Current workout routine

[jkarate212]

After educating myself a bit more, I've changed my routine a bit to incorporate more compound exercises. My goals are to increase strength (with some size) but also maintain muscle endurance (pushups, situps, pullups, and running for PFT's)

Monday-

Bench Press 3x5
Standing Military press 3x5
Squat 3x5
Dips 2x8

Wednesday-

Squat 3x5
Bent over Row 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pullups (palms facing) 2xmax

Friday-

Bench Press 3x5
Standing Military Press 3x5
Squat 3x5
Dumbbell curl 2x10

Notes: Wednesday is always my hardest workout. Because it's the one day that I do squats first, I'm pretty dead by the end, which is why I only do 1 set of deadlifts.

I want to try and organize the exercises with each other so that I will get the most out of the workout. How is it currently looking?

Tuesday I spend 30 minutes on a heavy bag doing kickboxing for cardio (mixing light and heavy time frames) Thursday I do weapons training along with pushups and situps. I also do weighted situps at the end of any workout that I feel like I want to.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[NightHunter]

WHY ARE YOU DOING FULL BODY THERE'S NO BENEFIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~BRIEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looks fine. Perhaps an extra upper body pull on Monday and Fridays?
What is your weapons training like?
With your heavy bag work work on decreasing the low:high intensity ratio over time. Also, make sure you don't favor upper or lower body too much with that.

Overall it looks fairly solid.

[jkarate212]

My weapons training is geared towards sport karate competition (I use nunchucks) so it's mostly going for speed, and flash. Thanks for the suggestions

[NightHunter]

My weapons training is geared towards sport karate competition (I use nunchucks) so it's mostly going for speed, and flash. Thanks for the suggestions

I was going more for how intense is it and does it provide an adequate cardio workout? If no, then you may want to add another cardio workout.

[jkarate212]

I was going more for how intense is it and does it provide an adequate cardio workout? If no, then you may want to add another cardio workout.

I usually don't sweat from it, my arms usually just get really tired and heavy. If I don't feel like I've done enough in the week, I take a run on Saturdays (2-3 miles)

[compleks]

Might be worth putting the deadlifts on a different day, if you are too tired from squats.

Also, you may want to balance out the push/pull ratio a little better. Add in a romanian deadlift, and possibly add or interchange another pulling movement for the upper body.

All in all it looks fairly solid.

[Fanya]

My only question is why you're squatting 3 times a week, and only deadlifting once. With this volume imbalance it only makes sense to think that you might incur a strength imbalance as well. As Compleks said, looks like a good amount of push compared to the pulls. If you wanted to add some more pulls in without deadlifting some more you could substitute one of your squat workouts with cleans.

[chicanerous]

You might as well just go for a full-blown Bill Starr 5 x 5.

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4497774&postcount=15

Another variation I like is:

Monday (5 x 5 ramps by 10-15% intervals to a top set equaling last Friday's triple.)

Squat: 5 x 5
RDL: 5 x 5
Bench: 5 x 5
Row: 3 x 8

Wednesday (First three sets are the same weights as Monday, but the fourth set repeats the third. The press, however, ramps to a top set of 5 by 10-15% intervals.)

Squat: 4 x 5
RDL: 4 x 5
Press: 4 x 5
Pull-up: 3 x 8

Friday (First four sets are the same as Monday and the triple is 2.5% over Monday's top set. The set of 8 is with the same weight as the third set.)

Squat: 4 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 8
RDL: 4 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 8
Bench: 4 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 8
Row: 3 x 8

[mr popular]

NightHunter: Actually I've said plenty of times that "fullbody" routines can be useful if your goal is PURELY "athletic"... whatever the fuck that means anymore.

In general it just seems like an overcomplicated and neglectful way to go about things.

But if weightlifting is secondary or supplementary to another sport you are completely dedicated to, and feel you only need to increase your power in certain exercise ,then fullbody the hell out of yourself, fuck if i care.

MY problem is when people think "fullbody" programs are somehow superior to splits even for muscle gains, or even more generalized strength gains...

I think jkarate212 has a good setup here based on his goals (even if i hate when people say they just wanna gain "some size" as though it will magically appear there without enough food or training stimulation...)

My advice to the OP: If you don't wanna die of depleted energy, make sure you are eating a lot. The added bodyweight will also increase your strength and muscle size.

report back to us on how your progress goes over the months to come!

~Brian