Critiqe new Lifting Plan

[Zoltan99]

I haven't lifted strictly in some time (5 years), but have lifted off and on throughout that time. My main reason for lifting is so my body burns more calories in everyday functioning along with exercise to hopefully loose weight faster. My mid back also has started to hurt and I think this may be due to muscle weakness.

I lifted in HS and we had a mostly power lifting routine which I really like and it enabled me to gain a lot of muscle really fast. We basically did a 3 day cycle (Chest/Tri, Back/Bi, Legs/Shoulders) which was repeated along with cardio daily.

I want a routine which takes about 1-2 hours a day including cardio, that is safe. I really dont want to deteriorate my back and body by doing things like squats. Im open to it all. Here is what I already have.


Chest Flat Bench
Chest Incline Bench
Chest Decline bench
Chest Flys

Triceps Close Grip Bench Press
Triceps Push Downs
Triceps Upward Dumbell Extensions
Triceps Lying Barbell Extension

Back Cable seated Row
Back Front Pull-down
Back Straight Leg Dead lift
Back Bent over Row

Biceps Cable Curl
Biceps Dumbell Curl
Biceps Preacher Curl Cable
Biceps Dumbell Concentration Curl

Legs 45° Leg Press
Legs 45° Calf Press
Legs DeadLift
Legs PowerLift barbell squat

Shoulders Barbell Shrug
Shoulders Cable Straight Arm Pulldown
Shoulders Dumbell Shrug
Shoulders Shoulder Press


Thank you all.

[torofuerte]

I really dont want to deteriorate my back and body by doing things like squats.

Squats don't deteriorate the back and body. Ignorant people who do them with shitty form, that's what deteriorates the back and body.

Barring a pre-existing condition, your best bet for a strong back is squats and dead lifts. I suggest you look at the stronglifts 5x5 link on my signature for more information.

I want a routine which takes about 1-2 hours a day including cardio, that is safe.

Unless you are a pro-athlete, anything over an hour is usually a waste, and therefore runs the risk of being unsafe (or at the very least, counter productive.)

Furthermore, any form of physical activity must engage a level of exertion and risk for it to produce results, so safety is not inherent. You achieve safety by doing the exercises correctly and according to your level of fitness. That is not necessarily evident in any given selection of exercises.



Other than that, you have made no mention of the number of reps per set, nor the number of sets per exercise. You also haven't stated your stats - gender, age, height and weight - these are important to gauge where you are at, and what you need to do to get to where you want to be in terms of fitness.

Without your stats and the intended # of reps and sets, it is almost impossible to ascertain the validity the exercise list you presented.

[torofuerte]

Four days of upper body, but only one day of lower body? Dude, you got it backwards. The fastest way to get lean and big is through the legs. Legs are over 50% of your body. Ergo, devote 50% of more of your workout effort to your legs.

Also, for many people, it makes no sense to have a single day for triceps and a single day for biceps. You hit your biceps with your back workout, and you hit your triceps with your chest workout. At worst, I would combine both biceps and triceps in a single day. At best, I would do direct bicep/tricep work immediately after chest/back workouts, interleaved in between chest/back sets, or with power sets (chest+biceps, back+triceps).

[Zoltan99]

I very well may be wrong which is why I am asking. I am 6'2" and 330 and 24 years old. I plan for 4 sets of 10 reps per exercise. As for the weight, I don't know yet as I have to feel it out because I have not done it in some time. Though I will choose weights which I can do 4 sets of 10 reps in progression.

I thought of this plan because we used in in HS. We did a lot of upper body but ran a lot to accommodate the legs. It may have been ineffective, but it got us strong really fast and made us loose weight really fast, though if there is something better I am very open to change.

You mention combining triceps and biceps, but how am I to keep this under 1.5-2 hrs?

Thank you.



Oh yeah as for the squats, I have just read articles which states that no matter how good your squat form you are still putting incredible pressure and force on your spine which it really cant handle. Since the legs are so strong the weight needed to properly work them, tends to be to much for the spine.

[torofuerte]

I plan for 4 sets of 10 reps per exercise.

That might be too much. Your entire workout for a body part should be in the vicinity of 50-70 reps top for most people (unless you are using anabolic steroids which help you work out a lot more), or you have been training rigorously and diligently for many years (which gives you the conditioning required to withstand and recover from the physical effort.)

Consider that you are listing 4 main exercises per body part. (4 x 10 reps per exercise) * 4 exercise = 160 reps total for a body part. A better plan would be to do 1 or 2 exercises per body part instead of four, and bang the living crap out of it to 50-80 reps. Use the same selection of exercises for 4 weeks, then switch to another 1-2 exercises, and repeat.

Working out is not about mathematics where more is necessarily is better. Quality over quantity. That is why, for most people, specially novices or coming from a long hiatus, doing so many exercises for a single body part on a given day for so many reps and sets leads to nowhere. If you really take a pair of exercises and work your ass off on them, you won't have juice left to do the others. If you do, then you are not working your ass off.

You mention combining triceps and biceps, but how am I to keep this under 1.5-2 hrs?

By reducing the amount of rest between sets and by alternating opposite muscles. For example, do one set of bench presses. Then, instead of resting, do one set of bicep curls. Then take 30 seconds of rest and repeat. People take a long time for their workouts because they take their sweet time between sets. Unless you are training for power lifting, that's a no-no. 1 minute top of rest between sets.

Oh yeah as for the squats, I have just read articles which states that no matter how good your squat form you are still putting incredible pressure and force on your spine which it really cant handle.

That's bullshit dude, like giant alligators living on New York's sewage system. If it were true that the spine can't take it, then how is it that you don't see spines snapping out of the living flesh off power lifters and olympic lifters.

Besides, if you do them wrong, then you affect the spine. If you do them right, the brunt is taken at the hip. Same with dead lifts.

As I said before, read the training link on my sig.

[bouncer]

How are you splitting this up? Or are you doing full body workouts? Is this the order of exersises as well?

[wildstang]

and the so called power lifting routine mentioned in orig poster is not a power lifting routine. thats more aimed towards advanced body builders whove have usually gotten so far from aas products. power lifting in high school consists of olympic lifts and other full body lifts not splits. they will burn more cals working the total body. your high coach didnt give you a decent routine if thats what you did then.

[IMFREAKZILLA]

form is the key to lifting,handling too heavy a weight ,you end up using muscles on an exercise they were not intended,find out what works for you and stick with it for a while,changing your routine up is also good =from time to time,good luck,ps if you are in a gym for 2 hours its either
over crowded or you are doing more talking than lifting and looking at the babes,the only guys
who can crunch 2 hour plus are those on the juice,your body can not naturally handle being
tore down for long periods of time week after week,only the profssionals who do split routines
durring the day can take that type of abuse and again they loaded up with steroids,you can't
grow unless you work your legs,they are the biggest muscle group in your body and help release a different hormone for growing,take care

[torofuerte]

Originally Posted by IMFREAKZILLA

ps if you are in a gym for 2 hours its either
over crowded or you are doing more talking than lifting and looking at the babes,the only guys
who can crunch 2 hour plus are those on the juice,your body can not naturally handle being
tore down for long periods of time week after week,only the profssionals who do split routines
durring the day can take that type of abuse and again they loaded up with steroids

QFT...