Critique my workout plan

[nfl2k2]

Ok, so I have been doing this workout routine I made for a few months now, and so far I am pretty happy with the results. I made this with the idea in mind that I would bulk up, and at the same time become more flexible and have better cardio. Here is the workout, with a few questions at the bottom:

 

Monday - Karate - 1.5 hours

 

Tuesday – Chest/Triceps

 

Wednesday – Karate - 1.5 hours

 

Thursday – Shoulders/Biceps

 

Friday - Off

 

Saturday – Karate - 2 hours

 

Sunday – Chest/Legs

 

Chest

 

Flat Bench Press 4 sets (10 - 8 - 6 - 4)

 

Incline Hammer Strength Machine 2 sets

 

Dumbell Flyes 2 sets

 

Back

 

Deadlift 3 sets

 

Lat Pull down 3 sets

 

Seated Cable Row 2 sets

 

Biceps

 

Standing Barbell Curls 3 sets

 

Preacher Curls (with dumbells) 1 set

 

Triceps

 

Tricep Press down 2 sets

 

Dips (weighted) 2 sets

 

Legs

 

Squats 4 sets

 

Leg Extension 2 sets

 

Leg Curl 2 sets

 

Seated/Standing Calve Raises 5 sets total (2 or 3 sets each way)

 

Shoulders

 

Seated Military Press (with dumbells) 4 sets

 

Lateral Raises 3 sets

 

Shrugs 3 sets

 

-----------------------------

 

1. I am trying to eat protein after each workout for more muscle mass (Chicken breast, peanuts, and cottage cheese at night). Creatine is taken 10 minutes after I workout. -- Are there any problems with this?

 

2. My workout is lacking forearm development, which is something I've wanted to work on for a while now but am unsure how to do. -- What are a few ways to bulk up forearms?

 

3. Offer me ANY tips that come to mind.

 

Thanks.

[steveb]

To build your forearms use a barbell and do arm curls with a palm-down grip.

[WhiteBelt]

What are your goals? What I mean is, are looks your priority or performance? I only ask because you are doing a bodybuilder split which is designed for looks.

[DokterVet]

It looks like a good split. What rep ranges are you using?

 

Compound excersizes with free weights will build real strength (and size if you eat for it). There's no reason why that split is only appropriate for bodybuilding.

[SevenStar]

What are your goals? What I mean is, are looks your priority or performance? I only ask because you are doing a bodybuilder split which is designed for looks.

 

there's nothing wrong with using a split. The fact that bodybuilder's use them doesn't make it a "bodybuilder split"

 

That said, there are some things that I would change personally. I would drop the following exercises:

 

leg extension

 

leg curl

 

shrugs

 

cable row

 

if you have access to a pull up bar, I'd eliminate the lat pull downs and do pull ups. otherwise, keep the pulldowns.

 

for your forearms, you can add wrist curls, or you can do hammer curls.

 

which day do you work your back? you didn't state it.

 

what's your height and weight? what caloric intake?

[WhiteBelt]

There may be nothing wrong with a split, but there may be more optimal means of developement. And, in this case the split is a classic bodybuilder split. You don't usually see chest/tris, shoulder/bis, chest/legs in a workout for sports activity. There is no back work and very little lower body work.

[Vito]

best critique is how you feel. if youre seeing improvements, good. if youre too sore the next day, bad. etc.

 

suggestions though, keept chest, tris, shoulders on the same day, bis and back on the same day, and legs whenever.

 

also, maybe do a bit more cardio if thats in your goals. heavy bag is my favorite.

[DokterVet]

There is no back work and very little lower body work.

 

Were you reading the same split as I was?

 

He has deadlift for the spinal erectors (lower back), and of course the entire rest of the body assisting. He has pulldowns and rows for the lats.

 

And he has plenty for the legs. Squats are going to be his big lift, and he's added some isolation movements for good measure. Sure, he could add straight legged deadlifts if he wanted, but it's a pretty complete leg workout if you ask me. What else would you add?

 

EDIT: nfl2k2, deadlifts should give you plenty of forearm work, but I might suggest also using grip trainers. Also, I just noticed there's no direct ab work in your split. Maybe add some weighted crunches on back day.

[WhiteBelt]

He has deadlift for the spinal erectors (lower back), and of course the entire rest of the body assisting. He has pulldowns and rows for the lats.

Deadlifts are a step in the right direction, but pulldowns and cable rows? If he can do weighted dips (was that parallel or off a bench?), he might as well graduate from pulldowns to pull-ups, and from cable rows to barbell rows.

And he has plenty for the legs. Squats are going to be his big lift, and he's added some isolation movements for good measure. Sure, he could add straight legged deadlifts if he wanted, but it's a pretty complete leg workout if you ask me. What else would you add?

Squats are, agian, a step in the right direction but isolation movements? The only reason somebody does isolation movements for their legs are: rehab from an injury, they don't know any better, they know better and are too lazy/don't want to change. I don't know about you but I would want strong legs. Get rid of leg curls and extensions. In place of curls you put one of RDL, SLDL, goodmorning, pull-through, etc. In place of extensions, if you really feel you need it after squating heavy (and I never do), you put front squats, lunges, and unilateral squat movements.

EDIT: nfl2k2, deadlifts should give you plenty of forearm work, but I might suggest also using grip trainers. Also, I just noticed there's no direct ab work in your split. Maybe add some weighted crunches on back day.

If you can find a thick bar try using that instead of the standard olympic bar. You can bench, deadlift, whatever with it and it will help your grip plenty. Grippers are great too, if you order one of the better names (I can only think of Captains of Crush at the moment). Finally plate pinching, and similar exercises, also build strength in your thumbs which really builds your grip. I know none of this is forearms but still very important in the MAs.