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  1. #1
    DF VIP Member tam9's Avatar
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    Newbie Performance help

    I've been training quite a bit now (not years) and I think I've reached a peak that I cannot do any better on my current form. I only lift weights, very rarely I do CV. I would say that I have good form in my weights and I do them probably the way they should be done (very differently from when I first started).

    I train roughly 5 times a week between 45 / 60 mins. It's mostly upperbody training and I do get a lot of gains from it with my biceps growing quite a bit which I like.

    There's a problem tho, I am not motivated to do my legs I have no pure routine although I do stick to like sets, for instance:

    i.e.:
    bench press at 30kg on 6 reps for 5 sets
    the seated pull row at roughly 30kg on a 5x5
    over-hand row and do a 5x5

    And various others that I do but don't stick to a routine so I am not getting the best out of my time in the gym. Yes I've seen the gains but the gains would probably be greater if I trained to 100% and not just to what I like.

    I train at the gym in work and I took a video today (which i can't upload just yet as I'm still in work) with all the machines that i have access to.

    When I put the video up I was hoping that someone could help me devise a training plan that would help me out totally.

    As says before you guys have been a really great source of information on anything gym related and to be honest anything you lot have says I've been doing and learning a lot. I can safely say that my health is a lot better now than it was with all my conscious eating habits.

    Cheers lads I will upload the vid @ roughly 8pm.

    Tam,

  2. #2
    DF VIP Member Zippeyrude's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    All depends on what you're trying to achieve mate.....

    This is the routine I used to get into shape, there is enoughj variation to look forward to the next session. Also the exercises can be replaced by others on the same basic muscle groups as long as the gym has facilities. My gym is very basic (the way i like it) so i depend greatly on free weights.

    Month 1 (alternate days) - waking the body up after a lazy spell !

    Warm up on treadmill or cycle (5 minutes - building up to 15 mins at end of month)
    Chest: Dumbell press (1 set of 10 reps)
    Chest: Dumbell flyes (1 set of 10 reps)
    Shoulder: Shoulder press (1 set of 10 reps)
    Shoulder: Lateral dumbell raise (1 set of 10 reps)
    Shoulder: Front dumbell raise (1 set of 10 reps alternating side)
    Back: Lat pulldowns (1 set of 10 reps)
    Back: Bent over rows (1 set of 10 reps)
    Back: Bent over flyes (1 set of 10 reps)
    Biceps: Seated curls (1 set of 10 reps on each arm separately)
    Triceps: Dumbell tricep extensions (1 set of 10 reps)
    Back/Neck: Shrug (1 set of 10 reps)
    Legs: Leg Curl (1 set of 10 reps)
    Legs: Leg Extension (1 set of 10 reps)
    Abdominals: Sit ups (3 sets of 25)
    Abdominals: Leg raises (3 sets of 25)

    Month 2: as above but 2 sets of reps

    Month 3: as month 2 but second set use heavier weight

    Month 4: (3 days on, 1 day off) Split muscle groups

    Day 1:
    Treadmill: 10 mins
    Chest: Dumbell press (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Chest: Dumbell flyes (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Shoulder: Shoulder press (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Shoulder: Lateral dumbell raise (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Shoulder: Barbell raise (3 sets of 10 reps alternating side)
    Triceps: Dumbell tricep extensions (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Triceps: Dumbell kickback (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Triceps: Cable Pushdown (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Abdominals: Leg raises (2 sets of 100)
    Abdominals: Sit ups (2 sets of 50)
    Treadmill: 15 mins

    Day 2:
    Treadmill: 10 mins
    Back: Lat pulldowns (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Back: Barbell bent over rows (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Back: Bent over flyes (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Back/Neck: Shrug (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Back/Neck/Shoulders: Upright Row (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Biceps: Concentration curls (3 sets of 10 reps on each arm separately)
    Biceps: Preacher curl (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Biceps: Cable curl (3 sets of 10 reps)
    Forearm: Wrist curl (1 set of 10 reps)
    Forearm: Reverse wrist curl (1 set of 10 reps)
    Abdominals: Leg raises (2 sets of 100)
    Abdominals: Sit ups (2 sets of 50)
    Treadmill: 15 mins

    Day 3:
    Treadmill: 10 mins
    Hamstring: Leg Curl
    Quadricep: Leg Extension
    Quadricep: Squat
    Calf: Calf Raises
    Abdominals: Leg raises (2 sets of 100)
    Abdominals: Sit ups (2 sets of 50)
    Treadmill: 15 mins

    Day 4: Rest

    Workout intensity is critical. Just enough rest between exercises and move on to the next - no faffing. The way i judge my workout is by the sweat-o-meter.... if i stop dripping sweat i have been resting a bit too much !

    Also critical is the correct mix of diet and rest / recovery !

    Everybody goes through high and low points, even professionals. The ultimate driving force is your head and the main thing is that you work through the dips - it will be worth it in the end.

    Best of luck mate !

  3. #3
    DF VIP Member super mike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    Zippey, that is too much volume in my opinion. When the fibres in the muscle are broken, they are broken no more is needed. You can grow and gain strength with much less.

    How about a 4 day split Tam? that would mean that if you did want an extra rest day or a day for cv you can.

    Day 1 - Legs
    Squats
    Stiff (Not straight) leg deadlifts
    Calf raises

    Day 2 - chest, tri's
    barbell/dumbell bench
    dips
    flyes
    pushdowns

    Day 3 - rest

    Day 4 - Back, biceps
    Deadlifts
    Barbell Rows
    wide grip pulldowns/wide grip chins
    hammer curls/dumbell curls

    Day 5 - Rest

    Day 6 - Shoulders
    Military press
    Dumbell press
    Lateral raises

    Day 7 - rest

  4. #4
    DF VIP Member slendersunfish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    Yes, i agree it sounds like a cliche but less is more, particualy for gains in mass or strength.For gains in mass I found i made the most gains by training 3 days a week for example

    mon legs,back, bicep
    tue rest day
    weds Chest shoulders tricep
    Thurs rest day
    Friday legs ,back tricep
    sat rest day
    sunday rest day


    then on the following monday its chest shoulders and tricep etc so your training the same body parts once or twice a week.

    I think this works for me as im less likely to miss an excercise day , can build mass and eat well on rest days! I tend to think of rest days as repairing muscle fibres.

  5. #5
    DF VIP Member tam9's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    Right first of let me apologise for not updating this sooner. I have been busy preparing for tomorrows interview and I couldn't find my usb cable. If you want to view the gym I use at work ( free access ) I've put the video: http://ineed2.co.uk/~tam/video-0009.mp4

    No offence zippey but i think that super mikes plan would be a bit better for me for a couple of reasons, my gym doesn't have a lots of machines etc and I think I'd be the walking dead on your plan mate!

    super mike: I'd have to try and convert some of those exercises with the closest in my gym as you can see it's not the most advanced place (dinosaur ages really). But I can't grumble, it's free and a lot of the time I can use it in works time.

    I would also like to point out that the leg machines in their are quite crap at best or are they? I don't really know all the definitions of weights totally like fly's
    , lateral raises, barbell rows but when I hear them I do tend to go google and see if I get any images.

    I have 5 dvds from muscle and training (american) and they basically show you everything on ez bars etc and all the professional kits that you'd only see in a pure weight lifters gym, but hey, they have showed me good stances (and i've only went through the 3/4 of the first dvd) with me being *sooo* busy preparing for other stuff.

    So guys, what ya think?

  6. #6
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    Roach-Rampino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    Tam mate, you have GOT TO hit your legs. They are/should be the biggest muscles in your body and capable of pushing the heaviest weight. By training your legs you are putting the rest of your body under the strain it needs to encourage muscle growth all over. Your legs contain huge amounts of muscle tissue, so when they are placed under an overloading stimulus (weight training) they generate the release of anabolic hormones such as testosterone and other growth hormones much more than when you are working a smaller muscle like your biceps or triceps. These hormones then stimulate muscle growth so the rest of your body benefits...big time.

    For greater gains you could train legs twice a week but I only train mine once a week at the moment. One essential factor with all training as Supermike says is the rest.

    Once you get into training your legs you wil reap the benefits and as you will remember from when you first started training your upper body...the aching does go away after a few sessions

  7. #7
    DF VIP Member mattyj172003's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    Roach, what is best to do for the legs ? i do use a couple of the machines at the gym. Do people prefer to use free weights or machines ? i hear mixed views on either about which is best/same etc

  8. #8
    DF VIP Member
    Roach-Rampino's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    Quote Originally Posted by mattyj172003 View Post
    Roach, what is best to do for the legs ? i do use a couple of the machines at the gym. Do people prefer to use free weights or machines ? i hear mixed views on either about which is best/same etc

    I have been taught in weight training that there are your basic power moves. Squats, deadlifts, bench press. If you build your training programmes around these big energy sapping exercises you are providing the solid (core) foundations for a very strong physique.

    Leg training MUST involve regular squatting of which there are plenty of variations (front squats, sumo squats, hack squats, one legged squats, etc). It is essential to squat properly and I have discovered that every so often with squatting as my maximum weight increases, I get a sudden loss of form. This means that I then have to drop my weights down for a few weeks and get my form again before I can progress. I do find by taking this "drop" or back step I can then push on with a lot more confidence past my maximum weight when I lost my form.

    There's plenty of good sites that show how to do exercises, you need to know how to do them properly from the start as technique is very important and you can end up getting stuck in some very bad habits.

    http://exercise.about.com/od/exercis...tosquat_10.htm

    Other great leg exercises are lunges, leg extensions and leg curls. Have a Google for demonstrations on these.
    Last edited by Roach-Rampino; 7th February 2007 at 10:06 PM. Reason: Clean and press is more of a complex exercise.

  9. #9
    DF VIP Member super mike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Performance help

    I was going to respond to this before but after i typed my reply i got the fucking blue screen. bastard computer.

    This is a great site for checking out proper form for excersises and for looking at new ones.http://www.exrx.net/Lists/WtMale.html

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