I know everyone and their brother asks about critiquing their routine. I’ve gone through all the routines I have seen and nothing really hits me like some of you. I’ll see the tbt article for example and people are thanking the author for such a great routine. While I am happy for them, it sucks for me because I never get the effect they do from any routine. And no, I do not hop from this routine to that routine, I genuinly give it a number of weeks before deciding that it isn’t working. Right now I do this:
Day2
Triceps(close grip bench, DB extensions, cable pulldowns)
Biceps(pullups, incline curl, EZ bar curl)
Day3
Core(rollout with 2 plates and bar, side bends, and power clean and press)
No, I do not do any direct leg work. I run when I first get up and lift weights when I get home from work. This is what’s so weird about me: this routine is the only way I can get sore. I judge the effectiveness of the workout by the soreness on following days. All other routines that I have tried take too much energy away from me towards the end of the workout. My current routine has been working for about 1.5 months, but now is not quite as effective. My body must be adapting finally.
Lifting weights is not rocket science, but why am I not getting the effect that I am looking for?
If you have truly followed a number of routines and stayed w/ them w/o seeing much in terms of results, it’s probably your diet and/or lifestyle. (not enough sleep, too much drinking, etc, etc - not saying this is definitely the case, but diet/lifestyle is the most likely reason for not seeing solid gains)
#2)
Judging the quality of your workout based on soreness? C’mon!
#3)
I see ONE scapular retraction exercise (rows) and NO external rotations in your program…poor balance in movements.
If you address the above, I think you’ll be happy w/ your progress.
[quote]WeaponX wrote:
I judge the effectiveness of the workout by the soreness on following days.
[/quote]
What about actual results? are you progressing towards your goals whatever they are or are you just getting sore?
I can go into the gym and join an aerobics class and I will gaurentee you I will be more sore the following day then I have been in years. Obviously its not going to do squat for making me bigger and stronger.
Like has been mentioned I don’t think your problem lies in the routines but in other factors. If nothing stick to some of these routines longer so you can build up some work capacity. I say this because you mention one of CW’s routines and many people comment that they are out of the gym rather quick and not feeling very beat up. You shouldnt be run down at the end of all your training sessions.
Day2
Triceps(close grip bench, DB extensions, cable pulldowns)
Biceps(pullups, incline curl, EZ bar curl)
Day3
Core(rollout with 2 plates and bar, side bends, and power clean and press)
[/quote]
ok, here’s my opinion…first-
you are doing 4 exercises for chest compared to 2 for back, and at that those four are basically the same but at different angles…i’m not gonna say to scratch those movements, but at least even it out with the back…the back as a whole is bigger than yur chest and a strong back is a strong body…
…arm day is ok, personally i would do dips instead of close grips but that’s ok…either way i would focus on the close grips and the pullups, that’s where most of your gains are gonna come from…
day three could be done at the end of the other days, and could be used for something more productive…it seems like you are not ready to do legs yet, but running will not get you gains…you are seriously robbing yourself of progess by not doing them - i walk around 9-10 miles a day at work, and still hit them at least twice a week…so if 3 days is all you can do a week:
[quote]JNeves wrote:
WeaponX wrote:
I judge the effectiveness of the workout by the soreness on following days.
What about actual results? are you progressing towards your goals whatever they are or are you just getting sore?[/quote]
I’m not looking to be the biggest guy around, but I do want to gain some size and stregnth. I judge the effectivness on soreness because it tells me that I exceeded my usual work capacity. If I am not sore, than I feel that I didn’t challenge myself enough. My gains come in waves. I feel that I give the same amount of effort and then suddenly I’ll notice a little more definition in my build. I like to think systematicly, so this doesn’t make sense to me. I am totally motivated in doing the work, I just want to make the most out of whatever routine I use. I guess I will dig throught he articles and try another routine from the authors. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
ignore soreness. it dosent matter one bit if you are sore or not. if your just trying to make yourself sore all the time your probly overtrained from trying to do that. you probly dont eat enough if your not making good gains because youve only been training for a year according to your profile.
you dont do legs??? thats oviously hindering your progress also.
are those the only 3 days in the week you workout or do you do them more than once or what do you do??
Listen to the advice about what you are eating. I was getting frustrated at my lack of progress also, I asked some questions, did some research, and cleaned up my diet. I went from 220 to 237 from the end of March thru now(middle of June) without increasing bodyfat too much and my strength went through the roof when I started eating better.
[quote]Big_Country wrote:
What are you eating. I will bet anything your diet sucks. Give us a list of EXACTLY what you ate yesterday and we can go from there.
Chris[/quote]
I know the general rule of the more you eat the more you grow. I seriously don’t eat junk food that much.
Yesterday:
Breakfast:
Total Cereal, Protien shake 8:15 a.m
Lunch: 3 slices of Roast, 2 new potatos, sliced carrots, sweat tea, 1 cup of coffee, and chocolate pie 3"x2"x1" (small) Noon
Dinner: Meatloaf, 2 new potatos, sweat tea, blueberry cheese cake bar 3"x1"x.5" 7:30 p.m.
Protein shake 10:15 p.m.
Today
Breakfast: Total Honey Nut, Protein shake, 1 cup of coffee 7:15 a.m.
Lunch: 4 slices of roast 1.5L bottle of water 11:45 a.m.
It’s currently 5:15 p.m.
I don’t sit on the couch with a bag of oreos or anything. I only eat dessert when available, which is not always. Doctor told me not to eat too much because of acid relux and heartburn. I try to get protein enriched foods, I don’t eat alot of bread and hardly any pasta. Tell me if I am missing something.
[quote]WeaponX wrote:
Big_Country wrote:
What are you eating. I will bet anything your diet sucks. Give us a list of EXACTLY what you ate yesterday and we can go from there.
Chris
I know the general rule of the more you eat the more you grow. I seriously don’t eat junk food that much.
Yesterday:
Breakfast:
Total Cereal, Protien shake 8:15 a.m
Lunch: 3 slices of Roast, 2 new potatos, sliced carrots, sweat tea, 1 cup of coffee, and chocolate pie 3"x2"x1" (small) Noon
Dinner: Meatloaf, 2 new potatos, sweat tea, blueberry cheese cake bar 3"x1"x.5" 7:30 p.m.
Protein shake 10:15 p.m.
Today
Breakfast: Total Honey Nut, Protein shake, 1 cup of coffee 7:15 a.m.
Lunch: 4 slices of roast 1.5L bottle of water 11:45 a.m.
It’s currently 5:15 p.m.
I don’t sit on the couch with a bag of oreos or anything. I only eat dessert when available, which is not always. Doctor told me not to eat too much because of acid relux and heartburn. I try to get protein enriched foods, I don’t eat alot of bread and hardly any pasta. Tell me if I am missing something.[/quote]
Since everyone is going to slam you for you posted above, i’ll be nice and tell you this - go check out some general nutritional information that can be found under articles.
Few things: break up your meals and eat more often - 5/6 times per day. Ditch the sugar-filled cereal and go for something like oatmeal for carbs in the morning time. More vegi is always good. Desert after almost every meal?? no no no… i think more research is needed…