want to start a routine

[dustin]

As the topic suggest I want to get serious. For the last few months I've done occasional lifting but nothing on a strict routine.

I'm 6'2", weigh 209 lbs according to my scale. I've read all through people's journals but when it comes to making one for myself I don't know where to begin. I suppose I should lift weights 3-4 times a week and do some cardio on off days.

I'll post this for now and go see if I can find some starter routines to post here for critique.

<edit>

At my disposal I have a bench, barbell, about 150 lbs in weight, a chin-up bar, 1 dumbell, and I think thats it.

Concerning the chin-up bar.. I can barely muster up the strength to complete 1 chin-up. My muscles just aren't use to that type of full upper-body flex. So if chin-ups are an important part of back/bicep work I will have to do alot of work there.

<'Nother edit>

Thought I should mention, I have long arms, but I enjoy bench press, but if anybody with long arms has any tips or anything concerning lifting weights lemme know :

[seraphyne1]

hang a rope or (strong) towel over your chinup bar and perform body rows instead. The good point is that at the same time you work on your grip.

[dustin]

I am not near strong enough to do something like that yet.. But I have seen it in videos and would like to in the future.


So I've decided on a split of sorts.. This is all trial and error so I suspect everything will change in not much time.

Day 1: Legs

Lunges

Squats: I don't have a rack, I am doing all my lifting at home. I have the barbell thats it. So, should i rig up some sort of hooks to hold the barbell?

Day 2: Back/Biceps

Deadlifts: After browsing some threads about back workouts, this seems to be the best, seeing I don't have a machine for lat pulldowns. I'm not strong enough to do many pullups, so deadlifts must suffice. Do deadlifts target back and hamstrings? Also do they work out the whole back or just upper?

Bent over Dumbell Rows: I suppose I can use my 1 dumbell and knock out a few sets of these.

Bicep Curls

I would like to target my lower back also as I feel it is fairly weak. Any suggestions?

Day 3: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Bench Press: Slightly wider than shoulder grip for now

Weighted Bench Dip

Shoulder Press up: Not sure the correct name for this movement but it's where you just sit and push a dumbell upwards.

Eventually I'll have another dumbell so I can do fly's for my chest also, they look like fun.



Well tomorrow I will start, probably with Chest/Shoulder/Tricep day. Any feedback at all would be greatly appreciated. :

[Motivated]

Originally Posted by dustin

I am not near strong enough to do something like that yet.. But I have seen it in videos and would like to in the future.


So I've decided on a split of sorts.. This is all trial and error so I suspect everything will change in not much time.

Day 1: Legs

Lunges

Squats: I don't have a rack, I am doing all my lifting at home. I have the barbell thats it. So, should i rig up some sort of hooks to hold the barbell?

Day 2: Back/Biceps

Deadlifts: After browsing some threads about back workouts, this seems to be the best, seeing I don't have a machine for lat pulldowns. I'm not strong enough to do many pullups, so deadlifts must suffice. Do deadlifts target back and hamstrings? Also do they work out the whole back or just upper?

Bent over Dumbell Rows: I suppose I can use my 1 dumbell and knock out a few sets of these.

Bicep Curls

I would like to target my lower back also as I feel it is fairly weak. Any suggestions?

Day 3: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Bench Press: Slightly wider than shoulder grip for now

Skullcrushers: These I will try a very light weight.. I have very long arms so they kinda hurt my elbows.. I will try and maybe leave them out until I am stronger.

Shoulder Press up: Not sure the correct name for this movement but it's where you just sit and push a dumbell upwards.

Eventually I'll have another dumbell so I can do fly's for my chest also, they look like fun.



Well tomorrow I will start, probably with Chest/Shoulder/Tricep day. Any feedback at all would be greatly appreciated. :

Deads work youre whole body -- they're great but insanley tough. Learn proper form and put up the weight.

For lats, do bent-over rows.

I don't like skullcrushers, theyre ackward for me. I've been doing Dips and my tris are finally growing -- but thats just me, many others love skullcrushers.

I'm sitll working on myself -- don't think I know it all, I'm just giving you my $.02

Good luck and DONT give up!
Always move forward, bro!

[seraphyne1]

I am not near strong enough to do something like that yet..

With body rows you make it as heavy as you want. If you hang your body at a 45 degree angle and bent your legs so the sole of the feet are on the ground it is easier than with straight legs. And by slowly (over time) lowering your arms the exercise becomes tougher. Over time you will hang that close the shoulders are just above the floor. Than you can make it tougher by eg placing your feet on a chair or a stability ball etc etc. Body rows are the perfect exercise to build up towards pullups.

A complete upper body workout are dips and pullups. These 2 will build your upperbody tremendously. If they become to easy you simple attach weights to your body but that is something for the future. Dips were THE upper body exercise before the bench press was done. The 2 upperbody pressing movements done were the overhead press and the dip.

[dustin]

I don't think I"d be able to do dips with the equipment I have. I definitely wouldn't be able to do them with my own bodyweight and it'd be some serious rigging to make an assisted machine myself.

What day should I do deadlifts?

Body rows -- should I do those on my back day? I know they work the whole body but seems like they work the back alot.

<edit>

Just saw a description and clip of "weighted bench dip", I'm not sure what type of dip you were referring to but this one I can do.

BTW thanks a ton for the replies guys!

[seraphyne1]

instead of dips do chair pushups between 3 chairs (feet on 1 chair and a hand on each chair), kind of bench press. If this becomes to easy simple use a rucksack with sand.

I would not chose back days and all this split blabla. I would suggest 3 times a week a total body approach. But that is just my opinion. Basics work best (and I learned this over the years), please do not make the mistake of using the so-called winner routines of the magazines. Do an internet search for eg Brad Steiner, John Christy etc. Although they do not have fancy, ultra modern routines but simple routines that require hard work and give results. It is not the million exercises that gives result but the hard work you put into a few basic exercises. Eg when doing overhead presses and/ or bench presses your triceps get enough work. No need for those stupid tricep exercises with exotic names.

You can also look for Mike Mahler. he has good articles at his own website but also at other websites. he describes them often with kettlebells but they can of course be done with dumbells or replaced my barbell work.

He also has a great approach, normally 4 exercises doing 3 times a week. And although he changes the exercises, the same muscles keep targetted. eg day 1 will be bent over rowing, the next training day it might be renegade rows.

[dustin]

Day 1

Bench Press

75 lbs - 12
95 - 10,10,10,6

Bench Dips - 9,7,7,7

Shoulder Press

20 lbs - 10,10,12,10


My shoulders are pretty weak so I went light on the weight. I tried 40 pounds on the shoulder press and felt my back was arching sideways to support the weight, so I dropped it back down to 20.

I am missing 50 pounds of weight so when I find those I will up my benchpress and lower the reps.

My chest doesn't feel like it got worked at all so I will have to incorporate some exercise to focus on it.

[David B]

Hi Dustin,
This will be my first entry ever, having been just a silent observer for a while. We seem to be in the same boat, although we are at opposite ends of the classroom (I'm an American, but a lecturer in College just arriving in England, 48 yrs, 165 lbs; 6'1"; I've never really working out, just long walks).
I cannot set up a pull-up bar (which I would be poor at anyways), and even a traditional push-up doesn't get me very far, so I do bent-knee push-ups indtead.
I'm just starting out now to get serious with exercise, and trying to be realistic with what I have around me. I've been reading alot and experimenting with my time-allotment, little to no equipment, and a room at the University housing that would not allow me to have the 3 chairs necessary for dips. It's hard enough to find room on the floor for a barbell/dumbbell set. But in the end, this is the routine I am now about to experiement with (which is why there I have not listed any weights). Week 1, just form and schedule, for Week 2 & 3 I will slowly build up to find a satisfactory weight, so if all goes well, by Week 4 I will try to do 2 sets of the routine.

05,00 a.m.
Early Morning Snack
6 oz. Orange Juice
½ slice Whole Wheat Bread
½ Tablespoon Peanut Butter

08,00 a.m.
Breakfast
1 Japanese Tea-Cup-full Oatmeal (dry)
½ Japanese Tea-Cup-full Muesli (dry)
½ Japanese Tea-Cup-full Dried Fruit (raisins, cranberries, currants, etc.)
microwaved with 3/4 cup skimmed milk
6 oz. Regular Coffee
2 oz. Skimmed Milk

10,30 a.m.
Mid-Morning Snack
1 Banana (medium-large)
1/4 cup dry cereal, higher in protein

13,00 p.m.
Lunch
[taking just the vegetables and meat from the Cafeteria, basing my quantities on the traditional diabetic diet plan]

15,00 p.m.
Mid-Afternoon Snack
6 oz. Non-fat Yogurt (flavoured & set with artificially-sweetened Jello)
1 Apple (medium)

19,00 p.m.
Supper
home made, but in a community-setting (although the whole group of us tries to eat a healthy diet, except for weekend beers), so again I base my servings on the Diabetic Diet Plan, usually double or triple servings of vegetables, about 3-4 oz meat, 1&1/2 serving of carbohydrates {unless it’s pasta, which I can’t resist!}

21,30 p.m.
Evening Snack
1 mug (8 oz.) Herbal Tea w/ Sugar-Substitute
½ Grapefruit

Sunday
05,00 a.m.
25 minute Brisk Walk
half-way through:
Jumping Jacks - 20
Toe Touches - 20
Standing Twists - 20
Squats - 10
at Conclusion:
traditional Crunches - 10
Dumbbell Side Bends - 10 each side
Alternating Knee-In Crunches - 10 each side

Afternoon:
Long, Brisk Walk with short Jogging Spurts
Push-ups (traditional) - 5
Push-Ups (bent-knee) - 10
Neck Flexs
seated Wrist Curls - 10
Barbell “Good Mornings” - 10
Traditional Sit-Ups - 10
Lying Side Bridges - 2 each side

Monday
04,30 a.m.
25 minute Brisk Walk
half-way through:
Jumping Jacks - 20
Toe Touches - 20
Standing Twists - 20
Squats - 10
at Conclusion:
traditional Crunches - 10
Dumbbell Side Bends - 10 each side (4kg)
Alternating Knee-In Crunches - 10 each side

Tuesday
04,30 a.m.
25 minute Brisk Walk
half-way through:
Jumping Jacks - 20
Toe Touches - 20
Standing Twists - 20
Squats - 10
at Conclusion:
traditional Crunches - 10
Dumbbell Side Bends - 10 each side (4kg)
Alternating Knee-In Crunches - 10 each side

Upper Body Work-Out
Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 10
Dumbbell Tricep Curls (over shoulder) - 12
Upright Barbell Rows (for shoulders) - 10
Neck: free-hand Resistance Stretching
Dumbbell Wrist Curls - 10
Dumbbell Lateral Raises (for chest) - 10

Wednesday
04,30 a.m.
25 minute Brisk Walk
half-way through:
Jumping Jacks - 20
Toe Touches - 20
Standing Twists - 20
Squats - 10
at Conclusion:
traditional Crunches - 10
Dumbbell Side Bends - 10 each side (4kg)
Alternating Knee-In Crunches - 10 each side

Lower Body Work-Out
Bent-Over Barbell Row - 10
Dumbbell Shoulder Shrugs - 10
Barbell Standing Toe/Calf Raises - 10
Prone Dumbbell Leg Curl - 10
Lying Side Leg Raises - 10 each side

Thursday
04,30 a.m.
25 minute Brisk Walk
half-way through:
Jumping Jacks - 20
Toe Touches - 20
Standing Twists - 20
Squats - 10
at Conclusion:
traditional Crunches - 10
Dumbbell Side Bends - 10 each side (4kg)
Alternating Knee-In Crunches - 10 each side

Afternoon:
Long, Brisk Walk with short Jogging Spurts
Push-ups (traditional) - 5
Push-Ups (bent-knee) - 10
Neck Flexs
seated Wrist Curls - 10
Barbell “Good Mornings” - 10
Traditional Sit-Ups - 10
Lying Side Bridges - 2 each side

Friday
04,30 a.m.
25 minute Brisk Walk
half-way through:
Jumping Jacks - 20
Toe Touches - 20
Standing Twists - 20
Squats - 10
at Conclusion:
traditional Crunches - 10
Dumbbell Side Bends - 10 each side (4kg)
Alternating Knee-In Crunches - 10 each side

Upper Body Work-Out
Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 10
Dumbbell Tricep Curls (over shoulder) - 12
Upright Barbell Rows (for shoulders) - 10
Neck: free-hand Resistance Stretching
Dumbbell Wrist Curls - 10
Dumbbell Lateral Raises (for chest) - 10

Saturday
05,00 a.m.
25 minute Brisk Walk
half-way through:
Jumping Jacks - 20
Toe Touches - 20
Standing Twists - 20
Squats - 10
at Conclusion:
traditional Crunches - 10
Dumbbell Side Bends - 10 each side (4kg)
Alternating Knee-In Crunches - 10 each side

Lower Body Work-Out
Bent-Over Barbell Row - 10
Dumbbell Shoulder Shrugs - 10
Barbell Standing Toe/Calf Raises - 10
Prone Dumbbell Leg Curl - 10
Lying Side Leg Raises - 10 each side

So that's my long £0.02.
Good Luck, Dustin
I'll keep following in case anyone else wants to set me on a better path too!
PEACE
David B.

[seraphyne1]

Dustin, I just saw your 3 day planned routine. It does not look bad at all. For the squat problem there are several options. Try to learn the clean and clean the barbell up and perfrom front squats, or even do half cleans and squats for the desired reps. This works every muscle in your body.

there are some good combination exercises, examples are:
clean and squat
clean and overhead press
thrusters (squat and overhead press)

these exercises can also be done with db's.

These 3 hit a lot of muscles.

If stuck on minimal equipment you still can get a god workout done. eg I do not have the space for a barbell (I started using the sandbag and cables instead).

But I do have 2 dumbells and you can do some nice exercises/ routines with it. Here are some examples:

pushup and renegade rows: place db's shoulder width apart and take the pu position with hands on db's, perfrom 1 pushup and than perfrom a right arm and left arm row (staying in pu position, you will feel it in the entire core region) [if it becomes to easy do raise your feet)

1 arm db overhead press/ windmill combination: (I do this with the ppj), press a db overhead, keep it there and perfrom a windmill (do a google or youtube search for this).

you can do these 2 together in eg 5x5 style and work to eg 10x5 style. or perfrom as ladders:

week 1: 3 ladders of 1-3
week 2: 4 ladders of 1-3
week 3: 5 ladders of 1-3
from week for perform the ladders 1-4 (work towards 5 ladders of 1-4, maybe session 1 will be 1 ladder of 1-4 and 4 ladders of 103. That does not matter, work toward 5 ladders of 1-4

Last step will be 5 ladders of 1-5

for conditioning:

TGU- 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps
Swing x 50
Hindu squat x 10
Swing x 40
Hindu squat x 20
Swing x 30
Hindu squat x 30
Swing x 20
Hindu squat x 40
Swing x 10
Hindu squat x 50

if you are a stud, use the above routine but between sets do the ladders, workout 1 the renegade rows and the next session the overhead press/ windmill. But I would suggest not doing this more than twice a week.

Sorry for the long post but I hoped to give you and David some more ideas you might use. remember 1 thing, enjoy your exercises as when you dread them you will start to find excuses to skip them and that would be sad. Stick long to a program, like I said before you to give times to make the exercises work and if you change to often this won't happen. Stick to it a looooong time, only change rep scheme instead of exercises. If you change every 2 weeks nothing will happen.

The idea you have to confuse the muscles (I do not know about yours but mine do not think) you need to change exercises does not appeal to me. Of course you will feel sore the day after as you are doing something different you are not used to. But stick to the same exercsies but change the reps makes them need to work in a different way too.

[dustin]

The day after my first workout me and a friend did 3 hours of cutting down some big trees for firewood so my arms and shoulders have been quite sore. I feel good enough to do a back and bicep workout today however.

David B -- That's quite the assortment of exercises you have there! You say you are about to start doing that schedule, may I ask how you came up with those exercises and reps? I envy your dedication to your nutrition. I am not sure but it seems to me your workout will help a great deal with your overall fitness level, and not just increasing your muscles size/strength. I am not sure what to do however, I want to lose my excess body fat, but I read so many articles and forum threads saying its a good idea to bulk or cut and that its hard to gain muscle mass and lose fat at the same time. I know I can do it but if its going to take twice as long, that would not be very efficient for me. Anyway good luck to both of us with our new (or not so new) hobby.

Seraphyne - I'll be grabbing some new dumbells soon. I haven't had time to look up the exercises you posted above but will soon. I really like the sound of the clean/front squat. I'll be definitely trying out most of those exercises you posted if not all of them to see how I like them. Thanks for your posts!

[David B]

Hi Dustin,
To be honest, this is how I came up with my routine:
When I was doing my Master's I used to spend a little time at the YMCA using the Nautilus machines; I was always very flexible, so I also tried Tai Chi (which I loved). But doing those (and being too self-conscious to try free weights) I saw which movements worked or didn't work, and which ones made me feel comfortable or uncomfortable.
This past winter I was stuck recovering from a hernia operation, and so while I had some extra time I began thinking again of starting up a routine, scribbling based on what I did at the Y, but trying to find a way to do it with just a small set of dumbbells/barbells I got at the catalogue store. Then I also got a couple of mags, like Men's Health or Exercise for Men Only. I literally cut out any exercises/stretches I felt I might be able to do, and then just experimented a little. By far the majority ended up back in the waste can. Then I got three books that claimed to have beginners' routines:
Men's Fitness "Total Body Plan"
Men's Health "Training Guide 2007"
"The Abs Diet"
and checked on-line at Exercise at About.com.
With all of that I drew up this, my Beginners' Plan.
There was some consistency in the articles saying that developing leg muscles helps to burn fat, and H.I.I.T. cardio routines. But my core and upper section is muscle-less. So again I modified my long walks with some calisthenics so that I could lean a little towards H.I.I.T., and split the Upper and Lower Body work-outs according to my schedule.
Actually I am finding it easier time-wise to just do the five or six exercises after I have been out walking/jogging in the A.M., because it seems like everyday something gets in my way, besides the irregularity of my class schedule.
So all in all, it was based on trial and error, and also recognizing that I cannot do much as just a Newbie. After some weeks of allowing my body to adjust, and reaching my target weight, then I will increase the sets. The "10" is only to get comfortable until I find a decent weight for each exercise, and then I try to get them up to 15 reps. I am well aware that higher reps with lower weights is for toning rather than for bulking.
And that is where I want to be as a beginner: back into balance.
By the way, the diet part was easy before working out. The healthiest diet plan for regular people is the 2000-2500 calorie plan of the Diabetic Association. They also show you how to work with options without getting paranoid. All I did was modify that plan to one that allows for 6-7 meals per day.
The harder part is that now that I have dropped 15 lbs and am working out more, I am clearly, logically hungrier. Now is the time to choose wisely, allowing the new muscle weight to take the place of the fat loss. That's another reason why I am not too worried about reps & weights: I only need to lose 10-15 lbs. more off the gut, and I will be at that border-weight when my body says "too low". My weight-loss limit is 150 lbs.; when I get below that I do not feel right (I'm 6'1").
I hope this helps ya.
Or, if I am way off-scope, that someone else will help me! :

[dustin]

Wed May 9

Deadlifts:
75 lbs x 10
95 lbs x 10, 10, 10, 10

Bicep Curls (Barbell)
35 lbs x 12
55 lbs x 10, 9, 8, 7

Protein Shake after Workout

[dustin]

Friday May 11

I'm installing some docks tomorrow so I won't be lifting today. I did half an hour of punching the bag instead for some cardio.

Maybe Sunday I will do chest/tri's/shoulders if I feel recuuperated from the docks.

[dustin]

Sunday May 13th

Bench
75 lbs x 10
95 lbs x 10,10,9,6

Bench Dips - 7,8,8,8

Shoulder Press (barbell, lifting over my head)
55 lbs x 10,7,5,5
These proved difficult for me. They didn't feel right sitting down so I stood up to do them. Holding weight over your head sure kicks in a lot of stabilizier muscles! Anyway it killed my traps and shoulders.