All Pro's Beginner & Intermediate Lifting Routines

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  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Great progress, teach! I'll be updating early next week - it's test day on Wednesday!! I'm pretty confident I'll be moving up on all my lifts, I'm feeling pretty strong and badass lately! :bigsmile:
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    Thanks Jason!
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    Great progress, teach! I'll be updating early next week - it's test day on Wednesday!! I'm pretty confident I'll be moving up on all my lifts, I'm feeling pretty strong and badass lately! :bigsmile:

    Thanks! I'm anxious to see your update! I know you've been kicking butt since increasing your intake. And you have every right to feel like a badass, especially with those pullups you've been doing!
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Pullups seriously make me feel like a BAMF :glasses: It's probably my most favourite physical accomplishment to date.
  • jasonheyd
    jasonheyd Posts: 524 Member
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    Pullups seriously make me feel like a BAMF :glasses: It's probably my most favourite physical accomplishment to date.

    lol.

    So, I finally got my squat rack a while back, got it all set up, figured I'd attempt a pull-up to test the stability.

    First one, I d___ed near launched myself into the basement ceiling before I realized I could actually *do* pull-ups for the first time in something like 20 years, then realized I should probably stop at 5 since I had an actual workout planned that evening.

    I still don't include them in my SBR routine since they're still brutally tiring worked in with the rest of what I'm doing, but it makes for am amusing (if somewhat embarrassing) story. ;-)
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
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    @Jason: You're right, that is an amusing story :laugh: I haven't been trying for pullups and chinups recently. Guess going to the big bad gym is all the excitement I can handle at the moment :blushing:

    @ Teach: I'm now in the middle of cycle 6, had my 100% day of week 3 today. Like Cmeirun I'm ramping up the kcals for a bulk. I also started taking creatine earlier this week and hope to feel the benefits of that come test day. Will certainly keep you all posted!

    Perhaps I should post a bulking thread, will think about that :happy:
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    @ Teach: I'm now in the middle of cycle 6, had my 100% day of week 3 today. Like Cmeirun I'm ramping up the kcals for a bulk. I also started taking creatine earlier this week and hope to feel the benefits of that come test day. Will certainly keep you all posted!

    Perhaps I should post a bulking thread, will think about that :happy:

    I'm so jealous of you ladies and your hefty calories and bulk cycles!!! I still have 8 lbs. to go till I reach my goal and even at that, I just read today I should lose an additional 5 lbs. to account for the weight I will most likely gain when I go into maintenance. Also, I may hit my goal weight and decide I want to lose more... Although most women my age look better with a little more weight than too little...it ages the face and I don't want to get to that point. I really want to be in maintenance (or bulk) during the holidays so I will have permission to eat!!! :tongue:
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    Pullups seriously make me feel like a BAMF :glasses: It's probably my most favourite physical accomplishment to date.

    lol.

    So, I finally got my squat rack a while back, got it all set up, figured I'd attempt a pull-up to test the stability.

    First one, I d___ed near launched myself into the basement ceiling before I realized I could actually *do* pull-ups for the first time in something like 20 years, then realized I should probably stop at 5 since I had an actual workout planned that evening.

    I still don't include them in my SBR routine since they're still brutally tiring worked in with the rest of what I'm doing, but it makes for am amusing (if somewhat embarrassing) story. ;-)

    Go Jason!! I don't think I will ever get to the point where I can do pull-ups but it would be awesome if I did.
  • claston77
    claston77 Posts: 103 Member
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    I finished my test day for Cycle 3 this morning and here is where I am:

    Start -> Cycle 4 (starting Monday)

    Barbell Squats: 55 -> 75 lb
    Barbell Bench Press: 50 -> 65 lb
    One Arm DB Row: 20--> 35 lb
    Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 15 -> 20 lb (FAILED!!!)
    SLDL: 55--> 75 lb
    DB Upright Rows: 15 -> 45 lb (I'm switching to a barbell, the DBs are too cumbersome and my boobs get in the way :laugh: )

    I 'failed' the shoulder press...again! Boo :explode:
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
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    I finished my test day for Cycle 3 this morning and here is where I am:

    Start -> Cycle 4 (starting Monday)

    Barbell Squats: 55 -> 75 lb
    Barbell Bench Press: 50 -> 65 lb
    One Arm DB Row: 20--> 35 lb
    Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 15 -> 20 lb (FAILED!!!)
    SLDL: 55--> 75 lb
    DB Upright Rows: 15 -> 45 lb (I'm switching to a barbell, the DBs are too cumbersome and my boobs get in the way :laugh: )

    I 'failed' the shoulder press...again! Boo :explode:
    All in all a very good progression Claston! Don't feel too bummed about the OHP, for most it is the hardest lift to progress on. :wink:
    Well done!
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    I finished my test day for Cycle 3 this morning and here is where I am:

    Start -> Cycle 4 (starting Monday)

    Barbell Squats: 55 -> 75 lb
    Barbell Bench Press: 50 -> 65 lb
    One Arm DB Row: 20--> 35 lb
    Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 15 -> 20 lb (FAILED!!!)
    SLDL: 55--> 75 lb
    DB Upright Rows: 15 -> 45 lb (I'm switching to a barbell, the DBs are too cumbersome and my boobs get in the way :laugh: )

    I 'failed' the shoulder press...again! Boo :explode:

    Nice work! And yeah, ditto to what pandorakick said: OHP is one of the hardest, I've been "stuck" several times along the way, it's been one of my slowest to progress! I think I stayed at 20 lbs for at least two cycles if not three! Even now, at the end of cycle 6 I'm only at 24 lbs and I'm not sure if I'll progress this time around (I'll find out in a few days!) Even though I've been "stuck", though, my shoulders are still developing really nicely, so I can't complain too much :D
  • claston77
    claston77 Posts: 103 Member
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    Nice work! And yeah, ditto to what pandorakick said: OHP is one of the hardest, I've been "stuck" several times along the way, it's been one of my slowest to progress! I think I stayed at 20 lbs for at least two cycles if not three! Even now, at the end of cycle 6 I'm only at 24 lbs and I'm not sure if I'll progress this time around (I'll find out in a few days!) Even though I've been "stuck", though, my shoulders are still developing really nicely, so I can't complain too much :D

    Thanks, I feel a little bit better now because you and pandorakick have rockin' shoulders so I'll stop whining and just press on (pun intended) :smile:
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
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    I wonder if I have a weird anatomy - I am at some piddly level for all of workouts, but DOHP I managed my Cycle 3 Test Day at 26 lb, so I can up that next time. I failed on the Bicep Curls though (also 26lb) - and funnily enough I have started doing worse on my curls after I realized my order was wrong - for the first two cycles I ended with the SLDL and then realized I should do that before the curls.

    Incidentally, does the order matter? I am managing my SLDL okay and can move up next time, but since curls came at the end, I find I have worsened on them.

    I am trying this supinating bicep curl which means holding the dumbbell off centre and curling in at the end - and after 10 reps it becomes a killer

    Anyway, other than bicep curls I can move onto Cycle4 with a little more weight.

    Did any of you add on exercises in Cycle 4? I recall the faqs say that nothing should be added for 3 cycles - was wondering about pushups/latpulldowns - any thoughts?
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
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    I wonder if I have a weird anatomy - I am at some piddly level for all of workouts, but DOHP I managed my Cycle 3 Test Day at 26 lb, so I can up that next time. I failed on the Bicep Curls though (also 26lb) - and funnily enough I have started doing worse on my curls after I realized my order was wrong - for the first two cycles I ended with the SLDL and then realized I should do that before the curls.

    Incidentally, does the order matter? I am managing my SLDL okay and can move up next time, but since curls came at the end, I find I have worsened on them.

    I am trying this supinating bicep curl which means holding the dumbbell off centre and curling in at the end - and after 10 reps it becomes a killer

    Anyway, other than bicep curls I can move onto Cycle4 with a little more weight.

    Did any of you add on exercises in Cycle 4? I recall the faqs say that nothing should be added for 3 cycles - was wondering about pushups/latpulldowns - any thoughts?

    As far as I know the order has been set up in a specific way. I couldn't begin to tell you WHY, but I know that it was designed with order in mind and All Pro himself has been fairly adamant that it be followed. As for adding extras, I added weighted triceps dips (on a bench) after round 3, and added pull-ups after round 4. I think you're not supposed to add any more than one new thing per cycle.
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
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    Re order - oh, just wishful thinking - I don't really want to play around with the order but the curl-failure since I put them last is annoying! I guess he made that order so that larger muscles are worked first - and he didn't think much of curls as I recall, so figured they could be done last.

    Weighted tricep dips - that's interesting, thanks
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
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    I guess he made that order so that larger muscles are worked first - and he didn't think much of curls as I recall, so figured they could be done last.
    That's exactly how I understood it.

    As for adding exercises, I'm only now adding something new: glute work! Did my C6W3D2 workout today and added hip thrusts at the end at 25 kg. The weight didn't feel that heavy, so I think I can easily go up at least another 10 kg. Next time though, I'll try barbell glute bridges instead. Those will be a tad easier to arrange because I won't have to drag a bench halfway across the gym to the barbells or vice versa :laugh:
  • jasonheyd
    jasonheyd Posts: 524 Member
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    I guess he made that order so that larger muscles are worked first - and he didn't think much of curls as I recall, so figured they could be done last.

    Yep, order definitely matters... Muscles that work larger and more muscle groups are first... More bang for the buck, more fuel for those exercises that bring the most benefit.

    Also correct re: curls. You can eliminate curls at any time, substituting standing upright rows, again towards the end of the routine.
    Q12: Can I substitute any of the exercises in this routine for other exercises?
    A: as a general rule, no, you can't (barring certain situations where an injury may prevent you from doing a specific movement). One exception being the curls, which can be substituted for standing upright rows ... This is more of a compound exercise and it actually fits the rest of the routine more nicely. Curls were added by all pro mostly because "everyone would want to do them anyway", so if your ego will survive it, go for the upright rows instead of the curls - it's a far better overall body exercise. Up to you though.

    With that said, upright row is a controversial exercise in its own right. If you do it incorrectly, you can really bugger yourself, and it's not something that's easy to detect as it's happening.

    I actually do upright rows as part of my routine, and use an EZ bar to reduce some of the strain that a straight bar can cause, but see these for some info re: upright row safe/unsafe:

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=137279673&p=735641273&viewfull=1#post735641273 (post #15)

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/are-upright-rows-safe-qa.html

    http://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/members/Will-Upright-Rows-Wreck-Your-Shoulders.cfm

    If you wanted to swap something our for curls but want to avoid upright rows, you could substitute lateral raises, shrugs, and/or face-pulls (the latter requires a cable or resistance band system of some sort I guess).

    Apart from adding upright row and, for now, keeping curls, I haven't made any additions to the list of exercises I'm doing. I do abs-only stuff on off-days, and walk/jog a day or few a week, depending on how I'm feeling & how busy I am. Usually the jogging's reserved for Sat, and then Sun = full on slob (aka "rest") in preparation for my heavy day on Monday. :)
  • claston77
    claston77 Posts: 103 Member
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    Thanks for those links on the upright rows jason, apparently I've been doing them wrong :angry:

    I don't have any issues with discomfort but I'll still work on my form and stick with the dumbbells instead of the moving to the barbell.
  • paprad
    paprad Posts: 321 Member
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    Thanks Pandora, Jason, i have some questions on upright rows so I will put those in another thread
    Pandora - I like your new pic!
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
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    Thank you :happy:

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