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Routine critique

S

sjay

New member
Hoping to get some opinions on my current routine. I started back in the gym after a 12 year hiatus and progress is slooowwww.

For some context, my current age is 36, 173cm tall and BW is 68.5kg with about 19% bf (will get another DEXA scan in a couple of months) Have dropped 3.5 kgs and stomach doesnt bulge out as much and now happy to start eating a bit more :)

DEXA says maintenance is 2200 calories, have started eating just over maintenance @ 2300-2400 as of last week for a slow and steady LBM gains with minimal fat gains - thats the plan anyway.

Here's my routine - note I had to swap squats for leg extensions and hamstring curls until I get my knee sorted (seeing ortho surgeon in may)


WEEK A:

MONDAY
leg extensions (3 x 12)
bench press (3 x 8)
dumbell rows (3 x 8)

WEDNESDAY
deadlift (1 x 8)
Hamstring curls (3 x 8)
dumbell press (3 x 8)

FRIDAY
leg extensions (3 x 12)
bench press (3 x 8)
dumbell rows (3 x 8)


WEEK B:

MONDAY
deadlift (1 x 8)
Hamstring curls (3 x 8)
dumbell press (3 x 8)

WEDNESDAY
leg extensions (3 x 12)
barbell bench preSS (3 x 8)
dumbell rows (3 x 8)

FRIDAY
deadlift (1 x 8)
Hamstring curls (3 x 8)
dumbell press (3 x 8)


Warm-up sets not shown. Will add weight each workout if all reps completed with good form.

Routine may look a bit lite-on compared to some but I have to say i am feeling my age and my joints aint what they used to be (Im shocked at how quickly ive gone down hill since being in my 20's!). Might start adding / subtracting sets depending on how I feel after a few weeks.

Will monitor weight with calipers and scales and increase the calories slightly if no change after a month.

Please feel free to critique.

Cheers,
Jay
 
MONDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (5x5)
dumbell rows (3 x 12)

WEDNESDAY
Hamstring curls (1 x 12)
deadlift (1x20)
dumbell press (1x12)
Chin-up max reps

FRIDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (1x20)
dumbell rows (3 x 12)



MONDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (5x5)
dumbell rows (1 x 12)

WEDNESDAY
Hamstring curls (1 x 12)
deadlift (5x5)
dumbell press (1x12)
Chin-up max reps

FRIDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (1x20)
dumbell rows (3 x 12)
 
Goosey said:
MONDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (5x5)
dumbell rows (3 x 12)

WEDNESDAY
Hamstring curls (1 x 12)
deadlift (1x20)
dumbell press (1x12)
Chin-up max reps

FRIDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (1x20)
dumbell rows (3 x 12)



MONDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (5x5)
dumbell rows (1 x 12)

WEDNESDAY
Hamstring curls (1 x 12)
deadlift (5x5)
dumbell press (1x12)
Chin-up max reps

FRIDAY
leg extensions (1 x 12)
bench press (1x20)
dumbell rows (3 x 12)
Click to expand...

Very interesting Andy...

Also where's the squats? Do you have any deficiencys that prevent you from squats?
 
I just made your multi joint exercises the focus is all.

Just a couple of questions
You got a leg press?
Are you thinking of entering a bodybuilding comp or something?

Or are you just exercising for health reasons?
 
Yes, my gym has leg press. I could give it a go tomorrow and see how my knees respond. I like the max-rep chinups on non-row days, will definitely add that.

Primary goal is increased muscle mass, secondary is strength. Not interested in competing.

Aiming to add 4-5kg of lean mass before the end of the year.

Preservation of joint health and sustainable gains are important - I'd like be lifting into my later years, even if in a reduced intensity.
 
Cheers mate, really helpful, great to get an opinion from a BB God like yourself. Do they pay you to post here?
 
Dont get uptight mate. You asked for routine criticism.

What is exactly wrong with your knees.

A full depth olympic (even bodyweight only) squat is a thousand times better for leg development and knee health.

Any progression in weight on the leg extension puts the stress directly onto the knee joint.
 
my left knee is arse. its rubbish. hurts every session.

can squatting be done in any capacity? or is it really fucked up?
 
Yeah, even I've managed to squat 140 a few times so far, with a slightly fucked up leg, approaching 40yo, with 1 year total training, give or take. Seems to be helping, if anything.

And I heard that leg extensions are basically the most dodgy thing you can do to your knees, when it comes to resistance training.

But I'm no doctor, so... :confused:


edit: After a bit of research, it seems the truth might be somewhere in the middle - that is, for those with fucked knees, leg extensions might not be advisable, whereas for the rest of us, they *should* be okay, if not always optimal. See here, for example.
 
Last edited:
Just on the routine for a second, but shouldn't you be grouping together a few excersizes for the muscles your targeting?

Ie bench press, dumbell press, flies on the same day?

I thought that was sort of a common trait in routines...
 
DREADLIFT said:
Dont get uptight mate. You asked for routine criticism.
Click to expand...

No, I asked for a critique, not criticism. One is useful, the other not.

What is exactly wrong with your knees.
Click to expand...

I dont know, im seeing the ortho doc next month. Lots of pain during and after squats with good form - had form checked by PT last week and said it was fine. Used Mark Rippetoe book as a guide and watched vids from that annoying Mehdi fellow who wont stop spamming my inbox.

A full depth olympic (even bodyweight only) squat is a thousand times better for leg development and knee health.
Click to expand...

That doesnt help me when I am getting pain from squatting. I am aware of the reputation that knee extensions have for knee problems. I am using a process of elimination to find an excercise I can do without pain until I find out why my knees are playing up. For some reason high rep leg extensions with low weight are not causing pain during or after. I dont plan to do them forever.
 
JetFoley said:
Just on the routine for a second, but shouldn't you be grouping together a few excersizes for the muscles your targeting?

Ie bench press, dumbell press, flies on the same day?

I thought that was sort of a common trait in routines...
Click to expand...

You're talking about a split routine. This one's a full body routine, different school of thought, its a personal preference thing
 
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