Critique This New Routine

Ok so I’m not a total noob, but I’ve only been lifting for a couple of months, and I’m trying to get a new work out routine, so please critique this one and tell me if there is anything wrong with it.

Mon/Thur:Chest,Triceps

Flat bench press-4 sets
Incline bench press-4 sets
Decline bench press-4 sets
Tricep extensions-4 sets

Tues/Fri:Back,Biceps

Before workout 15 chinups, 12 pull ups
Deadlifts-4 sets
Standing barbell row-4 sets
barbell curls-4 sets
concentration curls-4 sets
Alternate hammer curls-4 sets

Wed/Sat:Legs,shoulders

Squats-4 sets
calf raises-4 sets
leg curls-4 sets
seated Military press-4 sets
Front dumbell raises-4 sets

And Abs everyday.

Just because you’ve been lifting for a couple months doesn’t mean that you aren’t a total newb, you are. I’m not going to go into what is wrong with your workout program because it would take too long, but it’s very very poor. It looks a lot like what I did in high school before I knew anything about lifting.

Read up on here and pick a program for beginners that was made by someone that knows what they are doing. Start with the stickies at the top of the beginners section. I usually recommend westside for skinny bastards for a first program but pick one you like.

Whats your goals? First thing that jumps out is your going to the gym 6 days a week. I know your new and you fucking love going to the gym, everyone was like that and most ppl still are. However, everyone realizes at some point that all you need is 3 good days and spending that much time in the gym F***s with your real life too much.

Without knowing anything about you I would only be able to suggest you stick to routines real experts made. WS4SB is great. Thats West Side for Skinny bastards. Check it out at defrancostraining.com or just do a search on this website. Its four days a week which is nice b/c, well its almost six, plus its got room to add conditioning stuff if you want to do that. It’ll start getting your strength up and build some muscle. Good Luck.

Alright thanks. My goals are pretty much to get cut, not so much to bulk up, because I am already pretty bulky, and I train in BJJ, so I don’t want to be too bulky.

Also, what are stickies?

And can you link me to a good program that would fit my needs.

edit: Also, are there any supplements I should take? I heard that if you want to bulk up you should eat your bodyweight in protein every day, but how much if you want to get cut?

[quote]lifta wrote:
Alright thanks. My goals are pretty much to get cut, not so much to bulk up, because I am already pretty bulky, and I train in BJJ, so I don’t want to be too bulky.

Also, what are stickies?

And can you link me to a good program that would fit my needs.

edit: Also, are there any supplements I should take? I heard that if you want to bulk up you should eat your bodyweight in protein every day, but how much if you want to get cut?[/quote]

The posts at the top of the beginner forums that don’t move are “stickies”.

Heres WS4SB: http://defrancostraining.com/articles/articles.htm

I like that routine alot for beginners.

Bulking and cutting is all about how much you eat. You should take some kind of protein supplement after your workout. Anything other then that is not required. I wouldn’t reduce the amount of protein you take in each day, which should probubly be 1g to 1.5g per lb for you. To cut you need to cut your calories. Also if your wanting to cut you should work in cardio into your workout. The WS4SB has a section for that so read it.

Alright, thanks. I also would like to add that I workout at home, so I don’t have as much equipment as they have at a gym.

Also, I just read that article, and I am kindof confused. For each letter, it says “choose one of the following exersices” does that mean you don’t do any of the other ones? Can someone please explain this to me a little more.thx.

And it says “superset” a bunch of times in that artical, what does that mean?

“superset” means doing 2 exercises with alternating sets. It can make the workout more efficient.

If it says to do one of the following, then just do one because they all have a similar effect.

Ok so im going to do the Mon,tues,thrus,fri one.

sorry for all the newb questions but

“work up to a max set of 3-5 reps”

what does that mean?

That means to do warmup sets

to clarify on stuwards posts, that means to ramp up your weight until you hit a 3-5 rep max that you can’t get any more weight/reps with.

So like

10 reps at 105
10 reps at 120
8 reps at 125
5 reps 135?

Something like that? is there a certain amount of sets you should do?

Also, when it gives you a list of exercises, and says choose one, do you do that one exercise every week, or do you switch?

And if it says “perform 3 supersets” is that a total of 6 sets?

Do a few sets but don’t wear yourself out. Everybody is different. I think a good way is 10 @ 60% of your work set, 5 @ 70%, 3 @ 80, 2 @ 90. But that varies with the individual. Generally the higher the weight on the work set, the more warm up sets are needed.

Stu

Ok so I think I have a winner now.

Monday-Max-Effort Upper Body

-work up to max set of 3-5 reps in Bench press
-Incline Dumbell BP 2 sets 15-20 reps
-3-4 supersets Barbell rows/seated dumbell powercleans
-3-4 sets 8-15 reps Barbell shrugs
-3-4 sets 8-15 reps preacher curls

Tues-Dynamic-Effort Lower Body
-5-8 sets 1-3 reps box jump
-2-3sets 8-10 reps barbell reverse lunges
-3 sets 8-12 reps romanian deadlift
-4 sets 10-15 reps DB side bends

Thurs-Repetition Upper Body
-4 sets 12-15 reps Flat DB BP
-3-4 supersets 8-12 reps Chinups/seated DB powercleans
-4 sets 8-12 reps DB military press
-3 supersets 8-10 reps Barbell shrugs/preacher curls

  • 2-3 sets 2-3 reps wrist rollers

Friday-Max-Effort Lower Body
-work up to max set of 3-5 reps squats
-3 sets 6-12 reps bulgarian split squats
-3 sets 8-12 reps Leg curls
-Various ab exercises

Ok is that better than my original?

[quote]stuward wrote:
Do a few sets but don’t wear yourself out. Everybody is different. I think a good way is 10 @ 60% of your work set, 5 @ 70%, 3 @ 80, 2 @ 90. But that varies with the individual. Generally the higher the weight on the work set, the more warm up sets are needed.

Stu[/quote]

if it says 3-5 reps don’t do 10 for anything but a warmup set stay with roughly 3-5. Stuward has the right idea if you read his post.

wait now im confused, can you give an example for someone around my strength(my max bench is 165)

[quote]lifta wrote:
Ok so I think I have a winner now.

Monday-Max-Effort Upper Body

-work up to max set of 3-5 reps in Bench press
-Incline Dumbell BP 2 sets 15-20 reps
-3-4 supersets Barbell rows/seated dumbell powercleans
-3-4 sets 8-15 reps Barbell shrugs
-3-4 sets 8-15 reps preacher curls

Tues-Dynamic-Effort Lower Body
-5-8 sets 1-3 reps box jump
-2-3sets 8-10 reps barbell reverse lunges
-3 sets 8-12 reps romanian deadlift
-4 sets 10-15 reps DB side bends

Thurs-Repetition Upper Body
-4 sets 12-15 reps Flat DB BP
-3-4 supersets 8-12 reps Chinups/seated DB powercleans
-4 sets 8-12 reps DB military press
-3 supersets 8-10 reps Barbell shrugs/preacher curls

  • 2-3 sets 2-3 reps wrist rollers

Friday-Max-Effort Lower Body
-work up to max set of 3-5 reps squats
-3 sets 6-12 reps bulgarian split squats
-3 sets 8-12 reps Leg curls
-Various ab exercises

Ok is that better than my original?[/quote]

The thing with WSFSB is if you don’t compete in powerlifting, DE isnt for you. I would have a squat based lower body day, then a deadlift lower body day, with all the soresponding assesory lifts

DE meaning Dynamic-effort? if so are all the other days good?and are you saying take the DE day out? what should I replace it with?

[quote]lifta wrote:
DE meaning Dynamic-effort? if so are all the other days good?and are you saying take the DE day out? what should I replace it with?[/quote]

yes DE stands for dynamic effort. I would make one day:
I just realized you used HIS dynamic lower body day, which is fine if you are training n season for a sport, otherwise I’d do a squat and deadlift based lower body days for ex:

day 1:
Backsquat
-pick one of his unilaterals
-pick any of his non deadlift hammy/pchain lifts
-ab circuit

Day 2:
Straight bar deadlift
-pick a unilateral
-non deadlift hammer/pchain movement
-ab circuit

You could also add calves if you like

I don’t really get what you’re saying. SO are Mon, Thurs, Friday good? and I don’t get why your saying take tuesday out.

[quote]lifta wrote:
wait now im confused, can you give an example for someone around my strength(my max bench is 165)[/quote]

45 (just the bar) x5
95x5
135x3
155x3
165x1
175x1 PR!!

Some people would only do one on the 155, or maybe take a set out. I think beginners should do a few more warm up sets since their max weight isn’t that stressful. Plus more chances to work on technique.

Use the warm up sets to tweak your form, get in the groove, work on your setup, don’t worry about trying to “work out” your muscle. That comes from the heavy weights.