Do I absolutely have to have a "routine" for strength training?

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  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    watts6151 wrote: »
    I wing most of my routines tbh
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    For most people, lifting weights without a well-designed routine is like leaving for a road trip to a strange destination with no map. You may eventually get there, but it's going to take a lot longer and be a lot more difficult than if you'd planned it correctly. Most people don't understand how to intelligently design/structure a lifting routine and just end up spinning their wheels and not accomplishing much of anything.

    An hour in the weight room is plenty of time to do a good routine.

    No chance I can do a leg session in an hour, squatting alone takes me 35-45mins, usually ends up at 90+ mins

    What are you doing with squats that takes 45 minutes.

    That's what I wanna know too.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    Squats and deads routinely take me 45-50 minutes to get through. 5 minute rest breaks!
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    Squats and deads routinely take me 45-50 minutes to get through. 5 minute rest breaks!

    3-4 sets each, that 45 minutes total for squats and deads. I'm good with that. Totally tracking.

    45-90 for just squats. Whiskey Tango Kitten
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    Those are my loooong gym days. I also like to foam roll between every warm up set. If we're counting warm up, I'm looking at an hour for squats.

    I have to get my knee sleeves...wrist wraps...belt on... and eat my bagel sandwich...
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 905 Member
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    watts6151 wrote: »
    I wing most of my routines tbh
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    For most people, lifting weights without a well-designed routine is like leaving for a road trip to a strange destination with no map. You may eventually get there, but it's going to take a lot longer and be a lot more difficult than if you'd planned it correctly. Most people don't understand how to intelligently design/structure a lifting routine and just end up spinning their wheels and not accomplishing much of anything.

    An hour in the weight room is plenty of time to do a good routine.

    No chance I can do a leg session in an hour, squatting alone takes me 35-45mins, usually ends up at 90+ mins

    What are you doing with squats that takes 45 minutes.

    That's what I wanna know too.

    Warm up with bar

    20 reps 60 kg warm up
    15 reps 100kg warm up
    10 reps 140kg. Last warm up set
    6 reps 180 kg
    3x3 230-240 kg
    6 reps 180
    20 reps 100kg

    That's my current squat routine
  • FatWithFatness
    FatWithFatness Posts: 315 Member
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    watts6151 wrote: »
    I wing most of my routines tbh
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    For most people, lifting weights without a well-designed routine is like leaving for a road trip to a strange destination with no map. You may eventually get there, but it's going to take a lot longer and be a lot more difficult than if you'd planned it correctly. Most people don't understand how to intelligently design/structure a lifting routine and just end up spinning their wheels and not accomplishing much of anything.

    An hour in the weight room is plenty of time to do a good routine.

    No chance I can do a leg session in an hour, squatting alone takes me 35-45mins, usually ends up at 90+ mins

    What are you doing with squats that takes 45 minutes.

    All of my main lifts, bench, squat, deads, take 45 min with warmup, I'm not sure why this is a big deal, if you're lifting heavy (relative) you're going to need longer rest.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    watts6151 wrote: »
    watts6151 wrote: »
    I wing most of my routines tbh
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    For most people, lifting weights without a well-designed routine is like leaving for a road trip to a strange destination with no map. You may eventually get there, but it's going to take a lot longer and be a lot more difficult than if you'd planned it correctly. Most people don't understand how to intelligently design/structure a lifting routine and just end up spinning their wheels and not accomplishing much of anything.

    An hour in the weight room is plenty of time to do a good routine.

    No chance I can do a leg session in an hour, squatting alone takes me 35-45mins, usually ends up at 90+ mins

    What are you doing with squats that takes 45 minutes.

    That's what I wanna know too.

    Warm up with bar

    20 reps 60 kg warm up
    15 reps 100kg warm up
    10 reps 140kg. Last warm up set
    6 reps 180 kg
    3x3 230-240 kg
    6 reps 180
    20 reps 100kg

    That's my current squat routine

    Why are you lifting more in warmup/cooldown than you are in your work sets?

    6K kilos vs 4k Kilos.

    You're hampering your work with your "warmup"
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 905 Member
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    watts6151 wrote: »
    watts6151 wrote: »
    I wing most of my routines tbh
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    For most people, lifting weights without a well-designed routine is like leaving for a road trip to a strange destination with no map. You may eventually get there, but it's going to take a lot longer and be a lot more difficult than if you'd planned it correctly. Most people don't understand how to intelligently design/structure a lifting routine and just end up spinning their wheels and not accomplishing much of anything.

    An hour in the weight room is plenty of time to do a good routine.

    No chance I can do a leg session in an hour, squatting alone takes me 35-45mins, usually ends up at 90+ mins

    What are you doing with squats that takes 45 minutes.

    That's what I wanna know too.

    Warm up with bar

    20 reps 60 kg warm up
    15 reps 100kg warm up
    10 reps 140kg. Last warm up set
    6 reps 180 kg
    3x3 230-240 kg
    6 reps 180
    20 reps 100kg

    That's my current squat routine

    Why are you lifting more in warmup/cooldown than you are in your work sets?

    6K kilos vs 4k Kilos.

    You're hampering your work with your "warmup"

    Because that's what works for ME
    My knees don't start to stop aching
    Until they have done a lot of volume

    Years of jumping out of perfectly good aeroplanes have taken there toll
  • terryt1992
    terryt1992 Posts: 94 Member
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    Thank you for all the feedback guys. I am going to follow a routine from now on. I have done a lot of research and I am going to follow the 5x5 stronglifts routine. When I first heard about it I did not think it was challenging enough but now I see you add weight every time so I know it will be challenging. I guess I should have mentioned I am obese and I am eating at a deficit. Losing weight is priority but I am strength training to get stronger and make sure I do not lose too much muscle.
  • tattygun
    tattygun Posts: 447 Member
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    No you don't, I've never followed a routine in my life (tell a lie, I did Ed Coans deadlift program...what a mistake) but but BUT you better have a real strong understanding of training in general and know the importance of balance. Most who don't follow a routine end up with a huge chest and biceps and not much else because they train what they can see. Thankfully I tend to geek out hard when I get into something, so I quickly had a good grasp of it all. If that isn't you then just follow a program and maybe later when your knowledge increases you can start to deviate and do your own thing.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    edited May 2017
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    watts6151 wrote: »
    Warm up with bar

    20 reps 60 kg warm up
    15 reps 100kg warm up
    10 reps 140kg. Last warm up set
    6 reps 180 kg
    3x3 230-240 kg
    6 reps 180
    20 reps 100kg

    That's my current squat routine

    Jesus, that's a lotta squatting. Mine goes:
    • bar x 10 (the first five paused reps)
    • 40% working weight x 5
    • 60% working weight x 3
    • 80% working weight x 2
    • 90% working weight x 2
    • Work sets (currently 1x5 top set and 2x5 backoffs at 90%+ working weight)

    Takes about fifty minutes with 10 minute rests between work sets (and only long enough to change plates on warm up sets) since I recover like someone who's seventy.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    watts6151 wrote: »
    I wing most of my routines tbh
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    For most people, lifting weights without a well-designed routine is like leaving for a road trip to a strange destination with no map. You may eventually get there, but it's going to take a lot longer and be a lot more difficult than if you'd planned it correctly. Most people don't understand how to intelligently design/structure a lifting routine and just end up spinning their wheels and not accomplishing much of anything.

    An hour in the weight room is plenty of time to do a good routine.

    No chance I can do a leg session in an hour, squatting alone takes me 35-45mins, usually ends up at 90+ mins

    What are you doing with squats that takes 45 minutes.

    When I squat it can take an hour. Warm up sets, heavy working sets at triples or doubles near max. Yep. Not breezing through that.