Analyze my workout routine! - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Ramair57 · 09-06-2004, 06:10 AM

I am new to this forum, although I have been working out for years. I am 23 years old, Im 5ft10 and weigh about 174 pounds. I would like you guys to take a look at my workout routine and let me know if its ok. By the way, my goals are to stay lean (as I am not naturally lean - it takes work) and have ok size (I think my muscle size is decent as is, not huge but athletic looking). Anyway,
Monday: chest and abs (3 sets of bench for chest, followed by 3 sets of crossovers) (3 sets of sit ups and 3 sets of leg raises for abs) 20 minutes of cardio
Tuesday: 30 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: bi's and shoulders (3 sets of curls and 3 sets of cable curls for biceps) (3 sets of raises and 3 sets of side raises for shoulders) 20 minutes of cardio
Thursday: 30 minutes of cardio
Friday: tris and back (3 sets of tri extensions and 3 of rope pull down) (3 sets of wide grip pull downs and 3 sets of rows) 20 minutes of cardio
Saturday: legs (3 sets of squats, 3 of hamstring curl, 3 of calf raises)30 MINUTES OF CARDIO
SUNDAY: OFF

My last set for each exercise if usually a drop set and I go for heavy weights aiming for 6-8 reps for each set. I try to change things up every month of so to keep my body guessing. What do you guys think? I was wondering if maybe I should change my routine to do only 3 sets for each body part, but do my whole upper body on one day, than my whole lower body the next, etc. What do you guys think about that, or is this split better for me? By the way, to be honest I usually miss one of these days, so I usually get two rest days a week. Any advice is appreciated!!

Ramair57 · 09-06-2004, 06:12 AM

shoot, just realized that I posted this under the ladies section. Can a moderator move it?

Ramair57 · 09-06-2004, 05:41 PM

cmon guys, give me some advice. I want to know if Im doing the right stuff here to get in the best possible shape, and you guys seem to know your stuff. Advice is needed!

**hackskii** · 09-06-2004, 06:27 PM

I would stick to basic compound exercises.
I would do the bigger muscle groups first and work the smaller muscle groups last.
Monday 4 sets bench 8-12 reps and inclines 4 sets 8-12 reps. Drop the crossovers.
Abs are ok.

Tuesday=OK

Wednesday=4 sets military press 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets of side lateral raises 4 sets 8-12 reps and 4 sets shrugs 4 sets 8-12 reps.
3 sets standing curls (strait bar, ez curl bar, dumbbells) 4 sets 8-12 reps, 3 sets preacher bench or 3 sets hammer curls 4 sets 8-12 reps. Drop the cardio.

Thursday=ok

Friday= 3 sets wide pullups to failure, 2 sets close grip pulldowns 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets dead lifts 4 sets 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets bent over rows 4 sets 8-12 reps.
Triceps 4 sets skull crushers 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets bar dips.

Saturday=4 sets squats 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets 4 sets 8-12 reps extensions, 4 sets 4 sets 8-12 reps leg curls.

Now the problem I have here is the fact that your friday deadlifts might interfere with your squats doing them a day after the deads. Legs and lower back will be hammered.
You could move the Saturday to Sunday for more rest and less overlapping.

Ramair57 · 09-06-2004, 08:17 PM

ok, cool; thanks alot. I usually do stick to the compound movements and try to lift in the lower rep range with higher weights. Do you think this type of routine is better for me than just doing the whole upper body two times per week and the whole lower body two times per week(just 3 sets for each part). I mean, Id be working the muscles more, but not hitting them as hard. Im wondering if this will serve me better than this current routine (although the 6 sets or so I do usually make me pretty sore and it takes more than a day or two for that group to recover - but Im guessing the whole body workouts wouldnt hit as hard, therfore allowing me to recover more quickly)

**hackskii** · 09-06-2004, 09:55 PM

I cant really answer that.

Here is an example of a diffrent aproach.
Monday, bench and bent over rows, side delts
Tuesday quads and shrugs
Wednesday off
Thursday inclines and pullups and hamstrings
Friday military press, calves, abs, light triceps

You can hit the body twice each week with something similar as above but not directly hit the same muscles twice a week.
This is also good for strength as lets say after you hit bench the inclines will be down (prefetigue).
So if you do bench then do bent over rows you will be up/strong in both.

So you can hit the whole body without doing the same thing and you can go heavy doing this too. I had a friend that was lifting for strength do something like this.

09-06-2004, 06:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ramair57 Newbie Trainer Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 37	Analyze my workout routine! I am new to this forum, although I have been working out for years. I am 23 years old, Im 5ft10 and weigh about 174 pounds. I would like you guys to take a look at my workout routine and let me know if its ok. By the way, my goals are to stay lean (as I am not naturally lean - it takes work) and have ok size (I think my muscle size is decent as is, not huge but athletic looking). Anyway, Monday: chest and abs (3 sets of bench for chest, followed by 3 sets of crossovers) (3 sets of sit ups and 3 sets of leg raises for abs) 20 minutes of cardio Tuesday: 30 minutes of cardio Wednesday: bi's and shoulders (3 sets of curls and 3 sets of cable curls for biceps) (3 sets of raises and 3 sets of side raises for shoulders) 20 minutes of cardio Thursday: 30 minutes of cardio Friday: tris and back (3 sets of tri extensions and 3 of rope pull down) (3 sets of wide grip pull downs and 3 sets of rows) 20 minutes of cardio Saturday: legs (3 sets of squats, 3 of hamstring curl, 3 of calf raises)30 MINUTES OF CARDIO SUNDAY: OFF My last set for each exercise if usually a drop set and I go for heavy weights aiming for 6-8 reps for each set. I try to change things up every month of so to keep my body guessing. What do you guys think? I was wondering if maybe I should change my routine to do only 3 sets for each body part, but do my whole upper body on one day, than my whole lower body the next, etc. What do you guys think about that, or is this split better for me? By the way, to be honest I usually miss one of these days, so I usually get two rest days a week. Any advice is appreciated!!

09-06-2004, 06:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ramair57 Newbie Trainer Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 37	shoot, just realized that I posted this under the ladies section. Can a moderator move it?

09-06-2004, 05:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ramair57 Newbie Trainer Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 37	cmon guys, give me some advice. I want to know if Im doing the right stuff here to get in the best possible shape, and you guys seem to know your stuff. Advice is needed!

09-06-2004, 06:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 24,337	I would stick to basic compound exercises. I would do the bigger muscle groups first and work the smaller muscle groups last. Monday 4 sets bench 8-12 reps and inclines 4 sets 8-12 reps. Drop the crossovers. Abs are ok. Tuesday=OK Wednesday=4 sets military press 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets of side lateral raises 4 sets 8-12 reps and 4 sets shrugs 4 sets 8-12 reps. 3 sets standing curls (strait bar, ez curl bar, dumbbells) 4 sets 8-12 reps, 3 sets preacher bench or 3 sets hammer curls 4 sets 8-12 reps. Drop the cardio. Thursday=ok Friday= 3 sets wide pullups to failure, 2 sets close grip pulldowns 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets dead lifts 4 sets 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets bent over rows 4 sets 8-12 reps. Triceps 4 sets skull crushers 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets bar dips. Saturday=4 sets squats 4 sets 8-12 reps, 4 sets 4 sets 8-12 reps extensions, 4 sets 4 sets 8-12 reps leg curls. Now the problem I have here is the fact that your friday deadlifts might interfere with your squats doing them a day after the deads. Legs and lower back will be hammered. You could move the Saturday to Sunday for more rest and less overlapping.

09-06-2004, 08:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
Ramair57 Newbie Trainer Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 37	ok, cool; thanks alot. I usually do stick to the compound movements and try to lift in the lower rep range with higher weights. Do you think this type of routine is better for me than just doing the whole upper body two times per week and the whole lower body two times per week(just 3 sets for each part). I mean, Id be working the muscles more, but not hitting them as hard. Im wondering if this will serve me better than this current routine (although the 6 sets or so I do usually make me pretty sore and it takes more than a day or two for that group to recover - but Im guessing the whole body workouts wouldnt hit as hard, therfore allowing me to recover more quickly)

09-06-2004, 09:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 24,337	I cant really answer that. Here is an example of a diffrent aproach. Monday, bench and bent over rows, side delts Tuesday quads and shrugs Wednesday off Thursday inclines and pullups and hamstrings Friday military press, calves, abs, light triceps You can hit the body twice each week with something similar as above but not directly hit the same muscles twice a week. This is also good for strength as lets say after you hit bench the inclines will be down (prefetigue). So if you do bench then do bent over rows you will be up/strong in both. So you can hit the whole body without doing the same thing and you can go heavy doing this too. I had a friend that was lifting for strength do something like this.