Help with workout routine

[nickjw2137]

I started working out a few months ago because I am really skinny and pretty weak. My goal in workoing out is to get a lot stronger in pretty much every muscle group, and to gain weight. I started out just doing pushups and slowly added more. Right now I am doing dumbbell bicep curls, barbell bicep curls,hammer curls, and pullups for my biceps. I am doing planks, leg raises, russian twists, and crunches for my abs. Tricep kickbacks and skull crushers for my triceps. And dumbbell bench press, incline dumbbell bench press, barbell bench press, flys, incline flys, and push ups for my chest. I read on this forum that beginners should not be doing isolation exercises such as bicep curls. They said it was a waste of time and beginners are better off doing deadlifts, squats etc. I am doing a lot of isolation exercises right now and am wondering if it would be more beneficial to quit the isolation workouts and do more full body workouts. I just work out at my house and all i have is dumbbells and a bench press, so I dont think i can do squats, and i cant do squats anyway because I am not flexible enough yet. So what could I do that would benefit the most, should i just keep on doing what i am doing, or should i only focus on exercises like deadlifts, bench press and pull ups?

[161803398874989]

I am doing a lot of isolation exercises right now and am wondering if it would be more beneficial to quit the isolation workouts and do more full body workouts.

Yep, that's the case.

I just work out at my house and all i have is dumbbells and a bench press, so I dont think i can do squats, and i cant do squats anyway because I am not flexible enough yet.

Well, work your flexibility then! Squats are important.

So what could I do that would benefit the most, should i just keep on doing what i am doing, or should i only focus on exercises like deadlifts, bench press and pull ups?

Focus on those exercises.

[nickjw2137]

I am working on my flexibility but it is a very slow process and I have not made very much progress yet. Thanks for the advice, are there any more exercises besides those three that I should focus on?

[161803398874989]

Squat, deadlift, row, bench press, pullups/chinups and overhead press are all you really need. Maybe dips as sub for bench press.

[nickjw2137]

Thanks man, does it matter if i do dumbbell bench press or barbell bench press? I was doing dumbbell because my left is stronger than my right and i wanted to even them out. Also, is there any reason to not do a few isolation in addiion to these exercises such as bicep curls, as long as i do them after everything else? And should i do all these exercises on the same day?

[Griffin III]

Pull-ups and Chin-ups will take care of your biceps for now.

[nickjw2137]

Pull-ups and Chin-ups will take care of your biceps for now.

well I only weigh 115 pounds so pull ups aren't super hard for me. Also, i tried dead lifting and found out that I have terrible flexibility in my back. I could not keep my back straight, it kept curving.

[Griffin III]

Start doing some wide-grip pull-ups and weighted regular ones. I believe the wide-grip helps your back even more which could help your issue with squats and deadlifts.

[nickjw2137]

Start doing some wide-grip pull-ups and weighted regular ones. I believe the wide-grip helps your back even more which could help your issue with squats and deadlifts.

Thank you, I am also going to start doing more of the stretches on mobility wod. I dont understand why it is bad to do isolation exercises in addition to full body exercises though. If I do squats, deadlifts, pullups, and rows and then bicep curls at the end, it cant do any harm right?

[Lefeux]

well I only weigh 115 pounds so pull ups aren't super hard for me. Also, i tried dead lifting and found out that I have terrible flexibility in my back. I could not keep my back straight, it kept curving.

From your starting position (hands on bar, squatted down) look straight up and pick a point in the sky/ceiling and maintain contact with that spot as you lift. That will help to keep your back straight.

[161803398874989]

Thank you, I am also going to start doing more of the stretches on mobility wod. I dont understand why it is bad to do isolation exercises in addition to full body exercises though. If I do squats, deadlifts, pullups, and rows and then bicep curls at the end, it cant do any harm right?

If you enjoy doing the isolation, then do the isolation. But the isolation shouldn't be the main focus of the workout. If it's detracting from the compounds, you drop it.

From your starting position (hands on bar, squatted down) look straight up and pick a point in the sky/ceiling and maintain contact with that spot as you lift. That will help to keep your back straight.

Not the best way to squat since you're looking up, which takes your neck out of a neutral position, which can lead to tension headaches. Chest up and butt out is the most common cue.

[Lefeux]

Not the best way to squat since you're looking up, which takes your neck out of a neutral position, which can lead to tension headaches. Chest up and butt out is the most common cue.

He was talking about when dead lifting (or so I thought) if that matters....? When I am squatting I look more at like a 45 degree angle.

[161803398874989]

He was talking about when dead lifting (or so I thought) if that matters....? When I am squatting I look more at like a 45 degree angle.

Deadlifting is the same. Keep your cervical spine (neck) in a neutral position.

[nickjw2137]

Yeah I was talking about dead lifting, I'm pretty sure my problem is flexibility, I have really bad flexibility and range of motion. Thanks, i just do the isolation workouts at the end of my compound workouts so that the compound workouts aren't being affected.