Please check out this split routine I made. Need help :-(

D

DanHarris

0
I am looking to get rid of my bodyfat and get my abs showing aswell as get some size on my arms. I am what I would describe as "not skinny and scrawny" but I have no defined muscle, I also do not consider myself "fat".

I will be doing HIIT running 2 Days a Week Mon and Weds and also on Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat I will do 45 Minutes constant running. I wasn't sure if HIIT 6 days a week would be very good for me to be honest.

Now onto the workout....It is split over 4 days, but the problem is most weeks I can only workout on a Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs. Other days I do not have the time to get to the gym due to work and other commitments. On a friday I would only be able to lift early morning at 6.30am and I would rather not do that due to the risks some (including me) believe it can carry.

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(Sets x Reps)

Monday - Back and Biceps
Reverse Grip Pullups 4 X Max
Seated Row (Machine) 4 X 8-12
One Arm Dumbell Rows 4 X 8-12
Dumbell Shrugs 4 X 8-12
Bent Over Dumbell Flyes 4 X 8-12
EZ Bar Curls 4 X 8-12
Incline Dumbell Curls 4 X 8-12
Preacher Curls 3 X 8-12

Tuesday - Chest and Abs
Incline Dumbell Press 4 X 8-12
Flat Dumbell Press 3 X 8-12
Bodyweight Dips 3 X 8-12
Hanging Ab Raises 4 X Max
Ab Crunches 3 X 15
Oblique Crunches 3 X 15


Wednesday - Shoulders and Triceps
Overhead Barbell Press 4 X 8-12
Front Dumbell Raise 4 X 8-12
Lateral Dumbell Raise 4 X 8-12
Bodyweight Dips 4 X 8-12
Rope Pushdowns 4 X 8-12

Thursday - Legs and Calves
Barbell Lunges 4 X 10-15
Leg Press 3 X 10-15
Single Leg Standing Hamstring Curl 4 X 10-15
Lying Hamstring Curl 3 X 10-15


Adapted from a workout by Todd Opheim
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The reason I went for splitting rather than full body workouts is because I do not have time to take a days rest in between since I only have a limited number of days available to workout. By splitting it gives the muscles a chance to rest atleast a little bit. Is there anything I need to add into the routine that has been missed or does it pretty much cover all area, and will the 4 days in a row work or hold me back majorly. On Friday and Saturday I will just do running and no weights, but Sunday is a complete day off with no exercise atall. 5 Days of cardio is to burn off this fat and reveal these abs!! lol.

Any help would be appreciated greatly!!
Daniel
 
if you only can train on those days, i would rather do a push/pull split or an upper/lower split, meaning you go like this


Monday:
Pushing exersices
Tuesday:
Pulling exersices
Wendsday:
pushing
Thursday
Pulling

or upper lower instead of pushing and pulling.
that would be better than a split since you would get some more frequency..
 
I think the upper and lower would suit me more than the push and pull to be honest.

I'm hoping to be able to fit the workouts into 1 hour - 1.5 hour max each time. Do you think an Upper/Lower splitting would be suitable for this. I know it's possible to get a great workout in 45 minutes and see very good results if you get the routine right, I don't mind spending 1 - 1.5 hours though.

Is it worth varying my weight lifted / reps done. I.E

Monday - Upper Heavy, less reps
Tuesday - Lower Lighter, more reps
Weds - Upper lighter, more reps
Thurs - Lower heavy, less reps

Or just stick to the same amount each time?
 
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I actually like that split. I like the variety you've included.
As far as a light workout one day and a heavy one next time, it really depends on you. Lately I've been having great workouts, so I'm just pushing the envelope in each one. I am sure at some point my body will tell me "I don't think so!" and I will back off a bit.

Listen to your body. If it's not feeling challenged or sufficiently fatigued after a workout, you may not be pushing hard enough. If you're just totally beat BEFORE you start a workout, or run out of gas midway through, you are prob overdoing it.
 
yeah, varying exersices and reps will keep your body from getting used to it fast. you can get a good workout in 45-60 min no problem!
Im not really good with designing upper lower splits, im more of a FBW myself, im a bit unsure of how much volume to use when you lower the frequency, so someone else is gonna have to help you there.
 
I have not started the above workout yet, but I am thinking of doing it like above but with 6-10 reps in place of the 8-12 just to make it a bit more intense and some heavier weight in there. I may just try the one above and see how it goes for a few weeks. I've tried Full Body workouts in the past (When my working week allowed the time for it). But I found the FBW to take way too long to complete (But i realise this was probably due to not having enough compound lifts in there), I didn't really see many gains from the FBW's so this is my first attempt at splitting my workouts more.
 
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Monday - Back and Biceps
Reverse Grip Pullups 4 X Max
Seated Row (Machine) 4 X 8-12
One Arm Dumbell Rows 4 X 8-12
Dumbell Shrugs 4 X 8-12
Bent Over Dumbell Flyes 4 X 8-12
EZ Bar Curls 4 X 8-12
Incline Dumbell Curls 4 X 8-12
Preacher Curls 3 X 8-12
Click to expand...
WOAH! That's too much for me! Doing barbell curls and Hammer or Preacher Curls will work all the bicep muscles. No need to keep working them over and over again with the exercises you have. As for the Back, deadlifts and barbell rows work the lower and upper back. There, I gave you 4 exercises that pretty much targets most or maybe all the muscles for Back and Biceps. Your workouts don't need to be complicated in order to get good results and you probably don't need that many sets( just my opinion). 1-3 sets for each exercise is good enough. I personally just use ONE.:)
 
SKMMAN said:
WOAH! That's too much for me! Doing barbell curls and Hammer or Preacher Curls will work all the bicep muscles. No need to keep working them over and over again with the exercises you have. As for the Back, deadlifts and barbell rows work the lower and upper back. There, I gave you 4 exercises that pretty much targets most or maybe all the muscles for Back and Biceps. Your workouts don't need to be complicated in order to get good results and you probably don't need that many sets( just my opinion). 1-3 sets for each exercise is good enough. I personally just use ONE.:)
Click to expand...

ditto. you're definitely overtraining if you do all those exercises. On my back days i choose one exercise for lats like chin ups and one exercise for overall back such as seated rows.
 
Here are some alternatives that keep the 4-day split:

BACK/TRICEPS
LEGS/CALVES
SHOULDERS/ABS
CHEST/BICEPS

-OR-

CHEST/BACK
LEGS/CALVES
SHOULDERS/ABS
BICEPS/TRICEPS

& there are many other ways as well... experiment & find a way you like.

Todd Opheim is well built & has been training for years -- plus he's a work-horse -- so you may want to scale things down for starters (less sets &/or less exercises) especially since you have no rest-days for 4 days in a row, else go very light... no mater how you scale down, build up (add weight or sets or exercises) slowly & eventually you'll be doing a lot more than when you 1st started.

Another option: drop the split idea for a start & go with 2 full-body workouts with 2-3 rest days inbetween...

Or, do this (with more intensity each workout than you would using the split routines squished together -- esp. the last one of the week -- as this method allows for more rest so that you don't have to hold back as much... because 4-days in a row would wear most folks down, esp. if they train hard):

Week-A

Upper-Body
Lower-Body
--
Upper-Body
--
--
--

Week-B

Lower-Body
Upper-Body
--
Lower-Body
--
--
--

There are many ways you can go... you'll most-likely have to experiment (see how your body reacts & adjust accordingly)
 
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