Critique my routine

Bakedgoods

Bakedgoods

Bakedgoods

Capodecina
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Just looking for any comments on the routine really.

I know the legs day isn't ideal and I know leg extensions are bad, but them along with leg curls are staying for now. Although there is a strange machine in the gym where you put one knee on like a pad and rest your chest on a pad so your laying horizontally, then you put your foot on a flat piece of metal and push your leg backwards behind you (really makes your bum sore). Probably pretty poo though.

Besides that I was thinking about maybe changing the dumbbell shoulder press and throwing in some front raises instead, or possibly something for the rear deltoids?

Training for size! Although strength gains are nice :)

Monday (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps)
Flat barbell bench 3x8
Incline dumbbell bench 3x8
Dumbbell fly 3x8
Dumbbell shoulder press 3x8
Skullcrushers 3x8

Wednesday (Back/Biceps)
Deadlifts 4x6
Bent over barbell row 3x8
Wide grip chins 4x8-10 (Going to have to add additional weight then I’ll drop to 3 sets)
Preacher curls 3x8 (Using EZ Bar, is straight barbell better?)
Hammer curls 3x8

Friday (Legs)
Squats 4x8
Leg extension 3x8
Leg curl 3x8
Stiff-legged deadlift 3x8
Calf raises 3x15
Ab work

Currently:
130lb
5'4 (without shoes)
 
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Wardie said:
Although there is a strange machine in the gym where you put one knee on like a pad and rest your chest on a pad so your laying horizontally, then you put your foot on a flat piece of metal and push your leg backwards behind you (really makes your bum sore). Probably pretty poo though.
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That's for the girls who want to 'tone their bums'. Lads look like total wallies on them.... tell me you didn't? :p :p
Training for size! Although strength gains are nice :)
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HST owns this routine for your goals ;)
Monday (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps)
Flat barbell bench 3x8
Incline dumbbell bench 3x8
Dumbbell fly 3x8 Drop these. If you must then do 1x12 or something, don't waste anymore energy then that on these. THEY DON'T BUILD MUSCLE!!!
Dumbbell shoulder press 3x8
Skullcrushers 3x8 Dips are better in every way. They also hit the chest, use that energy you saved from dropping flyes ;)

Wednesday (Back/Biceps)
Deadlifts 4x6
Bent over barbell row 3x8
Wide grip chins 4x8-10 (Going to have to add additional weight then I’ll drop to 3 sets) I think shoulder width, reverse grip are better. Also the best bicep builders imho.
Preacher curls 3x8 (Using EZ Bar, is straight barbell better?)
Hammer curls 3x8 Drop one of the curls, prefferably these. Only one is needed

Friday (Legs)
Squats 4x8
Leg extension 3x8
Leg curl 3x8
Stiff-legged deadlift 3x8 Drop these. Squats, Deadlifts and these in 3 days is too much. Or maybe just do some light work like 1x15?
Calf raises 3x15
Ab work Be carefull of over doing it. As the squats and deadlifts hammer your core, hence my comment about dropping SLDL's.
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Comments in green.
 
On the preacher bar I use the EZ-bar. Theres no real difference I guess other than the stability and weight. EZ-bar weighs 10KG and the Barbell 20KG, am I right? I use the EZ-bar due to my wrist.

Chong can you explain why Dumbell flys do nothing? I do incline DB flys, im trying to tone up my pecs so im interested if there is another exercise that will do something to tighten the pecs if they do nothing? Cheers.
 
I don't have anything to do proper dips in my garage though. And using two chairs and something to put the feet on will probably just hit the triceps more than the chest? I guess I can try dropping the flys, I just like the feeling of doing them :D

Any comments on maybe switching the dumbbell press to front raises or lateral raises, or should I just stick with it and see how it serves me for now (I was previously doing standing barbell press).

I haven't been doing the SLDL yet and was going to next week, I wont anymore.

As for the weird machine, I know I know.... but I had to give it a go. Believe me, I had some sore bum muscles the next day ha-ha.

Haven't been doing loads of abwork, 1x12 crunches, 2x12 weighted situps. Nothing too taxing.

I've been thinking about HST, I can only Squat on the Friday though as that is when we go to the gym.
 
SK07 said:
On the preacher bar I use the EZ-bar. Theres no real difference I guess other than the stability and weight. EZ-bar weighs 10KG and the Barbell 20KG, am I right? I use the EZ-bar due to my wrist.
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There's quite a big difference for some people, myself included. I can't curl with a straight bar anymore as it causes me all kinds of problems and I can't even do one single rep of preacher curls with an olympic bar. Amazing what a slight change of grip can do!
SK07 said:
Chong can you explain why Dumbell flys do nothing? I do incline DB flys, im trying to tone up my pecs so im interested if there is another exercise that will do something to tighten the pecs if they do nothing? Cheers.
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I didn't say they do nothing, they can be a usefull tool but they're so over used imho. No disrespect to Wardie here but for someone of his experience he's much better off concentrating on the basics, spending his energy on heavy compound lifts and growing. Isolation exercises do very little at this stage of the game except waste the energy your body could put to better use.... like building new muscle ;)

This is not just for flyes but all isolation exercises. So most curls, kickbacks, raise this, raise that, etc. Forget them for now.

Also SK07, I seen this said to you numerous times in various posts but it doesn't seem to sink in with you dude. You cannot tone a muscle or tighten one up, it just doesn't work like that and to keep saying it in posts just makes you look like you have no idea or just plain don't listen.

What you think is tightening/toning up is actually a muscle growing. They get harder as they grow and get bigger, fuller and more dense. Drop bodyfat and they become more visible as the saggy skin and fat decreases revealing the more visually attractive muscle underneath.

So doing flyes with light weights that isn't going to stimulate any new muscle growth isn't going to 'tone' or 'tighten' up your pecs in the sense you mean it. Stick to heavy presses. So instead of incline DB flyes, do Incline DB Press or even Barbell Press.

Hope that helps :)
 
I'm happy to drop the flys but I can't really incorporate dips, any other ideas? I could just stick with the skullcrushers for now even though they are isolation, I really feel it in my triceps from doing these.
 
Wardie, i would be tempted to drop some of the leg work (as already mentioned) and move shoulders to leg day. that way you can hit the shoulders with more exercises and dont kill the triceps on chest/shoulders/tris day.
front raises - never!
lateral raises are good (imo), though CW's loving hybrid move is a killer if done right :]
 
I have been thinking about it Morba and it's definitely an idea worth thinking about. With a week of between next hitting my triceps though I don't really think it's too bad that they might get a little bit killed, although you have more experience than me sooo :D

Feel free to chop up my routine to suit the suggestions you're making. Be quick though, my workout today is at 5pm!

:D
 
Do your normal this week, saves messing around close to a workout :]

have a think about this for next monday

7 chest sets:
start with incline, you want to do 3 sets here, progressively work the weight up 12 reps,10,8
onto flat, first set should be the same as your last incline set then progress up again each set: reps 12, 10, 8, 10 (use same weight as the 8 rep set).
tris:
1 exercise:
as you cant do dips: ez bar skullcrushers or CG bench
do you have anything to do cable work on? tricep pulldowns a killer (in a superset)

I need to think about that chest work a bit more, but i like the idea of doing incline first. I think it might allow you to go heavier on incline and still progress the weight up.
hmmm
 
Cheers :)

That's the thing, if I can't really do dips it seems a little pointless, definately need a little more chest work if I was to do that.

Are you talking about barbell or dumbbell bench here? I can't do incline bench with a barbell as I end up too close to the bar (Yes I had a poor bench).
 
Wardie said:
I don't have anything to do proper dips in my garage though. And using two chairs and something to put the feet on will probably just hit the triceps more than the chest? I guess I can try dropping the flys, I just like the feeling of doing them :D
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Bench Dips are also very good.

Flyes are good for building the all important mind to muscle connection. So as I mentioned earlier maybe just do 1 set of 12 reps if you really get on with them. Just don't waste too much time and energy on them just yet.
Wardie said:
Any comments on maybe switching the dumbbell press to front raises or lateral raises, or should I just stick with it and see how it serves me for now (I was previously doing standing barbell press).
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Yep. Don't do it.
Wardie said:
I've been thinking about HST, I can only Squat on the Friday though as that is when we go to the gym.
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Shame but HST can easily be modified to incorporate this little problem. Deadlift (MON) - Front Squat - (WED) Squat - (FRI)
The front squats are very difficult and you won't be using the same kind of weight you would for back squats. Just an idea.
Wardie said:
I'm happy to drop the flys but I can't really incorporate dips, any other ideas? I could just stick with the skullcrushers for now even though they are isolation, I really feel it in my triceps from doing these.
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Skullcrushers are actually one of the best isolation's as it's possible to get very strong with them and shift some impressive weight. Easily enough to stimulate new muscle growth. A good exercise.... if you can do them, I can't :(
platypus said:
Best comment I've read on a routine :D
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:D
 
Morba said:
Wardie, i would be tempted to drop some of the leg work (as already mentioned) and move shoulders to leg day. that way you can hit the shoulders with more exercises and dont kill the triceps on chest/shoulders/tris day.
front raises - never!
lateral raises are good (imo), though CW's loving hybrid move is a killer if done right :]
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A good idea with the shoulders.

Yes the hybrid press-lats are very good. I managed to get pretty strong at those, I think I managed 10 reps with the 37.5kg DB's :) No way I could lift that for lat raises.

Wary of going any heavier though, they're quite stressfull on the shoulder joints. I've now dropped them in favour of normal presses for my heavy 5 rep phase. Awesome for 8-15 reps though.
 
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I found a way to do it!

Dropped the flyes and skullcrushers, replaced with weighted dips. Started bodyweight + 12KG.
 
Sweet :)

One bit of advice on dips. I don't think it's healthy for the shoulders to go too low when dipping, so only lower until the upper arm is parallel with the floor.

I see people dipping and their shoulders go almost as low as their wrists! :eek: I can hear their shoulder joints weeping as every rep tries to dislocate them.
 
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