HIT Training Routine

@if ®afiq · 15 May 2007 at 20:53

Chong Warrior said:
You'll be more accurate working them out on different days.

Yeah, I thought of that on my way to the gym, but in finding my 15's I also managed to find some 10's!

Here is what I did today (the order was not what I intended, but the gym was busy):

Leg Press x1
Leg Curl x2
Leg Extension x2
Lat Pulldown x2
Dumbell Row x2
Dumbell Bench Press x1
Side Lateral Raise x1
Shoulder Press x1
Incline Dumbell x2
Concentration Curls x2
Shrugs x1
Calf Raises x2
Tricep Extension x2

I really enjoyed the workout but I had a couple of issues - by the time I got halfway through I was actually quite tired and to top that by the time I got to the incline press my triceps just gave way and I struggled to push 10 with a weight that I should have easily done 15!

Do I need to change the order of the workouts? Or maybe drop a few excercises? What about taking a supplement during workout to help me keep going? Pre workout I had a oats/protien shake 60 mins before, sida/caffeine and taurine about 30mins before.

TIA

Chong Warrior · 15 May 2007 at 21:51

@if ®afiq said:
Leg Press x1
Leg Curl x2
Leg Extension x2
Lat Pulldown x2
Dumbell Row x2
Dumbell Bench Press x1
Side Lateral Raise x1
Shoulder Press x1
Incline Dumbell x2 - Press or Curls?
Concentration Curls x2 - Waste of time and energy!
Shrugs x1
Calf Raises x2
Tricep Extension x2

Drop Leg Press and Leg Extention for Squats.
Drop LEg Curls for SLDL's (stiff-legged deadlifts)
Drop Concentration Curls for Barbell Curls or Incline DB Curls
Drop Tricep Extention for either dips or V-Bar Pushdowns (dips best)

@if ®afiq · 16 May 2007 at 08:15

Chong Warrior said:
Drop Leg Press and Leg Extention for Squats.
Drop LEg Curls for SLDL's (stiff-legged deadlifts)
Drop Concentration Curls for Barbell Curls or Incline DB Curls
Drop Tricep Extention for either dips or V-Bar Pushdowns (dips best)

I have wanted to avoid squats and SLDL's until I was happy with building some basic strength. I know what great exercises they are but my legs have always been very weak

- I guess I should really give them a try and see how it goes - it'll also shorten my workout time which is a bonus.

With my 3 day split I used to do both incline curls and concentration curls, but found the incline curls used to give me muscle pain in the inside part of the elbow (where the forearm meets the upper arm) - it could be the incline I was using was the wrong amount?

I suppose dropping the extension for the dips could give my chest a bit more of a work out?

Thanks for the suggestions...it looks like I won't be able to make it to the gym until Sat after the FA Cup Final

Oh and the Incline Dumbell is Incline Press.

Many thanks

Chong Warrior · 16 May 2007 at 18:22

@if ®afiq said:
I have wanted to avoid squats and SLDL's until I was happy with building some basic strength. I know what great exercises they are but my legs have always been very weak - I guess I should really give them a try and see how it goes - it'll also shorten my workout time which is a bonus.

There are no better exercises than squats and sldl's for building basic strength.

@if ®afiq said:
With my 3 day split I used to do both incline curls and concentration curls, but found the incline curls used to give me muscle pain in the inside part of the elbow (where the forearm meets the upper arm) - it could be the incline I was using was the wrong amount?

I use a 45 degree incline. If they hurt then don't do them. Try standing DB curls, EZ-Bar Curls or BB Curls instead.

Just don't do concentration curls, leave these to people who also do DB kickbacks and like to 'go for the burn' :rolleyes:

@if ®afiq said:
I suppose dropping the extension for the dips could give my chest a bit more of a work out?

Narrow grip, arms tucked tight to body will hammer your triceps.

Wider grip, arms flared and leaning forward will hit the pecs much harder.

@if ®afiq · 16 May 2007 at 18:38

Thanks for the advice CW - it's mucho apreciato-ed

Work is a nightmare as I have late shifts and weekend work getting in the way so I won't be able to do my 10's until Sat or Sun at the latest - I'll try your reccomendations and will post back.

I've got a nice "you've worked out yesterday" feel in my bod!

benjo plz. · 16 May 2007 at 18:47

Wouldn't bother with flat dumbell press. And decline tricep extensions are the ****.

.

@if ®afiq · 17 May 2007 at 08:58

Phnom_Penh said:
Wouldn't bother with flat dumbell press. And decline tricep extensions are the ****. .

We haven't got a decline bench at our gym...although it is being re-kitted out so they may get one in.

What should I substitue the flat dumbell press with and why?

benjo plz. · 17 May 2007 at 09:40

@if ®afiq said:
We haven't got a decline bench at our gym...although it is being re-kitted out so they may get one in.

What should I substitue the flat dumbell press with and why?

I'd do inclines and declines and not bother with flat, but if you haven't got a declining bench, you'll have to stick with flat.

alx · 17 May 2007 at 15:17

I'm tempted to do incline db press and decline bench (bar) press instead of incline and flat. Do people think thats a good idea for a few weeks?

Chong Warrior · 17 May 2007 at 15:30

sh4rk said:
I'm tempted to do incline db press and decline bench (bar) press instead of incline and flat. Do people think thats a good idea for a few weeks?

I think flat barbell bench press is possibly the most over-rated exercise ever!

It's done as a chest exercise but flat DB bench is superior for this purpose, so is decline barbell and decline DB (possibly the best!) press. I also rate wide grip weighted dips as a better pec builder.

Most people also seem to rate bench press as the ultimate test of strength, when actually it's a very poor test and it's more down to technique than anything else. How times have you been asked "what do you bench?" now how many times have you been asked "what do you deadlift/squat?". Yet these two a far and away better tests of strength.

It's also quite bad for the shoulders for a lot of people. Have a read of this article: http://www.chekinstitute.com/articles.cfm?select=26

Unless you're competeing in a powerlifting competition or whatever I don't see the point in doing it, unless you're left with no choice (such as no dipping station or decline bench for example)

alx · 17 May 2007 at 17:12

I agree, I'd much rather boast about my squat or deadlift then my bench (mainly because it's not that impressive

)! Being at a university/public gym a lot of students think it's the best exercise since slice bread :rolleyes:

. I love it on my back days and the gym is busy, I'm mainly using the free barbells and everyone else is queing up for benches

.
Luckily my university gym is very good so I can do decline/incline bench with both BBs and DBs. I'll prob end up doing decline DB press/incline BB press one session then decline BB/incline DB the next. We've also got a dip bars that vary in distance from each other so I can change what sort of dips I want to do.

Cheers for the advice

@if ®afiq · 21 May 2007 at 12:45

I managed to get to the gym on Sunday - Sat was a no go after a mamoth 22hr shift at work followed by the waste-of-time FA Cup Final...

Well I swapped out all the leg routines as suggested by CW and all I can say is - BLOODY HELL :eek:

squats make you work! I can't believe how intense an excericse it is. I was only doing small weights to make sure I kept good form, but even then I was sweating like a pig! I couldn't even do my curls properly and had to sit down towards the end of my session as my legs were giving way!

I found the SLDL's harder to do though and felt it work my lower back more than the hams...but saying that I can feel the workout in my hams (upper hams/glutes) more than my lower back so it seems I did it correctly.

I think I will lay off starting the actual 6 week programme for another 4/5 sessions until I am more confident with my form and get up to scratch strength wise on these two excericses.

benjo plz. · 21 May 2007 at 12:53

^^ try seated curls... much better

.

@if ®afiq · 21 May 2007 at 12:59

Phnom_Penh said:
^^ try seated curls... much better .

I kind of ended up doing them...mid way through my first set I just had to sit down before my legs gave way! I think I'll do whatever I can seated...

I also got a bit carried away and did some extra sets (DB press, side lateral raise) where I shouldn't have so I need to be more aware as this was a waste of energy!

I'm looking forward to my next session...which unfortunatly won't be until Wednesday

Chong Warrior · 21 May 2007 at 22:45

@if ®afiq said:
Well I swapped out all the leg routines as suggested by CW and all I can say is - BLOODY HELL squats make you work! I can't believe how intense an excericse it is.

They're a fantastic exercise aren't they?

@if ®afiq said:
I found the SLDL's harder to do though and felt it work my lower back more than the hams...but saying that I can feel the workout in my hams (upper hams/glutes) more than my lower back so it seems I did it correctly.

You will know if you did them correctly tomorrow morning!

@if ®afiq · 22 May 2007 at 08:40

Chong Warrior said:
You will know if you did them correctly tomorrow morning!

Tell me about it...I've been walking funny since last night!

Also I am thinking about increasing my time between sets from 60 to 90 secs as I think this will help with keeping my enerygy levels at a good level until the end of my session?

@if ®afiq · 24 May 2007 at 09:07

I was able to go to the gym yesterday to try and work out my 5RM and have to say that that session was not as tiring as the 15RM and 10RM ones...but that kind of makes sense as I am not working as hard.

DOMS also seem to feel different but then that is also probably due to the different intensity of the workout....will see how it feels later on tonight.

I'm finding it hard to be stable when doing the squats - I think I'm pushing through the front of my feet and not my heel and this is causing me to adjust my feet midway through the push = bad form and feel.

alx · 24 May 2007 at 11:18

If you're pushing through with the front of your feet you're probably leaning forward too much. Is there anyone at your gym who you can to check your form?

Styles · 24 May 2007 at 11:21

Have someone assist with attaining perfect form. Keep the squats very very light until you can do them properly.

@if ®afiq · 24 May 2007 at 11:59

I think you've hit the nail on the head - I'm leaning forward too much. I'll try and get someone to watch me do it....oh and I am only light wieghts at the moment - I know my form isn't good.

Thanks.