gadgesxi

I've just started out at the gym, using free weights only. Here is what i'm going:

Monday (Chest/Shoulder/Triceps)

Flat Bench Press – 3x8
Incline Dumbbell Bench – 3x8
Skull Crushers – 3x8 (similar to lying tricep extensions)
Close Grip Bench Press – 3x8
Seated Dumbbell Military Press -3x8
Lateral Dumbbell Raises – 3x8


Wednesday (Back/Biceps)

Dead lifts – 3x8
Bent over one arm Dumbbell rows – 3x8
Chin Ups 3x8 (Or Lat pull downs if you can’t do chins yet)
Barbell Bicep Curl -3x8
One arm Dumbbell hammer Curls – 3x8


Friday (Legs/Abs)

Barbell Squats – 3x8
Dumbbell Lunges – 3x8
Calf Raises-4x10
Abdominal workout (Crunches, leg raises, whatever)



As for diet im taking reflex instant whey and nitrix aswell as eating lots of chicken and tune every day!

I must say my thighs are really sore!

Any suggestions would be great, or if you think its fine as it is, let me know. Thanks.
Andy

samurai69

Are you new to weights?

How old are you? this is important if you are younger than about 17 or 18

It looks relatively standard so should work

If you are older than 18 look at the workout posted in the signature of BIG titled how to grow, if not try your programme or this


"As a personal trainer (insert your comments here ), i see a lot of beginners to the gym being shown small isolation exercises and 10 to 15 rep sets, when what they really need is a balanced routine thats designed to start building strength not only in the big muscles, but in the proprioceptive muscles (the muscles used to balance) , tendons and ligaments. It also needs to be progressive, with a learning curve on intensity.

My wife started lifting weights about 6 months ago, when she started in the gym we stuck to one exercise per bodypart.

Chest - Barbell bench Press
Back - Lat Pulldowns (would change this to bent barbell rows now)
Shoulders - Dumbell shoulder Press
Legs - Squats (deep at least to parallell)
Arms - Dumbell extensions and dumbell Curls

These exercises were chosen so that there was a certain amount of proprioception needed.

We trained the same workout 2 times per week doing 2 sets of eight to 12 reps. When 12 reps was reached we increased weight until only 8 reps was manageable and worked up.

Approximately 4 weeks in to this we increased to 3 times per week and 3 sets, still continuing with the 8 -12 rep sysytem

Then after about 4 weeks again we changed the system slightly, by this time my wife was beginning to understand about intensity in her training, so we went to a split routine

We now train tuesday, thursday, saturday, tuesday, with an upper body, lower body workout, meaning that every 3rd workout has a longer rest period.

We have also included a second, isolation, exercise for the larger muscle groups.

The Important thing is the constant increase in intensity, either by increasing weight or reps

So since her training has started the weights have increased to the point that she is lifting, not only more than most of the women in the gym but more than what half of guys lift.

This In my mind is the ideal way to begin the training of a total beginner

Once training has continued for atleast 6 months the newbie would have built a muscle base, strengthened tendons and ligaments and have a working knowledge of lifting weights correctly.

Then the fun can begin, here we can go towards HIT, high volume, 5x5 etc etc. Depending on which are you want to progress into (powerlifting, bodybuildine, strongman, strenght sports, general health etc)

So Start slowly, build strength in the muscles tendons and ligaments, learn proper exercise technique, learn how to continually progress and raise the intensity level and from purely a training perspective you will see muscles and strength grow.

Of course to continue there are other things like Diet, proper nutrition and supplementation, rest etc, but thats another post

gadgesxi

Im not new to weights, on and off really. Im 24. If the plan im already doing is good enough i'd sooner stick to that than swap about. On each set i am increasing the weight.

Jimmy

the split looks pretty good as samurai says

IMO add more reps....maybe 8-12

as samurai said also!

gadgesxi

another question, may seem daft to the pros!
If i dont quite make my protien intake for the day, will i still gain muscle, just not as much as i should if i intake the correct amount of protien?
Thanks

big

As long as you are able to increase the weight and/or reps each session, then the routine is fine. If not, then it's back to the drawing board.

For most people that routine may be too much to recover from if you're really pushing yourself, and IMO there's too much isolation work in particular. But as long as you're gaining on it, it's fine.

big

A day or two now and again of not eating enough protein won't harm you too much. But if it becomes a habit, and you're regularly dropping the ball, then you'll end up badly harming progress.

How much protein are you eating?

gadgesxi

Having approx 175grammes protein each day. I weigh 75kg, which is about 165lbs i think.


As a matter of interest what isolation work would you replace with compounds?

big

IMO you should be having almost twice that amount of protein if you REALLY want to grow.

As far as the isolation goes, I wouldn't replace it, I would just drop it, but keep the compounds (maybe with lesser volume at this stage). To be honest I don't really like traditional bodybuilding split routines, but since you've asked, I'll make my comments trying to keep as close to the original routine you posted as possible.

Monday (Chest/Shoulder/Triceps)

Flat Bench Press – 3x8
Incline Dumbbell Bench – 3x8
PICK ONE OF THOSE

Skull Crushers – 3x8 (similar to lying tricep extensions)
Close Grip Bench Press – 3x8
PICK ONE OF THOSE

Seated Dumbbell Military Press -3x8
Lateral Dumbbell Raises – 3x8
DROP THOSE FOR STANDING BARBELL MILITARY PRESS


Wednesday (Back/Biceps)

Dead lifts – 3x8
Bent over one arm Dumbbell rows – 3x8
Chin Ups 3x8 (Or Lat pull downs if you can’t do chins yet)
THESE ARE OK FOR BACK, BUT BARBELL ROWS ARE SUPERIOR TO DUMBBELL ROWS IMO

Barbell Bicep Curl -3x8
One arm Dumbbell hammer Curls – 3x8
PICK ONE OF THOSE AND JUST DO 1-2 SETS


Friday (Legs/Abs)

Barbell Squats – 3x8
Dumbbell Lunges – 3x8
THESE ARE OK, BUT I'D JUST DROP THE LUNGES

Calf Raises-4x10
Abdominal workout (Crunches, leg raises, whatever)
JUST DO A COUPLE OF SETS OF CALF RAISES IF YOU MUST, AND DO A COUPLE OF HEAVY WEIGHTED CRUNCHES FOR ABS



Where I've said "Pick one of those", you could alternate between them each week so you don't plateau as quickly.

To be honest though, at 165lbs, you should be doing a basic powerlifting style routine and eating an absolute load of protein and calories to gain IMO. This will put serious mass on you. If you've ever seen a powerlifter diet down and cut up, they will blow most bodybuilders away.

gadgesxi

Thanks for the input, you think your 'tweaked' plan will denifit me more? Then i will start doing that. You mention the bicep curls, doing 2 sets only, i take it i should increase the weight even more, to what i would do with a 3 set routine?

Barbell rows instead of dumbel rows, would this put more pressure on my back (had back trouble in the past)?

As for eating, its hard enough eating what im eating now, never mind double that amount!!

Thanks again!!

big

You could start with what you've listed, or with how I tweaked it, or with the routine listed in my sig. Whatever you do though, if you're not able to put the weights up, change things around. DON'T whatever you do keep trying to proceed with something that isn't working.

I don't know the extent of the back trouble you've had, but performed correctly, barbell rows aren't likely to cause a problem. The problem comes if you start going too heavy too quickly and let form go to pot.

Dude, you've got to get the protein down you. Swap out some carbs for fats (as these are easier to consume usually), and add more protein as you should be able to eat more then. If necessary, pound down a couple of shakes each day to bump up your protein even more. You will struggle to gain if you're not eating enough protein.

andyparry123

i dont want to be "lou ferigno" big just want to grow to about 95kg and be well defined. any advice?

andyparry123

i dont want to be "lou ferigno" big just want to grow to about 95kg and be well defined. any advice? i am about 80kg now

big

Click the link in my sig and take a read. It should tell you a lot of what you need to know. In essence, pound down the protein and get yourself on a good low volume compound routine with progressive resistance, such as the one in my sig. The same rules still apply whether you want to gain 5kg or 50kg.

People don't become Lou or Arnie size accidently. It will take you a lot of hard work to gain the 15kg of lean mass that you want.