To Much?Not Enough?ZOMG I'm a n00blair!?

**darthbator** · Posted On: 3/12/2007 5:15pm

Hey guys, this is my first post here so try and take it a little easy on the FNG eh ;) I wanted to try and get a few opinions on the workout that I have engineered for myself over the past few years. I have been VERY slowly building up to this level for about 2 years now (starting with pure body weight exercises, then onto light free weights, and finally onto free weights AND machine weights, featuring cardio).

Multiple times now I have read that performing multiple sets is of minimal muscular benefit. From my understanding it is better to work with one set, at a higher weight, where the last rep of your set puts the target muscle group at the point of failure. In your experience is this a fairly correct view (I'm not saying sets are worthless or anything only that if you're working on minimal time this is the most important thing for you).

When I first started working out I started using light 25lbs dumb bells 3 times a week. I then added on about 1/2 to 1 mile of nice hard running a day. Next I added in body weight exercises on the 2 work week days that I did not work out with free weights.

Recently (for about 4 months until this current time), I maintain a 2 day a week free weight workout (as shown below) and have added 2 days a week of heavy machine lifting. is this ok? I work with lighter (25-35lbs free weights) on Monday and Friday and work out with machines on Tuesday and Thursday leaving Wednesday to rest and weekend for sparring and martial training only. Is it ok to be working out with this kind of frequency? I'm only 23 and my body doesn't appear to be taking any kind of "beating" (well not from working out, only from sticks =P).

Here is my dumb bell workout (25-35lbs/Body weight) Monday/Friday
30 Push Ups
20 Bahitaks (I think this is a power yoga thing, it's like a swooping push up)
10 Triangle Push ups (make a triangle and put your nose in it like in high school)
50 Squats (using only body weight)
30 Calf Raises (isolating the calves from one another 30 on each leg)
10 Arnold's (upright row, to chest compression, to military press)
20 Shoulder Shrugs
50 Crunches (holding the last one for 15 seconds)
50 Leg raises (holding the last one for 15 seconds)
15 Bicep Isolation Curls (each arm)
15 Donkey Kongs (tricep, each arm)
2 Miles of Running

Here's my weight room workout
15 [110-130lbs] Chest Press
10 [100-120lbs] Chest Compression
15 [100-120lbs] Military Press
15 [120-150lbs] Leg Quadracep press
15 [120-150lbs] Leg (can't seem to identify muscle) pulldown (muscle group around the rear of the knee, pull down weight from leg locked position until knees are fully bent, suggestions of the name anyone?)
15 [150-170lbs] Machine Squats
10 [110-130lbs] Overhead pulldowns (this is surely not the correct name, it's like a pull up but where you are the one moving the weight)
10 [55-75lbs] bicep curls
25 Sit ups
15 Leg Raises
1 Mile Running

So there's my current workout in a nut shell. Let me follow it up with some dietary concerns. I eat basically like crap, it's rare that I am at home sitting down to a meal so I am normally more or less at the whim of where I am (this is actually not true at all, I am at the whim of my stomach which likes fast food ;)). Recently I have been a little better about curbing my desire for utter crud (and walking my way over to the local wok place instead for at LEAST some vegetables or grains with my food). But my diet is still basically screwed. I am open of course to any advice.

So seeing as how my diet is right there with most other americans I have decided to supplement. I JUST started supplementing again (the last time I supplimented I did a creatine/protein combo in HS for football) and so far I seem to be seeing results. I've been taking a Centrum Multivitamin in the mornings to combat my poor eating habits. And have been getting a protein drink down after every workout (just a good old GNC protein blen 20g per serving 1 serving a day). Am I getting enough protein? Am I getting enough vitamins? Am I getting enough love? Can you feel the love?

Thanks for any input, oh, forgot to give my measurements. I haven't checked my body fat % for a long time so no need in giving that embarrassing number. But my current dimensions are something around 6'0 and 175-180lbs depending on how much water I have put away that day :)

**GIJoe6186** · Posted On: 3/13/2007 12:01am

You probally read a whole bunch of HIT literature, maybe from CyberPump, along with Hardgainer stuff too.

Its ok but multiple sets are much better.

**LI GUY 1** · Posted On: 3/13/2007 12:31am

I think with HIT (one set to failure after some warmups) it was found that yes one set can work. However 3 sets is better (although diminshing returns showed the first set did most while last set did the least). Even so don't limit yourself. I did this for a year and made gains bit most things work for a while when you are new I think.

I read that 5x5 is popular among strength training.

What are your goals? Stonger, more mass, less BF, increase endurance? That would be a big factor in how you should workout.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 3/13/2007 5:47am

Originally Posted by LI GUY 1

I read that 5x5 is popular among strength training.

What are your goals? Stonger, more mass, less BF, increase endurance? That would be a big factor in how you should workout.

Truth. 5x5 is awesome because you build strength/endurance.

OP - your workout is fine for now. Your big challenge is your diet. Fix that and all of your dreams will come true.

**darthbator** · Posted On: 3/13/2007 4:06pm

let me clarify. I have never really had a problem gaining. For me it's always been a problem of time and motivation. I normally lead a fairly hectic life and there just isn't a lot of time to spend working out so I've always kinda just let it fall by the way side. I started working out again 2 years ago but chose to build up the routine slowly so that I never felt overwhelmed. I originally started using free weights and body weight exercises not because I can't do anything else, but because I didn't have access to anything else. I could most likely have jumped into my current routine right from the beginning but learning how to make time for all of that would have been difficult (and I don't really like paying gym fees). I actually just added the heavier machine work outs because I moved into an apartment building with a rather nice gym ;)

In all honesty on the "heavy lifting" days where I use the machines i could most likely do more weight and reps then I currently am I'm just trying to be careful not to injure myself, it's been years since I've tried a 200lbs+ chest press and I would hate to put myself out of fighting shape for weeks on end trying to be hercules in the gym (and I don't think any of my apartments machines can exceed 200lbs).

My main goal is going to be to try to gain lean muscle mass and overall strength. I could care less about looking huge (or like one of the spartans from 300) but I would like an increase in power and lean muscle mass (broken record anyone).

I actually never read much HIT literature (but now I'll give it a shot ;)). I actually read that while digging through exrx. I can't seem to find it anymore but they had a whole section of high sets low reps vs high reps low sets and the end result was that lifters performing 1 set to the point of failure where seeing the largest gains in lean muscle mass. I don't have a lot of fat on me but I do still have a layer over my abs (which actually feel rather buff /flex!) which I wouldn't mind loosing, but fat loss is not my main concern. I'm sure that the last layer of mc donalds will burn off as I continue training.

BTW I have my doubts that fixing my diet will cause Scarlet Johansen to run away to Tahiti with me, nor do I think that it will rain money but if you say so I'm down to give it a shot ;)

**GIJoe6186** · Posted On: 3/13/2007 6:04pm

Lifting one set to failure is okay, Im not saying it doesnt work, its just not the best.

If your looking for pure strength, which it sounds like you are, go read up on powerlifting sites. No, you don't have to be a powerlifter to train like one, but they have the best methods for improving absolute strength in big exercises. Do that with some added in odd lifting and you should be fine.

**LI GUY 1** · Posted On: 3/14/2007 12:05am

As much as Sherdog is a clusterfuck, the Strength section is good. At least I can say I got a lot of my workout routine/ideas from them and am happy with results, I'm no expert.

**darthbator** · Posted On: 3/14/2007 1:57pm

Thanks for all the help guys. I can totally see that I am going to be making some changes in my workout to try and incorporate both crossfit style training as well as traditional weight training into my daily regiment.

One thing that I would LOVE to start doing again is the dead lift. Unfortunately I don't exactly have any location where I would be able to dead lift. I used to do basic 125Lbs dead lifts in my back yard, but now that I'm in an apartment it's not such a realistic idea to be doing dead lifts in my home ;) Any thoughts? Substitute in turkish getups. Do one armed 35lbs dumb bell cleans? (I imagine this would be a lot like working with one of the lighter kettle-bells if you cleaned it with one arm from the ground).