Feedback on my training routine for my first year last year

[chunch]

Last year was the first year I consistently hit the gym and ate a surplus of calories and 1g/lb protein everyday. For diet I only tracked things on a daily basis, this year I'll track diets and training schedule in a much more organized way, as well as going to a real gym(lol). I plan to be much more disciplined and committed this year.
I'm 27, 6'2, 200lb

I did a PPL(rest)PPL split, but I was roofing in the heat every day so I had to take some additional rest days to stay alive. This year I have a new job so that should mean I can commit much more to the gym.

Usually i would warm up with pull ups, dips, pushups/decline pushups)
My typical split would look like this

Pull
(Pull ups 1x8, 1x4)
(Lat Pulldown 3x10-12)
(Close grip cable row 3x10-12)
(Standing Lat Cable Pullover 3x12-15)
(EZ bar 21 Curls [3x7 partials) 3 sets)
(Dumbbell Hammer Curls 2x8-10)
(Lat Pulldown machine 2x8-12)

Push
(Smith Bench Press 4x8-12)
(Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 3x6-8)
(Standing Cable Fly 3x8-10)
(Standing Incline Cable Fly 3x8-10)
(Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3x8-10)
(Skullcrushers 3x6-8)
(Tricep rope cable pulldown 3x-6-8)


Leg
(Smith squats 4x8-10) not the best I know
(Leg press 3x8-10)
(Leg extension 3x8-12)

I'd also do decline crunches (2x30) usually on leg day, but not every time. Really need to get on a real barbell squat rack and bench this year as well as learn to deadlift (I've done it but I think my form is sketchy and I am trying to not fuck up my back) and also learn some more lifts.

 

[eazy]

congrats on your consistency this last year.

what is your goal?

 

[MarekBocanek]

how bout the nutrition (after we know the goal as eazy asked).

Btw, when you finish the trainings, do you feel like ok, well, totally destroyed? just considering your options for any adjustment or moving to 2+1/2+2 or something else in the future, but not necessarily.

 

[chunch]

congrats on your consistency this last year.

what is your goal?

I would say my goal is primarily to build muscle mass and a balanced physique. I'd say get to 225lbs and re-evaluate at that point. I can't say right now that I ever want to be some huge number but I might in the future. If that's a good goal? I don't know exactly how specific I should make my goal but I would say that's a reasonable mid-term goal that I could attain

 

[chunch]

how bout the nutrition (after we know the goal as eazy asked).

Btw, when you finish the trainings, do you feel like ok, well, totally destroyed? just considering your options for any adjustment or moving to 2+1/2+2 or something else in the future, but not necessarily.

Honestly I just tried to keep it simple last year and hit 200g protein per day at minimum plus basically as much food as I could eat, which still wasn't always enough because of my work which is a different type of workout in itself but was could be looked at similar to like a HIIT that lasts for hours potentially. If there was one main thing I could have done better it would be calories and carbs. I calculated that I needed around 4500 calories to be in a surplus. I also physically got a little burnt out from trying to rip off roofs and redeck houses in the sun in 80-90 degrees weather for 8-10 hours and then hit the gym right after day after day.

Now I am in a new field which should allow me to not have that problem as much. Plus I started a new diet where I'm eating very clean. (Although I cut processed food out entirely last year and as much additives out as I could)
I really need to hit my carb requirements and calories requirements better. As far as my meal plan I haven't formulated it yet, but a calculator tells me I need 3600 calories to maintain at a high activity level, so I'd say I'd need to be around 4000 cal daily minimum, I was planning on continuing with 1g/lb bw protein, and then the rest of calories from carbs and healthy fat (not sure of the ratio exactly)

Was planning on meal prepping on Sundays to get me through. I was having some bad acid reflux and started cutting out some foods which I think I may add some back in, but I've found some very good clean food sources I now like for carbs like sweet potatoes, squash, been eating a lot of quinoa and peas too. As well as my normal doses of chicken, beef, steak, turkey, and game meat when I can.

I think I can make a meal plan out of this and get my requirements in pretty good. Sorry if that's too much information lol. Thanks

 

[CJ]

Pull
(Pull ups 1x8, 1x4)
(Lat Pulldown 3x10-12)

Replace the Lat Pulldowns with Nuetral or Underhand grip cable Pulldowns. Pullups and pulldiwns are basically the same exercise.

(Close grip cable row 3x10-12)
(Standing Lat Cable Pullover 3x12-15)

Drop either the cable or machine pullovers. Redundant exercises.

(EZ bar 21 Curls [3x7 partials) 3 sets)

Bicep 21's are terrible. Just do 2 sets of EZ bar bicep curls, then 2 sets of preacher curls. This way, you hit the biceps hard in the right area of the force curve.

(Dumbbell Hammer Curls 2x8-10)
(Lat Pulldown machine 2x8-12)

Push
(Smith Bench Press 4x8-12)
(Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 3x6-8)

Switch the order of the above two exercises. Do the free weight first, where you're freshest and can control the db's better. Then hit the Smith machine where balance is taken out of the equation, and you can focus purely on output.

(Standing Cable Fly 3x8-10)
(Standing Incline Cable Fly 3x8-10)

Do one, not both. And do them on a Pec deck or seated cable flies so you're braced. Big difference with proper bracing.

(Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3x8-10)

Switch to a machine or Smith, balance issue when tired.

(Skullcrushers 3x6-8)
(Tricep rope cable pulldown 3x-6-8)


Leg
(Smith squats 4x8-10) not the best I know
(Leg press 3x8-10)
(Leg extension 3x8-12)

Smith squats are a perfectly fine exercise. Add in a leg curl or hip hinge exercise, you are completely neglecting your hamstrings. Also, do a straight knee calf exercise.

I'd also do decline crunches (2x30) usually on leg day, but not every time. Really need to get on a real barbell squat rack and bench this year as well as learn to deadlift (I've done it but I think my form is sketchy and I am trying to not fuck up my back) and also learn some more lifts.

 

[CJ]

Honestly I just tried to keep it simple last year and hit 200g protein per day at minimum plus basically as much food as I could eat, which still wasn't always enough because of my work which is a different type of workout in itself but was could be looked at similar to like a HIIT that lasts for hours potentially. If there was one main thing I could have done better it would be calories and carbs. I calculated that I needed around 4500 calories to be in a surplus. I also physically got a little burnt out from trying to rip off roofs and redeck houses in the sun in 80-90 degrees weather for 8-10 hours and then hit the gym right after day after day.

Now I am in a new field which should allow me to not have that problem as much. Plus I started a new diet where I'm eating very clean. (Although I cut processed food out entirely last year and as much additives out as I could)
I really need to hit my carb requirements and calories requirements better. As far as my meal plan I haven't formulated it yet, but a calculator tells me I need 3600 calories to maintain at a high activity level, so I'd say I'd need to be around 4000 cal daily minimum, I was planning on continuing with 1g/lb bw protein, and then the rest of calories from carbs and healthy fat (not sure of the ratio exactly)

Was planning on meal prepping on Sundays to get me through. I was having some bad acid reflux and started cutting out some foods which I think I may add some back in, but I've found some very good clean food sources I now like for carbs like sweet potatoes, squash, been eating a lot of quinoa and peas too. As well as my normal doses of chicken, beef, steak, turkey, and game meat when I can.

I think I can make a meal plan out of this and get my requirements in pretty good. Sorry if that's too much information lol. Thanks

I'd suggest starting at 3600, not 4000,fir a few weeks to see how that goes.

Chicken and rice is a staple for a reason. Easy to digest, not many have issues with that meal, and it's cheap. Add in some frozen spinach or other veg to the rice while you cook a big ass pot of it, then divide it out among your containers. If you need some fats, put a little olive oil in it. I cook my rice in bone broth and add seasoning to it for flavor.

Salmon and rice is also a very fast digesting meal, plus you get the health benefits of the Omega 3's.

 

[chunch]

Replace the Lat Pulldowns with Nuetral or Underhand grip cable Pulldowns. Pullups and pulldiwns are basically the same exercise.

Drop either the cable or machine pullovers. Redundant exercises.

Bicep 21's are terrible. Just do 2 sets of EZ bar bicep curls, then 2 sets of preacher curls. This way, you hit the biceps hard in the right area of the force curve.

Switch the order of the above two exercises. Do the free weight first, where you're freshest and can control the db's better. Then hit the Smith machine where balance is taken out of the equation, and you can focus purely on output.

Do one, not both. And do them on a Pec deck or seated cable flies so you're braced. Big difference with proper bracing.

Switch to a machine or Smith, balance issue when tired.

Smith squats are a perfectly fine exercise. Add in a leg curl or hip hinge exercise, you are completely neglecting your hamstrings. Also, do a straight knee calf exercise.

Thank you very much. Lots of great info, I will definitely make some changes to what I was doing

I haven't been doing leg curls because I have hardware (4 screws and a rod) in my tibia and when I do leg curls, the screws feel like they're taking all the force and have a lot of pressure so I was avoiding it but maybe I need to work up to it.

Also What do you think of the overall volume and mix of lifts.

 

[CJ]

Thank you very much. Lots of great info, I will definitely make some changes to what I was doing

I haven't been doing leg curls because I have hardware (4 screws and a rod) in my tibia and when I do leg curls, the screws feel like they're taking all the force and have a lot of pressure so I was avoiding it but maybe I need to work up to it.

RDLs or Deadlifts should be better, since your lower leg stays pretty much vertical throughout the lift. No torque on the Tib/Fib.

Also What do you think of the overall volume and mix of lifts.

Volume totally depends upon how hard you train, and the exercises that you do.

If you add in hamstrings and calfs, then the mix is decent if you drop the redundant exercises that I pointed out, and make the changes I suggested, or similar. All the big bases are covered.