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Hi EF, I would appreciate if you guys could help critique this workout routine for my gf, but let me start with some background info so you guys can decide if it's appropriate for her goal/objective. Her primary goal is to lose bodyfat, she wants a "toned" look, so I offered to help her by teaching her how to lift. I started her off a 5day bodybuilding split, which is what I had been using, and now she has for the last two months making steady strength gains. She has never strength trained before, but she loves it now. She was too intimidated to enter the weight room, but she's all excited to have me as her personal trainer.
As for me, subsequent to finding this site and learning about Bill Starr's 5x5, I started the program and am in week 2, day 1 was yesterday. I am 25, 175lbs, 16%bf, and yesterday on my last sets i squatted 240x5, bench 190x5, row 130x5, then did weighted decline situps and weighted hypers. I was not a believer in the 5x5, as some of you guys may remember from my initial inquiries, (mindboggled at the thought of squatting every other day) but I am recovering in time and feeling stronger than I thought I would. I like it lot, so thanks guys for answering all my questions and/or directing me to where I could find more info.
Ok so back to my gf, she is very petite - 5'1, 105. I know... tiny! We've been dating for a year and know her to eat super healthy w/ a maintenence calorie level of around 1300. I should have prefaced this entire post by saying, I think she looks great, but she is very motivated to achieve her toned look, so I want to help her achieve it.
I know it's all about diet, but I think that is under good control. She is eating small healthy balanced meals frequently, high protein, high fiber, tapering off carbs throughout the day. On average, I think she is around 100 - 200 calories in daily deficit. This slight deficit method is very different from what she had done in the past when she gained more bodyfat than she liked, which was crash dieting and nonsensical overdoses of cardio (and we all know what happens there and why that does not work long-term). Thus, with my guidance she is trying to do it right this time. She is in an intentional very slight deficit so she can retain as much lean muscle as possible, keeping her metabolism high.
In addition to the diet, the exercise routine I am recommending her try is below, (a variation of the 5x5), but a 3x8 fullbody workout I think would be more effective for her at this point. Also, a little bit of cardio after each workout, and HIIT cardio on the off days. I understand the "toned" look is nothing more than a combination of having muscle and low bf, and to gain muscle you need a calorie surplus, and to lose fat you need a calorie deficit. I've finally gotten that through to her. She now understands how to go about achieving her goal and no longer believes in spot reduction.
Sorry that was so long winded, but I wanted to give you as much background as possible so you can tailor your responses accordingly.
Thanks in advance.
workout 1
squat
bench
seated rows
decline situps
hypers
15m light cardio
workout 2
leg press
lunges
shoulder press
lat pull down
decline alt situps
15m light cardio
workout 3
squat
bench
seated rows
assisted dips
cable pushdowns
bicep curls
15m light cardio
As for me, subsequent to finding this site and learning about Bill Starr's 5x5, I started the program and am in week 2, day 1 was yesterday. I am 25, 175lbs, 16%bf, and yesterday on my last sets i squatted 240x5, bench 190x5, row 130x5, then did weighted decline situps and weighted hypers. I was not a believer in the 5x5, as some of you guys may remember from my initial inquiries, (mindboggled at the thought of squatting every other day) but I am recovering in time and feeling stronger than I thought I would. I like it lot, so thanks guys for answering all my questions and/or directing me to where I could find more info.
Ok so back to my gf, she is very petite - 5'1, 105. I know... tiny! We've been dating for a year and know her to eat super healthy w/ a maintenence calorie level of around 1300. I should have prefaced this entire post by saying, I think she looks great, but she is very motivated to achieve her toned look, so I want to help her achieve it.
I know it's all about diet, but I think that is under good control. She is eating small healthy balanced meals frequently, high protein, high fiber, tapering off carbs throughout the day. On average, I think she is around 100 - 200 calories in daily deficit. This slight deficit method is very different from what she had done in the past when she gained more bodyfat than she liked, which was crash dieting and nonsensical overdoses of cardio (and we all know what happens there and why that does not work long-term). Thus, with my guidance she is trying to do it right this time. She is in an intentional very slight deficit so she can retain as much lean muscle as possible, keeping her metabolism high.
In addition to the diet, the exercise routine I am recommending her try is below, (a variation of the 5x5), but a 3x8 fullbody workout I think would be more effective for her at this point. Also, a little bit of cardio after each workout, and HIIT cardio on the off days. I understand the "toned" look is nothing more than a combination of having muscle and low bf, and to gain muscle you need a calorie surplus, and to lose fat you need a calorie deficit. I've finally gotten that through to her. She now understands how to go about achieving her goal and no longer believes in spot reduction.
Sorry that was so long winded, but I wanted to give you as much background as possible so you can tailor your responses accordingly.
Thanks in advance.
workout 1
squat
bench
seated rows
decline situps
hypers
15m light cardio
workout 2
leg press
lunges
shoulder press
lat pull down
decline alt situps
15m light cardio
workout 3
squat
bench
seated rows
assisted dips
cable pushdowns
bicep curls
15m light cardio
