Beginners Routine

[johnny]

Johnny here. I'm new here & just left a column introducing my training history & thought I'd post my routine. I've been training for almost 10yrs now started at 16 for football & to get into shape as all the time before I was 220lbs with a 41 inch waist & small, weak upper body. By the time I was 21yrs old playing my last season I was 5ft9" & weighed about 227lbs mostly muscle with a 34inch waist. I have overcome ups & downs over the last 4yrs with thyroid dysfunction which seems to be currently working itself out with synthroid treatment. I currently weigh about 215lbs same height with some unwanted bodyfat due to my thyroid dysfunction. My strength is starting to go back to were I was at 22yrs old. Anyway as for my routine I train 4 days a week for no more one hour & fifteen minutes each day. I do 45-60mins of weights, & 15mins on the treadmill. I alternate my routines every 5 weeks incorporating different excersizes.
With every excersize I start out heavy & low reps, & eventually lower the weight each set & do higher reps like this: first set 2-4 reps, 2nd set 6-8 reps, 3rd set 8-12 reps, 4th set 12-14 reps
Monday: Chest, forearms, hamstrings
4 sets of flat bench,
4 sets of incline bench
4 sets of incline or flat dumbell flies or crossovers or weighted chest dips
3 sets of reverse grip barbell curls
3 sets of forearm squeeze with a barbell on a flat bench
4 sets of hamstring curls
3 sets of leg lifts for lower abs
3 sets of crunches
15 mins treadmill all in1hr & 15mins

Tuesday: Back
4 sets wide grip chin-ups
3 sets of barbell rows
3 sets of dumbell or T-Bar rows
3 sets of deadlifts
3 sets of cable row or hammer strength pulldown
3 sets of dumbell or E-Z bar pullovers

Wed: Rest Day

Thursday: super set biceps/triceps
3 sets of standing barbell curls & skull crusher tricep extensions
3 sets of weighted tricep dips on 2 benches, incline hammer curls
3 sets of one arm calbe pushdown, & standing preacher curls with E-Z Bar
5 sets of Toe presses for calves
15mins on treadmill

Friday: Shoulders
4 sets of standing military press in the front
4 sets of either one arm side raises or double arm side raise for side delts
4 sets of rear delt dumbell flies or using cables
4 sets of either barbell or dumbell shrugs
Abs 6 sets total not even 5 mins long
15mins treadmill

Saturday: Rest Day
Sunday: Rest Day

This schedule is great. You must train shoulders or chest back to back or on the same day or neither of them will improve or get stronger. I am still growing on this routine. Hope this helps. Take care Johnny

[T-Bone]

Originally Posted by JamesK

I put together my training routine, and wanted some feedback on it. Like, is there enough exercises or to many exercises, hows the reps / sets, hows the split, everything overall. Thanks.

----------------------------------------

* Training Routine *

* Day 1 (Monday): Chest, Triceps, Abs
* Day 2 (Wednesday): Legs, Shoulders, Traps, Abs
* Day 3 (Friday): Back, Biceps, Forearms, Abs

----------------------------------------

~ Day 1 (Monday): Chest, Triceps, Abs

* Chest

> Barbell Bench Press (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Incline Dumbbell Press (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Dumbbell Flyes (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

* Triceps

> Close-Grip Bench Press (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Seated Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Tricep Dumbbell Kickback (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

----------------------------------------

~ Day 2 (Wednesday): Legs, Shoulders, Traps, Abs

* Legs

> Barbell Squat (7 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Leg Extensions (10 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Lying Leg Curls (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

> Standing Barbell Calf Raise (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

* Shoulders

> Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Raise (Rear Delts) (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Seated Side Lateral Raise (Side Delts) (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Standing Front Barbell Raise Over Head (Front Delts) (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

* Traps

> Barbell Shrug (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Dumbbell Shrug (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

----------------------------------------

~ Day 3 (Friday): Back, Biceps, Forearms, Abs

* Back

> Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Bent Over Barbell Row (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

* Biceps

> Barbell Curl (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Concentration Curls (8 Reps x 3 Sets)
> Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl (8 Reps x 3 Sets)

* Forearms

> Palms-Down Wrist Curl Over A Bench (8 Reps x 2 Sets)
> Palms-Up Dumbbell Wrist Curl Over A Bench (8 Reps x 2 Sets)

No offence but i dont like it.

Why the same amount of volume for triceps as chest and also biceps as back? Not only are these much smaller muscle groups and need less stimulation but you are also working them after exercises which lso hit these muscles hard.

Why only isolation exercises for the shoulders? A compound exercise is essential.

Why no deadlifts?

Needs a serious re-think in my opinion.

[Taekwondo Guy]

bump on that, too many isolation exercises, not enough compund.

[sdvegan]

Originally Posted by Dreadlock

Can someone give me a quick run-down on how I should implement cardio into my workout? What days should I do it (I am making a Mon/Wed/Fri schedule for myself for weight lifting)? What are the best cardio exercises?

This is something I also am wondering for myself. Right now my schedule is:

Monday - Chest/Triceps
Tuesday - Legs
Wednesday - off
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Back/Biceps
Saturday - off
Sunday - off

I want to work cardio and yoga into this. I was thinking cardio 3 days a week (doing a cycle class, first thing in the morning) and then doing yoga 1 day a week (maybe on Sunday).

What do you guys think?

[aikurushii]

Originally Posted by sdvegan

What do you guys think?

it's good.

[ChrisCT]

Hey guys. This is my first post to the forum. I'm 24 years old and I just started working out about 2 months ago. I just wanted to post my routine and get some feedback.

Day1: Chest, tris, abs
Day 3: Legs, shoulders,
Day 5: Back, bis, forearms, abs

I have been using machines at my local gym. I've noticed that in these 2 months I have made some really good progress in terms of increasing strength and size. Do you think its important that I begin incorporating free weights into my routine?

Thanks in advance.

- Chris

[Ugra Karma]

Originally Posted by ChrisCT

Hey guys. This is my first post to the forum. I'm 24 years old and I just started working out about 2 months ago. I just wanted to post my routine and get some feedback.

Day1: Chest, tris, abs
Day 3: Legs, shoulders,
Day 5: Back, bis, forearms, abs

I have been using machines at my local gym. I've noticed that in these 2 months I have made some really good progress in terms of increasing strength and size. Do you think its important that I begin incorporating free weights into my routine?

Thanks in advance.

- Chris

At some point, yes, you'll probably start wanting to incorporate free weights. I started on machines, and I mean the fancy-pants computerized stuff like Lifecircuit, and it's not a bad way to start (or for variety). Next week, try changing your exercises for one muscle group per training day over to free weights (Triceps, Shoulders and Biceps, for example, would probably get the most immediate benefits from using free weights). Try not to go too drastic, you might hurt yourself. Good luck.

[ChrisCT]

I did just as you said and its worked out nicely. I was sore following my first days with the freeweight workouts which must mean I was hitting muscles I had missed before. Thanks for the advice.

[NORWICH32]

How is this??
Monday: Chest/triceps
tuesday: off
wednesday: legs/shoulders
thursdayff
friday:back/biceps/abs/forearms

[GoHardOrGoHome]

Originally Posted by NORWICH32

How is this??
Monday: Chest/triceps
tuesday: off
wednesday: legs/shoulders
thursdayff
friday:back/biceps/abs/forearms

Some people do that but some don't b/c they don't like working pushing muscles w/pushing muscles (chest/tri) and pull w/pull (back/bi)

here's to other examples of a 3 day split:

Chest/Back
Off
Legs/Shoulders
Off
Bi/Tri

OR

Chest/Bis
Off
Legs/Shoulders
Off
Back/Tris

[mj123]

Hi, I'm 23 years old male, 5'9", 190 lb. I'm trying to cut up and show my abs... I know they're under there. I'm currently taking mega men 2 vitamins daily and nitro-tech bars w/ hydroxycut (2 3xdaily) and xenadrine efx (2 3xdaily) and cla (3 daily), body fortress whey protein shake at night, as well as exercising 4 days a week on the elliptical machine (precor efx) at bally's. What other suggestions do you guys have?

[Tierney]

Hey im 16 , im 5"10 and about 140lbs i want to get more strenght and mass but i work on a construction site 45 hours a week and am usually pretty tired after work every body says i eat like a horse and im planning on going to the gym sat and sundays because i get a better workout at work everyday than i can imagine at the gym!! Ive been lifting on and off for a short while and already see great results so i beleive i have good genetics....but do ye think this is enough?? plz help!!

[ash_davies1988]

I know this might make me sound like a complete fool, but im about to try the beginners workout but theres a few exercises I don't understand or just don't have a clue what they are.

Military Press
Lateral Raises
Tricep Extensions
Dips (as many as possible)
Tricep Pushdowns
Leg Presses (8 reps x 3 sets)
Lat pull downs (8 reps x 3 sets)
Barbell Rows (8 reps x 3 sets)
Deadlifts (8 reps x 3 sets)
Concentration Curls (8 reps x 3 sets

If you could explain what these exercises are that would be great.

Also if any of these require gym machinery is there anything I can substitute it for as I will be doing it from equipment I have at home.

I have a bench with squat rack, butterfly, leg extentions, curl and tricep bar, dumbell bars and 440 pound of weight.


Thanks

Ash

[aikido funky monkey]

vote on color pole

[meera]

[aikido funky monkey]

vote on color pole

[MDK]

This is my routine that I have been doing and I want to hear some opinions. Each day I work out a different muscle group: Chest, Back, Shoulders, Arms, and Legs and I start over immediately. My standard lifting is picking six machines and doing six sets of six reps. Then I change it up, by doing strip-downs, forced reps, higher reps, pauses, etc. I dont take any brakes...I just keep the cycle going. And I do either cardio on a machine an hour a day or run 6+ miles.

[benmarx84]

Hi, i have just started using the HIIT method 4 times a week hoping to eliminate unwanted body fat. Even though triming up around my waist is important to me, my main aim is to increase the muscle size of my arms, chest, legs etc. Will using a high intensity interval training method decrease my rate of progress in strength training?? if so what sort of cardio if any should i do??

Also, i weight train 3 times a week, doing 3 sets of 6 reps. i do the heaviest weight i can on each of the exercises. everytime i try to go up a weight i find that i never complete all the reps , or i dont do the excerise properly. i want to no when i should move up to a higher weight??

i no these are prob routine questions but i have just started out and am not sure bout things, so help with this will be appreciated. Cheers, ben

[duayne]

hi..im duayne. and im just new here... im sorta kinda like a semi beginner in lifting weights.. i started lifting weights 3years ago. but stopped after a year. then i came back lifting again only this past 3 months.

also, i stil have some of the cuts and muscles that i develop 3 years ago.. but my problem today is, i cant get enough mass (or should i say, i dont get fat/bulk).

im into protein diet right now (egg white, tuna, oatmeal), but still i dont get enough mass. im not into supplements as of now. :P

questions:
is the beginners workout here still applicable for me?
if im goin to do a 3day split, do i have to lift heavier weights?
what is a good 4day workout (mon, tue, off, thur, fri, off, off)?
how do i do a right protein diet? what to eat and how many time a day, and how much do i have to eat?

thanks...
-duayne

[bush hawg]

Hey dude there is a ton of info on these treads I've spent a lot of time reading your problem is probably mainly in your diet search the diet tread, there is a bulking comp going on right now and follow some of musclesntx post he has a lot of good info posted I'm not advanced enough to give you input but I can tell you where to find it hope this helps