DoogieT Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I keep reading that a person's body adapts to their weight routine so they need to change it to avoid plateauing. I've been doing the same routine at the gym for about two and a half months and don't know what to change it to. I'm trying to put on muscle and lose fat. This is what I've been doing, and I do the same thing every other day at the gym, but I change the order depending on what's available:CurlsShoulder pressBench pressDipsAssisted pull upsSquatsAb crunchie weight machine30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical. I can't run because I have scoliosis and my back locks up. Any suggestions? I want to incorporate deadlifts. Shoryuken! Link to comment
Kewilson Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Deadlifts, as you say. I used to do medicine ball chops with spare weight plates but ended up dropping them when I shortened my routine (this isn't to say they're a bad exercise, though). I also like* dumbbell lunges (walking or stepping).*I like their effect, but if you ask me how I feel about them in the last half of the last set, I wouldn't give as good an evaluation. Kewilson - Misfit Adventurer [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Operation Phoenix: 6-Week Challenge Thread STR: 2 (+2), DEX: 0 (+1), STA: 3 (+0), CON: 4 (+0), WIS: 5 (+0), CHA: 1 (+3) Link to comment
airen123 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 hanging lifts and planks instead of ab machine. just keep on trucking... Link to comment
bigm141414 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 A few questions: What are your goals? A good base of strength? Or a mix of decent conditioning?How long have you been lifting? How have you been progressing? Do you add weight every session? Do you track and log your workouts? The standard novice routines look like this: A DaySquat 3(5)x5Bench 3(5)x5Deadlift 1x5B DaySquat 3(5)x5OHP 3(5)x5Cleans or BB rows 3(5)x5Alternate between those two schemes every other day. Increase weight every session. 5lbs for bench, OHP, 10lbs for squats/dead lifts if you can handle it. This routine should last you 9 months to a year before you need to start thinking about changing it. There are some accessory exercises you can do for warmup/cool down or on off days, such as Romanian dead lifts to work the spinal erectors and posterior chain (very helpful to increase dead lifts), planks are good as airen mentioned. Front squats are a fun diversion as well and the focus more on quads. Jogging is fine on rest days and/or if you enjoy it. It all goes back to your goals. Oh and my new favorite thing to do for fun is DB snatches. Get rid of the ab machine as squats and dead lifts will give your core all the workout you need.Note: I am biased towards strength, because well, I am a Warrior and love being wicked strong. "Pull the bar like you're ripping the head off a god-damned lion" - Donny Shankle Link to comment
161803398874989 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 A DaySquat 3(5)x5Bench 3(5)x5Deadlift 1x5Chinups 3 setsB DaySquat 3(5)x5OHP 3(5)x5Cleans or BB rows 3(5)x5As of the third edition. Quare? Quod vita mea non tua est. You can call me Phi, Numbers, Sixteen or just plain 161803398874989. Link to comment
WizardTrip Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Bigm has this one covered. I am also biased towards the strength side of things. I've been doing the SL 5x5 routine for coming up on ~6 months and still seeing gains. May switch over to 3x5 on some weeks just to change it up and get some more lbs on my lifts, but still weighing that option. I also work in pull-ups, chin-ups, and push-ups as well. On rare occasion I'll throw some curls in just for the bulging bicep look walking out of the gym (the vain part of me )As of the third edition.Damn! On DL day?!?! Well, OK then... Level 6 Wizard of Beer Warrior STR 21.25 | DEX 5.75 | STA 7.75 | CON 3.50 | WIS 9.50 | CHA 3.25 Twitter | Epic Trip | Current Challenge Previous Challenges: 1 2 3 4 5 *the warrior formerly known as icedtrip and former dothraki god of thunder furyan* Link to comment
Relic Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Progressive overload (always increasing the weight) will pretty much take care of any plateau problems you might have because it ensures that each workout is harder than the last one. Plateau problems using progrssive overload will likely be from not enough recovery(proper rest,sleep,or diet), as apposed to your body getting used to a routine.Don't forget that cardio isn't restricted to just running, biking, and eliptical. A weight lifting/ bodyweight circut can be a fun change of pace. To find piece with myselfI must first find a piece of myself Link to comment
DoogieT Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Wow, that was a lot of feedback. Thanks, everybody.I want muscles and strength. I'm not interested in endurance, so I'm doing high weight and low reps. I've been lifting weights on and off for years, but only have been seriously lifting them and seeing any kind of change in my body since January. I might just stick with what I'm doing and increase the weight, it's been working okay so far. I don't think I could increase by five pounds every side, I think that's too much. I track them in my iPhone and I have a pretty rough idea of what I can do. A few questions:What's OHP? What's a hanging lift? What are cleans and BB rows? Is it okay to start doing deadlifts with just the bar on the floor? I had a trainer show me how to do them but he set the bar on these plastic square thingies because he said the floor was too low. Maybe I could put it on the bench press bench? Honestly, I'm shocked and amazed at the changes I'm seeing in my body (and also thrilled) so maybe I should just keep on doing what I'm doing and increase the weight as I go...(and throw deadlifts into the mix). Shoryuken! Link to comment
llsoszynski@gmail.com Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 A few questions: What are your goals? A good base of strength? Or a mix of decent conditioning?How long have you been lifting? How have you been progressing? Do you add weight every session? Do you track and log your workouts? The standard novice routines look like this: A DaySquat 3(5)x5Bench 3(5)x5Deadlift 1x5B DaySquat 3(5)x5OHP 3(5)x5Cleans or BB rows 3(5)x5Alternate between those two schemes every other day. Increase weight every session. 5lbs for bench, OHP, 10lbs for squats/dead lifts if you can handle it. This routine should last you 9 months to a year before you need to start thinking about changing it. There are some accessory exercises you can do for warmup/cool down or on off days, such as Romanian dead lifts to work the spinal erectors and posterior chain (very helpful to increase dead lifts), planks are good as airen mentioned. Front squats are a fun diversion as well and the focus more on quads. Jogging is fine on rest days and/or if you enjoy it. It all goes back to your goals. Oh and my new favorite thing to do for fun is DB snatches. Get rid of the ab machine as squats and dead lifts will give your core all the workout you need.Note: I am biased towards strength, because well, I am a Warrior and love being wicked strong.^^ what he said. If you do the big lifts and just increase the weight you should be good for a while. If you want to throw in other exercises, try chins or ous, add weight when they get easier. I personally do a big lift, a push, and a pull of some sort every session (Usually x2). Example would be deadlift, bent over single arm rows, and then pulls. Just a thought! Although I am biased too, as a warrior, haha. Anything is possible for him who believes. (Mark 9:23)"The wise man sees in the misfortune of others what he should avoid." -Marcus AureliusCurrent challengeMy TrainingSTR-10 DEX-6 STA-9 CON-4 WIS-16.5 CHA-5 Link to comment
bigm141414 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 A few questions:What's OHP? What's a hanging lift? What are cleans and BB rows? Is it okay to start doing deadlifts with just the bar on the floor? I had a trainer show me how to do them but he set the bar on these plastic square thingies because he said the floor was too low. Maybe I could put it on the bench press bench? OHP - overhead press (i have a bad habit of using acronyms). BB rows - BarBell rows. like a dumb bell row but with the bar bell. Hanging lifts - hanging leg lifts. Grab a pullup bar and then raise your legs/knees as high as they will go. Check out the Starting Strength Wiki for loads of information on barbell lifts. "Pull the bar like you're ripping the head off a god-damned lion" - Donny Shankle Link to comment
Waldo Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I want muscles and strength. I'm not interested in endurance, so I'm doing high weight and low reps.Maximum muscle growth rate is achieved with a mixture of muscular strength and endurance training.Endurance training doesn't mean repping out to an infinite amount of reps, but it does mean training your muscles to be able to do lots and lots of sets. This is done at lighter weights with more sets. There is merit to the whole pump thing (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy) but progress will easily stall without making concurrent strength gains.Training both (generally periodized, though it can be down one after the other in a session) will maximize size gains. Muscles grow big both by being strong and by being able to do a lot of work. Each are separate facets. Getting stronger will do nothing for your work capacity, increasing your work capacity will do nothing for your strength. currently cutting battle log challenges: 21,20, 19,18,17,16,15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 don't panic! Link to comment
Hermione Gainser Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Bigm, "wicked strong"? Sounds like the Northeast rubbed off on ya As far as where to start with deadlifts: I'm sure the starting strength wiki has a good recommendation but I believe strong lifts starts it at ~ 95 lbs. You want some weight on the bar but it doesn't hurt to go light to pattern the movement (practice with jsut the bar, etc). Prop it up on some steps or stacked weights so it's at the appropriate height (described in wikis)--middish shin area. "I'm just going to remember to not eat like an asshole most of the time" - MoC three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: one must squat.- Brobert Frost Half-Elf Warrior | Current Challenge New Battle Log | Old Battle Log Special thanks to AkLulu for drawing my awesome avatar! Link to comment
DoogieT Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Will do. I think I'll start with 25 on a side and hope I don't throw my back out. Shoryuken! Link to comment
DoogieT Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Also, where's the starting strength wiki? Is it part of nerd fitness? I just know the forums... Shoryuken! Link to comment
bigm141414 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 SS Wiki SS: The LiftsSS: The ProgramAll based on the wonderfully detailed book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. "Pull the bar like you're ripping the head off a god-damned lion" - Donny Shankle Link to comment
llsoszynski@gmail.com Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 SS Wiki SS: The LiftsSS: The ProgramAll based on the wonderfully detailed book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.Totally using. I've been trying to figure out where this stuff was for a while now! Anything is possible for him who believes. (Mark 9:23)"The wise man sees in the misfortune of others what he should avoid." -Marcus AureliusCurrent challengeMy TrainingSTR-10 DEX-6 STA-9 CON-4 WIS-16.5 CHA-5 Link to comment
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