I have two routines, one goal, help me decide.

Hi guys, I'm going to be posting two routines that I could be doing (given the amount of time I have to work with each week).

But firstly, my goals:
I want to get lean.

Currently, I think I'm fairly big around the shoulders (width wise), and my arms are a decent size. I've looked at my front and back, and the main problems I can see are that my waist is quite flabby, and my back doesn't have enough "definition" in the muscles there. Also, the lower waist/back area has a bit of fat around there too. Another area I have some fat (that I'd like to be rid of), is right under my armpits, the area to the side of the chest.

So in summary: I'd like to get rid of fat mostly in my waist, and side of my chest. Arms, Legs, shoulders are ok (for the moment).

Now, onto my routines:

(Format I'll use is Set/Reps, I'm not sure what the norm is, this being my first post, but hopefully you'll all understand).

Routine 1:
Day 1: Legs
Squat: 4/6 or 3/8
Lunges: 4/6 or 3/8
Thigh Extension SS Hamstring Curl: 3/10
Standing Calf Raises SS Sitting Calf Raises: 3/10

Day 2: Chest
Flat Bench: 3/8 or 4/6
Incline DB Bench: 3/8 or 3/10
(alternating every 3 weeks to Incline Bench and Flat DB Bench, same set/reps)
Dips: 3/10 or 3/8 (Depending on fatigue)
DB Fly or Cable Crossover: 3/8 or 3/10

Day 3: Back/Shoulders
Pull-ups: 5/8
T-Bar Row: 3/8
Seated Row: 3/10
Upright Row (wide grip): 3/8
Bent over DB row (if feeling in the mood): 3/10

Arnold Presses: 4/8
Side Lateral Raise: 3/10
Front Lateral Raise: 3/10
Rear Lateral Raise: 3/10
Rear Delt (on Fly Machine): 3/8

Lower back extension: 3/15

Day 4: Bi/Tri
Overhead Tricep Extension: 3/10
BB Curl: 3/8 or 4/6
DB Alternate Curl: 3/8
DB Hammer Curl: 3/8
Skull Crushers: 3/10
Tricep Pushdown: 3/8

This routine leaves very little time (if any) for cardio.

Routine 2:
Day 1: Swim
1.25km (not sure what that is in miles). Try to rest as little as possible.

Day 2: Chest/Legs
Squat: 4/6 or 3/8
Flat Bench or DB Flat Bench: 4/6 or 3/8
Incline Bench or DB Inc. Bench: 4/6 or 3/8 (same 3 week rotation as Routine 1).
Dips: 3/8 or 3/10
Cable Crossovers or DB Fly: 3/8 or 3/10

Day 3: Swim
1.25km

Day 4: Back/Legs/Shoulders
Lunges: 4/6 or 3/8
Pull-ups: 5/8 or 5/10
T-bar Row: 3/8
Seated Row: 4/8 or 4/10
Arnold Presses: 3/8 or 4/8
Lower back extension: 3/15

Day 5: MAYBE Swim... (most of the time, I'm too busy to fit in a 5th day, or sometimes, just too lazy/spent).

I'm very open to suggestions (I realise my routines are very intense on some days, and could be better spread out, or exercises could be left out, added in, etc).

A few things first though: I can't run very long or far (I'm too heavy and I'm flat footed). I'm open to the idea of cycling on a machine, but would much prefer swimming.

I haven't added in ab workouts, but what I usually do is if I'm in the gym, I'll warmup with 25 situps (on a ball/incline, or just on a mat). I used to do 100 everytime I got in, but lately I've been lazy.

I also do hip twists with a stick when I can find the time/remember to.

I also know a lot of leaning down is to do with diet, and I'm willing to do this. I just don't want to get on a diet where I eat nothing but drywall, and then the first time I go out to dinner with friends (and eat junk), I gain heaps of fat back. I want long term lasting results (if possible).

My diet at the moment pretty much consists of what is cooked at home. I try to eat healthy by making oats for breakfast, but that only lasts a week before I wake up and see other foods that I could eat.

So yeah... Any recommendations would be appreciated. I'll take it all under advice.

Thanks.
 
Neither of those routines are ideal for fat loss. Full body routine 3 days a week centered around compound moves is what you need to be doing. 3 days of weights and then your cardio on off days.
 
Those routines are not optimal for fat loss. As tenpercent said do a FBW for 3 days a week then at least 2 days of cardio. Look in the routines sticky for a choice of FBW's. You need to get your diet in order and eat at a deficit of 250 to 500 cals. Don't try and create a big deficit as that is unhealthy and can result in lose skin.

What i would do if it were me would be to eat say 100 grams of carbs on your weight training days and then on the cardio days eat low carb like 35 grams of carbs so that your body will burn the fat for fuel. The figures I have given for carbs are just ball park figures for illustration purposes.

Hope you succeed in your goals!
 
Those routines are not optimal for fat loss. As tenpercent said do a FBW for 3 days a week then at least 2 days of cardio. Look in the routines sticky for a choice of FBW's. You need to get your diet in order and eat at a deficit of 250 to 500 cals. Don't try and create a big deficit as that is unhealthy and can result in lose skin.

What i would do if it were me would be to eat say 100 grams of carbs on your weight training days and then on the cardio days eat low carb like 35 grams of carbs so that your body will burn the fat for fuel. The figures I have given for carbs are just ball park figures for illustration purposes.

Hope you succeed in your goals!

Sounds interesting. I'll definitely look into that advice. Problem with the diet is that I don't know what I"m eating most of the time. It's really whatever is available... I could cook my own food, but I've tried that, and whenever I get home really tired from study and workout, I'll just eat something that's quick so I can get to sleep...
 
Sounds interesting. I'll definitely look into that advice. Problem with the diet is that I don't know what I"m eating most of the time. It's really whatever is available... I could cook my own food, but I've tried that, and whenever I get home really tired from study and workout, I'll just eat something that's quick so I can get to sleep...

You definitely need to get your diet in order. This is a good article on . Read the stickies in the nutrition section on this website as well. You can have a good workout regimen but then eat crap/junk food and see your hard work go down the drain.
 
blackbeard has it right, a crap diet will ruin everything. One thing that will help you is to make a lot of food on one day and package meals in tupperware. That way when you get home, you just need to heat one of the meals in the microwave. Same goes for meals away from home.
 
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