Changing My Life & Grand Plans For The Future

Hi,

I am in my early twenties and a relative beginner who has only been going to the gym for a few months. I am an average weight for my height/age - 73kg and 181cm.

I know many of you here are very experienced and knowledgeable with a lot of wisdom regarding gym-going, so I would really very much appreciate it if you could have a look at my goals & plan and make any comments or suggestions.



GOALS:

I'm not aiming to be a bodybuilder, I just want to have some decent visible muscle on my upper body and flatten out my belly/abs. Think more Brad Pitt in Fight Club as opposed to The Rock.

I can only commit 2-days-per-week to the gym (usually Monday and Friday). I know this isn't ideal, but it's the reality of my schedule.

I know this may take a lot longer to get to my ideal physique, but I'm willing to play the long game and hopefully keep it at that level throughout my life.

I will also go a run 1-day-per-week for cardio, and I go regular walks, and hiking in the mountains on average once a month.



CURRENT WORKOUT ROUTINE:

I do this same workout every time I go to the gym. This is the correct order in which I do it.

I know I would be better changing it up completely every so often, but I find it very difficult to learn full new workouts/routines/form etc. Ideally I'd like to keep as much the same as possible.


1.) Abs: All of this TWICE [25 crunches, 15 sit ups, 30 raised leg crunches, 30 crunches with leg extension, 44 alternating heel touches, 50 scissor kicks (criss cross), 50 scissor kicks (up & down), 30 russian twists with 9kg kettlebell, 44 mountain climbers, 44 mountain climbers (2nd time)]
2.) 3 x 15 [30kg] Barbell Squats
3.) 2 x 10 Assisted Pull Ups (20kg counterweight on machine so bodyweight minus 20kg [approx 53kg lifed])
4.) 2 x 10 Assisted Dips (20kg counterweight on machine so bodyweight minus 20kg [approx 53kg lifted]) (I try to focus more on tricep dips)
5.) 2 x 10 Assisted Chin Ups (20kg counterweight on machine so bodyweight minus 20kg [approx 53kg lifted])
6.) 2 x 10 [12kg per dumbbell] Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press/Military Press
7.) 2 x 10 [12kg per dumbbell] Standing Dumbbell Curls
8.) 2 x 10 [16kg per dumbbell] Dumbbell Bench Press
9.) 2 x 10 [Approx 28kg] Cable/Rope Tricep Extension/Tricep Pushdown
10.) Abs: 60seconds front plank, 30 seconds side plank (right), 30 seconds side plank (left)



DIET:

Immediately after each gym workout I eat approximately 35g protein (in 130g chicken with 4 slices of wholegrain bread sandwiches), a 15g protein protein bar, and an apple.

Every morning for breakfast I have 2 Weetabix with some muesli, branflakes, a banana and about 30g mixed nuts.

The rest of the week I don't consume protein products specifically but have a fairly healthy and balanced diet with a mixture of meat, carbs, fruit and vegetables. My diet isn't perfect but is reasonably healthy.



What I am pretty much looking for is literally any suggestions to improve this workout routine (or diet) and achieve my goals as specified above, within the confines of my schedule.



Any comments or suggestions or answers are welcome, no matter how critical, I don't mind. If you think my full plan/strategy is completely wrong then I am happy with this and glad you have told me.

Thank you very much in advance for all your help.

Cheers,
Stephen.
 
Any photos of your current condition, as this will help people with the advice they give
The look you want is definitely achievable with the correct approach and I think will depend more on your diet than training
2 sessions per week will work fine and I'd recommend 2 full body workouts using compound exercises, what you're currently doing looks ok just needs a little tweaking
But what is necessary is you train as hard as you can every session and always try to make progress by increasing weight/reps
It's hard to recommend a diet without pictures or knowing what you do already
Keep it simple
Nutritious, unprocessed food
Aim for a balanced portion of protein, carbs n fats each meal
So have a protein shake with your current breakfast then 3 other balanced meals during the day
Eg chicken, avocado, rice n salad
Salmon, sweet pot n veg
Portion control will be important if you want the lean athletic look
 
Is there any way to improve this workout routine so you achieve your goals?

Literally too many to mention

Google workout routines. Google diet
Expect he found TM from googling and lets be honest, googling general terms about fitness and diet is a complete minefield full of BS and sales pitches so I’d say here is a good place.

Share a few tips if you have time, or don’t, but let’s keep threads like this positive. Everyone has to start somewhere :thumb:
 
I’d split it to upper and lower if you only have 2 days and stop doing so much ab work. Just do a few crunches and leg raises at home and save your limited time for the rest.

Upper
Bench press or DB bench press
Seated press or seated db press
Dips
Lat raise
Bb row
Pull up

Lower
Squats or leg press
SLDL
Seated leg extension
Ham string curl - lying or seated
Calf raise

Couple of feeler sets then a max effort set between 6-10 reps to failure then a back off set failing in 10-14.
With the chins and dips slow down the form and gradually take the assisted weight away till you are using body weight then adding weight.
Aim to get stronger every week or add reps on previous failing points.
 
Expect he found TM from googling and lets be honest, googling general terms about fitness and diet is a complete minefield full of BS and sales pitches so I’d say here is a good place.

Share a few tips if you have time, or don’t, but let’s keep threads like this positive. Everyone has to start somewhere :thumb:
Come on Simon let’s be real

It needs a complete overhaul does it not?

Google a 2 day bodybuilding routine. Pick any u like. Google a bodybuilding diet. Stick to it if your really Srs about achieving some results
 
I’d split it to upper and lower if you only have 2 days and stop doing so much ab work. Just do a few crunches and leg raises at home and save your limited time for the rest.

Upper
Bench press or DB bench press
Seated press or seated db press
Dips
Lat raise
Bb row
Pull up

Lower
Squats or leg press
SLDL
Seated leg extension
Ham string curl - lying or seated
Calf raise

Couple of feeler sets then a max effort set between 6-10 reps to failure then a back off set failing in 10-14.
With the chins and dips slow down the form and gradually take the assisted weight away till you are using body weight then adding weight.
Aim to get stronger every week or add reps on previous failing points.


This ^
 
Come on Simon let’s be real

It needs a complete overhaul does it not?

Google a 2 day bodybuilding routine. Pick any u like. Google a bodybuilding diet. Stick to it if your really Srs about achieving some results
Couldn't agree more.
I appreciate people are new but fuck me, read some journals, watch your fave bb on YouTube, ask what people are doing. Don't post something awful and then ask if it's optimal.

Christ I had no plan when I first started, walked in a gym, right let's do chest, walked to bench did 3 sets, walked to dumbbells did 3 sets, oh there's a Pec deck I should do that do does 3 sets.

Or another idea, just go to gym, look at what someone who looks like they know what they're doing and make mental notes.

And 30kg barbell Squats. Let's be serious here.
 
Couldn't agree more.
I appreciate people are new but fuck me, read some journals, watch your fave bb on YouTube, ask what people are doing. Don't post something awful and then ask if it's optimal.

Christ I had no plan when I first started, walked in a gym, right let's do chest, walked to bench did 3 sets, walked to dumbbells did 3 sets, oh there's a Pec deck I should do that do does 3 sets.

Or another idea, just go to gym, look at what someone who looks like they know what they're doing and make mental notes.

And 30kg barbell Squats. Let's be serious here.

I think I only trained my chest when I first walked in a gym. Didn't know how to do fuck all else :rofl:
 
Thanks very much for all the responses everyone! There's been some fantastic info in here and I've realised I may need to change things up more than I first thought.

Sorry for the late reply, I wanted to actually wait until I had been to the gym and trained - incorporating some of the advice here - before posting. Rather than just saying I intend to do this or might do this - I have actually been to the gym today and done this.

I'm not sure my total daily calories and macros but I have been maintaining weight almost exactly around 73kg for the past few months. I have noticed some change in body composition in favour of more muscle, a slightly slimmer belly/waist, and less fat - but I don't think it is a huge difference. I will try to record a few full day's eating soon.

Today in the gym I focused on upping my weights on my current exercises - such as squats. I also have started deadlifts and seated cable rows, though I'm focusing on perfecting my form before I up the weight fully.

I have to admit that I still did all my abs stuff in full. I saw a few people such as s man say stop doing so much ab work - can anyone explain this to me?

From my initial research of this is it correct to assume that I would be better focusing on lowering my body fat percentage, as abs workouts will only grow my abs muscles which could in fact expand my waist/belly with the fat that is there already lying on top?

So maybe I should cut back on abs specific stuff and focus on more high-intensity cardio and diet to lower my body fat percentage, in turn achieving more of a flat belly and lean look that I desire?

I'm aware 30kg squats is ridiculous, it is something I want to work on but I do find them hard. After the 15 reps of a set I'm struggling, maybe I should move down to 10 reps but increase the weight and focus on upping this.

Again, thanks very much everyone for the info, it's all very much appreciated!
 
I’d split it to upper and lower if you only have 2 days and stop doing so much ab work. Just do a few crunches and leg raises at home and save your limited time for the rest.

Upper
Bench press or DB bench press
Seated press or seated db press
Dips
Lat raise
Bb row
Pull up

Lower
Squats or leg press
SLDL
Seated leg extension
Ham string curl - lying or seated
Calf raise

Couple of feeler sets then a max effort set between 6-10 reps to failure then a back off set failing in 10-14.
With the chins and dips slow down the form and gradually take the assisted weight away till you are using body weight then adding weight.
Aim to get stronger every week or add reps on previous failing points.


This is brilliant, thanks very much.

Can you elaborate on the abs stuff being unnecessary? If I am sweating a lot while doing it would this not help to burn body fat while training my abs?

I do realise abs are made in the kitchen, though, so perhaps I have to eat at more of a deficit to lose some body fat percentage? I only have a little fat on my belly but enough to obscure any abs and protrude a little bit.
 
I liked Syd’s work with Floyd and loved The Madcap Laughs too.

Lift heavy compounds. Eat well. Be consistent. Easy game this.
 
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