Please critique my workout routine

[djtdot]

Here's my diet these days. I know I am getting enough calories and carbs I was just worried about protein so this is my protein count

7:30 AM : MIlk + whey = 20g

8:30 AM: Cereal + Milk and Soup = 15gm

12:00 PM: Usually rice/roti + lentils/vegetables + yogurt + mixture of chickpeas/soyabeans: 30 gm

3:00 PM: Peanuts + almonds + dates + raisin : 25gm

5:30 PM: Bagel + peanut butter and Milk + whey : 32 gm

8:30 PM : Rice/Roti + lentils/beans/peas and veggies + egg + yogurt : 30gm

10:30 PM: Fruits + some whey + juice: 10gm

Total = 162gm + or - 5. So now I weigh 180lbs or so with I think 15% bodyfat(not sure about this). So I am taking a bit more than 1gm/lb of lean mass.

On my workout days I replace the 5:30 PM meal with Milk + yogurt + more whey = 35gm of protein.

I sleep at like 11:30 or so and before sleeping I take a multi-vitamin pill.

 

[djtdot]

Ok for my day 3 I have decided to replace my barbell squats with Hindu squats. The problem is that my lower body is kinda huge. My thigs are 23 inches halfway inbetween knees and hips. My arse is 40 inches but my chest is only 38 inches and my waist is 36 inches, so it looks kinda looks out of proportion.

So here's my new day 3 routine


Military press: 2 x 6-10
Leg press: 2 x 6-10
Hindu squats: As many as I can in 3 sets.

 

[mrRuckus]

Ok for my day 3 I have decided to replace my barbell squats with Hindu squats. The problem is that my lower body is kinda huge. My thigs are 23 inches halfway inbetween knees and hips. My arse is 40 inches but my chest is only 38 inches and my waist is 36 inches, so it looks kinda looks out of proportion.

What's wrong with that? Your upper body will want to go out of its way to remain in proportion with the bottom. And barbell squats will keep the growth hormone and testosterone flooding you. Slowing your bottom half's growth won't accomplish much more than also slowing the upper half growth.

 

[djtdot]

Ok so today I tried the Hindu squats, I thought I would do a couple of sets of barbell squats after doing these.

Military press: 2 x 10
Leg press: 2 x 8-10
Hindu squats : 50,40,40.

Holy ****!!! After doing those my thighs were damn red. Now I am a dark person and don't get so red easily but you should have seen my thighs today. I had barely enough strength to pick up my pen and record it in my journal, let alone lifting a barbell to do my squats. After that I found it so friggin hard to drag my @ss from the gym to the subway station. I was kinda walking like a drunkard.


PS: I think I am not as weak as I imagine myself to be. So these days I am doing DB benches, and I thought myself as a weakling who couldn't lift more than 25lbs dumbbells. But then I got this urge to experiment with something heavier. I picked up the 35 lber dumbbell thinking I couldn't do more than 4 reps, but damnit, I could crank out about 8 reps using the 35lber. I think I seriously underestimate my strength. And the same with the leg press. Earlier I thought 230lbs was too much but when I tried to do it, I could pull out 20reps with ease.

And this prof I am working with he has HUUUGEEE arms. But his sholdors are narrow and even I have a bigger chest than him. And the other girl TAs were making fun of his chicken legs. But here everybody says you can't get big arms by doing umpteen sets of curls. So any clue how he got such big arms? Steroids?

 

[Warboss Alex]

So any clue how he got such big arms? Steroids?

might be genetics. my dad has 19" muscular arms (his quads suck though lolol) but his shoulders and ribcage are both very narrow. I was the same until I took great pains to widen my back and shoulders.

or synthol.

or just a pump.

 

[djtdot]

So a few days ago I decided that I would go on one of those cutting cycles. So I started cutting calories. But now I decided that those babies are not meant for me. I lost about 5lbs in 3 weeks. I was of the gym for that time as well. So I went to the gym for my back exercise, holy crap!!! I had no friggin energy to complete my sets. Earlier the weight I could row 8 times, I couldn't even row 4 times. And my deadlift, i became tired after the warm-up set and I had to drop it and come home. So I have now decided that this cutting cycle is not meant for me. I rather eat like a pig daily, which I don't mind , and do some cardio to maintain my weight. Right now I am about 175lbs at 5'9 or so.

PS: Hell ya deadlifts and rows are awesome exercises!! I stopped working my biceps directly, no curls no nothing. With deads and rows I get better results.

 

[djtdot]

So I weighed myself today I am at 174lbs. I started at 172 lbs. over 3 months ago. The thing is that I quickly bulked upto 179lbs 5 weeks after I started lifting. And then for a while I didn't measure myself. Then I went on the cutting cycle. That really ****ed me up. The weight on my lifts didn't go down tho. It was just that I got really tired in the gym pretty fast and I lost over 5 lbs in 4 weeks. And in between I didn't go to the gym for a week or so, I got kinda lazy . But for the last 2 weeks I am back on a regular plan.

Tho over the last 3 months I have had a net gain of 2 lbs or so, I feel MUCH MUCH stronger. My squats have gone up. I am adding 5lbs to deadlift each week. And I can kinda see my six pack now. Some of my shirts are getting tighter now . And when I flex my arms in the mirror they sure do look bigger than what they were before. My only thing is that I don't do my cardio . I feel too damn lazy to do it. Even tho I have an exercise bike at home, I don't do anything. I think if I start doin my cardio everyday for 20min the first thing in the morning I should be able to bring my bodyfat to 11% or 10%. I think I am currently at 14% or so, or maybe a tad less.

I have cut down my consumption of white rice and instead try to get my carbs from a lot of veggies, fruits etc. My protein intake has also gone up by 15gms daily to 175gms or so.

So my univeristy is starting again in a few days so I have to go back to 2 days a week routine.

Here's my new routine

Day 1:

DB Bench: 3 x 6-8
Incline DB bench: 4 x 6-8
Sholdor/military press: 3 x 8-10
Triceps(Wtever exercise I feel like doing) : 3 x 8-10
Abs: 3 x 10

Day 2
Lats pulldown: 3 x 6-10
Barbell row: 3 x 6-10
Squat: 2 x 8-10
Leg press: 1 x 15
Deadlift: 1 x 10

PS: Stupid question but does wanking interrupt the muscle building process or anything? Coz I have been bashing my bishop quite a bit and sometimes I feel weak.

 

[Quiksilver]

I sleep at like 11:30 or so and before sleeping I take a multi-vitamin pill.

Take your meds right after your workout, when your body is most absorbant.

 

[djtdot]

I think I will change my Day 2 workout a bit

Pullups: 3 x as many as I can
Barbell row: 2 x 6-10
Squat: 3 x 8-10
Leg press : 2 x 15
Calf raise : 2 x 15
Deadlifts: 2 x 10

I thought that my biceps would be worked enough if I did pullups, rows and deadlifts. Do I have to work it seperately?

 

[djtdot]

I have a question about pullups. Right now I am not strong enough to do them on my own. I use the assistance machine with about 100lbs of assitance. My latpullldown is 110lb or so. So it seems that I get more resistance on the machine. So should I do that or go all out on the pullups? Coz I think the max I can manage is not even 1. So say I do my best on the pullups and get the max of 1(for the time being), should I do some lat pulldowns?

 

[djtdot]

I was wondering if a full body routine done twice a week would be more effective than the one I am currently following? That way I will be able to train my body parts twice a week. I thought that since I am going to be in my gym for only 2 times a week, might as well get the maximum out of it. I know I am doing less sets per muscle group( 7 in my previous one vs 2 in this) so will there be a significant benefit if I do a fbw?

How does this look?

Day 1:

Chinups/pullups: 1 x as many as I can
Incline DB press : 1 x 6-8
Squat:2 x 8-10
Dips:1 x 6-8
Bicep curl: 1 x 6-8
Calf raise: 1 x 25
Military press : 1 x 6-8
Hanging leg raise: 1 x 10

Day 2:

DB bench press: 1 x 6-8
Shouldor press : 1 x 6-8
Barbell row: 1 x 6-8
Barbell curl : 6-8
Skullcrushers/tri pushdown: 1 x 6-8
Decline situps: 1 x 10
Deadlifts : 2 x 8-10
Calf raise: 1 x 25

Do you guys think this will be anymore helpful than the current one I am doing? I think I have fairly good recovery(def not a hardgainer, coz I have seen that if I eat right and sleep right, I grow, don't have too difficult of a time putting muscle).

 

[mrRuckus]

I was wondering if a full body routine done twice a week would be more effective than the one I am currently following? That way I will be able to train my body parts twice a week. I thought that since I am going to be in my gym for only 2 times a week, might as well get the maximum out of it. I know I am doing less sets per muscle group( 7 in my previous one vs 2 in this) so will there be a significant benefit if I do a fbw?

How does this look?

Day 1:

Chinups/pullups: 1 x as many as I can
Incline DB press : 1 x 6-8
Squat:2 x 8-10
Dips:1 x 6-8
Bicep curl: 1 x 6-8
Calf raise: 1 x 25
Military press : 1 x 6-8
Hanging leg raise: 1 x 10

Day 2:

DB bench press: 1 x 6-8
Shouldor press : 1 x 6-8
Barbell row: 1 x 6-8
Barbell curl : 6-8
Skullcrushers/tri pushdown: 1 x 6-8
Decline situps: 1 x 10
Deadlifts : 2 x 8-10
Calf raise: 1 x 25

Do you guys think this will be anymore helpful than the current one I am doing? I think I have fairly good recovery(def not a hardgainer, coz I have seen that if I eat right and sleep right, I grow, don't have too difficult of a time putting muscle).

That's way too many exercises.

Squats
Deadlifts
Dips
Shoulder Presses
DB/BB Bench Presses
Pullups
BB Rows
Any ab exercises or none at all.


Those ARE a full body routine without all the little fufu garbage in there. Increase the weight in those and everything will grow. Target the weak spots later. You're too small now to know what your weak spots are.

You don't have to change what you're doing. If you're not progressing as fast as you like eat more.

No one who can do large bent over rows has teeny tiny biceps either.

 

[djtdot]

Here are some of my photos taken today

Back:

When I started abt 3 months ago

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/5503/dsc006712rd8.jpg

Today

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/2939/dsc00859gp3.jpg

The only problem is that there is some fat covering up coz I did virtually no cardio during this time and inbetween I didn't go to the gym for a couple of weeks.

 

[djtdot]

Hi Espi and other guys, you have been really helpful these days helping me with my routine and diet and stuff. Its very much appreciated . I am finally progressing, and now I enjoy workoing out, whereas earlier I had to force myself to go the gym. And compound exercises actually work . I am pretty sure if I hadn't done them I would have remained pretty much the same.

 

[djtdot]

So I was looking over the last 3 months' progress. Well more like 2.5 months coz I didn't go to the gym for a week or two. So that's about 10 weeks.

Lat pulldown: From 60 to 120lbs( 8 reps)
Tricep pushdown: 60 to 120lbs(10 reps)
Pullup assitance weight: From 120lb to 100lb(8 reps)
Squat: From empty bar to 110lbs( been concentrating on form)(8 reps)
Deadlift: Empty bar to 85lbs(10 reps)
Bench: Well earlier I was doing BB bench, but then switched to DB bench. When I started DB bench, I started by using 20lbers. Right now am using 35lb db (11-12 reps), but I think I can use atleast 40lb or 45lb, but I have a hard time getting them into position, so I have to make-do with the 35lber. The first time I used the 35lber, I felt sore the next day, for the last 2 sessions, haven't been feeling anything. *Note to self: get your friend to the gym with you*.
Barbell row : From 25lbs to 65lbs(10 reps).


I usually try to add 5lbs each session to deadlift and squats. For others I move on to the next incriment when I am comfortable doing 10 reps at a given weight.


Is the progress I am making good enough? Are the weights low/ok for someone who has been going to the gym for 2.5 months?

 

[djtdot]

The only concern I have is your leg training. It's good you're focusing on form for squats, but I remeber your leg workout seemed a bit light...I guess I'm saying be sure to wrk your legs hard...women love a tight, firm ass and toned quads.

Today's leg workout was more intense than the other days. Am thinking of sticking with it.


Calf raise: 2 x 20
Leg press: 4 x 8-10(next time I am thinking more like 6-8)
Squat: 3 x 8-10

I alternate between deadlifts and squats every week. After 4 sets of leg press and 3 squats(excluding the warmup), I realize that I don't have enough energy to do even a set of bicep curl, let alone deadlift.

I was wondering if I could increase the load in leg press, and kinda lighten the load in the squat and keep squat in the 10-12 range + 1 widowmaker. Would it release the same amount of GH/testosterone as a really heavy squat?

 

[djtdot]

So skool is really busy these days and this week I went to the gym only once a week. Plus my food consumption (especially protein I guess) has gone down the drain. Plus I get only about 6 hrs of sleep a day. So will it eat away all my muscles and stuff?

I think I will change my routine to a 2 day a week full body routine.

The only thing I am confused about is the warmup part. How should I do that?

Day 1:

1 X pullups/chinups
1 x barbell/db press
1 x dips
1 x military
2 x squats

Day 2

1 x Decline/Incline press
1 x barbell/t-bar row
1 x dips
1 x sholdour press
2 x deadlift


How does that look?

 

[Warboss Alex]

You're looking a lot thicker - well done!

If you trained heavy then your gains should stick around for a short while so long as your calories don't go too low, don't worry about muscle loss for the moment and get your gym/eating schedule down first, if you do lose anything it'll come back very quickly.

Espi is spot on about making excuses. If you want this badly enough, you get it done, no matter what! There's people who attend college, work at least one full- or part-time job, support a family and STILL get it done, y'know? You've got no responsibilities right now other than yourself!

Besides, why quit when you're doing so well?

 

[Quiksilver]

Espi you remind me of me

Plan your meals ahead of time...know how many cals. you should consume, go to the grocery store, buy the necessary proteins, fats, and carbs...tuna, almonds, canned veggies, and oats are CHEAP...buy tupperware containers and buy a cooler big enough to store your food...buy plastic forks and knives...drink a gallon of water...

 

[djtdot]

I think I seriously need to lift weights again. I have noticed that when I sit around do nothing(as in no physical activity) I have a tendency to revert back to my old afc days. In the summer when I used to workout a lot, I was sooooo DJaaey, around my gf and around pretty much everybody else. Confidence was pretty high, I could talk to strangers and all. But now I haven't been to the gym for like 3 weeks, I noticed that I am becoming an afc again. My gf who has never seen me as an afc actually asked "what the hell is wrong with you, why are you behaving like this?" . I am again becoming desperate, needy and insecure. I try to keep tabs on my gf and get angry at her for minor stuff. I am pretty sure that if I keep on like this she will dump my @$$ sooner rather than later. When I used to workout I was so calm and relaxed and all that, now its just the opposite. It helped me in my studies too. My concentration level and motivation used to be high, now its not. I definitly don't want to go back to my afc days. I actually was on my way to manhood from chumphood and and could see the difference but by not going to the gym I think I am prolly taking the express train back to chumpsville. So I think I will just drag my @$$ to the gym atleast 2, if not 3 days of the week.

And here's the routine.


Week 1

Day 1: Back/legs

Pullups: 3 x failure
T-bar row: 2 x 10-12
Lower back extension : 2 x 8-10
Leg press: 3 x 8-10
Squats: 3 x 8-10

Day 2 Chest, shoulder, tricep

Decline dumbbell : 3 x 8-10
Flat bench : 3 x 8-10
Shoulder press: 2 x 8-10
Dips(heard they explode the upper body): 3 x 8-10
abs

Week 2

Day 1

One arm dumbbell row : 3 x 8-10
barbell row : 2 x 8-10
Leg press: 3x 8-10
Deadlift: 3 x 8-10

Day 2:

Incline bench: 3 x 8-10
Flat dumbbell bench: 3 x 8-10
military press: 2 x 8-10
Dips: 3 x 8-10
abs

And for my diet I think its sorted now after the initial confusion. My protein intake has gone down, but not by much, only 10-15 grams. And my carbs and other stuff is in order too. Phew!!!

Thanx for the helpful words guys . I think more than this site, its the gym that prevents me from becoming an afc. Don't wanna go back to my Dark Ages again.