Analyze This Workout "Routine"

[TrevorK]

OK guys, I need some help with this. I started out at 230lbs, and now I'm down to 213lbs (6' tall). But as you can see, this is FAR from an ideal weight (Unless of course it's all muscle , which it's not). So what I've been doing for the past two months is cardio (Riding a stationary bike) 3-4 nights a week (never two days in a row) and lifting weights 2-3 times a week (Never two days in a row and very rarely on the same day as the bike).

Now, my routine for the bike is 30 minutes, and I've moved up to being able to do 12 miles in this time. Does this seem good? For the last 3 miles, I also increase the resistance.

The weight routing is where I am really questioning myself. My routine for that is:
Butterflys - 5 sets of 10
Benchpress - 5 sets of 10
Underhand Pulldown - 3 sets of 10
Overhand Pulldown - 3 sets of 10 (I do one underhand, then one overhand, and so on)
Dumbbells - 5 sets of 10 on each arm (I switch arms in between)

What I'm concerned about, is that I believe the butterflys/bench press work most of the same muscles. This would be causing me to overwork them then? Or should this routine be OK? I'm doing enough weight so that at the end of the sets, I don't think I could do anymore (Except the pulldowns, I could do that forever probably).

Now, my goal here, well, is to just build upper body. I have some (Limited) free weights, and one of those home gyms. I can tell this is working, because I can actually lift more than 2 months ago, and my arms are definetely firmer. Once I lose this weight (Who's know how long it'll take to lose another 20-30 pounds), then I will be going towards a total body workout.

Any comments/suggestions/feedback is more than welcome.



Trevor

 

[Psycho18]

I work out every day though. My daily workout routine is Monday-Biceps, Brachioradials, and triceps.Tuesday-Pectoalis Major, Sternomastroid, and Deltoids. Wednesday-Rectus Abdominus. Thursday-Trapezius, Rhomboideus, Latissimus Dorsi. Friday-Obliques, Hip Flexors, Abductor, Quadriceps,Sartous, Thigh and Buttocks.Its also good to learn Martial Arts,like me.

 

[UF Jspec]

I am by no means an expert at this, but I have been working out for about 5 years now.

The basic formula for weights is more reps/sets @ lower weight is for muscular endurance and losing weight. Less reps at high weight is for building muscle.

So you seem to be in the right ballpark for losing weight. I'd add some tricep work in there too. I doubt you are overworking your chest.

On my upper body day, I currently do the following.

3 sets of bench
3 sets of flys
3 sets of lat pulldowns
3 set of tricep pulldowns
3 sets of bicep curls

I try to stay in the 8 - 12 rep range and I go to muscle failure at the end of each exercise. I recently moved to a new city so I have not had the chance to join a gym. I am currently using the gym at my apartment complex. As soon as I get back in a real gym, I'll go on a 3 day routine. I'll probably go with leg day, chest/back day, and arm day. Hope this helps.

 

[TrevorK]

<< I am by no means an expert at this, but I have been working out for about 5 years now.

The basic formula for weights is more reps/sets @ lower weight is for muscular endurance and losing weight. Less reps at high weight is for building muscle.

So you seem to be in the right ballpark for losing weight. I'd add some tricep work in there too. I doubt you are overworking your chest.

On my upper body day, I currently do the following.

3 sets of bench
3 sets of flys
3 sets of lat pulldowns
3 set of tricep pulldowns
3 sets of bicep curls

I try to stay in the 8 - 12 rep range and I go to muscle failure at the end of each exercise. I recently moved to a new city so I have not had the chance to join a gym. I am currently using the gym at my apartment complex. As soon as I get back in a real gym, I'll go on a 3 day routine. I'll probably go with leg day, chest/back day, and arm day. Hope this helps. >>



Tricep pulldowns? I could add that to my list too. I think the benchpress works the triceps a bit, but I'm sure not as much as an exercise dedicated to it like the tricep pulldown? I'll have to pull out the little book, and see how I can do those on my machine.



Trevor

 

[TrevorK]

Any more comments/suggestions/feedback?





Trevor

 

[TrevorK]

Anyone else got some input?



Trevor

 

[Spamela]

why wait before you start on other body parts?

 

[Pundit]

I used to be in almost perfect condition. I was eating right and exercising (routine below) and was 160 and 6' tall. Then I met my gf... I then gained 80 lbs over the last 3 years

My advice: Do more walking/jogging/running than bike. The effects will be much more noticeable than bike, which works on your legs more than your fat. When trying to determine if two exercises work the same muscle, just look at the motion of your limbs. If the motion is the same, you're working the same muscles.

Now, with regards to #reps, I believe muscle mass depends almost purely on the amount of weight you lift. Your body must adapt to larger weights, so you should lift the largest weight you can and do as many reps as you can. I don't even bother counting to 10 or 15 or whatever. I just continue until I can't do any more, then wait and do another set later. I think these are called exhaust sets?

Above all, the most important thing in looking good is what you eat. When I first got into shape, I don't think I exercised at all, but ate only fruits, vegetables, beans, and grain products - and absolutely none of them refined (i.e. added sugar, salt, oil, etc) I read a book called "The Anti-Aging Plan" which talked about eating foods with "nutrient-rich calories" (which also extends your lifespan to 140 years - supposedly). Whatever you do, start eating good foods.

Hope I helped some

 

[Koing]

I'd throughly recommend you to do squats.

Even if you think you don't need it trust me you will be happy with the results in a few months.

Do squats with a barbell with weights on your back. Squat low and deep if you can. If you can't then this will help in mobility in your legs and hips.

The squats will help you to really lose fat and tone up much faster. Your legs and a$$ are the biggest muscles in your body. If you work them then you will gain more muscle there and thus burn off more calories when doing nothing. Muscles burn calories and that equates to losing fat.

Start on a weight that you can do 15 reps. Take one minutes rest and then do 3 sets of the squats. You will lose more fat by doing this then any other exercise, especially ones that your doing.

Its hard but you will definately start to lose weight fater and firm up your back and mid section so basically your trunk.

im me on HeangKoing

if you want more advice/input etc........

 

[Novgrod]

The two best things to do for losing weight are running and swimming IMHO. As was said before, you might want to increase reps to about 12-15 to lose weight, and if you can do five sets, the odds are you aren't pushing yourself hard enough on the first couple

My advice is always to focus on multiple muscle groups simultaneously; I've more or less given up curls because big biceps are for show Other stuff I'd recommend is upright row (stand upright, hold a curl bar, raise it up to your chin and keep your elbows out) or a horizontal row (either with cables or kneel on a bench, keep your back paralell to the floor, and lift with your back/arm.) Squats are great, dead lifts are also great (stand on something a couple inches above the ground, bend at the asche to pick up a bar off the floor; stand upright without bending your back/knees (but don't lock your knees either).

Though still, I think swimming and running will help immensely; do both until you're ready to drop.

Oh, and when i did the same bench for eight weeks, twice a week, by the eighth i couldn't add much of anything so i shifted to incline/dumbell and it helped.

Hope this was of some use.