Nearly ready to start

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wwazza

New Member
Hi all,

I know I'm new here but I have been researching as much as possible before I start my first cycle in a few weeks, and would like some feedback on a routine I'm contemplating.

Leg Press
Deadlift
Wide grip Pull Ups
Bench Press
Bent over row
weighted dips
Barbell shoulder press
Barbell Shrug
EZ Bar Curl
EZ Bar Tricep extension
Calf raise on leg press machine
Ab crunch machine or weighted sit ups

I would have liked to have done squats but I use two gyms depending on whether I'm in work or not and one of them doesn't have a squat rack. So I was hoping leg press would be good enough along with Deadlifts and calf raises.

Over the next few weeks I was going to try this sample routine out to perfect form and judge whether it would take too long to complete in one session.

I am really looking forward to it so any help off you experts would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi Wazza! i'm not an expert but i think that maybe you have a few too many exercises. And from personal experience, doing deadlifts and bent over rows in the same workout is very bad for lower back and can really hurt on 5s+. SO i would get rid of one of them. I've gone with a similar set up but a little more simplified, (as that seems to be the way forward especially for beginners):

Squat
Incline bench
Dips
Chins
Tricep ext
Bicep curl
Dumbell shoulder
Abs
 
That sounds like a sensible option. I suppose I was waiting for someone to tell me I had too many exercises.

How about I stick with the rows but drop deadlifts. Will leg press and calf press be enough to train my lower half?

What about dropping the shrugs as well. Would barbell shoulder press be enough?

That would take it to 10 exercises

Leg Press
Wide grip Pull Ups
Bench Press
Bent over row
Weighted dips
Barbell shoulder press
EZ Bar Curl
EZ Bar Tricep extension
Calf raise on leg press machine
Weighted sit ups

I could also drop the tricep extensions if I feel its too much maybe?
 
If you’re not going to do squats then you really should do deadlifts. They are a more functional exercises than leg presses and will translate better to Squatting later on if they become an option.

You have no hamstring exercises listed unless you include wide stance Sumo Deadlifts which may not be your best style. You are going to develop an imbalance that could easily lead to injury if you do Leg Presses w/o a complementary Hamstring exercise.

You have three pressing movements Bench Press, Shoulder Press and Dips thus hitting your triceps 3 times with compounds. Adding an additional Triceps isolation exercises is overkill in a full body workout. If you were doing a split that allowed more recovery time ok but you shouldn’t need Triceps Extensions if you’re doing a 3/week full body workout.

Curls are ok since you only have two pulling movement plus rows and Pull Ups (as opposed to Close Grip Chin Ups) don’t work the Biceps as much as the pushing compounds work the Triceps. However, BB Curls are generally considered a better Biceps exercise because of how your hands are positioned on the bar. EZ is exactly that which makes the movement less effective at working the Biceps because of the angle of your hands on the bar.

There’s really no advantage to doing separate Abs work as long as you are doing multiple heavy compound movements unless you have a specific need, like, boxing, martial arts or as powerlifting assistance exercises . . . .

Based on your original list I would do something more like this:
Pull:
Deadlift (also leg exercise: Quad dominant if convention stance, Hamstring dominant if sumo stance)
Close Grip Chin Ups
Bent over Row
BB Curls

Push:
Bench Press
Shoulder Press
Dips

Legs:
Squats or Leg Presses or Leg Extensions
SLDLs or Romanian Deadlifts or some form of Leg Curls
Some form of Calf Raise

If you Deadlift you could probably drop the corresponding leg exercises for the Quads or Hamstrings depending on your Deadlift Stance on the days you Deadlift. Many if not most people won’t Deadlift more than once a week.

Just my opinion for what it’s worth.

Cheers
 
Hi,

Just to add my opinions re leg presses....

I agree that if you can squat, then do. It is, in my opinion, the best leg exercise, bar none.
That said... I have been training for well over 20yrs now, lots of squats all those years. My legs grew well, (got to nearly 30inches at one point! Still 27in now) However, now I am older and far less effective at growing and recovering, and my knees really struggle (yes, I take cod liver oil & glucosamine etc..) I have knocked them on the head.
I also had a prolapsed disc a couple of years ago, and my physio advised me to either be very sensible and use ridiculously low weights, or stop squatting altogethor.

I switched - albeit reluctantly - to leg presses, a year or so ago, and yet still get a tremendous workout from them. I have access to a good quality (45 degree angle) leg press, and I find that it does work my hams aswell. I always stretch my hams thoroughly after each set too.
Yes, I think if you want to add SLDL or leg curls, then thats great, and probably beneficial in the long run, maybe, but I personally dont. My workouts are short and sweet anyway - leg press, chins or rows, bench or dips, and a calf raise - and I dont feel imbalanced.

What you may want to consider, is sarting with less exercises and then adding more, if you feel you can/need to, rather than, as most people seem to do, start with loads and then realise that they are taking way too long in the gym, and not getting 'value' in their returns.
As Grunt has stated above - and his views always offer good advice - do you really need tricep and bicep exercises on top of dips and chin ups? Keep it simple.

Good luck

Brix
 
Thanks for the advice I think I am going to knock the bicep and tricep iso's on the head after working out my rep maxes this week my biceps were pretty shot at the end of the workout so I doubt I need the extra work.

I've played around this week and found the best way to get through my workout on 15's 10's and 5's with varying exercises in a reasonable time frame. Averaged about an hour and a quarter which is fine for me.

I've decided on:

Leg press
SLDL
Pullups
Bench
Dips
Rows
Military press
Shrugs/calves supersetted

Going to do the standard 1x15 and so on apart from leg press, bench, and my superset which will be 2x15 3x10 5x5.

Really enjoyed the all over workout and am now on my sd. Still continuing with cardio though to keep trim and healthy. I am going to do my abs work on cardio days. That will be ok won't it?
 
Glad to see you’re ready to start. Looks like a nice selection of exercises. If you have the time start a log I think everyone but especially lurkers benefit from reading what other people are doing.
 
Yeh I will be recording everything for personal gains anyway so I don't see a problem in sharing it with others.

I'll be working out my weights for each session later and putting together my plan for the next 8 weeks. For now though I'll stay away from the gym for 9 days which may be harder than I first thought.

I do enjoy a bit of cycling and running though, and I've just started core exercises on a stability ball, so that will keep me busy til the training and eating starts!!!
 
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