my lifting routine - critique it please?

[depsyphor]

I am 16 years old, 5'8", 135lbs. I am looking to add SIZE gains, although if some strength came along with those size gains, that would be nice. I have my protein intake in check, along with all my food. I use fitday, and have all that in check.

Now, for the final piece. I've been working out using a Monday/Thursday Tuesday/Friday split, and want to switch to a new one. I wanted to know what you guys thought of this.

DAY 1 & DAY 4
Chest
Sets Repetitions Photo
Bench Press 4 8-12
Incline Bench Press 4 8-12
Flat Bench Dumbbell Flys 3 8-12

Shoulders
Sets Repetitions
Seated DB Press Behind Neck* 4 8-12
Upright Barbell Rows 3 8-12
Shrugs 3 8-12
Machine Lat Raises 3 8-12

Triceps
Sets Repetitions
Lying Triceps Extensions 3 8-12
Machine Tricep Extensions 3 8-12
Pulley Pushdowns 3 8-12


DAY 2 & DAY 5
Legs
Sets Repetitions Squats 4 8-12
Deadlifts 3 8-12
Stiff-legged deadlifts 3 8-12
(Lunges? overtraining? 3 8-12

Back
Sets Repetitions Photo
Front Chin-Ups 3 8-12
Bent-Over Dumbell Rows 3 8-12
Seated Pulley Rows 3 8-12

Biceps & Forearms
Sets Repetitions
Alternate DB Hammer Curls 3 8-12
Wide Grip Barbell Curls 3 8-12
Concentration 3 8-12

I was thinking this would be a good routine for me to get bigger, specifically my upper body (most importantly my ARMS, which ever since I lost a lot of weight have been looking particularly puny). I thought the standard 3 sets of 8-12 would be good. The first set I should be able to do all 12 reps, whereas by the 3rd I often find it difficult to get to 10, or even 8.

Tell me what you think, and I understand that varying the routine around will be important, and I plan to switch up the repetitions in a month or so, and add in different exercises (substitute preacher curls for hammer curls, for example).

Thanks!

[PikeKing]

horrible horrible horrible

You heading for some severe over training with this program in my opinion. As you're a beginner this is way too much. If you still want to train each body part twice a week try something like this:

Day 1+4
Chest+shoulders+triceps

Bench press 3x8-12
Incline dumbell press 3x8-12
Seated dumbell shoulder press 3x8-12
Upright row 3x8-12
Lying tricep extensions 3x8-12

Day 2+5
Legs+back+biceps

Deadlift/Squat 3x6-10 (switch between deads and squats each workout)
Standing calf raise 3x12-15
Front Chin ups 3x8-12
Dumbell rows 3x8-12
Barbell curls 3x8-12

This routine is about half the volume of what you posted. Remember its quality over quantity. You should be busting your balls. Give yourself 60sec rest periods, these have been proven to be the most affective for hypertrophy, your muscles will hurt on the third set.

Originally posted by depsyphor:



DAY 1 & DAY 4
Chest
Sets Repetitions Photo
Bench Press 4 8-12
Incline Bench Press 4 8-12
Flat Bench Dumbbell Flys 3 8-12

Shoulders
Sets Repetitions
Seated DB Press Behind Neck* 4 8-12
Upright Barbell Rows 3 8-12
Shrugs 3 8-12
Machine Lat Raises 3 8-12

Triceps
Sets Repetitions
Lying Triceps Extensions 3 8-12
Machine Tricep Extensions 3 8-12
Pulley Pushdowns 3 8-12


DAY 2 & DAY 5
Legs
Sets Repetitions Squats 4 8-12
Deadlifts 3 8-12
Stiff-legged deadlifts 3 8-12
(Lunges? overtraining? 3 8-12

Back
Sets Repetitions Photo
Front Chin-Ups 3 8-12
Bent-Over Dumbell Rows 3 8-12
Seated Pulley Rows 3 8-12

Biceps & Forearms
Sets Repetitions
Alternate DB Hammer Curls 3 8-12
Wide Grip Barbell Curls 3 8-12
Concentration 3 8-12

[massive member]

hey depsyphor, give these two links a read if you havent already

http://www.jeanpaul.com/ubb/cgi-bin/...=000028#000000

http://www.jeanpaul.com/ubb/cgi-bin/...c;f=2;t=000023

[depsyphor]

But when I only do 2 sets per bodypart (or less) I don't feel it the next day. Period. I know you say lift hard, I DO lift hard. I DO lift slow. And if I do 3 sets per each bodypart (like 3 sets of different exercises to hit biceps, concentration curls, hammer curls, barbell curls), I DO feel it! Isn't this a good thing?

I hear constant talk about 'overtraining'... yet I don't feel overtrained! I'm a teenager, could this be part of it - am I less apt to 'overtrain'?

JP - any input on my workout would be REALLY appreciated!

[PikeKing]

Being sore is not an indicator of a good workout.

[Jean-Paul]

Overtraining is a cumulative affect for the most part. It isn't always indicated by soreness or feeling generally crappy either. You may feel fine, but just not make any progress. Your workout does look like a bit too much. If you want to make GAINS then your muscle has to have more time to recover. If you are training for a sport then all the rules change. Do this for a month... try to hit each muscle once a week, but make it count when you do.

Try this one out:



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MONDAY
Chest
bench press 3 x 8-10
flat bench flyes 2 x 8-10
cable crossovers 2 x 8-10
incline barbell or dumbbell press 3 x 8-10
incline dumbbell flyes 2 x 8-10
decline dumbbell press 2 x 8-10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TUESDAY
Back
front lat pull or front pull up 3 x 8-10
pullovers 3 x 8-10
stiff arm pulldowns 1 x 8-10
low pulley row 2 x 8-10
t-bar row 2 x 8-10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WEDNESDAY
Quads
squats, leg press or hack squats 3 x 8-10
sissy squats or lunges 3 x 8-10
leg extensions 3 x 8-10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hamstrings
stiff-legged deadlifts 3 x 8-10
leg curls 3 x 8-10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THURSDAY
Delts
shoulder press 3 x 8-10
incline one arm lateral raise or lateral raise 3 x 8-10
upright row 3 x 8-10
shrugs 3 x 8-10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FRIDAY
Triceps
weighted dips 3 x 8-10
overhead tricep extensions 2 x 8-10
cable or rope triceps extensions 2 x 8-10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Biceps
barbell curls 3 x 8-10
incline dumbbell curls 2 x 8-10
concentration curls 2 x 8-10

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[depsyphor]

JP, I play lacrosse for my high school team every day after school. I want to have an ATTRACTIVE upper body, but for lower body I was looking more for speed/quickness gains to help out my lacrosse performance. If this changes anything, let me know? How should I alter my routine accordingly?

[fitone]

It does a little I would recommend more of a full body work-out 3x a week w/ o-lifts incoporated w/ your weight training so work-out should be something like this:

Day 1 Monday:

Cleans: 3x5
Squats: 2A) 2x10
Bench Press:2B) 2x10
Sumo Deadlift: 3A) 2x10
Incline Bench or Fly: 3b)2x10
Push Press: 4) 3x5
Reverse flies: 5a) 2x10
High Pulls:5b) 2x10
Pull-ups:6a) 2x10
Leg Curl machine:6b) 2x10
Tricep Pushdown: 7a) 2x10
Straight Bar Curls:7b) 2x10

Day 2: wensday

Same as day one

Day 3: friday

repeat

after 5-6 weeks you change the reps for example instead of 2x10 it will be 2x8.

Hope this helps.

[fitone]

It does a little I would recommend more of a full body work-out 3x a week w/ o-lifts incoporated w/ your weight training so work-out should be something like this:

Day 1 Monday:

Cleans: 3x5
Squats: 2A) 2x10
Bench Press:2B) 2x10
Sumo Deadlift: 3A) 2x10
Incline Bench or Fly: 3b)2x10
Push Press: 4) 3x5
Reverse flies: 5a) 2x10
High Pulls:5b) 2x10
Pull-ups:6a) 2x10
Leg Curl machine:6b) 2x10
Tricep Pushdown: 7a) 2x10
Straight Bar Curls:7b) 2x10

Day 2: wensday

Same as day one

Day 3: friday

repeat

after 5-6 weeks you change the reps for example instead of 2x10 it will be 2x8.

Hope this helps.