I think I got a case of the BAD workouts
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brianchi
Posts: 71 Member
I overslept today so had to get in some workout before coming to work.
I did 235 pushups (standard, wide, military, decline, etc. - mixed it up) and 231 ab exercises (crunches, v-up rollup, leg raises - basically ab ripper x). I have done this a few times (on days i sleep in) and directly after my chest looks bigger and more defined and the muscles feel more tight as if they received a better workout.
I do not get this when I do my regular chest workout at the gym. Does my workout routine suck? Or am I seriously underestimating the power of pushups?
Also - when I do arms, shoulders, legs, back, etc at the gym I have a good feeling. It is really just the chest workout where I don't have that tight feeling in my muscles. I only get that on days I do pushups.
Anyone have a good workout routine for chest days?
I did 235 pushups (standard, wide, military, decline, etc. - mixed it up) and 231 ab exercises (crunches, v-up rollup, leg raises - basically ab ripper x). I have done this a few times (on days i sleep in) and directly after my chest looks bigger and more defined and the muscles feel more tight as if they received a better workout.
I do not get this when I do my regular chest workout at the gym. Does my workout routine suck? Or am I seriously underestimating the power of pushups?
Also - when I do arms, shoulders, legs, back, etc at the gym I have a good feeling. It is really just the chest workout where I don't have that tight feeling in my muscles. I only get that on days I do pushups.
Anyone have a good workout routine for chest days?
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Replies
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When you do a high number of reps at lighter weight (such as all those push-ups), you're more likely to have some temporary inflammation of the muscles. "Get Swole", I believe is the expression used in bodybuilding circles. If you're training for looks rather than strength, it's a valid way to go.0
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I do not get this when I do my regular chest workout at the gym. Does my workout routine suck? Or am I seriously underestimating the power of pushups?
What are your training goals?0 -
I am going more for the cut/toned look. But I have been pretty small all my life - so I also want to put on some muscle mass. I guess it is pretty hard to do both at the same time.0
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Well, the toned look just comes from cutting your body fat. You'll need to eat more to bulk up, but then you can cut the fat again (while keeping the muscle).
If you're training for looks, I can't be as great of help to you (as most of my learning about weightlifting so far has been with strength training in mind), but I can tell you that you'll want to be doing around 8-12 reps per set, probably 3 sets total per exercise. As with any weightlifting workout, gradually increase the weight until it's a challenge for you to complete those sets. 8-12 reps is supposed to be the best range for maximizing hypertrophy (size increase).0 -
I am going more for the cut/toned look. But I have been pretty small all my life - so I also want to put on some muscle mass. I guess it is pretty hard to do both at the same time.
Cool. Getting cut and toned is a function of diet. Really diet in-general dictates your training results for the most part. You really need to start doing some strength training to put on muscle mass but you're going to have to do it in phases. The best thing is to put on the mass first and then cut. You're not going to cut and put any real mass on at the same time, one cancels out the other basically. You can get stronger on a cut but not really much bigger.
To put mass on I recommend Googling "Massive Eating" by Dr. John Berardi. Hopefully you can get a gym membership if you don't already have one. From a training perspective you can start with something like 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler and then maybe if you stall-out too much move into Westside for Skinny *kitten* 3. They're both actually very simple programs to follow. Then once you hit your mass goals, start your cut.0 -
Doing an extreme number of reps (200+!!!) is going to cause lots of inflammation and lactic acid build-up. Giving you that soreness along with the muscle pump. If you can do 200+ reps it's probably way too easy for you and I doubt you're really making any progress.
Furthermore, we can't tell if you if your chest routine sucks because you didn't even list it. Bench press, chest flyes and chest dips along with push-ups (try weighted push-ups if you can do that many reps) are the way to go for chest exercises.0 -
Furthermore, we can't tell if you if your chest routine sucks because you didn't even list it.
Yeah, I just kind of assumed he didn't have one based on his opening statement. Now that he has some information he can improve upon what he's doing just fine. He's not the first person I've seen this with but push-ups are way OVER-rated as a form of strength training, not over-estimating.0 -
My chest always gets sore from bench but I'm pretty new to it. Last time I added fly machine but many times I just bench. I go from my warmup weight at 10 reps increase weight about 4? Times continuing sets of as many reps as I can like 6-8 or even 10. Eventually I Max out and begin to decrease weight in sets until maybe 10 lb over my starting warmup weight. What is your routine?0
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Thanks guys! Good info! I'll check out those reads. I appreciate the help.
I did the 235 push ups over the course of about 25 minutes. Definitely not all that at once! Just mixed it up with standard, military, wide, decline, etc.
I do have a gym membership and do chest workout 2-3 times a week. It's just when I am short on time, I do this push up routine so I can get some sort of workout in before I come to work.
My current chest workout (on a typical day):
Bench Press - maximum weight (3-5 reps), followed by stripping 20 pounds at a time doing maximum reps. Take a small rest and try to repeat that number of reps before stripping another 20. Finish with a light weight that I can lift 15-20 times.
Incline Dumb bell press - 6-8 reps x 3 sets (repeat this 3 times)
Decline Dumb bell press - same
Dips - 10 per set -- up to 8 sets
Chest Flys - 3 sets of 8-10
Chest Press - 3 sets of 8-10
Thanks again. Really good info here.0 -
Sorry to comment again but. That seems like a lot of chest work. I would suggest incorporating one chest day but try to work something different each day? If you work your back shoulders arms etc you would get a better build overall I would think. And maybe since you start at your Max bench that is not your true Max? Everyone is different I guess but I like to warmyp first and push myself after0
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Sorry to comment again but. That seems like a lot of chest work. I would suggest incorporating one chest day but try to work something different each day? If you work your back shoulders arms etc you would get a better build overall I would think. And maybe since you start at your Max bench that is not your true Max? Everyone is different I guess but I like to warmyp first and push myself after
Yeah that's why I think 5/3/1 is actually a really good starting place, even better than Stronglifts for most folks.0 -
Reply all you want! The more info the merrier!
I do rotate what I workout each day. I guess I should have been more clear.
Day One - Chest/Back
Day Two - Bicep/Tricep/Shoulder
Day Three- Legs/Back
Day Four- Core/ Long Run
Day Five- Chest/Back
Day Six- Bicep/Tricep/Shoulder
Day Seven- Stetch/ Long Run
I usually take a small run at night for some cardio. Then twice a week have the long run for heavy cardio days.0 -
Cool I just thought you were trying to get this massive chest and I was like...well what are you gonna do with it then? Aha0
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Haha.
Nah, I am just trying to look better and it is clear I don't know what I am doing.
I just got confused this morning because I feel/look better after doing a lot of pushups than I do on days after lifting for an hour straight.0 -
Haha.
Nah, I am just trying to look better and it is clear I don't know what I am doing.
One thing I've learned is to not over-think it and I think most people really do. Grab Jim Wendler's ebook (5/3/1) and read it a couple times. It's a very simple an effective approach to strength training. I actually read a new article from him today and he's using it to rehab his recent shoulder surgery.0 -
Reply all you want! The more info the merrier!
I do rotate what I workout each day. I guess I should have been more clear.
Day One - Chest/Back
Day Two - Bicep/Tricep/Shoulder
Day Three- Legs/Back
Day Four- Core/ Long Run
Day Five- Chest/Back
Day Six- Bicep/Tricep/Shoulder
Day Seven- Stetch/ Long Run
I usually take a small run at night for some cardio. Then twice a week have the long run for heavy cardio days.
From my experience, hitting each muscle "twice a week" has been the best. I do a modified version of 5/3/1 that was made for hypertrophy. It's a 4 day split I do 3 days a week. So it looks like this:
Week 1
Monday: off
Tuesday: Upper Body
Wednesday: off
Thursday: Lower Body
Friday: off
Saturday: off
Sunday: Upper Body
Week 2
Monday: off
Tuesday: Lower Body
Wednesday: off
Thursday: Upper Body
Friday: off
Saturday: off
Sunday: Lower Body
This is the way the days are broken down:
Upper body day one:
Chest, Back, Shoulders, Shoulder, Biceps, Triceps
Lower body day one:
Deadlift, Leg Press, Hamstrings, Calfs, Abs
Upper body day two:
Shoulders, Chest, Chest, Back, Biceps, Triceps
Lower body day two:
Squat, Glute Bridges, Leg Extensions, Calfs, Abs
The major lifts, (bench, deadlift, military press and squats), I follow the 5/3/1 protocol. For the more compound accessory lifts, like rows, incline db press, leg press, glute bridges, I do 5 sets of 8. The rest of the accessory work, like arnold press, lateral raises, lat pull downs, chest flies, biceps, triceps, hamstring work, leg extensions and calfs, I do 5 sets of 12. All of the ab work is done with 5 sets of 20.
Every compound lift I increase weight every month if I can. Progressive overload is basically my goal. As long as my diet is in check and I'm progressing, I know I'm growing.
On a side note about your push up day, just because you get more of a "pump" from doing high rep push ups doesn't mean it is a better workout than moving actual weight at the gym. Lactic acid build up does not necessarily equal muscle growth. Also doing a ton of reps on ab exercises isn't what will give you visible abs. Abs are made in the kitchen. If your diet isn't in check, you can do thousands of reps of abs every day and you still won't have visible abs.
Sorry for the long post. I rarely ever get on the forums here so if you reply to me I probably won't see it. If you have any questions feel free to email me or hit up my company's fitness page on facebook
www.facebook.com/PHFitness
mario@phfitness.net0 -
Reply all you want! The more info the merrier!
I do rotate what I workout each day. I guess I should have been more clear.
Day One - Chest/Back
Day Two - Bicep/Tricep/Shoulder
Day Three- Legs/Back
Day Four- Core/ Long Run
Day Five- Chest/Back
Day Six- Bicep/Tricep/Shoulder
Day Seven- Stetch/ Long Run
I usually take a small run at night for some cardio. Then twice a week have the long run for heavy cardio days.
From my experience, hitting each muscle "twice a week" has been the best. I do a modified version of 5/3/1 that was made for hypertrophy. It's a 4 day split I do 3 days a week. So it looks like this:
Week 1
Monday: off
Tuesday: Upper Body
Wednesday: off
Thursday: Lower Body
Friday: off
Saturday: off
Sunday: Upper Body
Week 2
Monday: off
Tuesday: Lower Body
Wednesday: off
Thursday: Upper Body
Friday: off
Saturday: off
Sunday: Lower Body
This is the way the days are broken down:
Upper body day one:
Chest, Back, Shoulders, Shoulder, Biceps, Triceps
Lower body day one:
Deadlift, Leg Press, Hamstrings, Calfs, Abs
Upper body day two:
Shoulders, Chest, Chest, Back, Biceps, Triceps
Lower body day two:
Squat, Glute Bridges, Leg Extensions, Calfs, Abs
The major lifts, (bench, deadlift, military press and squats), I follow the 5/3/1 protocol. For the more compound accessory lifts, like rows, incline db press, leg press, glute bridges, I do 5 sets of 8. The rest of the accessory work, like arnold press, lateral raises, lat pull downs, chest flies, biceps, triceps, hamstring work, leg extensions and calfs, I do 5 sets of 12. All of the ab work is done with 5 sets of 20.
Every compound lift I increase weight every month if I can. Progressive overload is basically my goal. As long as my diet is in check and I'm progressing, I know I'm growing.
On a side note about your push up day, just because you get more of a "pump" from doing high rep push ups doesn't mean it is a better workout than moving actual weight at the gym. Lactic acid build up does not necessarily equal muscle growth. Also doing a ton of reps on ab exercises isn't what will give you visible abs. Abs are made in the kitchen. If your diet isn't in check, you can do thousands of reps of abs every day and you still won't have visible abs.
Sorry for the long post. I rarely ever get on the forums here so if you reply to me I probably won't see it. If you have any questions feel free to email me or hit up my company's fitness page on facebook
www.facebook.com/PHFitness
mario@phfitness.net
@OP: This is definitely an interesting approach and Jim lays-out a couple approaches to using his method. Make sure you buy the Second Edition if you decide to do this.0
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