Knowledge is Power, but until then? Ask the experts!!

N

NickyK

0
Hi Guys, my first query so please excuse any obvious errors.

I got some info regarding weight training from Chillen (thanks again), it's over 1000 pages so it will take some time to get through. Until then can you advise on some of the following?

I'm 34 yo male, 168cm,73.5kg, BMI 26ish, BMR 1750ish,18.7% body fat. I have back problems so I can't run long distances or squat.


I've been training for the last few weeks doing the following:

Mon-Chest + Back+Legs
Tue-Arms+Shoulders+Legs
Wed-1hr on Cross Trainer covering almost 12km
Thurs-Same as Mon
Fri-Same as Tue
Sat-I play soccer for 1 hr
Sit ups every weekday

I basically have 4 or 5 lifts that I do for every part of my body.

In a nutshell I guess I want to know is this split ok or would I be better doing full body workouts or a different split. Maybe even doing more cardio (Tue and Thurs) and cutting down to M W F on the weights? I don't want to get any heavier or bulk up but would like to be a lean 70kgs and reduce my body fat to as low a possible. If I was to do full body workouts would I reduce the number of exercises or reduce the number of reps for each exercise. I usually do 3x10.

I work shifts so I can usually go to the gym for 75 mins a day but not much more.

Thanks in advance, hope some of this makes sense!!!!
Been keeping an eye on posts and this is an excellent forum.
 
if you want to lose weight do fullbody m,w,f and cardio on tu,th,IMO FBW should use more cals than a bodypart split.
just do one exercise per bodypart each session 3x10 or 3x12 or 3x8 4x5 5x5 or all,
you can change each exercise each day ie mon bench-press,wed dips,fri incline-bench.
 
If you're going to do a split, do an upper/lower or push/pull. With the schedule above, your legs will never get a rest. I'd go with buzz' suggested schedule, though, honestly.
 
Your split is atrocious. Vile, even.

Google "westside for skinny bastards part iii" or go buy Mark Rippetoe's book, Starting Strength. And do as either instructs. Or pick any of several other solid beginner templates. Designing your own split is not for newbies, which is why you've failed so horrendously at it. ;)

Because of your back problems, substitute leg presses (because your back is braced for support) anywhere where you would normally be required to squat, until (hopefully) your back becomes strong enough to handle heavy squats.
 
Sorry, should have explained better about the legs. Because I can't squat I'm doing 2 exercises on my legs each day whereas I do 4 for the other body parts. In reality I'm underworking my legs.

I will switch to either full body MWF and cardio TT or:
Mon---Chest+Bi ceps+Sit ups
Wed---Back+Triceps+Sit ups
Fri-----Shoulders+Legs+Sit ups

Sound better?

Sorry my split was so VILE, but I did say excuse any obvious errors!!! lol

Thanks again.
 
Better, most people new to lifting weights start off with full body programs three times a week or an upper lower or a push pull split 4 x week. Why not do that and cardio on your off days.

IMO as a beginner you cant handle the volume of split workouts and therefore are more suited to the frequency of full body workouts.
 
What exactly is upper/lower and pull/push split? Time is a key factor also as I have to be in showered and out of the gym in 80-90 mins.
 
Upper/Lower = alternating lifts that work the upper part of your body with lower body lifts. For example, work upper body on Monday and Thursday, lower on Tuesday and Friday.

Push/Pull is the same thing but instead of upper lower, you divide the days by the types of lifts. Pushes are lifts where you're pushing the weight (bench press, shoulder press, dips, squats). Pulls are where you're pulling the weight (rows, pullups, curls, deadlifts). It'll generally breakdown so that Push days = chest, quads, triceps, shoulders and Pull days = back, biceps, hamstrings.
 
Thanks guys.
So...
Mon, Wed and Fri:
1 exercise 3x12 for chest, back, legs, biceps, triceps and shoulders

Tue and Thurs:
1 hour on cross trainer

If I continue this, looking at stats from first post what should/could be achieved providing I have a decent diet.
 
Totally depends on your current state (size, weight), level of fitness, the nature and consistency of your diet (there's a lot of room within a 'decent' diet which can have dramatic effects), consistency of your workouts. Initially, you should hope to feel better, stronger, clothes should start fitting better. The scale's not always very helpful at this point. Hit it consistently and watch your diet for a month or two and I'd be surprised if you're not seeing results.
 
Can you deadlift? If you can then you should be able to squat. Can you do squats with no weight? Maybe you can do some back extentions or some glute ham raises, rehab that back, stretch out those hamstring a little and learn to do a proper squat with no weight, then add weight.Tight hamstrings can cause bad backs and bad squats. most people have tight hamstrings.
crossfit.com/]Welcome to CrossFit: Forging Elite Fitness
Look in the exercise section for the vids on the air squat.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Maybe I gave the wrong impression, I've always played sports, soccer mostly but stopped just after 30. I ate junk and didn't exercise for 3 years and went up to 81kg. About 6 months ago I started running and it f**ked up my back. I was out of work for a month.

I started doing the EDUCO thing and they gave me that crap split. When that finished I joined a gym and began weights and using the cross trainer. I got down to 70kg but was taking cretine and protein supplements.
I would consider myself to be relatively fit and even went back playing soccer for fun. Went on holiday and put 5kg on in 2 weeks!!! Shocking I know. I've stopped with the supplements.

Anyway I went back training 3 weeks ago and one night stumbled on this site. Pretty soon I realised what I was doing was all wrong. I'm on here to rectify this.

My diet during the week is ok I think. Bran Flakes with low fat milk, weight watchers tuna, handful of chicken brest, normal dinner but divided into 2 portions, apple, banana, water melon, pear, 2 plums. I eat all the time but small amounts. Weekends my diet sucks-chinese food and assorted other junk.

My stats are in the first post if anybody wants to comment. I'm looking at doing FBW for 1 week on MWF with cardio on TT and alternating it with a 3 way split every other week. I will do what I can to get squats in, maybe even prisoner squats with weights but maybe it was the 81 kg weight that killed my back!!

Is there any sites to get recepies (normalish food) and templates for recording your diet and training workout?

As I said I just want to do things right this time.

Thanks everybody for taking the time to respond, I'm pretty shy so asking questions around the gym is a big thing for me.
 
I wish I only gained 11lbs when I go on vacation.
I say the right way is to go to crossfit and read the START HERE link.
If you want to run without tearing yourself up, I suggest the pose method of running.

I had knee problems and a tight neck that connected to a tight shoulder that connected to a tight back......you get the point. I started the pose method and within a week, no knee pain. Within a month, I felt so relaxed throughout my whole body. Check out the sites and get real fit.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If NickyK has a bad back and can't do squats, he can't do any deadlifts right now, either.

Back extensions are OUT until he gets his core rock solid. If NickyK's abdominal strength/endurance is insufficient to counter the pull of the erector spinae under the load, the erectors are put at a mechanical disadvantage. This places additional stresses on those very same lower back muscles. The iliopsoas can also pull on the spine during hip flexor exercises if the abs are weak.

Therefore, the risk of back injury is compounded when abdominal weakness is combined with hip flexor inflexibility.

If NickyK hasn't kept his core stabilizers in top shape, the bottom line is he risks injuring his back again.

Nicky, hopefully you do some really good core stability work in your workouts to help your back issues. DO NOT squat or deadlift until your core is rock solid. Chances are, you'll just screw up your back again.

Better to be safe than sorry, so take it easy.

And what I'd do for a split is lats/biceps, pecs/triceps, and then legs. The reason? When you're bench pressing (or doing most chest exercises), your triceps are also firing. When you're doing lat pulldowns or chinups, your biceps are firing. Better to give them a rest between workouts :)
 
razorsedge7 said:
I wish I only gained 11lbs when I go on vacation.
I say the right way is to go to crossfit and read the START HERE link.
If you want to run without tearing yourself up, I suggest the pose method of running.

I had knee problems and a tight neck that connected to a tight shoulder that connected to a tight back......you get the point. I started the pose method and within a week, no knee pain. Within a month, I felt so relaxed throughout my whole body. Check out the sites and get real fit.
Click to expand...

Mate you are, simply, irritating. This forum is not for advertising, just stop posting
 
Ok,
I started a FBW yesterday(Mon) and will continue Wed and Fri with cardio Tue and Thurs. I decided I'd try a set of squats on the smith machine before I left. I managed 1 set of 20 with just 30 kgs and it felt prettygood. I've redone my workouts and I'm putting in squats 3x12 and deadlifts for Wed and Fri.
Maybe because of the back injury I was playing mind games with myself, I don't know. I'll take it slowly and build up the weight gradually and see where it gets me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top