Critique my program!

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wungun

Member
Here are my lifts, in order...
Every other day, no 2 day off weekends.

Chinup
Military press
Barbell bench press
Barbell curl
Barbell upright row
Dead lifts
Barbell rear delt row
Standing calf raises
Barbell shrugs
Barbell seated overhead tri extensions
Lying leg curls
Dumbbell incline bench press
Dumbbell rear delt row
Bench dip
Weighted situps

I neglected my back and legs for the first year i lifted...
For situps, on my 15's, ill put a 20lbs plate on my chest, and progress from 25 to 40 reps
On my 10's, ill do the same rep range but with a 35lbs plate.
On my 5's, 40lbs and as many reps as i can do.
Some days all add hanging leg raises as well.
 
It's a bit excessive. If I was your coach, I would reduce it to the following:

Chinup
Military press
Barbell bench press
Barbell curl
Barbell upright row
Dead lifts
Barbell rear delt row
Standing calf raises
Barbell seated overhead tri extensions
Lying leg curls
Dumbbell incline bench press

The exercises I cut out are redundant, as you are already hitting the same muscles with other exercises. This should be more manageable. Just my take on it.
 
That is a lot of different exercises for one workout.

I would simplify a bit. I think you can cut this this about in half and hit everything, and not overwork anything.

Example: you probably don't need to do BB flat bench, DB incline bench, and dips in the same workout; overtaxing the pecs and likely the triceps too. Chins, rows, and curls are going to fry your biceps in a bad way.

Also, it appears as though you are missing quad work. Squats? Leg Press?

Did you do this exact routine for your first two HST cycles?
 
Is this a serious post or are you joking? I would suggest rethinking your kitchen sink routine and getting a clear focus before you create another routine.
 
By the way, you forgot to include tricep kickbacks, wrist curls and reverse wrist curls.
 
Instead of this...
wungun said:
Chinup
Military press
Barbell bench press
Barbell curl
Barbell upright row
Dead lifts
Barbell rear delt row
Standing calf raises
Barbell shrugs
Barbell seated overhead tri extensions
Lying leg curls
Dumbbell incline bench press
Dumbbell rear delt row
Bench dip
Weighted situps
Click to expand...

... you could try this:
BB bench press (or Weighted dip)
Chinup (or BB bent row)
BB press (or DB press)
Dead lifts (or Back squat)

Start with 2 x 15 reps per exercise and finish your cycle with 4 x 5 reps.

Add in any other fluff you want to do.

Go home. Eat. Rest. Repeat 3 x weekly. Grow. Job done.
 
Lol said:
Instead of this...

... you could try this:
BB bench press (or Weighted dip)
Chinup (or BB bent row)
BB press (or DB press)
Dead lifts (or Back squat)

Start with 2 x 15 reps per exercise and finish your cycle with 4 x 5 reps.

Add in any other fluff you want to do.

Go home. Eat. Rest. Repeat 3 x weekly. Grow. Job done.
Click to expand...

Yes, simplify and win!
 
Wow! Lots of feedback...

I don't feel as if Iam over taxing anything...i.e. I'm not super-sore the following days...?

Triceps I want to hit hard for overall arm size. Legs and back were neglected in my early years, so Im targeting them more.
Chest, I feel, has a ways to go as well...I'm 6'1, 175Lbs and my 5RM is maybe 150Lbs on flat bench (hopefully 160Lbs by the time I max out my 5 rep cycle!).

K, I'm gonna take out upright rows...

Dips, I don't see how they work the chest...at all!? I do them for triceps work. Can someone explain that?

Does not dead lifts work the quads? I'd rather not have to add leg extensions to my already over taxed workout :S
Keep in mind fellas, I do workout from home. I'd really rather not throw major tonnage up on my shoulders to squat with here alone (so I do deads instead)

Totenanz...where can I get a look at YOUR routine?
 
nativetroutbum said:
Example: you probably don't need to do BB flat bench, DB incline bench, and dips in the same workout; overtaxing the pecs and likely the triceps too. Chins, rows, and curls are going to fry your biceps in a bad way.

Did you do this exact routine for your first two HST cycles?
Click to expand...

How do you know when you're overtaxing a muscle group? I mean by "feel", with your body? I'm more concerned that my muscles aren't getting enough pumps!

I'm ON my second cycle...did my first exercise of "5's" on Monday...
My first cycle, I was up to almost 185Lbs and was visibly seeing results everywhere...I was eating a lot more than I am now...
This cycle (my 2nd), I've added cardio (indoor rower) everyday, trimmed back my fats and carbs and brought my calorie intake down slightly.
I took a full 2 week SD prior to this cycle, weight came down just below 180Lbs...
My weight has come down to 175Lbs now, and holding, while I've lost a LOT of body fat, during this cycle.
 
So for me, my core, compound lifts are chin-ups, deads, BB bench, military bench, rear delt row and I s'pose dips.
What would you add to that?
I'm thinking BB curls, calf raises, (maybe) shrugs, leg curls...?

Do my tri's need a little something more? And pec's?
 
Incline bench press
Military press
Dips
Chinups or Pullups
Regular deadlifts (you should be able to do squats at higher reps, even at home w/o a rack)
Rear delts or Shrugs

Lean a bit forward on dips to hit the lower chest.

No need for other exercises at this point. Learn to do these in perfect form first.

Eat good food.

O&G :cool:
 
In regards to bench presses...the other day, I saw a video for "correct form" for presses, where in they recommended keeping your elbows 'in' a bit, say 40 degrees
from your body, to stretch the pec more and to prevent injury to the shoulders.
I've always aimed at having my elbows 90 degrees from my body, straight out...I thought THAT was the correct form...?

I can do incline presses with dumbbells, but no barbell...and I don't want to go crazy heavy with dumbbell presses as I almost hurt myself in my last 5-rep cycle with the dumbbells.
50Lbs in each hand is as far as I want to go with those! (I find it's tricky/dangerous getting into position with the dumbbells...I rest the weight on my legs, sit into the bench, and bring my legs up
to help get into my start position)
 
Tuck your elbows in. Not 40 degrees. Close to your side to avoid injury. Do not use an overly wide grip.

If you cannot do heavy inclines with DB's and do not have a BB or can get assistance, either slow your cadence down to extend the total load so you have to perform less reps or switch to flat bench presses.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Old and Grey said:
Tuck your elbows in. Not 40 degrees. Close to your side to avoid injury. Do not use an overly wide grip.

Use BB for heavy inclines.
Click to expand...

Am I not then targeting my triceps instead of my chest...?
I see this form using triceps and shoulder in the same way front arms raises uses the shoulder, not your pecs...
 
Old and Grey said:
Tuck your elbows in. Not 40 degrees. Close to your side to avoid injury. Do not use an overly wide grip.
Click to expand...

Indeed, arch back and pull your shoulder blades together. Was a little weird at first but now its comfortable and I'm lifting more.

You can search for powerlifting vs bodybuilding BB bench press for different styles.
 
Wungun, do not confuse a close grip bench press meant to work the triceps with a regular bench press intended to put more emphasis on the pecs. The difference in grip is usually your grip going from just before the first knurled parts of the bar to the end of the first knurled sections. Too wide a grip may cause shoulder injury.
 
Old and Grey said:
Wungun, do not confuse a close grip bench press meant to work the triceps with a regular bench press intended to put more emphasis on the pecs. The difference in grip is usually your grip going from just before the first knurled parts of the bar to the end of the first knurled sections. Too wide a grip may cause shoulder injury.
Click to expand...

The part of the bar you mention is basically where my barbell rests on the rack :S
My current grip is basically shoulder width apart.
 
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