Revamp

[digitalwolf]

Hello all, I need some advice on my gym programmes as I feel certain areas aren't getting a good enough beating.

Workout 1 (Monday) - Upper body - SHoulders hardly get grilled, I am thinking of lat raises to go with barb row?
* Incline DB (DB) bench press 3x6
* Barbell Row 3x6
* Wide-Grip Weighted Dips 3x6
* CG-PI Weighted Chins 3x6 <---- really struggle with own body weight. weight assisted machine does not have close grip.
* Military Press 3x6 <------ can't get this to work, it's easy, up the weight and then when i start to tire i arch my back.

Workout 2 (Tuesday) - Lower body
* Squat 3x8
* SLDL 3x8 <---- don't have a belt but standard dead lifts don't seem to be doing anything.
* Lunges 2x12
* Seated calf raise 3x6
* Reverse Crunch 3x8

Workout 3 (Thursday) - Upper body - I feel my triceps could do with a bit more of a beating but everything is ok.
* Incline DB press 2x12
* Flat (DB) Bench press 2x12
* Cable row 3x10
* Seated DB shoulder press 2x12
* V-Bar Pushdowns 2x12
* Barbell curl 3x10

Workout 4 (Saturday) - Lower body
* Deadlift 3x6 - i feel i am going to put my back out although the gym instructor says i am doing it ok. I feel it really pulling badly. I am aware it's a lower back exercise but my lower back is very weak.
* Leg press 3x10
* Leg curl 2x12
* Standing calf raise 3x12
* Weighted Crunch 3x12

All suggestions welcome. Thank you.

 

[digitalwolf]

Anybody?

 

[Chong Warrior]

Hello all, I need some advice on my gym programmes as I feel certain areas aren't getting a good enough beating.

Your shoulders aren't getting grilled? Then lift more weight on the Military Press

Workout 1 (Monday) - Upper body - SHoulders hardly get grilled, I am thinking of lat raises to go with barb row?
* Incline DB (DB) bench press 3x6
* Barbell Row 3x6
* Wide-Grip Weighted Dips 3x6
* CG-PI Weighted Chins 3x6 <---- really struggle with own body weight. weight assisted machine does not have close grip.
* Military Press 3x6 <------ can't get this to work, it's easy, up the weight and then when i start to tire i arch my back.

Use rest pause for the chins to build up your strength. Forget 3x6 for now if you can't do that many. Start off with 12 or 15 reps total. Start and just before you struggle, stop -> take 15 deep breaths and carry on -> stop just before failure and 15 deep breaths. Keep going until you hit your target reps. Increase reps by one every week, This is VERY effective.

A great tip for Military is don't stand with feet side by side. Instead put one slightly in front of the other as this gives you a lot more stability for your back

Workout 2 (Tuesday) - Lower body
* SLDL 3x8 <---- don't have a belt but standard dead lifts don't seem to be

What does that mean?

Workout 3 (Thursday) - Upper body - I feel my triceps could do with a bit more of a beating but everything is ok.
* Incline DB press 2x12
* Flat (DB) Bench press 2x12
* Cable row 3x10
* Seated DB shoulder press 2x12
* V-Bar Pushdowns 2x12
* Barbell curl 3x10

Use supersets.
Soon as you finish set 2 of Inc DB Press, go straight in cable row, zero rest.
Rest for 1 min and Bench Press then straight into cable row, zero rest.
Rest for 1 min (1.5min tops) Bench and straight into cable row, zero rest.

Superset Pushdowns and Curls aswell.

Workout 4 (Saturday) - Lower body
* Deadlift 3x6 - i feel i am going to put my back out although the gym instructor says i am doing it ok. I feel it really pulling badly. I am aware it's a lower back exercise but my lower back is very weak.

What trainers do you wear? Do this without any trainers at all if possible (I do) or use flat footwear. You should drive through the heels, the bar should scrape up your shins (if you have shorts on you should bleed ) the millisecond it clears your knees, straighten up and lock out.

Don't lift with your legs too much too early as this stresses the lower back. The key is to lift in sync, legs and back working together. Leave your ego at the door for this and learn the form, you'll know when you're doing it right. It's difficult but stick at it.

I still get it wrong and have bad days with this exercise

 

[digitalwolf]

Your shoulders aren't getting grilled? Then lift more weight on the Military Press

Use rest pause for the chins to build up your strength. Forget 3x6 for now if you can't do that many. Start off with 12 or 15 reps total. Start and just before you struggle, stop -> take 15 deep breaths and carry on -> stop just before failure and 15 deep breaths. Keep going until you hit your target reps. Increase reps by one every week, This is VERY effective.

A great tip for Military is don't stand with feet side by side. Instead put one slightly in front of the other as this gives you a lot more stability for your back

What does that mean?

Use supersets.
Soon as you finish set 2 of Inc DB Press, go straight in cable row, zero rest.
Rest for 1 min and Bench Press then straight into cable row, zero rest.
Rest for 1 min (1.5min tops) Bench and straight into cable row, zero rest.

Superset Pushdowns and Curls aswell.

What trainers do you wear? Do this without any trainers at all if possible (I do) or use flat footwear. You should drive through the heels, the bar should scrape up your shins (if you have shorts on you should bleed ) the millisecond it clears your knees, straighten up and lock out.

Don't lift with your legs too much too early as this stresses the lower back. The key is to lift in sync, legs and back working together. Leave your ego at the door for this and learn the form, you'll know when you're doing it right. It's difficult but stick at it.

I still get it wrong and have bad days with this exercise

Aha, excellent.

I'm not sure I understand this superset concept though. What happens to the last set of Inc DB press?

Is my warm up ok? I do 2 x 10 @ 50% of target weight for each workout.

5 mins rowing machine before i begin and 5 mins after session.

 

[SK07]

You should check out:

http://www.coopersguns.com/videos/exercise-encyclopedia/erector/deadlift/

Great thing about this site is that it shows you someone doing the exercise properly. Also if your posture is innacurate I found doing good mornings with the bar helped me do that.

 

[digitalwolf]

You should check out:

http://www.coopersguns.com/videos/exercise-encyclopedia/erector/deadlift/

Great thing about this site is that it shows you someone doing the exercise properly. Also if your posture is innacurate I found doing good mornings with the bar helped me do that.

Great stuff, thanks

 

[digitalwolf]

I still feel my deltoids and triceps could be worked more. DO i just up the weights and stick it out or add more exercises?

My warm up consists of 2 x 10 = 50% of target weight. Is this ok for both 3 x 6 & 2 x 12?

 

[Chong Warrior]

I still feel my deltoids and triceps could be worked more. DO i just up the weights and stick it out or add more exercises?

My warm up consists of 2 x 10 = 50% of target weight. Is this ok for both 3 x 6 & 2 x 12?

No don't add more exercises, it's the classic trap everyone falls into.

I think what's happening here (and this is what's hard about doing things like this on a forum, compared to face to face) is you aren't advanced/experienced enough to use low rep, heavy weights yet.

Change the rep scheme for a couple of weeks and see how you get on. Change Mon & Tues to 12-8 reps. Start off with a weight you can lift for 12 and keep increasing each week until you can only do 8.

Thurs & Fri change to 15-12 reps.

Concentrate on the working muscles, don't just go through the motions. Power every rep up, don't lock out, stop just short and keep that muscle under constant tension. Then lower for a count of 4. Don't ever let the muscle rest, always under tension. This is an absolute bitch on higher reps and is a fantastic way of building the mind to muscle connection.

This is imho the key to getting a good physique. Without it you just go through the motions in the gym and thing just don't happen as you want them to. It takes a lot more effort but once you've got it, gains WILL come.

Example:

Seated DB Press
this is what I see in the gym ALL the time...
Avergae looking guy going through the motions. DB's go up, arms locked out, DB's straight back down quickly as he offers no resistance or control. DB's lowered past his chin as he goes for full 100% ROM (range of motion) I HATE THIS TERM!!! rinse and repeat.
These guys look the same to me week after week, month after month.

this is what I do...
I usually spend a couple of secs visualizing what I'm about to do, preparing my muscles for the pain and imagining me doing each rep easily and perfectly, this really helps and is effective. Deep breath, stomach in, body set tight for some torture. DB's pressed up with max effort as hard as possible, stop before lockout and then lowered slowly and under control. I imagine it like a spring recoiling, stop weight before tension moved from working muscle usually around chin height. Stop weight for half sec and power up, repeat.

This can make all the difference. Now I'm going on abit here but this is what sounds like your problem. I only do the same volume and I literally stagger out the gym most of the time absolutely shattered. I certainly don't feel like "my shoulders are hardly getting grilled"

Point is there's nothing actually wrong with the routine, the volume and exercises are good. Adding more won't solve anything, just put more effort into the ones you do. Think of it this way...

You've only got so much energy to exercise and then recover and grow. You have to provide a certain amount of stimulus by training. Thing is if you spend too much energy training you go past a certain point and all you are doing is eating into your energy reserves for growth and recovery, so effectlively you're halting progress. Remember this, it's a very basic fact that most people don't realize.

 

[digitalwolf]

Great thanks Chong Warrior.

What do you think about the warmup then?

Are you suggesting i do 3 x 12-8 & 3 x 12-15?

Thanks

 

[digisatman]

for sure, theres so many people who know jack all about form, a while ago, i saw a guy doing wide-lat pull down, who was bending his back all the way down, and was doing the exercise really fast....he looked pathetic...

 

[Morba]

for sure, theres so many people who know jack all about form, a while ago, i saw a guy doing wide-lat pull down, who was bending his back all the way down, and was doing the exercise really fast....he looked pathetic...

common fault of many who do lat pull down. obviously too much weight.
always see people doing 1 of 2 things:

1) leaning backwards too far
2) allowing the weight to lift the body a little, then using body weight to start the next rep

 

[digitalwolf]

Change the rep scheme for a couple of weeks and see how you get on. Change Mon & Tues to 12-8 reps. Start off with a weight you can lift for 12 and keep increasing each week until you can only do 8.

Thurs & Fri change to 15-12 reps.

I'm going to the gym tomorrow to do "Monday" believe it or not

My workout should look like this?

* Incline DB (DB) bench press 3x 8- 12
* Barbell Row 3x 8- 12
* Wide-Grip Weighted Dips 15
* CG-PI Weighted Chins 15
* Military Press 3x 8-12

 

[digitalwolf]

I'm going to the gym tomorrow to do "Monday" believe it or not

My workout should look like this?

* Incline DB (DB) bench press 3x 8- 12
* Barbell Row 3x 8- 12
* Wide-Grip Weighted Dips 15
* CG-PI Weighted Chins 15
* Military Press 3x 8-12

Anybody?

 

[alexthecheese]

common fault of many who do lat pull down.

2) allowing the weight to lift the body a little, then using body weight to start the next rep

:/ I do that.

 

[Chong Warrior]

I'm going to the gym tomorrow to do "Monday" believe it or not

My workout should look like this?

* Incline DB (DB) bench press 3x 8- 12
* Barbell Row 3x 8- 12
* Wide-Grip Weighted Dips 15
* CG-PI Weighted Chins 15
* Military Press 3x 8-12

No do them all 8-12 reps.

 

[digitalwolf]

No do them all 8-12 reps.

Woops, i did 3 x 8-12 lol.

How would I get my muscle to tire using just 8-12? Some crazy weight?

 

[Morba]

Woops, i did 3 x 8-12 lol.

How would I get my muscle to tire using just 8-12? Some crazy weight?

you know how if you are doing say 6 rep sets, you aim to reach your last rep just.
well its the same concept, just more reps ;]
so you use a weight that you can get to 12 reps just.

 

[Chong Warrior]

you know how if you are doing say 6 rep sets, you aim to reach your last rep just.
well its the same concept, just more reps ;]
so you use a weight that you can get to 12 reps just.

^^ What he said

Once you've picked a weight you can just hit 12 reps with "perfect form" keep a weights diary and make sure you increase the weight every week. Keep doing this and trying to hit 12 reps though this won't be possible obviously but keep increasing weight until you can't hit 8 reps. Don't do big jumps, 1kg-2kg is all you want to be adding.

 

[digitalwolf]

My cousin has recently joined me at the gym and he says that my aims and my programme are totally different.

I intend to put a lot of mass on my upper body. I play football regularly hence i feel my legs get a good workout in this.

My upper body is worked twice a week. I feel this isn't enough. Or something is going wrong. I do eat a lot, i'm at home most of the time and it's mainly protein based stuff.

My diet is fine but i'm stuck at 12 stone and have been for three months. I do feel the burn and pain in the gym but a day later it's gone.

So if i worked my upper body 3 times a week would this just be too much?

 

[Chong Warrior]

It doesn't work like that. All lifting weights does is damage the muscles and provides stimulus for new muscle growth, you actually grow when resting. All adding more exercises and routines does is eat into your recovery and growth energy reserves. Slows and even halts progress in other words.