Help with making a routine please

[sonicpentatonic]

So, I really want to develop a routine to get into overall better shape. I want to bulk up, cut fat, and increase strength and cardio endurance. Currently I am ~140 and ~12% body fat. My goal would be to be ~150 and 8% or less body fat. However, I have a few questions about developing a routine.

I would be able to work out at the gym 5 days a week (Sun, M, W, F, Sat). So I am wondering what muscle groups can be worked every day, and which groups need a day or more to recover before working them again. I really want to get back into the cardio shape I was in when I ran Cross Country and swam, but I need help getting started and developing a routine. Getting started is always the hardest part :help


Thanks in advance, I appreciate all input.



-Matthew

[SuperDooperman]

I am sure I am not the most qualified but in my experience you need lots of proteins, plenty of calories, and a bulking supplement if needed later on down the line

Workout: Avoid long hard cardio workouts and focus on doing heavy weights less reps

[Vitruvian]

Everyone is different, so it's tough to flat out tell you what will work, but:

The split you have lined up there will almost certainly require you to only do 1-3 muscle groups per workout. I would not work any muscle group on all 5 days. Also, You'll want to put heavy leg work on either Monday or Wednesday, to allow a day completely off for recovery. The other day that has a rest day following it may be best suited for triceps and biceps. They will be worked indirectly on whatever day you work chest and back respectively.
In order to increase muscle mass that drastically while dropping fat will require a great diet, with higher protein than most people consume.
Start by figuring your baseline calories, and increasing by about 15%.

Get back to us with specific questions.

[ehlpitel]

For bulking you need to be taking in more calories than you burn, but they should be clean calories, especially if you're trying to reduce bodyfat AND gain weight at the same time.

Cut out all sugar except post-workout you can have some juice or something to stimulate an insulin spike so your body absorbs the protien better.

Don't have any fried foods, any foods high in saturated fats, any non complex carbs such as pasta, white bread, white rice, etc.

Don't drink any beer, I love beer but have cut it out of my life completely, except once every two weeks I'll have a pint. I still drink rum/diet coke on the weekends socially.

Lift hard and strong but don't over do it- IDK if you've been lifting for a while or you're a n00b, but if you are new to it, the first time you do a SERIOUS workout you'll be sore for days afterwards most likely.

You can do a split style workout plan, which is geared mostly to bodybuilding, but I personally have been doing more powerlifting/strength training stuff, like have a day for bench press and all the other excercises that help it out, like for bench you'd do flat bench press, incline bench press, dumbbell flies, some tricep work like dips, pulley pull downs, maybe tricep extensions or close grip bench press. And you might want to do some shoulder work, though they'll probably be really hit up from the bench work. I usually throw in some shoulder work on a seperate day once every two weeks just to keep them strong.

You could have a squat day start with box squats b/c they let you do the best and safest form IMO http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/ls9.htm, and do accompanying excercises for that like front squats, hack squats, leg press.

Then you can do a deadlift day where you do deadlifts, bent-over row, and various other work that'll strengthen your back.

IDK, I lifted on a bodybuilding split type workout for a while and got strong, and I'm sure other people can too, but I'm just veering away from that whole style, I'm trying to get into more functional usable strength training, and I don't even know if I'm going to be doing this powerlifting/strength training workout for much longer.

[Vitruvian]

While I agree, I'd be forced to disagree at the same time. (accept my apology ahead of time, for disagreeing)

With the workout days he outlined in his initial post, anything BUT a split style of workout will lead to overtraining.

With a goal of increasing strength and cardio endurance, cutting fat, and gaining muscle, a well rounded workout that does not focus on improving the strength of one particular movement (i.e. bench press) is what would be in his best interest.

The difference between what you outlined and a split style routine is not huge...but if you factor in his goals, definitely enough to make a difference.

[Sportsmedjosh]

I would avoid working any muscle group every day, typically muscle glycogen needs about 24-48 hours to completely replensish.

[ehlpitel]

Originally Posted by Vitruvian

While I agree, I'd be forced to disagree at the same time. (accept my apology ahead of time, for disagreeing)

With the workout days he outlined in his initial post, anything BUT a split style of workout will lead to overtraining.

With a goal of increasing strength and cardio endurance, cutting fat, and gaining muscle, a well rounded workout that does not focus on improving the strength of one particular movement (i.e. bench press) is what would be in his best interest.

The difference between what you outlined and a split style routine is not huge...but if you factor in his goals, definitely enough to make a difference.

Well, if he has a day to recover, I think that is more than enough time. Plus, it's not like I'm advocating that he take long breaks in b/w sets, if you keep things moving, you're still burning fat and whatnot. Except for bench days, I'm usually recovered enough that I can hit the gym the next day, then again I'm eating pretty well and taking in a lot of protien and amino acids.

[Sportsmedjosh]

let us know what you plan on getting.