mass while I lose and increase strength. Here is my plan.
Three days a week:
Deadlifts (Still haven't figure out if I should be doing stiff-legged or regular. Thoughts?)
3 x 10
Squats
3 x 10
Seated Angular Bench Press with Dumbbells
3 x 8
Seated Overhead Shoulder Press with Dumbbells
3 x 8
Planks
2 sets of 30 seconds each, my forearms have full contact on the ground.
I haven't found my one rep max - I've just been using whatever weights feel heavy but are still doable. My muscles are pretty shaky when I finish my bench press and shoulder presses (using two 10 pound dumbbells lol), but I bang out the deadlifts and the squats with the olympic barbell, no extra weight, pretty easy.
Thoughts and suggestions? Thanks everyone!
Note: I am not really looking to switch to a split routine.
So C25k has been destroying my calves (my calves get very painfully tight when I run, no matter how I stretch and warm-up). I've decided to take a break from it and walk and lift instead, to maintain my overall strength while I lose. I've read NROFLW (okay, well, skimmed really) and trolled on the boards for a while. My goals are to maintain muscle mass while I lose and increase strength. Here is my plan.
Three days a week:
Deadlifts (Still haven't figure out if I should be doing stiff-legged or regular. Thoughts?)
3 x 10
Squats
3 x 10
Seated Angular Bench Press with Dumbbells
3 x 8
Seated Overhead Shoulder Press with Dumbbells
3 x 8
Planks
2 sets of 30 seconds each, my forearms have full contact on the ground.
I haven't found my one rep max - I've just been using whatever weights feel heavy but are still doable. My muscles are pretty shaky when I finish my bench press and shoulder presses (using two 10 pound dumbbells lol), but I bang out the deadlifts and the squats with the olympic barbell, no extra weight, pretty easy.
Thoughts and suggestions? Thanks everyone!
Note: I am not really looking to switch to a split routine.
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Replies
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(I know you didnt ask this but) for the calf soreness you might try thinking about your footstrike when you run, are you running on the balls of your feet? Speaking from past personal experience that will kill you calves becausee they never really get to stretch out and relax while running, you want to try to strike midfoot and roll foreward, it is actually a pretty easy fix just takes some time and concentration
deadlifts and squats are good but if you have not I would suggest having a trainer watch you do them and confirm your form, I have heard of many people hurting themselves with these.
looks to me like you are missing bicep and triceps if you want to work those (curls and rows), bench is really more chest
planks are good for abs but I think moving work is good for them too since thats what you are usally going (sit ups, crunches, variations on these, leg lifts)0 -
(I know you didnt ask this but) for the calf soreness you might try thinking about your footstrike when you run, are you running on the balls of your feet? Speaking from past personal experience that will kill you calves becausee they never really get to stretch out and relax while running, you want to try to strike midfoot and roll foreward, it is actually a pretty easy fix just takes some time and concentration
deadlifts and squats are good but if you have not I would suggest having a trainer watch you do them and confirm your form, I have heard of many people hurting themselves with these.
looks to me like you are missing bicep and triceps if you want to work those (curls and rows), bench is really more chest
planks are good for abs but I think moving work is good for them too since thats what you are usally going (sit ups, crunches, variations on these, leg lifts)
Thanks - I agree with the trainer sentiment! I am at college and have thought about getting in touch with our athletics resources, but since I am not actually a college athlete I don't know if they will actually help me.0 -
Is your plan to do all this as a single routine, 3 times a week?0
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It's an ok full body type routine.0
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Yeah, sometimes just asking people at the gym works too, you would be suprised how much some of the other people there know, you might find someone with alot of knowlege and expertiesse even though they are not technically trainers, most of those big body builder dudes dont bite
but make sure you try to get a feel for wether they are actually educated of just macho and egotistical 0 -
looks good 2 me0
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looks to me like you are missing bicep and triceps if you want to work those (curls and rows), bench is really more chest
planks are good for abs but I think moving work is good for them too since thats what you are usally going (sit ups, crunches, variations on these, leg lifts)
She is not missing triceps, they get hit in both types of presses, no need for isolation exercise, compound are much better.
OP: The Roman deadlift is a superior exercise, but since you are also doing squats you are hitting most of the leg anyway. I suggest doing the one you enjoy the most. The other thing I would like to point out is you are not hitting your back at all and may develop imbalances as a result. I suggest adding in some type of row into your routine too, this will hit the back and biceps.
On your rep ranges I would suggest going a little heavier and sticking in the 4-8 rep range instead of 10. You will notice strength gains much quicker at the lower ranges. for Abs, if you are doing squats and deadlifts relatively heavy you don't need to do isolation ab work, unless you enjoy them I would say you are wasting your time and would get much more out of doing an extra set of squats or deads.0 -
Seated Angular Bench Press with Dumbbells => You mean the Incline DB Bench Press?
As to dead-lift you can consider doing the stiff-legged (or semi-stiff-legged) as it hits your hamstrings more. Squats already work the quadriceps quite a bit.
How about adding lat pull-down and eventually wide grip pull ups / chin ups? That will help with your back and biceps. Triceps are worked indirectly from chest and shoulder press.
You can also add a row movement such as bent-over one-handed DB row for your lower back.0 -
You can also add a row movement such as bent-over one-handed DB row for your lower back.
DB rows, work lat, middle back, part of the traps, rhomboid, not lower back (well a bit, like squats work abs)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kpNd6Gva6_I/S-xXePG-sDI/AAAAAAAAC-U/GzErZ7cu4Z4/s1600/muscle123-one-arm-dumble-rows.jpg0 -
Is your plan to do all this as a single routine, 3 times a week?
Yes!0 -
It's an ok full body type routine. Add in some romantic encounters for cardio and your good.
i suggest 6 times a week.
Solid advice.0 -
You can also add a row movement such as bent-over one-handed DB row for your lower back.
DB rows, work lat, middle back, part of the traps, rhomboid, not lower back (well a bit, like squats work abs)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kpNd6Gva6_I/S-xXePG-sDI/AAAAAAAAC-U/GzErZ7cu4Z4/s1600/muscle123-one-arm-dumble-rows.jpg
I agree you're right they work mostly middle/upper back.0 -
Thanks for the advice everyone! I will look into some different row types of exercises and into increasing my weight/decreasing my reps.
I'll probably go with the stiff-legged deadlift.
And now I know that I'm doing incline DB bench presses. 0 -
Is your plan to do all this as a single routine, 3 times a week?
Yes!
That won't be sustainable for very long, assuming you actually start taxing your muscles with the squats and deadlifts. You say what you're doing now with an empty bar is easy, which means you're not using enough weight.
Heavy deadlifts, especially, 3 times a week will be.... rough. There's a reason the popular beginner barbell programs only have you deadlift once (or maybe twice) a week.0 -
By the way depending on your goals I don't think you need to decrease your reps especially if you're fairly new in the gym (<1year).
8-12 is a good range for hypertrophy and people that are new. 8 and below is mostly for strength training.
Of course those are the stereotype rep ranges you can do whatever you want, but using lighter weights for more reps is a safe way to get used to things so you don't injure yourself.0 -
I agree with the other suggestions and would also suggest doing overhead pressess standing rather than seated and add bent over rows.0
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Also, do a weight heavy enough so that you can do 3 sets of 8. Next workout try to get 3x9 reps, then 3x10, 11, 12. Then go up in weight for 3x8 reps, next workout 9, then 10, 11, 12, up in weight again and back to 8.0
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Is your plan to do all this as a single routine, 3 times a week?
Yes!
That won't be sustainable for very long, assuming you actually start taxing your muscles with the squats and deadlifts. You say what you're doing now with an empty bar is easy, which means you're not using enough weight.
Heavy deadlifts, especially, 3 times a week will be.... rough. There's a reason the popular beginner barbell programs only have you deadlift once (or maybe twice) a week.
I just started Strong Lifts, and though I'm still on light weights I can already see how this is going to be true.
After an SL session it's a very different kind of tired. After machine weights, my individual muscles would be sore/tired. After SL it's a much more overall kind of tiredness, if that makes any sense. Presumably due to how taxing squats and deads are on the CNS.
Perhaps I'm just a noob spouting nonsense, though.0 -
Is your plan to do all this as a single routine, 3 times a week?
Yes!
That won't be sustainable for very long, assuming you actually start taxing your muscles with the squats and deadlifts. You say what you're doing now with an empty bar is easy, which means you're not using enough weight.
Heavy deadlifts, especially, 3 times a week will be.... rough. There's a reason the popular beginner barbell programs only have you deadlift once (or maybe twice) a week.
I just started Strong Lifts, and though I'm still on light weights I can already see how this is going to be true.
After an SL session it's a very different kind of tired. After machine weights, my individual muscles would be sore/tired. After SL it's a much more overall kind of tiredness, if that makes any sense. Presumably due to how taxing squats and deads are on the CNS.
Perhaps I'm just a noob spouting nonsense, though.
Hmm, okay. Yeah - I'm pretty sore from yesterday, pretty much all over my body lol. I may do twice a week and see how I feel.0 -
I know you aren't looking for a split routine, but maybe try doing the nrol routine. I love the first stage and it did a lot for my weight loss and more importantly inch loss. Check out the interval training he lays out in the book too. I just switched to strong lifts this week, which is also a great beginner routine, it is also a split, but it's only 3 exercises a workout with squats every day.
Have you tried foam rolling for your calves? I started using one and it helped a lot, so did finding better shoes.0
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