What would you change about this routine?

[BLAKE]

Looking for opinions here. The main goal is just general fitness. The idea being that gains are nice, but I'm not trying to get huge, and more muscle = more fat burning, which is important because I'm a big fat sasquatch. 6'3", 265, heavy build. I'm probably looking to get somewhere around 215, but that's another discussion that includes diet, which I have handled if I can work up the will power. ;)

First item: I have a workout parter, and we lift consistantly 2 days a week, and have for over a year. The only problem is that due to circumstances I don't want to bore you with, I can't make it to the gym more than 2 days a week. Period.

Mon/Weds/Fri = wake up and run my ass off.

Tues = Chest and Arms
Bench
set 1, 15 reps, 145lbs
set 2, 10-12 reps, 165-185
set 3, 5-6 reps, 215
Incline and declilne
set 1, 15 reps, 125lbs
set 2, 10-12 reps, 125
Chest Fly (machine)
set 1, 15 reps, 110lbs
set 2, 12 reps, 125
set 3, 10 reps, 140
Arms
(triceps and biceps are mixed, 1 set of tri, 1 set of bi, 2nd seet of tri, and so on)

Biceps= 2 sets of "7's" or "21" curls
(where a curl bar with 2 10lbs is used. 7 reps bottom half, 7 reps top half, and 7 reps full motion, all one set.)
Tricep extension, two handed machine
set 1, 15 reps, 110lbs
set 2, 12 reps, 125
set 3, 10 reps, 140
Forearms with the rolly, stick/rope thing

Then we hit the court and play some intense basketball for at least 30 min.

Thurs = back and shoulders
This is new, as we were doing more of a 2 circuit days, as opposed to two body part-focused days. I'm open to suggestion here. I figure this would include delt/dumbell raise, Arnold presses, row machine, lat pull, shrugs, etc.

More basketball after lifting.




I don't really work legs, because they're already like tree trunks, and they get the work they need moving my big ass around the rest of the week.

I guess I'm looking to refine my chest/arms workout, and start out with a good back/shoulders routine. Thoughts on any of this mess?

[The Big Matt]

I would swap to a Chest/Tris and Back/Bis and a shoulder/legs

[BLAKE]

I would swap to a Chest/Tris and Back/Bis and a shoulder/legs

Meaning a 3 day program? Can't really pull that off man. It's hard enough to get to the 2 working 2 jobs. :o

[Jester]

Never ever drink a soda ever again. You will be amazed. Drink water with everything and drink it all day.

[BLAKE]

Never ever drink a soda ever again. You will be amazed. Drink water with everything and drink it all day.

Uhhh, yeah, that's not really what we're talking about here. :rolleyes:

but that's another discussion that includes diet

[Jester]

Uhhh, yeah, that's not really what we're talking about here. :rolleyes:
I know, but you know it's true. Here is a simple step to muscle................work out as hard as you can until you can do no more, then call yourself a pussy, slap your face, and then lift some more. That's what Arnold would always do.

Honestly Blake, your routine seems good. You need to let me smoke you for 10 minutes everyday, and I guarantee that you will be down 10lbs in a month. Phil would have me do this and he was amazed at the results. Works everypart of the body at once................but it hurts.

[BLAKE]

I know, but you know it's true.
Of course I know it's true. Everybody knows it's true. The point is, I'm trying not to junk up the thread with shit that is obvious. I know what to do about diet, I'm looking for opinions on a weight lifting routine. That's all.

Here is a simple step to muscle................work out as hard as you can until you can do no more, then call yourself a pussy, slap your face, and then lift some more. That's what Arnold would always do.
Sounds cute in a caveman kind of way, but I'm looking for a little science.

Honestly Blake, your routine seems good. You need to let me smoke you for 10 minutes everyday.

I'm not gay.




:D

[SlowLX]

Of course I know it's true. Everybody knows it's true. The point is, I'm trying not to junk up the thread with shit that is obvious. I know what to do about diet, I'm looking for opinions on a weight lifting routine. That's all.


Sounds cute in a caveman kind of way, but I'm looking for a little science.



I'm not gay.




:D
DUUUUUDDDDDEEEE you look like a bigger version of jim brewer off of half baked mannnnn!!!

[Jester]

DUUUUUDDDDDEEEE you look like a bigger version of jim brewer off of half baked mannnnn!!!
LMGDAO!!!!!!!!! Shit Blake, you do!

Half Blaked! :D

[The Raven]

Meaning a 3 day program? Can't really pull that off man. It's hard enough to get to the 2 working 2 jobs. :o


Keep the two days, but do shoulders with chest and tris, and back with bi's and lats. Think of it as a push/pull routine, where you are working complimentay muscles together. Shoulders and tris are involved when doing bench press, and bi/lats are used when doing pull-downs or rows. Focus more in intensity than actual weigths, and train to failure. Pic a weight the you can only lift 12 or 8 time, and no more. I'd suggest going in two week cycles of 8 reps, 12 reps, and 5 reps.

[The Big Matt]

Keep the two days, but do shoulders with chest and tris, and back with bi's and lats. Think of it as a push/pull routine, where you are working complimentay muscles together. Shoulders and tris are involved when doing bench press, and bi/lats are used when doing pull-downs or rows. Focus more in intensity than actual weigths, and train to failure. Pic a weight the you can only lift 12 or 8 time, and no more. I'd suggest going in two week cycles of 8 reps, 12 reps, and 5 reps.

Agreed, if 2 days is your only option, this is a great routine.

I'd definately change it up 2-4 weeks at a time, changing weight/reps like Aaron is saying. Makes a huge difference when you start plaining out

[AL P]

More sets. More weight. Fewer reps. No reason to do 15 reps with light weight on your first set. Really that's not even a set, that is a warm up. Do 135 lbs. for 10 for a warm up and form practice and then go heavier for the work sets. If, for example, 195 is a comfortable weight that you can rep easily, I would do two sets of 195 to failure and then one set of 205 to failure then 215 to failure. You could even make the last set at 225 lbs and only do one set at 195 lbs.

[BLAKE]

Good stuff guys, thanks! I like that push/pull routine idea.

Agreed on the more weight issue too. It's time to start pushin' it.

[46Tbird]

I'll be in the neighborhood soon, I need to join up.

But Levi doesn't get to "smoke me" for 10mins, whatever the hell that means.

[ruffdaddy]

If you want that bench max to go up much you're going to need to change that routine up alot. Dont do so much high rep workk. Stay around 10-6 reps per set. And try doing 4 sets of bench at least.

Ravens right about the push pull routine, itll be the best considering the limited time you have. try and keep the muscles used during the workout uniform.

[Jester]

I'll be in the neighborhood soon, I need to join up.

But Levi doesn't get to "smoke me" for 10mins, whatever the hell that means.
Smoke is what they call it in the Marines when you fuckin smoke a recruit's body with a few different exercises performed in entirely too little amount of time.................it hurts.

[[CS]ls1haha]

Like stated those weight increments and reps are too far apart... Seems like 145 should be your warmup on bench if you can get 215 on bench 5-6 reps.

Slap two plates(135lbs) on it and do reps ensuring your form is good and do them at a moderate pace. You should focus on contracting your muscles while doing them to get them warmed up and the blood pumping through them.
Set 1 155-175 for 10-12 reps
Set 2 185-195 for 8-10
Set 3 195-205 for 8-10 if possible..

Use same idea for incline. On the fly machine, I don't really count reps. I treat it as an isolation movement with hard contractions at the end of each rep, progressively increasing the weight until the last set when I can get probably 8-10before it feels like the inside of the pec is going to tear off. Another good one is one arm dumbell presses. Lay flat on the bench with say a 40lb dumbell(or 20-30lbs less than normal) and press it with one hand. The free hand should be at your waist. This will work your core abs/obliques/lower back in addition to the chest and it will significantly increase your strength on the regular bench press. Next time you go those the big weights you will feel the extra support in your midsection.

After that go do some dip sets. You sure will feel it in the tri after that. For the Bi's, I am not a big fan of 21's. Although my bi's fail fairly quickly.. I lift them with dumbell/barbell curls in variations until I cant extend my arms and they are so pumped they hurt. Then hit em with some type of cable isolation move to polish them off. You got the idea on the tri's, pretty much. Skull crusher is a good staple.

I don't do forearms.. they get a work out all the time. As the weight progresses in training, they must work harder to lift it. Back/Trap stuff will help your grip a lot as well. Dont forget the lower back thats important if everything else is going to get bigger/stronger. You got it right with the lat pulldown/rows, also try t bar row, bent over barbell row, dumbell rows, pull-ups are great if you have the strength to pull your body weight, stiff leg deadlift. Keep the trap workouts interesting too don't just do the same stuff. You can use dumbell, barbell, Haney grip. Put the weight on heavy and try form with contraction at the top of the shrug. I have seen good results doing it this way rather than swinging it up and down(I saw some little guy strap up and shrug like 405 LOL he wanted me to spot him)...

Lift the legs man, the last thing you want is your upper body outgrowing the lower half.

[MACHWON]

There's some pretty good info posted so far. Your warmup sets should not in any way make you tired or give you a "pump" in any of your muscles. The point of the lift is to maximize the intensity with the greatest amount of weight, that's what makes the muscle stronger. Why the fuck would you go and lift 195 and 205 to failure at around 10-12 reps, when you could do 215 and fail at 6-7 reps fresh? You should do probably 5 sets of warmups, with about 60-90 seconds between each one, on a pyramid-type rep scale.
Bench:
barX12 - slow down, explode up - on all warmup sets
95X10
135X8
185X3
205X1
4-5 working sets with 215 to failure .... then the next week, add another 2.5lbs to each side and shoot for the same reps.
The point of the warmups is to get your joints used to having weight on them. You don't want to go to failure until you are using the max possible weight you can lift for a solid 5-6 reps. You should only be able to get about 3 on your last set, and have to have the spotter help on the last couple.

DO NOT neglect legs. Working legs helps the entire body. Leg-work makes puts your body in an anabolic state, which is what you want for gaining muscle mass. At the very least, incorporate squats and deads into your routine. Put them in w/ back day, and just alternate them every week. Squats one week, deads the next.

Lastly, don't make a routine w/ a set amount of weight like you did in your first post. How would you get any stronger if you are lifting the same weight every time? Your body is not going to change with the same routine, same reps day in and day out. Take in LOTS of protein!

[poopnut2]

Add a lot of cocaine to your diet.

[BLAKE]

Thank you gents, I'm getting a lot out of this.

Tommorow we're going to start the push-pull, and up the weight, lower the reps. We worked out back and shoulders at the end of last week, and holy shit. I payed for it all weekend, lol. It's a good sore, I guess. :D

I'll update tommorow with the new Shoulders/Chest/Tri's day. :)

[BLAKE]

I'll update tommorow with the new Shoulders/Chest/Tri's day. :)

Dayum! That's a different kind of work out right there. :D

Bench 125/175/195/215 (12/10/8/5)
Incline
Decline
Fly
One arm dumbell press (as stated above)
Tricep extensions (machine & dumbell)
rear/mid/front delt dumbell raises

All trained with higher weight, lower reps. Next week I'll bump up the bench faster. Probably a 175/195/195/215.

I need a nap.

[MACHWON]

Dayum! That's a different kind of work out right there. :D

Bench 125/175/195/215 (12/10/8/5)
Incline
Decline
Fly
One arm dumbell press (as stated above)
Tricep extensions (machine & dumbell)
rear/mid/front delt dumbell raises

All trained with higher weight, lower reps. Next week I'll bump up the bench faster. Probably a 175/195/195/215.

I need a nap.

Try 135/185/215/215 - Go all out w/ the max weight possible. Your strength will increase more that way!

[Strychnine]

Add a lot of cocaine to your diet.


Dude, you dont eat the coke :rolleyes:

[BLAKE]

Try 135/185/215/215 - Go all out w/ the max weight possible. Your strength will increase more that way!

Will do! :)

[stangpeddler]

:eek:

[Strychnine]

:eek:

Quit whoring you rotten son of a bitch.

[Jester]

Quit whoring you rotten son of a bitch.
x2, fucking newbie jackhole

[Davidm97]

run before and after your wokouts, you shread weight...

not enoff volume, and your intensity is proly not so good.
dont forget to kill your legs