My Weight Lifting Schedule.

[Bobby Sands]

I just want some feedback from guys like Menace, Glockmatic etc on my weight lifting routine. My objective is to build up more upper body strength and broaden out a bit more. I want to build up my chest, shoulders and biceps more.

Now bear in mind that the set of weights i have are 35kgs.I do weights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and maybe Saturday as well. I train for soccer as well two nights a week(Tuesday and Thursday) but have been injured for the past month. When i go back training, i may have to reduce the amount of nights i do weights to allow for rest. Rest is very important for muscle growth right?

The exercises i usually do are:

Normal Bench Press: 3 sets of 15 reps
Inclined Bench Press: 3 sets of 15 reps
Barbell Curls: 3 sets 3 sets of 15 reps
Concentration Curls: 3 sets of 12 reps
Seated Barbell Raise: 3 sets of 12 reps

Also, i have to build up the injured quad muscle on my left leg with weight exercises specified by the physio.

I don't have alot of time in the evenings either. I don't want to over do it with a shit load of excercises because i will lose interest.

I think the main problem might be that the reps of each exercise are too high. I will have to get heavier weights soon.

 

[S O F I]

You're not going to bulk up if you do 15 reps. About 8-10 reps is generally what you'd be looking for if you want to get bigger. Even 6 to 8 some would say.

 

[Stred]

if you can do 15 reps of anything you should up the weight, like SOFI
said 8 - 10 reps maxed out should build muscle better as to where 15 reps would just get you toned..

good routine though

 

[Get In The Van I Have Candy]

You're not going to bulk up if you do 15 reps. About 8-10 reps is generally what you'd be looking for if you want to get bigger. Even 6 to 8 some would say.

Yes and no. The most importantly is to lift heavier weights. If you use the same weights and the same routine day in and day out the body will learn to adapt and you will cease to grow. If you max out in lifting try taking creatine and whey protein. Usually for me Muscle Milk gives me the energy to lift more, but the product is expensive.

Conclusion: Learn different routines and use different weights.

 

[Glockmatic]

Creatine isn't the best thing to take, it adds a ton of water weight but thats a plus and minus I guess. Like the others said, 8-10 reps is enough, research shows that 8-10 reps has the same growth potential than 15 reps. Add rows and pull ups to your routine or your posture will look like shit, your shoulders will be slumped forward. Pull ups work almost your entire upper body, the test is if you can do 10 you're in incredible shape (or something like that). Like Get In The Van said, change up your routine every once in awhile, like instead of doing bench presses, do some weighted push ups. Take a week break every 5-6 weeks to let your body completely recover

The fastest way to build muscle is doing squats, there are cases where people built almost 20 pounds of muscle on the legs in a year just by doing squats which is just insane.

Take 1g of protein for each pound of your body weight, so if you're 170 take 170g of protein a day. Drink a protein shake and eat some carbs before a workout so you have energy during the workout and drink another protein shake after the workout so your muscles get replenished asap.

 

[S O F I]

Conclusion: Learn different routines and use different weights.

Yeah, that's a given.

 

[The.Menace]

I'd suggest to add Butterflies to your routine. I like to do it inbetween 'press' exercices, cause it gives your arms a lil bit of rest while you work your pec. So if you go back and do the last exercice, you can really make your pec tired.....

Normal Bench Press
ButterFlies
Inclined Bench Press

Besides that, I feel like only one exercice for your shoulders is not too much, plus you don't do nothing for the neck and well. Are you able to do pullups somewhere? That would be nice, cause it would help to work your shoulder/neck/upper body.

Pull ups
Seated Barbell Raise
Barbell Curls
Concentration Curls

That's what I'd suggest. Since your arms have to work while doin pullups, you should work the biceps at the end of your workout. Remember that there are different forms of pull ups (wide grip, to your chin, or to the neck etc).

Besides that, like anyone said, you need more weight. You don't even have to do 3 sets, you should mix up the schedule a lil..... to safe time you can also use only 2 sets of 8, it will work, but like I said, you need enough weight to really work your muscles during those 2 sets..... (note: if I speak of 2 sets I don't count any warm up sets. You shouldn't start right away with heavy lifting, do as many warm up reps and sets as needed....)


I don't feel like you have 2 count your protein or take anything like creatin at all. You don't work out hard enough to worry about it - or 2 spend money on it.

 

[Bobby Sands]

^^I need to buy myself heavier weights.but im gonna continue the way i am until i get them (hopefully next week).

Bear in mind, that i am fairly well built especially my chest and shoulders.

I am going to start doing the excercises you have recommended so my new schedule will be.

Normal Bench Press
Butterflies
Inclined Bench Press

Rows/Pull ups
Seated Barbell Raise
Barbell Curls.
Concentration Curls.

I will reduce the amount of reps when i get heavier weights.

But does Creatine help? I think there is a good thread on Creatine somewhere in this section so i can read up more on it there.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

[The.Menace]

Well yeah, I think that is a nice, short shedule if you only care about your upper body. I just realized that you want to do weights 4 times a week. Once you get heavier weights, you shouldn't be able 2 work out the same muscles as many times a week. When I did the schedule, I thought u lift twice a week. If you get more weight and really work your muscles, you might want to think about splittin the routine if you want to keep the pace up and work out 4 times a week. Split routines have the advantage that you can do more exercice for each muscle.... so well that's kinda up to you. If you keep the schedule, like I said, you shouldn't be able 2 do it 4 times a week if you work out the hard way. Yes, rest is very important.

Well, does creatine help? Yes, sometimes. In your case, nope. See, like I said before, you don't work out hard enough to spend money on creatine. Before you take creatine you should have a tight, good schedule. Then you gotta care about your diet and eat the right way. If you eat enough calories and eat enough protein and all over a longer period while workin out hard and the right way but reach a plateau - then maybe you can think about creatine. Think about it that way - creatine is a boost, it might help if the circumstances are right, but if they aren't given, it's not worth it..... if you don't eat enough protein for example, there is nothing creatine could 'work with'.

So well, unless you change your lifestyle and become a gym rat, I don't see a reason for you to spent money on creatine.

P.S: Just a link to give you some input on pull-ups....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pull-up_(exercise)

 

[Bobby Sands]

^^I have a lot of protein in my diet. I cant become a gym rat lol. I dont have the time with work and football training. I will be back training for football next week. I was out injured for a while with a torn muscle in my thigh. So im not gonna be able to do this work out 4 days. I will probably do it 2 or 3 times a week and buy myself a heavier set of weights.

Do you reckon that this schedule work for me?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[The.Menace]

Yeah, I think if you do that twice a week, given what you wanna reach and the time you can use for weightlifting, I think it's a nice start. Give it a try and re-evaluate the schedule in a month or 6 week. Tell us about the progress and if you feel like you have to change something.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I have been doing it for over a month minus one or two of the excercise and it seems to be working well especially for my biceps.

I am pretty well built as it is. I will have to buy heavier weights because i have to do a lot of bench presses with 35kgs before i feel the pain. 35kg is a good weight for barbell curls, rows and barbell raises though.I dont need that many reps before i feel it, between 8 and 12.

 

[The.Menace]

yeah of course you need the weight esp for the bench press....and some other exercices I'll tell you after you decided to split your routine.....u don't need a lot of weight for the seated barbell raises for example, that's clear. But you'll need it for the benchpress, I might do a warm up set with 35 kg....

 

[S O F I]

^How much do you bench? Including the bar.