Some Advice on my Routine

Training Beginners
1

Alright, I am currently 15 years old and weigh in at 170lb’s, at 5’8’'. I haven’t been extremely active, but I seem to have a decent amount of muscle, but with a bit of a layer of fat.

I’ve been working out for 3 months, but only been doing it smart for about one month.
I’ve recently asked around for some advice on my workout schedule, and this is what I came up with. I would appreciate all criticism in terms of how efficient this routine looks.

Monday: Back day- Hang from bar, and do back stretches after completion.
3 sets of palms away pullups, going until failure. Dead hang, 2-3inches farther then shoulder width. 2 minutes between each set.

3 minute break period.

3 sets of palms in chinups, going until failure. Dead hang, 2-3 inches closer then shoulder width. 2 minutes between each set.

3 minute break period.

Pyramid stack for bent over barbell rows-

Starting weight- 14 reps 2 minute rest period between all sets
Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

Tuesday: Chest day- stretch using doorway stretch
Pyramid stack for Flat benchpress- 2 minute restperiod between all sets

Starting weight- 14 reps
Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

3 minute rest- change bench for incline

Pyramid stack for Incline benchpress- 2 minute rest between sets

Starting weight- 14 reps
Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

3 minute rest

Dips- 2 minute rest between sets

4 sets of dips, going until failure.

3 minute rest

Dumbbell flys on incline bench- 2 minute rest periods

3 sets until failure

Wednesday: Leg day-

Pyramid stack for front squats-
Warm up set- Very light weight, 20 reps

Starting weight- 14 reps

Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

Pyramid stack for deadlifts-

Warm up set- Very light weight, 6 reps perfect form.

5 sets of 5 reps.

One leg calf raises on a platform-

4 sets of until failure reps, bodyweight.
Holding for 2-3 seconds at the bottom portion of the rep, and 2-3 seconds on the top portion.
20 second breaks to catch breath in between sets.
Alternate between legs, 4 sets on each leg.

Thursday: Shoulders-

Standing military press-

Starting weight- 14 reps

Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, until safe failure

Side front and rear raises-

4 sets of until failure.
20 lb weight

Side - 30sec rest - Back - 30 sec rest - Front - 30sec rest - Side - 30sec rest - Back - 30 sec rest - Front - 30sec rest -

Friday: Off

Saturday: Arm day

Pyramid stack for Barbell curl- 2 minute rest between sets

Starting weight- 14 reps
Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

Pyramid stack for Palms away barbell curl- 2 minute rest between sets

Starting weight- 14 reps
Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

Pyramid stack for Overhead tricept extension- 2 minute rest between sets
Alternating arms.

Starting weight- 14 reps
Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

Pyramid stack for Lying one arm tricep extension- 2 minute rest between sets
Alternating arms.

Starting weight- 14 reps
Add weight, 12 reps
Add weight, 10 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, 8 reps
Add weight, failure.

Sunday: Off

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i like pie

3

Yeah you know its only very recently that I ever TRIED pie, but I had this chocolate pie right? And WOW. Mouthgasm.

4

That’s how fucking awesome that routine is, Reborn. All they can come up with is pie.

Keep in mind all he has to work with is a bench, barbell with plates, a dip/chin station, 2 20lb bells, and 1 35er.

I couldn’t really think of many variations of things to do for arm isolation with that, but what we have along with compounds should do.

Back squats won’t happen because no rack, but I told him to do front squats and take the bar from the back of the bench. He’s been cleaning it so far and doing front squats with 60lbs. I told him to add weight and use the bench so he didn’t have to clean it.

5

I currently only have access to my home gym, that has only the equipment listed by Artem.

Also- Does anyone have any tips on how to build a home squat rack, such as the specifications and recommended materials that people have used to build one? This would be something that would at best have some safety catches, but bare minimum gives me something to just lift the bar off of for the start.

Does anyone have any other information to contribute about the routine? Does anyone see any problems with it? All criticism is accepted, just help me fine tune this if you would.

6

First of all, anyone, if you’re not going to post something helpful, fuck off. There’s plenty of other places to be a douchebag on this site. That’s where I usually am…being a douchebag.

Reborn, i’m leaving work soon, but i’ll post some stuff tomorrow. I’ve been working out at home for awhile, and with very limited resources. If you’re motivated enough, you can make great progess working out at home.

What’s your diet like?

7

[quote]imhungry wrote:
First of all, anyone, if you’re not going to post something helpful, fuck off. There’s plenty of other places to be a douchebag on this site. That’s where I usually am…being a douchebag.

Reborn, i’m leaving work soon, but i’ll post some stuff tomorrow. I’ve been working out at home for awhile, and with very limited resources. If you’re motivated enough, you can make great progess working out at home.

What’s your diet like?

[/quote]

Alright, here’s my basic breakdown. Now, I’m hoping to go for a bulking diet, because I’m 15. I hear that I should just be adding mass like there is no tomorrow while I can, so thats the plan. My main issue currently is no have a lunch period in school, but I have been talking this over with other people and I think that if I try to get a protein shake or two in-between classes, it might not be to bad. But anyway:

Breakfast: 6:50-7:00am
One cup quaker oats oatmeal, microwaved with 1cup milk
2 cups milk with 2 scoops of http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=391140

Lunch? : 12:00? In between classes
I am hoping to start packing myself a water bottle with 1cup water, 1 scoop of the same protein powder. I can try eating turkey/chicken/, or meat during this time. But Im stuck with braces for another 6months, so it will be quite hard (Not impossible if this is the best option)

After school: 2:30-2:40
A chicken breast, or two chicken legs.
If it is available, Ill have a glass of milk with this. If not, water all the way.

Dinner: 6:00? (Parents discretion)
Often consisting of steak, baked chicken, or seafood of some sorts. Im not quite sure if there is anything I should be avoiding (besides the obvious…)

Alright, NateDog and Artem both don’t think Im eating nearly enough. Anyone have any advice of what I can add and where the optimal time period to add it would be? I currently don’t have any pics of my physique, but I will try to get some this weekend.

They will be bad, but Im here.

8

i told you man, a gallon of milk and peanut butter from the jar. since your parents won’t let you have the milk, just have more peanut butter.

lots of carbs like rice, buckwheat
beans
any meat or dairy products you can get your hands on
eggs

9

Add some pie into that diet plan and you’ll be golden!

10

Hey Reborn,

Ive read through your workout routine and it looks good. Very detailed. I think because you are a beginner, there is not much i would change just yet because at this stage, anything is going to put muscle on you.

A few tips i would like to give you though, some are obvious but they are just my nuggets.

  • Some guys will start off with a very strict eating plan and fail because they can be unsustainable. Personally, eating plans work for me and i have no trouble keeping to them. If i were you i would buy a whole stack of 95g tuna cans and fill your school bag with them. Have one between each period every day or something easy to remember like that. you want to keep your protein high at about 170g ED.

  • Dont go nuts with supplements just yet and stay away from prohormones until you are 21. Because the temptation will be there. Hard work makes you big, not magic pills.

  • As hungry said, you can get very big even just from a home gym setup. Ill post a pic of my 17 year old cousin who lives with me. He has 15 and a half inch biceps at 5 foot 7 and muscularity that veteran naturals could only dream of for his weight. Im trying to convince him to compete and he is completely natural. Been training since 15 and he was a total runt when he started. BUT i have never seen anyone train as hard as him… which brings me to my next point.

  • EVERY WORKOUT IS YOUR LAST. have that mindset and leave nothing left in the tank. Im not talking about volume, im talking about INTENSITY. For you i would use med-heavy weight, lift with good form and push yourself until you feel like dying.

  • Dont make excuses on those last 2 reps because its those reps that make you big. And if you are a real man you’ll push out one extra rep.

  • Aggression is your greatest asset in the gym. you have your plan, you have been eating all day. Get ANGRY. Use music if you have to. You are a man and you are powerful, beat your chest and fire-up. Your going to need your testosterone to get through this workout.

  • Good form it paramount, but i find on the last few reps, if you have to… cheat. do what you have to do to move that weight and the muscles you are training will burn and tear but keep going, as many as you can. When you put the weight down you can rest assured that you held nothing back.

there you go. take those with a pinch of salt.

11

crap, cant find a pic, he deleted his facebook. you can take my word for it though, you can get very very big at your age if you lift big and intense and eat heaps.

12

[quote]RebornTN wrote:
I currently only have access to my home gym, that has only the equipment listed by Artem.

Also- Does anyone have any tips on how to build a home squat rack, such as the specifications and recommended materials that people have used to build one? This would be something that would at best have some safety catches, but bare minimum gives me something to just lift the bar off of for the start.

Does anyone have any other information to contribute about the routine? Does anyone see any problems with it? All criticism is accepted, just help me fine tune this if you would.[/quote]

I squatted from the back of a bench for at least a year. It can work, but it has to be built for that. If you can walk straight to the bar (from behind) without tripping on supports then you should be golden.

13

[quote]The Manthony wrote:
Hey Reborn,

Ive read through your workout routine and it looks good. Very detailed. I think because you are a beginner, there is not much i would change just yet because at this stage, anything is going to put muscle on you.

A few tips i would like to give you though, some are obvious but they are just my nuggets.

  • Some guys will start off with a very strict eating plan and fail because they can be unsustainable. Personally, eating plans work for me and i have no trouble keeping to them. If i were you i would buy a whole stack of 95g tuna cans and fill your school bag with them.

Have one between each period every day or something easy to remember like that. you want to keep your protein high at about 170g ED. [/quote]

High protein, got it. I’ll see about that tuna thing, or nuts as some other members suggested.

[quote]

  • Dont go nuts with supplements just yet and stay away from prohormones until you are 21. Because the temptation will be there. Hard work makes you big, not magic pills.[/quote]

Alright, am I good with those shakes though? They seem like a good way to keep my protein high, and my parents happy that Im not going through a whole chicekn every 2-3 days.

[quote]

  • As hungry said, you can get very big even just from a home gym setup. Ill post a pic of my 17 year old cousin who lives with me. He has 15 and a half inch biceps at 5 foot 7 and muscularity that veteran naturals could only dream of for his weight.

Im trying to convince him to compete and he is completely natural. Been training since 15 and he was a total runt when he started. BUT i have never seen anyone train as hard as him… which brings me to my next point.

  • EVERY WORKOUT IS YOUR LAST. have that mindset and leave nothing left in the tank. Im not talking about volume, im talking about INTENSITY. For you i would use med-heavy weight, lift with good form and push yourself until you feel like dying. [/quote]

Push till dying, alright. I’ve had a few workouts where I really killed myself, and I felt amazing after them (satisfaction wise). I think I do better without music…less distractions.

Got it.

[quote]
there you go. take those with a pinch of salt. [/quote]

Thanks again Artem for helping with the routine.

14

[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
RebornTN wrote:
I currently only have access to my home gym, that has only the equipment listed by Artem.

Also- Does anyone have any tips on how to build a home squat rack, such as the specifications and recommended materials that people have used to build one? This would be something that would at best have some safety catches, but bare minimum gives me something to just lift the bar off of for the start.

Does anyone have any other information to contribute about the routine? Does anyone see any problems with it? All criticism is accepted, just help me fine tune this if you would.

I squatted from the back of a bench for at least a year. It can work, but it has to be built for that. If you can walk straight to the bar (from behind) without tripping on supports then you should be golden. [/quote]

I had heard about that before. It will be what I do until I can get or build a proper squat/power rack.

I was hoping someone had built a squat rack or such at home though, or had specifications on building one (how high are they usually, how wide, what kind of supports etc)

15

It’s fine to just use some old sawhorses for a squat rack. You have to start from the bottom position but that makes it tougher so why not? The main advantage of a rack is that you have a place to dump the bar if you get stuck in the hole.

16

About the squatting. You could just clean the bar up and then press it over your head to do a back squat.

17

[quote]OooahhhCANTONA wrote:
About the squatting. You could just clean the bar up and then press it over your head to do a back squat.
[/quote]

In theory this will work. But I think he lacks the strength to get the bar over his head to give the legs a proper workout.

18

[quote]TheDudeAbides wrote:
OooahhhCANTONA wrote:
About the squatting. You could just clean the bar up and then press it over your head to do a back squat.

In theory this will work. But I think he lacks the strength to get the bar over his head to give the legs a proper workout.[/quote]

Yea, I have currently been doing this with front squats. But- I really can’t clean as much as I think I could squat.

19

[quote]Kruiser wrote:
It’s fine to just use some old sawhorses for a squat rack. You have to start from the bottom position but that makes it tougher so why not? The main advantage of a rack is that you have a place to dump the bar if you get stuck in the hole.[/quote]

Alright. I had thought that mainly a squat rack is for actually being able to get the weight high enough to start to squat; Like how I cannot clean enough weight to really do heavy squats.

But sawhorses? Alright, I’ll run it past my dad when he gets home. Thanks for your input.

Anyone have experience with these? Or other ideas?

20

routine is actually very similar to what I’m doing just now, I only have home stuff too, and I also have the squat issue so I’ll now be following this thread lol

Some good tips/advice here