Critique My Home Workout Please!

[Slayerik]

So I got a weight bench cheap on Craiglist....Ok, so I should probably sign up on some serious muscle/fitness forum but I really just need basic advice. My googling must be off cause I am not having much luck.

So here goes..... Is there a problem with the muscle groups I have targets on certain days?

Monday: Chest / Triceps
Chest -
Incline Dumbbell Press x 3
Flat Bench Press x 3
Flat Dumbbell Flys x 3

Triceps-
Dumbbell Kickbacks x 3
Skullcrushers x 3
-----------------------------------------
Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Biceps, Back, Shoulders

Shoulders:
Lateral Dumbbell Raise x3
Overhead Dumbbell Press x 3
Vertical Dumbbell Raise x 3

Back:
Dumbbell Shrug x 3
Dumbbell Bentover Row x 3

Biceps:
Barbell Preacher Curl x 3
Hammer Curl x 2
Dumbbell/Barbell Curls x 3

Thursday and Friday Off

Saturday: Legs and Abs

Squats
Calf Raises
Crunches

[SnakeCharmer]

Needs cardio.

[Mrbloodworth]

Where is the cardio work?

[Slayerik]

Good advice, but overall does the lifting part seem ok?

The Cardio, diet, and stopping smoking are all on stuff I plan on improving. For now I wanna start getting a little cut up for the summer. Being a single man and all again.

[Azaroth]

Doesn't need cardio, especially if his goal is to be in calorie surplus.

Cardio is healthy, but sometimes counterproductive.

A quick look says you're not doing enough for your back or your legs. Add deadlifts and accomplish more for both in one exercise. Take some of the bicep curls out (that's a lot of bicep curls) and add chinups. Biceps + back.

[Slayerik]

Doesn't need cardio, especially if his goal is to be in calorie surplus.

Cardio is healthy, but sometimes counterproductive.

A quick look says you're not doing enough for your back or your legs. Add deadlifts and accomplish more for both in one exercise. Take some of the bicep curls out (that's a lot of bicep curls) and add chinups. Biceps + back.

Yeah I actually pulled something in my Bi (not too bad)...I was kinda going crazy on them cause that's an area I was focusing on. Big arms, nice cut chest, Broad, strong shoulders. Legs I've never cared much about, and I dont have chicken legs so its cool. No chinup bar, but I like the deadlift addition.

[Nebu]

Shrugs will work your upper traps (shoulders) more than your back.  For back workouts, I'd get a pullup bar.  Wide grip will work your inner back and narrow grip will work your lats.  Add bent-over rows for completeness. 

 

[Cyrrex]

The thing they say about the legs, and why squats are so important, is because you body wants to be in balance.  Working your legs via squats especially not only stimulates leg growth, but growth in the whole body.  It's the single most important lift, by most accounts I have seen.

And what Azaroth said about the cardio.  It depends on your goals.  If you are trying to put on muscle, then cardio may actually sabotage that effort.  The most efficient way to gain muscles is to lift weights, eat like a horse and avoid or minimize the cardio.  To get the lean look later, you then add some cardio and cut calories.  

[Nebu]

I work on legs primarily because building the large muscle groups is the easiest way to increase my basal metabolic rate.  Lats, Pecs, Quads, and Delts are easy to gain mass in and thus allow you to eat more every day without gaining weight!

More food = more better. 

[Cyrrex]

That's a very good point.  It's nice having enough extra muscle that putting on weight is actually a chore.

[Slayerik]

Good stuff guys, and yeah you are right about the Shrugs....I to them targetting my Upper shoulder...and dont know any other good workout for it....Are those called Traps? I do bent over rows currently as one of my only real back ones....

[Nebu]

Traps = Trapezius muscles.

Shrugs infront of you work them well.  Shrugs with a barbell behind you will give different emphasis. 

You need more lat work for the back.  I strongly urge you to get a good pullup bar for this as machines seem to be the best way to target this group and a pullup bar is MUCH cheaper.

[Slayerik]

As a substitute, I think I remember doing some type of fly for them (though I was doing pullups back then too). Maybe a Standing, bent-over dumbbell fly? (for lats that is)

[Nebu]

You can do a reverse fly (laying face down on the bench) as a substitute.  To include some shoulder in the exercise, do a flay facing a bench on an incline. 

[Cyrrex]

Bent over rows SUCK, by the way.  I do them, but not because I like to.  I don't know if it's just because I'm struggling to get the form down, or if it's because I'm getting close to pulling my own weight - it just doesn't seem like an intuitive position.

Did you get a power rack, or just a regular old rack?  The power rack is nice, because it allows you to push it without fear of getting in trouble.

[K9]

Of all the exercises I do I find Dumbell kickbacks really really hard to do properly for good effect. Maybe it's a matter of personal preference, but I think for your triceps you get much better mileage doing dips.

For a chin-up bar the P90X ones are the best designed I have ever seen. I have used a friend's one and found it to be very suited and easy to install. Also it seems a lot less prone to falling down than some of the more typical designs.



Also, did you get an olympic bar with your bench? If you did I'd seriously look into adding squats and deadlifts in somewhere.

Lastly, consider the sequence you exercise in. I was always taught to do compound lifts before you do isolation lifts, which seems to work, and makes sense to me.

Bent over rows SUCK, by the way.  I do them, but not because I like to.  I don't know if it's just because I'm struggling to get the form down, or if it's because I'm getting close to pulling my own weight - it just doesn't seem like an intuitive position.

I get this too, I find a mix of bent-over flys, chin-ups and rows do my upper back much better. Also I have tried doing flat pull-ups (not sure of the proper name, but it's basically the reverse of a push-up) and didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it.

[Azaroth]

I always kink my upper back with bent over rows. Not pleasant.

There's an upright machine that helps you perform the same movement more safely that I've been thinking of adding to my home gym. It's such a killer exercise, you can't just drop it. But yeah, I fucking hate doing it with free weights. One of my most despised exercises in practice.

[Nebu]

Wide grip pullups, close grip sitting rows (machine), and lat pull downs (machine) are a must for my back workouts.  I also include single arm dumbbell rows, but I'm capped at the university gym as they don't have any dumbells larger than 100lbs.   I've gone almost entirely to machines and pullups for back.  The beauty of pullups is that you can always add weight using a belt and weights from your barbell set.   

[Teleku]

Oh how I look forward to the day I can do an unassisted pull-up again 

[Miguel]

Not to derail too much, but I was wondering about fitness standards to apply workouts against:  personally, I know which exercises to do, but I can never find good goals.

I did find the following standards used by the Marine Corps as their PFT requirements.  This would be from the point of view of general fitness, not going for any specific shape or look.

Marine Corps Minimum PFT Requirements (for my age):

Pull-ups (palm forward): 3
Crunches: 45 (in 2 minutes, crossed arms, elbows touching thighs)
3-mile run: 29 minutes

If I understand correctly, each of the three activities are scored on a scale of 100 points, with a total score of 300 being the maximum:

Pull-ups (palm forward): 20
Crunches: 100 (in 2 minutes)
3-mile run: 18 minutes

There is also a Body Composition requirement for my height:
Maximum Weight: 232 lbs
Maximum Body Fat (if over the maximum weight): 18%

Would this be a good general fitness level to attain for someone who is 34 years old?  I figure if you can achieve a 300 point fitness score in the Marine Corps then you would be generally as fit as would be required for good health.

Also, I cannot find any fitness requirements for push-ups for the Marine Corps, but I assume that they would be good to add into a regiment.  The Navy defines the following standards:

Pushups: 37 (minimum, in 2 minutes) to 87 ('Outstanding')

So would this be a reasonable goal to shoot for?  I like the fact that I can measure my performance every month or so, and compute my PT score just like would be done in the military.  Plus, no special equipment seems to be necessary other than a pull-up bar.

I was thinking that the 1st class score for my age of 200 points would be a good first target to shoot for.  This would be similar to the following:

Pull-ups (palm forward): 14
Crunches: 66 (in 2 minutes)
3-mile run: 23:40
Push-ups: 50 (in 2 minutes)

This is a lofty goal for me, since right now I run a 10 minute mile (I can do 1.5 miles before having to stop), I can't do ANY pull-ups unassisted, and I can do about 40 crunches in 2 minutes, and about 10 pushups.

[gryeyes]

It is completely possible to attain those goals. Just a matter of time (current fitness) and dedication. The bigger you are the more difficult most of those exercises will be. The three mile run in 18 minutes will be the biggest hurdle.

[Azaroth]

I've seen people way higher than 18% bodyfat get into the Marines lawl.

[Miguel]

I've seen people way higher than 18% bodyfat get into the Marines lawl.

Apparently the 18% only is factored if you are over the maximum body weight.  If you are both over the maximum weight and over 18% fat, then you have a certain amount of time to bring one into compliance.

I guess what I am ultimately wondering is if attaining a 200 point score, and maintaining it, would be 'good enough' for general fitness and health.

[Azaroth]

Well, I've seen very different is all.

[K9]

I always kink my upper back with bent over rows. Not pleasant.

There's an upright machine that helps you perform the same movement more safely that I've been thinking of adding to my home gym. It's such a killer exercise, you can't just drop it. But yeah, I fucking hate doing it with free weights. One of my most despised exercises in practice.

I really like cable machines for rows, plus you can do a host of other exercises with them.

[Nebu]

Here's my standard workout week (if you happen to find it helpful)

Sat/Sun off

Monday: Chest and triceps

Decline barbell presses
Incline dumbell presses
Compound set: dumbell flys to failue followed immediately by pushups to failure

Tricep pushdowns
Narrow grip barbell (bench) presses
Compound set: Overhead single arm dumbell extensions followed by overhead two arm dumbell extensions (both to failure)

Tuesday: Legs & Abs
Squats
Forward leg curls
Reverse leg curls
dumbell lunges
Weighted Calf raises

Incline crunches
Vertical knee raise
lower ab leg raises
side crunches for obliques

Wed: Shoulders/traps

Military presses
lateral arm raises
Compound set: upright barbell rows followed by upright 45lb plate rows both to failure
Shrugs

Thurs: Legs & Abs (see above)

Friday: Back and biceps

Compound set: Wide grip pullups followed by wide grip lat pull downs (both to failure)
narrow grip seated rows
One arm dumbell bent-over rows

Single arm hammer dumbell curls
barbell curls using a preacher bench
pullups (palm toward you)

I don't work biceps all that hard on Fridays since they get enough work the rest of the week. 

My running regiment:

Sunday: long run (usually an hour or so)
M, T, Th, F: short/fast run (30 mins)
Wed: Interval or fartlek training (usually 200 - 400 yard sprints followed by an equal distance walk/jog)

Saturday off

If I'm feeling ambitious, I also ride my stationary bike for 20 - 30 mins.   

[Miguel]

Jesus I got exhausted just reading that schedule. 

[Nebu]

I should note that I try to keep my workouts well under an hour in length.  The keys to building muscle are a) having a high intensity workout rather than a long workout,  b) allowing proper recovery intervals to avoid overtraining and injury, c) get adequate sleep and d) maintain proper nutrition (including water intake). 

[MrHat]

I should note that I try to keep my workouts well under an hour in length.  The keys to building muscle are a) having a high intensity workout rather than a long workout,  b) allowing proper recovery intervals to avoid overtraining and injury, c) get adequate sleep and d) maintain proper nutrition (including water intake). 

Do you do your lifts explosive then?

[K9]

I should note that I try to keep my workouts well under an hour in length.  The keys to building muscle are a) having a high intensity workout rather than a long workout,  b) allowing proper recovery intervals to avoid overtraining and injury, c) get adequate sleep and d) maintain proper nutrition (including water intake). 

Do you do your cardio separate from your lifting then? Also, how often to you vary your exercise pattern, if ever? I have been advised several times that it is good to change exercise patterns every 3months or so, but haven't really managed to stick to such a rigid pattern change yet.

[Cyrrex]

You need to understand what your goals (short and long term) are before worrying too much about the specifics.  As far as changing patterns:  is what you are doing still keeping you on the path to achieving your goal?  If yes, don't change a thing. 

[K9]

My goals are well defined, and I have met many of them over the last 14 months. The main ones I am still working on are being able to shoulder press my body weight, rep my body weight on the bench and double that on deadlift. It was mentioned that improvements from a rigid workout diminish after 3-4months and it can be beneficial to rework the pattern of exercises and the exercises you do to work your muscles in slightly different ways. I feel that my rate of improvement is diminishing, so I'm varying my individual daily work outs, so what I do for shoulders one week may be a different set of exercises to what I do for shoulders the next. I'm just wondering what degree of variation (if any) I should be aiming for.

[Nebu]

Do you do your lifts explosive then?

Not sure what you mean here.  I usually do my sets in volume training fashion (5 sets of each exercise, set 1 at 80% effort, set 2 at 90%, sets 3-5 at max to failure).  I add at least 5 lbs to my max every week for large muscle group exercises to keep my muscles challenged. 

Do you do your cardio separate from your lifting then? Also, how often to you vary your exercise pattern, if ever? I have been advised several times that it is good to change exercise patterns every 3months or so, but haven't really managed to stick to such a rigid pattern change yet.

1) I lift in the early afternoon and run either first thing in the morning (best) or late at night according to the demands of my work schedule. 

2) I change my workout routine every 10-12 weeks.  Your body adapts to your workouts, so even if you lift to failure you will still have long plateaus if you don't.

Hope that answers the questions.  Keep in mind that I'm in my 40's.  I have to workout pretty damn hard to stay as fit as you young guys. 

[Cyrrex]

So it seems your overriding goal is "to get stronger".  As such, unless you want the possible aerobic benefits, you don't really have a need for any cardio at this time.  It may actually be counter-prodcutive, as it may lead to a calorie deficit.  Which makes it harder to build muscle and gain strength.  That's why I was asking.  

If you're at the point that the returns are diminishing a bit too much, then maybe it's time to consider something else.  That said, I'd personally be inclined to milk a working program for nearly all that it's worth.  I'm on a linear program right now (5x5), so it will probably be easier to see when I hit the wall.  

Out of curiosity, how much do you weigh?  I find your specific goals interesting, in that my own ratios are so different...i.e. I need a bit of work before I'll be able to military press my own weigth, can very easily bench my own weight and a lot more, and am nowhere close yet on deadlifts.

[Nebu]

Out of curiosity, how much do you weigh?  I find your specific goals interesting, in that my own ratios are so different...i.e. I need a bit of work before I'll be able to military press my own weigth, can very easily bench my own weight and a lot more, and am nowhere close yet on deadlifts.

When I played football in college, I played at 205 lbs (6'0" tall and about 6% body fat).  Currently, I'm about 195 and closer to 10% body fat.  Right now (at 195) I can only military (seated, behind the head) about 155lbs.  Some of this is due to shoulder damage and resulting surgeries I had in college (multiple shoulder separations, 1 dislocation involving a lot of ligament damage). 

I run only during cut phases, which I do every Spring/early summer.  I use the winter to gain mass/strength.  The heft of my weight workouts now is to keep my muscle loss during the cut to a minimum.  As to your question about calories, my metabolism in my 40's is a lot slower than it was in my 20's.  I can gain mass on about a 3k calorie diet.  When I was playing football, I worked out less and ate closer to 6-8k.  The only time I really had a high calorie demand in college was during preseason 2- or 3-a-days.