Is my training routine working?

[TheDevilAside]

Hey, I'm sort of a newbie to working out. I've been doing it since around August, and was wondering if what I'm is effective at all, or if I'm completely screwing up.

 

Allright, first of all, I just turned 16, apx. 6'1" and I weigh around 175 lbs. I have a medium build, quite strong and athletic.

 

Here is my routine...

 

I work out every day. On monday, wednesday, friday and sunday I do light work outs, I use my 40 lbs set (divides into 20lbs on each side) and do low reps for all my muscles areas in general, I also take a jog outside for 30 minutes, and do about a 100 crunches and other abdominal exercises. And whatever else activity comes to mind, basically.. just a light work out. Then on the rest of the days (tuesday, thursday, etc.) I skip cardio vascular and just do hard weight lifting. More reps with my dumb bells set and, all in all, I just work out harder, sometimes I use the gym at my school because all I have is a set of bloody dumbbells... I do have a curl bar, just not the money to buy weights for it yet.

 

Now, this all mixes in with an hour of martial arts 2-4 times a week and sports/other activities. Also, every month or so, or if I'm just plain stressed and exhausted, I take 5 days off from lifting weights and anything else in my work out.

 

Now, how does that look? Any tips or flaws you'd like to point out? Just don't tell me about the whole weight-lifters diet, I'm not interested in counting my daily calories. I just eat my grains and vegetables, and rarely eat junk food. Naturally, I'm only human, so a Papa John's, The Works, without mushrooms doesn't hurt... mmm

[Rich67]

The only ways you can tell if your workout is working is this:

 

1) You are consistently making progress. Whether that be adding more weight from week to week, doing more reps of a certain exercise, etc. You MUST keep a training log in order to gauge this.

 

2) You are feeling good and not overly fatigued or sick, and you are not dropping poundages on the wieghts or dropping reps.

 

Everyone is different. If you are not lifting more each week (I usually up my poundages in 1/2 pound increments toward the end of my program and 1 pound in the beginning) or going up in reps each week (try to keep weight the same until you can do 12-15 reps in a given weight range), then change your plan and add more or work out less. See if that works, and stick with it if it does. My bench workout goes like this:

 

I start off my cycle benching 185 (my body weight) for 10 reps for 3 sets. This is pretty easy until the last set. I then work to 3 sets of 12 reps. Once I hit that, I jump up to 3 sets of 8 reps at 205. I work the 205 until I can do 3 sets of 12. Then I go to 225 until I can pump out 3 sets of 12. By now, I am near the end of the cycle, so I go for single rep maxes for the last few weeks. I do singles (after warmups) at 245, 265 and 267 if I can manage. That way I know I am making progress. THEN, the next cycle I raise all those weights by 2 pounds.

[TheDevilAside]

Thank you for your reply.

 

As far as improvement goes, I, personally, believe I've improved drastically. I got into working out 5 months ago, and I've been doing it intensely (sp?) for the past 3 months (I've always.. 'worked out' but that was no more than maybe 10 push ups a night, heh) and since then, I've jumped up from doing 15 crunches with struggle, from breezing through 100 without effort. My arms have increased in strength, I can do 20x more reps than I used to be able to. And all in all, I've doubled in strength. I finally have a "six pack" (though, not much of one.. but hey, it's there!) and, basically, I finally look as if I'm strong, instead of just looking "average". Oh yeah, and I can actually do over 70 push ups now!I never believed that to be possible. Anyway, sorry for the bragging, I just had to.

 

So, looks like I've improved, but I'm still not quite where I'd like to be. I just need to buy better equiptment because I think I've finally outgrown what I have.

 

Thank you, again.

[Rich67]

That's awesome! Yeah, you can only go so far just doing body weight only exercises (pushups, chins, dips). You've set a good base for yourself to start heavy resistance training. The best thing for you to do now is go buy some dumbbells and some weights and start doing the exercises you do with added weight. For pushups, I have my kid sit on my back or you can put a 25 or 35 pound plate back there and pushup with it. For pullups you can lock the dumbbell in your feet and do them weighted, same for the dips. You don't really need to add weight to crunches; if you want a slim waist adding weight may not be a good thing to do; it may bulk up your torso too much and you'll look like a tree trunk (not that that's a bad thing! ). Just keep up the good work, and keep pushing yourself to new plateaus, and your body will keep improving.

 

Good luck to you!

[SevenStar]

you aren't going to constantly make progress - that's just how the body works. If that were the case, you;'d have guys who could bench press cadillacs... your training will stagnate eventually - its called a plateau and it's a common thing. Don't let it discourage you if/when it comes. Just keep training and keep striving.

 

you're doing great so far! What exactly are you trying to accomplish with your weight lifting program?

[TheDevilAside]

What I'm trying to accomplish is to become stronger and look stronger. And, I've already gone past what I was trying to accomplish a few months ago, but now I'm sort of addicted and I actually enjoy doing it. Wow, who would have ever thought that I would actually ENJOY the tedious pain of exercise?

[Natural]

You will feel a diffrence if you keep doing your rountines work outs and you will find it useful, am a newbie myself in routines workout and I got better than before, it will be easy for you if you keep doing it.

[TheDevilAside]

I made a little "weight lifting progress" sheet with Microsoft Works, where I just basically fill in the date, the reps I did, the exercise and how many lbs.

 

This sheet is brilliant, now I can actually see my progress on a sheet of paper.