A Not-So-Beginner Routine

Training Bodybuilding
1

Posting routines and fishing for feedback should probably have its own forum category, and here I am, with yet another of those posts, asking what you could possibly be wrong, or what could be improved in this routine:

  1. barbell good mornings/1 set/25-30 reps
  2. toe raises/3-5 sets/20-25 reps
  3. pec deck/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  4. upright rows/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  5. rear lat pull-downs/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  6. tricep curls/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  7. barbell curls/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  8. sit-ups/1 set/25-50 reps
  9. leg raises/1 set/25-50 reps

If that looks familiar, it’s actually Month-6 of 20 taken from 20-year old material I scooped from a forum that hosts my journal, modified a bit to how I do it in the gym. I’ve been following it since I started and I’d say I’ve gotten pretty good results, though I feel like there has to be a better way out there. I intend to finish this month’s, and then look somewhere else, most likely around the material we have in the library here. What drove me is that it is old material, and lately, I have been reading that some of the exercises suggested, such as one with the pec deck, is written as badly crafted and should be avoided if can be helped.

I’m 19, 5’7" at 145 lbs, Asian. Thank you all for the feedback.

2

I’m sorry, I’m actually 20, just recently (I still can’t get over the fact that I’ve hit the big 2-0 already, HAHAH)

3

Is this one workout? That’s a lot of sets, yet no squats, deadlifts, presses or chins. Half of your exercises are isolation. I would scratch this entire program and start from the ground up. There are a lot of good ones here, depending on your goals. There’s a thread here called “Are you a beginner?”.

By the way, Bill Starr’s 5x5 routine is a classic that shows even 20 years ago, there were some people who knew what they were doing.

[quote]exonerator wrote:
Posting routines and fishing for feedback should probably have its own forum category, and here I am, with yet another of those posts, asking what you could possibly be wrong, or what could be improved in this routine:

  1. barbell good mornings/1 set/25-30 reps
  2. toe raises/3-5 sets/20-25 reps
  3. pec deck/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  4. upright rows/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  5. rear lat pull-downs/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  6. tricep curls/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  7. barbell curls/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  8. sit-ups/1 set/25-50 reps
  9. leg raises/1 set/25-50 reps

If that looks familiar, it’s actually Month-6 of 20 taken from 20-year old material I scooped from a forum that hosts my journal, modified a bit to how I do it in the gym. I’ve been following it since I started and I’d say I’ve gotten pretty good results, though I feel like there has to be a better way out there. I intend to finish this month’s, and then look somewhere else, most likely around the material we have in the library here. What drove me is that it is old material, and lately, I have been reading that some of the exercises suggested, such as one with the pec deck, is written as badly crafted and should be avoided if can be helped.

I’m 19, 5’7" at 145 lbs, Asian. Thank you all for the feedback.[/quote]

4

missing some major muscle groups, quads, back from pulling etc.

Is this a week or one w/o??

5

First what are you training for? We don’t really have a lot to go off of if we don’t know your goals. Anyway, here’s my input.

For chest throw out the pec deck and pick up bench press. If you must do flys do DB flys.

For back try deadlift and wide grip pull ups.

shoulders do military press along with lateral raises.

Now for legs. For gods sake do squats, and not on a smith machine. Also some straight leg deadlifts and standing calf raises.

With tricpes I would do dips, skull crushers, and close grip press.

Finally for biceps incline DB curls, precher curls, and heavy barbell curls.

Well those are exercise suggestions. Hope this helps.

6

A program without squats is not really a program. You should most definetly squat. Reps are, generally speaking, too high. Pick some of the Waterbury’s programs, like ABBH or TBT.

7

[quote]exonerator wrote:
asking what you could possibly be wrong, or what could be improved in this routine:

  1. barbell good mornings/1 set/25-30 reps
  2. toe raises/3-5 sets/20-25 reps
  3. pec deck/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  4. upright rows/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  5. rear lat pull-downs/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  6. tricep curls/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  7. barbell curls/3-5 sets/8-10 reps
  8. sit-ups/1 set/25-50 reps
  9. leg raises/1 set/25-50 reps

[/quote]

Like the others said, that’s pure HORSESHIT!

Too many isolation exercises, no squats, benches, chins, etc.

Bro, you’re Asian. So you probably already have a small bone frame and feel like you’ll never gain (and 5’7" and 145lbs is pretty small). However, you can and will gain size and strength with a good nutritional plan and a much better (and simple) training plan.

I highly suggest many of CW’s programs. In addition, CT’s new Renaissance program is a good one too (if you need the overall conditioning).

I do recommend full-body workouts (like CW’s) or upper/lower body splits, especially for anyone who thinks they are a “hardgainer.”

If I can go from being 5’4" and 120lbs to my current 160-165lbs, you can do the same or more!

8

Some clarifications: the creator of this programs wants you to do the whole routine 3x a week for 4 straight weeks (again, this is already month 6, so i’ve been doing 5 sets/12 reps/3x a week/4 week cycles for 6 mos now), and I actually took out one leg exercise (lunges) as I thought it was already overkill.

Yeah I did think there were too much sets in there, and I tend to do 3 sets at max, except for weekends when I kill myself and work the full 5 sets.

The previous month included squats, and I’ve maxed out at 50 lb-plates/each end of the bar, for 5 sets, 10 reps at the last week of the previous month. This month included (I think I missed it in my first post) 45-degree leg presses.

But then again, yeah I guess 6 mos of overworking is enough; time to go easy on meself