Revamping weight rouitine ... step 1

[IHateMyJob2004]

Currently, I am doing the following;

Day 1) About 30 minutes of running (working on a 5K ... almost there)
Day 2) weights (upper body)
Day 3) same as 1
Day 4) same as 2
Day 5) same as 1
Day 6) same as 2
Day 7) nothing

Diet is low carb, high protein. I weigh 212 pounds or so. Waist is ~34". I started with a 38" waist (probably 39") and at 225 pounds. Might have even been 230 pounds. Just not certain.

My current weight lifting day is as follows:
1) arm curls
2) flat bench or incline bench
3) lat pull downs
4) bent over rowing
5) military press
6) shoulder shrugs


I want to change it up. I still want to do the A day as running and B day as upper body weights. My goal is not as much weight loss. I want to keep loosing body fat.
I want to keep:
2) flat bench or incline bench
5) military press
6) shoulder shrugs

What should I do? No cage yet.

As an aside, I do plan on going to and ABC type schedule which is two days of weights and one as running.

 

[forhonor]

How much time do you want to spend lifting?

The easiest way to split up workouts is the Push-Pull-Legs (in any order).

Push:
Bench
Military Press
Pushups

Pull:
Biceps
Bent over rows
Shrugs
Lat pull downs
Pullups

Legs:
Running

You can add any isolation exercises you want.
There are a lot of exercises you could do. Though I find that the basic movements have the best effects.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Want to spend about an hour.

Dealing with hurricane aftermath so I can think more on this stuff later.

Biceps, you mean curls?

Is there a good macro exercise that reallly hits the bicep? Lat pull downs can but it isn't like how narrow grip bench does more tricep while wider does more chest muscles.

 

[tedrodai]

Lat pull downs can but it isn't like how narrow grip bench does more tricep while wider does more chest muscles.

Actually, it kindof is. To hit the biceps a bit more, grip about shoulder-width or closer with your palms facing you. To target lats more, palms facing out and really squeeze those shoulder blades together as you pull.

 

[forhonor]

Biceps, you mean curls?

Is there a good macro exercise that reallly hits the bicep? Lat pull downs can but it isn't like how narrow grip bench does more tricep while wider does more chest muscles.

I was referring to your original post of "arm curls" for biceps because it is already something you incorporated into your lifting.

You'll find that many of the pull exercises work the biceps very well. It's not necessarily about targeting the biceps really well, but the duration of time you are working them. Spend the hour doing all kinds of rows and pullups, your biceps will probably be tired and you will good results without isolation.

However, if biceps are that important to you, then isolation would be something to incorporate.

Personally, I find that pullups work my biceps and lats the best.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Thanks for the tips on biceps. Didn't know about the effects of different grips.

I want to do macros. And at the end do arm curls.

I typically do 5 sets of X.

 

[TechBoyJK]

JobHater2k4, are you doing the bicep curls first or last?

Isolation exercises should be done last.

If you do isolation exercises first, it's going to hurt your overall ability to do the major lifts. For instance, if part of your routine includes a lat pulldown that relies heavily on your biceps, you won't be able to pull down nearly as much because your biceps will already be tired.

I was doing it the otherway around up until a few weeks ago (starting with isolation first), and when I switched it around, I was able to get much more out of all my major lifts/pulls. Once I had the majors done, then I hit the isolations.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Ya, I just learned that about isolation exercises a few days ago. Have to do those last.

Typcially they were first in my routine jsut out of convenience.

Luckily, I would normally do shoulder shrugs last whcih is the right way to do things order wise.