Workout Overcomplicated, needs minimizing

[cliffusngmg1]

I'm new to exercise and fitness and was given workouts from several PTs with differing opinions. I workout 3 times per week one day doing upper body, lower body another day and core/back/posture exercises on the third day. As a result of all the different experts I have spoken to, my workout is bloated and takes too long to do, I don't know enough yet to say what is essential and I know that I'm probably covering some muscle groups twice or more. What can I leave out from my workout below? I do a bit of cardio each gym visit too. I'm 32yo/Male/6 feet tall/194 lbs, trying to build some muscle and slim down a little. Numbers on the scale are not the most important for me, I just want to have bigger arms, shoulders, better posture/back health and get rid of my spare tire. Maybe I have too many goals? Many thanks in advance.

Upper

Stretches (Pinning shoulders back)

Door Frame Shoulders Stretch 30 each arm

Door Frame Biceps Stretch 30 each arm

Pull Apart Resistance Bands 30 seconds in front, then behind

Tricep Kickback Resistance Band 20

Foam Roller Back 30 seconds

Machines 10 - 12 x 3

Shoulder Press 7.5kg

Seated Row 25kg

Chest Fly Machine 17.5kg

Tricep Pulldown 17.5kg

Face Pull 17.5kg

Dumbell Bicep Curl 4kg

Shoulder Press 12.5kg

Chest Press 12.5kg

Lower

Stretches

Squats 10

Glute Bridge 30 seconds

Calf Stretch 30 seconds

Lunges with Twist 30

Couch Stretch 30 each leg

Glute Stretch 30 each leg

Hamstring Stretch 30 each leg

Machines

Seated Leg Press 42.5kg

Leg Extension Machine 20kg

Smith Machine Calves 0

Glute Machine 17.5kg

Hip Thrust Machine 17.5kg

Leg Curl Machine 17.5kg

Core/Back/Posture

V Ups 5

Wodchoppers 2.5kg

Russian Twists 2.5kg

Child's Pose 30 Seconds

Cobra Pose 30 Seconds

Long Lever Plank 15 Seconds

Bicycle Crunches Interval Timer

Prone W Extensions, Y to W, lifting chest 15

Dead Bugs 10

Chin Tuck With Posterior Pelvic Tilt 30 Seconds

All Fours Opposites 20

Bar Hang (Eventually Pull Up) Until Failure

Lat Pulldown 17.5kgtence Bands 30 seconds in front, then behind

 

[harko]

@cliffusngmg1 This is a good example of what you get when you overthink fitness. Imo you should put 90% of your effort into the main movements; horizontal push and pull (bench, row) vertical push and pull (overhead press, pull up or lat pull down) squat, and hip hinge (deadlift or variation like RDL or SLDL). Get used to the idea of a top set or primary lift for each workout. This is your main lift for the day where you push the hardest and place the most focus. Typically it's a compound barbell lift so on your body day #1 it's the bench press on lower body #1 it's the squat. Within that framework you would even have a top set where you place the most focus and emphasis. After warmup it's typically your first or maybe second working set.

All the stretching and warmup is superfluous unless you have a specific limitation or injury to overcome. A lift specific warmup with a lighter weight is all you need. So for bench you start with the bar, 10-20 reps, throw on a pair of 25s and do 8-10 reps, then replace the 25s w/ 45s and do 5-8 reps, then throw some 25s on with those 45s and do another 3-5 reps, and so on until your work sets. You can do the same for and barbell compound.

The vast majority of your gains will come from compound lifts in the main movement patterns. You can swap out those lifts for machines if you really want to but the formula is still the same. Imo additional isolation exercises aren't really an efficient use of time until you can hit some basic strength metrics.

 

[partylinelimo]

@harko This should have way more upvotes. Thank you for taking the time to pen this down.

 

[dawn16]

@cliffusngmg1 That is quite a substantial list for sure but that’s sometimes a good thing because it means you have options. Here is my recommendation for you…

Instead of 1 upper day, 1 lower day and 1 core day each week why not try and do these 3x a week.
So, take 2/3 exercises from each of your current days and make them into day 1. Then take another 2/3 and make them into day 2, repeat and make a day 3…you have plenty in terms of a list to get going and play around with it to get a feel for what would work.
Also, stretches wise, just do 3/4 stretches to begin and just do stretches on the muscle groups you’ll then be working for that day. Hopefully, you’ll find yourself saving some time this way.
For the cardio element, finish each session with 30 minutes LISS (low intensity steady state) cardio - something like a treadmill on a level 3 incline at 3mph speed would suffice.

 

[cliffusngmg1]

@dawn16 Great advice, thank you so much.in terms of Cardio I alternate between air bike and eliptical and i swim twice a week anyway. Gym and pool are in the same building so i would substitute that if it were a swimming lesson day. I'll reorganise the system I have now and hopefully come to some manageable conclusions!

 

[suelap]

@cliffusngmg1 My motto for the gym is I’m here for a good time, not a long time. I typically only spend 30-45 mins actively working out. I do high weight at low reps and train the failure.

This is effective for building muscle because of how muscle is actually built. When you lift, you create micro tears in the muscle, and then your body repairs those tears and builds the muscle back bigger and stronger. So if you wanna build big muscles, create more tears so there’s more of them to be repaired and built on. That means lifting heavy and using a muscles full ROM with the weight so it’s stretching and contracting, and therefore tearing, the most. Personally, I train to failure 3 days a week in the 6-8 rep range for 3-5 sets. Training to failure is controversial, but it’s what I’ve seen put the most inches on my muscles, specifically my arms. The exercises I’m doing each day tend to follow the same format as what you have (upper/lower/core and back), I just pick an exercise for each muscle (on upper, I do one for biceps, triceps, shoulders (evenly training rear/side/front delts), and traps if I feel like it, and I work that muscle until I fail in the 6-8 rep range. I max effort, so fail In the 1-3 rep range every 6-8 weeks, and deload the week after. You don’t have to do the same exercise for the muscle every week, pick from the arsenal you already have.

 

[suelap]

Also, look up hypertrophy training v. Strength training to help you determine what rep/set/weight ranges are most aligned with your personal goals

 

[heyheyheynoname]

@cliffusngmg1 Cut that list in half OP. You must be there forever too.