TW, is this life schedule good?

I want to lose some weight and gain muscle. I have been using this schedule for the past month and while i do see results, i wonder if TW has any insights. I am about 6 ft and weigh 200lbs. I have a good physique but still have a fair amount of ab and chest fat to lose. I started taking no Xplode and i downed the dosage to only one scoop (instead of 2-3). And let me tell you, this shit gives me tons of energy. My workout is now close to about 90-120 min and i just run when i am bored.

Mon, Thurs:
Bench dumbells
2 sets of 5 reps of 75 lb
20 raised pushups
1 set of 10 reps of 65 lb
20 normal pushups
1 set of 10 reps of 55 lb
20 close deltoid pushups

5 min on the row machine

Lat pulls
--I do these behind my head and in front.
1 set of 10 reps of 110
1 set of 10 reps of 100
1 set of 10 reps of 90

5 min on the row machine

40-50 reps of various ab work

Tue, Friday:
Biceps
2 set of 5 reps of 45
2 set of 5 reps of 40
2 set of 10 reps of 35

5 min on the row machine

Tricep Machine
--There is one of those pulley machines that i do tricep pushdowns on. I would like to do normal dumbells behind my head, but they dont get too heavy they just get too bulky and hit my neck.
2 set of 5 reps of 160
2 set of 10 reps of 140
2 set of 10 reps of 130

5 min on the row machine

Shoulders
2 set of 5 reps of 120
2 set of 5 reps of 110
2 set of 10 reps of 100

various ab workouts.


Wed, Sat, Sun
Off

Well ...

I don't see any real cardio minus the 10 minutes of row machine a day.
I don't see any hard exercises in the program and the choice of number of sets/reps seems random.

If you're looking to lose fat, you need cardio in there 4x a week 30 minutes at least.

Also, having a day where you go to the gym and just do curls, pushdowns and some ambiguous shoulder exercise is kind of a waste. You're not even using any big muscles those days.

Where are the squats, deadlifts, military presses, rows? The bread and butter compound lifts? As a beginner these need to be the core of your program to get your conditioning up and overall strength up so you can lift enough on the smaller exercises to work them. Also, get off the machines wherever possible.

It looks like you spend a lot of time in the gym and don't actually get that much done. You can cut your workout down to 30-60 minutes if you do harder exercises and you'll see better results from them.

I don't think your current program is going to be adequate for significant weight loss.

what do u mean by rows? As for the military press, that is when you life behind your head right?

what do u mean by rows? As for the military press, that is when you life behind your head right?

there are different types of bend over rows

Barbell Bent-over Row (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/BBBentOverRow.html)

and there are different types of military press, here is a barbell one:

Barbell Military Press (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/DeltoidAnterior/BBMilitaryPress.html)

personally i do the dumbbell rows

have you ever taken a weights class or anything? I'd have a tough time making much progress without any experience

you really do need some compound lifts in there like squats otherwise you're just wasting your time. you want to be able to lift more the next week and compound lifts like squats will allow you to do that by releasing more growth hormone from your legs into your bloodstream.

looks like you have some research to do

ok, i have updated my session to include gains and more jogging. The question here is: Is this a balanced program for losing fat and gaining muscle? While i dont mind balanced programs, i would rather have something stresses fat loss then bulk gain. That said, in the past few months i have gained only 2-3 pounds, but my muscle definition and bulk has grown. This leads me to believe that since my weight is staying the same and my lifts are getting bigger, the fat i have is turning into muscle. However, after TW said my previous schedule was no good, i wonder if this one is too.


Mon, Thur:
15-20 min Elliptical at the Fat Burn (low intesity) level.

Incline Bench dumbells
2 sets of 8 reps of 70 lb
20 incline pushups
2 set of 8 reps of 65 lb
20 incline pushups
20 flat pushups


Lat pulls
--I do these behind my head and in front.
2 set of 8 reps of 110 (Front) / 120 (Behind)
2 set of 8 reps of 100 (F) / 110 (B)

Lat Rows
3 sets of 8 reps of 120
1 set of 3 rep of 130


75 reps of various ab work


Tue, Fri:
15-20 min Elliptical at the Fat Burn (low intensity) level.


Biceps - Ahnold style
2 set of 8 reps of 45
2 set of 8 reps of 40


Tricep Pushdowns
4 set of 8 reps of 160


Shoulder Press (machine)
2 set of 5 reps of 140
2 set of 8 reps of 130


75 reps of various ab work


Wed
30 min treadmill (3-4 miles)
30 min elliptical Fat Burn
30 min rowing
75 reps of various ab work
Prone ab-holds

Sat, Sun
Off

I'm pretty sure that "Fat Burn" setting is if you're going to be going for awhile. That was the big difference between HIIT and extended cardio. HIIT you can do for 15-20 min and see results, whereas with the low intensity, you have to do it much longer... which is at least 30 minutes a day for beginners, iirc.

well, i am no beginner when it comes to treadmill and elliptical (and jogging in general). I would put myself towards intermediate/advanced. While i do not mind doing longer excerises, if i can find a more intensive excerise that can cut down on fat more in a shorter time, i will be all for it.

So for HIIT, i understand that is such high intensity that it reaches muscle failure (on purpose). What HIIT excersices are there for treadmill, elliptical, and rowing? Is there a list of great HIIT lift schedules? Also, most of my time is spent alone, so i cant get a dedicated spotter.

T-Nation has some good reading on HIIT, as well as some place called the internet. Just do a little research and you'll be able to piece together a good HIIT workout.

From what I had gathered, you should warm up for 5 minutes, then begin a schedule of HIIT you can keep with. If you say you're int/adv, maybe try 1 min of %85-90 your workout, with a 30 sec rest in between. Do this for 10 min, then cool down.

I think that's what I remember reading... but like I said, just read up on it.

T-Nation has some good reading on HIIT, as well as some place called the internet. Just do a little research and you'll be able to piece together a good HIIT workout.

From what I had gathered, you should warm up for 5 minutes, then begin a schedule of HIIT you can keep with. If you say you're int/adv, maybe try 1 min of %85-90 your workout, with a 30 sec rest in between. Do this for 10 min, then cool down.

I think that's what I remember reading... but like I said, just read up on it.

Well, my lifting schedule already is pretty close to my max already. I take the maximum amount of weight i can do 8 reps of and the maximum weight i can do 4-5 reps of. So all of the weight you see is my max for those amount of reps.

oh, by workout you mean running or lifting?

Well, my lifting schedule already is pretty close to my max already. I take the maximum amount of weight i can do 8 reps of and the maximum weight i can do 4-5 reps of. So all of the weight you see is my max for those amount of reps.

oh, by workout you mean running or lifting?

:lol:

they're only your max because you don't ever deadlift or squat

no don't use machines. free weights ftw. :D

no don't use machines. free weights ftw. :D

well, my gym is first floor of my office, so i dont often have a spotter. So the only machine that replaces free weights is the shoulder press. And since i have always had shoulder issues, this is for the best. most of my workout is with freeweights (dumbbells). I tried doing tricep press with freeweights but the weights starting getting too bulky, as opposed to too heavy, which is why i do pushdowns on the machines.

anyway, i want to make my workout schedule more around fat-loss. are there any suggestions? i want do lose this chest and stomach fat, thus the chest and ab/cardio workouts, but are there more effective workouts?

crossfit.com

scale them using the brandx site

or just do a simple weight program like Rippetoe's novice routine and add some sort of interval training for running, swimming, rowing, or cycling

that seems good if the weight is close to your max, gotta keep it intense, and you really do need to squat and deadlift

that seems good if the weight is close to your max, gotta keep it intense, and you really do need to squat and deadlift

why do i need to squat and deadlift? what do they add that is so important without them? I ask b/c that is alot of stress on my knees, which have for a few years had patella tendontis (joggers knee).

you need more cardio

i run for 45 minutes - 2 hours a day through hills/elliptical.