norel

Hello everyone...I'm pretty new here. I'm looking for some help with my routine. I have been weight training for about one year. The first six months were "body for life", the last six have been my own workouts. I quit the body for life program because I did not see any muscle growth.....only getting very lean (13% body fat, which for me was very lanky). In addition the weights used were very light

Now that I am doing my own program I would like to make sure that I am on the right track to build a little muscle. Here is my current plan.


DAY 1 Chest & Triceps
BENCH PRESS
LYING TRICEP EXTENTION

FLY
KICKBACKS

DECLINE PRESS
DIPS (TO FAILURE FOR 3 SETS)

DAY 2 Back & Biceps
CHIN-UPS (NARROW GRIP) *To failure 3 sets
SEATED BICEPS CURL

ONE ARM ROW
HAMMERS

INCLINE LYING ROW
CONCENTRATION CURL

DAY 3 Shoulders/Lower body/Abdominals

SEATED MILITARY PRESS
SQUATS
DECLINE BENCH SITUPS *to failure

SIDE LATERAL RAISES
LUNGES
LEG RAISES *to failure

BENT OVER REAR DELTOID RAISES
CALF RAISES
DUMBBELL SIDE BENDS

DAY 4
REST

*Day five is starting at the beginning of the routine again.

I do all of these exercises for 3 sets (10, 8, and 6 reps) with as heavy a weight as I can handle. The only exceptions too this are the excersises that I have put "*too failure" beside. Everything is done in my home with "powerblock" dumbbells and in incline/decline bench and a chinup/dip/legraise station.

I do the exercises back too back (ie. bench press then tricep extention then a 3 minute rest; repeat till sets are done and move on too next excercise group-fly and kickbacks etc etc.)

The workouts take me between 1/2 hour and 45 minutes.

At the end of the workout I will then take a short break (shower....eat etc) and come back down and perform one or two more sets on each muscle group with a lighter weight until I cant do any more....then I don't touch that muscle again for four days.

I also do martial arts 3 times a week and a couple easy runs (5-10 kilometres) a week. My diet varies; mostly my breakfasts and lunches are very healthy with my dinners being more along the lines of "run down anything that moves"

I am six feet tall....195 about 19% body fat. If any of you have pointers on things I need to do differently to start building lean mass please do not hesitate to pick my lifestyle apart.

Thank you for looking this over

Norel.

Mudge

A 3 on 1 off program is pretty intense, I just came off of one to do a 4/1.

You don't list sets, which might be helpfull. I would say though that for back your not doing enough work. The back is a huge part of the body, and there are many muscle groups there, I am using several excersizes to help get my back going which is sadly a weak point for me.

Deadlifts - 3
Bent Rows - 4
Lat Pulldowns (front) - 4
1 Arm Dumb Row - 2
Good Mornings (machine) - 2

Probably I will hear from some that I am doing too much, which is possible, but my back is lagging so I am working it the most right now to bring it up to speed. Generally though I would add some other excersizes, since your only targeting a small portion of the back right now.

Here is an article on back from the front page:
http://www.ironmagazine.com/training8.htm

If this is a triceps movement, it sounds like a dumbell kickback, or a side lateral raise for shoulders?

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ians

I agree with Mudge a 3 on 1 off is a bit much especially if your doing martial arts training 3 times a week as well - you may want to consider cutting back somewhere !!

I dont like the way you do alternate bodyparts back to back e.g Chest & Triceps - Bench Press/Lying Tricep Ext - Flys/Kickbacks etc

By doing this type of training, your weakening the link between the weight and your chest (your triceps that is) before your chest has been worked properly. Do you chest work first, then do your triceps ! Do the same for your other workouts i.e. Back then Biceps !

Also - if your going to do the same exercises week in week out - make sure you change the weights on a weekly basis i.e.
Week 1 - Warm up, then do 3x10 for everything (60 sec rest)
Week 2 - Warm up, then Pyramid 12,10,8,6,4 (60 sec rest)
Week 3 - Warm up, then do 10,8,6,6,6 (90 sec rest)
Week 4 - Back to 3x10 .........and so on !!

This type of routine will continously shock the muscles for growth !!

Hope this helps !

Stats - 6'1", 92kgs (203lbs), BF ~10-11%

norel

Thanks for the input guys..... in reply to Mudge about the "dumbbell side bends" Here is a description from another webpage;

Dumbbell Side Bend (Obliques)

Stand erect with your feet about twelve to sixteen inches apart and grasp a dumbbell in your right hand. Your palm will be facing your upper thigh. Place your left hand on your left oblique. Bend to the right as far as possible and then bend to the left as far as possible. You will perform the prescribed number of repetitions and then change the weight to the left hand and put your right hand on your right oblique, repeating the movement. You must remember to keep your back straight and your head up or you will bend to far forward.

I am surprised that you thought my back excercises were lacking...I thought for sure that my leg routine was the weakest link:P


I can also see Ians point about alternating body parts not being a great idea. I mostly do that to cut back my time for the workouts (only so many hours in the day). Also, great idea about changing up the weights.

I am definitely willing to try out both of your your suggestions.
One other question though, how do I alter my existing routine to make it a more suitable program? Are there some "pre maid" workouts that I should try instead?

Being a relative novice, I have had a lot of trouble putting together the fitness routine that I am using now, and feel a little lost if I have to start from scratch.

Thanks again for your comments