I'm new, could anyone help me?

[rileymartin]

Hi, I'm a little lost/confused on the right methods in lifting and schedule, increasing/decreasing poundages, increasing/decreasing reps/sets, lifting to failure on each set or not etc.

I read some articles on routines and bulking and increasing strength and they were very informative but I'm still confused and I'm sure I'm making some mistakes. Also, I've only been lifting for a little over one month so I didn't think the advanced stuff applied to me since I'm a beginner. I was hoping I could get some input on what I might be doing right and what I'm doing wrong and what I should change.

Here is my routine:

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders Triceps
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Biceps & Back
Day 4: Rest
Then back to day 1 and repeat.

Here are some sample workouts:

Chest, shoulders, triceps:
*******************
BENCH PRESS - Sometimes I do four sets
-------------
225lbs. - 6 reps
200lbs. - 8 reps
185lbs. - 8 reps

INCLINE BENCH PRESS - Sometimes I do four sets
---------------------
135lbs. - 9 reps
135lbs. - 6 reps
100lbs. - 12 reps

MILITARY PRESS
----------------
100lbs. - 8 reps
100lbs. - 7 reps
85lbs. - 10 reps

DUMBELL LAT RAISES
--------------------
10lbs. - 12 reps
10lbs. - 10 reps
10lbs. - 11 reps

BENT OVER DUMBELL LAT RAISES
--------------------------------
5lbs. - 16 reps
5lbs. - 16 reps

DUMBELL SHOULDER SHRUGS
---------------------------
25lbs. - 30 reps
25lbs. - 25 reps

LEGS
****
SQUATS
--------
185lbs. - 10 reps
185lbs. - 10 reps
185lbs. - 10 reps

LEG EXTENSIONS
----------------
25lbs. - 10 reps
25lbs. - 12 reps
25lbs. - 10 reps

LYING LEG CURLS
----------------
25lbs. - 20 reps
35lbs. - 16 reps
45lbs. - 12 reps


Biceps & Back
**********
BARBELL CURLS
---------------
75lbs. - 12 reps
95lbs. - 2 reps
85lbs. - 5 reps
75lbs. - 7 reps

DUMBELL CURLS
---------------
25lbs. - 10 reps
25lbs. - 10 reps

DUMBELL HAMMER CURLS
------------------------
25lbs. - 12 reps
25lbs. - 8 reps

LAT PULLDOWNS
----------------
90lbs. - 13 reps
100lbs. - 6 reps
80lbs. - 12 reps
80lbs. - 16 reps

BENT OVER BARBELL ROWS
--------------------------
95lbs. - 13 reps
95lbs. - 12 reps
95lbs. - 12 reps

I usually do all my sets to failure and I'm not sure if that's right.

I often start out doing the heaviest weights for my first set and then lower them to keep the reps up.

Sometimes I just keep the weight constant for a constant number of reps to get a good pump.

I don't know if I should do high reps for a pump or low reps to lift heavier weights?

Other times I'll increase the weight for set #2 and then decrease it for set #3 to bring the number of reps back up. Not sure if any of that is good or not or if I should just be doing it one way.

I read about progressively increasing the weights per set but if I do that would I still do each set to failure or would I stop a few reps short of failure so I would still be able to lift a heavier weight with the next set and get a good number of reps?

I also read that a 'good' number of reps is 8 with one or two 'finishing' sets of around 12 to 20 reps to get a pump. Is that correct?

I started to doing regular deadlifts as part of my back workout however I really felt it in my legs so I stopped because it felt more like a leg exercise rather than a back exercise. I thought about doing the the regular deadlifts along with squats in my leg routine but I wasn't sure if squats and deadlifts would be too much. I also thought it might interfere with recovery from my biceps & back routine since it works the back as well.

I didn't want to do straight leg deadlifts because they sounded like they were bad for the back.

I'd really appreciate any help that anyone can provide as I would like to put an end to any mistakes I am making sooner rather than later. Thanks.

 

[geary]

depends on what your diet is like and that all depends on what your goal is ..

 

[rileymartin]

depends on what your diet is like and that all depends on what your goal is ..

Ok, thanks for your help. I'm 41, 5' 9 1/2" and weigh 264lbs.

I'm overweight so I'm trying to diet. But I'm also trying to put on muscle. In addition to lifting I'm also jogging 4M on the treadmill three times a week. Today was a rest day for lifting and I had a lot of energy so I was able to jog 7miles on the treadmill which is a new record for me.

I consume between 2000 and 2500 calories per day, when I'm in diet mode, and have my protein intake up to an average of 190g/day. I had my protein over 300g today but ate some junk food so my calories were way up there around 3200. I'm still trying to increase the protein intake while keeping the calories/fat from getting out of hand.

For protein I have a protein shake in the morning, and for lunch and dinner I usually have either two salmon burgers, turkey burgers or 8oz of mahi mahi. I also have light wheat hamburger buns with the meat or sometimes a slice of multi-grain bread. Ketchup helps the flavor and I'm cutting back on it to keep calories down. I don't eat white bread anymore. I also try to eat frozen vegetables with each meal along with a small salad with no dressing. With each meal I usually also have a Dr. Praeger California burger to get more veggies. In between meals I started to have a can of chunk lite tuna in water to increase my protein. For my post workout I have a protein isolate shake and I add glutamine and BCAA to it. I went shopping today at Costcos and bought bags of individually wrapped tuna filets, cod filets, more turkey and salmon burgers.

I'm taking the following supplements. I have no idea if they're a load of BS but two books I bought say studies show they do. Who knows....

- Vitamins ( multi, calcium, c, e, fish oil, flax oil)
- ZMA before bed
- Alpha-GPC twice daily
- Cort-Bloc before, after workout and before bed
- Creatine
- EAS Muscle Armor
- VPX NO-Shotgun - I think this might be a load of BS....

My short term goal is to lose fat and gain size.

 

[geary]

Ok, thanks for your help. I'm 41, 5' 9 1/2" and weigh 264lbs.

I'm overweight so I'm trying to diet. But I'm also trying to put on muscle. In addition to lifting I'm also jogging 4M on the treadmill three times a week. Today was a rest day for lifting and I had a lot of energy so I was able to jog 7miles on the treadmill which is a new record for me.

I consume between 2000 and 2500 calories per day, when I'm in diet mode, and have my protein intake up to an average of 190g/day. I had my protein over 300g today but ate some junk food so my calories were way up there around 3200. I'm still trying to increase the protein intake while keeping the calories/fat from getting out of hand.

For protein I have a protein shake in the morning, and for lunch and dinner I usually have either two salmon burgers, turkey burgers or 8oz of mahi mahi. I also have light wheat hamburger buns with the meat or sometimes a slice of multi-grain bread. Ketchup helps the flavor and I'm cutting back on it to keep calories down. I don't eat white bread anymore. I also try to eat frozen vegetables with each meal along with a small salad with no dressing. With each meal I usually also have a Dr. Praeger California burger to get more veggies. In between meals I started to have a can of chunk lite tuna in water to increase my protein. For my post workout I have a protein isolate shake and I add glutamine and BCAA to it. I went shopping today at Costcos and bought bags of individually wrapped tuna filets, cod filets, more turkey and salmon burgers.

I'm taking the following supplements. I have no idea if they're a load of BS but two books I bought say studies show they do. Who knows....

- Vitamins ( multi, calcium, c, e, fish oil, flax oil)
- ZMA before bed
- Alpha-GPC twice daily
- Cort-Bloc before, after workout and before bed
- Creatine
- EAS Muscle Armor
- VPX NO-Shotgun - I think this might be a load of BS....

My short term goal is to lose fat and gain size.

eating junk shit will only set you back ... again all that work in the gym (which is good) will be worth nothing unless you keep that diet in check, realistically one time cheating won't kill you but then one time can turn into four, which turns into nine etc. you get the picture so its really best you not even tempt yourself at all with that shit see how easily that can raise your calories up? 3,200 calories isn't terrible considering how much you burn off with 7miles on a treadmill but still .. your supps. are good how is the zma? i was considering that but im not a big believer in natural test. boosters i think they're bull shit. keep with the bcaa's and whey you could also take bcaas in the middle of your workout to enhance energy and make sure your cycle your creatine and you get quick carbs after your workout too, dont stop, harder you work quicker you see your results

 

[sopac]

Your routine looks good to me, just make sure youre giving your body time to recover. Also you said that you start heavy and go light.....you should be starting light to warm up. Its not good to just hit your heaviest weight right off the bat. You can go light again at the end if youre trying to burn out. Deadlifts work your lower back and legs. You "could" do them on leg day or back day.

 

[rileymartin]

Thank you Geary, Sopac for the help.

I have no idea if the ZMA is doing anything for me. At the very least I'm getting zinc, magnesium and B6. I don't know if any of the stuff is really doing anything or not but I read two books on supplements and they list studies that say they work so who knows.... It seemed worth it to try them.

What did you mean about cycling the creatine? I guess I should go through periods where I take the creatine and then periods where I stop for a while? I went through the typical loading phase and now I'm taking 10g a day as a maintenance dose. Do you know when I should stop taking it and for how long? I guess then I load again?

Thanks.

 

[geary]

you should cycle the creatine (for example 4 weeks on 4 weeks off) so your body doesn't get used to it and to give your liver a bit of a break ... taking creatine for long periods of time could possibly lead to some problems with your live from what i've been told i haven't had any personally but then again i have always cycled it .. read the sticky about it they're way more informative and written by guys who really really know their shit

 

[rileymartin]

you should cycle the creatine (for example 4 weeks on 4 weeks off) so your body doesn't get used to it and to give your liver a bit of a break ... taking creatine for long periods of time could possibly lead to some problems with your live from what i've been told i haven't had any personally but then again i have always cycled it .. read the sticky about it they're way more informative and written by guys who really really know their shit

Thanks, I'll check out the sticky on creatine.