Looking for some advice on my training program please.

[Adamr]

Hi all, I'm writing from the Uk & looking for a bit of advice on my current routine.
I generally am only able to train for 3 days per week which I initially thought would not be enough but having read several articles it seems that with with a good training program & nutrition, good results can be acheived.

I am 36
5ft 11"
78.7kg (173 lbs)
21% body fat

Im looking to build muscle & strip fat (aren't we all)

The training program that the intro trainer at my local gym put me on is as follows: 1hr sessions

Monday: Chest & Biceps (4 sets of 8-10 reps last set to failure)
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Bench press -
Incline chest press -
Seated Chest Flys (machine)
Barbell curls
Seated Dumbell Hammer curls

Wednesday: Back & Legs (4 sets of 8-10 reps last set to failure)
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Seated Row
Reverse Fly
Pull Down
Leg Raises
Hamstring curls
Calf Raises

Friday: Shoulders & Triceps (4 sets of 8-10 reps last set to failure)
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Dumbell Shoulder Raises
Lateral Raises
Front raises
overhead tricep extension with dumbell (not keen on this as it hurts my neck)
Tricep pull down

I also usually do 40 hanging leg raises (crunches) on each of these days.

So, there it is...I've been doing this routine for about 5 months now & have seen good strength gains from when I started. I have to admit that I hadn't done any exercise for many years before that!

I guess i'm looking for some advice/help in tweaking this or changing it completely if need be.

Thanks in advance
Adam

 

[ScorpionKing]

Start with the 21% fat and hit the treadmill.

 

[Adamr]

Hmmm...
Thanks but not quite what I was looking for!

Anyone else have any advice on my training routine?

 

[davegmb]

The training program that the intro trainer at my local gym put me on is as follows: 1hr sessions

Monday: Chest & Biceps
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Bench press -
Incline chest press -
Seated Chest Flys (machine)
Barbell curls
Seated Dumbell Hammer curls

Wednesday: Back & Legs (4 sets of 8-10 reps last set to failure)
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Seated Row
Reverse Fly
Pull Down
Leg Raises
Hamstring curls
Calf Raises

Friday: Shoulders & Triceps (4 sets of 8-10 reps last set to failure)
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Dumbell Shoulder Raises
Lateral Raises
Front raises
overhead tricep extension with dumbell (not keen on this as it hurts my neck)
Tricep pull down
Adam

Hello Adam glad its been working well for you so far. Some of it looks good and some of it not so good, i also noticed your leg work is very limited.
Heres what changes id make:

Monday looks fine to me
Monday: Chest & Biceps
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Bench press - (mix it up eg one week barbell, next dumbells)
Incline chest press -
Seated Chest Flys (machine) although i would prefer this to be with free weights
Barbell curls (mix it up use different grip widths)
Seated Dumbell Hammer curls (mix it up try putting the seat to incline, this is really tough)

Wednesday would look like this
Wednesday: shoulders & legs
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Military Press or shoulder press
Lateral raises
Squats (any type your comfortable with start light learn the movement)
Deadlift (or you could do Romanian deadlifts start light learn the movement)
Leg press (high and wide foot placing to hit all the leg)
Calf Raises (standing and seated/ leg press is also good machine to work them on)

Friday: Back & Triceps
5 mins on rower or cross trainer (Warmup)
Pull ups (or lat pull downs)
Bent over barbell row or DB rows
Seated row
Dips or Close Grip bench press
Tricep pull down

So many different things you could do with your routine, but i tried to keep it a bit similar to what you were doing. Legs are really important to balance out your body dont sell yourself short on these.
Hope this helps, sure others will have their say too.

 

[Adamr]

Thanks Dave, that's the sort of thing I'm after. I will definitely incorporate some of those.

Keep em coming guys...

 

[PushAndPull]

If I only could do a three day split, i'd probably go with

Mon
Vertical Pull&Lower Push

Wed
Horizontal Push&Pull

Fri
Lower Pull&Vertical Push

 

[gtbmed]

How's your diet?

 

[Adamr]

How's your diet?

My Diet is actually pretty good. No fried stuff, plenty of veg, chicken, Tuna Salmon etc 4-5 small meals a day.

Usually well under 2500 calories.

I'm not actually carrying much fat, just a little around the mid section!

 

[Adamr]

Here's some before & after pics. I've onbly been training properly for the last four/five months but i'm wondering whether this is decent progress in that time period.
note: I did have a weeks holiday in Spain in August, hence the difference in colour!

I stated before that my bathroom scales say I have 20% fat, I'm not sure about how accurate they are though!

My main goal is to tone up & build some more muscle...

Let me know what you think guys.

 

[BillHicksFan]

Here's some before & after pics. I've onbly been training properly for the last four/five months but i'm wondering whether this is decent progress in that time period.
note: I did have a weeks holiday in Spain in August, hence the difference in colour!

I stated before that my bathroom scales say I have 20% fat, I'm not sure about how accurate they are though!

My main goal is to tone up & build some more muscle...

Let me know what you think guys.

Good job man.

Now I think it's time to stack the muscle.

 

[Mr.BTB]

GVT style training.....I love it!

 

[Adamr]

GVT style training.....I love it!

sorry if i'm being dumb but what is GVT style training?

 

[Adamr]

Hi All, having run the same 3 day split for some time now I have come up with a new one. did the arm workout this morning & boy did I feel it......

Let me know what you think:

Day 1 Arms: (4 sets of 8-10 reps or until failure)
5 min cross trainer wam up 1km
Lying dumbell tricep extension
V-Bar push down
Dips (4 sets to failure)
Barbel Curl
Hammer Curl
Preacher curl (machine)

Day 3 Shoulders & Legs
5 min cross trainer warm up 1km
seated shoulder press
shrugs
lat raise
front raise
Leg press
leg raise
lying leg curl
calf raise

Day 5 Chest & Back
Bench Press (Smith Machine as I train on my own)
High Cable cross over
Incline press
Seated Flyes
Inverted row
Lat pull down
Reverse fly
Seated row

On each of these days I also do 40 hanging knee raises.

What do you think guys, all constructive advice welcome.

 

[ManoMan1117]

Google bill starr 5x5. Or German Volume Training

 

[GMO]

Here's some before & after pics. I've onbly been training properly for the last four/five months but i'm wondering whether this is decent progress in that time period.
note: I did have a weeks holiday in Spain in August, hence the difference in colour!

I stated before that my bathroom scales say I have 20% fat, I'm not sure about how accurate they are though!

My main goal is to tone up & build some more muscle...

Let me know what you think guys.

Yes, you have made great progress. Keep up the good work. Oh, and it doesn't look to me like you have 20% BF. I would get it measured more accurately.

 

[Adamr]

Thanks guys, I don't think i have 20% body fat either. I today have received some body fat calipers & after doing several tests came up with an average of 15%.