The Devil's new Routine: Please critique

T

thedevil

0
So finally I got down to setting up a weight training routine. My diet is reasonable, thanks to this forum and has an excess of
approx. 300 calories daily. I am a little guy with a small frame :D (6.5 inches wrist). When I joined in June'05 I was 5'11" 132lbs@7.5% and since then I have done
mostly weighted pull-ups, pushups, lunges and some compound lifts once in a while with no fixed routine.
Current stats 145lbs@9%

However now I intend to adhere to a routine and get to around 165lbs@10-12%.


Workout duration each day is around 50 mins give or take.
All exercises are 3x10 @ 70% of current 1RM. Please comment on the ordering of the exercise too.

Day 1: Back, Tricep and Hams
Dumbell Bent-over row/Lever Bent-over row
Dumbell Tricep Kickback OR 1-arm tricep extension
Lever seated leg curl
Lats cable front pulldown OR cable straight back seated row
Straight leg Deadlift
Dumbell rear lateral raise


Day 2: Cardio:swimming squash, running whatever

Day 3: Chest, Abs, Biceps and Calves
Weighted Crunches
Barbell bench press
Hanging straight leg hip raise OR cable kneeling crunch
Lever standing calf raise
Bicep Preacher curls/Barbell curls
Barbell front raise


Day 4: Cardio: swimming squash running whatever


Day 5:Quads, Delts and forearms
Barbell military press
Barbell Squat
Decline Bench press
Dumbell Lateral Raise
Dumbell Shrug
Wrist curls


Day 6 Rest

Day 7 Soccer day.
 
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I would skip the stiff leg stuff and just go conventional deadlift. Go to it, see how it feels and tweak it from there.
 
Right, I am going to do the romanian deadlift as you told me earlier. However my form for the RDL is not correct right now. Also I read on T-nation that the video on exrx is incorrect too. There will be an instructor who will visit the gym this Saturday and I hope to learn the correct technique for RDL hopefully then. If you have a video of RDL (perhaps yours) and you could post it that would be great.
 
I'm currently working on finding some time to shoot some videos of lifts; the only deadlift video I have is of me doing sumo deads. Anyway, check out this site and look on the column titled "legs--strength" and scroll down to the barbell romanian deadlift.



I would also throw out the db kickback and go for close grip bench (12" grip width). Don't worry about the bb front raise, you'll be getting enough anterior delt work.
 
First week went as planned. Next week I'm removing bb front raise and replacing tricep kickback with closed grip bench press and bb skull crusher.


Question: How far apart to keep the feet while squatting? I have been keeping it shoulder width and a trainer in the gym asked me to move it farther apart to reduce stress on the knees. Most videos on the web have a lateral view so I can't really tell.
 
It really depends on how tall you are (or rather how long your legs are). Experiment with different widths and see which one works best for you. I personally like a shoulder width or Oly style stance. Two of my training partners, Zack and Jonesy, like really wide stances where their feet are practically touching the rails of the power rack.

Depending on how wide you use your stance your technique will change slightly. The main thing to remember is to keep the back straight and feet pointed out.
 
Great work on planning, sticking to the plan and revising the plan. You're much further a long than most. By the way, I guarantee you'll enjoy replacing kickbacks with presses.

In regards to squat stance, I agree with evo. Just try different stances and work with whatever feels comfortable for you. Use a stance that makes you feel like your base is solid throughout the lift. "You're not squatting, you're pushing the earth away from you." :cool:

I'm sure the trainer meant well, but I'd bet he may also suggest that squating below parallel will hurt your knees too. That is not the case. Squat ATG (Ass To Grass). I'm sure you'll enjoy that more.

Keep up the good work and keep us all posted.

DM
 
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Thanks DM and Evo. So far I have been good at sticking to plans but I get stuck to it so badly that I forget to adapt it.

I will be posting my 1RM for all the exercises this week.
 
1rm

The week went as planned mostly but for some failed 10th reps following which I reduced the weight and did a fourth set
of 10reps. Remember that I am attempting 3*10.
Also managed to find some 1RMs. So, I tried 1RM for chest on days I do back and so on so forth. To get the 1RM I kept on adding
weight and tried 1 rep till I failed. If that is not the correct way please let me know what the correct way is.

Lat cable pulldown 190lbs
Lever seated leg curl 180lbs
Db rear lateral raise 30lbs
Cable tricep pushdown with rope 140lbs
Barbel curl 95lbs
Military press 95lbs
Squat 185lbs ATG
Db bent over row 95lbs
BB lever bent over row 135lbs+ OB bar
Bench press 135lbs need to retry with spotter
DB shrugs 100lbs
Deadlift >225lbs but I pussied out of adding more weight.
Lever standing calf raise 230lbs
 
That's a lot of 1RM testing in one week. I don't think it's essential to know 1RMs for curls, lat pulldowns, and etc. I think bench, squat, deadlift, clean, snatch, front squat, jerks, OH pressing, and bb row are about all you need.
 
Yes, lots of 1RM for a week and now it seems all the numbers above are much lower than the actual 1RM. I realized because I went this Sunday to confirm and managed much more than above numbers on the first rep. e.g. 225lbs squats ATG. For the above 1RM tests, I started with a moderate weight and went up and probably the max was low due to fatigue.

So, this time I plan to start with a very heavy weight and reduce it until I manage to get 1rep with proper form.
*************

Current weight:148lbs i.e. 3lbs up from 2 weeks back.
 
Nah, what I'd do is just pick three days this week or next 2 days apart each and find your 1RMs...something like

M-squat
W-bench & deadlift
F-OH press or row or Oly move

Find each max within 6-8 sets

If you start to heavy and try to work down you will have fatigued yourself from over-loading and you won't find your true 1RM.
 
My last week (Feb 6-11) workout is here. All exercises were 3 sets of 10 reps.

Day 1: Back, Tricep and Hams
Dumbell Bent-over row 65lbs
close grip bench press with thumbs together 75lbs
Lever seated leg curl 120lbs
Lats cable front pulldown 120lbs
Straight leg Deadlift 135lbs
Dumbell rear lateral raise 25lbs

Day 3: Chest, Abs, Biceps and Calves
Weighted Crunches
Barbell bench press 95lbs
Hanging straight leg hip raise OR cable kneeling crunch
Lever standing calf raise 175lbs
db Bicep Preacher curls 30lbs




Day 5:Quads, Delts and forearms
Barbell military press 65lbs
Barbell Squat 135lbs
Decline Bench press 95lbs
Dumbell Lateral Raise 20lbs
Dumbell Shrug 70lbs
bb Wrist curls 70lbs


Day 6 Rest

Day 7 Soccer day.

Doing 1RM testing again for squat,bench,deadlift and OH press this week.
 
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Last week was an experimental week. I did my usual weight routine but did cardio only on Tuesday. Friday night after my squat day, I had 4-5lbs of grilled salmon atleast. Now I weigh in at around 154lbs :eek: .

So now for the next two weeks I am going back to my original routine but with more intense cardio days. I'll probably double the duration of my cardio workouts. All kinds of suggestions are welcome.
 
Looks good, make sure you keep your caloric intake high, especially if you do more cardio next week like you said
 
Yes, my calorie excess is around 400 currently.

Back
Db bent over row
3*10@65lbs
dB One arm Oh tricep extension
3*10@20lbs

seated hamstring curl
3*10@120lbs
1*8@135lbs

lat pull down
3*10@120lbs

tricep pushdown
3*10@100lbs

bb lever row
3*10@135lbs

deadlift
3*10@135lbs
 
Last week was spring break and I was away. I could only do a little bit of front squats, military press and deadlifts with whatever little iron I had. Also ran 6 miles on Friday @7mph.
 
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