Workout Program Critique (Skinny Guy)

ghott · 08-Feb-07, 06:45 PM

First of all...this is my first post. I've been searching around and reading a lot around various sites.

I'd like you guys to take a look at my current workout...and I'll give you a little bit of background of where I've been, and where I want to go with my body.

So my stats:
AGE: 21
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 167 lbs.
Body Fat %: Unsure, but it is very very low. (Less than 10%)

I'm very skinny, and very tall. I'm a lanky guy. I used to run Cross Country back in my high school days.

My goals:
My main goal is to get CUT and look good.
To gain a lot of muscle mass.
To get strong, and define my muscles.
All to boost my confidence, and look, and feel better!

My diet as of right now:
I eat as healthy as I possibly can. Lots of fruit and vegetables. I even eat the ones that I don't like haha. I've cut down on the sweet sugary stuff a lot. I've been trying to eat as high a protein diet as possible to try and gain some mass. Lots of fish, chicken, beef, pork, eggs, peanut butter. I don't drink soda. I drink a lot of water, milk, and fruit drinks. I usually eat about 2 of the METRX Collossal bars a week (before I work out), and drink about 6 of the high protein "Boost" nutritional drinks a week. I take 2,000mg of Vitamin C a day...this is mostly just to try and stay healthy and not get sick. I am on no multivitamins....and I'm currently looking for one that will suit me best. I am on none of the weight gain supplements....I haven't gone to GNC or anything like that to get anything. This is mostly because I have no researched any of the supplements, and I like to thoroughly research a supplement BEFORE I put it into my body.

I've been to the gym...on and off...not serious...for about 4 years. Like I said, this wasn't serious gym time...just an on/off type thing. I had a personal fitness class both in high school, and in college, so I know the proper form for most free weights. I would consider myself a novice lifter.

Just recently, I decided to get serious about lifting thanks to my good friend "Hobbs." I started lifting seriously with my current workout schedule (which my buddy made for me) about a month ago and I've been seeing great results so far!

My workout is as follows:

(Just for reference...4 x 12 means 4 sets of 12 reps.)

Sunday: OFF DAY

Monday: (CHEST)
- Bench Press - 5 x 12,10,8,6,4
- Incline Bench Press - 4-5 x 12
- Decline Bench Press - 5 x 8-12
- Cable Crossover - 5 x 12
- Decline Dumbell Press - 5 x 12
- HammerStrength (Iso-Lateral) - 5 x 12
- Butterfly Machine - 5 x 12

Tuesday: (LEGS)
- Squat - 5 x 8
- Lunges - 5 x 12
- Leg Extensions - 5 x 12
- Leg Curls - 5 x 12
- Calf Extensions - 5 x 12
- Calf Raises - 5 x 12
- Leg Press - 5 x 12

Wednesday: OFF DAY

Thursday: (BACK, BICEPS, FOREARMS)
- Lat Pull Downs - 5 x 12
- Dumbell Rows - 5 x 12
- T-Bar Rows - 5 x 12
- Dumbell Curls - 5 x 12
- Curlbar (E-Z bar) Curls - 5 x 12
- Forearm Exercise - 3 x 60
- Twist-Ups - 5 x 12

Friday: (TRICEPS, SHOULDERS)
- Pulldowns - 5 x 10
- Diamond Pushups - 5 x 12
- Rope Pulldowns - 5 x 10
- Tricep Kickbacks - 5 x 12
- French Press - 4 x 15, 1 x 20
----these first 5 exercises are done in a continuous loop
- Military Press - 5 x 12
- Lateral Raises - 5 x 12
- Front Raises - 5 x 12
- Shrugs - 5 x 12

Saturday: OFF DAY

I also work my Abs very thoroughly each day that I work out. Decline sit-ups, Decline leg-lifts, and crunches. Sometimes these are weighted exercises also.

I've been wanting to include some cardio workouts in my off days...but its just too cold outside here in West Virginia to run. And I absolutely HATE running on treadmills.

Now I have been told, just recently...today that is...that this is WWAAAYYY to much volume. And from searching around, looking at other's workouts...I would definitely agree. I've also been told that I should definitely add the Dead lift and Press to my routine....and I will be.

I'm thinking I should revise my plan, and do less SETS/REPS and more WEIGHT. I've been hearing a lot about the 5X5 plan...and I will be researching it thoroughly. I believe instead of working 1 body part 1 time a week, I will work each body part twice a week with less SETS/REPS.

The good news is...from the current workout...I feel I have A LOT OF MUSCULAR ENDURANCE haha!

Again, I've been seeing good results with this workout. My weight has been going up each week, and I'm feeling stronger and stronger.

I tried to be as thorough as possible, and include as much information as possible as well.

I'd like your honest opinion on what I need to do, what I don't need to do, or just any advice in general. Maybe suggest nutritional informatin, suggest a supplement, suggest a multivitamin or anything. My ears are open...and eyes are wide! Go easy one me tho!

Again, my main goal is to get my muscles defined and CUT.

THANKS!

**.V.** · 08-Feb-07, 06:58 PM

Sounds like you are already cut enough but need to add some muscle. More muscle will = more definition. Sadly, one has to eat enough to add the muscle and sometimes that may be difficult with other activities using up our calories, the answer to that is to eat still more.

For real muscle gain, there may be a bit of fat gain, buy you don't have to let it get out of control, it's called lean bulking, you build as much muscle as possible while keeping fat gains to a minimum. Then at a certain point...you reduce calories slightly and "cut" the bit of fat you gained off.

Generally, to grow muscle, one has to eat 300-500 calories a day over their energy expendature. Depending on many factors, this will usually work out to 16-20 calories/lb of body weight. I'm suspecting from your description of yourself it's going to be close to 20 than 16.

Next thing...That's way too much exercise to be effective, you are just buring your calories off with that and it's too much to make a natural trainer grow. The body can only respond to so much stimulii before it starts to get overtrained.

I'd suggest that you take a look at these three programs and decide which one you think is best for you. Then come back and most anyone here can help you set up an effective muscle building program. They've really helped me a lot. I look bad now, but you should have seen me before these folks got ahold of me.

Workout Links
Strength and size.
New Lifter

Size and strength
AST Sports Science - Max-OT Introduction

Size and well, more size.
Hypertrophy-Specific Training : : Official Home of HST

etothepii · 09-Feb-07, 07:25 AM

You need to count calories and make sure you are eating enough. You are all set to add mass. Worry about getting "cut" after you get some meat on your bones. Use FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal to monitor your calorie intake.

As tall and as lean as you are, you probably can't eat too much!

Of the links Welch gave you, I've done a modified version of the "new lifter" and I regularly do HST. Both very good. I know nothing of MAX-OT. You are planning a split much like an experienced body builder would. Not sure if that would give you the best results right off the bat.

Regardless, diet will be your main issue. You have to eat, and eat, and eat!!

Symzie · 09-Feb-07, 11:21 AM

I think you're doing too many pointless exercises - leg extensions, front raises, lateral raises, tricep kick backs, butterflys etc no point in them really if you're doing the big lifts

You don't need an arm and shoulder day

A full body workout that revolves around squatting would work better done 3 X a week.

EliteLift · 09-Feb-07, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghott

So my stats:
AGE: 21
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 167 lbs.
Body Fat %: Unsure, but it is very very low. (Less than 10%)

I'm very skinny, and very tall. I'm a lanky guy. I used to run Cross Country back in my high school days.

My goals:
My main goal is to get CUT and look good.
To gain a lot of muscle mass.
To get strong, and define my muscles.
All to boost my confidence, and look, and feel better!

My workout is as follows:

(Just for reference...4 x 12 means 4 sets of 12 reps.)

Sunday: OFF DAY

Monday: (CHEST)
- Bench Press - 5 x 12,10,8,6,4
- Incline Bench Press - 4-5 x 12
- Decline Bench Press - 5 x 8-12
- Cable Crossover - 5 x 12
- Decline Dumbell Press - 5 x 12
- HammerStrength (Iso-Lateral) - 5 x 12
- Butterfly Machine - 5 x 12

Tuesday: (LEGS)
- Squat - 5 x 8
- Lunges - 5 x 12
- Leg Extensions - 5 x 12
- Leg Curls - 5 x 12
- Calf Extensions - 5 x 12
- Calf Raises - 5 x 12
- Leg Press - 5 x 12

Wednesday: OFF DAY

Thursday: (BACK, BICEPS, FOREARMS)
- Lat Pull Downs - 5 x 12
- Dumbell Rows - 5 x 12
- T-Bar Rows - 5 x 12
- Dumbell Curls - 5 x 12
- Curlbar (E-Z bar) Curls - 5 x 12
- Forearm Exercise - 3 x 60
- Twist-Ups - 5 x 12

Friday: (TRICEPS, SHOULDERS)
- Pulldowns - 5 x 10
- Diamond Pushups - 5 x 12
- Rope Pulldowns - 5 x 10
- Tricep Kickbacks - 5 x 12
- French Press - 4 x 15, 1 x 20
----these first 5 exercises are done in a continuous loop
- Military Press - 5 x 12
- Lateral Raises - 5 x 12
- Front Raises - 5 x 12
- Shrugs - 5 x 12

Saturday: OFF DAY

I also work my Abs very thoroughly each day that I work out. Decline sit-ups, Decline leg-lifts, and crunches. Sometimes these are weighted exercises also.

your programs flows very nicly, it just the amount of volume your doing in my opinion thats whats going to slow your progress as far as mass gains..also work your abs like any other muscle,hit them hard once maybe twice a week, probably on you back/bicep/forearms day.

this is how i would personally change your program.
Sunday: OFF DAY

Monday: (CHEST)
- Incline Bench Press - 2x4-6 (not including warm up sets 2x10-15 reps)
- Decline Bench Press - 2x4-6 (working sets only now)
- wieghted Dips 2x6-8 (go as low as posible)
- Butterfly Machine - 2x6-8

Tuesday: (LEGS)
- Squats - 2x4-8 (not including warmup sets)
- Stiff leg platform deadlifts - 2x4-8 (not including warmup sets)
- Leg press - 3x6
- standing wieghted Calf Raises - 5x12-20
- reverse calf raises 5x12-20

Wednesday: OFF DAY

Thursday: (BACK, BICEPS, FOREARMS)
- Lat Pull Downs (or chinups) - 2x4-6 (not including warmup sets)
- Dumbell Rows - 2x4-6
- T-Bar Rows - 2x4-6
- Dumbell Curls - 2x4-6
- E-Z bar Curls - 2x4-6
- forearm exersize 3xfailure (use weight you can get around 15 reps with)
+ your ab work...

Friday: (Shoulders/triceps)

- Military Press - 2x4-6 (not including warmup sets)
- push presses - 2x4-6
- diamond pushups 2x failure
- EZ bar tricep extensions 2x4-6
- Dumbbell tricep extensions 2x4-6
- Dips 1xfailure

Sarturday: OFF DAY

this is very simular to the prgram i'm on now although you might want to spread your leg and back day out a bit more so you can do regullar deadlifts as well on your back day..

JAKewagner · 12-Feb-07, 11:52 AM

i think you should take out some of those work out on your chest day and throw in some push ups and ground zeros (do them as one set).. i like what you do on your back day that looks all most exact to what i do... but i think you should really not be doing 5 sets of every thing....1 light set as a worm up and 3 heavy sets should be fine....