Help me find the right routine

[veni]

I’ve flirted for a few months, but now I want to get into it. I need help to find the right routine for me to start working out regularly for the next 6-12 months. My aim is to get strong, lean and fit, but it’s not necessary build a lot of muscle.

I find the RR a bit too complicated for now and the BWSF Routine (from FAQ) a bit too simple. So my question is, do I use my homemade 2-day split routine below (any good?), should I adjust it (how?) or do I “have to” use RR or BWSF (given my current level)?

I’m male, 42, 173 cm, 70 kg.

The routine I just started, with sets/reps last time I exercised (2-3 days rest in between):

DAY A
Plank 3 x 60 sec
Bird dog 3 x 10
Push up 3 x 10
Squats 3 x 10
Chair tricep dips 3 x 10
Burpee 3 x 10
Lunge 3 x 10
Band bicep curl 3 x 10

DAY B
Hollow hold 3 x 20 sec
Side leg raise 4 x 10
Pull up 3 x 5
V up 3 x 10
Superman row 3 x 10
Heel touch crunch 3 x 10
Leg raise hip lift 3 x 10

(By the way. I use the Planfit app because it’s free, I can adjust exercises and I like that I can see what I’m supposed to do while doing it. But the app is not that flexible. Any better apps?)

 

[legatichristi]

@veni The problem is, there's so much that goes into building a good routine that it's really not recommended for beginners to make their own. Exercise selection sure, but also exercise order, grouping, rest between sets, number of sets, number of reps, times per week, progressions within an exercise, etc. etc. This is to say, you should do the BWSF or RR.

Also, the best routines are simple (see fuckarounditis). I think the reason you think the RR is too complicated and the BWSF is too simple is packaging - they're actually nearly identical routines, the RR is just laid out in a confusing way. This is how it works:

3 times a week, you do 9 exercises. 6 main ones and a core triplet. Let's ignore the core (tbh, just throw in whatever core work you like, the triplet is cut-able). You start with a warmup (you can go through those exercises or do your own), then you get into the bulk of it.

For the big 6 exercises (Pullup, Squat, Dip, Hinge, Row, Pushup), each of them you will do 3 sets, 5-8 reps. You do them in pairs, with 90 second rests in between, so:

• Pullup set 1 [90 sec rest] Squat set 1 [90 sec rest]
• Pullup set 2 [90 sec rest] Squat set 2 [90 sec rest]
• Pullup set 3 [90 sec rest] Squat set 3 [90 sec rest]
• Dips set 1 [90 sec rest] Hinge set 1 [90 sec rest]
• etc. etc.

The complicated part but also the meat and potatoes is progressions. In the gym, once you can bench press 100 lbs you add weight to bench press 105. In bodyweight, you don't have an easy way to make the same movement harder or easier. So, you pick a progression you can do - lets say, incline pushups - and you do 3 sets of 5 (3x5) of it. Each session, you slowly build up to 3x8 incline pushups. Then, you need to "add weight", you do this by lowering the incline, maybe all the way to the floor. Since it's "heavier", you can likely only do 3x5 floor pushups. Work back up to 3x8. Then you move on to something harder, maybe diamond pushups at 3x5. That core principal of getting harder - called "progressive overload" is how you actually get stronger. Any program that doesn't have progressive overload is a bad program.

The RR, or another simple, progressive overload, compound movement focused routine made by a professional with proven results is how you get strong. Not GymTok, not a random ChatGPT routine or a homebrew one, something that was professionally made and looks too simple and boring to be useful. You can toss in some bicep curls at the end, or some handstand work at the start, or whatever core work you want, no problem. But this is the base of actually getting strong. I think the 8x3 app is the RR, but I've only ever used excel to track my workouts so I have no clue.

Good luck and get strong!

 

[veni]

@legatichristi Thanks for insight and clear advice. Perhaps I need to try RR properly to make it less complicated in my head

 

[legatichristi]

@veni The RR is really rough the first week or so as you're figuring it out but like a month-ish in you'll be like "oh this is actually super straightforward, it just takes a lot of reading to get why"

You got this!

 

[veni]

@legatichristi Much appreciated! I’m leaning towards giving RR a go. However, come to think about it, one of the complicated things about it is that equipment is needed. At least parallel bars aren’t available, but I do have a pull up bar and a table for rows.

 

[legatichristi]

@veni Well, if you're strong enough to do a few pushups, you can progress with working towards pike pushups and overhead pressing instead of dips, which some people say is better anyway. You can find the pike progressions under "alternative paths" on either dips or pushups.

Hinging is another tough one, there's work around for easier exercises but once you get to nordic curls, refer to this post for some ideas.

 

[3penntony]

@veni Bro I'm couple years younger same weight.

We have that advantage been lean

I do pullups/chinups pushups dips daily and bodyweight squats.

I use bar and rings

I do pauses I add a 9kg weight vest I do variations.

I think we'll my opinion master the ground first like pushups pullups dips

Not about reps its about form technique full range 5 proper pushups better than 20 shitters half range reps

 

[veni]

@3penntony I guess i would need some core in the mix and that’s how I ended up with my own routine. But good point about efforts in technique instead of reps

 

[3penntony]

@veni Bro decline pushups great for core and pullups ring flys pushups.

Check K booges dude does the basic calisthenics no fancy stuff nothing wrong with the extra stuff pending on your goals

But for your average person the basic calisthenics is all you need.

Yeah I think way to many care to much about reps I was one them.

Slow them down pause go deep full range even if you can only get a couple that way keep going till you get more.

 

[zeekmul]

@veni thefitness wiki has several routines and also info on nutrition and other things training.

 

[veni]

@zeekmul Will definitely have a look

 

[jermyn]

@veni Not a bad start! Something I would suggest is focusing on six MAIN movements. Vertical Push + Pull, Horizontal Push + Pull, and Squat + Leg Curl. If you include all of those, you will get strong and fit AND you will basically cover the entire body.

 

[veni]

@jermyn Thanks! Great to know. Seems like I’m missing at least vertical pull and leg curls.

 

[nathandavis]

@veni There's no such thing as "right" or "optimal". Just pick one and commit to it for a while. Fitness is a journey, you'll change your routine many times anyway.

 

[veni]

@nathandavis Makes sense. Though I guess it’s better to have routine aligned with your goals. My goals being: Stronger and leaner, not (much) bigger.

 

[nathandavis]

@veni I'd say that goal is to generic. Being strong for arm wrestlers is different from being strong for strongmen or cross fitters. IMO, if you're not sure, just pick something that you feel simple. It'll be easier to stick with.