Rate my workout??

[sicr1000]

Thanks everyone for the positive input, i have finally revised my workout and will be running a basic full body workout 3 times a week ( Mon,Wed,Fri). I will have 2 workouts A & B and will alternate between them.

Workout A...

Squat 3x6
Bench 3x6
Deadlift 1x6
Weighted Dips 3x6 (i have to use weights on the dips otherwise i can do 20 or 30 of them).

Workout B...

Squat 3x6
Military Press 3x6
Bent Over Rows 3x6
Chinups 3x8 ( i will alternate between wide grip and underhand closed grip but will need weights with the closed grip method to keep reps down).

If you guys have any more comments please keep them coming as i am learning a great deal. Cheers

 

[Kyle Aaron]

That looks alright to me. My personal preference is to cut it further, dropping the dips and chinups - but making deadlifts 3 sets like the rest. Remember also to have 2 warmup sets, one at 50% and the second at 75% of your working weight.

How old and fit are you, mate?

If you are say under 25 and fit enough to run 5km, however slowly, without stopping or walking, and if you have no history of injuries or any conditions slowing you down, then that looks good.

If you are over 25 and not fit enough for that run, or have a history of injuries or some conditions, I would just change the rep range to 6-8. Build up the reps, then up the weight and drop the reps back. That is, say you begin with 40kg squats.

Session 1, squats 40kg 3x6
Session 2, squats 40kg 3x7
Session 3, squats 40kg 3x8
Session 4, squats 45kg 3x6
etc

If you just have a single target rep like 3x6 and add weight each time you can make it, this is a pretty quick progression of weight, and for older or less fit people, it can be a bit much unless your diet and rest are really good.

If you have a range and progress through that range before adding weight, this gives your body more time to adapt.

Over 35 and/or quite unfit and/or with serious conditions, I would make the range 3x6-10.

 

[sicr1000]

That looks alright to me. My personal preference is to cut it further, dropping the dips and chinups - but making deadlifts 3 sets like the rest. Remember also to have 2 warmup sets, one at 50% and the second at 75% of your working weight.

How old and fit are you, mate?

If you are say under 25 and fit enough to run 5km, however slowly, without stopping or walking, and if you have no history of injuries or any conditions slowing you down, then that looks good.

If you are over 25 and not fit enough for that run, or have a history of injuries or some conditions, I would just change the rep range to 6-8. Build up the reps, then up the weight and drop the reps back. That is, say you begin with 40kg squats.

Session 1, squats 40kg 3x6
Session 2, squats 40kg 3x7
Session 3, squats 40kg 3x8
Session 4, squats 45kg 3x6
etc

If you just have a single target rep like 3x6 and add weight each time you can make it, this is a pretty quick progression of weight, and for older or less fit people, it can be a bit much unless your diet and rest are really good.

If you have a range and progress through that range before adding weight, this gives your body more time to adapt.

Over 35 and/or quite unfit and/or with serious conditions, I would make the range 3x6-10.

I am 26 and do regular medical health checks for my job (i work in the mines) and they say i am very fit.
As for running 5klm, i tried on the tread mill a few weeks ago and got 2klm at 10Klm hr but had to stop because my calf muscles were killing me. I may have been able to do it at a slower pace but did not try. I was not puffed at all and could have done the 5km but my calves could not handle it.
I think i will keep the dips and chinups and see how fatigued i am after the workout but will up the deadlifts to 3 sets like the others.
I know i say 6 reps for most exercises but it is usually 6-8 reps and when i can do 8 with good form i up the weight a bit and slowly work my way back up to 3 sets of 8 again then add more weight.

 

[Kyle Aaron]

That's good that you are fit and get plenty of health checkups. I would have that cramping calf looked at, though.

I say it doesn't do harm to err on the side of caution and take it slow in progression, you're not going for a competition.

At 3x6-8, if you have one workout you raise weight each week, if you have two workouts you raise it every two weeks. So over 12 weeks of alternating workouts you'd add weight 6 times.

As a fit 26 year old male without injuries, you should be able to start at,
deadlift, 60kg
squat, 40kg
bench/row, 30kg
overhead press, 20kg

On squat and deadlift, add 10kg (a 5kg plate each side) until you pass your own bodyweight (eg if you are 72kg, you'd hit 80kg, if 97kg you'd hit 100kg), then add 5kg (ie a 2.5kg plate each side).
Bench and rows, add 2.5kg.
Overhead press, add 2.5kg, but soon you'll be looking for smaller plates.

At some point you may stall. For example, you may be aiming at squats 90kg 3x8 and achieve 8,8,6. This is where you remember it's progressive resistance training. You progress by more, more and more - more weight, or more reps, or more sets. Well, 90kg 8,8,6 is more than 90kg 7,7,7 was, so well done, you progressed.

Next time you come to the gym you manage 90kg 8,8,7. Again you did more, well done, you progressed. But the third time you only get 8,8,7 again. You didn't do more weight or more reps, so you have to do more sets. Do a fourth set, even if you only get 3. Thus 8,8,7,3.

Next time you will almost certainly make 8,8,8. So then next time you can go for 95kg 3x6. And that is how you deal with stalls.

I still say 3 exercises a session is enough to begin with. It's better to go balls-to-the-wall in 3 than have to hold back some energy to complete the extra 2. This won't make much difference when you start, but later on when you're shifting significant weight, you'll feel it. I know because I did 5 exercises a workout (squats, bench, rows, OHP, deadlifts) for two months, very hard. 3 exercises a workout is more sustainable over time.

Drink plenty of fluids during your workouts, northern heat and humidity can kill you. Even down here in Melbourne I have people I train knock back 500ml of water before their first rep, 500ml at the end - they drink according to their own thirst in between, usually another 500ml. They've done studies, most people drink about half what they're actually losing in sweat. So you have to drink more than you want to.

 

[sicr1000]

That's good that you are fit and get plenty of health checkups. I would have that cramping calf looked at, though.

I say it doesn't do harm to err on the side of caution and take it slow in progression, you're not going for a competition.

At 3x6-8, if you have one workout you raise weight each week, if you have two workouts you raise it every two weeks. So over 12 weeks of alternating workouts you'd add weight 6 times.

As a fit 26 year old male without injuries, you should be able to start at,
deadlift, 60kg
squat, 40kg
bench/row, 30kg
overhead press, 20kg

On squat and deadlift, add 10kg (a 5kg plate each side) until you pass your own bodyweight (eg if you are 72kg, you'd hit 80kg, if 97kg you'd hit 100kg), then add 5kg (ie a 2.5kg plate each side).
Bench and rows, add 2.5kg.
Overhead press, add 2.5kg, but soon you'll be looking for smaller plates.

At some point you may stall. For example, you may be aiming at squats 90kg 3x8 and achieve 8,8,6. This is where you remember it's progressive resistance training. You progress by more, more and more - more weight, or more reps, or more sets. Well, 90kg 8,8,6 is more than 90kg 7,7,7 was, so well done, you progressed.

Next time you come to the gym you manage 90kg 8,8,7. Again you did more, well done, you progressed. But the third time you only get 8,8,7 again. You didn't do more weight or more reps, so you have to do more sets. Do a fourth set, even if you only get 3. Thus 8,8,7,3.

Next time you will almost certainly make 8,8,8. So then next time you can go for 95kg 3x6. And that is how you deal with stalls.

I still say 3 exercises a session is enough to begin with. It's better to go balls-to-the-wall in 3 than have to hold back some energy to complete the extra 2. This won't make much difference when you start, but later on when you're shifting significant weight, you'll feel it. I know because I did 5 exercises a workout (squats, bench, rows, OHP, deadlifts) for two months, very hard. 3 exercises a workout is more sustainable over time.

Drink plenty of fluids during your workouts, northern heat and humidity can kill you. Even down here in Melbourne I have people I train knock back 500ml of water before their first rep, 500ml at the end - they drink according to their own thirst in between, usually another 500ml. They've done studies, most people drink about half what they're actually losing in sweat. So you have to drink more than you want to.

I can bench 45Kg but would do 50kg if i had spotter. Can do 60kg on the smith for some reason it seams easier.
Have not tried a deadlift yet but will start on monday.
Yesterday was my first day doing squats but i did them on the smith machine at 40kg and my legs are paying now, its great i know ive worked them hard because i can hardly walk up steps. I would like to start doing them with free weight but i dont have anyone for a spotter tho which sux a bit.
Had 20kg on the bar doing military press, but the bar weighs 15kg so its really 35kg..
Have not tried bent over rows yet so will start those aswell.

 

[Kyle Aaron]

You don't need to quote someone's entire post to respond to it, it's on the page once already

Start at the lower weights I suggested so you have some time to learn the technique and get a feel for things. This will make you more confident with the weights, and let you learn the feel of when you can make it, and when not. In time you'll get to (say) the 5th rep, and know you won't be able to make a 6th, so you can just rack it up and be safe.

Your gym should have a power cage. That's a place to squat, do chins, etc. This will have safety racks you can move to different levels.

For bench press, drag the bench into there, and put the safeties just above or at the level of your chest. Now you can bench press without risk of squashing yourself.

For squats, with just the bar squat down, and see how high that is. Put the safeties a few inches below that. That way if you get to the bottom of the squat and can't get back up, just dump the bar, it falls two inches behind you, no worries, you're safe.

You don't need a spotter for safety for overhead press, deadlifts, or rows - you can just drop the weight - though obviously don't drop the weight from over your head, get it to your shoulders first. But you should be able to lower it under control, you only need to drop it if you're injured.

Don't use the Smith machine. After bicep curls, it's one of the places in the gym with the most injuries, because it leads people to use more weight than they can safely handle. The strength you get doesn't translate well into day-to-day life - if you have to change a tyre, it won't be on greased railings for you.

 

[sicr1000]

There is a power cage but i have not seen any safety racks, i will have another look next time i am there.
Thanks for the advice kyle its been a great help mate cheers.