Workout Schedule

[jbruno]

Hello All,

I re-started working out a couple months ago and feel great. I'm hitting PR's virtually every workout. I rotate the order of the exercises to focus on weak areas, shock my body and keep things interesting. But, there's a problem.....

My initial schedule was:

Day 1 - Chest and Triceps (Also, included shoulder presses)

Day 2 - Back and Biceps

I want to add legs, and increase the amount of shoulder exercises I do, as these are weak areas. I first attempted to add additional shoulder movements into my Day 1 workout but my body can't handle the volume of doing chest, shoulders and tri's in one day.

I was thinking of trying something like:

Day 1 - Chest and Legs (Incline Dumbbell Press, Bench Press, Dips, Squats or Leg Presses, Legs Extensions/Curls, Calves)

DAY 2- REST

Day 3 - Back and Biceps (T-Bar Rows, Chin-Ups (2 variations), Low Cable Row, Preacher Curls)

Day 4 - Shoulders (Arnold Presses, Standing Rows, ???)

Day 5 - REST

Back to Day 1

Does this sound reasonable? Also, any exercise suggestions/comments are welcome.

PS - I attempted squats for the first time yesterday and it was tough. I was using the station where the bar remains on the track as you do the movement (forget the name) with 1 45lb plate on each side. I found it to be very awkward and difficult. It seemed my feet were either too far in front or behind the bar. Also, even with the light weight, I could not get parallel. Just a little frustrating......

 

[Zander1983]

PS - I attempted squats for the first time yesterday and it was tough. I was using the station where the bar remains on the track as you do the movement (forget the name) with 1 45lb plate on each side. I found it to be very awkward and difficult. It seemed my feet were either too far in front or behind the bar. Also, even with the light weight, I could not get parallel. Just a little frustrating......

That is called a smith machine.

Lose it FAST and start doing some proper free-weight squats with a barbell on your back, in the squat rack.

Check the exercise pictures and video sticky at the top of the forum and you'll find what you're looking for in regards to how a squat should be performed.

Its going to be very difficult and awkard starting with 45s on each side when you haven't worked legs before, even on a smith machine!

Start with the bar. It will be humbling and might hurt the ego a little bit, but gradually adding weight to the bar and concentrating on form and depth is the key in the early stages. You'll be surprised how quickly the plates start adding up, really...

 

[FatRat]

I agree with Zander big time re. the Squats!

As for the schedule, are you looking specifically for a three day split? There really are a lot of choices. Also, are you looking to do a "traditional" type of training (ie reps and sets), or if you are more experienced are you open give something different like DC a try (In the sticky at the top) which has you working on a 3 day split…

Also, what are your goals?

 

[jbruno]

j

 

[jbruno]

I agree with Zander big time re. the Squats!

As for the schedule, are you looking specifically for a three day split? There really are a lot of choices. Also, are you looking to do a "traditional" type of training (ie reps and sets), or if you are more experienced are you open give something different like DC a try (In the sticky at the top) which has you working on a 3 day split…

Also, what are your goals?

Thank you for the Squat advice.

To answer your questions:

1. I am not looking for any specific split. This schedule is simply based on what areas I would like to focus on combined with my current endurance level.

2. Right now, I am doing the traditional training (sets/reps). I would like to continue doing this for now but I do not discount the possibility of switching to a more advanced system at a later date.

3. Current goals are to gain width and thickness, especially in my chest and back.

I am not striving to become hardcore, but would like to look solid.

Also, I hope that by increasing muscle mass I can decrease the amount of fat I have (I would estimate my BF at 30%, I'm 5'11'' and 245lbs........ not a lot of muscle)

I would like to be a semi-muscular 200lbs or so.

Once again, Thank you for your help and please keep the questions/comments coming.

 

[jbruno]

Bump

 

[FatRat]

Sounds to me like 5x5 would be a good starting place. It gives you a change to gradually build up a nice solid foundation as well. Take a look at the sticky at the top or some of the threads floating around like: http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=245590

As for the split, its really an individual thing, there are loads of combinations for 2, 3 or 4 days per week, yours may be ok, but Chest / Legs is a massive workout, and shoulder may be fatigued from two days earlier.

For ideas:

3 days:
Mon – Legs
Tues – off
Wed – Chest / Back (you can superset!)
Thurs – off
Fri – Shoulders / Bis / Tris (you can superset!)

4 days
Mon – Legs
Tues – Chest / Tris
Wed – off
Thurs – Back / Bis
Fri – Shoulders

Both just examples, but give you a start.

Also look at HST, DC etc. etc.

 

[overhead]

I had similar body content when I started 14 months ago, I am 5 11 and at the time was around 250 and probably 35% fat. I found it difficult to focus both on losing fat and gaining muscle at the sametime. So, I cut the carbs and calories but kept my protein at about 200 grams a day.I lifted four times a week. During that time I did not touch a dumbell, all barbell compond movements. Squats, power cleans, dead lifts, bench etc. I do not think I put on much muscle during this time but I did get alot stronger. Also did cardio four times a week, rotated hiit and standard jogging. When I got down to 190 I started focusing more on building muscle mass. Today I am at 198 with 19% body fat. I would like the body fat to be lower, but I am not focusing on that right now. I started using a three day split now, and oddly enough I still rarely touch a dumbell . Keep working, with the weights and a little cardio the fat will melt away.

 

[AWARE]

Here is another 4 day split 4U...

Mon-Back/Claves/LB
Tues-OFF
Wed-Chest/Bis/Abs
Thur-Off
Fri-Quads/Hams
Sat-Shoulders/Traps/Tris
Sun-Off

Here is my current group of exercises

Mon-Pull ups, Seat Rows, WG Lat pull downs, DB Rows
(also work in Dead lifts EOW and drop the seated rows)
Standing Calve raises, Rotary calves, & hyper EXT

Wed-INC DB, Flat BB, DEC BB, DB flys
BB Curls, Precher DB Curls, High Cable Curls
Varouis Abs excersises

Friday-BB sqauts, SL-Dead left, Leg Ext, Leg Curls

Sat-BB Military Press, Upright rows, Lat Raises, Rev Pec Deck,
DB shrugs
Skull Crushers, Weighted Dips, Pull downs...


My rep range will vary depending on my goals...I had been working heavy for past few months & am now using moderate weight. I tend to mix up my exercises every 4-6 week & every few months I will change my split around. If anything I have learned about training form before weight & the key is time under tension for growth...

This is my 2 cents...Hope this helps.....

 

[jbruno]

I had similar body content when I started 14 months ago, I am 5 11 and at the time was around 250 and probably 35% fat. I found it difficult to focus both on losing fat and gaining muscle at the sametime. So, I cut the carbs and calories but kept my protein at about 200 grams a day.I lifted four times a week. During that time I did not touch a dumbell, all barbell compond movements. Squats, power cleans, dead lifts, bench etc. I do not think I put on much muscle during this time but I did get alot stronger. Also did cardio four times a week, rotated hiit and standard jogging. When I got down to 190 I started focusing more on building muscle mass. Today I am at 198 with 19% body fat. I would like the body fat to be lower, but I am not focusing on that right now. I started using a three day split now, and oddly enough I still rarely touch a dumbell . Keep working, with the weights and a little cardio the fat will melt away.

Thanks Overhead..... you're where I'd like to be. I will probably try 5X5 and some cardio. Heck, if I could get to about 200lbs in a year, I'd be thrilled.