Critique My Sports Workout

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

I am 14 years old and I am training for basketball. This just the weight training part of my program. I work out at home and I only have dumbells. I do 3 sets for 10 reps on all my excercises(I do chinups/pullups to failure).I also do 100 situps and wrist curls on lifting nights. I rest 2-3 minutes between sets.

Monday:
Arnold press
bicep curls
dumbell bench press
dumbell tricep extension
pull ups
dumbell squat
lunges
calf raises

Wednesday:
Shoulder press
Hammer curls
dumbell bench press
tricep extensions
chin ups
shrugs
obliques

Friday:
Arnold press
bicep curls
dumbell bench press
tricep extensions
pull ups
squats
lunges
calf raises

Is this okay? Am I overtraining? Please comment.

Thanks.

2

Well, it seems like an odd order of exercises (arms and shoulders before legs, and chest before legs) and that’s quite a bit of exercises to do each day.

I’d stick with something like 3 sets the first week, four sets the second week and five sets the third week. Then only do 2 sets the last week but up the intensity (amount of weight you lift). This is more along the lines of what CT recommends and is similar to what I do in my training blocks.

I’d also stick with 8-12 reps rather than just 3x10. Put your leg exercises first followed by chest and back. Or alternate lower body with upper body.

Since you’re doing full-body workouts, I would do something like two upper body and two lower body exercises each day followed by arms, shoulders or calves and abs.

For example:

Day 1)
Dumbbell squats
Dumbbell bench press
Dumbbell stiff-legged deadlifts
Dumbbell rows
Dumbbell curls
Dumbbell triceps extensions
Dumbbell side bends

Day 2)
Dumbbell step ups
Dumbbell shoulder presses
Dumbbell cleans
Chins/pullups
Dumbbell calf raises
Dumbbell rear delt raises
Abs

Day 3)
Dumbbell lunges
Dumbbell incline press
Dumbbell snatches or glute ham raises or hyperextensions
Dumbbell shrugs
Dumbbell Hammer curls
Decline dumbbell triceps extensions

3

Is that the order you’re doing things in? If so, you should modify it so that you’re doing isolation exercises after the compound lifts. Also, you probably don’t need to be isolating your biceps, triceps, and shoulders 3 days a week, and you’d be better off not doing the same exercises repeatedly (e.g. instead of doing bench press 3 days a week, throw in some incline or declines, or maybe some dips or flies). And you’re not currently doing any horizontal pulling.

I’d recommend starting your upper body with one back and one chest exercise. For the back, I’d alternate between some kind of pullup and row. Reduce direct bicep, tricep, and shoulder work to no more than twice/week.

You should probably throw some deadlifts into your leg routine. Some Olympic lifts (e.g. dumbbell snatches) wouldn’t be a bad idea either. And do legs first, or at least every other workout.

100 reps for situps is probably too much. Mix in some other ab exercises, like hanging leg raises.

As for your rep/set parameters, I’m honestly not sure what to recommend if your training goals are to improve your basketball performance, but I would guess that power would be a top priority, in which case you should increase the rep range to 12-15 and drop the weight a little so you can train explosively (i.e. lift the weight as fast as possible, and lower it under control).

Finally, ditch the Arnold presses. They seem pretty worthless, IMO.

4

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
I do 3 sets for 10 reps on all my excercises(I do chinups/pullups to failure)…I rest 2-3 minutes between sets.[/quote]

The 3x10 is out-dated. There are better ways to do things. I’d be happier if you avoided the failure, and decreased your rest by about a minute.

These will not make you a better player. Quit it, and save your energy.

It could be better. Not yet, but only because you’re young and new to training (I presume). With pleasure.

My suggested routine would look something like:
Monday
A. Pull-up 3x8 (depending on your max)
B. Free Squat 4x12
C1. Push-up 4x12
C2. Lunge 4x8
D. Plank 2x30 seconds
E. Side Plank 2x30 seconds

Wednesday
A1. DB Deadlift 3x12
A2. Flat DB Bench Press 3x12
B1. 1-Arm DB row 3x12
B2. DB Step-up 3x12
C. Standing Shoulder Press 3x12
D1. “Your Favorite Triceps Move” 3x12
D2. “Your Favorite Biceps Move” 3x12

Friday
A. Farmer’s Walk 3xabout 50 steps
B. “Random Exercise A” 3x8
C. “Random Exercise B” 3x8
D1. “Generic Ab Crunching Move” 3x12
D2. “Generic Ab Twisting Move” 3x12

I left some variation in those last 2 days, so you can still work what needs working, while having some fun. I’d have 1 day as strictly bodyweight stuff. At your age, that’s an overlooked, but important place to start.

A second day hits the weights fairly traditionally, nothing spectacular, but effective. The third day is pretty open. Farmer’s walks will train everything. If you can, I’d start light, and do them outside on grass, to specifically strengthen the ankles and lower leg. The other few slots there are for whatever exercises you were in the mood to do, that you didn’t get to do during the week.

A pair of important points to consider:
-Avoid muscle failure, in all sets. You should be physically able to crank out an extra 2 reps on any given set, but you won’t. That self-restraint and control will payoff on the court, and you’ll get stronger and faster, sooner.

  • What is your nutrition like? How often are you eating? What are you eating?
  • How often do you play basketball, and when is the season? Do you do any other “cardio”? (please say no, please say no, please say no)

Any questions, let me know. (wow, did I win the award for “longest post of the day” yet?) :wink:

5

I’m not doing them in that order.

6

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
I’m not doing them in that order.[/quote]

Well, change it up based on the feedback you’re getting.

Compound, multi-joint exercises or technical exercises (snatches, cleans) first in the workout.

7

Did you not read? I only have dumbells.

8

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
Did you not read? I only have dumbells.[/quote]

Yeah…and? You can do cleans and snatches with DBs (granted, at this stage of the game, I wouldn’t suggest it yet, but still).

9

Am I overtraining my arms? Too much tricep work?

10

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
Am I overtraining my arms? Too much tricep work?[/quote]

I’d try to keep direct tricep/arm training to once a week, maybe twice if you mix up the exercises, sets, and reps. They’ll get worked plenty by hitting push-ups, pull-ups/chin-ups, bench pressing, rows, and shoulder presses.

11

I’m a beginner. Should I do my dumbell squats explosively or normally? I heard that explosively help your verticle more. But I am nerw to lifting so should I do normal squats first before I get into th more complicated squats?

12

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
But I am nerw to lifting so should I do normal squats first before I get into th more complicated squats?[/quote]

Yeah, definitely start with “basic” squats/deadlifts to lay a solid foundation down. This, in combination with your plyo work (which could use a tweaking) should be fine.

13

How should I do my excercises? Slowly or fast? Slow 2 second negative, 1 second positive?

14

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
How should I do my excercises? Slowly or fast? Slow 2 second negative, 1 second positive?[/quote]

I’m not particularly fond of “tempo”-based training. I think it’s a little too hard to accurately lift for 3 seconds this way, 2 seconds that way, a 5 second pause.

Basically: Weight moves up, weight moves down, you’re done. For the most part, just concentrate on keeping your technique 102% spot-on for the entire rep, and the tempo will take care of itself. (If I had to give a guideline, I’d say “kinda fast going up, a little slower going down”.)

15

Sorry for asking you so many questions but
…

Do you think it is neccesary for me to run during my strength training period? Because I am planning on strength training until the beginning of October. Then I will start playing basketball again and do drills to be ready by November 15(When basketball tryouts are held).

Should I run and do sprints and pylo during my strength training period? Or should I do my sprints and conditioning in october after I’m through with my strength training?

16

Why don’t you follow an “athletic” training program on this site if you don’t want to do what has been suggested?

You could easily use dumbbells and still follow Westside for Skinny Bastards 2 or the 21-Day Itch or another program better based for athletes.

17

[quote]Baller1950 wrote:
Did you not read? I only have dumbells.[/quote]

By the way, did you not read what I wrote earlier? The whole program was based on using dumbbells (besides chins and dips).

And just because you use dumbbells, it doesn’t mean the exercise can’t be a compound or multi-joint exercise…you can still do the basics with dumbbells (provided you have enough weight).

18

I’d recommend controlling the weight on the eccentric (negative portion) and lifting (concentric) explosively, or at least not slow. Keep the conditioning training separate from your strength training if possible. Basically, build strength 1st, then taper down to a maintenance level to allow for more conditioning and more basketball training. Always work on improving your skills, though.

I’d also recommend not spending too much thought on specific muscle groups…just do the compound exercises with good effort and that will be enough. Eat clean , sleep well, and take an exra day off now and then for recovery. DONT overtrain.

My $0.02

19

Too add to my other post…
If you don’t have heavy enough dumbbells, there are plenty of body weight exercises you can do to build strength…

20

[quote]DeepSouth wrote:
I’d recommend controlling the weight on the eccentric (negative portion) and lifting (concentric) explosively, or at least not slow. Keep the conditioning training separate from your strength training if possible. Basically, build strength 1st, then taper down to a maintenance level to allow for more conditioning and more basketball training. Always work on improving your skills, though.

I’d also recommend not spending too much thought on specific muscle groups…just do the compound exercises with good effort and that will be enough. Eat clean , sleep well, and take an exra day off now and then for recovery. DONT overtrain.

My $0.02[/quote]

How do I know when my muscles are recovered so I dont overtrain?

And so you are saying I shouldnt run during my strength training?