First full-body routine

[iowafepusher]

Hello, all! I've been lifting weights for a year now, but I still consider myself a novice at the gym. I'd appreciate feedback on a new, full-body routine I put together that I'll follow for the next 6-8 weeks. I've never done full-body, only upper/lower splits and specific parts.

My goals: I want to lift heavy (no more 12-15 reps!), do squats and deadlifts with weight on the bar and finally conquer at least 10 REAL pushups and maybe an unassisted chin-up or two.

Day 1:
45-degree Pushups (will progress to 30-degree, then ground)
Romanian Deadlifts
Behind-back Wrist Curls (weak forearms)
Full Squats
Standing Arnold Presses
Captain's Chair Knee Raises

Day 2:
45-degree Pushups
Bent-over Rows
Parallel-Bar Dips
Bulgarian Split Squats
Incline Reverse Crunches

Day 3:
45-degree Pushups
Lunges
Assisted Parallel-Grip Chins (will decrease counterweight over time)
Bosu Squats with Dumbbell Raises
Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullovers
Oblique Rolls on Swiss Ball

[iowafepusher]

I did my Day 1 workout yesterday, and man did I wake up hurting this morning! I could barely walk down the stairs, my legs were like jello. Guess that's a good sign.

I spent all last night reading about proper squat and deadlift techniques, and watched several of those Squat RX videos. I wish I could see my form better in the mirror - hard to tell if I'm doing it right. I'll have to ask a trainer to watch me.

I wasn't sure if I had enough ab exercises in this new routine, but I found out that the abs are engaged in most compound exercises, so I won't worry about it for now.

I'm really looking forward to my next workout!

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by iowafepusher

Hello, all! I've been lifting weights for a year now, but I still consider myself a novice at the gym. I'd appreciate feedback on a new, full-body routine I put together that I'll follow for the next 6-8 weeks. I've never done full-body, only upper/lower splits and specific parts.

My goals: I want to lift heavy (no more 12-15 reps!), do squats and deadlifts with weight on the bar and finally conquer at least 10 REAL pushups and maybe an unassisted chin-up or two.

Day 1:
45-degree Pushups (will progress to 30-degree, then ground)
Romanian Deadlifts
Behind-back Wrist Curls (weak forearms)
Full Squats
Standing Arnold Presses
Captain's Chair Knee Raises

Day 2:
45-degree Pushups
Bent-over Rows
Parallel-Bar Dips
Bulgarian Split Squats
Incline Reverse Crunches

Day 3:
45-degree Pushups
Lunges
Assisted Parallel-Grip Chins (will decrease counterweight over time)
Bosu Squats with Dumbbell Raises
Cross-Bench Dumbbell Pullovers
Oblique Rolls on Swiss Ball

You can do dips, but not full incline push-ups? Drop the bosu nonsense. Truthfully, I'm not sure I like your setup at all.

Have you considered a book? If not, do so. If you're dead set against a book, at least make your workouts more balanced. The schmidt six or planar six would serve well as a starting point to workout design. Also, Tony Gentilcore wrote an article on program design (movement pattern based). Combined with Robertson's program design articles (sets and reps based) and Cosgroves article on undulating periodization and/or King's wave loading article, you'll be set.

T-Nation.com | Program Design for Dummies=
T-Nation.com | Program Design 101
Bodybuilding.com - Alwyn Cosgrove - Undulating Periodization: Variable Repetition Training (VRT). (three articles that have links to each other)
T-Nation.com | The Wave Loading Manifesto

[iowafepusher]

Thanks! I appreciate your honesty. I really have no idea what I'm doing - I just threw together a bunch of exercises I wanted to try. I'll check out those links.

[Cynic]

If you have no idea of what you're doing, you're a prime candidate for a quality book. "New Rules of Lifting" is calling you. There is also "Starting Strength" by Eric Cressey, but I like NROL as laying out the methodology by which one should be thinking about lifting.

[Luna Sea]

"Starting Strength" is Mark Rippetoe's program.
"Maximum Strength" is Eric's.

[iowafepusher]

I already have The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Don't know why I never tried the workouts. Seems to be working well for others on this board. I'll start re-reading it now. Can't wait to get started! Thanks again.

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Luna Sea

"Starting Strength" is Mark Rippetoe's program.
"Maximum Strength" is Eric's.

Oops. I have neither, so I'm not up on who wrote which. I know Dos Remedios has another that uses the word "Strength" in the title.