Stupid Questions....well not really

[Caleb's Tree]

Workout Routine & Tracking Your Progress Accurately

This has more to do with keeping track of my progress than anything.

I wanted to know what was the right way to measure your chest size with a tape measure. Some say under the armpits, across the shoulder blades and meet in the middle. Should you measure an expanded chest or when you exhale?

Right way to measure your arms. Some say measure your arms at your sides relaxed, other folks say measure them flexed and stretch the tape between the two thickest points.

Your waist? Where is the right place to place the tape measure, across your belly button?

etc.

I think I know the right way to measure myself, but want to know for sure, so I can get accurate measurements every time.

 

[ceo]

 

[Caleb's Tree]

How do you know if you are stupid?

Someone less stupid than you tells you so.

OK, I admit, this was a stupid thread, and I was bored at work. Sorry dudes.

How bout this....?

I was thinking of breaking my workouts up into just 3 days.

2 days of all upper body, and one day of legs. Cardio days in between.

The two days I do upper body would be all muscle groups and it's a pretty extensive routine that I previously have been doing 3 times a week. I seem to make the best strength gains though when I have had two days between workouts as opposed to my usual one, so I am thinking I am overtraining my upper body. Any thoughts on that? I can post my routine if it helps.

My legs have never been a real problem because at one time I did competitive cycling, but I never seem to have enough time to work in a leg workout during the week. I felt like the cardio and running were enough, but now feel I should at least do one leg workout a week, maybe two.

If I am overtraining my upper body like I suspect, wouldn't working my upper body out just twice a week be better? That way I could work in more leg work outside my running and the occassional squats I do.

I have limited time to go to the gym, and can't train 5 or 6 days a week and isolate muscle groups like I would like to, so I have to find out what works best for me. I am still making progress but haven't found the right groove exactly. Still working on my diet, and still trying to refine my routine. Any advice from you fine folks would help.

 

[Tatyana]

Re: Workout Routine & Tracking Your Progress Accurately

This has more to do with keeping track of my progress than anything.

I wanted to know what was the right way to measure your chest size with a tape measure. Some say under the armpits, across the shoulder blades and meet in the middle. Should you measure an expanded chest or when you exhale?

Right way to measure your arms. Some say measure your arms at your sides relaxed, other folks say measure them flexed and stretch the tape between the two thickest points.

Your waist? Where is the right place to place the tape measure, across your belly button?

etc.

I think I know the right way to measure myself, but want to know for sure, so I can get accurate measurements every time.

Chest across the nipples, exhaled

Arm measurements, cold, or note that it was flexed or after training.

One inch above your belly button is the waist measurement.

All of these are designed to be able to keep the measurements more consistent so you can track progress.

So for example, how much you inhale is variable, and it wouldn't be the same every time you do it.

 

[Caleb's Tree]

Re: Workout Routine & Tracking Your Progress Accurately

Chest across the nipples, exhaled

Arm measurements, cold, or note that it was flexed or after training.

One inch above your belly button is the waist measurement.

All of these are designed to be able to keep the measurements more consistent so you can track progress.

So for example, how much you inhale is variable, and it wouldn't be the same every time you do it.

Thank you Tatyana.....That is exactly what I was looking for on proper measurements. I belong to a gym that does physical assessments every 8 weeks and that's the way they measure you, and I wanted to be sure that it was consistently done right as well, I wanted to be sure that I was measuring myself correctly.

BTW, I've seen pictures of you and you are a lovely fit lady. Thanks for your reply. Keep up the good work. Good luck at your next competition.

 

[ceo]

I was just fuckin with you buddy. Nothing personal. Laugh with me.

 

[Caleb's Tree]

I was just fuckin with you buddy. Nothing personal. Laugh with me.

LOL.

Clueless.

LOL.

OK...I laughed. I like a joke as good as the next guy. It takes a while to get used to the different personalities on a message board.

 

[Tatyana]

I was just fuckin with you buddy. Nothing personal. Laugh with me.

I know you take the mic quite a bit, and you are quite funny, but those that are not new to the board won't always get the good humoured jokes.

That is what chat is for really.

My request is that if you don't know the person, make funny AFTER you give advice or just keep it in chat.

 

[Tatyana]

I was thinking of breaking my workouts up into just 3 days.

2 days of all upper body, and one day of legs. Cardio days in between.

The two days I do upper body would be all muscle groups and it's a pretty extensive routine that I previously have been doing 3 times a week. I seem to make the best strength gains though when I have had two days between workouts as opposed to my usual one, so I am thinking I am overtraining my upper body. Any thoughts on that?

It is possible, it depends on how intensely you are training. There is also the CNS (central nervous system) recovery, which takes longer than the muscles to recover. If you are not progressing with increased reps or weight, then it is possible.

I can post my routine if it helps.

That would help.


My legs have never been a real problem because at one time I did competitive cycling, but I never seem to have enough time to work in a leg workout during the week. I felt like the cardio and running were enough, but now feel I should at least do one leg workout a week, maybe two.

It depends on what your training goals are. If it is for muscle hypertrophy or strength, then training legs is essential, even to build up the upper body. If it is endurance it is not as critical if you are running and cycling.

If I am overtraining my upper body like I suspect, wouldn't working my upper body out just twice a week be better? Yes

That way I could work in more leg work outside my running and the occassional squats I do.

I have limited time to go to the gym, and can't train 5 or 6 days a week and isolate muscle groups like I would like to, so I have to find out what works best for me. I am still making progress but haven't found the right groove exactly. Still working on my diet, and still trying to refine my routine. Any advice from you fine folks would help.

Three days a week is enough in the gym, and you could still do a full body routine, but I would suggest back to basics, so the major compounds, bench, military press, deadlifts, squats could do the job.

If you want to isolate a bit more, then you could split your upper body into two, so something like chest and shoulders, back, bis and tris.

 

[djeclipse]

lol

 

[Caleb's Tree]

Three days a week is enough in the gym, and you could still do a full body routine, but I would suggest back to basics, so the major compounds, bench, military press, deadlifts, squats could do the job.

If you want to isolate a bit more, then you could split your upper body into two, so something like chest and shoulders, back, bis and tris.

Thanks Tatyana:

We sometimes suspect what we should do, but its always good to have someone with more experience help you to confirm this.

I considered splitting my upper body workouts, but then I felt I was going to have too much time off for the muscle groups if I was only going to be able to go 3 times a week. Is that incorrect thinking? Doing the upper body twice a week seems to make sense to me, if I am overtraining.

Is working your legs really hard once a week enough if you are doing cardio 3-4 times a week? If I went to doing all upper body two days a week and worked the legs in once a week in between, would that be enough to get gains in the legs?

I'll post my whole routine sometime next week. I don't have it memorized. I have to use my notebook. That'd probably be a big help to post it. I work mostly with dumbells. Usually I do 3-4 sets always a minimum of 3, on a lot of days I do 4 for each routine, but not all the time.

Upper Body Workout.

DB Hammer Curls 15-12-10-8
DB Rows 15-12-10-8
DB Incline Bench 15-12-10-8
DB Reverse Flies 15-12-10-8
DB Front Raises 15-12-10-8
DB Raises Side 15-12-10-8
DB Flat Bench Flies 15-12-10-8
DB Tricep Kickbacks 15-12-10-8
DB Alternating Shoulder Press 15-12-10-8
Skull Crushers 15-12-10-8
Cable Bicep Curls 15-12-10-8
Cable Row on Machine 15-12-10-8

On Days when I have more time I work in Shoulder Shrugs and Lat Pull Downs, or Preacher Curls.

I'll post my lower body next week once I review it again. I'd know it if I was doing it more often like I should.

 

[djeclipse]

Why am I not surprisd that it starts and ends with CuRlZ!

 

[Caleb's Tree]

Why am I not surprisd that it starts and ends with CuRlZ!

The routine isn't in any particular order, but I do tend to do curlz and bench press near the beginning, and the cable curls near the end, but my cable curls work my pecs more. I cross the cables like I was flexing my pecs. Seems to work chest, biceps and shoulders decently. The Cable Curls I do are more like flies.

I vary the order.

 

[Tatyana]

Thanks Tatyana:

We sometimes suspect what we should do, but its always good to have someone with more experience help you to confirm this.

I considered splitting my upper body workouts, but then I felt I was going to have too much time off for the muscle groups if I was only going to be able to go 3 times a week. Is that incorrect thinking?

Muscles grow when you are not training them, on the days off, not when you are.

Doing the upper body twice a week seems to make sense to me, if I am overtraining.

Is working your legs really hard once a week enough if you are doing cardio 3-4 times a week? If I went to doing all upper body two days a week and worked the legs in once a week in between, would that be enough to get gains in the legs?

Yes, although some think some types of cardio, like running is a bit counter-productive to having your legs get bigger.

I'll post my whole routine sometime next week. I don't have it memorized. I have to use my notebook. That'd probably be a big help to post it. I work mostly with dumbells. Usually I do 3-4 sets always a minimum of 3, on a lot of days I do 4 for each routine, but not all the time.

Upper Body Workout.

DB Hammer Curls 15-12-10-8 - Biceps
DB Rows 15-12-10-8 - Back and Biceps
DB Incline Bench 15-12-10-8 Chest and Triceps
DB Reverse Flies 15-12-10-8 - Rear Delts
DB Front Raises 15-12-10-8 - Delts
DB Raises Side 15-12-10-8 Delts
DB Flat Bench Flies 15-12-10-8 - Chest
DB Tricep Kickbacks 15-12-10-8 - Triceps
DB Alternating Shoulder Press 15-12-10-8 - Delts
Skull Crushers 15-12-10-8 - Triceps
Cable Bicep Curls 15-12-10-8 Biceps
Cable Row on Machine 15-12-10-8 - Back and Biceps

On Days when I have more time I work in Shoulder Shrugs and Lat Pull Downs, or Preacher Curls.

I'll post my lower body next week once I review it again. I'd know it if I was doing it more often like I should.

Exercises for biceps - 4 (+2 more with time)

Exercises for triceps - 3

Exercises for chest - 2

Exercises for Delts - 2

Exercises for Back - 2 (+ 2 with more time)

13 different exercises up to 17 with time.

And you are doing SHED LOADS of reps, 45 for each exercise, 585 - 765 reps in total each time you work out.

Do you see anything now that it is laid out this way?

 

[Caleb's Tree]

Exercises for biceps - 4 (+2 more with time)

Exercises for triceps - 3

Exercises for chest - 2

Exercises for Delts - 2

Exercises for Back - 2 (+ 2 with more time)

13 different exercises up to 17 with time.

And you are doing SHED LOADS of reps, 45 for each exercise, 585 - 765 reps in total each time you work out.

Do you see anything now that it is laid out this way?

Thanks for you input.....

Two clarifications though. I don't always do that 4th set. It depends on how I am feeling. And I increase weight everytime I drop my reps and do another set.

It looks like I am overtraining imo, don't know what I should cut out though.

Maybe I should drop the reps, or drop a set, or drop some exercises. The exercises are fine, but maybe the routine is all wrong.

And I haven't posted the legs workout yet.

I should note that this routine was given to me by a trainer with a degree in exercise physiology at my gym.

Degrees don't mean anything to me. Experience is always better.

I have never really weight trained in a disciplined way before, and that's what I am looking for. A solid routine that I can follow week in a week out. I appreciate those who are willing to pass on some of their experience.

I've been lifting for about 4 months now, and plan to do this the rest of my life, but I am still trying to find what works best for me with my age.

 

[djeclipse]

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...xercises-articles-more-start-here-484815.html

read

 

[Caleb's Tree]

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...xercises-articles-more-start-here-484815.html

read

Thanks. I will be reading all of those if I can.

 

[djeclipse]

Thanks. I will be reading all of those if I can.

I would suggest starting with the rippetoe 3 x 5 for beginners. A lot of people are able to add a lot of weight to the bar with that program. When you stall move on to the 5 x 5 intermediate.

 

[Tatyana]

Thanks for you input.....

Two clarifications though. I don't always do that 4th set. It depends on how I am feeling. And I increase weight everytime I drop my reps and do another set.

It looks like I am overtraining imo, don't know what I should cut out though.

Maybe I should drop the reps, or drop a set, or drop some exercises. The exercises are fine, but maybe the routine is all wrong.

And I haven't posted the legs workout yet.

I should note that this routine was given to me by a trainer with a degree in exercise physiology at my gym.

Degrees don't mean anything to me. Experience is always better.

I have never really weight trained in a disciplined way before, and that's what I am looking for. A solid routine that I can follow week in a week out. I appreciate those who are willing to pass on some of their experience.

I've been lifting for about 4 months now, and plan to do this the rest of my life, but I am still trying to find what works best for me with my age.

There are some awesome PTs and some PTs that are well, so-so.

I have three degrees, but the application of them and the experience that you need in the lab is a completely different kettle of fish.

There is something to be said for degrees, but there are people who are book smart but still not 'street/gym wise'.

Usually everyone over-trains when they start out.

It is all about experimenting on yourself and finding out what works best.

My suggestion, drop some of the exercises for arms, and do more of the big compound movements for back, chest, legs and shoulders.

Your arms still get trained when you hammer these body parts.

 

[Caleb's Tree]

There are some awesome PTs and some PTs that are well, so-so.

I have three degrees, but the application of them and the experience that you need in the lab is a completely different kettle of fish.

There is something to be said for degrees, but there are people who are book smart but still not 'street/gym wise'.

Usually everyone over-trains when they start out.

It is all about experimenting on yourself and finding out what works best.

My suggestion, drop some of the exercises for arms, and do more of the big compound movements for back, chest, legs and shoulders.

Your arms still get trained when you hammer these body parts.

Thanks for the suggestions and advice. I appreciate the time you took to reply. One thing else I wanted to say about my arm workouts is that I have 3 tricep exercises because as I once shared with you, I never had a disciplined weight lifting program, and while I have cannon balls for biceps, my triceps really need some work. They are catching up, but it's slow going.

I am also looking into the 3x5 like djeclipse suggested, and am definately only going to do my upper body twice a week, and do my legs on Wed. now till I develop a better routine. I am not new to weight training, I am just inexperienced with regards to disciplined and effective weight training.
All the years I did weight training seem like waste when if I had more knowledge I would have gotten a lot more out of it.

Obviously, I have a lot to learn. The longer I spend on this site, the more I feel like noob. LOL.

 

[Caleb's Tree]

I would suggest starting with the rippetoe 3 x 5 for beginners. A lot of people are able to add a lot of weight to the bar with that program. When you stall move on to the 5 x 5 intermediate.

Thanks, I have been reading that. So far even with my crappy routine, I am able to add weight every 1 to 2 weeks depending on the exercise. If I do a couple of things that you and "Tati" suggested it should help.

 

[djeclipse]

Thanks, I have been reading that. So far even with my crappy routine, I am able to add weight every 1 to 2 weeks depending on the exercise. If I do a couple of things that you and "Tati" suggested it should help.

That is typical noob gains, when you first start to train doing just about anything works, even crappy training you can add weight to the bar.

That said, adding weight to bear every 1-2 weeks like you say is not optimal at all, especially for a new lifter. With the 3 x 5 beginner program you're adding weight to the bar every time you lift, with the intermediate every week. They have progression, a plan, unlike what you've been doing.

Don't waste time with sub par training like what you've been doing.

 

[the_alcatraz]

Re: Workout Routine & Tracking Your Progress Accurately

Chest across the nipples, exhaled

Arm measurements, cold, or note that it was flexed or after training.

One inch above your belly button is the waist measurement.

All of these are designed to be able to keep the measurements more consistent so you can track progress.

So for example, how much you inhale is variable, and it wouldn't be the same every time you do it.

wow...I actually didnt know that you need to exhale before measuring chest. Cool thnx Tat

 

[ceo]

I would suggest starting with the rippetoe 3 x 5 for beginners. A lot of people are able to add a lot of weight to the bar with that program. When you stall move on to the 5 x 5 intermediate.

I Agree with this 100%. Best thing the original poster could do IMO.