my routine

Jeremy Lynch said:

Hi,

I wondered if someone could take a look at my routine. I have been
working out for a few years and always have found it difficult to put
on weight. I definitely have poor genetics in this regard I think, but
at least I don't put on fat. Nevertheless when I started I was pretty
thin and now I am not quite so: I am 6 ft and about 175 pounds. I'm 22
and doing a medical degree so I don't have that much time to go to the
gym - about 3 times a week is what I can manage. I'm also limited by
our student gym to the weights and machines they have, and don't like
complicated routines because sometimes it is necesary to miss days if
I'm working or something. I would be grateful if someone could look and
see what I could improve.

3 times a week, 2 sets, trying for 7/8 reps and when I get up to that
increasing the weight:
Chest Press: 60kg
Curl: 16kg
Chin ups: Me!
Shoulder Press: 55kg
Lat Pulldown: 65kg

No dumbbells for rows? No cable row or machine row?

Are you cycling weight/reps at all to try and get those poundages up?

A few years of training should have resulted in better gains which would
be reflected in your poundages. What's your diet like? How many warmup
sets are you doing?

Quoted message said:

Then 20 minutes running.

I don't do any leg exercises,

That's part of why you're not putting on weight

Quoted message said:

running

That's probably another part, according to some here. I'm not certain
I'd agree.

Cheers,

Ari

Quoted message said:

seems to keep them ok at the
moment.

Thanks,

Jeremy.

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Jeremy Lynch said:

3 times a week, 2 sets, trying for 7/8 reps and when I get up to that
increasing the weight:
Chest Press: 60kg
Curl: 16kg
Chin ups: Me!
Shoulder Press: 55kg
Lat Pulldown: 65kg

Then 20 minutes running.

I don't do any leg exercises, running seems to keep them ok at the
moment.

(*) Do leg exercises. Don't make wimpy excuses for not doing them. Running is
NOT a substitute. I'd recommend adding squats.
(*) You don't need curls if you're doing chinups. If you're short on time,
leave them out.
(*) You don't need lat pulldowns if you're doing chins.
(*) Try out dumbells for shoulder press. This avoids the issue of having to move
the bar in front or behind your head. Up to you, but I found dumbells much
more comfortable to work with.
(*) if you're short on time, you can superset chest and lats work. If you're
not worried about someone trying to grab the bench when you leave it you can
superset chest+chins, otherwise bring a dumbell to the bench and do dumbell
rows.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Jeremy,
I would think that three times a week working out for an intense hour
each time would add more strength on your frame over the course of a
couple years. Is your intensity good? I like to do three sets of each
exercise. Do you feel spent at the conclusion of each exercise? Even
though you run, leg work could be beneficial to your overall
development. I have heard that working these massive muscle groups
using exercises such as squat, clean, and deadlift (Be Careful with
these exercises and focus on perfect form) can increase your body's
production of growth hormones and can benefit your whole body's
development. Most of the exercises you do are good compound exercises.
I would cut the curls and do dumbell rows instead so that you would be
working a compound muscle group, your bicep will get hit by this and
your other back exercises.
How is your diet? Be sure to eat a healthy diet.

James

Hi,

Thank you very much for the replies.

I think I'll start doing some rows. I'll look in to cycling (Unless you
simply mean increasing the reps until getting to a certain number and
then increasing the weight and cutting the reps again, then I haven't
tried it).

I think I'll cut out curls (I've only started them recently anyway). If
I'm to work more on chin ups (and I'm doing supinated btw) I'll have to
get one of those belts you hang weights on I suppose.I've completely
failed to keep increasing lat pulldowns for ages now, not sure why.

I eat as much as I can manage on my student budget, although in the
past I prob haven't eaten enough. I've also started blending up some
milk shakes with added milk powder, because I'm not sure I get enough
protein (but lots of complex carbohydrates, which tend to be cheaper).

I don't do any warmup sets currently.

I have no interest particularly in increasing my quadriceps or any
other leg muscles by doing the squat. The only reason I can see to do
it is if it employs enough body muscles or has some kind of anabolic
effect, that it works the whole body. I'll have a look in the journals.
The machine in my gym annoys me by being permanently busy, and
deadlifts are not allowed because some clever person built our brand
new sports centre and put the gym on the second floor.

My intensity is ok I think. I do until failure and I used to do 3 sets
until recently - all the studies I have read say there is little
difference, and I have noticed little change myself. I can't do many
reps of the same weight on further sets.

For overall health running is the most important thing that I do - the
risk from most diseases I study is lowered by cardiovascular exercise.
I think its pretty important.

Cheers again,

Jeremy.