Wife is ready to hit the Gym.. Need Help with a Routine..

[Arikara]

Ok, Here's the scoop, I'm getting back to the gym after 4 yrs of being away and am pretty outta shape compared to lasttime I've hit the weights.. My wife (who is in the Army) is showing interest in going to the gym with me and has gone a couple of times now, until yesterday she was doin cardio only on an olyptical or treadmill and that's about it. Now she says she's ready to start lifting weights with me.. My my Question is How can I design I routine for us to lift together and make gains toward both of our goals..

I'll post my normal routine from past yrs experience and I'll post a experimental routine for the both of us.. Tell me what I will need to change..

My Past Workout Regiment:
Stretch for 10min Before any workout..

Monday, Wendsday and Friday 15-30 min of Cardio (Treadmill, Olyptical, Bike any of the above)
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 3 sets of Abs till failure usually

Monday: Chest/Tri's (cable for arms on secondary days)
Incline Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Dips
Fly's
Pushhdowns
Rope Splitters
Reverse Curls

Tuesday: Back/Bi's (again Cables for secondary muscle group)
Pullups
Deadlift
Lat Pulldowns
Mid Rows
Lawnmowers
Hyperextensions
Both arm Cable curls (?)
Spider curls
Single arm Curls

Wendsday:Shoulders and Secondary muscle Groups (calves forarms and traps)
Military Press BB
Upright Rows
Lateral raises
Forward Raises
Reverse Fly's
Forearm curls
Calve Raises
Shrugs

Thursday: Arms ( Freeweigths)
Close Grip Bench
SkullCrushers
Kickbacks
Overhead Raises
Cheater Bar Curls
Precher Curls
Alternating DB Curls

Friday: Legs
Squats ( Box, Front, or Normal)
Leg Press
Quad Extensions
Hamstring Curls
Calve Raises

This is pretty much the Routine I stuck to for about 2 yrs of my training while I was in the military and working out daily.. Now that I'm getting back into it it seems a little much for me and I've red a bit on the 3x5 and the 5x5 workout regiments that are out now and was thinking about those..

Here is the workout I was figuring on my Wife and Myself could both use.. (Please feel free to comment and adjust as neccesary)

Monday, Wendsday and Friday: 20-30 min Cardio
Monday and Friday 3 Ab exeercises 3xfailure

Monday:
Deadlifts 3x5
Squats 3x8
Flat Bench 3x10
PushDowns 3x10
Lat Pull Downs 3x10
Alternating Curls 3x10

Tuesday:
Leg Press 3x8
Seated Good Mornings 3x6
Incline DB Press
Overhead Raises
Mid Rows
Cheater Bar Curls
Calve Raises

Wendsday: Off

Thursday:
Squat: 3x8
Hamstring Curls 3x10
Flat Bench 3x10
Rope Splitters 3x10
Pullovers 3x10
Alternating Curls 3x10
Forearm Curls 3x10

Friday
Deadlift: 3x6
Leg Press 3x8-10
Incline DB Press 3x10
SkullCrushers 3x10
Upright Rows 3x10
Shrugs 3xfailure

Weight adjusted by ability..

It's a rough draft so try not to critisize too harshly, it's been a few years since I've made a workout routine and probably 1st time I've tried to make 1 co-ed.. I've done some reading on the womens forum and I'd like to thank and acknowledge Tatyana, NeedToGetAas and Thandie for their great advice to women and to guys like me interested in helping their better halfs in getting into shape and feeling better about themselves.. And thank you to everyone else here on the forums that donate their time and knowledge to help out..

Some stats:
Me: 165lbs 5'9'' In alright condition still but need to lose a gut I put on.. I would like to lose that and put my 185lbs of muscle back on.
Wife:162lbs 5'6'' 1 Child and has trouble with some weight around her stomach and hips.. She would like to lose that, but in good shape because of the military PT she does about everyday, but we know training isn't the same as TRAINING..

 

[jesse_01]

I got my g/f doing the 5x5 routine with me. She enjoyed it cause it worked on her legs lots with squats 3 times a week. Women seem to gain weight easy in the thighs. It worked out good cause as soon as she was done her set I would put my weight on and do my set and so on. Also you've probably read alot and seen hiit for cardio.

 

[Arikara]

I've just got done taking a look at the HIIT training, It seems good and all, problem is we got a little guy that we take to Bally's (the health spa, lol) with us because they have babysitting, But I don't know if doin HIIT on an olyptical or a treadmill would do the same as outright sprinting on a track.. We are both capable of doin HIIT and it ooks like a really promising program and will try to work it into our cardio, would you suggest doin HIIT on a machine??

 

[jesse_01]

Well if you think about it doing HIIT on a treadmill or elliptical would be more controlled than on a track. You can adjust your speed and measure your heart rate.

Back when I play rep hockey we had a bike routine that would kick our butt pretty hard. You can give that a try.

Do level 10 warm up @ 90rpm for 4 mins. than 11,12,13,14,15,16,16,15,14,13,12,11 doing first 20sec at 120 rpm than last 40 at 90 rpm. Than level 10 4 min 90 rpm cool down. We did that on days off and even in top condition we still had sweat pouring out.

Here is a link to the 5x5 program Bill Starr 5x5 - Madcow Intermediate or Linear Version . At the bottom of the page there is a excel file you can download and you just punch in your numbers to really simplify the program. The first few weeks will seem easy but its just building up the muscles and preparing your body for person bests in week 5 and on.


The training vault at the top of the page in weight lift & training is very helpful also. http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...xercises-articles-more-start-here-484815.html

 

[SpyWizard]

well there ya go..

 

[RADAR]

Monday:
Deadlifts 3x5
Squats 3x8
Flat Bench 3x10
PushDowns 3x10
Lat Pull Downs 3x10
Alternating Curls 3x10

Tuesday:
Leg Press 3x8
Seated Good Mornings 3x6
Incline DB Press
Overhead Raises
Mid Rows
Cheater Bar Curls
Calve Raises

Wendsday: Off

Thursday:
Squat: 3x8
Hamstring Curls 3x10
Flat Bench 3x10
Rope Splitters 3x10
Pullovers 3x10
Alternating Curls 3x10
Forearm Curls 3x10

Friday
Deadlift: 3x6
Leg Press 3x8-10
Incline DB Press 3x10
SkullCrushers 3x10
Upright Rows 3x10
Shrugs 3xfailure

Weight adjusted by ability..

It's a rough draft so try not to critisize too harshly, it's been a few years since I've made a workout routine and probably 1st time I've tried to make 1 co-ed.. I've done some reading on the womens forum and I'd like to thank and acknowledge Tatyana, NeedToGetAas and Thandie for their great advice to women and to guys like me interested in helping their better halfs in getting into shape and feeling better about themselves.. And thank you to everyone else here on the forums that donate their time and knowledge to help out..

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Ok look carefully at what you stated ,you are working some areas 2 days later altho it may be a different exercise its still affects that same muscle,

I would do the push/pull routine,This is an example

Monday (push)

Bench press(you can do reg,incline,decline,Cable pecs it's all up to you)

Shoulder Presses,Dumbell side lateral lifts(any kind of exercise that works the Delts)

Triceps


See what i'm talking about? Bench press.... the muscles that come into play,Pecs,Shoulders,Tri's



Tues


Lats (behind the neck,in front of the neck, 45 degree pull downs...etc,Pull ups,Rows,Back cable Extentions,

Biceps Curls,reverse curls,hammer curls


see?training lats & doing Rows the muscles that come into play Biceps,You have isolated mondays workouts so those muscles can rest

The next day
Abs & legs are Next

Squats,leg extenstions,leg curls,deadlifts,calves,sit ups...etc

Take two days of rest and good dieting then repeat!




RADAR

 

[Arikara]

Hey Radar,

1st off thanks for the advice.. I saw that when I was making the regiment, But I had noticed on alot of the workouts 5x5 and some of the womens routines it's alot of the same muscle groups every workout, I havn't worked out like this as you can tell from the past routine I have done in the past. I do agree making Monday a Push day and Tuesday a Pull Day since I've been doing that for awhile in the past... It's confusing working in Deadlifts, Squats, Good Mornings, and other Core exercises into this routine though, I will try another routine and Message it to you and would like you to take a look at it for me.. Probably won't be till tomorrow but I'll try to get it done ASAP..

Thanks alot..

Ryan..

 

[RADAR]

Hey Radar,

1st off thanks for the advice.. I saw that when I was making the regiment, But I had noticed on alot of the workouts 5x5 and some of the womens routines it's alot of the same muscle groups every workout, I havn't worked out like this as you can tell from the past routine I have done in the past. I do agree making Monday a Push day and Tuesday a Pull Day since I've been doing that for awhile in the past... It's confusing working in Deadlifts, Squats, Good Mornings, and other Core exercises into this routine though, I will try another routine and Message it to you and would like you to take a look at it for me.. Probably won't be till tomorrow but I'll try to get it done ASAP..

Thanks alot..

Ryan..

Glad to be of help!
RADAR

 

[Arikara]

Ok here is the Routine I've come up with reading a little more into the forums, I've tried to come up with a routine that both my wife and myself can both achieve our goals.. This is a 2day Routine starting Monday and Tuesday with a break (from weight training) Wendsday and back again on Thursday and Friday.. I've also considered a 3 day spreak for M,W,F pretty much the same A&B for Monday and Wendsday minus the Leg routine I've sved for Friday.. If anyone feels that may be better I'd like to hear your input on it.. This will be our Beginning routine since she's just starting and I've been away for a few years.. We will stick with this for 4-6 months.. Or until we feel neccesary to move to an intermediate routine..

Thanks for everyone's help thus far..







Workout A:
Cardio 20-30min
Squat
Deadliff
Leg Press
Flat Bench
Military Press
Incline DB Press
Cable Tri's (Pushdowns or Splitters)
Abs

Workout B:
Cardio 20-30min
SLDL
Hamstring Curls
Bentover Rows
Upright Rows
Pullups/Lat Pulldown
Seated Rows
Cable Bi's
Abs

 

[Arikara]

Shit! My wife just got back from an orthopedic Specialist and she has one of her spinal vertabre fractured, it happened about 4 yrs ago in a car accident in her Humvee while transporting shit for the army... They are talking about surgery and pins and all that stuff, I wasn't there so don't know the actual condition, So I'll get some more information and try and post it on here but for now I think best thing is do low impact cardio training.. Sorry for wasting your time on here with this.. I'll get back to everyone with what the actual condition is and will probably ask for some input on a new routine.. Thank you...