Am I doing it right?

[deankenny21]

So I started lifting weights back around Late September 2019, I am 34 years old, 171cm tall, and at the time weighed around 12st8. I wanted to workout out 5 days a week mon-fri as my work allows me to train every weekday. So I started doing a split routine, Chest and Back on Monday, Legs and Shoulders on Tuesday and so on. Fast forward to December 31st, and I now weight around 12st2 and my body/muscles has somewhat become more toned.
However upon further research during the Xmas break, I found out more is not always better, for example doing 5 days in a row never really gives enough recovery time for the muscles to repair which as we know is when they grow, even if i do hit different parts on the Tuesday, muscles used on monday will still be used as 3rd party muscles. So what I have done is gone from the 5 day split to a 3 day (mon-tue-wed) full body routine. However now I am worried as I am in my 2nd week of this new routine, and I don't get near anywhere as much soreness or pump as I felt before, also it doesn't feel as strenuous either, even though I do 7-8 different excercises per session ranging from 2-4 sets and 10-15 reps. So here I am looking for some advice, below I listed my new routine, is this a routine of which I will see some good changes and progress within my body, or is there anything you guys/gals might suggest?

Monday
Bench Press 3 sets x 5-8 reps
Lat Pulldown 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Squat 3 sets x 5-8 reps
Leg Curl 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 2 sets x 5-8 reps
Incline Curl 2 sets x 10-15 reps
Triceps Pressdown 2 sets x 10-15 reps


Wednesday
Incline Dumbbell Press 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Seated Cable Row 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Leg Press 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Romanian Deadlift 3 sets x 10-15 reps
Lateral Raise 2 sets x 15-20 reps
Dumbbell Hammer Curl 2 sets x 10-15 reps
Overhead Triceps Extension 2 sets x 10-15 reps

Friday
Cable Crossover 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Dumbbell Row 3 sets x 5-8 reps
Leg Extension 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Leg Curl 3 sets x 15-20 reps
Bent Over Lateral Raise 2 sets x 10-15 reps
Preacher Curl 2 sets x 10-15 reps
Lying Triceps Extension 2 sets x 10-15 reps

[paulinkansas]

Are you getting enough protein and rest?

[deankenny21]

Are you getting enough protein and rest?

Yes, I consume around 100-160g of protein per day, more on workout days most the time, sleep from around midnight to 7am each day also.

[paulinkansas]

Yes, I consume around 100-160g of protein per day, more on workout days most the time, sleep from around midnight to 7am each day also.

Protein seems acceptable, but a little more couldn't hurt. Same thing with sleep, a little more couldn't hurt.

Do you take a multivitamin? Excessive fapping or other wasted energy?

[deankenny21]

Protein seems acceptable, but a little more couldn't hurt. Same thing with sleep, a little more couldn't hurt.

Do you take a multivitamin? Excessive fapping or other wasted energy?

To start off with did you take a look at the 3 day routine I posted, does that seem ok?
I don't take vitamins in the form of tablets, but I eat quite alot of red meat (mince) and wheat.

[paulinkansas]

To start off with did you take a look at the 3 day routine I posted, does that seem ok?
I don't take vitamins in the form of tablets, but I eat quite alot of red meat (mince) and wheat.

That does seem like a decent full body routine. 3 different exercises for each body part over 3 different days.

Here is a question. What is the total amount lifted in one week with this routine vs. your previous 5 day routine? Weight of each exercise times the total number of reps. Say you did 3 sets of 10 of 200lbs on bench, the total weight would be 6000 lbs. Now add this up for all your lifts.

Compare how much you are lifting in the 3 day routine vs the 5 day routine in one week and report back.

[deankenny21]

That does seem like a decent full body routine. 3 different exercises for each body part over 3 different days.

Here is a question. What is the total amount lifted in one week with this routine vs. your previous 5 day routine? Weight of each exercise times the total number of reps. Say you did 3 sets of 10 of 200lbs on bench, the total weight would be 6000 lbs. Now add this up for all your lifts.

Compare how much you are lifting in the 3 day routine vs the 5 day routine in one week and report back.

This is what I was doing before, but instead of mon then wed, i did mon and tues and weds etc. Ended up doing the Saturday workout on the friday and getting it all done on the weekdays.

Can't post links, but it's from coachmag and it's called "Your Four Week workout plan to build muscle"

[paulinkansas]

This is what I was doing before, but instead of mon then wed, i did mon and tues and weds etc.

Ahh, there is a problem. Doing a full body workout 3 days in a row. Your body really needs one day off after a full body workout.

[deankenny21]

Ahh, there is a problem. Doing a full body workout 3 days in a row. Your body really needs one day off after a full body workout.

No, the other workout I was doing every weekday was not full body, I'd post the link but I can't google it. It should come up.

[paulinkansas]

Have you had a de-load since you started lifting? Sometimes your body needs a break from lifting to fully recover.

[deankenny21]

Have you had a de-load since you started lifting? Sometimes your body needs a break from lifting to fully recover.

Yes I had a good week, little over a week off completely over Xmas period.

[ElrondHubbard]

To start off with did you take a look at the 3 day routine I posted, does that seem ok?
I don't take vitamins in the form of tablets, but I eat quite alot of red meat (mince) and wheat.

What I think I'm reading is that you've changed routines, and the new one is feeling too light and easy for you.

If that's the case, that's fine for now. You've done the equvilant of a deload. It should feel easy at first. If you've programmed in enough progressive overload, then by week 4 it should be feeling at least as hard as your old program, and then become more challenging beyond that.

I assume that you're increasing weight/sets/reps at least weekly, right?

[deankenny21]

What I think I'm reading is that you've changed routines, and the new one is feeling too light and easy for you.

If that's the case, that's fine for now. You've done the equvilant of a deload. It should feel easy at first. If you've programmed in enough progressive overload, then by week 4 it should be feeling at least as hard as your old program, and then become more challenging beyond that.

I assume that you're increasing weight/sets/reps at least weekly, right?

Sounds right, I might add a set to a couple excercises if I don't feel exerted enough, 4 sets instead of 3 for say lat pulldown or something else, would that mess up the program, or is the program I found just like a template to be used and customised to each person

[ElrondHubbard]

Sounds right, I might add a set to a couple excercises if I don't feel exerted enough, 4 sets instead of 3 for say lat pulldown or something else, would that mess up the program, or is the program I found just like a template to be used and customised to each person

All programs are essentially templates, and yes, they can all be customized to fit an individual's needs. In fact, if you receive a program from a trainer or download one from an online source, it is almost certainly merely a modified form of a previously existing template.

It's not normally recommended for an inexperienced lifter to make those changes, though, because he probably lacks the background knowledge and insights, both about the program and his own personal abilities and tendencies with regard to discovering what is optimal for himself.

In your case, adding another set to an exercise as your capacity builds may very well be a reasonable course of action, but I wouldn't recommend it without knowing the actual theory of operation of the program you're on. It's more likely that when you have maxed out the number of reps at a particular weight in your program, the next step is to increase the weight rather than add a set.

Until you're familiar with the program's theory, and your own response to training, I'd recommend that you stick with a program as written. If you do that, and it doesn't work, you'll know it soon enough.