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4 Day Training, 3 Day Cardio Split

Jungnaut

Jungnaut

YOLO Kunce
I have been training for nearly two years now, and my goal is all about general well being and fitness rather than bulking up heaps. My main weakness at the moment is the legs since I am prone to lower back pain so have been paranoid about hurting it. Lately I have been trying to improve and work on my deadlifts and squats by really focussing and practicing my technique, thanks to the information and resources available on this site! I really hope my persistence will pay off.

I like to run, its the best feeling ever however I had to rehabilitate my knee lately due to a bout of that dreaded ITB syndrome. I am just starting to get back into it now...slowly but surely.

Anyhow.. my workout goes a bit like this at the moment

MON: Legs/Hips/Abs
Squats 3 x 10 (65kg)
Deadlift 3 x 10 (30kg only lol)
Step Raises 3 x 5 each leg (holding 2 x 12.5kg DB)
Single lunges 3 x 10 each leg (holding 2 x 12.5kg DB)
Side leg raises 3 x 10 each leg (on machine)
Abs Side crunches 3 x 20 each side
Leg raises 3 x 10

TUESDAY: Jogging 35 mins Medium Pace

WED: Back/Biceps/Abs
Chinups: 3 x 10 close grip, 1 x 10 wide grip, 1 x 10 reverse grip
DB Bent over row: 3 x 10 (27.5kg)
Cable straight arm pull down: 3 x 10 (30kg)
Lever seated reverse fly: 3 x 10 (35 kg)
Abs Side crunches 3 x 20 each side
Leg raises 3 x 10

THURS: Intervals Jogging to 85% MHR 2 mins, rest 2 mins - 30 mins

FRI: CHEST/TRIS/Shoulders
Barbell bench press: 10 reps 50kg, 10 reps 60kg, 10 reps 70kg
DB Flat bench flys: 3 x 10 (17kg)
barbell shoulder press: 3 x 10 (22.5 kg)
One arm tricep extensions: 3 x 10 (12.5kg)
DB side raises: 3 x 10 (12.5kg)
DB front raises: 3 x 10 (12.5kg)

Sat: Jogging 35 med pace or stationary bike 35 med pace

Sun: day off or do Core workout program using video on demand at my gym

Rest is until my HR goes to the lower fat burn range ~ 120 bpm for me. I tell when my HR monitor beeps its time for the next set! Each workout lasts roughly an hour this way, sometimes a little more.

Age 35, Weight 75.5 kg, Height 6ft, Diet is pretty healthy and I am for 2500 cals a day with not much carbs.. Supplement wise, I use NoXplode for my pre workout and WPI protein shake after with a little fruit like banana. Plus my multi vitamins and fish oils when I am not eating enough fish. I also love eating fresh fruit and salads.

Besides the obvious (ie legs), can I get some advice on what I can do to finetune this program?? I mean, I sometimes wonder if I am working out each muscle group enough using this split. (During my annual holidays I would spend a day a week on each muscle group, doing 6 exercises for each lol. Now I have cut back to this). Working out like this has given me the results I wanted - fitness, muscle definition - but I expect some scathing criticism as I know I am pretty clueless compared to the experts here haha. :p
 
Do the exercises you're strongest in first. For example you do:
FRI: CHEST/TRIS/Shoulders
Barbell bench press: 10 reps 50kg, 10 reps 60kg, 10 reps 70kg
DB Flat bench flys: 3 x 10 (17kg)
barbell shoulder press: 3 x 10 (22.5 kg)

I would recommend:
FRI: CHEST/TRIS/Shoulders
Barbell bench press: 10 reps 50kg, 10 reps 60kg, 10 reps 70kg
barbell shoulder press: 3 x 10 (22.5 kg)
DB Flat bench flys: 3 x 10 (17kg)

I'd also stick in some lower rep range work to keep pushing progress along
 
Thanks Oni! I really want to use this New Year as an incentive to work out a realistic training/cardio program that I can stick to, and spend the first few weeks of it to try and improve my form especially with respect to dead lifts. So far I have drafted this up, thanks largely to the excellent info I found on this thread http://ausbb.com/bodybuilding-training-discussions/16967-beginner-starting-strength-qs.html:

MONDAY
Rest

TUESDAY (Workout A)
Squat 3x10
Bench 3x10
Deadlift 3x5
Chins (Close and wide grip) 5x5
Dips 3x5
Bb Curl 3x10

WEDNESDAY (Extras plus Cardio)
Shoulder press 3 x 10
Side Raise 3 x 5
Front Raise 3 x 5
Abs crunch
30 min video on demand workout or jog

THURSDAY (Workout B)
Squat 3x10
Bent rows 3x10
Military 3x10
Chins (Close and wide grip) 5x5
Incline 3x10 or Close grip bench 3x10
SLDL 3x10

FRIDAY (Extras plus Cardio)
Overhead tri extensions 3 x 10
Tri kickbacks
DB curls
BB reverse curls
30 min video on demand workout or jog

SATURDAY (Workout A)
Squat 3x10
Bench 3x10
Deadlift 3x5
Chins (Close and wide grip) 5x5
Dips 3x5
Bb Curl 3x10

SUNDAY (Extras plus Cardio)
Single Step Ups 3 x 10
Single Lunges 3 x 10
Leg Press 3 x 10
Hip Flexors 3 x 10
30 min video on demand workout or jog

How does that look?? I would love some critique before I start it officially.
 
Ok... Ill bite... The most notable thing is that for 2 years training your strength is almost embarrasing...

First thing... Get to a PTC... There are girls there lifting more then you with less training time....

However it does look like you are well conditioned ... Training in a 6-7 day program with very little rest between sets.... Well Done :cool:

Based on your strength you probably should not be following a split where each body part is only being worked once a week....

You could easily be squatting 3 times a week MON, WED, FRI in a 5x5 program...

And your chest, back and shoulders twice a week

Deadlift once a week... (NOTE: 30kg deadlift is terrible with a squat at 65kg - You should be able to do your squat weight plus a little bit more)

If you can't get to a PTC then google starting strength wiki....And research Rippetoes starting strength 3x5 program...

Or look up stronglifts... Although its my opinion that Starting strength is better then stronglifts....However nothing beats getting to a PTC...

Your weight training appears to suffer from fuckarounditis.... Hence the lack in gains...

Get rid of the assistance excercises and concentrate on the big lifts...

All the best mate...:cool:
 
Jungman said:
MONDAY
Rest

TUESDAY (Workout A)
Squat 3x10
Bench 3x10
Deadlift 3x5
Chins (Close and wide grip) 5x5
Dips 3x5
Bb Curl 3x10

WEDNESDAY (Extras plus Cardio)
Shoulder press 3 x 10
Side Raise 3 x 5
Front Raise 3 x 5
Abs crunch
30 min video on demand workout or jog

THURSDAY (Workout B)
Squat 3x10
Bent rows 3x10
Military 3x10
Chins (Close and wide grip) 5x5
Incline 3x10 or Close grip bench 3x10
SLDL 3x10

FRIDAY (Extras plus Cardio)
Overhead tri extensions 3 x 10
Tri kickbacks
DB curls
BB reverse curls
30 min video on demand workout or jog

SATURDAY (Workout A)
Squat 3x10
Bench 3x10
Deadlift 3x5
Chins (Close and wide grip) 5x5
Dips 3x5
Bb Curl 3x10

SUNDAY (Extras plus Cardio)
Single Step Ups 3 x 10
Single Lunges 3 x 10
Leg Press 3 x 10
Hip Flexors 3 x 10
30 min video on demand workout or jog

How does that look?? I would love some critique before I start it officially.
Click to expand...

This sucks in my opinion :confused:.... You need help bud...

Bench press and CGBP and Dips will slam your shoulders Tuesday...Then you do Shoulder press wednesday and military press thursday???

No way that will work.... Get yourseelf to a PTC or strength coach.... What state and suburb you in....

Also throw these excercises in the bin they are worthless IMO
  • Side Raise 3 x 5 (Do shoulder press)
  • Front Raise 3 x 5 (Do shoulder press)
  • Overhead tri extensions 3 x 10 (Bench and shoulder press will cover this)
  • Tri kickbacks (Dumb!!!)
Then you have these... They are assistance excercises....
  • Single Step Ups 3 x 10
  • Single Lunges 3 x 10
  • Leg Press 3 x 10 (Throw this in the bin)
  • Hip Flexors 3 x 10
BUILD YOUR SQUAT FIRST!!!!

All the best mate....:cool:
 
I do realise my deadlifts are pretty sad at the moment, I only started them with any sort of confidence this week. Back problems in the past made me a bit wary of doing that particular exercise..

In that case going by starting strength's 3 workout a week philosophy, would it be fine to do cardio days in between?

To think that all those assistance exercises were on my 'must do' list only weeks ago, I am now essentially revising everything I know about training. what a steep learning curve this is proving to be!
 
Jungman said:
I do realise my deadlifts are pretty sad at the moment, I only started them with any sort of confidence this week. Back problems in the past made me a bit wary of doing that particular exercise..

In that case going by starting strength's 3 workout a week philosophy, would it be fine to do cardio days in between?

To think that all those assistance exercises were on my 'must do' list only weeks ago, I am now essentially revising everything I know about training. what a steep learning curve this is proving to be!
Click to expand...

Good attitude dude.... I dont think there is a PTC in WA at this stage... These are guys who can really help you out...

Anyway... Compound movements...

SQUAT
Flat bench press
Rows / Chins
Shoulder press
Dead lift

Are the key excercises... Lift em heavy as often as you can....
 
I would do something like 5/3/1 with the assistance from Westside for Skinny Bastards
If you follow it properly there is very little that can go wrong and the 5/3/1 loading of the main lifts keep your strength up.

Bear in mind that strength does not equal hypertrophy! Getting your 1RM up or even 5RM up won't do shit for your mass. It will help a little but will mainly give you strong tendons etc. Not a very effective way to get swole.

If you choose something like 5/3/1 or SS, be sure to do all the exercises in a way that promotes mass gains, don't lock out the weight, don't go so heavy that form suffers or you need to lock out the weight and be sure to use a controlled eccentric and concentric. If you can bench (example) 100kg for 3x5 sets x reps, you will get superior gains dropping the weight to 80kg and doing 3x5 controlled, just touching the chest slightly, 3 second eccentric, don't quite lock the weight out and focus on contracting the pecs and using them to lift the weight.

You will get much better gains doing this than increasing your 3x5 weight to 110kg. You will also avoid aggravating injuries
 
0ni said:
I would do something like 5/3/1 with the assistance from Westside for Skinny Bastards
If you follow it properly there is very little that can go wrong and the 5/3/1 loading of the main lifts keep your strength up.

Bear in mind that strength does not equal hypertrophy! Getting your 1RM up or even 5RM up won't do shit for your mass. It will help a little but will mainly give you strong tendons etc. Not a very effective way to get swole.

If you choose something like 5/3/1 or SS, be sure to do all the exercises in a way that promotes mass gains, don't lock out the weight, don't go so heavy that form suffers or you need to lock out the weight and be sure to use a controlled eccentric and concentric. If you can bench (example) 100kg for 3x5 sets x reps, you will get superior gains dropping the weight to 80kg and doing 3x5 controlled, just touching the chest slightly, 3 second eccentric, don't quite lock the weight out and focus on contracting the pecs and using them to lift the weight.

You will get much better gains doing this than increasing your 3x5 weight to 110kg. You will also avoid aggravating injuries
Click to expand...

Do not listen to this fool. Lifting weights is not not a fucking mathematical equation. You load the bar and lift. Fuck dude, go eat something and stop giving out advice that is complete bullshit. If you can bench 150kg for 5, you are going to be bigger then when you could only do 100x5.

@OP, I would just do something simple like the PTC program, 3x a week.

Squat 3 x 10
Bench press 3 x 8
Bent row 3 x 8
Military press 3 x 8
SLDL 3 x 8
BB curl 3 x 8
 
i don't know about the whole if someone lifts more weight they will be bigger than someone lifting less weight. Ive seen guys only benching 80kg for reps, one guy ive seen only does 70kg for 6 reps and looks pretty damn good.
 
leachy said:
Do not listen to this fool. Lifting weights is not not a fucking mathematical equation. You load the bar and lift. Fuck dude, go eat something and stop giving out advice that is complete bullshit. If you can bench 150kg for 5, you are going to be bigger then when you could only do 100x5.

@OP, I would just do something simple like the PTC program, 3x a week.

Squat 3 x 10
Bench press 3 x 8
Bent row 3 x 8
Military press 3 x 8
SLDL 3 x 8
BB curl 3 x 8
Click to expand...

lol u mad bcause im stylin on u
Protip: every successful bodybuilder ever lifts in the way that I have just described. Go look at any video, go on!
 
Last edited:
Bodybuilders take steroids and actually get on stage. If you wanna get in a bikini go ahead, but stop pushing stuff that doesn't apply to average joes like you and me.

Lmd, it's not comparing your lifts to other people, its comparing your lifts against yourself. When you first start training you might bench 40kgx8. A year later 120x6. You could probably guarantee your going to be bigger.
 
leachy said:
Bodybuilders take steroids and actually get on stage. If you wanna get in a bikini go ahead, but stop pushing stuff that doesn't apply to average joes like you and me.
Click to expand...

Are you sure some/part of the ideas do not apply?
 
leachy is right. OP choose a simple beginners routine like leachy suggested and lift hard 3x week and eat. once you have that under control after 6-12 months then start fucking around with other stuff.
 
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