Looking for advice

[Luigi1]

Hello all,
New to the forums and looking for general advice.
I'd like to start off by letting you know what my routine is like.
I usually work long days during the week, and when I do manage to get home at a reasonable time, I usually prefer to spend time with my two kids. So my workout are generally short 30-45mins)
I try to get 2 to 3 workouts per week and they usually consist of the following (mostly limited by the equipment I have at home) every time.
*5-10mins warm up (either stationary bike or jumping jacks)
*bench press (start at 135lbs 1 set of 10, move to 150lbs 2 sets of 10)
*shoulder press (curl bar with 60lbs 2 sets of 10) (should I lower the bar to my chest or the back of my neck?)
*tricepts (50lb dumbell overhead 2 sets of 10 or lay flat on bench and lower 25lbs dumbells till my forearms are paralel to the bench 2 sets of 10)
*front shoulder raises (25lb dumbell 2 sets of 10)
*side shoulder raises (15lb dumbell 2 sets of 10)
*upper back (50lb dumbell raises for each side 2 sets of 10).
*lower back (I take the 60lb curl bar and lower it until it barely touches the floor, and then raise the bar until my back is straight 2 sets of 15).
*squats (60lb curl bar on the back of my neck, lower myself until my thighs are parallel to the floor 3 sets of 20)

I am looking for advice on how I can change things up using the weights I have, what other excercises I can use to work the same muscles, anything else I can add to help with overall muscle growth.

I would say I have a normal diet. Small breakfast usually consisting of bread & coffee, small to regular lunch (ham and cheese sandwich, salad, water), for dinner (whatever the wife has made) - usually one of the following rice/pasta/potatoes, also chicken/pork chops/steak/fish/shrimp, and vegetables one or more of carrots/broccoli/peas/green beans/corn.

I am lifting weights because it is something I enjoy doing, helps to keep me in shape, gets my heart pumping, and keeps me off the couch .

I am 29yrs old, 5'6", and weigh ~150lbs. My goal would be to have some semblance of shape and definition to my muscles. I must say, that during and after my workouts, my muscles (especially my arms) are really pumped, hard, and defined. However, the next day they are back to normal again. Is this normal?

Thanks for reading this far... and thanks in advance.

 

[matt182]

hey im short on time but that lower back exercise seems very dangerous.
Do you have a medicine ball? i find they can provide many exercises and at the same time improve coordination and control.

How about include some crunches. And side lifts, laying on your side with your feet and shoulder on the ground, you raise you hip up off the ground focusing on your obliques.

 

[SKMMAN]

I must say, that during and after my workouts, my muscles (especially my arms) are really pumped, hard, and defined. However, the next day they are back to normal again. Is this normal?

HA! Yup, that is normal.

bench press (start at 135lbs 1 set of 10, move to 150lbs 2 sets of 10)

Increase the weight by 10 lbs with the 150lbs and keep benching that until you can bench it 10 times and start all over again.

 

[Luigi1]

Thanks for your replies SKMMAN.

For the lower back excercise, I let the weight hang down in front of me, then I just "bend-over" while letting the weight hang down the whole time. Doesn't "feel" dangerous while doing this, and I actually feel the muscles are worked pretty well. Let me know if there is something else I can do that is better.

For the bench press, I am limited by the weights I have (and how much I am comfortable lifting w/out a spotter). I only have a pair of 45lb plates, 5lbs plates, and 2.5lb plates (free). I guess I should invest in more plates... and that medicine ball

Unless I do crunches/ab work at the beginning of my workout... it's not going to happen. I just never felt they did anything for me.

Any thoughts on my diet? Supplements?

 

[dswithers]

It sounds like the lower back exercise you are doing is either a SLDL (stiff legged dead lift) or a Romainian deadlift. If done properly there is little or no chance of "injury". I have done them for decades with up to 400+ pounds and never had an injury. I actually started doing them consistantly after a lower back injury to help with my recovery.

You might also want to try good mornings for lower back and try going all the way down as low as you can go with your squats, sometimes called ATG (AT-The-Ground or A**-To-Grass) Squats. If you come to a complete stop at the bottom position it makes it harder and there is no chance of damaging the knee joint.

 

[SKMMAN]

For the lower back excercise, I let the weight hang down in front of me, then I just "bend-over" while letting the weight hang down the whole time. Doesn't "feel" dangerous while doing this, and I actually feel the muscles are worked pretty well. Let me know if there is something else I can do that is better.

You can use this site to help you out with exercises.
Bodybuilding.com - #1 Exercises Guide - Over 300 Exercises!

Any thoughts on my diet? Supplements?

You should eat a big breakfast because it is the most important meal of the day and you should eat 5 small meals every 2-3 hours througout the day. Eating this way will increase your metabolism, that way if you gain weight, it will be muscle instead of fat.
What Supplements are you talking about( I can't see it on your post)?

 

[Luigi1]

Hehehe... A**-to-Grass
I will give it a try dswithers.

SKMMAN, as far as supplements. I am not taking any... merely seeking advice to see if I should take any. If so, what should I take?

In my job, it is impossible for me to eat that frequently. I am always with customers and in the lab working issues usually off-site.

However, I might try making breakfast a bigger meal. Should I make lunch and dinner smaller meals also? Should I watch more of what I eat. I do have a small amount of fat on my belly that I would love to see disappear. I have never taken my diet seriously as far as what I eat, counting calories/carbs/etc.. But I have read in numerous places that your diet is just as important as your exercising.

Thanks all for your advice so far...

 

[SKMMAN]

SKMMAN, as far as supplements. I am not taking any... merely seeking advice to see if I should take any. If so, what should I take?

My advice is don't take any( I don't). Benching 300 pounds, in my opinion, is more respectable when you do it without the aid of supplements or gadgets, unless they are necessary. It is better to have a good diet than good supplements.

In my job, it is impossible for me to eat that frequently. I am always with customers and in the lab working issues usually off-site.

Atleast try to eat something, like a snack. A sandwich would help. Something you can prepare before you go to work. Eat something 60 minutes before you workout and eat something right away after you workout.

Should I make lunch and dinner smaller meals also? Should I watch more of what I eat.

make lunch and dinner smaller meals than breakfast. And yes, you should watch more of what you eat. Diet comes first, and then exercise.
I wrote this at 2:30 am, so I might have missed something.