current workout, opinions?

[Pauly420]

Ive posted a crappy workout here before, got alot of links to articles but i cant really make sense of any of them lol.

Just looking for any thoughts or tweaks on my current scheme.

24, 5'9" 180 lbs

3 days on - 1 day off

Chest - Back - Leg - Off cycle

For chest im doing 3x10 bench, incline, decline, tricep pull downs

for back im doing 3x10 seated cable rows, chinup pulldown, behind the neck pulldown, barbell curls

for legs im doing 3x10 leg extensions, v-squat, leg press, calf raises

for off day i do light cardio and dont lift.

Good split? overtraining? replacement exercises?

[brook011]

A note that possibly doing barbell squats and deadlifts over machines like v-squats/whatever. The more combination work you can get in with multiple muscle groups worked, the better.

[Oniw17]

I might put the leg day between the back and chest days if I were you.

[Ironman]

Do more free weights, less machines and cable, pick something for hamstrings. You could do hams with back if you want. Maybe put biceps with quads and calves. That way your leg day isn't long. If you do 3 on 1 off, you need to keep your workouts short.

I would do it like this

incline, decline, lateral raise (2 sets), skull crusher (1 set)

barbell row, underhand chin, Romanian deadlift, shrugs (2 sets)

curls (1 or 2 sets), squats, standing calf

rest

flat, incline, lateral raise (2 sets), dumbbell tricep extensions (1 set)

dumbbell row, pullups, leg curls, shrugs (2 sets)

curls (1 or 2 sets), leg press, calf press

rest

repeat



That works out fine if you don't like to do the same thing on the same day (like chest every Monday and so on), like to work out almost every day, and prefer short workouts. If you do this you should keep your workouts under 30 minutes.

[Wouter]

Your leg workout isn't optimal, you've got no deadlifts or squats in your routine. These are regarded as the 'best' excercises. You might want to change your plan to Legs-Push-Pull, that way, you're rested when doing your leg workout (the thoughest of the 3).

Legs: Front Squat, Deadlift, Calf raises
Push: Push Press (first, since it's a power excercise, serves as a warm-up as well), Dips, Bench Press, Skullcrusher/Triceps Press
Pull: Power clean (power exercise) , Chin-up, Bent-over Row, Curl/Zottman Curl (I implemented these in my workout yesterday)

I think this will be a better workout for overall development than your current routine.

[Pauly420]

ty for the replies, imma try your workout for a while ironman. The main reason i made my workout how it was. I was under the impression it was bad to stimulate muscles that are in a resting state. Like curling on a non back day...deadlifting on a non back day. I guess it doesnt really matter as much as i thought. Need to think outside the box i guess haha

[Stephen Johnson]

Ive posted a crappy workout here before, got alot of links to articles but i cant really make sense of any of them lol.

Just looking for any thoughts or tweaks on my current scheme.

24, 5'9" 180 lbs

3 days on - 1 day off

Chest - Back - Leg - Off cycle

For chest im doing 3x10 bench, incline, decline, tricep pull downs

for back im doing 3x10 seated cable rows, chinup pulldown, behind the neck pulldown, barbell curls

for legs im doing 3x10 leg extensions, v-squat, leg press, calf raises

for off day i do light cardio and dont lift.

Good split? overtraining? replacement exercises?

I personally don't like the idea of training more than two days in a row - you can get away with that as a newbie, but as you progress in training, rest and recovery become more important to make progress. Unless you're juicing, that is.

Just because you're exercising different bodyparts doesn't mean that you shouldn't take off days between your workouts.

Also, your leg workout does nothing for the hamstrings

[Jungledoc]

What Stephen said!

Also, ALL the leg work is machine-based. Squats and deadlifts would do a lot more for you than the machine exercises, IMHO (and my O is always H!)

[Pauly420]

so pretty much everyone here is in love with the M-W-F weekly workout schedule? Ive honestly never tried it, not going to the gym that many days in 1 week makes me feel like a lazy turd.

[Jungledoc]

so pretty much everyone here is in love with the M-W-F weekly workout schedule? Ive honestly never tried it, not going to the gym that many days in 1 week makes me feel like a lazy turd.

I think that's a jump; that's not what Stephen said. He just said that he doesn't like to lift more than 2 days in a row. I'm sure that a lot of people go to the gym on other days. The point is recovery. Some train on 3 days, some on 4, a few on 5, but that is pretty heavy. There's nothing magic about m-w-f; lots of other schedules allow you to have a rest day after 2 days of training.

[brook011]

I've always liked the 3 on 1 off. It seems like anything more than 3 isn't going to let your groups recover.

[stuward]

so pretty much everyone here is in love with the M-W-F weekly workout schedule? Ive honestly never tried it, not going to the gym that many days in 1 week makes me feel like a lazy turd.

Muscle is built while recovering. Whole body exercises M-W-F will provide frequent stimulus and adequate recovery. If you're not doing whole body, 4 times a week allows hitting everything twice a week with a 2 part split. I don't see much point in more than that. It just cuts into recovery time. Unless you're on steroids, more frequent training isn't going to give you much benefit. Of course I'm not talking about cardio/metcon. Most Crossfit workouts are 3 on / 1 off but they are mixed workouts.

[Pauly420]

thanks for the ideas. I actually like the idea of a M-W-F schedule because with my current workout scheme i dont seem to be making any big gains, my weight fluxuates around 180, my lifting weight isnt going up really. I mainly think this is due to lack of calorie intake / overtraining when im tired.

What would a good skeleton for a M-W-F routine be? Would you split chest, back and leg or do a little variety each of the 3 days? Any other good workout ideas? Ive done the M/T on W off T/F on and still felt weak some days.

[scs217]

I just wanted to throw in on the hamstrings recommendation. Everybody has told you to squat and deadlift. Hamstrings are involved with both of those if you do them properly. Squats especially, as outlined in Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. Squats are important to be doing correctly. In the sticky about various workout routines you will find the FAQ to Starting Strength that is a thread on bodybuilding.com . The FAQ outlines how to squat properly, but not in as much detail as the book, which has 53 pages devoted solely to the squat. Let me know if you can't locate the link on this website.

[Stephen Johnson]

What would a good skeleton for a M-W-F routine be? Would you split chest, back and leg or do a little variety each of the 3 days? Any other good workout ideas? Ive done the M/T on W off T/F on and still felt weak some days.

How about building your workouts around the three powerlifts - squat, bench press and deadlift?

Workout A - Back, Biceps

Deadlift
Pull Up or Pulldown
Bent Over Barbell Row
Dumbbell Hammer Curl


Workout B - Chest, Triceps

Bench Press
Dip
Military Press
Skull Crusher


Workout C - Thighs, Calves

Squat
Romanian or Stiff Legged Deadlift
Lunge or Step Up
Calf Raise

The sets and reps (and weights) are up to you.