Need Help Creating My Own Routine??

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
#1

Hello I would like to start off by saying that I haven’t had much experience in the gym, the only experience I’ve had is going into the gym with no set of routine and just lifting anything I could find.

Currently I’m in college and a Freshmen.So here’s my problem I hope someone could help me with. My problem is that I need some help coming up with a routine. I was thinking more of the lines of splitting up the chest, the back, the arms, and the legs. How can I go on doing that?? What exercises could I start off with that involves each group?? I really would want to have a layout of some possible routines I could start off with. Any help is appreciated.

I forgot to add that I currently am overweight,
standing at 5’ 8"
Weighing about 195lbs
Bench: Max of 180
Squats: Questionable, I don’t like squatting but I hope to fix that!!
Deadlift: Haven’t tried

#2

I wouldn’t even think about writing your own routine until you’ve got some serious experience under your belt. Having never done deadlifts and probably squatting just a few times, it would be good for you to pick up a solid beginning program to build yourself a foundation and learn about intelligent programming.

#3

I think he’s actually looking for someone to tell him what a good starting program would be.

#4

I’d suggest something like Total Body training at a push, but my main suggestion would be a 5x5 - Starting Strength or Bill Starr so you can get a good fundamental of strength, mass and know what exercises your doing… Or you could read Jim Wendlers book and do 5/3/1… Or you could do something like a Powerlifting/Bodybuilding hybrid, where on each day you focus on the main lifts with some isolation or other compounds. Very similar to 5/3/1 .

#5

I’d suggest something like Total Body training at a push, but my main suggestion would be a 5x5 - Starting Strength or Bill Starr so you can get a good fundamental of strength, mass and know what exercises your doing… Or you could read Jim Wendlers book and do 5/3/1… Or you could do something like a Powerlifting/Bodybuilding hybrid, where on each day you focus on the main lifts with some isolation or other compounds. Very similar to 5/3/1 .

#6

Thanks for your replies!!

#7

Before we give out programs, what are your goals? Try to make them follow the SMART principle (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and time based).

eg. I want to lose 5 lbs of fat in 3 months.

#8

5x5

#9

[quote]jskrabac wrote:
I wouldn’t even think about writing your own routine until you’ve got some serious experience under your belt. [/quote]

Bullshit, not everyone is a moron.

And I can’t believe how many replies it took before someone asked the kid what his goals are…

#10

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

[quote]jskrabac wrote:
I wouldn’t even think about writing your own routine until you’ve got some serious experience under your belt. [/quote]

Bullshit, not everyone is a moron.

[/quote]

Where did I indicate that the OP was a moron? Or that only morons should get some experience before writing their own programs? He said he’s rarely done deadlifts or squats. It would be good for him to READ a few programs to learn about leg training before he tries to wing it on his own.

Or perhaps you were insinuating that I was a moron for recommending such a route…? I can live with that. I’d rather be a moron who sees results in the weight room than someone who spins his wheels but at least retains the pride of creating his own routine. Say what you want but scroll down the beginner’s forums and show me a post about “Help! Making no progress…,” or “trouble gaining? advice?” and I’ll show you a newb who wrote their own program.

#11

[quote]jskrabac wrote:

[quote]countingbeans wrote:

[quote]jskrabac wrote:
I wouldn’t even think about writing your own routine until you’ve got some serious experience under your belt. [/quote]

Bullshit, not everyone is a moron.

[/quote]

Where did I indicate that the OP was a moron? Or that only morons should get some experience before writing their own programs? He said he’s rarely done deadlifts or squats. It would be good for him to READ a few programs to learn about leg training before he tries to wing it on his own.

Or perhaps you were insinuating that I was a moron for recommending such a route…? I can live with that. I’d rather be a moron who sees results in the weight room than someone who spins his wheels but at least retains the pride of creating his own routine. Say what you want but scroll down the beginner’s forums and show me a post about “Help! Making no progress…,” or “trouble gaining? advice?” and I’ll show you a newb who wrote their own program. [/quote]

Calm the fuck down Charle.

My Point:

6 out of 10 of the posts you are talking about will quit lifting in a year or less, and then 2 out of the last 4 in two years or so…

The best thing I ever did was NOT follow a set routine, rather take bits and parts from many and figure out what worked for me to achieve my goals. That and listen to the people walking the walk.

So I take exception to your statement. Had you worded it differently, because I know you mean well, I wouldn’t have taken exception. But fact remains, your statement implies that you can’t learn how your body responds through experimentation until you have “serious experience”. I say that is bullshit.

A moron will stick with a program he writes that doens’t work. A moron will stick with some guru’s program that isn’t getting him his goals either. A kid that spends the next two years figuring out that he grows better from DB’s or is stronger when he squats and deads on the same day, or etc etc etc, isn’t a moron.

Learning from a book is great. Applying it to the real world is hard. Learning through experience and failing is invaluable.

Please pardon any spelling.

#12

[quote]countingbeans wrote:
Calm the fuck down Charle.
[/quote]
I’m calm…I’m calm God DAMNIT!

[quote]
My Point:

6 out of 10 of the posts you are talking about will quit lifting in a year or less, and then 2 out of the last 4 in two years or so… [/quote]
Touche.

So we both believe in the same set of principles, but are came there from two different roads. I was the kid spinning my wheels all through college, not really getting stronger or bigger…just a little fatter. I had no idea what was out there and was often taking advice from the “experienced” lifters at my gym as well as my older sister who’s a trainer. It was when I finally just did a damned program that I got anywhere. Over the course of time, I learned what worked and didn’t work. Today, I feel like I know enough to start experimenting with tweaking made programs and even putting some of my own workouts together. I NEVER would’ve gotten there without a structured program, and I truly believe that’s what alot of the lifting “dropouts” might have needed.

In the very beginning, piecing together an effective program can be intimidating to newer, younger lifters since there is so much info out there and soooo many “big and strong” guys around them training like fucking idiots. They will most likely fail at first which is discouraging, whereas starting with structure may guarantee early progress, which is crucial.

In a way, I am implying that you can’t learn how your body responds through experimentation until you have “serious experience”. Included in said “serious experience” is knowing HOW to INTELLIGENTLY experiment. This requires a bit of research into the theory of training and not just heading over to the gym and messing around. I experimented all the time all through college and never saw results. Turns out nothing I was trying was anywhere near the neighborhood of intelligent program design. Here’s a good analogy coming from a PhD physicist. Experimental physicists will create an experiment to test a hypothesis; however, all through schooling and graduate work, all laboratory work was done following a strict rubric or the guidance of an advisor. It is during that time they learn how to ask the right questions, and set up the right experiments. In the very beginning, that requires working through labs laid out step by step for you.

#13

Dude, in all reality I’ll take 5 newbs with balls, desire, and a willingness to fucking eat and they will make more progress on any program, self written or not, than any 50 newbs on the “perfect guru” program that don’t have balls, desire or the want to eat.

effort and food trump program (assuming it isn’t totally retarded.)