Question on my weight lifting routine...

[Sleemie]

I feel like my chest in one of the areas that needs the most work...not cuz it's puny, but because it's kinda flabby. Anywho, I do a lot of chest exercises during my lifting and was wondering if maybe I was over doing it in one area. I do three different exercises, 3 sets on each exercise, and the reptitions are 15-12-8. So, I end up doing 9 sets of chest exercises, totalling about 124 reps. The first exercise is with dumbells on a flat bench...I have the dumbells turned sideways and touch them together at the top of the rep, the second exercise is very similar, the only difference is the dumbells are turned straight, the third exercise is on a machine where you sit down and on each side you put your forearms behind the pads and push them from the side of your body towards the front where you're pushing your hands towards each other....don't know the name of any of these exercises.

Anywho, am I being counter-productive by doing so many chest exercises....should I cut one of them out? Am I overworking my chest? Am I leaving my arms too tired to effective do my other exercises? As far as which exercises I'm doing, I don't think that matters too much because I rotate them about every month to 6 weeks, so I may be doing these now, but I'll be doing something else later, so I make my rounds through just about all of the different types of exercises.

Thanx

[12345]

Why not just do 3 sets of 6 reps bench press with a bar bell - whatever weight you can do that much with - make sure you get a spotter. This is more or less what I've done since reading this board - switched to fewer reps of higher weight and gone for free weights or body weight exercises where possible. Use the time you save to do a 30 minute jog afterwards (or some other cardio workout) pushing yourself without totally wiping yourself out.

I've more or less given up machines since reading this board - I focus on bench press and squat with bnr bells and chins/pull ups. I then work in some dumb bell exercises, some dips and finish with ab work/lower back work. I tend to go for 2 or 3 sets of 6 reps with most things. I am not satisfied with my ab work because it tends to be much higher repping than the other stuff which means I am looking at ways to increase difficulty and decrease reps.

So far I have noticed some gains in strength and in muscle size - I do a lot of sport and am not really aiming at big mass anyway.

I would recommend a spotter for the bench press - not just for safety but they can help correct your form.

[Sleemie]

From my understanding, doing the lower reps, such as 6, is more for building mass, but for endurance and toning, which is what I'm looking for, you do higher reps, like in the 12-15 range.

I'm using my Kung Fu class for the cardio workout. I HATE regular cardio workouts, such as the stairmaster, treadmill, jogging, etc.

As far as the machines....I've read some of the stuff on here, and I think some of the "anti-machine" sentiment is a bit extreme. I do believe free weights are better, but I don't think there's anything wrong with incorporating a few machine exercises in to your routine with the majority being with free weights.

[Suntzu]

with all those chest exercises, all your gonna get is a bigger flabby chest… u cant spot reduce… u can 'tone' the muscle, but you wont do too much with the flab… either step up the intensity in KF class or get out to the track or hit the tread mill… I hate it too but i would advise doing a couple of warm up laps and then some wind sprints... 20 minutes and your done... for making weight we did a workout in the pool than hit the sauna, pool sauna for like three go arounds... it was fun even tho i cant swim, so thankfully it wasnt too deep... so if you have access , that could be a nice change up...

also you might wanna change your diet a bit... right now i'm all pizza and cheesesteaks and beer but when its gets close to comp time it salad, chicken, the occasional steak and water… u may not be that 'serious' but a point to consider…

I'm also becoming part of the 'anti-machine' crowd… I was doing squats on the smith yesterday… it lets you cheat too much… but I would totally count them out… but I'm really not liking the smith machine right now… plus my back is annoying me right now…

that's all I can think of… Iron Fist might come in and shut it all down, but that’s what works for me…

[Sleemie]

I'm doing fairly high reps on the exercises, so I'm assuming I won't really get too big, cuz that's not what I want.

On the diet, I'm doing the low carb thing, so that will help me to burn fat. I know there's some debate on low carbing in general, and specifically when it comes to working out, but it definitely works for me in terms of losing weight so I'm sticking with it. When I lose the fat I want, then I'll go on maintenance and pick up a few more carbs.

You hear so many different things these days about what's good for you and what's not, I just know the low carb thing helps me to lose weight and whatever consequences there are, which none have been shown, I'll deal with that later.

[Suntzu]

1st - do what works for u… if high reps are getting you toned than keep doing them… 124 reps for me would just have me sore and take too long…

I would do the low carb thing for a short time… but try and cut out the white bread if u haven't already… amongst other things… but for some reason white breads seems to be a killer… first day back from a tourny I had a pizza and it was like I set myself back ... it was like a reset button...

and if u wanna get toned but not bigger OR stronger, I don’t THINK high reps at low weights are really gonna do that much… u gotta cut the fat… u gotta sweat and cut down on the calories…

that's MY take on it…

[Sleemie]

Well, actually that was the original point of my post....are the 124 or whatever reps of chest exercises too much for one body part. Is it counter-productive....would cutting that down to like 2/3 of that be more productive??

[Suntzu]

I would say so… if your goal is to lose the 'flab' than I THINK you should look towards your diet and aerobic activity to reduce your overall fat… 124 reps is not gonna reduce the 'flab' around your chest… IMO, resistance traning is for getting stronger and/or bigger... diet and aerobic activity is for 'toning'... even body builders have a 'cutting' phase where they change there diet and introduce more aerobic activity and ingest mass quantities of 'fat burning' supplements(which i dont care for)...

Also, IMO, when it comes to the weight room its 'go big and go home or just go home… I was never a fan of the 2 hour work outs… 45 min - hour and get out… I know u didn't ask that but it was on my mind…

[12345]

Originally posted by Sleemie
From my understanding, doing the lower reps, such as 6, is more for building mass, but for endurance and toning, which is what I'm looking for, you do higher reps, like in the 12-15 range. "


I want to build strength rather than mass or endurance. I've found 6 reps of higher weights more effective in raising the amount I could lift than doing the 12-15 rep thing. I have built some mass but believe me I don't think that is going to reach the stage where I would call it a problem.

Toning is largely a function of weight loss and muscle size. Your workout is not going to achieve either very effectively although it may have a small effect on both.


"I'm using my Kung Fu class for the cardio workout. I HATE regular cardio workouts, such as the stairmaster, treadmill, jogging, etc. "


Not sure how hard your class is but most people overestimate how fit they will get in cardiovascular terms from this sort of activity. I find real running (outdoors), swimming or cycling the most enjoyable cardio workout.


""As far as the machines....I've read some of the stuff on here, and I think some of the "anti-machine" sentiment is a bit extreme. I do believe free weights are better, but I don't think there's anything wrong with incorporating a few machine exercises in to your routine with the majority being with free weights.


Agreed. I only think that if you are putting the time in then why use it on 2nd best. Plus I do think that using machines too much will put you at risk of injury if you play a sport like soccer. I have seen a lot people do leg work on machines and then injure their knees - anecdotal I know but enough to put me off doing machines. The theory being that you strengthen certain muscles and not others whereas free weights give more of a total body workout using the stabilising muscles too.

Also a well worked out free weights set will actually take less time than a machine work out too - so you can get in and out quicker or more likely add some more cardio or stretching. Plus I've found since switching that there is a better social angle to free weights with people being more willing to offer advice etc because they see you want to take it seriously. Plus of course you can patronise people on here for using machines
:)

[Sleemie]

I only use the machine because it really hits the inner part of my chest, and I'm trying to develop that look where you can see that little dip in the middle of your pecs. Do you know of a good routine with the free weights that hits that pretty good, preferrable with dumbells. I don't like dealing with people at the gym, nothing wrong with them, just me, so I don't want to ask anyone to spot me, so I do all of my routines with the dumbells.

[cagey_vet]

you cannot spot reduce.
reduce bodyfat by proper aerobic activity.
gain muscle by a proper weightlifting regimen.
what is your body type?

[Sleemie]

well, my routine is kinda what I'm trying to find out about....check my original post. my body type is that I carry my excess weight in my mid section, my tummy and chest area. My arms and legs are just fine. I've got my diet and cardio stuff in place, and I'm doing the weights, but I had a question about my weight routine.

[12345]

I think most of the answers are pointing towards you being too fat - so you you either eat too much or run too little - plus your weights routine needs to go heavier with fewer reps.

[Spark]

With my own experience, as well as being confirmed by the resident work-out expert here, (sorry if someone already said this) but toning doesn't necessarily come from lifting weights with high reps. Toning occurs through burning calories, and although that is achieved by lifting weights, you will burn much more by simply exercising.
The two summers where I have taken up running and followed through on the exercise to 3-4 days a week I have been shocked (well the first time anyhow) at how much leaner and cut I had become. If you can work that into your routine of lifting a few days a week and running 3-4 days a week for 30 mins (around), I would expect results hopefully in a month or two, depending on where you're starting.

Good luck!!

[TRON]

PEACEnRESPECT

PUSH UPS
PULL UPS/LOWER BACK HEAD LIFT
CRUNCHES/LEG LIFTS
JOG [20 minutes every day/other day]
STRETCH [i'm a hypocrite on that one]

thatz it if there'z somthing i missed please let me know

oyea
DIET

i think that's simple and affective
do that EVERY DAY plus MARTIAL ARTS??????????????........eeeeeeeeewwwwwwww

peace

mike

[IronFist]

Originally posted by Sleemie
I only use the machine because it really hits the inner part of my chest, and I'm trying to develop that look where you can see that little dip in the middle of your pecs. Do you know of a good routine with the free weights that hits that pretty good, preferrable with dumbells. I don't like dealing with people at the gym, nothing wrong with them, just me, so I don't want to ask anyone to spot me, so I do all of my routines with the dumbells.

Sorry bud, you can't hit seperate parts of the pecs with specific exercises. You can hit seperate muscle HEADS, but not different parts of the same head. If you want that dip in between your pecs just work on making them bigger in general and lower your bodyfat and it will show up.

IronFist