A Simple Beginner's Routine part II

[traineeh]

Thanks, I guess I missed it. I kept seeing 10RM and was wondering what that was. I guess tomorrow will be me experimenting and getting familiar with weights and finding my 10 rep max for the exercises in the program.

My main problem is I'm going to feel like such a dumba$$ lifting weights in the gym... lol.

Why would you feel like a dumbass? Everyone in that gym started off just like you, by beginning to workout. Just don't think about everyone else and concentrate on what you are doing.

[surfzrup]

I did heavy day (week 4 cycle 2) yesterday. The squats, although light (only 110lbs. I'm about 130lbs) are really draining me right from the get go. My hips tend to move a little to one side, so I'm trying to focus on making sure they go down and back up dead center. I've been kinda mixing up my squats, sometimes going with high bar and others low bar. I eventually think doing it low bar would be better for me, but right now I'm feeling more burn and think my form is better for high bar. But I want to slowly get used to doing low bar squats as well which is why I sometimes do those instead. Completed my bench, which was a real relief and an improvement from the first cycle (I'm repeating the weight).

I dropped the weight on my rows because I couldn't even get half the required number of reps without my form completely going. And that's on the first set.

Here's what I did:
(apologies for the weird weights. Things here are in kg but I thought I'd convert it to lbs since the majority of you guys are from the states)

Squats 110lb - 2x11
Bench 125lb - 2x11
Row 103lb - 9 (form was off after about 5), 98lb - 7
Press 71lb - 11, 4 (week 3 was 10,4!)
SLDL 103lb - 2x11
Curls 54lb - 11,9 (an improvement from week 3 - 10,8!)

Been doing calf raises standing flat on the floor holding dumbells. For the calf raises I do more reps (week 1 -16, increasing by 1 a week till 20 reps on week 5) and just drop a rep for medium and light days. Getting a good burn although my forearms are way tired which makes holding the dumbells hard.

Just thought I'd chip in on the whole flexibility squat and SLDL thing mentioned by some posters above. I too had very poor flexibility, but it's slowly getting better. Foam roll EVERYDAY, and stretch the hip flexors and hamstrings a lot. I found that doing goblet squats also kinda taught me the proper form for high bar squatting. Everything mentioned by papapumpkin is also really good advice, hold the squat position while holding on to something just to get the stretch in your hips and learn to sit back. Then do a squat and push out your legs using your elbows and hold it for a while.

As for the SLDLs, don't round your back! I personally can only go down somewhere around my knees. The key with SLDLs is to keep the bar away from the thighs when going down, keeping a very slight bend in the knees and letting your hamstrings feel the stretch. I usually don't feel the burn so much during the workout, but boy do my hamstrings hurt the day after.

[Muckrake]

How often and at what time of day and week do you folks measure yourselves?

Do your measurements fluctuate enough during the day and over the course of the week that it makes a difference when you take them?

[Morti]

How often and at what time of day and week do you folks measure yourselves?

Do your measurements fluctuate enough during the day and over the course of the week that it makes a difference when you take them?

Do it at the same time, every time u do it. It would be best in the morning before you eat and drink.

[thekosmicdesign]

Cycle 1 - Failed OHP
Cycle 2 - Failed BOR

On day 1 of cycle 3 I couldn't get up 8 reps of bench at a 10% increased weight on heavy day even though I had successfully performed 12 reps at 10% lower weight the previous week. So I adjusted the weight and only increased 5%.

Today is my last day of cycle 3 (week 5 light day). I failed 5 of the 7 exercises on heavy day this week. I'm wondering if I should change my program. I am eating enough - started at 147 lbs and now I'm 154 lbs. Both my bench press and squat are about 1x body weight. I know I'm still a beginner until I'm hitting 1.5x bw on bench and 2x bw on squat. But I'm worried that my gains are going to be limited now. I haven't experienced DOMS in ages and it feels to me that if I'm not sore at all even after my heavy days, something should change.

Allpro, what are your thoughts?

[TheBirchman]

I ended up repeating the OHP weight from cycle 2 to cycle 3 because I wasn't happy with my form on the heavy day week 5 of cycle 2. Now I've totally busted out at the same weight on Week 3 of Cycle 3. Got to 8 reps and was just done.

Is it possible or probable that the increases in weight for bench and BOR I do right before is what seems to be screwing me up on OHP? Otherwise I'm all good, but it definitely feels like I'm moving back on this one particular exercise.

[Kranston]

How often and at what time of day and week do you folks measure yourselves?

Do your measurements fluctuate enough during the day and over the course of the week that it makes a difference when you take them?

I weigh myself every morning when I wake up and record the numbers at fitday.com. I found that my weight can fluctuate up or down from day to day by a couple of pounds. I learned early on not to get hung up on the ups and downs and just concentrate on hitting the required calories and macros. I tape my waist every Sunday morning to make sure I am not gaining too much fat. I tape my biceps, chest, forearms, thighs, calfs, etc., at the end of every cycle.

[Kranston]

Cycle 1 - Failed OHP
Cycle 2 - Failed BOR

On day 1 of cycle 3 I couldn't get up 8 reps of bench at a 10% increased weight on heavy day even though I had successfully performed 12 reps at 10% lower weight the previous week. So I adjusted the weight and only increased 5%.

Today is my last day of cycle 3 (week 5 light day). I failed 5 of the 7 exercises on heavy day this week. I'm wondering if I should change my program. I am eating enough - started at 147 lbs and now I'm 154 lbs. Both my bench press and squat are about 1x body weight. I know I'm still a beginner until I'm hitting 1.5x bw on bench and 2x bw on squat. But I'm worried that my gains are going to be limited now. I haven't experienced DOMS in ages and it feels to me that if I'm not sore at all even after my heavy days, something should change.

Allpro, what are your thoughts?

Did you fail these on the first set or the second set?

[Kranston]

I ended up repeating the OHP weight from cycle 2 to cycle 3 because I wasn't happy with my form on the heavy day week 5 of cycle 2. Now I've totally busted out at the same weight on Week 3 of Cycle 3. Got to 8 reps and was just done.

Is it possible or probable that the increases in weight for bench and BOR I do right before is what seems to be screwing me up on OHP? Otherwise I'm all good, but it definitely feels like I'm moving back on this one particular exercise.

Alright, let's take a look at the weights you lift for Bench, BOR and OHP for Cycles 1 to Cycles 3. Just want to make sure you are are computing the numbers correctly. If you are rounding up every cycle on some of these lifts, then after three cycles it might be catching up to you.

Also what are the weights for your warmup lifts for your bench, maybe the warmups are too heavy.

[PapaPumpkin]

Just finished my week 1 medium day! A lot tougher than I thought it would be. Anyways, I made sure to record the last set of my SLDL's today. Could I get a form check please?



Thanks!

[viper318]

This may seem bizarre as I have been lifting for nearly 15 weeks now doing this routine (well something similar) but unfortunately I started off incorrectly and have sort of just stuck to what I have been doing because I have been happy with the results and have been able to hit all my reps and increase the weight by at least 10% at the end of every cycle on every lift.

I want to clear my conscience here and by no means am I saying I have even a fragment of the knowledge All Pros has but I feel like what I have been doing has been working and I would like to post exactly what that is and get some opinions and what I am missing out on by changing the program.

What I have been doing:

- Every day has been a "heavy day" (the max I can lift)
- Warm ups on the big lifts are significantly higher than what is recommended
- I have started every cycle with my 8RM instead of 10RM
- In the beginning I couldn't get enough info online for calf raises so I swapped it out for a seated triceps extension with a dumbbell
- Bent-over rows, OHP, Barbell curls and Seated triceps extension has been done for 4 set of the same weight

I may get a lot of hate for what I have done (justifiably so) but I suppose I am just a person that doesn't adapt well to change and I started off incorrectly and just stuck with it. The reason I am not deterred from what I have been doing is because I have been able to increase my lifts by at least 10% at the end of every cycle and although my workouts are very intense and physically draining, I am able to complete them. Like I said I have been doing this for about 15 weeks now.

If I could get some opinions on the damage/detriment in continuing what I have been doing, it would be greatly appreciated. I know for a fact since I am pushing it perhaps too hard, my strength gains will suffer but I am unsure of what else.

[lrd3]

Just finished my week 1 medium day! A lot tougher than I thought it would be. Anyways, I made sure to record the last set of my SLDL's today. Could I get a form check please?



Thanks!

im interested in the feedback you get on your video. my posture and movement range are the same as yours but i make sure i move slowly to make sure not to through my smoked back out. a big reson i started this program was to build the muscle that the sldl work. just so i can have a few less thrown out back from work.
i just completed week two day three cycle 1....... next week looks scary. lol....

[64509chvl]

Papapumpkin...
Back looks good & the slight bend in knees look good aswell! Could prolly come up slower to give a little better feel for contraction & stick your chest out! I also remember All Pro suggesting to not straighten out all the way when coming up! I think when u come up slower it will help u to not straighten all the way up! I was doing them close to how you are in the beginning...addressed these issues & they've felt better ever since!

[64509chvl]

Viper318...
Don't want to comment much on this cause this isn't All Pro's program & this could or will confuse new folks on here! Should prolly ask opinions on your program somewhere else to be honest! You're gonna have a premature stall on all lifts & if u think about it...you're doing all heavy days as opposed to heavy, med & light...so your working twice as hard for the same results (progression) as this program gives us! Doesn't really sound like the way to go...IMO, now would be a good time to consider running All Pro's program! No punn intended...just think you'll be alot better off in the long run!

[mbaoo]

Hey, I have a quick question for you guys.

When I did my 10 rep max. I came out to using the 60lb dumbells for the bench portion. My first official day was monday, and I did the 60x8 for two sets. I did them all. But it was pretty hard. Wondering if I should drop to 55 to make sure I dont hit a brick wall, or should I stick with it?

[CharlesCC2]

I've seen somebody mention that it's better to use a barbell for the calf raises, but I'm getting much more stretch and feel like I'm getting a better isolated calf workout on a seated calf raise machine. Part of this has to be because I'm getting a full range of motion with the footing on the machine being elevated, but isn't it also more of an isolation than standing with a barbell?

The reason I'm not getting the same range of motion standing with a barbell is because I'm only standing on a 45 lb plate which doesn't give much elevation. So I also want to ask, do you think it is bad etiquette to stand on a plate in a public gym? I'm wondering if this would bother/offend people around me who think they may end up picking up the same plate at some point. Regardless, like I said I'm really not getting the same range of motion as I am on the seated calf raise machine, so would that be a suitable substitute? I think I'd look really goofy bringing a wooden block into the gym.

[64509chvl]

Hey, I have a quick question for you guys.

When I did my 10 rep max. I came out to using the 60lb dumbells for the bench portion. My first official day was monday, and I did the 60x8 for two sets. I did them all. But it was pretty hard. Wondering if I should drop to 55 to make sure I dont hit a brick wall, or should I stick with it?

If your 10 rep max test was good clean reps then stuck with it! Lifting weights is supposed to be hard!

[64509chvl]

I've seen somebody mention that it's better to use a barbell for the calf raises, but I'm getting much more stretch and feel like I'm getting a better isolated calf workout on a seated calf raise machine. Part of this has to be because I'm getting a full range of motion with the footing on the machine being elevated, but isn't it also more of an isolation than standing with a barbell?

The reason I'm not getting the same range of motion standing with a barbell is because I'm only standing on a 45 lb plate which doesn't give much elevation. So I also want to ask, do you think it is bad etiquette to stand on a plate in a public gym? I'm wondering if this would bother/offend people around me who think they may end up picking up the same plate at some point. Regardless, like I said I'm really not getting the same range of motion as I am on the seated calf raise machine, so would that be a suitable substitute? I think I'd look really goofy bringing a wooden block into the gym.

Barbell is ideal no doubt! Don't think anyone would have a problem standing on a plate...folks do alot of different things with plates in the gym! When I belonged to a gym in the past, I do remember one guy that always brought a 2 ft long piece of a 2x4 in with him...someone called him "Hacksaw Jim Duggin" & he just laughed! That block will give u plenty ROM...give it a shot!

[Wildcats37]

Hey guys, long time reader, first time poster. I worked out a lot in high school (9 years ago), but started back up for the first time in January of this year doing a 4 day split. I'm currently at 5'10 175 after I cut from 185 to 175 over the past two months. After reading questions other people have had that I would have asked if I had not read them, I've decided to start All-Pro's workout. These are my 1 Rep Maxes based on the calculations:

Squat: 150
Bench: 235
Rows: 150
Overhead Press: 135
Straight Leg Deadlift: 170
Barbell Curls: 100
Calf Raise: 200

I've obviously neglected legs since coming back to lifting and that's part of the reason I've decided to use All-Pro's routine (When I use a split and have to miss a workout day, Im usually bad about skipping legs). Anyway, I'm looking forward to starting on Monday and hopefully I'll look back three months from now on some pretty good aesthetic gains. Thanks to all of you guys who have answered questions, a lot of them have been extremely helpful.

[Skeletorbitch]

Hey guys I was just wondering if everyone takes the two off days at the end of each week? I was thinking of just taking one after my light day and going straight to my heavy. Thoughts?

[sixpoint]

Hey guys I was just wondering if everyone takes the two off days at the end of each week? I was thinking of just taking one after my light day and going straight to my heavy. Thoughts?

Rest or stall. That's kinda the deal.

[lrd3]

Hey guys I was just wondering if everyone takes the two off days at the end of each week? I was thinking of just taking one after my light day and going straight to my heavy. Thoughts?

every other day is how i read it. thats how im doing it.

[sixpoint]

Party's over for me.

I was making some great progress until Cycle 3. Week 2. Heavy.

First workset of SLDLs was great. Second set was going great until around rep 7 or 8. When out of nowhere, with no warning, I tear my lower back muscle, dropped the weight to the floor and then PASS OUT (srs).

I'm off lifting for the next 3 weeks and I'm on some heavy pain-killers.

Now what?!

[64509chvl]

Party's over for me.

I was making some great progress until Cycle 3. Week 2. Heavy.

First workset of SLDLs was great. Second set was going great until around rep 7 or 8. When out of nowhere, with no warning, I tear my lower back muscle, dropped the weight to the floor and then PASS OUT (srs).

I'm off lifting for the next 3 weeks and I'm on some heavy pain-killers.

Now what?!

Damn, that sucks dude...sorry to hear that! I guess just take the time to get right...as long as it takes! Hope to see ya back soon bud & good luck on the recovery!

[64509chvl]

every other day is how i read it. thats how im doing it.

Every other day, but 2 days after the light day to ensure being well rested for the next heavy day! Those 2 days are much needed in later cycles!

[PapaPumpkin]

This may seem bizarre as I have been lifting for nearly 15 weeks now doing this routine (well something similar) but unfortunately I started off incorrectly and have sort of just stuck to what I have been doing because I have been happy with the results and have been able to hit all my reps and increase the weight by at least 10% at the end of every cycle on every lift.

There is no magic to it. There is no reason why "your" program shouldn't be working for you . There is a reason why this program is called "A Simple beginner's routine" rather than "the most optimally and efficiently-tuned beginner's routine." A TRUE beginner could probably handle a bit more aggressiveness in the first few weeks just fine due to the shorter recovery times. However, where other programs would stall APSBR (this routine) would still keep you truckin and progressing.

And in my eyes that is where the beauty of this routine shines. A beginner with no experience won't know how to tweak their programming to ensure they are maximizing their gains. Yes, a well experienced coach could probably give you a better routine with the constant tweaking needed. Yet APSBR integrates all the complicated factors a well-designed program needs while on the surface looking so simple that anybody could understand it.

Anyways, I'm kind of talking out of my *ss as I have no real world experience to speak from . This is my take on the routine though! I trust that this routine will take me straight to the end of the beginner stage without frustration. I'm working on getting a log together so I can share my results. Good luck!

[NotoriousSRJ]

I've got a question. Lets say one week I'm doing 9 reps for a lift, and then come next week I find myself being able to do 11 reps, should I just do 11 reps or stick to 10?

[GMLFTMBCIFASLHO]

I've just started Starting Strength. But I feel that all pro's would be a better routine for my current goals. I want to continue cutting fat. Would you recommend all pro's instead of starting strength?

And when its time to bulk, I was thinking of doing Starting Strength at that point. What do you think?

[GMLFTMBCIFASLHO]

If I chose to workout with weights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday...then is it okay if I do some Ab work, and Cardio on Tuesday, Thusrday, and Saturday?

[PapaPumpkin]

I've just started Starting Strength. But I feel that all pro's would be a better routine for my current goals. I want to continue cutting fat. Would you recommend all pro's instead of starting strength?

And when its time to bulk, I was thinking of doing Starting Strength at that point. What do you think?

Starting Strength is a pretty aggressive program to be used when you are on a cut. If you are a noobie, you will most likely be stalling all over the place after you get through your initial neural (CNS) adaptations. Many people in the thread have found APSBR to be more tolerable while cutting.

When you decide to bulk, Starting Strength or any of the 5x5's allpro recommends would be fine to run on a bulk. However, there is no reason this routine isn't perfectly suited for a bulk too. It all comes down to your diet really...

If I chose to workout with weights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday...then is it okay if I do some Ab work, and Cardio on Tuesday, Thusrday, and Saturday?

That would be fine and allpro recommends it. It isn't necessary for fat-loss if your diet is in check however.