Weight Training Revisited

[DinbinFanfoom]

Started my home routine on Saturday:

3 sets, 10-12 reps of Dumbell Bench Presses for chest/triceps
3 sets, 10-12 reps of Dumbell Shoulder Presses (Sitting Military Press, basically) for shoulders, back, triceps
3 sets, 10-12 reps of One Arm Dumbell Tricep Extensions (Ouchies! These are rough and I'm only at 15lbs!) for triceps
3 sets, 10-12 reps of Dumbell Lateral Raises for shoulders
3 sets, 10-12 reps of Tricep Dips (I really like these) for triceps, back
3 sets, 10-12 reps of Dumbell Bicep Curls for biceps

I'm hitting my triceps rather hard and they're by far the most sore today. But they need the work, for sure. All sets were supersets (through entire routine each time) and final sets were almost all to failure at 8-10 reps, so I think I'm on the right track. Mind you this is only my upper body routine, it's all I'm doing until I get into the gym in a few weeks (or Tennis season starts!).

Anybody else got any routines they found worked for them?

[Asharad]

Yeah, its called the Sevens.

Its easiest with a relatively light curling bar but you could do it with dumbells as well.

Start with the weights in a down position and curl them, slowly, to waist level. Do this 7 times. Then do the same except curl the bar from waist level all the way to your chest. Do this seven times. The do 7 full curls.

Its gets rather difficult.

[DinbinFanfoom]

I've heard about those. Would be easy to swap in a bit of that for my Bicep Curls. I assume it hits those and a bit more?

[Asharad]

Yeah, its mostly biceps with a bit of tricepts. I usually do three sets.

[DinbinFanfoom]

Yeah, its mostly biceps with a bit of tricepts. I usually do three sets.
7 x 3 reps is quite high... I know you're not using the same muscles ALL the time (I assume the 2 different curls are for the upper and lower parts of the bicep?). Is it geared for toning or building?

[EricStratton]

At Tech, when I was lifting pretty hard for football it was almost always decreased reps/increased weight. Like bench would be 225x12 to warm up, then 240x10, 250x8, 260x6, 300x1. Some times we did same weight, same reps but mostly for muscles like neck or calves.

Of course we were going for power and not a nice looking body. If you're trying for a cut bod, what you've got'll do it.

But do *not* neglect your back. I did in high school and am still paying for it in the form of rotator cuff syndrome. I would add either reverse flies (standing, knees bent, bend at the waist, arms perpendicular to the floor, lift to your sides like a bird) or simple kneeling raises (kneel one knee on a bench, one arm hanging down, pull weight up to you - like starting a lawn mower...repeat for other arm).

[DinbinFanfoom]

At Tech, when I was lifting pretty hard for football it was almost always decreased reps/increased weight. Like bench would be 225x12 to warm up, then 240x10, 250x8, 260x6, 300x1. Some times we did same weight, same reps but mostly for muscles like neck or calves.
Holy carp, I'll dream of being able to bench 300. I'll settle for my body weight. :P Was that free weight or machine? One of the reasons I'm hitting my triceps so hard is lifting stability...

But do *not* neglect your back. I did in high school and am still paying for it in the form of rotator cuff syndrome. I would add either reverse flies (standing, knees bent, bend at the waist, arms perpendicular to the floor, lift to your sides like a bird) or simple kneeling raises (kneel one knee on a bench, one arm hanging down, pull weight up to you - like starting a lawn mower...repeat for other arm).
I've modified my routine a bit to balance it out and remove a few exercises... I was having trouble getting 3 supersets in under an hour. On the subject of back exercises... I currently do lateral raises, but do you think I could still hit shoulders but add back if I change that to reverse files?

PS: Tried those "sevens" in place of my standard curls last night. I like em. Left arm can't complete 3rd set though, ack. Fails on the 7 final complete curls, though lifting to failure isn't a bad thing.

[EricStratton]

Holy carp, I'll dream of being able to bench 300. I'll settle for my body weight. :P Was that free weight or machine? One of the reasons I'm hitting my triceps so hard is lifting stability...
(Weird. Everything above after the emoticon didn't show up until I hit the quote button) Anyway, it was all free weights. Bench was on barbell.

I've modified my routine a bit to balance it out and remove a few exercises... I was having trouble getting 3 supersets in under an hour. On the subject of back exercises... I currently do lateral raises, but do you think I could still hit shoulders but add back if I change that to reverse files?
I'm no trainer but either the ones I mentioned will work your shoulders too. Whether it's enough for you will depend on how much a shoulder workout you're looking for.

[DinbinFanfoom]

I'm no trainer but either the ones I mentioned will work your shoulders too. Whether it's enough for you will depend on how much a shoulder workout you're looking for.
Yeah, I think I'm all set now, at least for upper body. I'm likely to get a weight bench in the next month or two that will allow me to do leg extensions and curls. The other option is actually JOINING the local gym. Unfortunately we used to have two gyms in Shediac but one closed, so there was a mass exodus to the other gym (where I used to have a membership) and so now there's a lot of waiting in line for machines and such, which I can't be bothered with. I actually prefer working out at home myself anyway, fits much better with my schedule. What I really miss from the gym is the fancy schmancy treadmills... they're so bloody expensive $1K+!

[EricStratton]

Very cool. I haven't lifted for real in like 3 years. I'm just burnt on it. I think I pushed myself and was pushed too hard in high school/early college and it just soured me on the whole thing.

That was on the things I liked about living w/ my parents - they had a treadmill and a stationary bike. Would prop my laptop up on the treadmill and play Civ 3 while going for a slow job.

[DinbinFanfoom]

Very cool. I haven't lifted for real in like 3 years. I'm just burnt on it. I think I pushed myself and was pushed too hard in high school/early college and it just soured me on the whole thing.
Yeah, motivation is easily the hardest part of a training regimen, I'd say. In my case it's something I've wanted to do (and used to do) but never had the time for. Now that I'm single again, I've more time to think about and improve ME!

That was on the things I liked about living w/ my parents - they had a treadmill and a stationary bike. Would prop my laptop up on the treadmill and play Civ 3 while going for a slow job.
Haha, when I was going to the gym, my sister and I would get on adjacent treadmills and watch Jeopardy and compete against each other. Fantastic show to watch while on a treadmill, miles just fly by. And you exercise body AND mind!

[kullen]

Your story sounds very similar to mine. When I was in high school I played football and bulked up pretty hard. I stopped playing my last year in HS and lost alot of weight (mostly muscle). Dropping from 210 to 140.

Well, throughout the next 10 years I noticed I was gaining some of the weight back but it was mostly fat. So starting about a year ago, I began working out with a trainer. Its been a balanced program with cardio and weight lifting for tone. The main objective is to reduce body fat to muscle ratio and to tone up all parts of the body. I've been satisfied with the results so far.

[EricStratton]

Wow, that's a ton of weight lost. I'm about the same weight now as my playing weight but there's a bunch of muscle missing now. :lowlol:

I know I should start working out again, at least some cardio. I guess I still feel I missed out on a lot of life outside the weight room years ago, and I guess I still have the feeling that if I'm not enjoying it I don't wanna do it. Once Joy's schedule calms down we'll start doing something outdoors together, hopefully.

[Asharad]

You went from 210 to 140? jesus...did you lose your legs or something?

[kullen]

I went from a size 36 to a size 28. Its just that without the weight training for football my appitite dropped off and I couldn't sustain the waight anymore. Now that i'm older and my matabolism isn't what it used to be, its not so easy.