[quote]raines wrote:
Thanks for the input. And for Aragorn i work both upper and body twice a week with two warm up sets. Are you suggestion that is too little? I try and limit my time in the gym to stay away from burning too many calories!
My workout template is like so.Each being 2 sets of 8 reps . Twice a week MW TrF
[/quote]
In your original post you said you [quote]"I also workout out 4 days a week training upper body twice and lower body twice 2 sets for each muscle group and 8 reps a set.[/quote]
You did not say “I do 2 warm-up sets”. So, I took it to mean you do only two sets per muscle group, which is not anywhere near enough.
[quote]
Flat DB bench
Incline DB bench
Wide Grip Row
Weighted Pull ups
Hammer Curl
Incline DB curl
Skull Crusher
Kick Backs
Front and Lateral Raise
[/quote]Uh huh. So it turns out I was right–you only do 2 sets each. And this is what results from doing only two sets of an exercise and trying to get all the angles covered at the same time. Too many exercises, not enough intensity, and not enough volume where it counts. 9 exercises = 18 sets, and half of those are on arms. If you want to train arms that much, do it on a dedicated arm day and spend the rest of your energy on your big compound movements during chest and back days.
Reread what I posted. You are spread waaaaay too thin to really do any damage to your muscles. Do ONLY 5 or 6 exercises TOTAL–one horizontal push and pull each, one vert. push and pull each, and 1 bicep/tricep exercise each. Do 4 work sets of each exercise, AFTER warming up. On the isolation stuff only do 3 TOTAL sets (including warm-up) for each exercise for now. You can change it in a few months. Or move all the isolation arm stuff to an Arm/Shoulder day.
[quote]
Lower Body
Weighted Step ups
Pull Throughs
Leg Extensions
Leg Press
Calf Raises
Weighted Lunges
The exercise will change every 4 weeks[/quote]
Bad. Exercise selection is OK for now, but order is all out of whack, and your volume is too low. Start with your hardest exercises (Step ups, lunges, leg press)… then move to your other stuff afterwards. [u/][b]Always start with your hardest exercises, unless you’re prefatiguing a muscle group with an isolation movement beforehand[/u][/b], which you shouldn’t have to worry about doing for at least 2 years or so because you won’t be handling enough weight to make it worthwhile.
Again, you have too many exercises and are spread too thin. Take out the leg extensions or do them at the very end. More volume. Again, 2 sets each isn’t enough. Taking out the extensions, that’s only 8 TOTAL SETS for quads and hams (4 each with some bleed over), and 2 for calves. Read what I was saying again–quads and hams should be able to handle at least 6 sets each to start… My hamstrings typically get 10-15 by themselves for example (deadlift up to heavy triple, FOLLOWED BY two exercises of 3-5 sets EACH)… you’re not ready for that now, or for the near future, but you can start at 6 each and get up to 8 sets easily enough, then increase from there.
Here’s how it should look–
step ups
lunges (or lunges then step ups, either way. change it up)
leg press
pull-throughs
calf raises
abs (remember my previous post?)
Start at 3 sets each, and try to increase the sets you do to 4 each for now. Re-assess later. [b]Make sure you do your step ups and lunges properly[/b]–the only reason you get a pass (FOR NOW, but not for long) for not including deadlift or squats is because BOTH the lunges and the step ups will work your hamstrings together with your quads…IF done properly. If you cut the range of motion or cheat to move the weight, you lose the benefit of the exercise.
You should still put squats and deadlifts in after a while. You’ll be fine for now provided you do things properly.