Beginner Workout Check

Training Bodybuilding
1

Hi all,

Thanks for the great site! I wonder if anyone would be willing to do the usual beginner’s program review.

25 y.o. Male
6’1", 180

Status: 6 months of martial arts have improved my conditioning 10-fold. But very little muscle mass/strength (I’ve always been that way).

Goals: I’m a beginner, so the usual everything. Primary goals:

  1. Power delivery for martial arts
  2. Look good nekkid

Nutrition: Pretty damn good (only whole grains, cottage cheese, lots of fruits/veggies. Vegetarian (that’s non-negotiable), but I eat lots of beans, eggs, milk. Not much soy. )

Supplements: None, except for PWO shake, dextrose/whey in 2:1 ratio. Also flaxseed oil. Not really excited to add other things.

Program format: I do martial arts (traditional Wushu and MMA) 4x/week. I need 1 day off, so that leaves 2x/week for lifting. Full-body seems best, but I vary a bit over the two days.

Day 1:
BB Squats
BB Incline Bench
Dips
Pullups
DB Upright Rows
Leg Extensions
BB Calf Raise
Abs

Day 2:
BB Deadlifts
BB Bench Press
DB Rows
DB Shoulder Press
DB Curls
Leg Curls
Abs

Sets/Reps: 3x8, to 3x10, to 3x12, then add weight

General: Perform all lifts with speed, for power. Controlled descent. Focus on form. I’ve started a bit light so I can add reps/weight right away while still keeping good form.

Questions:

  1. Any gross imbalances lurking?
  2. Anything to eliminate from day 1? I’m thinking drop the pullups and do them throughout the week at home.
  3. Do the reps look right? Should I maybe do 6-10 instead of 8-12?
  4. What about nutrition after martial arts? We go pretty hard for an hour or two. Same dextrose/whey shake? Alter the ratios? Or something else entirely?
  5. Anything else?

Thanks for any help. I can’t really offer anything back to these boards, but hopefully someday I can!

2

Looks okay. I’d change the parameters somewhat though. For each workout, you may wish to alternate two rep ranges. Ex. WO 1: 8x3 then 4x9, WO 2 4x6 then 3 x 12

Also, you may wish to add more horizontal pulling to balance out the pushing on WO 2.

Check out Waterbury’s Set/Rep Bible article here on T-Nation.

Roland

3

[quote]FollowTheMusic wrote:
Hi all,

Thanks for the great site! I wonder if anyone would be willing to do the usual beginner’s program review.

25 y.o. Male
6’1", 180

Status: 6 months of martial arts have improved my conditioning 10-fold. But very little muscle mass/strength (I’ve always been that way).

Goals: I’m a beginner, so the usual everything. Primary goals:

  1. Power delivery for martial arts
  2. Look good nekkid

Nutrition: Pretty damn good (only whole grains, cottage cheese, lots of fruits/veggies. Vegetarian (that’s non-negotiable), but I eat lots of beans, eggs, milk. Not much soy. )

Supplements: None, except for PWO shake, dextrose/whey in 2:1 ratio. Also flaxseed oil. Not really excited to add other things.

Program format: I do martial arts (traditional Wushu and MMA) 4x/week. I need 1 day off, so that leaves 2x/week for lifting. Full-body seems best, but I vary a bit over the two days.

Day 1:
BB Squats
BB Incline Bench
Dips
Pullups
DB Upright Rows
Leg Extensions
BB Calf Raise
Abs

Day 2:
BB Deadlifts
BB Bench Press
DB Rows
DB Shoulder Press
DB Curls
Leg Curls
Abs

Sets/Reps: 3x8, to 3x10, to 3x12, then add weight

General: Perform all lifts with speed, for power. Controlled descent. Focus on form. I’ve started a bit light so I can add reps/weight right away while still keeping good form.

Questions:

  1. Any gross imbalances lurking?
  2. Anything to eliminate from day 1? I’m thinking drop the pullups and do them throughout the week at home.
  3. Do the reps look right? Should I maybe do 6-10 instead of 8-12?
  4. What about nutrition after martial arts? We go pretty hard for an hour or two. Same dextrose/whey shake? Alter the ratios? Or something else entirely?
  5. Anything else?

Thanks for any help. I can’t really offer anything back to these boards, but hopefully someday I can![/quote]

1.)Looks pretty solid, although i would rather do some Glute/Hamstring work (e.g. GHR or reverse Hyper) instead of Leg Extensions/Curls. Quad strength being the limiting factor for any complex movement such as Martial Arts or Squat/DL is almost unheard of.

2.)I would never exchange an isolation movement for a complex if its the same muscle group. So if you want to lose something, either don’t to the DB rows or Abs (I doubt that you need any more direct Ab work long as you’re doing DLs/Squat plus MA training). Also, I would maybe do Pullups after Bench and dips after P/U, so you’re alternating push/pull movements

3.)The Martial Artists i know train usually within at least 20-30++ reps, so i think 8-12 is pretty much the lower limit, though I’m by no means an expert on the subject

4.)I think 2:1 is ok for a PWO, just be sure to get enough complex carbs before training, e.g. a Maltodextrin/Protein shake if you cant get a real meal.

5.) eat enough, get enough rest, have fun :slight_smile: