Do you think this workout is good? I think there is too much superset for him but he told me that it was because he asked his trainer to keep his workout under an hour.
His trainer told him to do this workout at least 3 days a week but that he could do it 4-5 times and it would be even better.
I’m asking because I would like to train with him and it would be easier if we both had the same program. Do you think this program is good?
It sounds like a Flex/Muscle and Fitness workout with the volume cut down. Hell, at least those magazines admit that lifters have legs.
Where are the leg exercises?
Noone needs tricep kickbacks and I doubt anyone needs dumbbell flyes either. Use cables or even a pec machine if you really must isolate the chest.
I do not know what your goals are but I doubt you need all of that accesory work. Stick to the big compound lifts and get good at those while you build up a solid base.
actually it’s not a bad workout for a beginner. unfortunately like many routines there is way too much focus on the upper body and too little focus on what’s below the waist. ditch the hack squats and do real barbell squats (back or front).
ditch the dumbbell front squats and do dumbbell lunges, and you really need to add in something that targets the hamstrings and lower back. maybe subsitute power cleans in place of the upright rows on day 3. and would it kill you to deadlift?
Seems like you guys only read the routine, by what he said it isn’t his routine, but some friends that he wants to workout with.
I don’t mind the routine, there are a few changes I would make to exercises, but the guy has to do more legs, wayyyy more. Btw what are front hack squats?
So to sum it up, the big problem with this workout is that there is not enough leg work and too much upper body work that are useless.
Good point about the deadlift but I am just starting to master the bent-over-row position. Is it possible that my back is just too weak or do I just need to practice deadlift form with a light weight?
Those are not realy supersets. Those are more like pre-exhaustion.
Supersets would look more like-
Set 1
Bench press- 8reps(or some arbitrary #)
Bent rows-8reps(or some #)
Set 2
Overhead press (some #)
Pull-ups (some #)
Set 3
bicep curls (some #)
tricep extension (some #)
…with the exercises in set one being done back to back as one set, either as a number of sets, or moving through the series of sets as a circut, for a designated number of circuts.
So to sum it up, the big problem with this workout is that there is not enough leg work and too much upper body work that are useless.
Good point about the deadlift but I am just starting to master the bent-over-row position. Is it possible that my back is just too weak or do I just need to practice deadlift form with a light weight?
Thank you[/quote]
How much can you squat with good form, and with what width stance?
Have you ever tried a deadlift or do you just assume you may have trouble because you are just mastering the bent-over-row?
The more big compound exercises you do with barbells, the stronger your core muscles and balance are going to get. Squats, deadlifts, military presses, and even benches and bent rows work the abs, obliques, and back to some degree.
Some supplementary core work may be in order if you really are weaker there than everywhere else. Back extensions, good mornings, crunches (eventually with added weight), flutter kicks, bicycle crunches, and rainbows are all good but do not overdo it. The big exercises always need the most focus.
Please answer my questions about your squat/deadlift. Also include more information about your goals and current strength/body comp.
My goal is mostly to add lean muscle but also to gain some strength. At the moment I won’t do any sports this winter so it is not a big deal but in the summer I’m always doing extreme sports (rock climbing/kayak/scuba diving etc.). I would like to gain mass in the winter and as the summer approach start focusing on strenght. Is it a good idea?
I weight about 148lbs and my abs and arms are defined. I am also seing my veins easily. I am 5’11" and 19 years old. I gained easily 20lbs of lean muscle in about 2-3 months.
From the opinion of a test we did in class I am a mix between ecto-meso with a tendency toward meso (really large shoulder, short/strong fingers and square jaw). The more I eat the more I gain muscle without fat… My light weight is mostly caused I think because I used to sleep nights of 4 hours and eat really really small meal and even skipping meals (sometimes eating only a toast in the morning for the entire day). I stopped doing that by the way and I’m always sleeping at least 8 hours everyday and I eat a lot more (I never liked junk food so it’s even easier for me).
My squat is pretty low at 115lbs for 12 reps. I never tried to deadlift but before training I had kind of a lordosis but it is much better than it was (I just need to think to keep my back straight all day long). I just assumed that because of my lordosis and that I am just mastering the bent over it may be difficult to do a safe deadlift (I was always curving my back when I started doing bent over). I think my abs are pretty strong because I am doing my sets using weight and a decline bench. What’s stopping me from doing more situp is that my legs are hurting.
We are pretty much the same frame/weight/height/composition. We also performed pretty much the same in sports with about the same training.
Thank you for the correction. I’ll read more about pre-exhaustion and inform myself
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Those are not realy supersets. Those are more like pre-exhaustion.
Supersets would look more like-
Set 1
Bench press- 8reps(or some arbitrary #)
Bent rows-8reps(or some #)
Set 2
Overhead press (some #)
Pull-ups (some #)
Set 3
bicep curls (some #)
tricep extension (some #)
…with the exercises in set one being done back to back as one set, either as a number of sets, or moving through the series of sets as a circut, for a designated number of circuts.
[/quote]
I am glad to hear that you are splitting up your goals. That will definately improve the productiveness of your efforts. You also sound like you are getting on the right track so far as eating and resting goes. That is very important.
From what I have read lordosis is not something that should cause a risk when exercising, but then I am not an expert. You squat enough and I trust that your form is decent, so your back cannot be THAT weak.
I would suggest that you and your buddy watch the videos in Eric Cressey’s “Mastering the Deadlift” articles. You can see how to, and how NOT to perform a deadlift. Then your buddy can watch your form and give you tips on correcting it, assuming he pays attention.
The deadlift should be nothing but a benefit for your lifting, your mass goals, and for your sports (grip and back strength are always useful).
From what I have read lordosis is not something that should cause a risk when exercising, but then I am not an expert.[/quote]
Think of it this way…
would you rather sprain your back or strain your back?
In kyphotic lifting postures, the risk for sprain is greater, while lifting from a lordotic posture increases the risk of strain.
However, with this in mind, if you’re training as a competitive powerlifter, when maxing, you will inevitably be ‘pulled’ or 'pushed into a kyphotic posture(depending on the lift)…so take that for what it’s worth.
Oddly enough, I recently have had some first hand experience with this concept…see I’ve trained for powerlifting off and on throughout my lifting ‘career’ and have generally used a kyphotic posture during heavy deads. About a week and a half ago, while hitting a new P.R., I sprained my S.I. joint, hip and lumbar spine…fuckin’ sucks. As the pain began to set in, I couldn’t help obsessing about this concept…“if I’d only been in a lordotic posture…” Oh well, the hydrocodone has been a nice treat.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Those are not realy supersets. Those are more like pre-exhaustion.
Supersets would look more like-
Set 1
Bench press- 8reps(or some arbitrary #)
Bent rows-8reps(or some #)
Set 2
Overhead press (some #)
Pull-ups (some #)
Set 3
bicep curls (some #)
tricep extension (some #)
…with the exercises in set one being done back to back as one set, either as a number of sets, or moving through the series of sets as a circut, for a designated number of circuts.
[/quote]
Actually you are wrong, supersets are when you perform one exercise (usually compound) then immediately perform a second exercise (usually isolation) for the same muscle group. What you described sounds like alternating sets.
[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Those are not realy supersets. Those are more like pre-exhaustion.
Supersets would look more like-
Set 1
Bench press- 8reps(or some arbitrary #)
Bent rows-8reps(or some #)
Set 2
Overhead press (some #)
Pull-ups (some #)
Set 3
bicep curls (some #)
tricep extension (some #)
…with the exercises in set one being done back to back as one set, either as a number of sets, or moving through the series of sets as a circut, for a designated number of circuts.
[/quote]
Supersets are generally a way of doing two exercises quicker. Depending on the two exercises it may have different benefits to help whomever reach their goals. What your describing is antagonist sets no? It is a from of supersetting but this is specifically focusing on the antagonist muscle groups.
The definition is: “A superset is the practice of doing an exercise set and then immediately moving into another set of an exercise for the same body part.”
I’m not an expert… only pointing what I found about it (and this article was posted today)
[quote]Crusher Jr. wrote:
SkyzykS wrote:
Those are not realy supersets. Those are more like pre-exhaustion.
Supersets would look more like-
Set 1
Bench press- 8reps(or some arbitrary #)
Bent rows-8reps(or some #)
Set 2
Overhead press (some #)
Pull-ups (some #)
Set 3
bicep curls (some #)
tricep extension (some #)
…with the exercises in set one being done back to back as one set, either as a number of sets, or moving through the series of sets as a circut, for a designated number of circuts.
Supersets are generally a way of doing two exercises quicker. Depending on the two exercises it may have different benefits to help whomever reach their goals. What your describing is antagonist sets no? It is a from of supersetting but this is specifically focusing on the antagonist muscle groups.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong.
[/quote]
The superset as I’ve allways known it has been to exhaust the antagonist group then switch to the agonist.
But since there seem to be a few in common use, you be the judge-
