I am looking to put on some lean mass and be cardio fit also. I love cardio; swimming, elliptical, running. I also want to add some lean mass from weights but only want to train twice a week BUT HARD and SMART - out of there by 45 mins or less. Am an ectomorph so weights twice a week is fine, anything more too taxing on my recovery.
Workout A. BACK. Pull ups 5 sets of how many I can do (usually 3,2,2,2,1) and then 2 sets lat pull down wide grip pronated and two sets medium grip palms facing. 8 reps for those.
CHEST - Flat barbell bench press. 3 x 10
SHOULDERS - Arnold presses. 3 x 10
LEGS - Seated Leg press. Seated Calf press. 3 x 10 both.
Mostly 3 x 10 (though somemight say 3 x 8 is better.)
Workout B.
BACK. Bent over barbell rows. 3 x 10
CHEST. Incline dumbell press. 3 x 10
SHOULDERS. Millitary barbell press. 3 x 10.
Lateral raises with light d’bell eg - 4 / 6 kg 21 reps (I train shoulders harder as lateral delts are my biggest weak area and I find adding these has helped a lot.)
LEGS. Leg extension, Hamstring curls, Calf press. 3 x 10.
No squat rack at my gym so will not be doing squats and no spotter so no way doing dumbell squats. I know how good thet are and I love em, but right now I am liking the leg workouts I’m doing just fine.
All above unless stipulated otherwise will be done 3 sets of ten reps.
I have worked out before on and off between 17 - now 36 yrs old. Haven’t worked out in past 2 years so starting as a beginner, using KISS (Keep it simple stupid) doing big compounds when I can and for the legs, well they are prob my best part so I’m fine with doing the leg press / calf press W.O A and ham curls, leg ext and calf press W.O B. Also squats give me a ‘black man’s butt’ and deads, a thick lower back and for an ectomorph this makes it hard to get the old v-shape. So shoulder width and waist reduction are paramount.
A typical week so far goes like this.
Monday. Workout A.
Tuesday. 45 mins steady state cardio early morn before breakfast. 3 sets of declined crossover sit ups / crunches till failiure.
Wednesday. 30 mins HIIT cardio in morn before breakfast. (Includes 5 mins warm up and wind down in the 30 mins.)
Thursday. Workout B.
Friday. Steady state cardio or HIIT on the elliptical if feel up to it.
Sat. REST DAY.
Sunday. Swim or rest day depending on how I feel.
REPEAT.
Will aim to do it for at least 6 MONTHS AND THEN MAYBE LOOK AT A NEW PROGRAMME. BUT I LOVE MY FULL BODY W/OUTS and I love my cardio.
Cardio days I workout before breakfast but eat well after, good mix of protien and carbs, 3 meals with a litre of 90% MILK drank throught the day.
Weights days I have a half litre of 90% milk pre workout and some carbs, usually toast an hour before and another half litre immediately before hitting the shower. Also on weights days I eat 3 maeals with good carbs, veg and around 30 g protien each meal and I drink another litre of 90% milk during the day.
I will not buy any shakes or pills etc other than the skimmed milk and centrum a - z. I will not get over fixated on my diet, it will remain mostly as stated above, but perhaps an extra ltr of 90% fat free milk on weights days.
I mostly need to lose some gut and get evrything else sculpted. Shape to me is more important than size I AM NOT LOOKING TO LOOK REALLY BIG, rather, lean and with a decent v-shape, kinda like a ufc bantam weight… I have mates who just lift anf just end up being bigger versions of the out of shape guys they were before. Not me, I go in for sculpting, changing.
I am 36 yrs old, 172cm and 75 kgs
Anyway all I want is feedback on my weights routines,I will never ever cut out or down on the cardio - I L.O.V.E my cardio. Sincerely.
ALSO AM UP FOR MAYBE ADDING AN EXERCISE FOR BI’S (BBELL CURLS?) AND TRI’S (DIPS?) on another one of my cardio days. I know people say that with rows and chins and push exercises ‘Guns take care of themselve’s’ - mine seem not to so much being an ectomorph.
Cheers all. My first post!
