Strength training routine

Asher213
Asher213 Posts: 46
edited October 5 in Fitness and Exercise
Just wondered what everyone's strength training routine is at the gym. I do both cardio and strength training at the gym and is my goal is to lose weight initially until I get to a weight I am happy with and then focus a bit more on strength training to get a lean look. I go gym 4 times a week and always do some cardio in every session but I tend to split up what muscles I work on each day when strength training. So at the moment my routine is like this:

Monday = Shoulders / Cardio
Tuesday = Biceps & Back / Cardio
Wednesdays = Swimming
Thursday = Triceps & Chest / Cardio
Friday = Legs / Cardio

If there are any personal trainers reading this, does my routine sound ok in order to achieve my goals? I only changed to this routine recently whereas before I would mix it up and work on various muscles (upper and lower body), but now I have arranged it so I only do specific muscles on certain days.

My main concern for now as I say is to lose weight and I am managing to lose my 2lbs per week for most weeks so it seems to be working in that sense. I don't feel any of my muscles getting particularly bigger or stronger over the past couple of months but maybe that's not surprising seeing as I'm eating at a calorie deficit?

Replies

  • harold_IV
    harold_IV Posts: 46 Member
    Your regimen looks good man. But ya your not gonna see that much of any muscle gains when your losing weight, because your so low on calories. You gotta make the decision to drop the weight first, then build some muscle or vice versa. Most people do a 3 day to 5 day strength workout program
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Newcommers to strength training typically to well on 3 full body routines per week. Body part splits such as your current program is generally considered a more advanced routine.
  • Apazman
    Apazman Posts: 494 Member
    This is all wrong! just kidding :). The onlything I would change is to start with Squats EVERY TIME.

    Naming the squat the king of all exercises is not without foundation; just look at a few of the benefits of this powerful activity.
    •Lean muscle mass is increased
    •Basic metabolism is faster
    •Your general physical fitness and work capacity are positively improved
    •Mental and physical energy levels are amplified
    •You will sleep better
    •Body fat will be lowered
    •Endorphins, the body's natural painkillers are released into your body
    •The heavy load on your shoulders, back and legs helps to make your bones stronger by increasing their mineral density
    •The connective tissues of your body adapt to the load and in turn become stronger and better able to tolerate the additional stress of the weight
  • Tujitsu56
    Tujitsu56 Posts: 392 Member
    Bump!
  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
    My trainer has me doing a workout that does more core, and all around body workout; that, believe me constitutes a cardio *kitten* whooping. We tend to focus on muscle groups, in line with your schedule posted. I would say your combo's look good. Why no core?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Personally, I would break up your cardio from your strength training... pick 1 and hit it hard for that day. If you're lifting hard, you shouldn't be able to do much cardio after (at least not if they use the same muscles). If you can do cardio, then you're not lifting hard enough.
  • Asher213
    Asher213 Posts: 46
    My trainer has me doing a workout that does more core, and all around body workout; that, believe me constitutes a cardio *kitten* whooping. We tend to focus on muscle groups, in line with your schedule posted. I would say your combo's look good. Why no core?

    Sorry, forgot to mention that I do work on core/abs also about 3 times a week.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    Monday = Shoulders / Cardio
    Tuesday = Biceps & Back / Cardio
    Wednesdays = Swimming
    Thursday = Triceps & Chest / Cardio
    Friday = Legs / Cardio


    I'd do the main muscle lifts first, then the smaller muscles 2nd. ie..:

    Monday: Chest / back / cardio
    Tuesday:Legs / Cardio
    Wed: Swimming
    Thursday: Biceps / triceps cardio
    Friday: Shoulders / cardio
  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
    Personally, I would break up your cardio from your strength training... pick 1 and hit it hard for that day. If you're lifting hard, you shouldn't be able to do much cardio after (at least not if they use the same muscles). If you can do cardio, then you're not lifting hard enough.
    Agree with this. I couldn't do straight up cardio after a good workout. I manage to run in the evenings or weekends, after my body rests.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    I could blast almost every body part except my legs and do some type of cardio.
  • Asher213
    Asher213 Posts: 46
    So is my routine geared more towards someone that is trying to get bigger/build lean mass as opposed to losing weight?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I could blast almost every body part except my legs and do some type of cardio.

    You could do a hard upper body routine then go swim? You could kill your arms/shoulder and then go bike?
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    So is my routine geared more towards someone that is trying to get bigger/build lean mass as opposed to losing weight?

    Really hard to tell. Depends on how much weight you are lifting. Using very light weights won't get you bulk. Hell using very heavy weights will put on muscle slow (especially if you are female)

    I do a routine similar to yours and have put on some muscle, lost weight (abeit slowly) and lost fat. I don't know if that's the most efficent way but it was okay for me. I don't have much motivation to hit the gym for just cardio so I tend to lift almost every time. But I do very light weights or do plyometrics to help keep me busy and to limit how much pure cardio I have to do
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    I could blast almost every body part except my legs and do some type of cardio.

    You could do a hard upper body routine then go swim? You could kill your arms/shoulder and then go bike?

    I do a hard chest / back / plyos and then do 30 min of jumprope. I do hard legs and then do light cardio or shoot hoops. I've done arms/shoulders then ran a few miles or jumproped, shot hoops. At optimum times to do those cardios? No. but I'm just trying to kill calories with my cardio.
  • Asher213
    Asher213 Posts: 46
    So is my routine geared more towards someone that is trying to get bigger/build lean mass as opposed to losing weight?

    Really hard to tell. Depends on how much weight you are lifting. Using very light weights won't get you bulk. Hell using very heavy weights will put on muscle slow (especially if you are female)

    I do a routine similar to yours and have put on some muscle, lost weight (abeit slowly) and lost fat. I don't know if that's the most efficent way but it was okay for me. I don't have much motivation to hit the gym for just cardio so I tend to lift almost every time. But I do very light weights or do plyometrics to help keep me busy and to limit how much pure cardio I have to do

    I wouldn't say I'm lifting very heavy weights, I just lift the the most I can manage for each exercise and tend do 3 sets/10 reps. I always aim to get my cardio in, in order to burn off calories. I don't know how many calories I'm burning when lifting but I can be fairly accurate when doing cardio and knowing this has an effect on what I have to eat for that day.

    Seeing as I'm eating at a calorie deficit I don't expect to notice huge changes in my muscles, not until I get to the point where I am at least maintaining. Does that sound about right? I still have about 2 and a half stones to lose so that is my main concern.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    If you are a beginner lifter, I woudln't worry about not gaining muscle or more importantly strength. You'll improve on a calorie deficit I'd think. Especially if you have 15-25+ lbs to lose.

    If you go though a few liftint cycles and start to plateau, then you might change things.

    I've had people say "you look bigger" but that's just perception. I have no idea if I've gained mass or not. My waist is smaller so I just might appear bigger. I'll have to take another bodyfat test when I'm a few lbs lighter and compare.

    But my lifts in all areas have improved (strength). Again, not sure if that translates to more muscle mass or not.
  • 0PhAtDaDdY
    0PhAtDaDdY Posts: 569 Member
    bump de bump for later review
  • shamr0ck
    shamr0ck Posts: 296 Member
    My trainer sets up my program and rotates about every six weeks. This is my current schedule:

    Wed - 2 hours. Heavy shoulders and light legs; 1 hour cardio
    Thurs - 1 hour Back and tris, 1 hour cardio
    Fri - 2 hours. Chest and triceps; 30 minutes cardio
    Sat - non-weight bearing body work, 1 hour (nothing heavier than a medicine ball); no cardio
    Sun - 2 hours, heavy legs; 1 hour cardio
    Mon - rest day
    Tues - rest day, light cardio

    I do cardio 5x a week, and we seem to do some core most days. More on the 2 hour sessions.
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 12,157 Member
    I just started the "body for life" strength-training 2 1/2 weeks ago. I am lifting heavier every day, so that makes me FEEL like I'm gaining strength. I have no way of knowing if I am, at this point, or not. I will say I am lifting heavier weights, with much fewer reps, than I ever have, before, in my life. And, after 25 years, I am STEPPING AWAY FROM THE CARDIO MACHINES!

    I am running a (small) calorie deficit.

    The program is for 12 weeks - but I'll probably keep it up for a year or two and we'll see how it goes!
  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
    I do a routine similar to yours and have put on some muscle, lost weight (abeit slowly) and lost fat. I don't know if that's the most efficent way but it was okay for me. I don't have much motivation to hit the gym for just cardio so I tend to lift almost every time. But I do very light weights or do plyometrics to help keep me busy and to limit how much pure cardio I have to do
    [/quote]

    I wouldn't say I'm lifting very heavy weights, I just lift the the most I can manage for each exercise and tend do 3 sets/10 reps. I always aim to get my cardio in, in order to burn off calories. I don't know how many calories I'm burning when lifting but I can be fairly accurate when doing cardio and knowing this has an effect on what I have to eat for that day.

    Seeing as I'm eating at a calorie deficit I don't expect to notice huge changes in my muscles, not until I get to the point where I am at least maintaining. Does that sound about right? I still have about 2 and a half stones to lose so that is my main concern.
    [/quote]

    3 sets of 10 reps, with as much weight as you can handle, hardly seems like a dedicated workout for any muscle group. I would lower the weight initially in order to obtain 25+ reps, then work the weights UP, until you can only squeeze out 6-8 reps. My trainer probably has me do 7 or 8 sets per muscle group. I don't get much of a break between sets, and alternate with heavy duty core work, then onto another muscle group. After 60-80 minutes, there is zero chance that I could run one mile. When I was 50lbs heavier, I used to heave the heavy weights, with low set counts. I had some awesome pipes, but not much else.
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