My Routine

maratk1 · 10-19-2007, 03:04 PM

I'd appreciate it if you guys would give a critique of my routine. With legs, I partially tore my ACL a year ago, meaning that its still torn, so I no longer really have a leg day. Basically squatting, leg presses, extensions...things of that nature i generally cannot due with much stability. However, i'm slowly incorporating it back with light squatting and what not. Im also aware of the importance etc of leg exercises to strengthen the muscles around the ligament but i just dont have those exercises posted as i usually do squatting and light leg exercises just every few days based on how stable the joint is feeling.
Anyway,

Day 1 ---Push/chest,triceps
Flat Bench: 1x12 (70ish % max)--with the percent of max...i refer to the max as the weight i can effectively/safely rep several times...i dont really do the whole 1 rep max thing...i find it kinda unnecessary
1x8 (~80)
1x8 (~80)
1x6 (~95)
1x 2-5 (this set i use to see if i can add some weight to my previous max-ish weight . I usually add on like 10-20 lbs and do as many as im able to)

Incline Dumbell Press/Fly:
I do 3 x 8 sets of each exercise, alternating between each one. (i.e I do press, gym partner goes, then i do flys etc)
Also increasing weight with each set.

Cable Crossover:
2-4 x 10 sets (it varies depending on how much the other 2 exercises...it mostly ends up being 3 sets)

Skull Crushers, Tri Pulldowns
I do 2 sets of each, sometimes 3 tri pulldowns depending on how im feeling, at about 8-10 reps.

Day 2- Pull (back)

( I used to deadlift here first, but the whole knee thing etc, but im tryin to get back into it)

Lateral Pulldowns
4x10, increasing in weight...i dont really do the extra set of a few reps like i do with military and bench presses but basically the same idea

Bent Over Rows
4x10 pyramiding etc....i really enjoy this exercise as i find it to be really effective and therefore choose to do a high volume of it

Rear Delt Rows
3x8..same-ish weight...usually go up a bit each time...but the increases come week to week
Im aware that its commonly a shoulder exercise but i feel it a lot more in the lats/back area and therefore choose to do them on this day

bicep exercises: i do a couple 2x8's or 3x8s of whatever bicep exercise we feel like doing that day..sometimes we superset a little...just whatever comes to mind to mix it up...basically we pick out of the standard bicep exercises

Day 3- Push (shoulders

I do a warmup supersetting lateral raises, front raises, and a movement where you basically make a Y with your body like you're doing the YMCA dance and move your arms away from your body...if that can be imagined. I do like 2-3x8 of those

Seated Dumbell Military Press:
Same sets basically as what i do for flat bench

Upright Rows
3x8 with the highest weight available, the gym at my school doesnt have over 110...but thats heavy enough anyway so no big deal

Lateral raises
3x8 I try to increase in weight each week if possible but through the 3 sets i generally keep the same weight as i feel that the range of dumbell weights isnt really high enough to effectively pyramid for that exercise.

Im usually pretty tired by this point, i might throw in another 2x8 of something if i'm feeling good but usually stop here.

I also generally do day 1 and 2 back to back, then take a rest day, then do day 3, then rest, rinse, and repeat. My goal for now is to drop some bf%. I throw in some relatively intense cardio room biking for like 30min after i lift on like 75% of lift days (i do it on lift days for the whole glycogen storage depletion etc) but I feel that so much of dropping bf is based on diet that doing cardio for days wont really do the trick...i do the bicycling for knee related purposes as much as i do for dropping bf.
Anyway thats what it looks like. I've been doin this routine for awhile and been experiences gains without really hitting a plateau too hard so truthfully i'm happy with it....just would like a little critique
Thanks

**CowPimp** · 10-19-2007, 03:21 PM

My opinion is that you should nix the upright rows. They are garbage. Instead, I would do a little bit more back/pulling work on your 3rd day.

Also, you should still be able to, at least eventually, do some leg work without a full ACL. There are athletes that don't even have ACLs that can still play. The key is strengthening those muscles around the leg, particularly the hamstrings (Though the quads certainly make a difference too), to create more stability. The glutes are also very important for femoral control. Therefore, NOT doing leg work is probably about the worst thing you can do. I'm not saying you should go out and squat a 1RM, but some progressive resistance (Starting out very light) should be fine.

Did you ever do physical therapy?

maratk1 · 10-19-2007, 04:51 PM

yea i definitely agree that its necessary to do those leg exercises. The injury happened last year around this time and i really had to wait like 4 months to let my lateral condyle heal up a bit, it got contused (maybe a word?), and fractured a bit during the injury. But yea its more than overdue to start doing legwork again.

What Day 3 pull exercises would you recommend? I've been all over ExRx.com, i think you recommended it to me like a year and a half ago, but what would you go with. Also, any input on the rest of the routine?

Thanks

maratk1 · 10-19-2007, 04:54 PM

and yea started physical therapy like a month after the injury and did it for maybe 2 months. They let me go after that saying that i would probably be fine making up for the rest in the gym on my own. I've been doing the bodyweight exercises to keep the muscles active, but i'm just this month starting to do additional legwork when i feel that my knee is doin alright.

33sun33 · 10-19-2007, 05:27 PM

I completely tore my ACL about 12 years ago, and had ACL reconstruction. That knee never gives me problems today, and I can squat, deadlift, play ball, etc... Im just curious -- with a partial tear, will it eventually heal fully? If not, why didnt they try to reconstruct it?

maratk1 · 10-19-2007, 06:04 PM

with the partial tear, since i'm not a professional or d1 athlete, the insurance wouldnt cover it and no like legit doctor would do the surgery because the average person can live with a torn ligament. Also, the body doesnt synthesize anything that would repair the ligament , so it would stay torn indefinitely(i'm not entirely positive on the biology of the situation, but i'm certain that it wont repair itself). What happens when i do squats or things of that nature is that my tibia actually slides slightly anteriorly, and if it were to tear completely while i have the weight on my back, i'm sure nothing positive would occur. I'm just starting to be able to play basketball,racquetball...just sports in general where you pivot because the muscles are starting to strengthen up again after the injury. Actually, i'm really looking forward (haha i know) to tearing the final 30ish percent of the ligament still intact so that i can go ahead and get it repaired. Once its repaired, i'm certain that i'll basically be back at 100percent and be able to go ahead and do any exercise like you can. Essentially, you are much better off tearing the ligament completely than still having a portion intact.

**CowPimp** · 10-21-2007, 09:18 PM

It should theoretically heal. Ligamentous tissue can heal, it just take a really long time.

10-19-2007, 03:04 PM	#1
maratk1 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: a Posts: 19	My Routine I'd appreciate it if you guys would give a critique of my routine. With legs, I partially tore my ACL a year ago, meaning that its still torn, so I no longer really have a leg day. Basically squatting, leg presses, extensions...things of that nature i generally cannot due with much stability. However, i'm slowly incorporating it back with light squatting and what not. Im also aware of the importance etc of leg exercises to strengthen the muscles around the ligament but i just dont have those exercises posted as i usually do squatting and light leg exercises just every few days based on how stable the joint is feeling. Anyway, Day 1 ---Push/chest,triceps Flat Bench: 1x12 (70ish % max)--with the percent of max...i refer to the max as the weight i can effectively/safely rep several times...i dont really do the whole 1 rep max thing...i find it kinda unnecessary 1x8 (~80) 1x8 (~80) 1x6 (~95) 1x 2-5 (this set i use to see if i can add some weight to my previous max-ish weight . I usually add on like 10-20 lbs and do as many as im able to) Incline Dumbell Press/Fly: I do 3 x 8 sets of each exercise, alternating between each one. (i.e I do press, gym partner goes, then i do flys etc) Also increasing weight with each set. Cable Crossover: 2-4 x 10 sets (it varies depending on how much the other 2 exercises...it mostly ends up being 3 sets) Skull Crushers, Tri Pulldowns I do 2 sets of each, sometimes 3 tri pulldowns depending on how im feeling, at about 8-10 reps. Day 2- Pull (back) ( I used to deadlift here first, but the whole knee thing etc, but im tryin to get back into it) Lateral Pulldowns 4x10, increasing in weight...i dont really do the extra set of a few reps like i do with military and bench presses but basically the same idea Bent Over Rows 4x10 pyramiding etc....i really enjoy this exercise as i find it to be really effective and therefore choose to do a high volume of it Rear Delt Rows 3x8..same-ish weight...usually go up a bit each time...but the increases come week to week Im aware that its commonly a shoulder exercise but i feel it a lot more in the lats/back area and therefore choose to do them on this day bicep exercises: i do a couple 2x8's or 3x8s of whatever bicep exercise we feel like doing that day..sometimes we superset a little...just whatever comes to mind to mix it up...basically we pick out of the standard bicep exercises Day 3- Push (shoulders I do a warmup supersetting lateral raises, front raises, and a movement where you basically make a Y with your body like you're doing the YMCA dance and move your arms away from your body...if that can be imagined. I do like 2-3x8 of those Seated Dumbell Military Press: Same sets basically as what i do for flat bench Upright Rows 3x8 with the highest weight available, the gym at my school doesnt have over 110...but thats heavy enough anyway so no big deal Lateral raises 3x8 I try to increase in weight each week if possible but through the 3 sets i generally keep the same weight as i feel that the range of dumbell weights isnt really high enough to effectively pyramid for that exercise. Im usually pretty tired by this point, i might throw in another 2x8 of something if i'm feeling good but usually stop here. I also generally do day 1 and 2 back to back, then take a rest day, then do day 3, then rest, rinse, and repeat. My goal for now is to drop some bf%. I throw in some relatively intense cardio room biking for like 30min after i lift on like 75% of lift days (i do it on lift days for the whole glycogen storage depletion etc) but I feel that so much of dropping bf is based on diet that doing cardio for days wont really do the trick...i do the bicycling for knee related purposes as much as i do for dropping bf. Anyway thats what it looks like. I've been doin this routine for awhile and been experiences gains without really hitting a plateau too hard so truthfully i'm happy with it....just would like a little critique Thanks

10-19-2007, 03:21 PM	#2
CowPimp Fueled by Testosterone Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 15,428	My opinion is that you should nix the upright rows. They are garbage. Instead, I would do a little bit more back/pulling work on your 3rd day. Also, you should still be able to, at least eventually, do some leg work without a full ACL. There are athletes that don't even have ACLs that can still play. The key is strengthening those muscles around the leg, particularly the hamstrings (Though the quads certainly make a difference too), to create more stability. The glutes are also very important for femoral control. Therefore, NOT doing leg work is probably about the worst thing you can do. I'm not saying you should go out and squat a 1RM, but some progressive resistance (Starting out very light) should be fine. Did you ever do physical therapy?
	The only time it's bad to feel the burn is when you're peeing... CowPimp Picks Up Heavy Shit MySpace YouTube Videos

10-19-2007, 05:27 PM	#5
33sun33 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Albany, New York Posts: 160	I completely tore my ACL about 12 years ago, and had ACL reconstruction. That knee never gives me problems today, and I can squat, deadlift, play ball, etc... Im just curious -- with a partial tear, will it eventually heal fully? If not, why didnt they try to reconstruct it?
	Stats: 6"3, 208lbs, still cutting (until 200lbs!)

10-21-2007, 09:18 PM	#7
CowPimp Fueled by Testosterone Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 15,428	It should theoretically heal. Ligamentous tissue can heal, it just take a really long time.
	The only time it's bad to feel the burn is when you're peeing... CowPimp Picks Up Heavy Shit MySpace YouTube Videos

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10-19-2007, 04:51 PM	#3
maratk1 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: a Posts: 19	yea i definitely agree that its necessary to do those leg exercises. The injury happened last year around this time and i really had to wait like 4 months to let my lateral condyle heal up a bit, it got contused (maybe a word?), and fractured a bit during the injury. But yea its more than overdue to start doing legwork again. What Day 3 pull exercises would you recommend? I've been all over ExRx.com, i think you recommended it to me like a year and a half ago, but what would you go with. Also, any input on the rest of the routine? Thanks

10-19-2007, 04:54 PM	#4
maratk1 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: a Posts: 19	and yea started physical therapy like a month after the injury and did it for maybe 2 months. They let me go after that saying that i would probably be fine making up for the rest in the gym on my own. I've been doing the bodyweight exercises to keep the muscles active, but i'm just this month starting to do additional legwork when i feel that my knee is doin alright.

10-19-2007, 06:04 PM	#6
maratk1 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: a Posts: 19	with the partial tear, since i'm not a professional or d1 athlete, the insurance wouldnt cover it and no like legit doctor would do the surgery because the average person can live with a torn ligament. Also, the body doesnt synthesize anything that would repair the ligament , so it would stay torn indefinitely(i'm not entirely positive on the biology of the situation, but i'm certain that it wont repair itself). What happens when i do squats or things of that nature is that my tibia actually slides slightly anteriorly, and if it were to tear completely while i have the weight on my back, i'm sure nothing positive would occur. I'm just starting to be able to play basketball,racquetball...just sports in general where you pivot because the muscles are starting to strengthen up again after the injury. Actually, i'm really looking forward (haha i know) to tearing the final 30ish percent of the ligament still intact so that i can go ahead and get it repaired. Once its repaired, i'm certain that i'll basically be back at 100percent and be able to go ahead and do any exercise like you can. Essentially, you are much better off tearing the ligament completely than still having a portion intact.