Best workout program for me?

[TirantLoBlanch]

Hello everyone

I can only hit gym twice a week at the moment

25 y.o., 188cm tall, 70kg, 14/16% fat.

A month ago, my trainer used to make me do two different "packs" of workout: shoulders, back and triceps one day, and legs, biceps and chest the other. 4 exercises per muscle group aprox. 6 series of 10 reps each one. 2h30' aprox each workout.

He usually used to organize the days this way: two days of one "pack", two days of the other, and so one. So I only used to hit one muscle group for four days a month.

Since 1th June I'm doing what I want at the gym because I get tired.
I'm doing a full body routine inspired by Steve Reeves routine twice a week. 3 sets of 8/12 reps each exercise. 2h30' aprox each workout too.

So the question is: Am I doing wrong? What should be the better workout for me?

Thank you in advance.

[FurtadoZ9]

Can you not decrease your time in the gym to 1 hour and up it to 3x a week?

[TirantLoBlanch]

Can you not decrease your time in the gym to 1 hour and up it to 3x a week?

Not yet, but next month I wish I can. But is what you intend to not do a full body routine and a 3day split instead?

[FurtadoZ9]

Not yet, but next month I wish I can. But is what you intend to not do a full body routine and a 3day split instead?

No it should be a full body either way. Everything should be hit twice a week.

I guess under the premise of strictly only twice a week with no time restrictions, I would do:

Workout A
Squat
Bench
Shoulder isolation
Rows / vertical work
GHR/Hypers or equivalent
Arm work

Workout B
Deadlift
Squat variation
Overhead press
Bench variation
Arm work

Squeeze in traps/calves/forearms as desired

[coachcalande]

I would do several groupings of exercises round robin style.

Bench
Squats
Rows


Db incline
Leg press
Lat pull

Shoulder press
Curls
Pushdowns

Leg extensions
Leg curls
Calves

[TirantLoBlanch]

No it should be a full body either way. Everything should be hit twice a week.

I guess under the premise of strictly only twice a week with no time restrictions, I would do:

Workout A
Squat
Bench
Shoulder isolation
Rows / vertical work
GHR/Hypers or equivalent
Arm work

Workout B
Deadlift
Squat variation
Overhead press
Bench variation
Arm work

Squeeze in traps/calves/forearms as desired

What about sets and reps?
Is there some alternative to deadlifts?

[TirantLoBlanch]

No it should be a full body either way. Everything should be hit twice a week.

I guess under the premise of strictly only twice a week with no time restrictions, I would do:

Workout A
Squat
Bench
Shoulder isolation
Rows / vertical work
GHR/Hypers or equivalent
Arm work

Workout B
Deadlift
Squat variation
Overhead press
Bench variation
Arm work

Squeeze in traps/calves/forearms as desired

Anyway, I'm going to try this:
- Upright row
- Shoulder Press with dumbells
- close grip bench Press
- lat machine
- dumbell row
- inclined biceps curls
- triceps pull downs
- squats
- calves elevations
- hyperextensions
I've calculated it's going to be 1h30' workout. Still long but shorter than what I already do.

Abs and neck in my home, not at gym, to make workouts shorter.

[air2fakie]

Anyway, I'm going to try this:
- Upright row
- Shoulder Press with dumbells
- close grip bench Press
- lat machine
- dumbell row
- inclined biceps curls
- triceps pull downs
- squats
- calves elevations
- hyperextensions
I've calculated it's going to be 1h30' workout. Still long but shorter than what I already do.

Abs and neck in my home, not at gym, to make workouts shorter.

You don't have find the "best", anything sensible in terms of sensible exercises, volume & intensity for yourself will likely yield somewhat similar results at this stage.

What you list as your plan doesn't look good IMO for a 2x/week workout or in general, but good luck!

[TirantLoBlanch]

You don't have find the "best", anything sensible in terms of sensible exercises, volume & intensity for yourself will likely yield somewhat similar results at this stage.

What you list as your plan doesn't look good IMO for a 2x/week workout or in general, but good luck!

Why exactly?

[TolerantLactose]

Why exactly?

If you're limited for time/days, your isolations should be scrapped. The exercise order you have is bizarre.

[TirantLoBlanch]

If you're limited for time/days, your isolations should be scrapped. The exercise order you have is bizarre.

Okey, let's say I try the workout you've reccomended to me. Is it possible to do deadlift with dumbells? I mean, I've never done deadlifts before and I'm afraid of doing a bad form and looking ridicolous. And... What do you intend with "arm workout"? One exercise or maybe more?

Correction:
The workout I've read in the tread was reccomended by another account, not you, but is this one:

Workout A
Squat
Bench
Shoulder isolation
Rows / vertical work
GHR/Hypers or equivalent
Arm work

Workout B
Deadlift
Squat variation
Overhead press
Bench variation
Arm work

[TirantLoBlanch]

I would do several groupings of exercises round robin style.

Bench
Squats
Rows


Db incline
Leg press
Lat pull

Shoulder press
Curls
Pushdowns

Leg extensions
Leg curls
Calves

But, this exercises in each workout in this order?

[coachcalande]

But, this exercises in each workout in this order?

Spend 15 min working each bundle. You’ll be gassed.

[air2fakie]

Is it possible to do deadlift with dumbells? I mean, I've never done deadlifts before and I'm afraid of doing a bad form and looking ridicolous.

It's possible but I don't think you're solving problems with bad form or looking ridiculous by using dbs, you may actually add to them.

[TAWS6]

How strong are you to be in the gym that long ? No human needs more than an hour to an hour and a half in the weight room.

[TirantLoBlanch]

Spend 15 min working each bundle. You’ll be gassed.

Yeah, but I didn't understand. One bundle per day or how is it?

[coachcalande]

Yeah, but I didn't understand. One bundle per day or how is it?

No, do all of them twice a week. Full body.

[TirantLoBlanch]

No, do all of them twice a week. Full body.

So all of them in one single workout? Which order?

[coachcalande]

So all of them in one single workout? Which order?

Look at bundle one…it has bench, squat, row….all big basic moments…spend most of your time here…at least 15 min, round and round you go benching, squatting, rowing….when you have had enough, move to the second bundle….then when you have had enough…on to the third bundle…finish all of the bundles….gradually build up the length of your workout as tolerated.

It’s designed in the order you should do them…big basics first, finish with the smaller stuff…twice a week. Had a kid reach 1200 pound club doing this.

[VitoBurrito]

Def continue full body so you can hit each muscle group 2x per week

If you have 2h30m to workout, then I would do something like:


DB Incline Bench
DB Flat bench

Shoulder Press variation
Lateral Raise variation

Long-head tricep exercise (overhead extension, skullcrushers, etc)
Long-head bicep exercise (incline curl, faceaway curl, etc) superset with short-head bicep exercise (db curl, preacher curl, etc) OR do chin-ups later on

Lat Pulldowns
Chest-Supported Rows

Squat or Hack Squat
RDL or SLDL variation
Leg extensions
Leg curls


Gonna give you pretty even development and you should be able to finish in 2h30m assuming you do 3-4 sets with low rest time

[FurtadoZ9]

What about sets and reps?
Is there some alternative to deadlifts?

Depends what you are training for and your fitness goals. I would do ~4 sets of 5-10 for the first couple (bigger) exercises, and maybe ~3 sets of 8-15 for the latter (smaller) exercises. The key is to add weight / reps every week and choose a starting weight that is somewhat challenging.

You don't need to do a ton of exercises at this point, higher volume comes more into play at the intermediate level. Unless if you have endurance based goals or if you simply enjoy the gym as personal time, strength/size goals should be addressed with low-moderate volume and progressive overload of some type (weight, reps, etc.).