predefined fitness routine - can I add to it?

[amheck]

Hi all,

I recently picked up a book called "Men's Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Stronger, More Muscular YOU!" and they have a basic diet and exercise routine that I'd like to try.

The workouts are as follows:

WorkOut A: Core, Glute/hamstring, Upper Back, Quads, Chest, and then a cardio finisher
WorkOut B: Core, Quad, Lats, Gluts and Hamstring, Shoulders, and then a cardio finisher

They say to do the exercises in this particular order, and as as example, do workout A Monday, workout B Wed, and workout A Friday, and then reverse it the next week.

The question I have is, can I easily add other weight lifting exercises to the above? It seems kind of quick to do 3 sets of 12 reps of only 5 exercises. Or is there some reason that there's only a limited number of particular exercises?

 

[repoman0]

I do 3 sets of 5 of only 3 exercises 3 days a week at the gym, plus maybe a quick accessory exercise (dips, pullups, light-ish dumbbell bench or press) depending on how I'm feeling. Takes about an hour and after only 15 total reps at work weight of squats or 6 total reps at work weight of deadlifts, I'm exhausted. 3 sets of 12 and 5 exercises/day is actually a lot and probably won't let you lift enough weight at first to get anywhere really.

Look up stronglifts or starting strength, it's basically the same idea as your post with workout A and B but you do 5 sets of 5 or 3 sets of 5 of 3 exercises per day. You only do sets of 5 because the idea is that you add 5lbs to the bar per workout and eventually the weight will be too heavy to do any more than that, and lifting heavy weight = strong and healthy body. Lots of people here including me have had great results with these programs since they emphasize large, compound movements (lots of emphasis on squats) rather than micromanaging and trying to target muscle groups, which at least for me was useless.

 

[amheck]

Thanks for the reply. I spent the last hour or two reading around the StrongLifts site. I signed up and got his report.

Even thought I've never spent a lot of time in the gym, I've always learned that you needed to isolate the muscles and do a lot of different movements in order to hit them all. The whole body approach definitely seems to make sense.

I only have access to a smith machine now, so I don't think I can start the StrongLifts program now, but perhaps someday in the future.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Do not use hte smith machine.

You can start, just get an Olympic set.

You'll have to sub out squats and do hack squats to start. And there is no bench alternative really.

FWIW: Used Olympic set is $150. I got a good cage for $480. And a good bench for $350. So, about $1000 in for some good gear. You can spend less on the cage/bench or get them used.

Or join a gym with free weights.

Having said this, do you have money to spend on this stuff?

 

[amheck]

Money won't be the issue, but space for all that might be. I suppose I could try and cram it in the garage, but that's already packed and the wife would really like to get one of the cars in there eventually.

Yeah, I did enough reading that I know I want to stay away from the smith machine for this. Funny thing is, I've been using the smith for my first exercise at the gym each morning and was really liking it. Oh well.

 

[blackdogdeek]

does your gym have free weights?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

My weights are in an 9x15 area of hte basement. You probably need a 9x10 space to get a cage in there and have room for things like deadlifts.

 

[amheck]

Gym is a local resort/hotel that we are a member of. I'd say its a semi-nice hotel gym.

It's got a smith machine, cable station, a large assortment of dumbbells as well as 10-12 various nautilus type stations.

I don't know at this point I'm ready to join another gym since we're paying a monthly fee for this already anyway. I'll have to give it some thought, it looks like. I have a feeling if I say I want to buy some stuff for the home, she'll give me plenty of examples of these "kicks" I've been on where I buy stuff and then never use it.

 

[Pantlegz]

I've always learned that you needed to isolate the muscles and do a lot of different movements in order to hit them all. The whole body approach definitely seems to make sense.

No. isolation exercises should be done as accessory work, if at all. The best whole body lifts you can do are squats and deadlifts, followed by over head press and bench press. Something like Strong Lifts, or preferably Starting Strength would be the best place to start. Follow the program, get stronger then think about making adjustments when you're hitting a plateau. Normally this consists of simply moving to an intermediate program, rarely do people with less than 5 years of lifting have the knowledge or need to make their 'own' routines. Stick with tried and true methods. And stay out of the smith machine...

 

[amheck]

is this isolation technique the same as "splits"? I was doing some reading last nite and kept seeing that word.

I'm ok with staying away from the Smith. As a novice user, it seemed like a nice machine. Glad I asked and read up a little.

 

[Pantlegz]

Isolation exercises are movements that isolate one joint, or major muscle group(curls, crunches, lat pulldowns, etc). typically when people say splits, they are talking about bodybuilding splits which focus more on size and aesthetics rather than strength and power. see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8wZNGL4iA4

upper/lower body or push/pull splits are fine. People use the word splits differently so it doesn't always mean just one thing or another. I find it easier to do a little of everything each day giving different body parts time to recover so I'm not hindering my deadlifts by doing them on the same day as squats, especially as they get heavier. Or lats/OHP/bench press on the same day would just be brutal and the lifts later in the routine wouldn't get worked as well as if they were done on separate days. Again, see the Starting Strength template to get a better idea as to what I'm talking about.

I just re-read the OP and cardio post workout could hinder muscle recovery and strength gains. Something light would probably be ok or some HIIT, possibly.