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Critique routine please

M

milbot

Guest
I'm at a crossroads and was hoping you guys could help, I'm being torn in two directions and I'm sick of the BS and want an honest answer - enter AusBB :)

My goal is overall strength to prepare me for joining the police force or fire brigade so I need a routine that develops functional strength.

Friend #1 wants me to do crossfit. Ain't gunna happen, tried it once, too expensive, don't like the routines, kipping, other random shit that makes me cringe.

Friend #2 put together the following routine for me. Would the gurus here mind reviewing it and letting me know your thoughts. I am around 77Kg, about 5' 11" and 33 y/o. My goal is to build functional size and strength to help me meet and surpass the training requirements for (at the least) the fire brigade or other service I may choose.

Routine is as follows:

Monday
Squat: 4x6
Bench: 4x6
Military Press: 3x10
Push Ups: 3: AMRAP

Tuesday
Pendlay Rows: 4x6
Curls: 3x10
Side Lateral Raises: 3x10
Calf Raises: 3x10

Wednesday
Deadlift: 5: 6
Military Press: 3: 6
Bench Dips: 3x10

Thursday
Pendlay Rows: 4x6
Chin Ups: 3x10
Front Lateral Raises: 3x10
Plyo Box Jumps: 3x10

Friday
Squat: 4x6
Bench: 4x6
Military Press: 3x10
Skullcrushers: 3x10

Saturday
5km run with weighted vest (5kg)

Sunday
Rest

I'd love to hear your feedback and criticism etc..

Cheers,
Milbot
 
Firstly, good on you for wanting to get stronger.

What are your current squat, bench, military press and deadlift numbers?

This routine isn't bad, but its probably not going to be "optimal", a bit too much fluff (lateral raises and skull crushers) and too many days in the gym for the most rapid strength gains. The program posted will get you stronger and bigger, but not as fast as some other tried and true options.

If you like a program with more volume and a bit more focus on conditioning, you cant go wrong with the PTC beginners program: http://ausbb.com/power-lifting/9460-beginners-program.html

If you want to get much bigger/stronger in the shortest timespan, starting strength is probably your best bet. Even if you don't do the program, buying the starting strength book as a guide on how best to perform the exercises and what is required diet wise for putting on size fast is a good move.

We are of a similar age, I have done both the PTC beginners program and Starting Strength and recommend them both, take that for what you will.
 
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Keep a diary mate, so you are increasing each week. Otherwise that program will get boring pretty quickly. If you're joining the firey's, Id drop Wednesdays weights and do another run. One a week wont do much. I wouldn't think you'd need the weight vest to start, that's a back injury waiting to happen...
 
milbot said:
I'm at a crossroads and was hoping you guys could help, I'm being torn in two directions and I'm sick of the BS and want an honest answer - enter AusBB :)

My goal is overall strength to prepare me for joining the police force or fire brigade so I need a routine that develops functional strength.

Friend #1 wants me to do crossfit. Ain't gunna happen, tried it once, too expensive, don't like the routines, kipping, other random shit that makes me cringe.

Friend #2 put together the following routine for me. Would the gurus here mind reviewing it and letting me know your thoughts. I am around 77Kg, about 5' 11" and 33 y/o. My goal is to build functional size and strength to help me meet and surpass the training requirements for (at the least) the fire brigade or other service I may choose.

Routine is as follows:

Monday
Squat: 4x6
Bench: 4x6
Military Press: 3x10
Push Ups: 3: AMRAP

Tuesday
Pendlay Rows: 4x6
Curls: 3x10
Side Lateral Raises: 3x10
Calf Raises: 3x10

Wednesday
Deadlift: 5: 6
Military Press: 3: 6
Bench Dips: 3x10

Thursday
Pendlay Rows: 4x6
Chin Ups: 3x10
Front Lateral Raises: 3x10
Plyo Box Jumps: 3x10

Friday
Squat: 4x6
Bench: 4x6
Military Press: 3x10
Skullcrushers: 3x10
Click to expand...

IMO (and it IS very limited) some days there is not enough on.

That beginners routine on here is excellent:

Barbell Squats - 3 x 10
Str8 leg dead lifts - 3 x 8
Bent rows - 3 x 8
Bench press - 3 x 8
Barbel curls - 3 x 8
Military press - 3 x 8

I have been doing this for about a month now and it has to be one of the
best routines i have done in a long time. Lots of free weights to get 2 or more muscle groups working and there is enough there to last at least 60 minutes, 60 minutes of your heart beating bloody fast.

I like to change it up a bit by adding in some lat pull downs, preacher curls, tricep exercises etc.

As it stands though, this exercises the core and limbs pretty damn well.

Do it for 4 days a week.

i think next week i will add in a muscle group to really max out at the end of this routine... so Mondays it would be tri's, Tuesday it can be quads, wed would be abs, thursday can be biceps etc.
 
Thanks all for the replies so far, a few points/questions raised so I'll address.

* I work out at home, not a gym, so I am free to work as many days as necessary and whenever I get the chance - i.e. split AM/PM or 7 days a week, its flexible.

* I'm not too concerned about rapid results. I want long term and consistent gains, if that means 3 months longer who cares, provided I meet the min. requirements for say the fireys and can continue to grow stronger as I progress through the training and on the job.

* I forgot to mention I train and play soccer two nights a week (all year round) in the PM, not listed above. But the suggestion of more cardio for the fireys is sound and I'll take it on board.

* I'm a bit embarrassed by my weights after reading what some of you guys/gals get, but will share as you asked based on the routine above, I'm not sure what my 1RM is. Bench = 55kg @ 6 reps, military press = 22.5kg @ 10 reps, squat = 55kg @ 6 reps, deadlift = 90kg @ 6 reps. I know the squat is low, but I don't have a power rack and am not comfortable power cleaning higher weight to my shoulders - I'm thinking about switching to a bulgarian split squat and dropping the weight to be "safe".

* I'll check out the PTC beginner routine, thanks missed that one.
 
Based on that, the most important thing you can do is either buy a power rack or start attending a gym which has one.

My point about number of days in the gym is if you are focused on gaining strength, almost every reputable program out there for beginners has you in the gym 3 days a week. Any more means you are probably not focusing your energy on sufficiently challenging squats, deadlifts and presses and thus requiring plenty of rest.

IMO 2 days of soccer per week is plenty of cardio.
 
Thanks Semillon, and others, appreciate the advice.

Just checked out the PTC program and as prescribed seems to be a great routine.

Thanks again all!
 
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