Hey Folks!

[nerin]

oh then i think i'll have to include legs the day i'm doing shoulders?

[westside24]

Originally Posted by LiftGirl

Yes, I do talk. If there's someone cool to talk to, it'll take me even longer

Lol! there isnt cool people at my gym, just a bunch of poindexters with pocket protectors and at least a dozen writing utensils on them at all times, along with the tight short-short volleyball shorts, and small tshirts that somehow are still too baggy on them... like me for example!

[westside24]

honestly... this is what I do...

day1 - chest n back n traps
day2 - shoulder bis n tris
day3 - legs n abs, doing squats n deadlifts n addition with some ab work will do great for the rest of your body, and youll give your body equally enoough time to rest..

thats just me though... I make it a point to do all 3 workouts a week, at minimum, but its easy to get 1-2-3 in and even 1 and 2 in again before the week is over, then the next week I would just start off with 3...

[pseudonym]

Nerin

Great to hear about your success along the road of health and wellness! 40lbs lost and kept off is a great effort - well done!

Chalk one more up for the 'full body split' here. Compound movements utilising progressive resistence (i.e., once form is correct, keep adding weight every session) are far and away the most effective way of getting novice trainees big and/or strong (no you won't be able to keep adding weight every session forever but as a beginner I'd say it'll be a surprisingly long time until you stall ... that's a topic for another time though).

Consider something like this (from Mark Rippetoe's book Starting Strength - if you don't have a copy get one!!)

Workout A
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5 (can substitute Powercleans if and when you feel like it)

Workout B
Squat 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Back Extensions 3x5
Chins 3x5

Lift Mon - Wed - Fri (or whenever your schedule allows, ensuring you don't lift on 2 consecutive days) and alternating Workout A, B, A, B, A, B etc...

Insert situps/bridges/misc 'ab work' of choice after each workout until you're squatting/pressing heavy enough to fry your 'core' without added help.

Or even more basic: Squat, Press, Dip, Chin 3x5 for everything rinse and repeat 2 or 3 times a week.

The human body has no concept of muscles as individual entities so why train like it does? The body is one big system and is most effectively trained (at the novice - intermediate level) as a whole unit.