Workout Evaluation

[destro23]

I was hoping to get a bit of feedback on a tentative workout plan that I have drawn up.

I've hitting the gym daily for about a year now, but it has mostly been to shake off the weight I gained while sitting on my ass for a couple of years after getting out of the Army.

Now I have reached a point where I want to really start training hard to add some mass.

Here it is:


Monday & Thursday:
Machine Chest Press 3 x 8
Machine Incline Chest Press 3 x 8
Machine Pectoral Fly 3x 10
Dumbbell Bench Press 2 x 10
Dumbbell Fly 2 x 10
Push-Ups 2 x failure
Machine Shoulder Press 3x 8
Dumbbell Front Raises 2 x 10
Dumbbell Lateral Raises 2 x 10
Dumbbell Bent-Over Lateral Raises 2 x 10
Shrugs 2 x 15

Tuesday & Friday:
Chest-Supported T-Bar Row 4 x 6
Cable Pull-Downs 3 x 8
Dumbbell Bent-Over Row 3 x 8
Machine Pull-Over 3 x 10
Deadlifts 3 x 6
Barbell Curl 3 x 8
Hammer Curl 3 x 8
Preacher Curl 3 x 8
Wednesday & Saturday:


Squats 3 x 8
Sit-Ups 2 x 50
Flutter Kicks 100
Bosu Ball Crunches 2 x 50
Hanging Leg Raises Front 25
Hanging Leg Raises Left 25
Hanging Leg Raises Right 25

I will be adjusting my diet to get more calories, and shift from a balanced protein/carb load to one that favors protein quite a bit more.

What adjustments can you suggest?

Thanks

 

[rockhardly]

Here it is:

PUT IT BACK!!

Too many isolations, not enough pull vs push, leg excercises are worthless (except for deads and squats), too many machines, too much concentration on small muscles, too much volume, not enough rest.........Trash it!


I would suggest something like this:

Monday:
Back Squats-5x5
Bench-5x5
Weighted Chins-5x5
Bent DB Rows-5x5

Wednesday:
Power Clean and Press-3x5
Deads-5x5
Incline DB Press-5x5
Arnies/Military Press-5x5

Friday:
DB Bench-5x5
Front Squats-5x5
Pullups-5x5
BB rows-5x5

On Saturday you can add in an accessory day or just add them at the end of the other workouts. Also, do this for week 1 and swap days for week 2. On week 3 & 4, you can decrease intensities and increase reps to get into the hypertrophy range. On week 5 start over.

 

[destro23]

Thanks. I am was planning on using this as more of a ramp up program for a month or two to get me to the point where I am ready to transition over to a routine like you suggest.

The reason for the reliance on machines is that I tend to workout by myself, and am a bit hesitant to go to free weights without someone there to spot. (I guess I will have to monopolize the power rack for an hour or so.)

As for the leg issue, I didn't think there was too much leg work there. Most of the third grouping was meant to target the abs. I guess that is just a holdover from Army days, where ab work is done quite a bit.

I am glad for the suggestions, and I will give it go, adding in the accessory and isolation stuff after the big lifts.

Thanks

 

[rockhardly]

If you know your body and its limitations spotters are pointless unless you're maxing out. I work out at home alone and have for years. Just gives you that much more incentive to get that weight back up.

 

[Phineas]

PUT IT BACK!!

Too many isolations, not enough pull vs push, leg excercises are worthless (except for deads and squats), too many machines, too much concentration on small muscles, too much volume, not enough rest.........Trash it!


I would suggest something like this:

Monday:
Back Squats-5x5
Bench-5x5
Weighted Chins-5x5
Bent DB Rows-5x5

Wednesday:
Power Clean and Press-3x5
Deads-5x5
Incline DB Press-5x5
Arnies/Military Press-5x5

Friday:
DB Bench-5x5
Front Squats-5x5
Pullups-5x5
BB rows-5x5

On Saturday you can add in an accessory day or just add them at the end of the other workouts. Also, do this for week 1 and swap days for week 2. On week 3 & 4, you can decrease intensities and increase reps to get into the hypertrophy range. On week 5 start over.

I'm gonna have to agree with rockhardly on this one. I like the setup he suggested.

Though, I didn't see squats in the original poster's program, lol. Deads were the only real leg lift, and he had them with back work...big surprise there.

Your program was (is) greatly imbalanced. A lot of new lifters say they want to get used to so and so before going for squats and yada yada but there's no better time to establish intelligent training habits than when you're first starting. Trust me, from those of us who have had to adjust form and training ideas down the road we know, it's hard to break habits.

Also, and this is very important if you want to train yourself not only most efficiently and naturally but free of injury down the road, ditch the machines and stick to free weights and bodyweight compound movements. It's okay to mix in the occassional machine. For instance, there are only so many pullup variations you can do, so the occassional lat pulldown a program is fine. Same with machines like leg press. It's okay to incorporate sometimes, but you need to not only have a solid lifting foundation with free weights but always follow programs that are at least predominantly free weights. Aside from the stabalizers not being worked in machiens, you can also develop ego problems, as machines enable you to lift a lot more than you could otherwise.

I'll never forget in my early days when I ditched Smith Machine squats for the cage, haha. I felt like I had a vagina. The cage kicked my ass.

 

[destro23]

Though, I didn't see squats in the original poster's program, lol.

I had squats in there on the third day.

I am not too worried about having them there, and I felt that they were one of the basic lifts that I would have the easiest time doing solo because of the rack.

I had them on an otherwise light lifting day because I wanted to concentrate on them, maiking sure that I had the form down pat. I have a bad knee that I injured back in jump school, and I do not want to aggravate that.

But, as you guys have said, and as I have been reading around the site, if I maintain proper form, it shouldn't become an issue.

 

[CORUM]

i know the problem with the workout u posted. it is based around something that would be done in the Army. the way the Army trains is all messed up. and the back injury, squats will be fine, back injury from a bad jump at Bragg put me out, i squat like a MOFO!!! i think tone it down a notch and go with heavy compounds you will be straight. and losing weight...... i lose the most when i go HEAVY!!! so i heavy i can barely get 3 reps, and i do 3-4 sets of that depending on the exercise,