Pick apart my routines, please?

KintsugiCurlyQueen
KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know there are some great lifting programmes out there but most offer full body workouts – not particularly ideal for someone who frequents the gym every weekday. I alternate arms/back and legs/core, with a day of low-intensity cardio between if I feel like I could do with the extra recovery time. Naturally then, Saturday and Sunday are rest days. If somebody with more knowledge/experience kindly has time to reply, I would appreciate being told if I'm missing anything fundamental, or if there are any unnecessaries in my routine.

(All exercises 2 sets 10-12 reps unless stated otherwise)

LEGS/CORE:
Standard Barbell Squat
Standard Barbell Deadlift
Narrow Barbell Squat (1x20)
Dumbbell Wide Squats
Bosu weighted crunches (1x15-20)
Bosu oblique crunches (1x12-15)
Elbow plank
Side planks

ARMS/BACK:
Bench Press
Lat Pulldown
Dumbbell Upright Row
Narrow Grip Chest Press
Narrow Grip Vertical Seated Row
Assisted Pull Ups
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Tricep Bench Dips (15+)

Fire away! Just please be kind(ish) as I'm still learning! Always learning :)

Replies

  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    There's some repetition in there, but all in all it doesn't seem too bad.

    What are your goals?
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
    For now, primary goal is reducing BF%.
  • AverageUkDude
    AverageUkDude Posts: 371 Member
    Full bodys are designed for 3 days a week, thats because you need to rest, especially for your connective tissue. A push pull alternative system performed every day is still going to be the slower in terms of gains than the full body, if your natural and in your first two years of lifting.

    Personally I would suggest doing something like starting strength. Monday,Wed,Friday. Keep your cardio seperate tuesday/thursday. Once youve been lifting for a while and have areas your lagging in add isolations to your off days to help those areas along.

    edit: my grammer and spelling is hideous today.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    For now, primary goal is reducing BF%.

    Then for the most part, do whatever split you want. Full body 3x week, push/pull, upper/lower, whatever... that part of it isn't going to make much of a difference. Your routine has a lot of the main compound lifts in it, which is good. Whatever you end up doing, keep your routines centered on those. The only thing I'd change is your set/rep ranges. I'd do 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps. There' s no reason to be doing more reps than that in a single set, especially if fat loss is your primary concern.

    And, just so it's said and clear... diet is far more important for fat loss than is exercise, so don't neglect that side of things.
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
    High rep squats and deadlifts are not a good idea for a novice lifter. You increase the risk of form breakdown and injury.

    3 sets will give better results in 10-12 rep range, unless you are currently in a deficit. Then 2 is fine.

    There are full body programs that can be done M, W, F. You can do cardio on the off days. You aren't going to get faster results by adding more days and doing a split. You are going to burnout. Hear me know and believe me later.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    I work with a trainer and he is always changing things up on me so maybe find some ways to change your routine slightly from week to week to work in more muscle groups. You're hitting the biggest ones.

    I don't see bicep curls, leg curls or presses, and I would add push ups (regular, triangle, and wide). Also, some balance ball work will add to your core.
  • AverageUkDude
    AverageUkDude Posts: 371 Member
    I work with a trainer and he is always changing things up on me so maybe find some ways to change your routine slightly from week to week to work in more muscle groups. You're hitting the biggest ones.

    I don't see bicep curls, leg curls or presses, and I would add push ups (regular, triangle, and wide). Also, some balance ball work will add to your core.

    just to throw this in there, by changing your lifts frequently all your doing is causing new neural adaptation, in your first few years of lifting you need consistency, consistency, consistency.
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
    I'm hearing you all, guys! And definitely taking what's being said on board. Think I might actually go back to the Stronglifts idea.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    Your reasoning for choosing your program is nonsensical. You dont have to lift 4 days a week and you dont have to be in the gym 5 days a week. You could pick any program you want.

    What you have listed doesn't look horrible, but, there no telling what your intended progression is. Id either alternate squats and deads or go heavy and one an light on the other then switch it the next workout. Heavy deads and heavy squats on the same day is pretty brutal. Your arms and back day would probably go better if you alternated push and pull movements. Right now its push pull pull push pull pull push push..

    I think youd be better off picking a program and just doing it. You can add some ab work and slowly add a few accessory exercises. The benefit will be that youll learn how to properly add weight and adjust training. Then you'll have the knowledge to cuztomize things.

    If your routine is working for you than by all mean continue with it if you wish. I think youll get much further on something with well thought out progression and youll learn more. I could add more, but, Ill leave it at that.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    For now, primary goal is reducing BF%.

    Then you have an unnecessary amount of volume in your programme.

    You're better off focusing on less exercises but higher quality of the lifts you do choose in my opinion and using the time you have freed up to work on flexibility / mobility or whatever you want.
  • KintsugiCurlyQueen
    KintsugiCurlyQueen Posts: 68 Member
    Many thanks, to one and all! I think I'm going to swallow my pride, scrap the crappy routine and go right back to basics. Stronglifts might be a bit much at this point, so Starting Strength it is! Would starting with this with a moderate calorie deficit be okay, or best to start with quite a small deficit?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Stick with a deficit of 10-20% of your total intake (probably .5-1lb per week weight loss goal in MFP) unless you have a lot to lose.
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    Many thanks, to one and all! I think I'm going to swallow my pride, scrap the crappy routine and go right back to basics. Stronglifts might be a bit much at this point, so Starting Strength it is! Would starting with this with a moderate calorie deficit be okay, or best to start with quite a small deficit?

    I wouldn't want you to be discouraged from Stronglifts. The key difference is that starting strength is mostly 3x5 and stronglifts is always 5x5 (with exception of deadlift).

    Just start lighter with Stronglifts, and you will get more out of it. Incedentally starting light is a virtue, and the program has plenty of room for you to progress quickly if you can. You might even just start with the bar and go from there.

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