Critique my routine please

DaWG

DaWG

DaWG

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Have been doing this routine since the start of the year:

Chest & Back
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Dips
Lat pulldown
One-Arm Rows
Flat Barbell Bench Press

Legs
Squat
Leg Press
Calf Raises

Shoulders & Arms
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Curls
Tricep Pushdowns
Forearm Raises (think that's what they're called off the top of my head)

And using 5*10 as suggested here:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17960505&highlight=startername_DaWG

Before anyone posts about the lack of Deadlifts etc, as explained in the linked thread I'm slightly limited as to what exercises I can do at my gym. Anyway, the gym has been under repairs for the past 6 weeks or so and it's just re-opened so I'm back down there again tonight

I've read that it's good to change your routine from time to time, so the point of my post was to see if anyone could suggest any good alternative exercises to what's listed above / any changes to the routine?

Also, as posted above I've being doing 5 sets of 10 reps which is apparently better for building size (I personally care a lot more about the size I put on than the strength I gain), but i wanted to make sure I was okay with what I've been doing. Five sets on my 10 rep max weight would kill me, so I've been using one set as a warmup set on a weight I know I can easily do, the second a little under what my max is, the third and fourth at my max, then the fifth I try and push the weight up more and normally manage about 5-8 reps, so for instance on Incline DB Bench Press, I'd do a set each of; 18, 20, 22, 22, 24 etc... Is it right to be doing this?

Oh, and if it helps I'm a tad under 6 foot and 80KGs.

Many thanks in advance. X ;)
 
Would add in hamstring exercise...Stiff Leg DL's on leg day...if you dont have a bar do it with dumbells :)
Chest and back on same day i dont like but i know others do it....I would prefer

Chest/Bi's
Legs/Tris
Back/Shoulders

The shoulders will get some work on chest day and slighly during back also. Chest and back need focus themselves without splitting with another major muscle group....arms get a workout while doing pretty much anything. When working back...i put so much effort in sometimes....i wouldnt have the energey to do chest also.

With only three sessions a week...i would ditch the like of forearms...as they will grow with other exercises.
 
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Cheers for the reply

As for chest and back, I love it :D so I won't change that, and as for forearms, they're the one thing I'm quite self-concious about so I'll keep them as well.

Might throw in some pec flys on chest day and switch it to 4*10 to compensate, or does that seem like too much chest?

Any other opinions?
 
toxic said:
Would add in hamstring exercise...Stiff Leg DL's on leg day...if you dont have a bar do it with dumbells :)
Chest and back on same day i dont like but i know others do it....I would prefer

Chest/Bi's
Legs/Tris
Back/Shoulders

The shoulders will get some work on chest day and slightly during back also. Chest and back need focus themselves without splitting with another major muscle group....arms get a workout while doing pretty much anything. When working back...i put so much effort in sometimes....i wouldn't have the energy to do chest also.

With only three sessions a week...i would ditch the like of forearms...as they will grow with other exercises.
Click to expand...

Agree with nearly everything above.

In my opinion:
Don't do back and chest on the same day, you won't be able to put the volume or effort into either that you need.
Legs need more attention than just 2 quad and 1 calf exercise. Get some leg curls/ straight leg deads in. Get another quad exercise at least, and for me personally 1 calf exercise would be no good at all.

What sort of bodyfat are you at the moment mate? Got any pics up?
 
One glaring weakness in your current routine is the lack of posterior chain exercises, which is a VERY big weakness!!

Simply add some Romanian Deadlifts / Stiff-Legged Deadlifts / Whatever Deadlifts but get them in there somehow.

I take it you're limited to a Smith Machine for a barbell? Then you can do RDL's no problem in there ;)

Do that and you've got a good, solid routine there, I like it.
 
Cheers for the replies - been away the past few days.

@ Dun - Haven't measured it but I'd guess around 12-14% ish

@ Chong - Yeah, Smith machine is the only barbell. I think RDL's were suggested before, but I couldn't get the hang of them so I ended up swapping them out. Will have to try them again.

Sooo... If I switch to Chest/Bi's, Back/Shoulders and Legs/Tri's and swap around the current exercises I'm doing (and throw in the few suggested), I come out with something like this;

Chest/Bi's
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Flat Barbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Curls
Pec Fly
Concentration Curls

Back/Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
RDL's
Wide-Grip Pull-ups
One Arm Rows
*Another Shoulder exercise?*

Legs/Tris
Squat
Leg Press
Calf Raises
Tricep Pushdowns
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dips

Forearm Raises - not sure where to put these...

I seem to have either lost some stuff from Back / Shoulders, put it on the wrong day, or just need some more alternative exercises suggested? Any ideas welcome...

Also, with the volume of exercies on Chest/Bi's & Legs/Tri's I think I'll revert back to 3*8.

Thoughts? Thanks for all the info (I don't mean that in a sarcastic jesus.jpg way btw :D) - much appreciated. X
 
Chest/Bi's
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Flat Barbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Curls
Pec Fly
Concentration Curls

Back/Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Wide-Grip Pull-ups
One Arm Rows


Legs/Tris
Squat
Leg Press
Calf Raises
RDL's
Tricep Pushdowns
Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Dips

Forearm Raises - not sure where to put these...

Still looking a bit pants. What else can I do for Back / Shoulders? Shrugs maybe? What else would you change?

Thanks again in advance. X
 
Chest/Bi's
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Flat Barbell Bench Press
DBell Flyes
Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Standing DBell Zottman Curls

Back/Shoulders
Chins
Reverse Bodyweight Rows
DBell Rows
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lat Raises x 2 sets
Bent Over Rear Raises x 2 sets

Legs/Tris
Squat
Leg Press
Calf Raises
RDL's
Dips
Tricep Pushdowns

For Reverse Rows I mean hang onto the Smith Machine Bar and pull yourself upto the bar and touch your chest. So like an upside down pressup... elevate your feet onto a bench to make it harder.

Google Zottman Curls if you don't know what they are.
 
I love you Chong. Not as much as I like Chang, but I love you. X

Thanks for the help, I'll make a start on that split tomorrow. :cool:
 
I've only just caught up on this, I think what Chong has posted will see you well for the next few months - but as you say it is important to change the routine.

As for chest/back - I'm currently doing an advanced GVT routine which does do back/chest together with very high volume but it's tough as hell.

I think changing to that more classic split is going to work well. What volume are you going to be doing (i.e. reps x sets)?
 
I'm unsure. I would like to keep at 5x10, but with the additional exercises I can see myself getting knackered and switching to maybe 3x8. Having said that, I've been well pleased with the gains I've made so far - have put on approximately 14Kg's since ~ October (although having said that I was quite underweight back then for my frame), and that was with Oct - Dec no real routine, just a mish mash of resistance machines, Jan - April with the above routine, and the gym has been closed since then until the start of this month.

At 80Kg's now (tad under 6") and guess I would like to hit maybe 83-85 ish before cutting - don't want to get massive, more the model type physique. From looking as the post your pics thread, similar to the_chicco, maybe not even that big.

And I have to try and hit that weight by about Dec so I can cut till the end of March at which point I go travelling for a year or more and mop up all the birds with my physique, lol.

And as stated previously, gaining size is much more important to me than strength.

Many thanks for all the help

*ego / vanity mode off* :D
 
Setting a target of 3x8 is all very well and good, but that 8th rep on the 3rd set should be a struggle and you screaming blue murder to hell and back. If you're able to finish the 3rd set and 8th rep without too much problem then you're either not going heavy enough or not pushing yourself enough. :)
 
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