I've looked over a few websites and i've found this routine which was setup up for beginners and just wondered if I would be able to complete this routine with the equipment i'm buying? (Free Weights+Dumbells & Bench )

Day1 - Chest/Tri
5 Min warm-up
Dumbell Flat Bench - 4 sets 6-8 reps
Weighted Dips For Chest - 4 sets 6-8 reps (last set to failure)
Incline Dumbell Fly- 4 sets 6-8 reps (last set to failure) (Lay so head is at the top of the bench)
Skull Crushers - 3 sets 6-8 reps (or close grip bench press)
overhead cable presses 3 sets 6-8 reps (last set to fail) (or close grip bench presses)


Day2 - Back/Bi
5 min warm-up
Deadlifts 4 sets 6-8 reps (last set to failure)
Bent Over One Arm Dumbell Rows 4 sets 6-8 reps
Lat pulldowns 3 sets 6-8 reps (last set to fail)
(I would prefer you to do chins instead though if you are strong enough to lift your bodyweight)
Barbell Bicep curl 3 sets 6-8 reps
One arm Dumbell Hammer curls 3 sets 6-8 reps


Day3 -
REST & Cardio (30 mins swimming before brekkie approx 40 lengths)

Day4 - Delts/traps
5 min warm-up
Seated Dumbell military press (Sit on Bench while executing) - 3 sets 6-8 reps
Lateral dumbell raises (side) 3 sets 6-8 reps (last to fail)
Barbell Shrugs 5 sets 6-8 reps

Day5
REST & Cardio (30 mins swimming b4 brekkie)

Day6 - Legs & Abs
5 min warm-up
Barbell Squats 4 sets 6-8 reps
Stiff Legged Dead Lifts 3 sets 6-8 reps
Calf Raises 4 sets 8-10 reps (last set to fail)
Weighted Swiss Ball crunches 4 sets 6-8 reps
hanging leg raises 4 sets 6-8 reps
Dumbell side bends 3 sets 6-8 reps

Day7
REST & Cardio (30 mins swim b4 brekkie)



Also I recall a post with a link to a website that showed you how to do the exercises but can't remember the link, does anyone no of a good website?

Finally when it says "last set to fail" Does it mean if you are doing 3 sets of 8 reps and you do all 8 reps in the final set that really you need to add more weight so you fail to do the 8 reps in the final set?
OR
If you are doing 3 sets of 8 reps on your 3rd set you carry on till you fail?
OR
None of the above

Thanks again,
Chris

 

Things you won't be able to do.

Weighted dips for chest - you need parallel bars like the gymnasts use and a belt with a chain on. YOu may be able to rig something up at home though.

Skull crushers - I do not advise doing these with a straight bar as you will fuck your wrists. As you have the bench, do close grip bench press- its far better IMO anyway.

Overhead cable pressess - you don't have a cable machine

Lat pulldowns - see above - do chins on the rafters in your garage

Don't do dumbbell side bends - you don't want to be adding size to your waist. The regular situps/crunches are fine.

Calf raises = you may struggle here as you have to go onto tippy toes whilst standing on a block. Holding onto a barbell at the sametime would be a balancing nightmare. I would do them one leg at a time and hold a dumbbell.

HOwever, for a beginner I personally think that if you do all of the above, you will be fucked and loose interest quickly. You do not want to be doing weights more than 3 times a week for the first few months. If I may, I'll suggest something for you to try, but I don't have time to type it out now. I'll try and do it by tomorrow morning.

Oh and last set to failure means you keep going until you can't lift anymore. You really need someone watching you when you do this otherwise on exercises such as bench press and squats the bar is on top of you

 

Ok Paul if you wouldn't mind doing me a routine that would be great Don't rush it though if you're busy I can wait.

 

Monday: Chest and Back

Flat Bench press 2x12xwarmup, 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%
Incline bench press (or use dumbbells for variety): 1x12reps, 2x8reps
Dumbbell flyes (either flat or low incline): 3x12 (keep the weight light so you can do a good 12 reps and get a good pump)

Deadlifts: 2 x 12 x warmup, 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%
Bent over barbell rows: 1 x12xwarmup, 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%
One arm dumbbell rows: 2 x 10reps

Wednesday: Legs and Abs
Squats:2x12xwarmup, 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%
Stiff legged Deadlifts 2x12xwarmup, 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%
Standing calf raises 3x50. o these one leg at a time holding a dumbbell.

ABS - what ever you feel comfortable doing.
Crunches x 50
Leg raises x 30

Friday: Shoulders and arms

Barbell presses in front of head 2x12xwarmup, 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%
Dumbbell Side raises 12xwarmup, 2x10reps
Bent over dumbbell raises 3x10reps
Upright rows with the barbell or Shrugs(either with BB or DB's) 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%

Biceps
Barbell curls: 12xwarmup, 10reps, 8reps, 6reps
DB Hammer curls: 10reps, 8 reps
Triceps
Close grip bench press 2x12xwarmup, 10 x 50%, 8x75%, 6-8x100%
Overhead DB extensions: 10reps, 8 reps

The above isn't too different regarding exercises or sets and reps, however, training 4 days a week straight away will stress you out, especially if you do nothave you rfood sorted yet. The above is a starting point and if you feel you can add more sets, reps or exercises then you do it. The best thing about weight training is that it is very personal and only you will know if you are training hard.

Do this for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. Make sure you get your diet right too. On the big exercises: Bench, squat, press and deadlift make sure you work hard and heavy as these are the key exercises to packing on strength and size.

The % means the %of your maximum weight. YOu will probably have to work this out or have someone helping you find where you limits are.

Good luck

 

Thanks Paul i'll give that a try and see how it works out for me As for the diet i'll probably do something similar to what you said you are doing in another post.
Cheers for all your help
Chris

 

Well I finally got my epuipment set up last night and today I did my first work out It took me roughly an hour to complete and now my arms are like jelly and I thought this was chest and back day

I'm keeping a training diary so hopefully after this week i'll no what weights to start with as it was a bit of a mess around testing what weight was right.

Finally the only excercise I struggled with was the bent over barbell rows which I could really feel on my back so would a belt help with this if I got the weight and technique right?

Thanks,
Chris

 

Sorry i cant help with your questions..

 

With bent over rows start light and get the technique spot on.

You can either do it with an overhand grip(a la riding a bike) or under hand grip. Experiment to see which suits.

I keep my legs bent and my torso about 45 degrees to the floor, bum out, head up (). Keep your back straight and pull the bar to your groin area rather than straight up to your chest.

Doing it this way works your lats(the wings under your arms), if you pull straight up nearer your chest it will work your back higher up (traps a bit more).

I pull to the groin to work my lats, but as you have limited exercises you can do I would suggest doing a mixture and alternate each workout.

Also do 2 sets of light deadlifts (15 reps) to get the lower back warm first, or do your deadlift workout before hand. It will make you go lighter and use stricter form because your lower back is tired.

Hope this helps.

Paul

 

Oh, by all means get a belt (the maximuslce ones are good) but don't use it all the time. I only use a belt for my really heavy sets and only use it on squats, deadlifts and bent over rows

 

Also you must concentrate on your form more so than the weight you lift,...Pauls plan he has given looks much better as I don't see any reason why any beginner with a good plan needs to go to failure anyway! Or you will def be overtraining if the nutrition side isn't right.

 

O.k thanks for that i'll give it a try next time as it really was a problem last night
I'm really going to try and get the form right from the start which is harder than I thought, I also think pauls routine is much better as there is no way I could work out today like that other routine said

A last thing how long do you wait between sets? As i've seen various from 30 seconds to 2minutes.

Thanks,
Chris

 

if going heavy then rest as long as you need. On heavy squats I rest upto 3-5 mins