So until I can get away from PF, this is my current routine… Would like some thoughts, advice, or suggestions…
Full body - 3 x 8-12 reps… I am also looking to use TUT within this routine anywhere from 30-45 second sets.
Goblet squat
Leg press
Lat pull down (wide or neutral)
Cable rows
Incline chest press (cybex)
Cable flies
Rope pull downs superset with rope bicep curls
DB single arm shoulder press
Cable side laterals
Thank you in advance!
It has a lot of pretty useless fluff that will not help and can even hinder your ability to recover if you are going to do this thrice a week. Go with something basic like ditching the isolation work and work on getting stronger and putting your all into the main movements.
I actually workout 3 times a week…
And Yes, I prefer compound movements above all especially for my stage in the game!
What do you suggest while I am at PF for the time being?? 
No, just no.
You don’t superset similar exercises.
Chad Waterbury has a whole bunch. Just do that for a year to get experience.
This is where I got the routine, but I modified certain things a bit.
I took out the barbell lunges/squat because it’s pointless at PF…
The cables I can sometimes get done depending on how busy it is… Seems at PF that’s everyone’s spot to hang around at times…
So yeah… Trying to figure out a decent routine for the meantime until I can switch gyms and start the SS routine…
You didn’t follow anything. Not even close.
Look up Chad Waterbury’s programs.
An exercise with active rest is not what you posted above.
Seriously, why are you complicating your life?
I followed it on the first day I tried it… And then I started over thinking certain parts of it and wondered if this routine was a good start for me.
I couldn’t do his exact rep ranges, so that’s part of where I started to alter things and not follow it.
But yes, I printed out the waterbury method routine from here and will look it over…
Not sure why I complicate things, maybe because I’m stuck at PF and limited to what I really could use or need as a beginner lifter. .
PF as in Planet Fitness or what?
No matter where you work out, if you have a barbell at hand, it’s one of the most effective pieces of equipment you can use. Use it. If you like compound moves above all, ditch the fluff and focus on doing an upper body push movement like flat or incline bench or overhead press, an upper body pull like barbell or dumbbell row, pulldowns, cable rows or chins and a lower body exercise like a squat or deadlift variation.
If you don’t have a squat rack, you can clean the bar up for front squats, pick it up from bench pins and do zercher squats, use dumbbells to load front squats pretty well. If you don’t trust yourself enough to these safely, using a smith machine or a hack squat machine are both viable options as well.
What in the hell is PF? And if you mean planet fitness it’s not a gym it’s the Walmart of the fitness world. They have a pizza day… It’s like “hey you’re fat and nearly dead give us the small amount of money you got from selling God knows what at the local pawn store and and enjoy the free pizza” lol
Too much volume & variety IMO…simplify!
Go for something like this:
Day 1: Squats + Bench Press + Rows or pull-ups (alternate between the two).
Day 2: Deadlift + OHP variation + Rows or pull-ups.
Day 3: Squats + Dips + Rows or pull-ups.
If you fancy, on day three, finish off with 3-5 sets of curls & tricep extensions/pushdowns etc
Yes, I’m very aware of what PF is and trust me I can’t stand being there. But for now, it is what it is. In my eyes, it’s better than nothing as working out at home for 3 months was not getting me anywhere further.
Yes, I agree.
I guess for the main lifts like squat, deadlift, bench, I will have to use DBs… PF only goes up to 60 lbs on their fixed bars…
But this sounds doable.
Fixed weighted barbells (straight and EZ bars)… Otherwise it’s all smith machine… Nothing to add weighted plates for progression.
It is suggested to not be good for your joints, limits natural range of motion and does not hit your stabilizer muscles like a barbell bench would…
I’ve tried to research how much less it triggers stabilizer muscles, but can’t seem to find anything on it.
I mean I see people with decent muscle using it all the time, but am not sure it’d be a good tool to learn and build beginner muscle on…
it’s fine, dude. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Pick a few exercises, pick rep ranges, and get stronger on those exercises in those rep ranges. Doesn’t matter if it’s bars, dumbbells, machines, the smith, whatever.
Your stabilising muscles will be just fine, and it’s a way better alternative to not being able to challenge yourself.
EDIT: and it’s clear you’re doing a lot of reading on the subject, which is great, but make sure you are doing practical research of your own. Just because you read somewhere the smith is bad, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it and form your own conclusions.
Months ago when I had my first membership at PF before leaving as work got in the way from any gym time, I was actually starting the 5x5 Stronglifts routine utilizing the Smith machine. It was slightly uncomfortable with squats, but I managed to set my position a certain way that didn’t put any “bad” pressure on my back or joints… The flat bench wasn’t horrible, it was slightly annoying trying to set the bench for position to feel comfortable, but lifting wise I did feel it was working my muscles…
As I grew more in my learning (I’ve been following fitness websites and reading for about 2 years on and off) and gaining more influence from fitness channels on YouTube with select people, I noticed the smith machine not being favored by many (articles and videos). Although many stated it has it’s place, what most agreed on is the extra stress on your joints and that it will not strengthen your stabilizers as well as free weighted barbells. So I started to remove it from my options you can say.
So with that said and your advice, should I go back to the 5x5 stronglifts routine and just use the smith machine for the next few months to see where it takes me? At the time, it wasn’t a bad routine to follow and I did enjoy the simplicity of it.
Make sure you read up on how to do particular movements in the Smith. Just like you can visit SnapCity deadlifting/squatting/benching/pressing a particular way with a barbell, it can happen in a smith machine.
You can very well use a smith machine to do regular squats, front squats or hack squats where you put your legs further in front of you. Just focus on the setup and find a comfortable stance to use and you’re good.