I got this from musclemag forum. I take no credit for this:
I am posting typical 3 and 4 days routines since a lot of guys ask "what kind of
routine should I do"
The only difference between the routines is with a 4th day, you can do a little
more extensive work per group (such as one extra exercise) Depending on time
constraints either split can work well.
All my splits pair synergistic (such as back and biceps) groups to minimize
overtraining. I also think working synergistic groups is beneficial since one
muscle is already warmed up from it's use in the certain exercise (since the
bicep is used when you do back muscles, it's already warmed up when you do bicep
work). Some poeple feel they get better results doing opposing groups like chest
and biceps. It's a personal preference.
A few things to keep in mind
-workouts should be kept from 45 mins to 1 hour in duration
-For beginners, I'd keep it simple - used 8-10 reps per set
-Shoot for 3 sets for each exercise
-Rest between sets should be around 2-5 minutes. A "bigger" lift like a squat or
bench press is going to take more recoop time between sets vs. a curl. Allow
enough rest between sets to allow you to fully complete your reps in each set
within the 2-5 min constraint.
-Progress is measured by progressively adding more weight on (with good form) as
you continue to lift over time. Not how sore you are or how much of a pump you
get...
-Go by the mirror not by some bodyfat percentage measured with a caliber. You
know how you want to look and when you've looked better or worse. Don't get
cuaght up measuring bodyfat all the time.
-Time permitting, try to keep a day's rest between each day in the split meaning
don't workout consecutive days if you can prevent it
-Try to use some form of resistence in abs such as weighted crunches or and
incline. The goal is to build a strong midsection which will allow you to lift
bigger. A strong midsection is crucial for the big compound lifts
-To find out how much weight to use on a given exercise, use enough weight that
A)allows you to keep good form & B) you struggle on your last few reps of the
set but can still get it back up.
-Always start light until you learn good form. If you use good form, you'll be
lifting for a long time. Poor form is probably the biggest cause of injury. Use
a mirror or a spotter to help you.
-Just keep things simple in your first year of lifting. Standard reps and so
forth. Avoid specialized techiniques like specific types of training and so
forth. I think you should learn how to lift corrrectly first before you start
doing more involved training programs.
-Focus your routine around your core - back, legs and chest. You're not going to
get big doing curls or lateral raises. If you shoot for a big back, you're gonna
get big arms. If you squat big, you'll get big. Always work the body as a system
for best overall results, don't skip legs or back... This is very important! And
dedicate the approriate time to each muscle group. Meaning don't do 10 sets for
your back (larger) and then 11 sets for your biceps (smaller) That's a senseless
way of training
-Keep it simple, set a basic routine with basic compound lifts unitl you find
what lifts and so forth work great for you. I think a lot of people complicate
lifting much more then need be. Stick to the basics (mostly effective compound
lifts with some isolation moves) and you'll be fine, just do your thing. Every 6
months a new program sweeps through the forums here that supposedly gets you
"huge". I am not saying they do or don't. What I am saying is avoid a lot of the
heresy and the "try this and that". Keep it simple til you learn how to do the
basics. There's no point in doing a a program which forces you to add wegiht
each week or do 20 reps schemes... if you can't lift properly. You aren't going
to benifit from it.
-Put your bigger lifts first in each day and finish with the smaller lifts such
as the isolation moves last. Prioritize your demand for energy.
-If you miss a day here and there, it's not a big deal. You do have a life
outside of the gym, just resume the day you left off at.
-Few things about the "six pack" - They're made in the kitchen, not in the gym.
Getting a six pack is 90% diet. If you have bodyfat at levels higher then 10% or
so, you're going to gradually not see your abs. So lowering bodyfat it the key.
Crunches will not do it. Diet and/or cardio to. But the flipside is keeping your
bodyfat levels low means keeping calories down. And those sacrificed calories
you're probably going to need to grow. Abs are like any other muscle - they too
meed time to recover. Working them out 3 or 4 times a week is probably doing
less then more for you.
-For a beginner, you'll probably make your biggest gains in your first 6 months
to a year. After that gains slow. It's normal.
-Don't think of working out as a chore. Think of it as part of the day for you.
Something you're doing for yourself. Hopefully it will just become part of
you're lifestyle. Sometimes it's a pain to get back into a routine if you fall
off, just persevere through it till you get back into the swing of things. And
there are just days when you don't feel like it and can't get in to it. It's
normal (just as long as it's not frequent) so maybe call it a night and tryt he
next day.
-Diet is just as important as lifting. Lifting just tells the body you need to
grow more. Diet/rest is actually how and when it happens. Lifting is where you
put most of your effort in though. But without a good diet and plenty of rest,
your lifting efforts will be in vain.
-If your current routine is working, don't change it. If you're gains stop
(platuea) examine your routine as well as diet and if your getting enough rest.
It may not be just your routine.
-I wouldn't get wrapped up reading and taking advice from muscle magazines.
They're 90% advertisements (with bogus claims attached ) and the other 10% are
usually routines which would benefit steriod users vs. natural lifters. Most
natural lifters would never recover from 20 set routiens often published. Bottom
line is most muscle rags are advertising vehicles aimed at getting you to
believe supp claims. If you want to read a good book - shoot for any of the
books by Stuart McRobert or John MacCallum.
-Free weights are often superior to machines. Liftin with free weights recruits
more muscles into the movements making them more effective. However, some
machines are good and one can benefit supplementing their free weight routine
wiht some machines if available ie leg press. I personally haven't touched a
machine in my over 8 years of lifting. I've done fine wihtout them.
-If I included a specific exercise below it's cause I feel it's that effective
to make sure you do it.
Here's the splits
3 Day split (Push, Pull & Legs)
Day 1 Push (chest, shoulders and triceps) 3 chest exercises 1 shoulder exercise
(preferrable and overhead press) 1 tricep exercise
Day 2 Pull (back & biceps) 3 back exercises (pullups, rows and dealifts) 2 bicep
exercises (I would include a hammer or reverse curl to include forearms)
Day 3 Legs (and abs) 2 quad exercises (inclide squats) 1-2 hamstring exercises
(include stiff Leg deads) 1 calf exercise abs (weighted crunches or incline
situps)
4 day split - the days and groups worked per day can vary. You have mroe
freedom. The groups I put together are what work best for me. Some people might
choose to give arms and shoulders their own day for exampler. I personally think
thats too much for arms. Others might feelt hat way about me dedicated a day to
shoudlers. Day 1 (chest & triceps) 3 - 4 chest exercises (include dips and I
count that as both chest and tricep) 1 tricep
Day 2 (back & bicep) 3 - 4 back exercises (include pullups, rows and deads) 2
bicep exercises
Day 3 (shoulders, traps, abs) 1 overhead press lateral raises rear delt raises
(2 sets) shrugs 1-2 ab exercises
Day 4 (legs) 2-3 quad exercises (squats) 2 hamstring exercises (stiff leg deads)
1 calf exercises
-Word about supplements. I personally think the supp hype is probably one of the
most biggest problems most newer people have. Most supps are highly overrated
and I'd say 90% of the crap on the market is just that. Too many people focus on
supps "making you big". Wrong, focus on supps fine tuning your diet instead. The
only two supps I'd reccomend to a newbie in his/her first year of training are:
******a good multivitamin (I like Twinlabs Dual Tabs ) ******post workout whey
protein powder. I'd go for a brand that is reputable but CHEAP. Protein is
protein (I prefer Optimum Nutrition ). Don't buy into all the claims that this
brand is superior over that. Most brands contain the equivilent amount of
protein per serving (around 70-80%).
After about a year of workingout when you know what you're doing regarding
lifting, diet... you can try ******creatine ******glutamine
Those are the only four supps I personally think will do most people any good.
The problem is that NO SUPP is going to help you if you don't know what you're
doing with respect to lifting and EATING correctly. So you'll be wasting your
hard earned $$$$$. And that is the bottom line. Too many people think creatine
will magically make you big or just taking a fat burner will magically make you
thin. It doesn't work that way. Just don't depend on supps, they're not entirely
necessary.
There you have it, if I think of more stuff I'll editted it in
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