2005 Summer Workout Discussion

Dome Vongvises · 05-04-2005, 03:27 PM

Well, I figure it's time I start working out again. I've been going to the gym for a few days straight now, and I feel much better. I go about three days, rest, then three days.

I guess the point of this thread is if anybody has good workout plans, some general good diet tips, or if anybody wants to share their own summer workout goals.

Here's my workout and diet schedule:

Day 1
Chest
- Bench Press
- Dumbbell Bench Press
- Incline Bench Press
- Seated Machine Butterfly
Upper Back
- In front pulldowns

Day 2
Shoulders
- Arnold Presses
- Military Press
- Shrugs
Upper Back
- Seated Cable Row
- T Row
- One-Arm Rows

Day 3
Arms (Triceps)
- Cable Pulldown
- Tricep Extensions (Standing)
- Tricep Extensions (laying down)
Arms (Biceps)
- Hammer Curls
- Preacher Curls
- Curls
Arms (Forearms)
- Wrist Curls
- Reverse Barbell Curl

Day 4
Legs
- Squats
- Lunges
- Toe Raises
- Shin Raises
- 45 degree Leg Press
- Leg Curls

I eat about four banana/strawberry smoothies with Myoplex Whey protein a day, and maybe a slice of whole wheat bread with PB and jelly. Occasionaly I'll have a can of tuna. And I use the bike every two days, rest, then two days.

Anybody else think of some exercises I can add or if anybody else would like to share their own routines.

Garrett Lundy · 05-04-2005, 03:28 PM

You should try to add some cardio to your strength training

Colton · 05-04-2005, 04:07 PM

How about for those of us that don't belong to a gym nor have the equipment at home. My wife and I jog/walk for one hour each day. Trying to stay away from sweets and fried foods. Drink lots of water. I'll probably buy some 35/45/55 dumbbells to help work my arms and chest.

- Colton

Shawn Solar · 05-04-2005, 06:10 PM

I do:

Chest
flat bench
incline free weights
incline machine
cable crossovers
decline bench(switch between this and incline machine)

Shoulders
seated military press(long bar)
seat military press(free weight dumb-bells)
side lateral raises(guess you could call them)
shrugs
Rear deltoids(use a seated fly position where the dumbells are held in front and is a sweeping back motion where you squeeze the shoulder blades together)

Back
Rows(vary hand grip and height of pully)
wide grip pull downs(can do wide grip chins)
close grip chin ups(bit more arms here)
Chainsaw pulls(dumbell is lifted like starting a chainsaw)

Arms
Biceps
flat bar curls
machine curls
hammer curls(dumb-bells)
wrist curls
hanging forearm twists(uses dumbbells. start with a medium or light medium weight bend slightly over resting the other arm on a curl bench and with arm fully extended holding weight vertically twist the weight clockwise and counterclockwise until you feel the strech DONT go fast)

triceps
skull crushers(laying on back)
overhead extensions
tricep pulldowns(one exersise is with heavy weight the other is light weight and called burnouts)
Machine

ABS
hanging leg lifts
hanging leg twists
decline situps

Note that arms is usaully done the same day as chest back or shoulders and include either tricepts OR bicepts and not both. I will be starting to jog soon to(not looking forward to it...lol) And then include protien and possibly a vitamin supplement with whatever other supplements. Remember sugar and excess calories are the enemy. I could do more but if you do two to three sets of about three different exercises with moderate to heavy weight IMO its better than doing ten exercises 20times each. I can't usually close my arm fully after a decent arm workout for about an hour

Garrett Lundy · 05-04-2005, 08:14 PM

Quote:

I'll probably buy some 35/45/55 dumbbells to help work my arms and chest.

You may wanna start with a 5/10/15. 35 is alot weight to do 3 sets of 12 with for a begginer.

**HTF Ads**

Jason Kirkpatri · 05-04-2005, 11:02 PM

I'll only give my opinion on your workout plan.

Scrap the forearm exercises. Using good heavy weights without the aid of lifting straps will build your forearms more than adequately. You will find that all exercises that rely on grip and forearm strength (shrugs, all arm movements, rows, dumbbell flyes, etc, etc) use forearm muscles. Isolating the forearms in addition to what you are already doing will only overtrain them.

I personally think that you have one too many chest movements. I'd lose the incline barbell bench press, leaving you with your basic barbell press, incline dumbbell presses and a flye movement (personally, I'd opt for dumbbell flyes over the machine flyes but that's just my preference).

Your back is split over two days. I'd combine them into one day. Given your current plan, maybe chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs? Currently, my split is over four days: supersets on chest/back, arms, shoulders, and legs. Keeping your current splits and devoting back exercises to one day gives you five days, which might not work for you (time, etc)....

...which means I'd do shoulders by themselves on one day and not with your back. Military press is a solid shoulder movement, I use dumbbells myself. Arnold presses in addition to military presses is overkill, in my opinion. I'd stick to your military press, shrugs (alternating each workout between barbell shrugs and dumbbell shrugs), upright rows(solid exercise that is absent in your current plan), and side laterals.

Arms - going heavy on lifts will increase your overall arm size much like your forearms will grow. Arm muscles are pretty small muscle groups and easily overtrained. I'd keep your barbell curl, scrap the machine curls, keep the hammer curls, and scrap the preacher curls. Most of your back movements incorporate your biceps to a certain degree, heavy shrugs uses arms strength. I'd just be careful about doing too much. Triceps looks good. I'd do sitting tricep extensions - much safer for your lower back and easier to balance the weight than standing extensions.

Legs - looks to be too much and could lead to overtraining. My opinion only, of course, but: squats, deadlifts (absolute foundation for building overall mass - the exercisee that uses the most muscles for any movement), stiff leg deadlifts or hamstring curls. I'd lose the leg sled, or use the sled instead of the free weight squats. One thing, I personally use the sled for doing my "standing" calf raises. Takes all the preasure of your lower back and shoulders when performed on the leg sled. Sitting calf raises you should do as well. Sitting calf raises work the "flair" to the calf muscle group, as visible from the front of the leg. Standing calf raises work the muscle group in the back of the shin.

You should throw in some ab exercises in there as well. Maybe on shoulder day?

Of course all of this is meaningless if you don't work with intensity, eat right, and sleep well.

And given the choice, I almost always opt for the free weights over the convenience of machines. Biomechanics for some people are not good, so machines do have their place. Just not so much for me.

Ravi K · 05-05-2005, 12:23 AM

My very broad goal for this year is to gain weight and muscle mass. I'm quite skinny, 5' 8", about 130 lbs. I don't exactly watch what I eat, and I can eat quite a bit. I don't do any exercise aside from walking to and from class.

What are some of the beginner's workouts you guys have done? What foods are good to eat to gain weight? Are protein bars a waste of money?

Chris_Morris · 05-05-2005, 06:33 AM

My current routine (www.hypertrophy-specific.com)

3x a week (supposed to be, but I've been doing every other day, with only one 2 day break)

Squat
Slight incline bench
BB Rows
Power Cleans
Lat pulls
Standing Alt. Curls
Close Grip Bench
Rev. Preacher Curls

Starting weight (3 weeks ago) 262
Current weight: 250
Short term Goal (Oct 2005): < 200 @ < 20% BF
Long term Goal: 180-190 @ < 15% BF

Garrett Lundy · 05-05-2005, 07:45 AM

Protein bars are just very expensive. A Dozen eggs are far cheaper and can be prepared in a variety of ways.