Critique my Routine? (M/W/F)

[oneanswer]

EDIT: 5'5" & 120lbs ... my goal is to gain 5 - 10 pounds of muscle, increasing strength and muscle mass. I'm currently struggling to eat enough calories. I'm a grazer and find it difficult to eat a large meal before dinner. Took a booty progress pic this morning and my upper body is far too thin)

Good morning ladies! I want to make sure I'm getting the most out of my routines, and I'm not sure if I truly am. My apartment gym has dumbbells (5/10/15/20/25/35/40/50), an adjustable bench, and a machine with a leg press, mid-row/lat pull down, and adjustable column with curls and tricep extensions (no clue what it's called).

Based on my available equipment, I've been working on the following M/W/F schedule for 3 weeks now ... I think it needs some changes but I'm not sure what. Thoughts? Opinions? Approve/Disapprove? Thanks!

Monday: Arms & Chest (All 3x10)

• DB Bench Press
• Fly
• DB Shoulder Press
• Lateral Raise
• Shrugs
• Goblet Squats 5x5 - 0, 15, 20, 25, 35
• Kettle Bell Swings 3x12

Wednesday: Leg Day (3x10 unless noted)

• Plank (30 Seconds)
• Goblet Squats
• Hip Bridges
• DB Calf Raises - 3x15
• Walking Lunges - 3x15
• Sumo Squats
• DB Stiff-Leg Deadlift - 3x5
• Leg Press

Friday: Back & Arms (All 3x10)

• Bent Over Rows (Single Arm)
• DB Curls
• Hammer Curls
• DB Tricep Extensions
• Tricep Dips
• Mid-Row
• Goblet Squats
• DB Stiff Leg Deadlift - 3x5

As you can see, I try to incorporate squats into my other days, and there's a bit of ab work in there. What can I add or change to make sure this is most effective? Thank you!

 

[rebornbeliever]

@oneanswer It all depends on your goals. What are you looking to do? Build muscle? Strength? Power? Lose weight?

Personally, I attack training from a strength and conditioning point of view, so I've currently got a full body PPL (focusing on strength) routine (Power>Core>Accessory) with Heavy/Moderate/Light days to fit my 3 day a week schedule. I'm working with 4-5 sets of 3-6 reps at around 85-90% of my 1RM. I have a day a week where i do steady state cardio and 2 active rest days where i either play basketball or just mess around in the gym and have fun.

 

[oneanswer]

@rebornbeliever Thank you! Others have recommended SC, so I am looking at doing both. If I go this route (either now or at a later date), how long does it take a person to determine their 1RM?

 

[dynamitex]

@oneanswer It's kind of all over the place. You don't do biceps or triceps on your first "arm day" but you do goblet squats. You do very little back work on back day but do hammies (Romanian DL). You also do kettlebell swings on chest day instead of back day. There's no rhyme or reason to this routine and I can't see how you would make much progress.

I... would scrap the whole thing and choose a program from the sidebar.

 

[oneanswer]

@dynamitex My logic was that I'm making sure I still focus on some glutes/legs even when I'm not having an official leg day. I tried stronglifts but felt like just the 3/4 workouts weren't enough. Couple that with it being made for people with access to barbells.

Ironically, the whole reason I created my own routine was because I posted here previously when I was doing SL with dumbbells, and was told that I needed to do something different due to lacking the necessary equipment.

 

[dynamitex]

@oneanswer Have you looked into Strong Curves?

 

[oneanswer]

@dynamitex I have not (love your username, by the way). Will read into it this afternoon, thank you!

 

[dynamitex]

@oneanswer /r/strongcurves

It's a full body routine that starts with dumbells and bodyweight. It's focused on glutes but is pretty good at overall strength. I think you should throw your program away and do this one.

 

[oneanswer]

@dynamitex I think I will do this come Monday, as well as pair it with others' recommendations for tracking cals. I'm sure I'm not eating enough.

 

[neliii_br]

@dynamitex Here's a sneak peek of /r/StrongCurves using the top posts of all time!

#1: 8 week update! From nonexistent hamstrings to normal looking legs. I'm excited to see week 12! | 15 comments

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[dynamitex]

@neliii_br Good lookin out, bot.

 

[lawrencemcdonald123]

@dynamitex Aren't swings more for the legs? Edit: the goblet squats every day might be SL/SC inspired?

 

[dynamitex]

@lawrencemcdonald123 Yes, and back.

 

[lawrencemcdonald123]

@dynamitex Aren't they for like everything actually? (Not literally but multiple muscles/groups)

 

[dynamitex]

@lawrencemcdonald123 Yes, so you generally put an exercise in the closest category you can (DL in back or pull day even though it works every muscle in your body). OP put a back/leg exercise on arms and chest day.

 

[lawrencemcdonald123]

@dynamitex True that.

 

[oneanswer]

@dynamitex Very happy to read this conversation, because I was thinking more about swings being for the legs (per /@lawrencemcdonald123). Once I move swings from arms/chest, I am lacking on more exercises. Push ups could replace it?

 

[lawrencemcdonald123]

@oneanswer Yes!

 

[lawrencemcdonald123]

@oneanswer What are your goals? Generally for a 3 day schedule like this, you would do 3 total body workouts, focusing on compounds. Though you do sound a bit limited in equipment/weights... edit: do you mean this http://www.phoenix-healthcare.co.uk/uploads/products/6564_lightbox.jpg

 

[oneanswer]

@lawrencemcdonald123 I'll edit this into the original post, but I want to grow strength and become more muscular. I'm 5'5" and 120lbs, which is NOT ideal - I'd like to gain 5- 10 pounds of muscle mass, and I'm trying to up my calories currently, but I'm a grazer and find it difficult to have any 'big' meals before dinner. I took a booty progress pic this morning and am shocked to see that my upper body is too thin (shoulder blades and some vertebrae were pronounced). I just have no clue what I'm doing with food.