Hired a trainer and got this program - All opinions welcome!

[2old4dis]

Hi everyone,

I hurt myself a couple months back while doing a back squat (was on the starting strength program for a month). Definitely messed up the form, and overall I do have a pretty weak back. Decided I needed to do things differently. I hired a trainer, so he could help learn proper form, control if I was doing things right or not, and possibly get a program tailored to my needs.

The brief was basically: I'm tired of being so weak especially the bad back, so I'd like to build some muscle, I don't need motivation just guidance about once a week I'll do the rest myself, I'm in it for the long term, and didn't say anything about hypertrophy, aesthetics considerations... Just have me do things right to get stronger, but I want to be careful, I'm 40 and feel like right now I'm way too fragile to do specific strength training. And if it matters, I'm 6.1 for 172 lbs, I'm just out of shape, and have never been very athletic to begin with.

He gave me this 3 days/week split program (4x10, not including warmup sets, 1mn rest periods):
- Monday and Friday : barbell strict military press, dumbbell overhead press, deadlift, barbell benchpress, dumbbell benchpress, seated rows, lat pulldowns, dumbbell bent over one arm rows
- Wednesday : barbell squats, leg press, leg extensions, seated leg curls, hip adductors, hip abductors, dumbbell lunges

As a beginner I feel that pretty much anything is going to be much better than nothing, but I do also have this feeling that he's kind of winging it when it comes to the program itself ?
Very curious to know what other people think.

[air2fakie]

possibly get a program tailored to my needs.

You don't have any special needs different from any other beginner.

As a beginner I feel that pretty much anything is going to be much better than nothing

True.

he's kind of winging it when it comes to the program itself ?

Also true.

[Payton1221]

Looks like a lot of overlap and hence volume. I think you'd progress just as well with 2x10 for each of those exercises. You'll be in and out of the gym in 1/3rd less time (you still have to warm-up), and you're probably a lot more likely to stick with it since it'll suck less.

My $0.02.

[2old4dis]

Thanks! My "needs" meant a program that lowers the risk of injuring my back while still letting me improve and see progress.

[2old4dis]

Looks like a lot of overlap and hence volume. I think you'd progress just as well with 2x10 for each of those exercises. You'll be in and out of the gym in 1/3rd less time (you still have to warm-up), and you're probably a lot more likely to stick with it since it'll suck less.

My $0.02.

What's the reasoning behind cutting the volume in half and getting the same results ? (I mean beyond just the practical and motivational aspects).

[air2fakie]

Thanks! My "needs" meant a program that lowers the risk of injuring my back while still letting me improve and see progress.

Being untrained is why you have a weak back, and trying to work around it is why you will continue to have a weak back. This will affect your progress overall.