# Advice on how to improve my routine



## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Hey I'm 17 i am 5,9 and weigh 11 stone, I have only been training 8 months (The first 4 i wouldn't call training) and I've definitely made gains in size over the past 4 months compared to how I was before.

I've been on protein for about 3 month now and have been training harder than before, oh and i train from home except on fridays so i am limited to a bench, bar, weights, db's, swiss ball, punchbag.

My sessions will only last half an hour, I don't know if this is enough but heres my week planned out.

Monday - Chest / Triceps

*PROTEIN BEFORE*

Bench - 3 Sets of 10

Dumbbell Flys - 3 Sets of 10

Weighted Dips - 3 Sets of 10

Incline Bench - 3 sets of 10

DB Overhead Lowers - 3 sets of 10

(Optional) DB kickbacks depending on whether I'm too tired.

*PROTEIN AFTER*

Tuesday - Shoulders

Shoulder Press - 3 Sets of 10

Arnel Press - 3 Sets of 10

DB Lateral Raises - 3 Sets of 10

Shrugs - 3 sets of 10

*PROTEIN AFTER*

Wednesday

Rest / Boxing Cardio

Thursday - Legs / Abs

Squats - 3 sets of 10

Weighted calf raises - 3 sets of 10

Lunges - 3 sets of 10

Weighted crunch (Swiss Ball)

Leg Raises 3 sets of 12

*PROTEIN AFTER*

Friday - Back / Biceps

Morning Session

DB Curls - 3 sets of 10

Barbell Curs - 3 sets of 10

DB Hammers - 3 sets of 10

40min Treadmill

*PROTEIN AFTER*

Evening Session

Deadlifts - 3 sets of 10

Overhand grip pull ups - 3 seats of 10

*PROTEIN AFTER*

So if I could get any advice on how I can improve then please let me know!


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## cocobench (Feb 22, 2009)

give it time mate, rome wasent built in a day... stick to basics and see how your body reacts... keep switching your trainig days up and eat eat eat.... remmeber 1g-1.5g per lb of body weight.. so if you weigh 150lb thats 150grams of protein a day to build any kind of muscle.


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Yeah I find diet the hardest this as with me having college its hard to eat right on my budget however i try to find the product with the highest protein with the least fat I can however most of my meals at home will contain 1 or 2 chicken breasts. I have gained 1.5 stone in 5 months probably not all muscle haha! I've been eating loads because I used to be really skinny and have never been able to put on weight but I'm seem to be gaining it well when I eat a lot. So I'm just trying to optimise my routine.


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## freddee (Mar 2, 2009)

Eating well on a budget can be a problem so you have to make the most of the little you have, oats are obviously cheap, as are bananas, I buy Asda's own musili foe about 70p you get oats raisins and nuts, and thats a good complex carb snack, eggs 15 for £1.50 you have to be a clever shopper alright, just one point you could add some simple carbs to your PWO shake glucose powder from Superdrug is cheap, if you have a bedtime shake, and you should certainly have a supper!! add some extra vigin olive oil.

Ho ye dump the tricep kick backs....


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## swifty99 (Jan 1, 2009)

fs7 look it up its worked for me


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

what or where did you get the idea to train 2x in a day matey?

currently i`d say youre abusing your rest factor.

lol i thought wednesday was a rest day until i looked again..

youve actually put REST/BOXING!

going by info provided its seems like routine is like a a cardio session(if it only takes 30 mins), specially on chest day.

compound followed by isolation followed by compound compound

how you do flyes and then do justice to dips and incline bench i`d love to know...

have a look here and see what you think...

http://www.musclechat.co.uk/beginners-area/29549-basic-full-body-workout.html

i dont think you need to go back to full body, but i do think a couple of weeks off might do you some good and then think about a routine with less days in it...


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ok so more rest? And the first half on fri is before I go to colllge, only time I can get to a gym and 2nd half is at home, I feel like I've let myself down if I rest as it really doesn't feel as though it affects me even an hour after a workout, cheers for the advice guys


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Oh and by the way I mix up the orders of excercises each time, is there a certain order I should do them in?

Also are you saying I should do

deads-alternated with squats each workout.

bench press

close grip pulldowns

calf raises

military press

bicep curls

crunches

triceps pushdowns.

3 sets of 10 on each keeping same weight 3 times a week?


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

> I feel like I've let myself down if I rest


sort this out attitude out.

yeah same exercise order always (imo)


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ok well because I train at home what can I do instead of close grip pulldowns and tricep pushdowns? I have bench, bar, DBs, swiss bass and pull up bar.

Also with regards to protein is a pre and post workout shake enough as I don't have much money to have shakes all of the time, also how much glucose powder do you add to a shake?

Thanks for help, before posting here I had no idea I was not getting enough rest!


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

lol soz for being so snippy...

i used to be just the same..

it just gets a bit endless at times...

i`ll try n post some postive suggestions a bit later


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

No worries mate I have seen a couple of topics on here with people being told they need more rest, just didnt think I was one of them. I tried this full body workout after a weekend of rest, bloody knackaring though think ill need the rest!

Is a one-arm tricep extension an ok substitute for the tricep pushdowns and barbell bent over rows for the close grip pulldowns? Its just i dont have any equipment to perform these at home.

Thanks for everyones help so far it has really been of use to me, also how many weeks of this workout before a week out?

Cheers, Ash


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

a one arm tricep extension is a poor mass builder.

i always try to use the biggest exercises...and stick with dips(weighted?)close grip bench usually with db`s tho, just my preference.

bent over bb rows are fine but what about getting a chinning bar?

i relied on chins for years cos of back probs...

ive also always trained from home..

i`d suggest either starting from scratch and doing a full body which seems harsh(but still worthwhile)but why not try the 3 days split scans doing which is posted on the end of the full body routine link i posted earlier..

i`m doing a simialar frequency as scan(training every third day)but have trained every 4th day for years...

always assume youre not a genetic freak bud lol...

you`ll save time by doing the boring bits first cos not many can gain by jumping into advanced stuff first..

trouble is advanced stuff is often touted as the norm and way to go...


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ok thanks a lot, recently invested in chinning bar so will incorperate this into my next workout, chins are gruelling which I like, I'm refining my diet as much as I can after reading alot of posts on here and I am wanting to get the workout right.

Mon / Wed / Fri

Deadlifts / Squats alternating

Bench press

Chin bar / Barbell Row

Calf raises

Military press

Bicep curls

Crunches (Swiss Ball)

Close grip bench / Weighted dips

does this volume and order seem ok? Also should i do 3 sets of each keeping

same weight or do 2 warmup and 1 to failure? Also how can I do the calf raises at home?

Thanks for all of your help.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

orders good.

you might be able to do that 3x a week at first but you will have to change to every 3rd day when weight builds up.

warm up sets when necessary, but these will be minimal after youre deads and squats.(warm up thouraghly for these)

3 working sets all same weight.

first set hard

second harder

3rd v fcuking hard....

so you only get positive failure on last set.

i`m skint too so i rely on a protein powder from a bulk supplier, tuna and skimmed milk for my main protein sources(i`d use an extreme powder if i had the cash as it s a good quality whey and mid range price)

i use oats and nanas for carb sources in my home made mass shakes. amongst other things.

a diet doesnt have to calculated to the last calorie and gram.

if it is i guess you`ll make better progress, but if youre not already gaining on a simple diet which is clean, high in protein,enuff carbs to lose or gain and a modicum of fat it`llm ake absolutely no fcuking difference whatsoever...

again the threads on here asking for a diet critique when its obvious its their training factor at fault...

best advice i can give you is to not scrutinize everything too much.

rather than looking at factors under a microscope take a massive step back and look at big picture.

am i well rested?

or do i need to change my protein powder to something that promises it all?

do ya feel me playa? :becky:


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Yeah I'm by no means on a calculated diet I just try to eat well on my budget and if I fancy something that maybe is 'not so good for me' then I'll have it every now and again because I would not be happy just downing the same food all day, I love chicken and tuna my two favourite foods so I suppose that's lucky with tuna being what I have at colleg and chicken being the base of almost all of y evening meals.

As for my protein I currently have 2.5kg of MP whey which is cheap and tastes great so I can't argue with that, I usually have a pre and post shake would you reccomend adding the oats to both or only one?

Really I just want to say thank you very much for all of your help I really apprecite it!


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

i add oats to all shakes..

i guess your sposed to add sommat with a hi GI post workout but as i always stick a nana in too..its good enuff for me...

BLASPHEMER! scream the diet junkies :becky:

but methinks getting something sugary in post workout also would not be a prob for most lol

personally i crave fat and savoury carbs post workout.

no probs matey, nice change to have someone whose prepared to take on board what i`m sayiing...

i dont tend to tell people what they wanna hear....

i actually have sympathy rep points saying exactly that lol

please consuder buying 4x 0.5kg weight plates.

these with 1.25kg plates and 2.5kg plates will give you every increment you need weight wise.

when weights get hard i want you to only add 1kg a week to exercises.

it will happen on some exercises before others.

you cant just man up and lift extra weight expidentially..which is a common misconception.

but if you rest up and eat like ive said(and you appear too)and be prepared to kick youre ego up the aRse and use 1kg increments and cycle the poundages ie 2 steps forward weightwise 1 step back and so on..you can go along way..

wrote this ages ago..

the key for muscle growth for me is constant weight progression, but done in training cycles.cyles can be for 4 weeks or a year, but more usually 3 or 4 month blocks.

you can use this cycling to break thru plateaus also-

if for example your bench is 50 kg`s and you`ve been unable to do more for several weeks and your diet is spot on and youre getting 8 hours sleep a nite-

drop back your weight to 46kg`s,spend a month adding 1kg a week till you have reached your old PB of 50kgs-the difference is you will have some gaining momentum-your body adapting to the slight increase each week.

now add 0.5kg(or 1lb) a week - if youre sufficiently rested from the previous workout you should get 50.5kg and the next 51kg -then when you can increase the weight no more-make the increment even less - 1lb or 0.25kg a week-

when you can increase no more-cycle is over.

you can then take a week off and start again or carry on by dropping back on the weight again-for example-if your weight peaked at 58kg-you would drop back to 54kgs(4kgs over your last pb)and start again adding akilo a week till you hit your pb and drop the increase to 1lb a week...........


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ah ok then, when you say oats is that just like the cheapo asda porridge oats? Ad thanks for that cycle information, does the same weight increment apply to all excercises or just bench? Currently I can do a set of 10 at 70kg at a gym but now I don't go and the max I gan fit on my bench at home is 60 so I really find it hard to up my bench however I still find it exhausts me and I am trying to save for some heavier weights to put on. I usualy use 13kg dumbell. Should these increase less than the bench with them being a smaller weight?

Thanks again for your advice


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

oats is oats..

well as you dont have a pb to go by yet..

keep adding weight till you fail on 10 or more hopefully the week before you fail and then drop the increment to 1kg.

for now if you can do more than 10 do so, but try and keep reps for sets the same...maybe do 3x11 or 12 then drop.

inevtibaly your sets may look like this

12 11 11

11 11 10

11 10 10

if ya get me.

when youre at 10 10 10 gimme a shout...

or continue till you hit 8 8 8 then or even 6 6 6

you could do this by adding 2.5kg a week or less its up to you..but 6 6 6 is what i really liked especially as its easier to continue to add 1kg to 6 reps than it is 10.

you mustnt simply sacrifice weight for reps tho..6 6 6 should not a copout..

i prefer db`s these days as they allow more balance in my physque due to some imbalances i cause over the years with a BB and a dominant pushing side.

but db`s are harder to add weigth to unless you have 1/4kg weights..

altho with an angle grinder...viola...


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ah ok well I'm currently looking to buy some new 10kg or 15kg weights for my bench at home I can fit 70 on but it's a bit of a squeeze, I will just keep using the 60 for now until I can get some more weight. When I first started I could only do 50kg for 5 so is 70 for 10 a reasonable improvement? I will have to see how much I can lift by getting to a gym with some mates sometime, So is the glucose powder someone mentioned earlier in this thread a good idea to add tonpost workout shake? thanks for all of your help really I've got a good feeling about this new routine


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

course its good progress...

forget all these internet poundages you read about on here...

read hit em hards journal if you wanna know about rose tinted spectacles weight lifting...

theres a weider bench they used to do in argos which was 40 quid and higher rated than any of the other cheaper benches in there-to 19 stone i think..

theres absolutely nothing wrong doing 15 reps sets and adding weight either which you bench would accommodate but increments would be harder.

2 decorating trestles could be used as safety s if you could get some cheap.(either side of bench)

err glucose, yeah its a good idea.

glucose is just normal sugar init lol?

should know and can tbe aRsed to google.


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ah ok and yeah think I might have to look into the safety thing if I up the weights, I just thoughT the powder would be quicker to digest with it being powder and not grains? Not too sure myself will have to look into it.

So would you say up the reps every week instead of adding weight until I can get some?

Cheers


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

yes you could add reps, more because you may still be underlifting, but if you do plataeu before you buy more weights simply take 10 seconds of your inbetween sets time each week...

i usually have long breaks in between sets of up to 5 mins btw(dependent on exercise)

actually changing the rest period is an even more exact way of creating a minimal progression than with weights.


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ok well I usually have about 2 mins rest so how much would you reccomend cutting each week?


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

youll have to use youre own and skill and judgement for that..

10 secs was my suggestion, but i dont take 2 mins rest...

in fact you aint at the stage of cutting rest times yet.

keep adding weight and increase rest periods initially...

it`ll alllow more reps/pounds..


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

actually i dont think 2 mins is enuff if youre new to training.

i also think being in a public gym promotes this..

(ie ohh musnt stand around recovering peeps are watching lol)


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Ah ok so how much would you reccomend? Haven't really timed rests that much I usually jut do next set whenni feel like I can lol and yeah I deffo feel like that when I go tonpiblic gyms lol


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

i felty like that the one time i went to a public gym recently, but after a while thought fcuk it and watched [email protected] doing another set delt raises well before ready.

well like i said ad=fter squats n big stuff usually 5 mins..bit less with others..

i`d like to be more definitive, but it all down to how much rest you need to complete the next set assuming its the same weight being lifted.

tbh maybe i shouldnt have said it as youre limited with the weights youre using and hence why i suggested taking abit less time inbetween sets and reducing it each week..

i guess when you plateau you could then allow more time in between sets to go past plateau.

you see this is why thinking too much is bad lol.

make it numero uno proirity to get more weights and haeavier duty bench.

this is when i usually say weights are more important to buy than a protein powder, but youre skint already lol


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Lol yeah well I'm thinking I'm going to sell some games consoles and other electonics i don't use anymore to try and get some cash, and i'm always checking the free ads for cheap weights so really that's what I'm going to try and do from now on, until then I will have to try and make do with what ive got, it's worked so far. Thanks for the advice on the routine I'm really liking doing whole body rather than isolating certain muscles to certain days and it seems to deffonatley push me more


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

jolly good..

always try n think to yourself-whats the common sense answer 

most probs can be solved like this if youre honest with yourself


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## Ash-k (Mar 15, 2010)

Cheers mate I'll get back to you in a few month with any progress


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