Help from the boys! Critique weight training now and need a 4 day schedule.

[Coldstarrynite]

Hello All,

I love all the help from everyone on here. As you know, I'm trying to pull away from my trainer and lift on my own. I'm getting real close. I've taught myself tons of lifting exercises for all the body parts, created a journal, and just need help on one thing. I would like to start with a 4 day workout to begin with.

Here is what I am on currently with the trainer. It is a 3 day a weight work out and body parts cycle into the next week. He does Abs once a week only and I do them on any other the days. ( As well as after my cardio but he does not know that.)

Day 1 Chest and Bi's
Day 2 Legs
Day 3 Shoulders and Tri's

Next Week

Day 4 Back and Traps
Day 5 Start Cycle back to Chest and Bi's
Day 6 Continue on cycle

Soooo, whats good and bad with this and what is the best 4 day weight training workout for me?
Thanks!!

[UberSteroids]

The best workout split that I ever tried (currently using it) is the 3 day split.

It goes like this:

Day1: Back-Biceps
Day2: Cardio
Day3: Legs-calves-abs
Day4: OFF (cardio optional)
Day5: Chest-Triceps-Shoulders
Day6: OFF (cardio optional)
Day7: OFF (cardio optional)

This way you have plenty of rest for all your muscles. The muscle groups are paired up together on the same day as they work "together" such Chest+Triceps, Back+Biceps etc. This way if your workout was intense and your muscles are sore... the next workout day will not interfere with the previous one. I cannot imagine working out a Biceps having a sore back after the last day. Hope this helps.

Let me know if you have any questions!

[tbody66]

lot's of great options for you starry, but if you are going to be getting a new program for the challange in three weeks I'd hate to have you start anything between now and then. I like Uber, but don't like his routine, both your body and your goals are different than his as well. I do like how his muscle groups are put together for the workout, but think hitting them once a week is under-training, but again, his body is different.

[Coldstarrynite]

lot's of great options for you starry, but if you are going to be getting a new program for the challange in three weeks I'd hate to have you start anything between now and then. I like Uber, but don't like his routine, both your body and your goals are different than his as well. I do like how his muscle groups are put together for the workout, but think hitting them once a week is under-training, but again, his body is different.

You have a really good point about the challenge. I'm still with my trainer as I am learning and usually life with him on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. What can you recommend that I can slide in on my other days off? I need to shake things up a bit and three days is not cutting it. Cardio is not an issue because I work at a gym and can do it everyday when we are slow.

[Coldstarrynite]

Thank you also Uber!

[UberSteroids]

Thank you also Uber!

No problem, Cold.

Yeah, what Tbody said is very true. I can only do a 3 day split because my workouts are extreme and I am in a major pain all the time and need good 72 to 96 hours to recover before working out the same muscle again.

If you are working out intensly but you feel that you could do another day or workout your muscles more frequently, then go for it.

From what I wrote, you can definitely imply the concept of working out your muscle groups together, again: Back-Biceps, Chest-Shoulders-Triceps, Legs-Calfes as they go together nicely.

Good luck.

[tbody66]

tell me are you lifting three days in a row or lifting m/w/f or what?

[Coldstarrynite]

tell me are you lifting three days in a row or lifting m/w/f or what?

I lift with the trainer 3 days a week, Tues, Thurs, Sat. So I'm not lifting the 3 days in a row. I'd like to add on a day or two to my existing workout until the contest starts. I am not sure what to do and what days to rest.

[tbody66]

Mon/Off Shoulders and Tri's
Tue/Day 1 Chest and Bi's
Wed/Off Back and Traps
Thu/Day 2 Legs
Fri/Off
Sat/Day 3 Shoulders and Tri's
Sun/Off Chest and Bi's
Mon/Off Legs
Tue/Day 4 Back and Traps
Wed/Off
Thu/Day 5 Chest and Bi's
Fri/Off Shoulders and Tri's
Sat/Day 6 Legs
Sun/Off Back and Traps
Mon/Off
Tue/Day 7 Shoulders and Tri's
Wed/Off Chest and Bi's
Thu/Day 8 Back and Traps
Fri/Off Legs
Sat/Day 9 Chest and Bi's

Soooo, whats good and bad with this and what is the best 4 day weight training workout for me?
Thanks!!

Not much good, you have your muscles split into four routines that you perform three times a week, so looking at this you are hitting the same bodypart 10 days apart. If you add the same workouts into your days off that you do on the other days you will notice gains within the next three weeks. I have put the bodyparts you need to do in bold above. So do the same lifts as you would do on those days just do them more frequently.

[Coldstarrynite]

Not much good, you have your muscles split into four routines that you perform three times a week, so looking at this you are hitting the same bodypart 10 days apart. If you add the same workouts into your days off that you do on the other days you will notice gains within the next three weeks. I have put the bodyparts you need to do in bold above. So do the same lifts as you would do on those days just do them more frequently.

You are so wonderful!!! Wow when you break it down like that.....the same body parts ten days apart.....no wonder why im so frustrated with my body. I'd like to make a little gains before the contest. I dont want to show pictures of all flab!! This will be very easy for me to make this change for the next few weeks. Thank you so much.



One more question for anyone. How often with the abs? Can I hit them after every workout? I am wondering how much is too much? Thanks!

[tbody66]

You can do abs everyday, but I'd say to put them in with two of your workouts, like leg day and shoulder day, and incorporate them with those days, say do a set in between one or two exercises, like bench/abs/bench/abs/bench/abs, superset them.

[tbody66]

Also, what are your current stats?

[Coldstarrynite]

Also, what are your current stats?

I am 5'8 and 138lbs. I'm really not sure of my body fat % is. I know I have some muscle because most people at the gym think I'm in the 120's. And of course I have to through this in here................still maintaining the 100lb weight loss.

[tbody66]

I am 5'8 and 138lbs. I'm really not sure of my body fat % is. I know I have some muscle because most people at the gym think I'm in the 120's. And of course I have to through this in here................still maintaining the 100lb weight loss.

I can't wait to see you turn that bodyweight into muscle and really impress people. I am very much looking forward to watching you progress in the physique transformation challange. You have obviously proven that you have what it takes to accomplish what you put your mind to.

[Coldstarrynite]

Thank you! Never did anything like this. Although I'm a little nervous to show all.....I'm excited and know this is what I need. Started new workout on Saturday. So far so good!

[SlimmerMe]

Sounds like you are really dedicated. Keep up the good work, ColdStarryNite!

[tbody66]

glad to hear things are going well for you and I'm sure they will continue that dircetion.

[scotty51312]

Glad you're going on your own. As far as abs go, the core needs rest too epsecially if you do any weighted ab excersises, I like to incorperate abs into my cardio routine for that reason i don't do abs more than twice a week since leg day hits my core pretty hard. Starry you should start a log so you can track your own results. Take pics of yourself often so you can make comparisons and adjust accordingly. I'll be following your progress on here untill you decide to move to Cincinnati lol j/k

[Coldstarrynite]

Glad you're going on your own. As far as abs go, the core needs rest too epsecially if you do any weighted ab excersises, I like to incorperate abs into my cardio routine for that reason i don't do abs more than twice a week since leg day hits my core pretty hard. Starry you should start a log so you can track your own results. Take pics of yourself often so you can make comparisons and adjust accordingly. I'll be following your progress on here untill you decide to move to Cincinnati lol j/k

Thanks Scotty!! I'm ready to go to Cincinnati to get away from this lake effect snow. I've started a notebook with all the lifting exercises I can do for each body part. How do suggest I track my progress in a log? Should I keep track of my lifting weight and reps? I really need to post pics. I'm being shy

[tbody66]

Yes, record everything, from warm-ups to lifts, even grip and tempo if you really want to have everything tweaked perfectly.

[scotty51312]

Thanks Scotty!! I'm ready to go to Cincinnati to get away from this lake effect snow. I've started a notebook with all the lifting exercises I can do for each body part. How do suggest I track my progress in a log? Should I keep track of my lifting weight and reps? I really need to post pics. I'm being shy

Come on down, 5 inches of snow here right now. Probably not much compared to what you have. Yeah an example of a log would be:

Monday Chest bicepts
15 minute warm up treadmill 3.5mph 10 degree incline

Excersise Weight Reps notes
BB bench press 135 15 Warm up
" " " 205 12
" " " 225 10
" " " 245 8
" " " 275 6 *failure on rep 6

Thats just an example of a way i log things. Its important to keep track of failures in your log so you can check your strength increases. I write down how much water i drink durring my workout, I also make notes for other factors, like if i had a cold or didnt' sleep well the night before or anything else i think might impact my performance. Along with logging your diet it will really help you better focus your efforts.

[Coldstarrynite]

Come on down, 5 inches of snow here right now. Probably not much compared to what you have. Yeah an example of a log would be:

Monday Chest bicepts
15 minute warm up treadmill 3.5mph 10 degree incline

Excersise Weight Reps notes
BB bench press 135 15 Warm up
" " " 205 12
" " " 225 10
" " " 245 8
" " " 275 6 *failure on rep 6

Thats just an example of a way i log things. Its important to keep track of failures in your log so you can check your strength increases. I write down how much water i drink durring my workout, I also make notes for other factors, like if i had a cold or didnt' sleep well the night before or anything else i think might impact my performance. Along with logging your diet it will really help you better focus your efforts.

Great example! I will start this in the am. Makes great sense to keep track of the weight to gauge my strengh increase. Training is going great so far. I am getting more confident and excited for this contest!!

[gbrice75]

Great example! I will start this in the am. Makes great sense to keep track of the weight to gauge my strengh increase. Training is going great so far. I am getting more confident and excited for this contest!!

Congrats CSN! Glad to hear you're feeling good about things, looking forward to reading about your progress!

[tbody66]

Me too. Although we won't get much here after the challange starts.

[scotty51312]

Starry, I'm shy about posting pics as well, Its not exactly easy to put yourself out there for others to judge, but the members here have a way of making you only feel better about yourself with positive re enforcement