Feedback on my first gym routine please

[muscrester]

I am looking to gain muscle and lose a little bit of fat. I know doing both concurrently isn't ideal and takes more time, but I'm not looking for quick results, just something that sticking with (and increasing weight) will always keep me moving in the right direction. Before, I have simply jogged and done some home workouts with light dumbbells. However, I want to swim rather than run (dodgy left knee, plus nicer in winter) and have access to heavier weights so have joined a gym.

I would like feedback on my Full-Body Workout plan, that I will do Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (~45mins)
On Tuesdays and Thursday I will do 30mins swimming for cardio.

For my workout, I will do one exercise (3 sets of 10 reps) from each and every muscle group below:
Chest: Bench Press, Pec Deck
Shoulders: Dumbbell Press, Upright Barbell Row
Biceps: Alternate Dumbbell Curls, Barbell Curls
Triceps: Skullcrushers, Tricep Pushdowns
Back: Bent Over Rows, Seated Cable Rows
Abs: Weighted sit-ups, Hanging leg raises
Upper Legs: Barbell Squats, Leg Press
Calves: Calf Raises

Any constructive feedback appreciated, including which exercises should be my primary ones, any replacements, and whether my overall strategy is sound.
Thanks all!

[TolerantLactose]

Glutes, hamstrings?

[air2fakie]

Neck, forearms?

[Amelii]

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[paulinkansas]

Do you have access to a friendly medium to large sized dog?

[muscrester]

Glutes, hamstrings?

They're covered in squats and leg press I believe?

[muscrester]

Neck, forearms?

Not too fussed on those groups, perhaps forearms on occasion. What would you advise?

Also more looking for advice as to whether this set up will work to gain muscle and lose fat over the long-term

[air2fakie]

Not too fussed on those groups, perhaps forearms on occasion. What would you advise?

Also more looking for advice as to whether this set up will work to gain muscle and lose fat over the long-term

Tbh I have no idea what your actual weekly 3 day, 45 minute per workout program is going to look like based on your general guidelines. Kinda seems like you’ve never actually worked out before.

For my workout, I will do one exercise (3 sets of 10 reps) from each and every muscle group below

[asrl78]

They're covered in squats and leg press I believe?

I think you should have a hip hinge movement in there, e.g. some variety of deadlift. Also a vertical pulling exercise such as lat pulldown or pull-ups.

[muscrester]

Tbh I have no idea what your actual weekly 3 day, 45 minute per workout program is going to look like based on your general guidelines. Kinda seems like you’ve never actually worked out before.

What further information would make it clearer? And no, I have never worked out in a gym before, but have done home workouts.

[air2fakie]

What further information would make it clearer? And no, I have never worked out in a gym before, but have done home workouts.

It's somewhat clear in a general sense, but you're asking for specific & general feedback while already locking yourself in to specific exercises, specific volume per workout & week, a specific set & rep range for all exercises, and a specific time limit for each workout. It just seems you've made arbitrary decisions already for no reason and without ever having worked out - not sure why you're designing a program in this way or at all.

45 mins for what looks like 24 sets per workout under your guidelines is silly IMO. I suggest you just run a proper novice program, but do whatever you feel will work best for you.

[muscrester]

I think you should have a hip hinge movement in there, e.g. some variety of deadlift. Also a vertical pulling exercise such as lat pulldown or pull-ups.

Thanks for some actual advice! And I forgot to say, I warm-up with a bent leg deadlift, so hit the hip hinge there I guess

[muscrester]

It's somewhat clear in a general sense, but you're asking for specific & general feedback while already locking yourself in to specific exercises, specific volume per workout & week, a specific set & rep range for all exercises, and a specific time limit for each workout. It just seems you've made arbitrary decisions already for no reason and without ever having worked out - not sure why you're designing a program in this way or at all.

45 mins for what looks like 24 sets per workout under your guidelines is silly IMO. I suggest you just run a proper novice program, but do whatever you feel will work best for you.

Well, I spoke to the gym instructor who did my induction. And they recommended a full-body workout rather than split workouts. Then I found an article here on bodybuilding.com which ran through the best exercises to do for each of the main muscle groups for a full-body workout. So, I picked two options for each of them. The gym instructor was also the person who recommended I do 3x10 reps for each exercise. - so I was hoping this wasn't arbitrary and was based on people/sites which knew somewhat of what they were talking?

[air2fakie]

Well, I spoke to the gym instructor who did my induction. And they recommended a full-body workout rather than split workouts. Then I found an article here on bodybuilding.com which ran through the best exercises to do for each of the main muscle groups for a full-body workout. So, I picked two options for each of them. The gym instructor was also the person who recommended I do 3x10 reps for each exercise. - so I was hoping this wasn't arbitrary and was based on people/sites which knew somewhat of what they were talking?

If you feel the logic is sound, try it and see.

That's the best way for you to figure out for yourself if it's well-balanced, if 10 reps for every single exercise is appropriate, if this is a suitable amount of volume per workout and per week for you, and if 45 mins is a good time limit in which to finish 24 sets at any productive level of intensity. Good luck!

[EliKoehn]

Glutes, hamstrings?

Neck, forearms?

Now I wonder what exercise might check all of these boxes in one fell swoop...?

[FurtadoZ9]

Well, I spoke to the gym instructor who did my induction. And they recommended a full-body workout rather than split workouts. Then I found an article here on bodybuilding.com which ran through the best exercises to do for each of the main muscle groups for a full-body workout. So, I picked two options for each of them. The gym instructor was also the person who recommended I do 3x10 reps for each exercise. - so I was hoping this wasn't arbitrary and was based on people/sites which knew somewhat of what they were talking?

They are correct, full body is far superior to splits as a beginner.

Sets of 10 can be a happy medium. There's a popular beginner routine in the sticky called "All Pro's Beginner Routine." The premise is starting with sets of 8 and each week add 1 rep until you reach 12 reps. At that point you would increase the weight and restart at 8 reps. However, the idea behind the rep range in that routine is to keep it simple, and apply it to all lifts between squats, and calf raises.

I'd recommend following a Starting Strength or Fierce 5 template (sticky in the forum). It's the same template of 3 non consecutive days, but it puts a focus on progressive overload via adding weight to the bar every week.

That approach is how you build a foundation that translates very well to all other forms of fitness.

[asrl78]

Well, I spoke to the gym instructor who did my induction. And they recommended a full-body workout rather than split workouts. Then I found an article here on bodybuilding.com which ran through the best exercises to do for each of the main muscle groups for a full-body workout. So, I picked two options for each of them. The gym instructor was also the person who recommended I do 3x10 reps for each exercise. - so I was hoping this wasn't arbitrary and was based on people/sites which knew somewhat of what they were talking?

3x10 is a standard rep/set method trotted about. It will work for a time as long as you have a progression method in place. There is another method known as the rep goal system, where you choose the number of sets (e.g. 3), choose the total number of reps to aim for accumulated over those three sets (e.g. 30), and on each set you do as many quality reps as possible, stopping when you feel you can't do another rep with good form. If you reach the rep goal after the third set, add 5lbs to the bar next time. This is a double progression method as you are trying to either increase weight or increase number of reps each workout, and it tells you when to increase the weight. It also means you are pushing yourself on every set so you maximise muscle fibre recruitment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3K3yvyfcGw

I have just noticed you intend to do eight exercises in a 45 minute workout. When I do a full body workout with six exercises, it takes me an hour and 15 minutes to get through it (including warmup sets), so I think 45 minutes is over-optimistic. Allow at least an hour for the workout.

[muscrester]

Thanks asrl78 and FurtadoZ9!

I like those ideas for progression and I'll check out those routine/video links for them. As for the timing, I'm probably getting through it fast atm, as I'm still testing out what my current weight limit is on some exercises, so I'm not fully exhausting myself on them