Help with weights program

[blues4flag]

Hi all. I've gone about devising my own home weights program as I can't be arsed going to the gym (didn't get my L's till I was ~18 and am very slowly working towards 120 hours).

Anyway, I've got a 60kg dumbbell/barbell set at home, as well as one of these home gyms:

So reading through the net (mainly exercise.about.com) I've come up with my own weights program:

Any comments on it? I've really on done a 2 or so months of gym (a year ago before it closed down) and that was on a very basic program.

Also, would you recommend any other equipment? I haven't got a bench, so I'm making do with the floor and a quilt or pillow for the most part. Is it worth shelling out the money for medicine balls and particularly an exercise ball?

 

[Cats fan 16]

Hi all. I've gone about devising my own home weights program as I can't be arsed going to the gym (didn't get my L's till I was ~18 and am very slowly working towards 120 hours).

Anyway, I've got a 60kg dumbbell/barbell set at home, as well as one of these home gyms:

So reading through the net (mainly exercise.about.com) I've come up with my own weights program:

Any comments on it? I've really on done a 2 or so months of gym (a year ago before it closed down) and that was on a very basic program.

Also, would you recommend any other equipment? I haven't got a bench, so I'm making do with the floor and a quilt or pillow for the most part. Is it worth shelling out the money for medicine balls and particularly an exercise ball?

hey mate, im in the same boat. Just starting a weights program now, and wanting to include more legs and back exercises, rather than just upper body and arms that i usually focus on. Im no expert at weightlifting or anything close, but here's what i think:
To do bench press and fly's you will definitely need some sort of bench or an exercise ball (ball can work better as it recruits your core muscles more to stay balanced). Using the ground will not let you go through full range, as your shoulders will hit the ground and limit horizontal extension required for benching. Other than that, your chest exercises seem fine. You could do incline and decline bench, but i find if i do too many exercises i lack motivation and so try and keep it a bit simpler.
Back exercises look good-your working the main muscles there. (traps, lats, rhomboids.)
I wouldnt bother doing 'quads extension' as it's really not a functional exercise at all, and actually places unneccessary force on the patella or knee joint. Probably add in some calf raises, one legged on the edge of a step maybe. (eccentric calf raises.) or holding dumb bells.
Not sure about upright rows, pretty sure they can cause shoulder impingement and cause all sorts of problems with the rotator cuff.
If possible, i would do some shoulder external rotation exercises (look them up) to ensure you have strong rotator cuff muscles (commonly injured) to prevent injury.
Feel free to correct me as im wanting some advice as well...eg. how to split up a program between legs/back/arms/chest

 

[mdc]

To do bench press and fly's you will definitely need some sort of bench or an exercise ball (ball can work better as it recruits your core muscles more to stay balanced). Using the ground will not let you go through full range, as your shoulders will hit the ground and limit horizontal extension required for benching.

While you won't get full range on the floor, it isolates the key bench muscles better than regular bench. From what I understand, it's a very useful exercise for improving bench.

Also, personally, I avoid any exercises that involve lifting with your arms extended outside the line of your body - i.e. flys, front raises, side raises etc...

You'll very quickly outgrow 60kg on the deadlift, so for back you could try some bent-over rows (upper) or good mornings (lower).

 

[InCase]

You do all those exercises every time?

You have three exercises for your biceps, three for your triceps. It's overkill. Your program is more complicated then you will see a body builder do, they at least focus on just one body region a day and they already have the muscle.

You aren't ready to do all these exercises. You are new, and the best thing for new people to weights is to focus on their core lifts. I would suggest looking for a beginners muscle gain program, it will only give you a few lifts a day, but each lift has to wear you out. That would mean getting more weights.

Squats, Bench Press, Deadlift, those are your core lifts, focus on them wearing you out. Then add in a bicep curl afterwards if you must. But those three alone should wear you out so you can't do much more, or you aren't doing enough weight.

 

[Cats fan 16]

While you won't get full range on the floor, it isolates the key bench muscles better than regular bench. From what I understand, it's a very useful exercise for improving bench.

Also, personally, I avoid any exercises that involve lifting with your arms extended outside the line of your body - i.e. flys, front raises, side raises etc...

You'll very quickly outgrow 60kg on the deadlift, so for back you could try some bent-over rows (upper) or good mornings (lower).

I dont understand how doing it on the floor could be as good as bench. The main muscle groups in ant. deltoid, pec minor and pec. min. are going to benefit more if doing full range i would have thought.
Why do you avoid those exercises? (fly's front raises etc.). They create a long moment arm and therefore more resistance and make for a good exercise. Especially flys anyway. Front raises and side raises are both pretty good for ant and mid deltiod, but i guess you could argue that they are not really functional exercises..

 

[mdc]

I dont understand how doing it on the floor could be as good as bench. The main muscle groups in ant. deltoid, pec minor and pec. min. are going to benefit more if doing full range i would have thought.

Don't know if it's "as good as", but it certainly isn't a useless exercise. Have a look on google.

Why do you avoid those exercises? (fly's front raises etc.). They create a long moment arm and therefore more resistance and make for a good exercise. Especially flys anyway. Front raises and side raises are both pretty good for ant and mid deltiod, but i guess you could argue that they are not really functional exercises..

Couple of reasons. First of all, you're really not going to be moving very much weight on these exercises, so any strength-gain is going to be minimal. Secondly, none of them are terribly "functional". Thirdly, you're putting unnecessary torque through your shoulders, when you can just as easily target the same muscles through your compound stuff.

Shoulders especially there's no need to overwork - they're already heavily engaged in bench press and the like, and they're probably one of the more injury-susceptible areas for most people.

 

[Stormer]

If you don't want to get a bench i'd suggest doing Dumbell Presses. Benching on the floor is really dangerous.
Deadlift is more of a back exercise as is pushup.

Program should depend on what you want. Strength or Size.

 

[blues4flag]

You do all those exercises every time?

You have three exercises for your biceps, three for your triceps. It's overkill. Your program is more complicated then you will see a body builder do, they at least focus on just one body region a day and they already have the muscle.

You aren't ready to do all these exercises. You are new, and the best thing for new people to weights is to focus on their core lifts. I would suggest looking for a beginners muscle gain program, it will only give you a few lifts a day, but each lift has to wear you out. That would mean getting more weights.

Squats, Bench Press, Deadlift, those are your core lifts, focus on them wearing you out. Then add in a bicep curl afterwards if you must. But those three alone should wear you out so you can't do much more, or you aren't doing enough weight.

Definitely not all at once - I target 2 or 3 areas at most.

I'm going for strength as opposed to size - moving up to reserves/seniors this year and am trying to build my strength to be able to compete (being perfectly honest, I'm pretty weak at the moment).

 

[Schism]

If you don't want to get a bench i'd suggest doing Dumbell Presses. Benching on the floor is really dangerous.
Deadlift is more of a back exercise as is pushup.

Program should depend on what you want. Strength or Size.

Deadlifting is an everything exercise.It hits the whole back of your body hard,from calves up to traps,and hits everything in the front too,to a lesser degree.It releases big time GH as well,as do heavy squats.

Not sure how pushup is a back exercise?I would say pushups are a useless exercise,for a weight lifter at least.

 

[Cats fan 16]

Deadlifting is an everything exercise.It hits the whole back of your body hard,from calves up to traps,and hits everything in the front too,to a lesser degree.It releases big time GH as well,as do heavy squats.

Not sure how pushup is a back exercise?I would say pushups are a useless exercise,for a weight lifter at least.

Pushups are mainly good for pecs, deltoid and triceps, but they do work the back to some extent. Similar to a 'seated row' type exercise they will work the muscles around your scapula (shoulder blade) as the shoulder blade should move towards your spine on the way down utilising the rhomboids and a few other scapula stabiliser muscles. Main reason you would want these muscles to have strength is that its very important for the muscles around the scapula (including traps, muscles of the neck) to be balanced strength wise, otherwise all sorts of problems can occur around the scapula, leading to rotator cuff problems and almost a cascade effect on the whole spine. But these muscles are strenghtened in other exercises. eg seated row, so its not as if pushups are critical to strengthen these muscles.

 

[Schism]

Pushups are mainly good for pecs, deltoid and triceps, but they do work the back to some extent. Similar to a 'seated row' type exercise they will work the muscles around your scapula (shoulder blade) as the shoulder blade should move towards your spine on the way down utilising the rhomboids and a few other scapula stabiliser muscles. Main reason you would want these muscles to have strength is that its very important for the muscles around the scapula (including traps, muscles of the neck) to be balanced strength wise, otherwise all sorts of problems can occur around the scapula, leading to rotator cuff problems and almost a cascade effect on the whole spine. But these muscles are strenghtened in other exercises. eg seated row, so its not as if pushups are critical to strengthen these muscles.

As i said...useless for anyone seriously into weights.Barbell rows are a thousand times more effective.

 

[Cats fan 16]

As i said...useless for anyone seriously into weights.Barbell rows are a thousand times more effective.

Not sure if you would classify this guy as 'seriously' into weights though.

 

[Mario the Lothario]

What is your current height/weight? What is your goal? Get big or get fit?

One things for sure, I wouldn't be using that machine for any longer than three months. They're not bad for beginners, but once you build a decent platform you will have to move on to free weights.

 

[blues4flag]

What is your current height/weight? What is your goal? Get big or get fit?

One things for sure, I wouldn't be using that machine for any longer than three months. They're not bad for beginners, but once you build a decent platform you will have to move on to free weights.

178cm/74kg. Turn 19 in a month.

I'm basically doing this in preparation for the footy season (a bit late, but better than never) as I make the move from 18s to reserves/seniors, so strength/fitness is my main priority.

I'm not relying on that machine heavily at all - I'm doing most of my stuff free weight. Apart from legs, I'm using it for chest press, lat pulldowns and pecs at the moment.

I've realized I've only got 40kg for my weight set (I've got 2 5s lying around somewhere, but I can't find them). I'd be able to buy weights for the barbell/dumbbells from any fitness store, right?

Also, as I asked earlier, would it be worth investing in an exercise ball and/or medicine ball? Considering an exercise ball for core exercises.

 

[Mario the Lothario]

You have enough weight for what you want to do.

Read this:

http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=2000

I've realized I've only got 40kg for my weight set (I've got 2 5s lying around somewhere, but I can't find them). I'd be able to buy weights for the barbell/dumbbells from any fitness store, right?

Yes, or better yet just buy another set or two of cheap dumbells.

Remember, correct technique is ten times more important than the amount of weight you are lifting.

 

[blues4flag]

Thanks for your help, Mario.

 

[Docker Clint]

Remember, correct technique is ten times more important than the amount of weight you are lifting.

Read this over and over again. Make it a mantra.

Some good advice in this thread.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

I'm after some help regarding my sprained/fractured foot.

I've iced it, put Radox Rub on it and have had my foot up for the majority of the day. I play tennis in approximately 2 and a 1/2 hours, and there's no way I'm pulling out because this match is very winnable. It has gone purpley/black, but no matter what I'm 100% playing even after my parents' advice. When I play, I'll put an ankle guard thing on but it still doesn't ease the pain enough. Will get some strong panadol or whatever as well to try and assist easing the pain.

Any more ideas to help ease the pain short term?

Sorry for this off topic post, but just need some opinions pretty urgently.