Beginner Workouts - 2 Days in a Row?

Training
1

Need to start doing higher reps as my CNS is worn out and I’m not progressing on low reps :confused:

The thing is my schedule means I can’t do full body workouts or all pro or Arnold’s Golden 6 as I work out 2 days in a row sometimes

I’m thinking Arnold’s Beginner Workout 3x a week instead of 6 but it’s a lot of volume

I’m still weak but not progressing in high reps anymore. Here’s my progress since September; at University I only did body weight exercises, dancing and wrestling but my diet sucked and had crappy sleep routine as I was busy with assignments:

Have been working out with low reps and eating a lot but ony 1-2 shakes a day and for 2 months (Nov-Jan and Mar-May I’ve been having 600-1000ml skimmed milk postworkout)

I’ve been working out since November on a 3-5x 5 rep workout program. This means if I trained 3 days a week I did Starting Strength but if I missed a day I did 5 sets the next workout instead of 3. If I ended up doing 2 days in a row I did all upper body and pushing exercises one day and all lower body and pulling exercises the next day.

My strength is now at:

225 lbs Squat unbelted for 1 rep or 200lbs unbelted for 5

225lb Deadlift unbelted for 2 reps or 205 unbelted for 4

Bench at 135lb for 5 reps

Press at 90lbs for 3 reps, 85lbs for 5

Cleans same as press

But my bicep curls are crap at 45lbs for 6-8 and I can’t do chins or dips

Weight has increased from the late 160s/early 170s to the 190s but it’s body fat too

2

BB style > Push pull

Strength Style > 4 days 5/3/1

And no one cares how much you curl.

you are not progressing on low reps because you are inconsistent. And by the sounds of it, you are not following a program but doing a bit of this and that.

Don’t blame a program for your short comings.

CNS fatigue 3 times a week?

3

[quote]JFG wrote:
BB style > Push pull

Strength Style > 4 days 5/3/1

And no one cares how much you curl.

you are not progressing on low reps because you are inconsistent. And by the sounds of it, you are not following a program but doing a bit of this and that.

Don’t blame a program for your short comings.

CNS fatigue 3 times a week?[/quote]

When did I say I wasn’t following a program?

I did

3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench
1x5 Deadlift
2sets Dips
2 sets leg raise

Next workout

3x5 Squat
3x5 Overhead Press
5x3 Cleans
2 sets Chins
2 sets Sit Ups

Tricep Extensions 2 sets 10
Curls 2 set 10

If I missed a workout I did 5 sets instead of 3 and 3 on accessory instead of 2

If I missed workout and I was doing a workout next day I’d do pushing exercises one day and legs/pull the next

And I’m assuming CNS as my strength isn’t going up anymore, even with resets

And which higher rep workouts can I do 2 days in a row? If low reps don’t work anymore it’s time for higher right

I’m doing Arnold Level 1 ATM

And originally my poundage 5RM in November were

Bodyweight: 168lb
Squat 90lbs
Bench 70lb
Deadlift 110lb
Press 45lb

But I had not been doing strength exercises for ages and I was stronger before (2012)

My 5RM now

Bodyweight:194lbs
Squat 205lb
Bench 130lb
Deadlift 210lb
Press 80lb

Same as 2012 except my lower body exercises are 10lb higher and upper body are 5lb less

I was doing lots of push ups,sit ups,squats ; wrestling and dancing last year and didn’t each too much

4

[quote]ronki23 wrote:

If I missed a workout I did 5 sets instead of 3 and 3 on accessory instead of 2

If I missed workout and I was doing a workout next day I’d do pushing exercises one day and legs/pull the next

[/quote]

Why were you missing workouts? If you’re only lifting 3 days a week, you can’t really afford to do that.

Personally, if I skipped workouts sometimes and worked out 2 days in a row other times, I would do a full workout those 2 days in a row. I feel like that would much effective to train MORE frequently than less in that instance.

5

[quote]ronki23 wrote:
my diet sucked and had crappy sleep routine as I was busy with assignments

[/quote]

Get your nutrition and recovery in order and you will see progress again.

Re: working out twice in a row, any 4 day routine should give you the flexibility you need.

6

I am not one of the bigger stronger guys but I did manage to get out of the same position you are in a while back. I found out that what I thought was a lot of food was in fact 2000 calories on a good day. My advice would be to write down a weeklong meal plan with all of the macros and calories counted out and then stick to it TO THE LETTER for a few weeks. That way you know what you are eating, and how it affects you. When I started doing this my strength skyrocketed, and I’m still riding that out.

That, and stick to a good program. The guys answering have the experience to point you in the right way there.

7

[quote]Roran wrote:
I am not one of the bigger stronger guys but I did manage to get out of the same position you are in a while back. I found out that what I thought was a lot of food was in fact 2000 calories on a good day. My advice would be to write down a weeklong meal plan with all of the macros and calories counted out and then stick to it TO THE LETTER for a few weeks. That way you know what you are eating, and how it affects you. When I started doing this my strength skyrocketed, and I’m still riding that out.

That, and stick to a good program. The guys answering have the experience to point you in the right way there. [/quote]

I’ve been eating a lot, 2 shakes a day for past 2 months and Jan-Mar. Unfortunately in first few months (Nov-Jan) and Mar-May I was drinking 600-1000ml skimmed milk postworkout as I didn’t have shakes.

But my weight went up from 168-193 since Nov. Of course I’m sure a lot was fat as I’m 20% body fat but even when my body fat was as low as 13% I had navel fat/moobs (so I was still fat in November anyway/ate for strength if I struggled)

8

[quote]1 Man Island wrote:

[quote]ronki23 wrote:
my diet sucked and had crappy sleep routine as I was busy with assignments

[/quote]

Get your nutrition and recovery in order and you will see progress again.

Re: working out twice in a row, any 4 day routine should give you the flexibility you need.[/quote]

Are there any 3 day routines that can be done?

Btw; my diet was/is crap (e.g eating anything as long as scales and strength go up but still being high in protein) because I have depression (officially diagnosed and am on medication)

Plus I used to create my own workouts/ personal trainers’ and my original gym had no squat rack or bench rack so until 2010 I was on diet and did crappy programs (i even tried Mentzer HIT but not properly) so I feel that I wasted 2 years trying to bulk up/eating clean foods as I didn’t progress due to sucky workout program’s

9

If you want to train 2 days in a row do a push pull ,or upper lower. But i would recommend a full body linear progression routine on 3 non consecutive days a week. Figure out how many calories you need to maintain your weight, and eat 250-500 calories above that.

10

[quote]janson8000 wrote:
If you want to train 2 days in a row do a push pull ,or upper lower. But i would recommend a full body linear progression routine on 3 non consecutive days a week. Figure out how many calories you need to maintain your weight, and eat 250-500 calories above that.[/quote]

But what are the best push/pull or upper/lower?links?

Only reason I’m doing a more bodybuilding routine is because I’m not getting stronger anymore

From what I know about bodybuilding, it’s not rocket science but do one thing wrong and you don’t get anywhere!

11

Just get on 5/3/1 there are 3 day and even 2 day templates

12

I hate to tell you, but… The program is not the issue. You are. You are not following the program as it is written (no, doing two days in a row and then only working upper on one/lower on the other is not a minor modification), you do not eat well (I’m sure you eat enough calories since that’s a lot of weight gained, but looking at your strength I’m sure little of it is muscle), you probably do not sleep well, and you skip workouts.

I understand that this is due to your living conditions and your depression. I’m not trying to tell you you’re a bad person, you only have to blame yourself, yada yada. What I’m saying is that these need fixing, not your program. No program will help you unless you change those factors; all you’ll do is switch plans every few months looking for a fix.

13

Post a pic. If you are really 20% bodyfat something’s not right about your traing AND diet.

14

When and on what fucking world is two shakes and 1000ml of skim milk how ever the fuck much that is ever been alot of food?

  1. Your diet suck pure and simple. Your not eating alot pure and simple.
  2. Your training sounds even worse than your dieting at least your consistently not eating.
  3. When you do one of those gains are shit. When you do both of those things gains are damn near nonexistent.

3 days a week is plenty. I train 3 days a week.
Sunday- Heavy Squat and Deadlift
Monday- Heavy Bench
Wednesday- Lighter tech Squat or Special Squat
Thursday- (optional and only if feel completely recovered) light bench not going over 225 for sets of 10 plus.

Get your shit together. I have 10 clients I work with, full time student, coach a few clients online with programming, and work as security on the 2-3 nights a week. You have no excuse to not be consistent other than your lazy. Which if that’s the case so be it but stop cluttering the forum if your not going to take the advice you asked for.

15

[quote]Reed wrote:
When and on what fucking world is two shakes and 1000ml of skim milk how ever the fuck much that is ever been alot of food?

  1. Your diet suck pure and simple. Your not eating alot pure and simple.
  2. Your training sounds even worse than your dieting at least your consistently not eating.
  3. When you do one of those gains are shit. When you do both of those things gains are damn near nonexistent.

3 days a week is plenty. I train 3 days a week.
Sunday- Heavy Squat and Deadlift
Monday- Heavy Bench
Wednesday- Lighter tech Squat or Special Squat
Thursday- (optional and only if feel completely recovered) light bench not going over 225 for sets of 10 plus.

Get your shit together. I have 10 clients I work with, full time student, coach a few clients online with programming, and work as security on the 2-3 nights a week. You have no excuse to not be consistent other than your lazy. Which if that’s the case so be it but stop cluttering the forum if your not going to take the advice you asked for.[/quote]

I am eating alot; my weight went up from 168 to 194. Of course some of that is fat.
I’ve eaten entire pizzas 1-2x a month, ice cream,etc. But most of the time I don’t eat junk. I’d say my junk intake is 4-6x in a month total

Yes I know it’s wrong but hey, that’s what depression does to you.

16

What are the best push/pull and upper/lower workouts? Links?

Are there Wendlers you can do 2 days in a row?

Also, is there a reason everyone prescribes low reps? The only reason I am doing higer reps atm is i’ve been doing low reps for months on end and progression has stalled. Yes I know i’ve been doing things wrong.

I intend to get back onto low reps soon

17

I would worry more about your diet. Post a breakdown of what you eat daily.

18

Low reps are better for gaining strength fast and thus making progress; also, it’s hard to maintain good form during long sets. concerning push/pull, look for Ben Bruno’s ‘Strength Training: College Edition’ on this site. But again: Your program is not the issue, not at all.

19

[quote]ronki23 wrote:

[quote]Reed wrote:
When and on what fucking world is two shakes and 1000ml of skim milk how ever the fuck much that is ever been alot of food?

  1. Your diet suck pure and simple. Your not eating alot pure and simple.
  2. Your training sounds even worse than your dieting at least your consistently not eating.
  3. When you do one of those gains are shit. When you do both of those things gains are damn near nonexistent.

3 days a week is plenty. I train 3 days a week.
Sunday- Heavy Squat and Deadlift
Monday- Heavy Bench
Wednesday- Lighter tech Squat or Special Squat
Thursday- (optional and only if feel completely recovered) light bench not going over 225 for sets of 10 plus.

Get your shit together. I have 10 clients I work with, full time student, coach a few clients online with programming, and work as security on the 2-3 nights a week. You have no excuse to not be consistent other than your lazy. Which if that’s the case so be it but stop cluttering the forum if your not going to take the advice you asked for.[/quote]

I am eating alot; my weight went up from 168 to 194. Of course some of that is fat.
I’ve eaten entire pizzas 1-2x a month, ice cream,etc. But most of the time I don’t eat junk. I’d say my junk intake is 4-6x in a month total

Yes I know it’s wrong but hey, that’s what depression does to you.

[/quote]

you eat alot shit it sounds like. But what ever continue feeling depressed and just get fatter no sympathy from this direction.

20

Do you want to be successful at this?