A Simple Beginner's Routine part II

[DarkAvenger]

I used to lift for years, but I got lazy and stopped. I've been back into the gym for a few weeks mainly focusing on form. Since I've been back I have really haven't been following a set routine, but I think tomorrow I'll figure out my ten rep max and the try this program starting next week. Looking foward to it

[Sketch2000]

Day 3 of Week 2 tomorrow. As intense as these workouts have been in increasing my strength, posture, and form...I haven't been doing any cardio on my off days or working out my labrum for shoulder stability (which i really need to do). Any suggestions for a cardio / ab routine at home? I could obviously go for a run or engage in some sport or do something anaerobic but is there anything at home i can do.

[noirz11]

Hi just wandering if its necesary to do all the warmup sets or can i just go into my heavy sets coz on 2 days i only have 40 mins before i gotta go to class and it takes about 50 mins - 1 hour to do everything with warmups

[ryant78]

Hi just wandering if its necesary to do all the warmup sets or can i just go into my heavy sets coz on 2 days i only have 40 mins before i gotta go to class and it takes about 50 mins - 1 hour to do everything with warmups

Warmups only need be done on the first three exercises as I understood it. I don't think it'd be a good idea to skip the warmups.

[giroux216]

Day 3 of Week 2 tomorrow. As intense as these workouts have been in increasing my strength, posture, and form...I haven't been doing any cardio on my off days or working out my labrum for shoulder stability (which i really need to do). Any suggestions for a cardio / ab routine at home? I could obviously go for a run or engage in some sport or do something anaerobic but is there anything at home i can do.

I would suggest getting your hands on a copy of cardio x from p90x or kenpo x. Cardio X is like 45 mins and has some yoga, kenpo(kickboxing type stuff), light plyo work and light core work. For abs you could also get ab ripper x or do something like: hanging leg raises 3 to fail, crunches 3 to fail(as many as you can do), oblique crunches, leg pull-ins etc. Thats what I did when I ran a cycle of all pros. Hope that helps.

[shawn122]

Hi just wandering if its necesary to do all the warmup sets or can i just go into my heavy sets coz on 2 days i only have 40 mins before i gotta go to class and it takes about 50 mins - 1 hour to do everything with warmups

Warmups only need be done on the first three exercises as I understood it. I don't think it'd be a good idea to skip the warmups.

you need to do the first 3 warmups as ryant stated. No warm ups = huge potential for injury

[shawn122]

Makes sense... I'm looking to gain muscle and burn fat. I'm good for protein and carbs, but a little lost beyond that. More research is needed, I suppose. Recommend any existing threads on the topic?

This thread is what you need:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981

[LawnMower66]

I use Diet Power from time to time. It cost about $20 or something like that. You punch in your goal weight. Then you punch in what you ate all day. You punch in your weight at the beginning of the day . It will let you know your calorie intake, and what to adjust depending on your goal.

[wannagoheavy]

fitday is free and does the same. use it with some lattitude as it may not be 100% accurate .

[shawn122]

www.myfitnesspal.com

same idea as well

[billb7581]

Makes sense... I'm looking to gain muscle and burn fat. I'm good for protein and carbs, but a little lost beyond that. More research is needed, I suppose. Recommend any existing threads on the topic?

Just be careful, this routine doesnt lend itself to a deep cut, a slight cut you should be ok, but you need energy to bench, squat and deadlift 3 times a week.

[pipios]

If you have done 3 to 4 cycles of this routine and think a triceps exercise is needed you can add them on at the end of all the other exercises.

Chances are after a couple cycles you will see that your triceps get enough of a workout doing ohp, bor, and bench press.

Thanks my friend

[popofoso]

would regular deadlifts be ok to substitute for stiff legged deads? im concerned about injuring my lower back. or do they work muscle groups differently? i love deadlifts, just never been a fan of stiff leg deads for the injury potential.

[shawn122]

would regular deadlifts be ok to substitute for stiff legged deads? im concerned about injuring my lower back. or do they work muscle groups differently? i love deadlifts, just never been a fan of stiff leg deads for the injury potential.

Absolutely not. Do not do regular deadlifts as you will get burned out too quickly as your CNS cannot handle it.
This workout calls for Stiff Leg deadlifts for a reason.

[popofoso]

ok ill start light with the stiffs to get the form down. i noticed the calender someone posted previously showing the same weight for every exercise. i understand the rep climb and cycle before adding wieghts but im assuming i dont have to use the same weight for each exercise? i can squat a lot more than i can row...

[Sketch2000]

I would suggest getting your hands on a copy of cardio x from p90x or kenpo x. Cardio X is like 45 mins and has some yoga, kenpo(kickboxing type stuff), light plyo work and light core work. For abs you could also get ab ripper x or do something like: hanging leg raises 3 to fail, crunches 3 to fail(as many as you can do), oblique crunches, leg pull-ins etc. Thats what I did when I ran a cycle of all pros. Hope that helps.

Thanks bro.
I have "The Pit" MMA workout which does a lot of ab work and cardio but it involves a lot of shadow boxing / sparring. I think that would wear out my muscles too much from the previous day so I'll most def look into what you mentioned. Thanks.

[shawn122]

ok ill start light with the stiffs to get the form down. i noticed the calender someone posted previously showing the same weight for every exercise. i understand the rep climb and cycle before adding wieghts but im assuming i dont have to use the same weight for each exercise? i can squat a lot more than i can row...

You don't use the same weight for each exercise. You need to determine your 10 rep max for each exercise and use that as your starting weight.

[reddanak]

This thread is what you need:

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Just be careful, this routine doesnt lend itself to a deep cut, a slight cut you should be ok, but you need energy to bench, squat and deadlift 3 times a week.

I hear you. I don't want to eat on a deficit, which is my problem. I've used seven (7) different BMR calculators and they averaged out to 2210 calories. I've always been a hard gainer (my meaning being that I have a hard time eating enough to actually put on weight, let alone muscle). I need to read through the Emma-Leigh's thread and wrap my head around everything a little better.

[DarkAvenger]

So I went through and figured out my numbers. I came to :
BP 155
Squat 205
Bent rows 135
Overhead 95
SLDL 185
Curl 85
Calf 200

My only issue is that I used to do deadlifts and they were always higher than my square. Are my SLDL lower because of the different areas they focus on? I've never down SLDL till noW and was just wondering

[cruiser940]

So on week 2 of this routine (took 1.5 weeks off prior to starting this).. core feels really good. The squats, deadlifts really make your back feel solid. One thing I see shrinking are my arms. I had some good size before this routine, and little by little they are shrinking.. sucks. Anyone else notice this since this routine mainly hits the core groups?

[wannagoheavy]

So on week 2 of this routine (took 1.5 weeks off prior to starting this).. core feels really good. The squats, deadlifts really make your back feel solid. One thing I see shrinking are my arms. I had some good size before this routine, and little by little they are shrinking.. sucks. Anyone else notice this since this routine mainly hits the core groups?

yeah but are they tighter? you are losing some fat and you will shrink some and then gain some muscle and so on. Take measurements now and then at the end of a cycle or two.

[cruiser940]

yeah but are they tighter? you are losing some fat and you will shrink some and then gain some muscle and so on. Take measurements now and then at the end of a cycle or two.

Not like before when I was doing curls, tri extensions, cables and dips.. the only thing touching my tri's with this routine are the two presses and that's a bi product. There is nothing killing the triceps directly. No matter what I am finishing this routine to just strengthen my core, after this cycle I think I am going to switch it up to something close to what I was doing prior.

[clwdk1]

eating at maintenance you will do a recomposition (recomp). Your total weight stays about the same but you lose fat and put on muscle (in theory). By most accounts from reading in the nutrition/losing fat section in this forum, recomping is tough because you have to make sure to eat properly. I know All pro advocates recomping versus bulking/cutting as you do lose muscle mass when cutting as much as you try not to.

The way I see, if you have time (as do I) aim for a recomp...its a slow process and many people get disheartened because they don't see anything happening to their bodies. I personally am okay with my slow progress. I still have lots of bodyfat but I can also see muscle growing underneath all that excess fat.

Best of luck!

Should I still do cardio if I am recomping?

[Wolf200]

Last week of my first cycle. Have gained 11lbs in 5 weeks and everything has improved a lot, except my arms. My legs have gained 2 inches for example, yet my arms have only gained 1". Compared to everything else, they are seriously lacking.

I know it's generally said not to adjust the programme, but is there something I can do for my arms?

Bump. Anyone?

[jminsi]

Bump. Anyone?

Why are you complaining about gaining an inch in your arms in 5 weeks? That's a lot.

[Wolf200]

Why are you complaining about gaining an inch in your arms in 5 weeks? That's a lot.

I have 13" arms (flexed)

They're seriously lacking compared to everything else.

[all pro]

Hello all pro!
I have an unusual question - If I drink throughout the weekend (not heavy - usually 2 beers on friday and saturday nights, sometimes also sundays :]) than should I move my heavy workout to another day of the week? Because I was planning to use the monday wednesday friday Heavy Medium Light scheme.

PS. After reading a whole bunch of pages of this and the earlier thread all I can say is this - you have the patience of a God!
seriously

A couple of beers here and there is fine. Don't do it on an empty stomach. And if you drink to much your liver will let you know about it on Monday by kicking your sorry butt!

[shawn122]

Should I still do cardio if I am recomping?

totally up to you...just make sure you eat back enough calories or else you would probably end up losing weight.

[yunioracosta]

Well I'm done the first cycle officially today , I don't know but today felt like the easiest day out of all the 5 weeks, maybe that a sign that Ive gained strength ha ha wish me luck guys 135 to 150 bench press here I come.

[theladyisatramp]

I just want to thank you guys for this routine and the discussion in these threads. between the FAQ and the search function on this thread and the older one, I've answered a few of my own questions and even found that ever-helpful spreadsheet in the older thread.

I've been a cardio junkie for a few months now and wanted to start sinking my teeth into some weight training. I've lent out my copy of the new rules of lifting for women, and the routines in the women's health big book of exercises are mostly high reps and lighy weights, so I'm not too stoked on those for anything long term. I was looking into jamie eason's live fit, but getting to the gym or rec center 6 days a week when I'm working and going to school would be overwhelming. this is much simpler and I can do c25k on my rest days (I'm doing a half marathon in september, but I am an AWFUL runner, so I'm starting to train now! I would've had to put it off a month or two with live fit), which makes this PERFECT!

once again, thank you again for this amazing resource!