Here's my routine so far and a couple of questions

[wordski]

DAY ONE - CHEST & TRI’S

FLAT BENCH-3 X 10
INCLINE DUMBELL PRESS-3X10
FLY’S-3X10

STRAIGHT BAR PRESS DOWN-3X10
ROPE-3X10
CABLE PULL DOWNS-3X10

DAY TWO- CARDIO -45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR ON ELLIPTICAL

DAY THREE-LEG’S & BI’S

LEG EXTENSION’S-3X10
HAMSTRING CURL -3X10
LEG PRESS-3X10

BICEPS CURL-3X10
HAMMER CURL-3X10
CABLE CURL-3X10(USING INSIDE GRIP ON SQUIGGLY BAR)

DAY FOUR-CARDIO- 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR ON ELLIPTICAL

DAY FIVE-BACK AND SHOULDERS

SHRUGS-3X10
WIDE GRIP PULL DOWNS-3X10
HYPER EXTENSIONS-3X10

FRONT DUMBBELL RAISES-3X10
SEATED DUMBBELL PRESS-3X10
UPRIGHT ROW-3X10

DAY SIX-CARDIO-45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR ON ELLIPTICAL


Now onto my questions........

1. Is 10 the right number of reps per set?For example,on the bench press I use 135lbs for each set.I can succesfully do 2 complete sets, but on the third I can only do 6.Should I keep going until I can do ten on the last set then increase the weight to 145? Or should I do a 115x15,135x10,155x5.Hell Im not sure anymore.

2.Is this a good routine for a beginner?I take any and all
HELPFULL advice.

3.Is there a such thing as too much cardio for someone my size 300lbs,6'3",all fat.

[JUICE]

me personally i do not really count the reps or set a number. For me as long as i hit a range between 5-10 reps, im ok with it.

As for a beginner, start off light to get proper form on the exercises, from there u build up.

[Shibby]

Well I am quite impressed with your routine. Most beginners neat to reset the whole thing. First, there is a such thing as too much of anything. I would either move the leg day one day forward from day two, but even better would be rest day too and add the extra cardio in for day five at a high intensity for 30 minutes. I'm not sure on day one what a straight bar press down is, but it sounds like a cable exercise. If so I would change that out for a french press (preferably) or some skull crushers aka. nose breakers.

[Shibby]

Originally Posted by JUICE

me personally i do not really count the reps or set a number. For me as long as i hit a range between 5-10 reps, im ok with it.
\

My opinion is that's a large range. There is a major difference between 5 reps and 10 reps. I would focus more on 8-10 reps. If you can't reach 8 it's too heavy, if can make it past 10 it's too light. You don't have to be too specific, but that's the idea.

[fog_hat1981]

Post a pic - we promise not to hurl on our keyboards ...

Just my two cents - as a whole it looks pretty damn good compared to most folks who first come here (and make sure to post your diet if you haven't already).

I would merely suggest the use of higher reps on your legs and more compound movements on your exercises. Also, I have two more opinions about the split....

1. Workout

Chest and Biceps
Legs and Shoulders
Back and Triceps

2. Alternate which muscle group you work first every week so that each one is hit the hardest first at least every 2 weeks (and I assume calves are in there somewhere).

Lastly, as the cardio quits having that "initial" impact implement short cardio sessions after each workout since glycogen stores should be almost non-existent......

[Shibby]

I agree with foghat, I personally do 10 minutes high intesity every work out except legs. But don't worry about the details of that right now. The reasons foghat gave you for doing cardio post work out is the basis and is why I do mine the way I do.

[fog_hat1981]

Originally Posted by wordski

Now onto my questions........

1. Is 10 the right number of reps per set?For example,on the bench press I use 135lbs for each set.I can succesfully do 2 complete sets, but on the third I can only do 6.Should I keep going until I can do ten on the last set then increase the weight to 145? Or should I do a 115x15,135x10,155x5.Hell Im not sure anymore.

I would like to see you try 15 for a warmup, then three working sets of 12/10/8 with ALL three being a weight that increases to put you at failure each set. In regards to legs I would recommend 25 as a warmup followed by (what I call widowmakers) all working sets at a minumum of 20 reps with a weight where you feel like you're going to fail at 10 but you push through the pain to hit 20 (it's a bitch but they seem to work).

What I meant by more compound movements...

1. Chest - looks alright

2. Triceps - throw everything out and stick with close-grip bench, french presses and skull crushers for now

3. Legs - warm up with 2-3 sets of leg extensions, move to squats/leg presses (I would recommend squats if you can), implement SLDL's followed by heavy leg extensions superset with leg curls (both exercises being drop sets to failure)

4. Biceps - not bad

5. Back - supplement deadlifts periodically (based upon how your back feels from squats you could possibly alternate your workouts like this - squat week = no deadlifts and the next week leg presses = deadlifts), throw in pullups instead of pulldowns and then a good bent over row or one arm dumbell row

6. Shoulders - shoulder presses (do NOT perform these behind the neck), lateral raises, posterior raises and shrugs (anterior delts should be blasted from presses, chest and tricep exercises from earlier in the week)

Damn I'm longwinded tonight....

[wordski]

First let me start off by saying that I greatly appreciate the number of replys and the quality of them.I got back on after the laker game hoping to have 1 reply but was amazed to see 6!!

What's a french press?BTW, this is what I meant by a straight bar pressdown.



what a sldl?single leg deadlift?whats a superset?

I always do 30 mins on the ellipticall after workout but thought that since Im soo fat that on my days off it wouldnt hurt.

Im gonna go look up all those different shoulder exercises so I can better know what your talking about and then report back.

[fog_hat1981]

Originally Posted by wordski

First let me start off by saying that I greatly appreciate the number of replys and the quality of them.I got back on after the laker game hoping to have 1 reply but was amazed to see 6!!

What's a french press?BTW, this is what I meant by a straight bar pressdown.

Dumbell lifted with both hands behind the neck...



what a sldl?single leg deadlift?whats a superset?

SLDL = Stiff legged deadlift

Supersets are where you do the first exercise and go straight to the next exercise before resting....

Drop sets are where you go to failure with as heavy a weight as you can and then subsequently drop the weight to continue to failure for as long as you can before you die ....

I always do 30 mins on the ellipticall after workout but thought that since Im soo fat that on my days off it wouldnt hurt.

Im gonna go look up all those different shoulder exercises so I can better know what your talking about and then report back.

Surf around www.exrx.net - they will have videos of exercises and all sorts of other cool stuff to get you started......

[wordski]

what exercise would you recommend to isolate the posterior delt.All of the rows and raises that Ive looked at work the lateral or is it a work one work both type thing?I think the lying rear lat raise looks to be the most beginner friendly.Keep the newbie tips coming!!

[fog_hat1981]

Originally Posted by wordski

what exercise would you recommend to isolate the posterior delt.All of the rows and raises that Ive looked at work the lateral or is it a work one work both type thing?I think the lying rear lat raise looks to be the most beginner friendly.Keep the newbie tips coming!!

Rows should hit them hard (I actually do mine specifically on back day) but reverse flyes (rear lat raises) work very well as far as isolation goes.

[fog_hat1981]

On the exrx site they have a chart of all the different muscle groups and each one has links to descriptions and videos of which exercises work those muscles.

[Shibby]

Honestly wordski, the level you are at I wouldn't worry about the kind of detail to hit the postier deltoid. It's such a small muscle group compared to everything else, you will hit it properly with the compound exercises.

[wordski]

okay,so should i do all of my various exercises as a drop set type of set up or just limit it to the compound movement sets?You guys respond so fast this is almost like a chat.

[Shibby]

This is where the online advice gets complicated. For your goals I would keep in a lot of compound movemnts. BUT there is only so much advise we can give, before telling us your results after a couple months of trial and error.

[wordski]

Originally Posted by fog_hat1981

Lastly, as the cardio quits having that "initial" impact implement short cardio sessions after each workout since glycogen stores should be almost non-existent......

Can someone elaborate a little bit further on this........thanks.

[Shibby]

Well your body adapts to everything. Once you do cardio on it's individual days your body adapts. Through a workout your glycogen storage levels depleate for instant energy for moving more weight. If you do high intensity cardio after lifting you isolate oxidizing fat cells and using them for energy; instead of going into a catabolic state.

[wordski]

Originally Posted by Shibby

This is where the online advice gets complicated. For your goals I would keep in a lot of compound movemnts. BUT there is only so much advise we can give, before telling us your results after a couple months of trial and error.

Lol,okay I understand.Just one last question for the night.I dont think anyone really touched on this in any of the responses so I'll try to ask it as straightfoward as possible.

Is the (bench press for example) 135lbs.x10(reps) for 3 sets a bad idea, good idea?The thought being that once I can do 10 full reps in the last set to move up to 145 the start all over.Or should it be like a drop set and if so at what weight should I start at?About 90% of my 1RM.The most weight I've ever attempted on the bench was 165 and I did that 3 time so Im gonna assume I can do 175 once.Or is this one of those cases where since Im a newbie Im gonna basically make gains no matter what I do and its kinda hard to suggest a different routine until I hit a wall so to speak?Thats what Im thinking,I just want to do the "best" that I can and not hit that wall until I have enough knowledge of what to do to get over it.Whew!I am officially done for the night,but I must say its nice being around such helpfull people who speak from experience not guesstimation......

[Shibby]

Well this is where it gets to opion and personal prefernce to what works best for the individual. I personally like pyramid and move up each set as see fit.

[wordski]

A pyramid would be like 115x15,135x10,155x5 right?

[Shibby]

Yes, but I would keep it to maybe closer to 12, 10, 8, reps to match your goals.

[fog_hat1981]

Just stick with the basics for now bro - you should have more compound exercises as a base with a pyramid of 15 (warmup), 12,10. 8 like Shibby and I have already said (I just like much higher reps for legs). As for the supersets, dropsets and isolation exercises - I would only put those at the end of your workouts and only for 1 or 2 sets to finish you off (you know, where you can't hardly make those muscles move anymore).

Just remember -

K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Silly....

[wordski]

Okay,thanks for the advice!!

[JUICE]

Originally Posted by Shibby

My opinion is that's a large range. There is a major difference between 5 reps and 10 reps. I would focus more on 8-10 reps. If you can't reach 8 it's too heavy, if can make it past 10 it's too light. You don't have to be too specific, but that's the idea.

your right there brother.