My routine...comments & suggestions please.

[vinylgroover]

Side lunge is good for the adductors. Lunges are a great overall leg exercise, which you should incorporate Puddles.

Chest supported T-bar row is hard work on the chest. No reason why you can't replace it with barbell rows which is a great overall back builder.

Puddles, from the pics i've seen, you have a head start with your legs. You are blessed with beautiful shape in your legs and good 'natural' musculature.

 

[Puddles]

Thanks again for the suggestions. We have the newer Arnold Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding and hubby suggested I look through there to find some stuff to add into our routine. I like it when he reads the book to me...with Arnold's accent. LOL

I've been fortunate...my muscles seem to be responding well considering how little work I've done so far. We added shoulder shrugs last night and I'm in agony already this morning! I showed hubby where I'm sore and he said GOOD! I apparently hit them right. I started with 45 lbs for the first two sets then did the last set at 55 and failed at 9 reps because I couldn't hold onto the dumbells...I gotta get those straps!

Spatts...you said, "For ab/ad I use a mini band doubled around my knees, and sit on a low box or aerobic step. You can also do kicks with bands or a cable. " Can you help me out and be more specific about how to use the bands and do the movements?

I'll get a check in the mail for your personal trainer's fee. hehehe Hey, maybe I'm onto something with that...we could set up a website where you offer personal training online for a fee.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Puddles]

Thank you...I'm gonna be looking those over this weekend. Where do they sell bands? I'm assuming Sports Authority would have them...and the wristwraps.

 

[Puddles]

OK...sure...confuse me in my altered state of mind! (Damn mind erasers! LOL) Tomorrow I'll take a look at Sports Authorithy and if I don't find them maybe you can post a url for me to order from.

 

[Gladiola]

The only thing i would suggest is maybe start working some more freeweight exercises in and reduce the reliance on machines and cables.

Absolutely ditto. The less machine & cable, the better. Didn't read every word of this thread, but I bet you got lots of good ideas for variety already - like diamond pushups instead of tricep cable pushdowns, or bench dips - progressing to bench dips if they don't bother your shoulders. I really think it's best to base a routine on a foundation of freeweights & incorporate cables & machines only as occasionaly variety.

In my scanning - I didn't see much discussion of lifting straps (as opposed to wrist wraps). I've heard often that if you never start using them, you won't need them. I don't necessarily think that's true. If you want to compete in PL, you CAN'T use them in competition, so they are not an option. If you want to be sure you have strong & thick forearms, don't use them. But for the most part - it's FINE to use them, my former Olympic Weightlifting coach used them for shrugs & clean pulls. Obviously his traps & hams, respectively, were MUCH stronger than his grip - so to exhaust those muscles, he'd use the straps. You don't need to hold on to heavy weights for any significant time period in Olympic lifting anyway.