Help! - Doing my own programes.

[Laver]

I want to re-do my training plan every 4 weeks or so, to make sure my body isnt getting used to it, but I don't know enough about how to change it to do it, I'd really like some links to some helpful articles so I can learn what is required to be changed in my program periodically so my body has to keep adapting to it and also which exercises should be kept in there always, like perhaps bench and squat etc?

Currently routine is 3day split, mostly 3 sets, reps of 12, 10 , 8

Day 1, Chest/Tri/Shoulder

Bench Press

Incline DB Press

Incline DB Flyes

DB Shoulder Press - Seated

Side Lateral Raise - Standing

Tricep Pulldowns

Day 2, Legs

Squats

Leg Press

Leg Extn, Superset with curls

Hamstring Curls

Deadlifts

Day 3, Back/Biceps

Lat Pulldowns

Cable Rows

Lying BB Row

Upright BB Row

Mid Back Shrugs

DB Shrugs

Standing BB Curls

Seated DB Curls

[Big_J]

ok i didnt read it fully cause i cant be bothered.. but you have got 1 tricep exercise.. i mean do you want to grow?

[Cammo]

Day 2, Legs

Where's the calf work?

Why are there deadlifts in there? - deads are a lower back exercise & shouldn't really be done on the same day as squats - deads & squats are the 2 most taxing exercises.... IMO there should be at least 1 day in between these exercises (if you're intensity is at a good level).

I'd also throw in stiff legged deads (for hammies.... not conventional deads) or romainian deads - leg curls will only get you so far.

Day 3 Back/Biceps

I would personally do my upright rows on shoulder day as they hit the delts pretty hard.

I also hate shrugs... face pulls are what I do instead but that's just personal preference.

You also have no ab work in your whole routine??

If I was putting this split together, it would probably look more like this:

Day 1, Chest/Tri/Shoulder

Bench Press

Incline DB Press

DB Shoulder Press - Seated

Side Lateral Raise - Standing

Skullcrushers

Tricep Pulldowns

Day 2, Legs

Squats

Leg Press

Romainian Deadlifts

Hamstring Curls

Standing/seated calf raise

Abs

Day 3, Back/Biceps

Deadlift

Lat Pulldowns

Lying BB Row

Facepulls

Standing BB Curls

Seated DB Curls

I might try and get more ab work done through the week as well if possible.

Here's what a facepull looks like: (you'll have to open it in a new window, doesn't work on here??)

[IronGame]

Don't try to write your own programs your not ready

Go to testosterone nation and read everything you can on training and nutrition and use there programs there are hundereds.

http://www.t-mag.com/

[Laver]

Day 2, Legs

Where's the calf work?

Why are there deadlifts in there? - deads are a lower back exercise & shouldn't really be done on the same day as squats - deads & squats are the 2 most taxing exercises.... IMO there should be at least 1 day in between these exercises (if you're intensity is at a good level).

I'd also throw in stiff legged deads (for hammies.... not conventional deads) or romainian deads - leg curls will only get you so far.

Day 3 Back/Biceps

I would personally do my upright rows on shoulder day as they hit the delts pretty hard.

I also hate shrugs... face pulls are what I do instead but that's just personal preference.

You also have no ab work in your whole routine??

Thanks Cammo, yeh I dont know much about leg work; only started legs in the last 2weeks, so all that side of it is unclean, will make sure I rearrange that, and the calf work is comming this week, only just got that sorted, thanks for hammy advice too.

I been thinking that about the upright rows too, will change that.

I do a bit of ab work, sortta waiting till I can see them then will target them more where I can then follow the progress.

ok i didn't read it fully cause i cant be bothered.. but you have got 1 tricep exercise.. i mean do you want to grow?

I find my triceps get a hammering through the work earler in this routine, the push downs just completely deaden them, I get more tightness and DOMs in my triceps than anything else atm, so I feel more work on them would be un portportunate to the rest of my muscle groups, but a valid point.

Don't try to write your own programs your not ready

Go to testosterone nation and read everything you can on training and nutrition and use there programs there are hundereds.

http://www.t-mag.com/

Im happy with my nutrition side; No I don't know enough about editing my programs right now, which is why I was asking for help; I want to avoid reading things that won't be helpful to me - so i'd like some reference to some good articles, I find it very time consuming getting good information out of mega sites without reading the same information over and over again, or fishing through irrelevant stuff

Also im more after how you edit a programme periodically to stop your body adapting; rather than just writing one in the first place.

[tallulahangie]

Get yourself a personal trainer if you are really serious about gettting results. Once you are more familiar with training and what works well for you then you can begin to do your own programs and nutrition.

[IronGame]

Also im more after how you edit a programme periodically to stop your body adaptin; rather than just writing one in the first place.

[Laver]

Opps, Didn't mean to post twice; internet lagging a bit and casuing problems, gtg back to work will continue this later!

[poos_n_wees]

Day 1, Chest/Tri/Shoulder

Bench Press

Incline DB Press

DB Shoulder Press - Seated

Side Lateral Raise - Standing

Skullcrushers

Tricep Pulldowns

Day 2, Legs

Squats

Leg Press

Romainian Deadlifts

Hamstring Curls

Standing/seated calf raise

Abs

Day 3, Back/Biceps

Deadlift

Lat Pulldowns

Lying BB Row

Facepulls

Standing BB Curls

Seated DB Curls

Not my favourite split, but this is how I'd change your program too :nod: Its got good bang-for-buck exercises on each day, as well as the extra foofoo bodybuilder stuff

Your body doesn't magically *adapt* after 4 weeks on a program.. if you're still getting results, and consistently increasing weight added on the bar then there's no reason to change... unless you're bored stiff lol. You don't necessarily have to change exercises too.. there's lots of things like reps/sets/rest you could play around with as well.

I know what you mean about sifting through the huge amount of info out in cyberspace too. We seem to overcomplicate what isn't so complicated. But reading articles for yourself does help.. even if you've read some of the stuff before... you just take whats useful to you and filter out the rest.

[Laver]

Also im more after how you edit a programme periodically to stop your body adaptin; rather than just writing one in the first place.

This is exactly why you need to read and learn for yourself, if we just tell you you should do this and that you'l never gain the skills to sucessfully do it for yourself.

[2guns]

ok i didnt read it fully cause i cant be bothered..

LMAO :pfft:

[Pseudonym]

There's no golden rule, and for every article you find telling you to do it one way, there'll be three articles telling you to do it another. My advice is just to try them all, accepting that some of the time you'll get it "wrong".

Some routines you'll like more than others - keep those ones and ditch the rest. That process will not only teach you what works for you, and give you experience in a range of routines, it'll also give you a gut feeling for how to design your own.

As a change from what you've been doing, I would suggest checking out the MAX-OT training system. Your current workouts are between 8-12 reps, whereas MAX-OT likes really low-volume stuff. They also provide heaps of info on the basics of how to structure a routine (as always though, take that with a pinch of salt!)

Give that a go for the next 6-8 weeks, then look for something different again.

http://www.ast-ss.com/max-ot/max-ot_intro.asp

[Laver]

thanks PSE, will check it out, just quickly i'm not very good at recognizing how my body is responding to things, like in the last 21days, more last 14days ive started my diet and cardio to try to loose fat, admittedly I haven't gauged it as well as I could have, with measurements or anything, just gone by mirror, as I originally said id do it for 8weeks and see how the changes then, but i expected a little more than what ive seen so far, in the last 3 weeks.

But say tomorrow I got a whole lot of measurements etc done, what sort of timeline should I wait out before I decide its not working and need to reduce cals/increase cardio?

Been getting a little disheartened lately, trying really hard, getting told i eat like a little bitch, doing moderate amounts of cardio

(40mins a day), but not seeming like im getting results :'(

[Small]

but i expected a little more than what ive seen so far, in the last 3 weeks.

but not seeming like im getting results :'(

I originally said id do it for 8weeks

patience.. 3 weeks is only 21days which Means another 5 weeks to go as you said. stop wanting radikal changes, 5 weeks is another 35 days, in that alot can happen.

dont get disheartened

[Laver]

Lol

I made radikal changes... I DEMAND RADIKAL RESULTS!

I have no problem sticking to it if im gona get what im after; but if its not gona work I wana figur it out asap so I kan then look to fix whatevers wrong!

I think the problem might more lie in my lack of accurate progress tracking.

[Cammo]

You will never see the progress you want if you keep pissing around & changing your program every couple of weeks.

Stick to 1 routine for 8 - 12 weeks & then gauge your progress.

You also need to hitting all your muscles with your routine.

Saying that you don't really want to be working your abs until you've lost some fat & can see them is just ridiculous. The more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn.... and, your posture will suffer if you are doing an unbalanced routine & that can lead to all sorts of problems.

Start a journal here - it's a great way to track your progress & also the more experienced peeps can throw in their 5c worth and help with your training.

[teamfatboy]

thanks PSE, will check it out, just quickly i'm not very good at recognizing how my body is responding to things, //snip// but i expected a little more than what ive seen so far, in the last 3 weeks.

But say tomorrow I got a whole lot of measurements etc done, what sort of timeline should I wait out before I decide its not working and need to reduce cals/increase cardio?

Been getting a little disheartened lately, trying really hard, getting told i eat like a little bitch, doing moderate amounts of cardio

(40mins a day), but not seeming like im getting results :'(

Hey Laver,

Been there, bro! I get my ass kicked severely when I think anything less than a couple of months is enough...I'm on nine-week increments at the moment and even after only three increments on a body-shaping programme (as opposed to cardio-performance for cycling) I'm now convinced that nine weeks or so is the bare minimum to gauge how your body's responding - that's my experience, but I think others are also telling you your experience will turn out similar.

Then there's the hard part - learning how YOUR body responds. Maybe you're not eating enough, or the right balance.... it's taken me a long time to get my stubborn old head around that, reign in the impatience...in my case, of course, the pork built up over decades, so (as is beaten into me!) it ain't going to shift easily. Likewise, your body's learned a pattern of energy in versus energy out - it'll take a while to change.

Also, get consistent with your measurements - same day of the week, same time of the day - there can be a variation between AM and PM, Monday afer a bad-food weekend versus Friday after eating clean all week...but don't obsess in between. It'll do your head in! [Mind you, so will being carb-depleted - don't forget to allow for how your body can influence your mind and mood!]

Keep it up, keep posting

TFB

[Big_J]

I dont understand how people can whine and complain bout training.. it isnt hard, sure i dont do it at times but thats just cause im a lazy ass. its not rocket science to go and lift weights

Laver idk what you want?? some love on your bebo page :pfft:

you say your getting doms and your body is sore but your not growing, well id be surprised if you woke a week later looking like dexter.

Maybe put as much time into your training as you do into posting on this site and you might see some radical changes

[samoan_muscle]

Lol

I made radikal changes... I DEMAND RADIKAL RESULTS!

Lol...how about making some radical changes to your spelling??

[deeepsouth_nz]

I agree with Cammo, dont change it up all the time when you're just beginning otherwise you will never see any results - it will take you a while to figure what exercises / sets and reps work and your body needs time to adapt to begin with (lay a foundation). Worry about it when you have been training for years and your body needs a shock every once in a while.

mY personal preference is to train about 5-6weeks and then have 5days no weights....then I might go back to the same program and change the reps and I might repeat this cycle a few times before I swap a few different exercises in BUT only because I have trained long enough to know which exercises work and some of these never change. Even so I still dont make huge changes at once, there are just to many variables which is counterproductive to you progressing down a particular track.