Days of rest??

[dsmi163]

A warm-up set with just a bar for most compound exercises (bench, squat, deadlift etc.) will be beneficial before adding the weight. It will also help with getting your body used to the action with the correct technique - this is the other thing, be sure to focus primarily on technique with relatively new exercises and add more weight later on.

[cantygirl]

With regards to the 10 min warm up, sometimes i jump on the rower or staty bike for 10 mins and if im pushed for time I use my first rep set a a warmup, just take your time and use slow and corrct form.

[senn]

hey again!

I've been compiling my 3-day split over the last couple of days and finding which exercises I can do with the equipment I have. I'm open to and in fact wanting criticism/suggestions/opinions of how I can improve this if possible. So far I've just listed all the possible exercises I can do from different sites I've visited and from here. Obviously I won't do all of them all the time. But are there any I should always do - like squats/deadlifts? Or maybe ones I can leave out as other exercises may be working the same muscles? Here it is:

Monday: Back & Biceps & Traps & Forearms & Shoulders

· Barbell / Dumbbell Shrugs

· Barbell / Dumbbell Upright Rows

· Barbell Bent Over Row

· Dumbbell Bent Over Row

· Barbell Deadlifts

· Barbell Good Mornings

· Barbell Curls (wide/close grips)

· Reverse Barbell Curls

· Dumbbell Curls

· Dummbell Hammer Curls

· Dumbbell Concentration Curls

· Barbell / Dumbbell Wrist Curls

· Reverse Barbell / Dumbbell Wrist Curls

Wednesday: Chest & Triceps & Delts

· Barbell / Dumbbell Bench Press

· Dumbbell Flies

· Press Ups

· Barbell / Dumbbell Skull Crushers

· Diamond Pushups

· Dumbbell Kickbacks

· Close-Grip Bench Press

· Dumbbell Tricep extensions

· Front Dumbbell Raises

· Dumbbell Lateral Raises

· Reverse Dumbbell Flies

· Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Friday: Legs

· Barbell / Dumbbell Squats

· Barbell / Dumbbell Lunges

· Barbell / Dumbbell Calf Raises

· Crunches

Also, just quickly how many reps/sets should I be looking at? So far I've been going roughly with the 3x10 suggested by Beef and some other sites. Finally, a really noob question and maybe even downright stupid to ask but do I complete each set straight after I've done the set on that muscle group? For example if I'm working out the legs, and I'm doing 3 sets of 10 reps for squats, would I do 1 set of squats, have a break and then do another set of squats, break and then the last set of squats.... then move onto the same with the lunges? OR is it OK to go 1 set of squats --> 1 set of lunges --> 1 set of calf raises, and then repeat this in a cycle 3 times for my 3 sets? I have been doing the latter method, but don't know if I should be doing the sets straight after each other for each exercise.

Thanks everyone, I know thats a lot of questions to digest! I don't expect anyone one person to answer them all, but any help is greatly appreciated!

[Beef]

straight away I can tell you're doing too many exercises. pick 2 exercises for each muscle and hammer them

[senn]

nice thanks, and yeah dont get it twisted im not doing all of those exercises. Just trying to plan my workout and see what options were available for me.

Also about the sets thing..... what do you guys normally do?

[ThePman]

Man

I dunno what it is, but every single time a beginner puts together a routine, there's always about 20 exercises for arms/chest/shoulders, then you get down to legs and there's three

You'd get a lot more mileage by doing nothing but working the hell out of squats than from what you've got listed.

Do basic lifts. Work them hard. Go home and eat.

[Elite121]

Oh dear, did you grab this workout of a Flex magazine :nod, since we are doing a split you forgot to include a day to workout your big toes and pinkies.

Below is a 3 day program I'd be inclined to do, high metabolic demand by stimulating big muscle groups, essentially you will get "more bang for your buck" Than than your outlined program.

Repetitions generally 8-12, Sets 2-3, Rest 60-90 seconds.

A

Squat

Bench

Barbell row

B

Deadlift

Incline bench press

Pullup

C

Lunge

Dips

Seated cable row

[senn]

thanks for the advice, i'll cut down on the exercises

is it 'normal' to do each set for each exercise after each other or is it ok to go through the exercises in a cycle and then repeat the cycle for another set or doesn't it matter at all?

[Elite121]

Yeah I'd go with straight sets, wouldn't worry about a circuit.

Good luck with your training keep asking questions its how we learn

[senn]

cool

also i left out alot of exercises for the legs because I don't have the equipment for these (yet). I'm working out at home atm with mainly just a barbell/dumbbells which is why all my exercises involve only those. I really should join a gym, but I live out in the country and its too much of a pain for me to go into town and back each time

[Elite121]

Fair enough man, there are lots of leg exercises you can perform with the dbs and barbels, even some bodyweight exercises for a change here and there will be sufficient.Have a look at some kettle-bell stuff just as a side thought so versatile.

[senn]

sweet I'll check those out too :grin:

to be honest though I won't be working my legs too hard because I've only learned to walk again in the last year. Broke both legs in 3 places 2 years ago, and have been largely confined to crutches and hobbling around for the past 2 years. I've been going to the physio for the last 2 years aswell so I know all about the squats/lunges exercises and I'll probably still be doing these without weights for now as my strength is still not fully up to 100%. Don't want to get ahead of myself!!

[Elite121]

sweet I'll check those out too :grin:

to be honest though I won't be working my legs too hard because I've only learned to walk again in the last year. Broke both legs in 3 places 2 years ago, and have been largely confined to crutches and hobbling around for the past 2 years. I've been going to the physio for the last 2 years aswell so I know all about the squats/lunges exercises and I'll probably still be doing these without weights for now as my strength is still not fully up to 100%. Don't want to get ahead of myself!!

Wow didn't realize that apologies some pretty serious stuff you went through there my man.Good on you for not giving up...easy thing to do for some. Keep up the great work!

[ThePman]

IMO barbell is all you need. The idea that you need a ton of different exercises is overrated.

If there is a point where you need lots of exercises to "sculpt" or whatever (there might be, I dunno), it's well past what a beginner needs to worry about.

Squat. Squat more.