ExRx.net

Hey! Great example of making the best of what you have available. I'm too prone to let lack of familiar facilities and equipment to be an excuse not to work out. Good job.

I usually get up at 3:00 AM to workout.

I think the reason the workouts take so long is I am using Dave Draper's model: http://www.davedraper.com/draper-favorite-workout.html but I have changed some exercises because of the lack of equipment, since I only have free weights, and because of this, there is more setup time, and changing the weights time, especially with the supersets and trisets involved in the routine. My only real rest time is setting up the exercises, and moving from one exercise to the next. Where the routine is straight sets and reps of one exercise, I take about a 1 or 2 minuite break between exercises.

Following Dave Drapers suggestions in Brother Iron, Sister, Steel, it's time to change the routine. I've been on it for 7 weeks now.

Here is the new routine:

Push/Pull Workout Routine
60-Minute Fitness Program

MONDAY/THURSDAY

CHEST & TRICEPS
Barbell Flat Bench Press (3 or 4x10-12)
Incline Bench Press (3 or 4x8-10)
Cable Crossovers (3 or 4x10-12)
Tricep Dips (3 or 4x12)
Lying Triceps Extension (3 or 4x12)

TUESDAY/FRIDAY

BACK & BICEPS
Close Grip Chins (3 or 4x12)
Pullovers (3 or 4x10-12)
Bent Over Row (3 or 4x4-6)
Barbell Curls (3 or 4x8-10)
Reverse Curls (3 or 4x8-10)

WEDNESDAY

LEGS
Squats (3-4x12, 10, 8, 6)
Lunges (3-4x12)
Leg Curls (3-4x10-12)
Calf Raises (3-4x20)

Here is the routine it is based on, so you can see the changes I had to make due to equipment:

Push/Pull Workout Routine
60-Minute Fitness Program

DAILY

MID SECTION & AEROBIC WORK
10-15 minutes of intense cardio
Crunches, Leg Raises, Rope Tuck, Hyperextensions

MONDAY/THURSDAY

CHEST & TRICEPS
Dumbbell Chest Press (3 or 4x10-12)
Incline Dumbbell Press (3 or 4x8-10)
Cable Crossovers (3 or 4x10-12)
Tricep Press Machine or Dips (3 or 4x12)
Pulley Pushdowns (3 or 4x12)

TUESDAY/FRIDAY

BACK & BICEPS
Close Grip Chins (or C/G Pulldowns) (3 or 4x12)
Wide Grip Pulldowns (3 or 4x10-12)
One Arm Dumbbell Row (3 or 4x4-6)
Barbell Curls (3 or 4x8-10)
Biceps Machine Curls (3 or 4x8-10)

WEDNESDAY

LEGS
Squats or Leg Press (3-4x12, 10, 8, 6)
Lunges (3-4x12)

Leg Extension (3-4x15)
supersetted with
Leg Curls (3-4x10-12)

Calf Raises (3-4x20)

I've managed to get my W/Os down to under an hour most of the time. I cut back to a pretty simple 4-lift routine, with 2 of the lifts super-setted, and I'm timing my rests by the clock. I'm taking a while to find what is the right rest time. Especially when I'm doing chins and mil presses, a minute isn't long enough, and I wear out fairly fast. I think I'll increase to 90 sec for a while, and then gradually reduce it. Also, the fact that my wife and I are lifting together and sharing equipment sometimes complicates the timing. There is only 1 O-bar, etc. and not much floor space.

Would this: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/im6.htm be better?

Is Stuart McRobert a better source than Dave Draper?

I don't know about better, but Stuart McRobert is a good source in my opinion. He wrote the books Brawn and Beyond Brawn, aimed at lower-volume training centered on compound exercises. He's always pretty much pushed a relatively lighter volume of training and attention to technique. And railed against high-volume bodybuilding routines from popular magazines.

He was pretty influential on me, personally, catching me when I just started to plan a split into split training. Got me to try squats and to try deadlifting (straight bar and trap bar) and pay more attention to my form. The article you linked to looks okay. I couldn't say if it's better for your purposes than the Dave Draper routine, but if you are looking to change your routine it might be good. His books generally have shorter routines with a lot less isolation work, though, and always seem to have squats or a squat substitute (like ball squats or belt squats) in there.

Hope that helps,

Peter

I'm going to try the upper lower split as it is listed in Brother Iron Sister Steel, just changing the One Arm Dumbell Row to a Bent Over Row, the Leg Extensions to Lunges, and the Leg Curls to Good Mornings.

Monday/Thurs
Flat Bench: 3-4x12,10,8,6
Cable Flys: 3-4x 12,10,8,6
Chinups: 3-4 sets max reps
Bent Over Barbell Row: 3-4x6-8
Seated 80 degree OH press: 3 x 8-10
Side lateral raise: 3x8-10
Curls: 3-4 x 8-10
Lying Triceps Extension: 3-4x12

Tuesday/ Friday
Full Squat: 4x12,10,8,6
SLDL: 3x10

Lunge (3-4 x 12)
supersetted with
Good Mornings (3-4 x 10-12)

Calf Raises: 4 x max reps

Wednesday/Saturday Run

I just checked my Sumo DL technique, and I think I should be able to lift more, because my technique was off. My hips were too high, and my back was straight, but it was at a 45 degree angle. I need to have the hips lower, the legs wider, and the back at less of an angle than I was using. I'll find out next Wednesday, when I do them again if I can lift more, or not.

I saw Cuban rotations on your log, and got curious. I googled them and found a good TNation article on shoulders (to add to my collection of shoulder articles). I think that this is something I would benefit from for at least a little while. I'm going to "throw them in" at the end of my routine for a few weeks. Thanks!

Haven't been here recently, but I decided to start posting here again.

My goal now is strength. I do about 3 exercises per workout session, and 3-5 reps of 3-5 working sets each, and mostly compound exercises. It has been working quite well.

_________________
Location: Louisiana, USA
Height: 6'-2"
Weight: 188 pounds
Experience: 5 years
Age: 55

Here's my current workout plan, and it seems to be working well:

4 workout days per week, the days off vary depending on schedule, but unsually never more than 2 days on in a row.

Day 1:
Sumo DL: 3-4 warmup sets, of 5 reps each; then 3-5 working sets of 5 reps each; occasionally adding in a few singles at the end.
Wide grip pullups: as many reps as possible for 3 sets
Curls: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Day 2:
Flat bench: 4 sets of warmup with the first set being 10 reps and the rest being 5 reps
5 working sets of 3-5 reps
A few singles and negatives

Incline Bench: 5 working sets of 3-5 reps

Close Grip Bench Press:
5 working sets of 3-5 reps

Day 3:
Squats: 4 warmup sets, then 5 working sets of 3-5 reps.
bent over row: 1 warmup set of 10 reps followed by 5 working sets of 5 reps.
shrugs: 3 sets of 8 reps

day 4:
Seated OR standing OH press, with 4 warmup sets, then 5 working sets of 3-5 reps. Maybe a few singles.
rear delt row:1 warmup of 10 reps then 5 working sets of 5 reps
side lateral raise: 3 sets of 6-10 reps

_________________
Location: Louisiana, USA
Height: 6'-2"
Weight: 188 pounds
Experience: 5 years
Age: 55

I need to get my actual 1 rep maxes for the 5/3/1 routine for the next few workouts. The OH press is a good current number but I need to verify the other numbers as being current. So that is the plan for the next few workouts.

_________________
Location: Louisiana, USA
Height: 6'-2"
Weight: 188 pounds
Experience: 5 years
Age: 55

I found some info on how to warm up for 1 rep maxes, so this is what I plan on doing:

50% of one rep max 5-10 reps
3-5 min rest
70% of one rep max, 1 rep
3-5 min rest
90% 1 rep max
5 min rest
100-105% 1 rep max, 1 rep
5 min rest
5-10 pound increase for next se

_________________
Location: Louisiana, USA
Height: 6'-2"
Weight: 188 pounds
Experience: 5 years
Age: 55

5/3/1 with strength assistance exercises started this week.

_________________
Location: Louisiana, USA
Height: 6'-2"
Weight: 188 pounds
Experience: 5 years
Age: 55