View Full Version : First day of my new split routine
dianna
09-30-2002, 10:22 AM
Since last November I have been doing the same gym routine, 3 days/week full body circuit. This would have also been the day I do my full body superset weight routine followed by my 45 minutes on the crosstrainer, but instead, here's what I did:
Monday: Chest/Delts/Triceps/Abs
chest press 3x12 60lbs
Incline dumbell 3x12 15 lbs
Pec/dec 3x12 52 lbs
Cable crossovers 2x15 20 lbs
decline dumbell press 3x12 15 lbs
rope pulldown 3x12 45 lbs
lat raise 3x12 25 lbs
shoulder press 3x12 25 lbs
crosstrainer 4 (yes! only 4) minutes
hanging leg raise 2x12
crunches 2x50 or so
7 minutes various pilates stuff.
I felt so awkward using dumbells. I really liked the decline press, I don't think I have worked my lower chest before.
I still feel like I didn't accomplish a lot, I guess because I'm used to sweating profusely after a workout. I just feel sucky and irrational because I didn't have some stupid machine telling me how many calories I just burned.
Ah well, tomorrow I do only 30 minutes on the crosstrainer and 10 minutes on the bike. I have to get myself used to seeing smaller numbers on the crosstrainer.
This is so WIERD trying to gain a few pounds and upping my bodyfat! I know I'm probably not going about it right. Ah well.
Any suggestions/ criticism/harassment welcome
If you're doing 3 sets of 12 reps with the same weight, then it's probably too light. I think you're doing too many different exercises to get to the point where your muscles feel tired when you shouldn't need them all.
What I've been doing is lift 3 sets with a weight I can only lift 10 times(first set). On the second set, I do as many as I can with the same weight(4-7 usually). And on the third set I use a much lower weight and can only do 4-5 reps. I think this will increase strength, and grow some muscles efficiently. I'm not sure how valuable the 3rd set is, but I have been doing it for the last month.
I do 4 different chest exercises(and I'm thinking of doing 3 instead), 4 back, 3 shoulder, 3 triceps, 2 biceps, and 4 leg exercises, all once a week split into 3 days. I also do calves twice, and abs when I feel like it.
dianna
09-30-2002, 06:30 PM
Wow, thanks! That makes a lot of sense, I will give that a try next week!
Now to figure out a leg/hams/calf routine for Wednesday!
dianna,
I'm glad it made sense to you. I must have retyped it 4 times trying to make sense to myself. :D
For legs I'd suggest starting with squats, and then stiff legged deadlifts. After that, do whatever two or three exercises you feel like doing. Last week I did hip adductor/abductor and tried to do leg extensions. ;) My legs, including hams/glutes, get a killer workout from this. With the squats and slds, I try to concentrate on form as much as possible. Here's a link for stiff legged deads so you can see the form.
http://www.theministryoffitness.com/mof/library/anims/sldeadlift.htm
I haven't found a calve routine that I really like yet. There are lots of them on this site and in the exercise forum. I'll describe two that I've tried which I might start liking.
First one is pick a weight that you can do about 20 times before your calves burn. Stop until the burning subsides(5-15 seconds for me), then continue.. stop and start until you've reached 75 reps(or can't continue).
Second one is to pick a weight that you can lift 5 times max on a standing calf machine with a weight stack. Lift it until failure, reduce the weight in half and immediately do 15 reps. Then, without a break, use the lowest weight possible for as many reps as you can. At this point you're supposed to rest for a bit and restart from the beginning.
I imagine you'll be done in well under an hour, so go ride a stationary bicycle for a few minutes at a slow pace to warm down. ;)
dianna
10-01-2002, 11:47 AM
That's a really great link!! Thanks for posting that. I know my form must be terrible.
I am so used to the machines that I have no idea what weight I should be lifting for barbells and dumbells, I have never done lunges or deadlifts before!.
I am really excited to start working on my glutes, I have a much smaller bum than I should, the machines just don't do what deadlifts do.
With your enthusiasm, you're going to be huge! I'm sure that once you get the form right, you'll be making great gains.
I can't wait to see some pictures, I love well developed glutes on women ;)
I also think that website is great. I really need to work on form myself after watching that guy. I'm going to do legs on Wednesday too. I'll be trying to do the straight leg deadlifts with the same form as that guy so I'll be lowering the weight a little :)
LIL-ONE
10-02-2002, 02:35 PM
-sorry to butt in-
dianna-
"This is so WIERD trying to gain a few pounds and upping my bodyfat!" are you trying to up your body fat or weight? there is a big difference between the 2..
-also try free weight more often on all exercises!!...it gives you more full range of motion which is important!
MDC-
i agree she should be doing more weight and keeping low reps for good results...also consider high and low twitch muscle this may promote growth
-"I'm not sure how valuable the 3rd set is, but I have been doing it for the last month."--->this is where i have a strong opinion...that last set is probably the most valuble out of the three! you always hear of "push out that last rep..its the most beneficial"..if you do 30 reps..only the last few you pushed out are of most value to you... train to failure even if it means having a 3rd set with very little weight and reps... repout..do strip sets
dianna
10-02-2002, 02:48 PM
I am trying to up both weight, muscle and bodyfat. I would like to start menstruating again, have my sex drive back and have my hair not fall out anymore.
I am keeping a journal in the "Journal" section in this forum, go see.
LIL-ONE
10-02-2002, 02:58 PM
why gain body fat?
Originally posted by LIL-ONE
why gain body fat?
lil-one,
She's been measured at 12% BF and hasn't menstruated in 6 months or so since she lowered it to that. Her sex drive is also gone since then. Those are reasons enough to gain some BF. She has some pics of herself in the link she posted, and she may be even lower than that(I wouldn't know by looking though).
And thanks for responding to my 3rd set comment. I've continued the third set even though it seems so wimpy. :) For example, I did dumbell presses at 75 lbs for 2 sets(11 and 6 reps this week), and my third set was at 55 lbs for only 5 reps. I'll try starting with 80 lbs next week. I was thinking of switching my flat bench to barbell this week, but decided that I might as well get up to the the heaviest dumbells(85 lbs) first. I do train to failure in everything but a few exercises.
On the straight leg deads, I tucked in my shirt and watched my form in the mirror today. It was fine even with the heaviest set today(155lbs). I guess my butt is a little big already and with my shirt untucked it looks like my lower back is really curved. I also saw two women doing those later, and mentioned that it's good to see people doing my favorite exercise. :) They were only lowering the bar to their knees which I thought was a little strange.
dianna
10-02-2002, 05:50 PM
Thanks MDC!
Why a woman would want/need to gain bodyfat isn't always the most intuitive thing to understand.
I LOVED the squats I did today, my hams and glutes are burning still!
I was all over the place trying to figure out the deadlifts though. It's going to take me a while to get my form right on this.
Diana,
I'm sure you'll be a pro at the deadlifts and lunges soon. For the straight leg deads, stick your butt out when you bend down and use your glutes for the lift. Once I got that down, my back doesn't seem to do any of the work(though it does feel tired afterwards).
I can feel my hams/glutes this morning too. I was almost concerned last night when my legs didn't feel as worked as I expected, but that happens every week. :)
dianna
10-03-2002, 08:44 AM
OMIGOD! My legs and by butt are SO SORE TODAY!! It's good to feel like my muscles are responding to something, instead of feeling nothing after the full body routine. This is really cool!
Looking forward to back/biceps day tomorrow.
Good thing your legs get a week off, they'll need it. You may even be forced to cut back on your cardio a little ;)