Starting from scratch

[Doc73]

I have been working out off and on for the past 6 or so years. During that time my weight has gone from 150 to 250 and back down to my current weight at 184. I am about 10 lbs from my weight loss goal.

Unfortunately, during the past 6 years I developed a lot of bad workout habits, which I wont get into. Most of them came from a guy I used to work out with but a lot of them came from me as well. I talked to my best friend, who just happens to be the biggest guy I know. I told him that I want to start to get more serious in the gym, and he mentioned that I should completely scrap my entire workout and start from scratch. He said that I really need to step up the intensity of my workouts and that I need to do more exercises to hit all the necessary muscle groups. This is my current workout:

Back
3x 8-10 reps wide grip lat pulldown
3x 8-10 reps close grip lat pulldown
3x 6-10 reps one arm dumbell rows
3x 8-10 reps machine rows

Chest
3x 6-10 reps each of flat dumbell press, incline press, and decline press
3x 8-10 dumbell, machine, or cable flys

Biceps
3x 6-10 reps EZ bar curls
3x 6-10 reps alternating dumbell curls
3x 6-10 reps preacher curls (usually done on machine)

Triceps
3x 8-10 reps tricep cable pushdown
3x 8-10 reps straight bar head crunches, followed immediately by close grip bench press using the same reps and weight

Shoulders
3x 8-10 reps shoulder press (done with dumbells or smith machine)
3x 8-10 reps front shoulder raise
3x 8-10 reps side shoulder raise
3x 8-10 reps rear shoulder raise

Legs and calves
3x 8-10 reps leg extensions
3x 8-10 reps hack squats
3x 8-10 reps sitting down leg curls
3x 8-10 reps sitting calf raise
3x 8-10 reps leg press

Here is my problem. I seem to lose steam about halfway through my workout. Its especially apparent when I am doing biceps and chest.

Now I have a couple of questions, a) is the current workout I have decent enough so that I am working every muscle group effectively? and b) if it isnt, can someone suggest a good workout routine for someone who isnt necessarily a newbie at the gym, but wants to take his bodybuilding to the next level

 

[Julian]

Stick to compound exercises that are going to be working your core.

bench press/squats/deadlifts/pullups/dips.

These type of exercises are better then the isolation ones you seem to be doing.

Your exercises are repetitive, you dont need 3 types of curls. All you need is 1 type of curl and do it to the max/failure.

Im not a fan of splits like this, can lead to overtraining.

 

[Rico S]

You need to go into more detail about your training. How old are you? What is your bench/squat/deadlift if you know them? How did your training look like over the past six years? Give a response as detailed as possible.

I also don't understand how your workout is done. Are you doing one bodypart a day?

The biggest thing I see with most "bodybuilder" workouts is the once a week frequency. If you aren't on drugs it's more beneficial bump up the frequency to twice a week.

 

[WrEcKLeSS2000]

Looks like a pretty good routine to start with.

 

[incognito42]

Originally posted by Doc73
I have been working out off and on for the past 6 or so years. During that time my weight has gone from 150 to 250 and back down to my current weight at 184. I am about 10 lbs from my weight loss goal.

Unfortunately, during the past 6 years I developed a lot of bad workout habits, which I wont get into. Most of them came from a guy I used to work out with but a lot of them came from me as well. I talked to my best friend, who just happens to be the biggest guy I know. I told him that I want to start to get more serious in the gym, and he mentioned that I should completely scrap my entire workout and start from scratch. He said that I really need to step up the intensity of my workouts and that I need to do more exercises to hit all the necessary muscle groups. This is my current workout:

Back
3x 8-10 reps wide grip lat pulldown
3x 8-10 reps close grip lat pulldown
3x 6-10 reps one arm dumbell rows
3x 8-10 reps machine rows

Chest
3x 6-10 reps each of flat dumbell press, incline press, and decline press
3x 8-10 dumbell, machine, or cable flys

Biceps
3x 6-10 reps EZ bar curls
3x 6-10 reps alternating dumbell curls
3x 6-10 reps preacher curls (usually done on machine)

Triceps
3x 8-10 reps tricep cable pushdown
3x 8-10 reps straight bar head crunches, followed immediately by close grip bench press using the same reps and weight

Shoulders
3x 8-10 reps shoulder press (done with dumbells or smith machine)
3x 8-10 reps front shoulder raise
3x 8-10 reps side shoulder raise
3x 8-10 reps rear shoulder raise

Legs and calves
3x 8-10 reps leg extensions
3x 8-10 reps hack squats
3x 8-10 reps sitting down leg curls
3x 8-10 reps sitting calf raise
3x 8-10 reps leg press

Here is my problem. I seem to lose steam about halfway through my workout. Its especially apparent when I am doing biceps and chest.

Now I have a couple of questions, a) is the current workout I have decent enough so that I am working every muscle group effectively? and b) if it isnt, can someone suggest a good workout routine for someone who isnt necessarily a newbie at the gym, but wants to take his bodybuilding to the next level

Not a bad routine overall, you should do alright even if you change nothing. My suggestions, use less machines, continue doing mostly DB workouts, incorporate dips and some sort of explosion workouts (cleans, push press, etc.), maybe throw some straight legged dead lifts in to your routine every couple weeks. Only do decline bench if you are worried about cuts, it doesnt do much in the way of gaining strength, if anything. Doing dips should be just fine for cutting/tightening up that lower pec region.

Since you are starting from scratch, do 3-4 sets of 12, 11-10, 10-9 and hit your last set at 8 reps. Do whatever amount of weight for each set, that will max you out on your last rep. This means you need a spotter to truly see an increase in strength so try and find someone to go to the gym with you. After a month you could shorten it to the 6-10 rep range for your 3-4 sets, but starting with the 8-12 rep range is best, IMO. After your 1st week or 2 working out, make sure you are increasing the weight in each workout, nearly each set

The best workouts to keep in your weekly routine: Dips, rows, squats, lunges, military press



...just some suggestions

 

[Alpine]

I like the way your friend says you need more intensity by doing more exercises.

Looking at your leg routine for instance, how about achieving intensity by lifting very heavy weights ie 5-7 rep range on a squat or a dealift, and cutting out the intensity sapping girly stuff.

Unfortunately finding the biggest guy in the gym isn't always a sure fire way of getting good advice, for a number of reasons (possible).

He won the genetic lottery

He has at some point used gear

He put on most of his mass with heavy compounds and now does something else.

He's having a laugh.

 

[MetalFortress]

Back
3x 8-10 reps wide grip lat pulldown
3x 8-10 reps close grip lat pulldown
3x 6-10 reps one arm dumbell rows
3x 8-10 reps machine rows

Chest
3x 6-10 reps each of flat dumbell press, incline press, and decline press
3x 8-10 dumbell, machine, or cable flys

Biceps
3x 6-10 reps EZ bar curls
3x 6-10 reps alternating dumbell curls
3x 6-10 reps preacher curls (usually done on machine)

Triceps
3x 8-10 reps tricep cable pushdown
3x 8-10 reps straight bar head crunches, followed immediately by close grip bench press using the same reps and weight

Shoulders
3x 8-10 reps shoulder press (done with dumbells or smith machine)
3x 8-10 reps front shoulder raise
3x 8-10 reps side shoulder raise
3x 8-10 reps rear shoulder raise

Legs and calves
3x 8-10 reps leg extensions
3x 8-10 reps hack squats
3x 8-10 reps sitting down leg curls
3x 8-10 reps sitting calf raise
3x 8-10 reps leg press

No offense, but that routine is crazy. That is way too many exercises. Here's what I would do:

CHEST, TRICEPS, SHOULDERS
Bench press
Dumbbell bench press
Incline press
Dips/weighted dips

UPPER BACK, BICEPS, BACK OF SHOULDERS
Chin-ups/weighted chin-ups/pulldowns
BB or DB bent-over rows
Alternating DB curl

LOWER BODY:
SQUATS!!! (this is the single most important lift in existence)
Deadlifts
DB Walking Lunges

These exercises are all you need. The set and rep range are up to you, depending on what works best for you, but flogging yourself using these exercises WILL bulk you mightily. They are also optimal for cutting, or even simply training for strength minus mass.

If you still need extra for abs, grab a barbell plate and put it across your chest, and then do full range situps. Same set and rep scheme as your other muscles. Once you get too strong for one plate, use multiple plates, or grab two dumbbells and do the same thing.

 

[Doc73]

After doing some thinking and reading all the responses to my original post, I have decided to completely scrap the workout I mentioned above and start over from scratch. I am going to do some research on the web and talk to my buddy before posting a new workout. Whichever workout I decide to do must fit a couple of criteria:

a) It must be a workout I can do by myself safely

b) It must be a workout that I can do in less than an hour. Maybe I am a clueless newbie, but I am way too busy to be spending more than an hour at the gym. My philosophy has always been go, work out, work out hard, and get the hell out. I rarely socialize at the gym unless its before or after my workout

I MIGHT salvage the tricep routine because for me its proven pretty effective in training my triceps.

I notice a lot of responses (and a lot of posts about leg workouts) mentioning squats. I will be honest with you all, I HATE doing squats, but not because its an intense exercise. About a year ago I actually did incorporate squats into my routine and at the beginning I was doing really light weight (bar+10 lbs on each side). I was doing fine one day, but with a couple of reps left in my exercise, I went down to far and my legs just gave out. Luckily, I was only using minimal weight (and that nobody saw me ). But ever since then I have been apprehensive about doing exercises like that for fear of my legs giving out again

No offense, but that routine is crazy. That is way too many exercises

Its kinda funny you mentioned that, because a couple of days ago my buddy told me that its not enough. But then again for him that might be the case. Incidentally, he usually is the biggest guy at the gym and surprisingly he is all natural (trust me if he was doing juice I would have know about it by now)

 

[EFFORT]

Wow, first time i saw this thread! I'am so happy that you decided to scrap that workout Doc. I know your friend ment well but that is not a good workout for the majority of guys trying to get bigger.

Thats text book big guy/meathead logic too.... JUST DO A BUNCH OF **** AND WORK HARD, GIVE IT HEART, YOU'LL GROW.

Well your looking for something you can do in less than an hour, well man you have a lot of options.

Send me a pm and i'll be happy to share some knowledge and resources with you.

 

[MetalFortress]

I'm confused as to what you mean by your legs giving out. You just couldn't go back up? Believe me, dude, it's happened to me probably a hundred times. There is no such thing as going down too far. Practice til you can go down as far as you can while still staying on your heels and keeping your lower back straight. And once you can do that safely, start adding weight. I couldn't even squat with no weight without falling down at first. Now I don't squat AT ALL unless I'm going ass to grass.

 

[Doc73]

Ok, here is my revised workout. Previously I had done a 5 day split training one body part per day with the exception of my arms. I have decided to try a four day split and use less reps with more weight. I have also decided to rest more in between sets because of my increased intensity. Lastly I have decided to incorporate more compound exercises (i.e. squats and deadlifts) in my workout to increase my intensity even furthur. So here it is:

My revised workout

Day 1 Chest and Triceps
Chest:
3x- 4-8 reps flat smith machine press
3x 6-8 reps low incline dumbell press
3x- 6-8 reps dumbell flys (or cable flys)

Triceps
3x 6-8 reps french press followed immediately by same same number of reps close grip bench press
3x 6-8 reps tricep pushdowns

Day 2 Back and biceps
Back
3x 6-8 reps deadlifts
3x 6-8 reps pulldowns
3x 6-8 reps one arm dumbell rows
2x 8-10 dumbell shrugs

Biceps
3x 6-8 reps EZ barbell curls
3x 6-8 reps dumbell hammer curls

Day 3 Shoulders and abs
Shoulders
3x 6-8 reps shoulder press
3x 6-8 reps sitting front shoulder raise
3x 6-8 reps standing lat raise
3x 6-8 reps rear shoulder raise

Abs
4x 8-10 reps crunches

Day 4 OFF

Day 5 Legs
3x 8-10 reps Squats (for the first few weeks and then I will cut it down to 6-8 reps)
3x 6-8 reps leg curls
3x 6-8 reps leg extensions
3x 6-8 reps sitting calf raise
3x 6-8 reps leg press

Days 6 & 7 off