Is this a decent program too follow?

I just started this workout yesterday. Does anyone know if this is a good workout? I don't want to be huge buff, just have lots of definition.
 
I'd say no.

For one thing, they have you doing RDLs and dips to failure every week. I've been told by very experienced CSCSs that once a month is really the most you want to do.

RDLs require a good amount of back support. If you go to failure, you'll likely lose form and injure yourself. Dips, you're off the ground and failure there could mean losing your grip and falling.

Go to www.t-nation.com and search for "Waterbury Method" or "Art of Waterbury." Chad Waterbury is a good guy to listen to. He also has "The Anti-Bodybuilding Hypertrophy I & II" programs that I've also heard good things about.

Other options in book form:

"New Rules of Lifting" by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove.
"The Testosterone Advantage" by Lou Schuler.
"The Book of Muscle" by Lou Schuler.

(Lou does a lot of writing and he's well known)
 
Ok thankyou. I had to switch out the overhead squats cause I couldn't really get it to work, so I did something else that works my upper back. Now I will look for a good whole body workout. And I know this may be obvious, but does doing a half hour of cardio before weightlifting help burn more fat?
 
Donnetello said:
Ok thankyou. I had to switch out the overhead squats cause I couldn't really get it to work, so I did something else that works my upper back. Now I will look for a good whole body workout. And I know this may be obvious, but does doing a half hour of cardio before weightlifting help burn more fat?

save your cardio for after weight lifting. you wont be able to get the most from your workout if you do it the other way around. Also, if you spend more than an hour in the gym during you should save cardio for off days. You run the risk of burning muscle for fuel if you workout for too long. Another option is to do your cardio in the morning before breakfast. then your energy will be replenished by the time you hit the weights in the evening.
 
So I should do cardio after weightlifting? Is there a scientific benefit reason for this? Also I try to spend just about 1 hour at the gym.
 
Donnetello said:
Ok thankyou. I had to switch out the overhead squats cause I couldn't really get it to work, so I did something else that works my upper back. Now I will look for a good whole body workout. And I know this may be obvious, but does doing a half hour of cardio before weightlifting help burn more fat?

overhead squats are very hard but worth the troubble, did you use a wide grip? For me to get them right i have to hold as wide as the bar allows, its really good for the core too.
 
Well I had been using the 1 squatting area for about 20 minutes and the 3 guys in a group were waiting for it, and I didn't want to make them wait. Today when I go too the gym I'll just use the bar and I'll grip it as wide as possible. This makes sense because as your grip width increases, the height of the weight decreases and gets closer to your core, so it should be attainable.

EDIT: Also...from the same website I got the first workout, I found another one that sounds like the Waterbury method, 1a 2a, then again and 1b 2b, and repeat. Check this and see if it's a better method (I like this site because it shows the lifts and explains them.)
 
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Donnetello said:
So I should do cardio after weightlifting? Is there a scientific benefit reason for this? Also I try to spend just about 1 hour at the gym.

I'm not 100% sure on this exactly, but this is what I've heard. When you do your cardio first, you burn all the glycogen which is the energy source that is used during anaerobic activity (weight lifting) as well as aerobic (cardio). Therefor, when you hit the weights, you wont have all that explosive quick energy that your glycogen supplies.

Doing cardio after weight training, your glycogen should be expelled at this point forcing your body to burn fat for fuel during your cardio workout.

So not only will cardio after give you a better weight lifting workout (allow you to lift more), it will also help burn fat more effectively.
 
Alright, thanks for the explanation. I'll start doing it that way, it can't hurt to do it the opposite way. That also makes sense.
 
Donnetello said:
Well I had been using the 1 squatting area for about 20 minutes and the 3 guys in a group were waiting for it, and I didn't want to make them wait. Today when I go too the gym I'll just use the bar and I'll grip it as wide as possible. This makes sense because as your grip width increases, the height of the weight decreases and gets closer to your core, so it should be attainable.

EDIT: Also...from the same website I got the first workout, I found another one that sounds like the Waterbury method, 1a 2a, then again and 1b 2b, and repeat. Check this and see if it's a better method (I like this site because it shows the lifts and explains them.)


wide grip helps you get your shoulder further back, something you need to be able to do the squats as to squat you have to lean forward slightly, holding something with a narrow shoulder with grip overhead wont allow you to squat while balancing the weight overhead :) Just play around with it and im sure ull get it!
 
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