JK vs BigRed
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And legs it was.<br />
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Did a leisurely 10min warmup on the spin bike before hitting the squat rack for 5 sets of good times. Followed these up with deadlifts. Been alot of discussion with mates and my trainer (as well as googling) on whether these should be on back day or leg day....seems mixed. My initial view was that a good back workout should be based around deadlifts, and a good legs workout should be based around squats and a good chest exercise based around some sort of press eg benchpress. PT convinced me otherwise this morning. Also tried to talk me in to trying to hit all muscles twice in a week which won't really happen by doing what I had planned...anyway I digress.<br />
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So deadlifts followed the squats and 4 good sets here. Then moved on to the leg press for 4 more sets followed by a superset of leg extensions and hamstring curls. Didnt end up having time for calf raises as had a 730am meeting at work so will fit those in later in the week - prob Friday during Abs and Shoulders day. <br />
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Initial plan was <br />
Mon - Chest / Tri<br />
Tues - Legs<br />
Weds - Cardio<br />
Thurs - Back / Bi<br />
Fri - Shoulders / Abs<br />
Sat / Sun - rest days<br />
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This will mean I hit all muscles only once a week. PT was suggesting that twice a week would most likely yield better gains. But then I read then you should only really do deadlifts once a week. Same for bench etc. Jeeez I am getting confused!! Maybe I should try this for the next 4 weeks and see how its working out before deciding to go back to a twice a week Upper / Lower type split. -
Any thoughts?<br />
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More googling this arvo indicated I should really be trying to hit each muscle twice per week if I really want to maximise growth. This is probably similar to what I had been doing previously using an upper / lower body split and alternating the execises performed each workout to keep things interesting. -
My reading on this sort of thing is to do two sessions max for the big exercises - squats, DL's and Bench. One is a low rep/high weight session and the other is high rep/low(er) weight. Key with the lower weight workout is explosiveness and speed of movement. I had been progressing really slowly on my bench so I'd checked out a few theories/approaches. Improving triceps and shoulders has helped but adding that extra bench session on a lower weight and concentrating on powering the bar up from the chest has really worked well.<br />
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That way you can get away with two workouts for the same exercise with only a days break in between. I've found overtraining really demotivates me - mainly because I'm fatigued and know I could lift better with a bit more rest. I get kind of pissy when that happens.<br />
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What are your strengths? do you recover quicker from certain exercises? if so those are areas you can likely hit harder to give other areas a break? <br />
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And if you have those 3 exercises in your routine you are working on the shoulders/guns/triceps at the same time. Bonus!!<br />
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Let us know how you get on mate -
google - schmoogle... Twice a week for each muscle group - unless you're going to be sleeping 12 hours a day, not working, taking ALL the recovery powders / proteins / aminos etc, that's not going to work...<br />
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Once a week each body part for we weekend warriors is more than enough unless you want to hit the overtain button big time!<br />
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Last season I started getting tennis elbow big time. Finally worked it out because I was doing arm workouts twice a week instead of once - overtraining.<br />
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Once a week, high intensity, everything at 100% is the key I reckon!! -
Even for a newbie like me Bart? I know alot of the advanced bodybuilders only do 1 day a week but given most newbies start with a full body type workout thats done 3 times a week, then the next stage logically is twice per week with a basic split isn't it? I went from the 3 day a week compound based workout to a upper / lower split which I did Tues / Weds and Fri/Sat. I I got what i feel are "good" gains from these but newbie gains are easy. <br />
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So many different opinions out there eh. <br />
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I def dont get 12 hours sleep - try 8 max and work hard (for an office worker haha) during the week and always outdoors in the weekends. Taking protein and aminos and eating well but yeah that is about it. <br />
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Did cardio today (HIIT styles) for 30mins and then abs. Tomorrow will be back and biceps. -
just thinking - what's my split...<br />
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Monday - Chest<br />
Tuesday - Legs<br />
Wednesday - cardio<br />
Thursday - shoulders<br />
Friday - back<br />
Saturday - arms.<br />
Sunday - Cardio.<br />
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As we do weights in the AM we throw random cardio in all over the place, have a loop walk that we'll do at night that takes about 25 minutes at a good brisk pace.<br />
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If we don't want to do arms on Saturday triceps get thrown in with back and biceps with chest.<br />
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But that's this weekend warriors split at any rate, and you're right, there are a million right ways out there, you just have to find the right right way for you!! -
Thanks Bart - whats the rational with putting triceps and back together and same for biceps and chest? Thought they worked best the other way around? Guess it is a case of whatever works really.<br />
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Had a good back session this morning. Lots of pullups (wide and narrow grip) and rows etc. Tomorrow will be shoulders, abs and cardio and then the weekend off.<br />
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Will spend some downtime this weekend working out a proper program to crank out over the next month. Not 100% sold on the once a week thing yet...can't get my head around knowing that I will only be working out my chest (for example) 4 times in the month.... -
asked the same question to our trainer. He likes to train em fresh, as opposed to after they are already fatigued by the major body part.<br />
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That must be for building (the low rep off season stuff), as when we are leaning down and doing a bit higher rep stuff, he'll add the biceps with back, and they'll be farked before we even get to them! -
Guess that makes sense Bart and a good way to look at it.<br />
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Good session this morning even after I struggled to get up. Started with shoulders and then had an abs class which only actually involves about 8mins of exercise but dam you can feel it. Then did 30mins on the cross trainer HIIT styles. Feeling alive!<br />
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Looks like I may have a spare hours or two tomorrow arvo so might drop in for a bonus arms session. -
And I did. Had an excellent hour in the gym sat arvo where I punished the arms big time. Felt good. Oh yeah weighed in bang on 80kg so this cardio seems to be working with the fat coming off.<br />
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Sunday was day off but took down a couple of good trees and a hedge at home so hardly a rest day.<br />
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This morning did legs - squats, deadlifts, leg press, leg extension, hamstring curls and calf raises....might be tough to walk tomorrow especially as I have the day off to go fishing -
Great days fishing yesterday. Non-stop big snapper and all the bins filled so plenty of solid fish released to breed. Made for a lengthy filleting session last night that is for sure.<br />
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Hit the gym 6am this morning and did bit of an upper body workout. 5 mins row and then some pullups. Some big unit was hogging the only bench at the gym I went to this morning so was dumbell press today (flat then incline) and then single arm rows followed by overhead press and lat pull downs. Oh and some upright rows in there too. Pretty short and sharp workout. -
Well 33 today......and a cardio day. 15mins on the spin bike followed by 30mins of HIIT on the cross trainer. Done and feeling pretty lean. Looking forward to the next weigh in.<br />
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Was doing a fair bit of thinking about the last 12 months whilst doing my thing this morning and looking back its been a real goodie and possibly one of the best years of my life. We've bought a new house in a location we have always wanted to live, I have an amazing (and beautiful) wife and 2 awesome kids. I've had some mean fishing too over the past 12months - some really memorable days on the rocks with the LedgeNZ LBG crew including a 25lb snapper and some big kingfish. Plus I am feeling healthier and stronger than I ever have before. Oh and we finally won another Rugby World Cup! Life is GOOD!!! -
Nice when it all comes together aye mate!! primo. JK (that AB imposter... not you!!) was spot on that exercise is just so important in feeling good about yourself and life. Who needs lotto aye! Congrats : )
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Got in saturday as planned and had a good session really working the arms hard. Weighed in at 81.7kg.<br />
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Sunday was day off but abit of work around the house as seems usual now. Lawns and some clearing of trees etc. <br />
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This morning did chest - really want to get my bench up as still super weak in this area so making a point of hitting it first each week. Did 2 sets of 12 reps of 60kg as a warmup and then tried for 10 at 80kg but only managed 1 set of 8 and then one of only 6. Really need a spotter to push myself hard in this area.