Concerns with Trainer's workout

D

Dreygan

0
So I've just started going back to the gym, and have some sessions with a trainer built up. I got set up with this guy who is nice and all but the workout hes laying out for me seems awkward.

Day 1 is upper body and it actually isn't that bad, I dont quite understand the way he has me do curls (standing, arms down, 10 reps from down to 90 degrees, 10 reps from 90 to all the way up, and then 10 reps from down to up).

I started feeling a bit concerned when he took me over to this "roman chair" i think he called it? i was supposed to do back extensions and rows. Unfortunatly i am DEFINATLY not in shape right now, and i dont have the strength or balance to use that effectively. When I said my concerns and asked about options he just said i didnt have to worry about it till i was stronger. It didnt quite make sense and so the next session i specifically asked for other machines i could use to work on the same muscles till i could do that... and they definatly had the equipment to do it.

Anyway, the Day 2 is where I started getting nervous... heres the layout of excercises:

Squats
Hacksquats
V-squats
Leg Press
Deadlift
Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Side Lunge
Walking Lunge
Reverse Lunge
Standing Calf raise

I realize that different excercises work muscles in different ways, but that seems to be way too many quad excercises

I ended up doing the workout today, but i just did Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Leg Press, Standing Calf Raise, and then "core" stuff

Anyway, it just didnt seem right so wanted to get some input... Thanks :)
 
theres alot of compound good lifts there, but the order is all mixed up, and to me, it looks like way too much. Depends on the sets and reps though..
all the lunges and stuff hits the hams and glutes very hard, not just the quads, but i probobly would put inn some more pulling stuff, like RDLs or GMs..
 
sorry for being stupid but what are RDLs and GMs? And he has them in a bit of a different order, but i put all the squat type stuff at the beginning to kinda emphasize that... didnt know the order really made a difference... he has it as

Squats
Side Lunge
Walk Lunge
Reverse Lunge
Leg Extension
Leg Curl
Dead Lift
Leg Press
V-Squat
Standing Calf Raise
Hacksquats
 
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Dreygan said:
I ended up doing the workout today, but i just did Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Leg Press, Standing Calf Raise, and then "core" stuff

Anyway, it just didnt seem right so wanted to get some input... Thanks :)
Click to expand...

Lol, the ones that you did are the ones I would have taken out!

Also, before I reply properly, can I just say that you didn't do his workout at all, you did a few exercises from it. You can't blame the trainer if you don't do what he says

Now for my 2 cents;
I don't think an upper/lower split is the normally the best way to go but assuming he has good reason to think that it is the best for you then the only issue I have is the number of exercises in that routine, there are probably too many IMO. If you're lifting heavy then you shouldn't be able to do so many different exercises. A simple rule is, if it's on a machine then don't do it, it's pointless, a newbie needs his compounds with free weights to get stabalizing muscles working

How many reps and sets has he got you doing?
 
Lol, the ones that you did are the ones I would have taken out!

Also, before I reply properly, can I just say that you didn't do his workout at all, you did a few exercises from it. You can't blame the trainer if you don't do what he says
Click to expand...

I actually did the routine the first time when he was going through it with me. It was split into two days and he did them in a different order then they are written, the first day he did v-squats/hacksquats/deadlift and... i cant remember what else, and the next day my legs wouldnt bend so i had a hard time doing the normal squats.

As for reps:
Squats: Didnt actually tell me how many, just told me how to do them
Side Lunge: 3 on each side till ive done 9 each
Walk Lunge: 10 each leg
Reverse Lunge: 10 each leg
Leg Extension: 10
Leg Curl: 10
Dead Lift: 10
Leg Press: 10
V-Squat: 10
Standing Calf Raise: 15
Hacksquats: 10

I hadnt noticed or thought about it but he only had me doing one set of each... The main thing i just didnt understand is there the squats, hacksquats, and vsquats and they all seem to be the same... the leg press and leg extension also seem like they are basically the same but are just different enough to kinda make sense to me.
 
Hmmm, I'm not a big fan of that routine but you need to take your concerns to your trainer. Ask him what the purpose of the schedule is. It might just be that he wanted to introduce you to a variety of lift variations right from the start so it's meant to be educational rather than results driven?

The main thing is that only your trainer knows why he's given you this plan so you just need to ask him what his thinking is.
 
I actually think its just the cookie cutter that he gives anybody he works with. The gym has these spiral books that it gives to people so you can record weights and days lifted or whatever. Theyve been out for a while so the trainer made a bunch of copies of the same routine and had then on a clipboard...

and its not so much the number of excercises that confuses me its just what they are working, on the first day he gave me a similar number of different excercises, and actually has me doing more sets... but it works different things so doesnt seem as wierd to me... even though some of the things are outside my box... I just dont understand why he seems to focus on certain things alot and others not so much... sounds like i probably just need to ask him though...

Thanks alot for the feedback and such,
 
Dreygan said:
I actually think its just the cookie cutter that he gives anybody he works with. The gym has these spiral books that it gives to people so you can record weights and days lifted or whatever. Theyve been out for a while so the trainer made a bunch of copies of the same routine and had then on a clipboard...
Click to expand...

I don't like the sound of that, do you have to pay extra for this guy or is just part of an induction schedule?
If I were paying money for a PT I'd expect him to do some actual work rather than hand me a photocopy
 
Maybe you should write down your specific goals and what you want to see from your workouts and hand it to your PT, if he tells you to stick with that routine then confront him about the fact he photocopies the same schedule for everyone.

Your PT is a little bit like your dentist, you wouldn't let a poorly qualified kid loose inside your mouth armed with a drill and you also shouldn't let some kid with no experience print a generic routine that might not be suitable for your goals and then let him charge you for it.
 
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Dreygan said:
So I've just started going back to the gym, and have some sessions with a trainer built up. I got set up with this guy who is nice and all but the workout hes laying out for me seems awkward.

Day 1 is upper body and it actually isn't that bad,
Click to expand...

You've Just started going back, so why is you're already doing a split? How long has it been since you've lifted? What is your previous exercises history? These are basic questions the trainer should've asked you (among others) before he started to train you.

Dreygan said:
I dont quite understand the way he has me do curls (standing, arms down, 10 reps from down to 90 degrees, 10 reps from 90 to all the way up, and then 10 reps from down to up).
Click to expand...

You didn't bother asking him?

Dreygan said:
I started feeling a bit concerned when he took me over to this "roman chair" i think he called it? i was supposed to do back extensions and rows. Unfortunatly i am DEFINATLY not in shape right now, and i dont have the strength or balance to use that effectively. When I said my concerns and asked about options he just said i didnt have to worry about it till i was stronger. It didnt quite make sense and so the next session i specifically asked for other machines i could use to work on the same muscles till i could do that... and they definatly had the equipment to do it.
Click to expand...

Again, he should know that if you're not ready for something than you shouldn't be doing it.


Dreygan said:
Anyway, the Day 2 is where I started getting nervous... heres the layout of excercises:

Squats
Hacksquats
V-squats
Leg Press
Deadlift
Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Side Lunge
Walking Lunge
Reverse Lunge
Standing Calf raise

I realize that different excercises work muscles in different ways, but that seems to be way too many quad excercises

I ended up doing the workout today, but i just did Leg Extension, Leg Curl, Leg Press, Standing Calf Raise, and then "core" stuff
Click to expand...

You're right, that is too much. Forget the split and do a full body

Dreygan said:
Anyway, it just didnt seem right so wanted to get some input... Thanks :)
Click to expand...

If you see him again for another session, ask him some questions - ask him why you are doing certain exercises, just try to get a gauge on whether he knows what he's talking about. Like i've said on here before...Where i live you can either do a 6 week course at institute of fitness or you can work your arse off at college for 12 months. Either way, you still leave with the exact same qualifications. I'd assume there's a similar setup in your area, just be aware of that.
 
don't worry about that bicep exercise. they are also referred to as matrix curls or 21's. From what i know it is an exercise made popular by bodybuilders like lee priest and Governor Arnie. The idea is to create an extra pump by training both heads of the biceps. The exercise has a relatively low impact on the tendons so you should be alright.

The roman chair issue: I personally think that if you feel uncomfortable with the exercise,you shouldn't do it. You should feel good about the exercise you do, otherwise you won't stick with it. maybe you can start with some form of back extensions on the floor. (supermans for example)

now the final issue, your leg day. It does same like a lot of exercises,the main problem that I have with this is that is it is hard for a beginner to remember all the right techniques for these exercises. You probably be better off doing more sets and less different exercises.
I will leave you with a one-liner that Porter Cottrell keeps repeating in his dvd's. " It is all about the quality, not the quantity of the exercise"

You be better of doing a few exercises right, then a lot of exercises wrong
 
Dreygan said:
I dont quite understand the way he has me do curls (standing, arms down, 10 reps from down to 90 degrees, 10 reps from 90 to all the way up, and then 10 reps from down to up).
Click to expand...

Normally you do 7 each way. They're called 21's. Pretty fun exercise I guess.


edit:
whoops hdamiaans beat me to it.
 
Squats: Didnt actually tell me how many, just told me how to do them
Side Lunge: 3 on each side till ive done 9 each
Walk Lunge: 10 each leg
Reverse Lunge: 10 each leg
Leg Extension: 10
Leg Curl: 10
Dead Lift: 10
Leg Press: 10
V-Squat: 10
Standing Calf Raise: 15
Hacksquats: 10

i think
3sets of squats/sldl/calf-raises would do the job just as good if not better
 
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