Feedback on my program please! :)

[WolfgangOsis]

Hi, this is my first post so please go easy on me

I started back into working out 3 years ago at 235 .lbs (I am 6'4, 44 years old). A friend of mine at my internship was doing P90X and after the spring semester ended I figured what the heck, I will give it a go. Didn't lose much weight because I was eating too much. I learned about calorie deficit the following winter break, did P90X2 and dropped down to 207 and a visible 4 pack. Graduated with my Masters, got a job, got stressed, stopped working out, and by May I was about 220 with not even a 2 pack anymore. Didn't want to do a video program again because I have learned so much since then, so I just started doing basic weightlifting in a caloric deficit. I am now down to 209 and the 4 pack is about to show back up.

About 3 weeks ago I read an article that convinced me of the magic of compound lifts and started a program of upper/lower split utilizing compound exercises followed by a couple isolation exercises. This has really made a big difference for me.

Here is my question. I don't have a ton of time to lift, and I lift at home utilizing dumbbells. I workout Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday. The weekend I put a great deal of effort in but on Wednesday I try to keep it at an hour, including warmup, stretching, and cooldown. From what I have read it would be ideal for me to do a 4 day upper/lower split but it just isn't possible for me to add an extra weeknight in at this point. So what I started doing is upper on Saturday, Lower on Sunday, and Wednesday full body. Does this seem okay? It is kind of a combination of the 4 day upper/lower and the 3 day full body.

My Routine as it stands . . .

Upper
- Chin ups (can't do pull ups yet)
- Dumbbell bench press, usually unilateral
- Rows
- Dumbbell Clean and Press
- Seated concentration curl
- Kettlebell Skullcrusher
- Weighted crunches

Lower
- Dumbbell squat
- Stiff legged deadlift (dumbbells)
- Calf raises (with dumbbells)
- Kettlebell swing
- Russian Twist (with medicine ball)

Full Body
- Chin up
- Dumbbell Bench press (not unilteral)
- Dumbbell clean and press
- kettlebell swing
- leg raises (lower abs)

I am also considering the possibility of changing the exercises up on the full body day, such as dumbbell flyes instead of bench, negative pull-ups instead of chinups until I can do the real thing etc . . .

My goal is to continue to burn fat until I have no significant fat layer on the stomach and can see a little bit of abdominus rectus definition. Not really concerned with getting shredded. I am aware that at some point if I want to add any significant mass I will need to up my game and likely join a gym and start upping my weight. Buying new dumbbells is getting cost prohibitive.

Anyway, any critiques or suggestions or ideas or encouragement are gladly welcomed.

Thanks.

[Ralikar]

Throw KBs in the trash.

Maybe move deads to FB.

[helpfit101]

Maybe do a Push, Pull, Legs split. Hit everything once per week.

Or do Upper/Lower/Full body like you suggested.

Or even do three full body workouts. I mean do one on Saturday morning and one on Sunday evening and one on Wednesday.

And why not choose an existing program and adapt it for one of these schemes?

[WolfgangOsis]

Thanks for the replies.

Any particular reason why you don't approve of the kettlebell? Kettlebell swing is one of my favorite exercises and it is highly touted.

Reason I am not doing a specific program is because I workout out home with dumbbells (currently have 5s-40s), and I am cutting fat. The goal of my program is to hit all muscles twice a week focusing on compound lifts so I maintain muscle while burning fat. Further, I am interested in moving to a program when it is time to start adding muscle, but I am a little scared of some of them due to the focus on squats. I have an artificial hip and I will never be able to "squat heavy bro."

My main concern was whether it would be ok to do the upper/lower/full body or if that would somehow be detrimental.

[helpfit101]

I think it'd be fine to do that.

As to kettle bells .. they are a bit of a fad. For average joe schmoo like you and I maybe we can do without.

[riffdex]

Do you have access to a gym? I dont think you will see much progress if your heaviest dumbell is 40. In no time you will start to increase in strength and those 40s won't do. May I suggest looking into Starting Strength. It is a 3 day a week program with all compound movements and it has really helped me. Im not 100% sure if it would work with your schedule but if it is AT ALL possible I would recommend it (is there any way you would be able to work out Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday?). I would never normally recommend smith machine squats but if you have a hip issue preventing traditional squats maybe they would be better than nothing, imo! Im not a doctor though, I think you should do what you're capable of without injuring yourself. I just don't want you being held back from improving your body by leaving out a key exercise.

[WolfgangOsis]

I am scouring craigs list looking for heavier dumbbells on the cheap. I am definitely needing more weight for my bench and rows. The challenge is i dont have $100 to toss around right now for new gear. One thing I am doing to compensate and stress the muscle is going very slow on the concentric and it seems to be somewhat effective.

Again, I am cutting and I know I will have to regrettably join a gym when it is time for my lean bulk, which is getting very close I think, possibly mid to late November. I just hate going to the freaking gym to work out. I really love working out at home.

[fourdegrees]

Yeah working out at home is great. I managed to get the power block 90lb set for $300 at a moving sale. Once I move to a bigger space a power rack and Olympic set will come, but until then I have a good amount of progress on the table with 90s. If you're stuck with 50s you're really going to have to keep the workout tailored towards high reps and fast paced sets (sounds like you're doing that).