My gym routine

[Maxf]

I have recently dropped some weight (mainly around my belly!) from a change of diet and going to the gym more. I'm feeling pretty trim now, although want to get that 'athletic' look back, I used to have in my early 20s (now 33). As such I'm looking at a bit of a revised gym programme and was hoping for some comment.

I don't want to be huge, just a bit more defined, flat stomach and slightly broader shoulders.

So...

Day 1,
Cardio 40 mins (decent intensity - maybe 175bpm)
Sit-ups x 150
Obliques 3 x 12
Core (plank etc) for about 10 minues total

Day 2,
10 min warm up
Bench Press
Incline Bench
Bench Fly/pec deck

Dumbbell Curls
Bar curls

Day 3,
As per day 1

Day 4,
10 min warm up
Shoulder press (dumb bells)
Lateral raise
Front raise
Not sure what this is called, but kind of a half deadlift, with the bar at my thighs, snatched to my shoulders, then up to the sky.

Squats
Hamstring Curls
Calf raises

Day 5,
As per days 1 and 3

Day 6,
10 min warm up
Bench Pull (cable)
lateral pull down
Cable row (standing, 1 handed)

Tricep extension (cable/bar)
Dips

Day 7,
Church and a nice cup of tea.

I apprecite I may be over training here, but phychologically I find the gym incredibly important. It helps me start the day and to an extent dictates my state of mind (sad eh?). If I'm shattered I can always skip a day.

I want to get some deadlifts in as well.

[Shinobi]

If it works keep doing it, important thing is to not get bored. I can relate to you wanting to be in the Gym mentality!

Only thing I would question is you are only working legs once a week. Might be better to do thenm twice if you can.

[Maxf]

Shinobi said:

If it works keep doing it, important thing is to not get bored. I can relate to you wanting to be in the Gym mentality!

Only thing I would question is you are only working legs once a week. Might be better to do thenm twice if you can.

I'm still getting over a knee op, so am nannying my legs a little bit - but appreciate I may need to step that up. I certainly don't want to look like I only train upper body, although the cardio is obviously fairly leggy.

[N88]

Looks pretty good to me. Maybe switch biceps and triceps so you're doing the latter with chest and vice versa.

You don't want to be doing more than one body part per week, so the amount your doing legs is perfectly fine especially with all that cardio.

Make sure you train to failure on each set whilst keeping your form and you won't go far wrong.

[ShadownINja]

Are you doing sit ups to work the abs? If so, I found the most effective thing was leg raises while hanging from a chin up bar. Also, crunches and oblique crunches.

[Morba]

Maxf said:

I have recently dropped some weight (mainly around my belly!) from a change of diet and going to the gym more. I'm feeling pretty trim now, although want to get that 'athletic' look back, I used to have in my early 20s (now 33). As such I'm looking at a bit of a revised gym programme and was hoping for some comment.

I don't want to be huge, just a bit more defined, flat stomach and slightly broader shoulders.

So...

Day 1,
Cardio 40 mins (decent intensity - maybe 175bpm)
Sit-ups x 150
Obliques 3 x 12
Core (plank etc) for about 10 minues total

Day 2,
10 min warm up
Bench Press
Incline Bench
Bench Fly/pec deck

Dumbbell Curls
Bar curls

Day 3,
As per day 1

Day 4,
10 min warm up
Shoulder press (dumb bells)
Lateral raise
Front raise
Not sure what this is called, but kind of a half deadlift, with the bar at my thighs, snatched to my shoulders, then up to the sky. Hang clean to push press - excellent exercise

Squats
Hamstring Curls
Calf raises

Day 5,
As per days 1 and 3

Day 6,
10 min warm up
Bench Pull (cable)
lateral pull down
Cable row (standing, 1 handed)

Tricep extension (cable/bar)
Dips

Day 7,
Church and a nice cup of tea.

I apprecite I may be over training here, but phychologically I find the gym incredibly important. It helps me start the day and to an extent dictates my state of mind (sad eh?). If I'm shattered I can always skip a day.

I want to get some deadlifts in as well.

That looks horrible tbh. All those situps, what for? 6 packs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym and yes, you need to do deadlifts or something alongside the hang cleans as otherwise you will build an imbalance in your body.
You do all this in the morning when you wake? Do you eat before hand?

1 thing you might want to remember: You don't need to spend a lot of time in the gym to reach your goals. It what you do in the gym that will make the difference, not how long you are there.

You want a strong core and broader shoulders:
Broader shoulders will come along with bigger and stronger arms.
Bigger arms and shoulders need stronger chest.
Stronger chest needs a stronger back
Stronger and bigger upper body needs strong core AND stronger legs.
Imbalance of muscle groups is a bad thing, both for your body and how you look.

It looks like you would really benefit (more than you realise) from following something like stronglifts or riptoes starting strength.
Failing that have a look at things like turkish getups and windmills.

[didelydoo]

Morba said:

Maxf said:

I have recently dropped some weight (mainly around my belly!) from a change of diet and going to the gym more. I'm feeling pretty trim now, although want to get that 'athletic' look back, I used to have in my early 20s (now 33). As such I'm looking at a bit of a revised gym programme and was hoping for some comment.

I don't want to be huge, just a bit more defined, flat stomach and slightly broader shoulders.

So...

Day 1,
Cardio 40 mins (decent intensity - maybe 175bpm)
Sit-ups x 150
Obliques 3 x 12
Core (plank etc) for about 10 minues total

Day 2,
10 min warm up
Bench Press
Incline Bench
Bench Fly/pec deck

Dumbbell Curls
Bar curls

Day 3,
As per day 1

Day 4,
10 min warm up
Shoulder press (dumb bells)
Lateral raise
Front raise
Not sure what this is called, but kind of a half deadlift, with the bar at my thighs, snatched to my shoulders, then up to the sky. Hang clean to push press - excellent exercise

Squats
Hamstring Curls
Calf raises

Day 5,
As per days 1 and 3

Day 6,
10 min warm up
Bench Pull (cable)
lateral pull down
Cable row (standing, 1 handed)

Tricep extension (cable/bar)
Dips

Day 7,
Church and a nice cup of tea.

I apprecite I may be over training here, but phychologically I find the gym incredibly important. It helps me start the day and to an extent dictates my state of mind (sad eh?). If I'm shattered I can always skip a day.

I want to get some deadlifts in as well.

That looks horrible tbh. All those situps, what for? 6 packs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym and yes, you need to do deadlifts or something alongside the hang cleans as otherwise you will build an imbalance in your body.
You do all this in the morning when you wake? Do you eat before hand?

1 thing you might want to remember: You don't need to spend a lot of time in the gym to reach your goals. It what you do in the gym that will make the difference, not how long you are there.

You want a strong core and broader shoulders:
Broader shoulders will come along with bigger and stronger arms.
Bigger arms and shoulders need stronger chest.
Stronger chest needs a stronger back
Stronger and bigger upper body needs strong core AND stronger legs.
Imbalance of muscle groups is a bad thing, both for your body and how you look.

It looks like you would really benefit (more than you realise) from following something like stronglifts or riptoes starting strength.
Failing that have a look at things like turkish getups and windmills.

I'd second this.

[Maxf]

Morba said:

That looks horrible tbh. All those situps, what for? 6 packs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym and yes, you need to do deadlifts or something alongside the hang cleans as otherwise you will build an imbalance in your body.
You do all this in the morning when you wake? Do you eat before hand?

1 thing you might want to remember: You don't need to spend a lot of time in the gym to reach your goals. It what you do in the gym that will make the difference, not how long you are there.

You want a strong core and broader shoulders:
Broader shoulders will come along with bigger and stronger arms.
Bigger arms and shoulders need stronger chest.
Stronger chest needs a stronger back
Stronger and bigger upper body needs strong core AND stronger legs.
Imbalance of muscle groups is a bad thing, both for your body and how you look.

It looks like you would really benefit (more than you realise) from following something like stronglifts or riptoes starting strength.
Failing that have a look at things like turkish getups and windmills.

Thanks for the input.

I do this in the morning, although I don't sleep at the gym so there is a little buffer between waking and training I rowed for years so am fine with training early doors. I tend to eat a bagel with some peanut butter about 45 mins before I train.

Understand the abs comment. I am working hard in the kitchen too and have pretty low bodyfat now (I assume), having dropped a stone or so from when I wasn't especially fat, but still training.

You know the guys who just look athletic? Trim, with muscle, but also full movement and can still buy normal clothes? That's what I want in terms of looks from all of this, not a 'thick' upper body. I'm not sure if that makes sense?

Legs are a funny issue for me. A year of rehab for an injury has left me with 1 rugby players leg and 1 ballet dancer leg!

I'll look at the other exercises you mentioned - not sure Mayfair Virgin is the place for lots of bar work though!

[TJW]

Do you have a tiny back?

Edited - Didn't read the weighted rows, lat pull downs etc.. my mistake!

Edited by TJW on Thursday 21st October 15:25

[Smashed]

ShadownINja said:

Are you doing sit ups to work the abs? If so, I found the most effective thing was leg raises while hanging from a chin up bar. Also, crunches and oblique crunches.

If he's just starting I'd say this would be too intense?

[LordGrover]

He's already doing 450 sit-ups/crunches a week.

[Animal]

Maxf said:

I'll look at the other exercises you mentioned - not sure Mayfair Virgin is the place for lots of bar work though!

I'd second the comment about Turkish get-ups and windmills - they're killers! Does your gym have kettlebells? All you need is one of those and a mat to lie/stand on.

[Morba]

The sort of body it sounds like you are after can be achieved from a normal weightlifting routine with the right diet and cardio.
You wont turn into Mr Olympia, that takes years of dedication and a shed load of food (and other things) ;]

[Smashed]

LordGrover said:

He's already doing 450 sit-ups/crunches a week.

hmm probably should of read the whole post properly.

[Maxf]

Smashed said:

LordGrover said:

He's already doing 450 sit-ups/crunches a week.

hmm probably should of read the whole post properly.

I've been training for *something* since school - either football, rowing (most of my training), to significantly bulk up (during a strange period of my life), but never before to essentially 'look good naked' .

[Maxf]

Morba said:

The sort of body it sounds like you are after can be achieved from a normal weightlifting routine with the right diet and cardio.
You wont turn into Mr Olympia, that takes years of dedication and a shed load of food (and other things) ;]

Cool. I do tend to put bulk on very easily and want to avoid getting that 'try hard weight lifter' look you see in the bars on a Saturday night.

[LordGrover]

OP, your aims appear to be the same as mine (see thread here: click.)
For my money you're doing a lot of cardio which may make it harder work than necessary to grow muscle. Once you have shifted the fat, which you appear to have done, I'd be more inclined to just one or two cardio sessions a week and concentrate on a good four day split for your weights. Make sure you include the heavy stuff like squats, deads, chin-ups, bench, etc.
You won't turn into an over-muscled freak. Promise.

ETA typo.

Edited by LordGrover on Thursday 21st October 16:15