Examine my routine

I recently added weight training and am wanting opinions on my routine. This take about 1 to 1 1/12 hrs each day, but I have a decent amount of time and want to build muscle evenly. Here is my routine, and any suggestions or comments would be beneficial.

M-W-F (Legs/Torso)
Leg Press
Leg Extension
Seated Leg Curl
Hip Adducitons and Abductions
Glut
Weighted Ab Crunches
Back Extensions
Torso Rotations

T-TH-Sat (Upper)
Chest Press
Butterfly
Arm Extension
Arm Curl
Sitting Row (back)
Overhead Press

Each day I follow up with interval running (jogging then running then sprinting) for atleast 1 mi each day and cooling off with shooting (not playing) b-ball for about 30 min and sometimes a pickup game or two.

Is this a good routine?

NOTE:
I am not concerned with my diet as I am eating plenty of fresh organic fruits and vegables, very limited fast food, suppliment with vitamins and amino acids, and drink plent of water,...,...,...
 
do deadlifts and squats;) leg press machine? its pretty much worthless;) do squats instead and definitly throw inn some deadlifts too.. unless you have any injuries that prevent you, remember.. machines < free weights
 
Yeah, squats and deads. You need more variety in your workout too, you're doing the same thing all of the time...you'll probably plateau soon. Put in some lat exercises (pullups, chinups, pulldowns), some trap work, bent over rows as well, dips, a variety of chest presses, not the same one each workout.

your question..."is this a good routine?"..for what??

What are your goals here? No matter what, it doesn't sound like you have much in the way of protein here? But you didn't list it, so correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Thanks for the rotation advice.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I am pyramiding my sets. 3 sets with the first set maxing on rep 12, the 2nd on 7 or so, and the 3rd on 3 or 4.

I am eating quite a bit of protien. Lots of fish and chicken, plus different kinds of milks, yogerts, and amino-protien suppliments before workouts.

My goal is listed in my sig. Since I haven't lifted in quite a few years (8 or more) I'm not sure what to expect as a time frame for that.

I have a two sessions with a personal trainer, so I may ask them to help incorporate some of the sugguestions you guys have made into my routine.

On the leg press, I must be an oddity, because I have already doubled my lifing weight in one month, but from what I remember your first month is when your body gets the most growth and more closely to previous size/strenght. Legs have always been my stronges point proportionaly to my arms. (most of my lifting previously was done in my legs because I was HEAVELY into soccer)

Thanks a bunch!
 
Last edited:
I jacked my left knee up pretty bad doing leg press. it's just not an ideal range of motion.

if you can learn to do squats, they'll serve you well. they are a very difficult exercise which give huge benefits when done regularly and properly.
 
I am definately in need of help switching over to free weights instead of machines. I have been reading a lot of the posts in weight training and am floored at how wrong I was in my routine. Let me see if I understand these things correctly:

1) There is no need to target a specific muscle group more than 1 or 2 times a week for growth, and can actually be harmfull.

2) HIIT will give me a quicker gain on strength and tone, but not bulk, but LISS will bulk

3) Using compound movements are key for bulk, not strictly isolated

anything else that would be of a benefit considering this:
I have decided to bulk to 195 then tone to >9%BF then bulk back up to the 215 range.
 
Calories are important for bulk more than anything else.

But...free weights are superior to machines for strength purposes. Squats beat out leg press, leg curls, and/or leg extensions.

Muscle groups can be hit 2-3 times a week so long as volume is taken into consideration. Rest is needed for growth but you can easily hit the same muscle group 48-72 hours later.

HIIT is far superior to LISS. Fat people finish marathons all the time.
 
Since I am specifically going for bulk right now I have been counting calories again. I am expending about 3800 calories (according to fitday.com) and have been consuming only around 3700 calories. I know i need to bump to about 4300-4500 atleast, but how much of that should be in protein for someone my size?
 
Last edited:
I am going on 6 weeks now and do not seem to be gaining any weight. I am loosing BF, which is good, but have only put on 1lb. I have switched to free weights and cable machines along with the captains chair for abs/obliques. I don't have time to post my full routine, but it is alternating. Still sticking w/M-W-F legs & core, T-Th-Sa upper body, but rotating routines each day, 3 seperate full for each muscle group routines each.

I do run HIIT/Intervals for 1 mi each day.

Should I cut back on cardio, or is it common to maintain overall weight untill BF% is lower?
 
Yeah, about the cardio, how much are you doing and how often? That can hinder progress. The HIIT isn't bad, but it sounds like you are cutting rather than bulking.

My guess is that you aren't getting enough food to bulk. Are you keeping track of everything?

I know you may not have time to post your routine, but it would help...

You may also be overtraining, you're working out 6 days straight, there isn't enough rest in there.
 
You shouldn't be running everyday if you're trying to bulk, that's too much. Cut it to once or twice a week, preferably on days you're not lifting.
 
I am lifting 30-45min per day depending on the day/routine. should I cut back to 4 days instead of 6? ie M-Th Lower/Core T-Fr Upper & Just run/cardio on wed? I want to keep some cardio because i do have about 10 lb bf i want to drop.
 
If you're doing an upper/lower split I would say yes, cut it to 4 days a week and one day of cardio. If you keep your diet in check the lifting combined with the cardio should drop the 10lbs pretty easily
 
New routine:

Monday:
Squats
Lunges
SL-DL
Seated Calf Raises
Cable crunches abs/obliques
Hip Adductions/Abductions

Tuesday:
Seated Rows
Front Pulldown
21's
DB Bench
DB Inclined Bench
DB Butterfly
Cable Pushdown

Wed:
Stretch/Cardio 30min

Thursday:
Squats
Lunges
Sled 45 Calf Raise
Lateral Flexion
Lumbar Extensions
Captians Chair Leg Raise
Captians Chair Oblique Leg Raise
Hip Adductions/Abductions

Friday:
Seated Rows
Front Pulldown
Hammer Curls
DB Bench
DB Inclined Bench
DB Butterfly
Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension

Saturday:
Stretch

Sunday:
Rest
 
Last edited:
Set/reps? I think your going pretty heavy on the excercises. 2 Excercises per major muscle group in enough.

Drop the Hip Adductions/Abductions.
 
Compounds before isolations too.

Pullups > than pulldowns.

Deadlifts would be good as well.

Could use some shoulder work, military presses, shoulder presses, push presses etc...and maybe some trap work as well.
 
3 sets pyramiding 12 on first rep, about 4-6 on the last

I left out the 45 degree shoulder raises at the end on Tuesday and Friday.

I am putting in the adductions/abductions for side-to-side agility & control...soccer

Is bench or inclined bench better for pecs?

What will deadlifts give me that lunges and squats do not?

Where do I have isolation before compound for each group?

**Note**

I want to bulk right now, not tone
 
Shoulder raises don't substitute for a shoulder press, you need a shoulder press, even once a week is fine.

Both flat and incline bench are good, it's best to use both for variation, one isnt better than the other.

Squats and lunges primarily work your quads, some glutes, and some lower back (squats). Deadlifts will hit your entire back, a good amount of lower back work, pull your traps, and hit your hams some as well.

You have isolations before compounds on tuesday and friday with the 21's and hammer curls before the presses.

If you are bulking you would be better off working in the 8-12 range for every set, 4-6 is definitely too low, 4-6 is more for strength.
 
So, Isolated should come after all compound, even if they are in a different muscle group? I was going off of muscle group, not overall workout.

Replace one of the bench's with shoulder press add DL's inbetween squats & SLDL's or replace the squats?
 
B|ynd300M said:
So, Isolated should come after all compound, even if they are in a different muscle group? I was going off of muscle group, not overall workout.

Replace one of the bench's with shoulder press add DL's inbetween squats & SLDL's or replace the squats?

Yes.

It's not as easy as just putting one exercise in for another, but it would be good to get thoe exercises in somewhere.
 
Back
Top