*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***

So heres my predicament, i work 12hr night shifts from 7pm to 7am on a 4 on 4 off rotor, it takes me 1hr each way to travel to and from work so thats a 14hr day before i can even think about doing any form of exercise, add to the equation that i take my missus to work most days when i get home, then have a bit of breakfast when i get back, it leaves me about an hour to unwind and i usually get to bed around 11am, my alarm goes of at 4pm and i start the cycle again.
Is it possible/advisable to do a 4 on 4 off workout plan, that fits in with my work pattern, or is that to long a break between workouts ?

Or try to fit in workouts on my working days and risk burning myself out, with only limited sleep, i know that this is very subjective, but just wondered if anyone else is in a similar situation and how they deal with it.

Due to my work schedules long hours was thinking of starting a 4 day split routine, 4 days cardio, 4 days weight training, good idea :confused:

If so i need help setting up a routine for my lifting days to include all body parts, so arms, legs, chest, back.

I will be working out at home and have the following equipment, dumbells, barbell, bench, squat rack that includes dip, tricep bar, curl bar, and about 100kg in weights, i will also be getting a chin up bar as well.

So now i just need the exercises to do, any suggestions as to what will give me the best bang for buck, and what days i should train certain body parts, as soon as i get my program sorted im good to go!

Cheers
Dean

I work 12 hour rotating day/night shifts and my commute is about 90mins. I have to travel to a gym too. It can be done. That said, when I do nights I tend to only train the first day (i.e. before I have to go in) and once I wake up from my last night shift. I get less sleep than you!

You have the stuff you need to do a proper routine w/the big compounds in at home, which makes me jelly.

You can either make time and do a x3 a week type program where you're spacing training days out, or perhaps something like this:

(Work) Mon - train before work
(Work) Tues - rest
(Work) Weds - rest
(Work) Thurs - rest
(Free) Fri - train
(Free) Sat - train
(Free) Sun - rest
(Free) Mon - train
(Work) Tues - train before work
(Work) Weds - rest
(Work) Thurs - rest
(Work) Fri - rest
(Free) Sat - train
(Free) Sun - train
(Free) Mon - rest
(Free) Tues - train

Doing this you could do an upper/lower split (e.g. Lyle McDonald's Generic Bulking Routine is a classic template) where you can get away with consecutive training days (always do lower first though).

You can have either identical upper/lower workouts or dedicate one of the big lifts to each day e.g. I squat and deadlift on both my lower days but alternate which is the main movement, with the first day being heavy back squats and a lighter/less taxing deadlift (RDL) and the second being a heavy regular deadlift and lighter front squats and one of my upper days is bench/rows and the other is OHP/pullups, so everything gets hit x2 every 7-10 days even if the exercises are slightly different.
 
Last edited:
Sun:Triceps/Chest+15min HIIT
Mon:Biceps/Back/Shoulders+15min HIIT+Str Cardio
Weds:Triceps/Chest+15min HIIT+Str Cardio
Thurs:Squats/Benchpress/Deadlift/Some legs.+10min HIIT
guoze.gif.png

Solid routine, i approve.
 
So erm.....DOMS after squatting for the first time 2 days ago.

Cheers for the heads up guys :p It hurts to just touch my quads!

I guess being on a calorie deficit at the moment isn't helping the recovery or is this pretty normal for first time?

Got 5 a side football tonight, hoping it eases off while I warm up a little.

My next workout is tomorrow morning, is it ok to do squats again while I've still got this soreness?
 
So erm.....DOMS after squatting for the first time 2 days ago.

Cheers for the heads up guys :p It hurts to just touch my quads!

I guess being on a calorie deficit at the moment isn't helping the recovery or is this pretty normal for first time?

Got 5 a side football tonight, hoping it eases off while I warm up a little.

My next workout is tomorrow morning, is it ok to do squats again while I've still got this soreness?

Yes. Squat, and squat, and squat some more. Pray to squat God! I squat every other day. The best way to beat DOMS is to go again :p
 
So erm.....DOMS after squatting for the first time 2 days ago.

Cheers for the heads up guys :p It hurts to just touch my quads!

I guess being on a calorie deficit at the moment isn't helping the recovery or is this pretty normal for first time?

Got 5 a side football tonight, hoping it eases off while I warm up a little.

My next workout is tomorrow morning, is it ok to do squats again while I've still got this soreness?

I don't think it matters what you're eating, the first time after you've properly squatted for the first time = stairs? no thanks jeff. I could barely get up off the toilet. Squat again, you'll be fine.

You'll make newbie gains even on a cal deficit (it won't last forever though) so I wouldn't worry about it just yet.
 
So I'm finally going to start doing running... How can I best do this to not 'lose my gains'?

I was thinking of (as painful as it sounds) running after beefcake sessions. Probably couch to 5k so it would be extremely low impact to start with.

Any thoughts/tips? I'll spam the running thread at some point also.
 
Depending on how you want to end up (I.e. Mo Farah style?) my preference would be to run on my off/rest days to help circulate blood around those DOMS-ridden muscles.

Now if you are pushing the running hard, this will detract from your important (:D) gains by sapping energy and introducing different muscle fatigue.

Ultimately, however, see what works. :)

Edit: and be prepared for a spiralling food bill! ;)
 
Yes. Squat, and squat, and squat some more. Pray to squat God! I squat every other day. The best way to beat DOMS is to go again :p

This guy speaks the truth. Show DOMS who's boss by squatting it away.

I don't think it matters what you're eating, the first time after you've properly squatted for the first time = stairs? no thanks Jeff. I could barely get up off the toilet. Squat again, you'll be fine.

You'll make newbie gains even on a cal deficit (it won't last forever though) so I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

Showed them who was boss this morning! Pretty hard going but feel better for it now. The pain is actually quite enjoyable. Makes a difference from the usual knocks, aches and pains I get from a football match.

Managed to increase weights on my second workout, to be honest I had no idea of how much weight to do on the deadlift, I could have done quite a lot more.

Updated log here : http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18572719
 
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