Help appreciated with workout plan

[CJ]

-Replace Arnold Presses with Shoulder Presses

Yes

-Start with lateral raises

Only if they're a priority for you. I personally do not think that you should, but that's your decision.

-Start doing leg extensions with higher reps and leg curls

Yes, it'll fill in the gaps on your leg training.

-Try to go within 1-2 reps to failure with all three sets.

Yes, make all 3 working sets. Instead of 3x10, do 3x8-12. It's perfectly fine if your reps look something like 13, 11, 10 or 11, 9, 7.

When the first set is more than 12 reps, add a small amount of weight.

 

[Guy11941]

What exercise would you recommend starting out with ideally?

@Guy11941 most people here know way more than I do, but I know some basics you may wish to consider. IIRC, you said you have been doing basically the same thing for seven months. So that should be a red flag; if you were building muscle, you would be either adding weight to your fixed sets, adding reps to your fixed weight or both.

So if you have been doing 4 sets of 10 say three times per week for seven months, with the same weight, well, nothing has changed. You even said your pants fit the same, so you have neither built muscle nor lost fat, because its pretty unlikely that you would build muscle and lose fat at the right ratio for nothing to change on your body size. And if you were building muscle your weight would increase.

In order to progress, you have to stimulate your muscle with progressive overload. It takes hard work. When you're done, you should feel really tired. As a beginner, at least with compound exercises, you can probably add 5 pounds per week for upper and 10 per week for lower, at least for a while.

I don't think your trainer did you any favors by teaching you 40 different exercises. Why not start with five? All compound exercises and no isolation training. Maybe barbell squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press and rows. And why make your own program? There are many beginner programs out there, designed by people who know what they are doing, and they are free. Just pick one. Don't worry about which is best, since any of them is better than none and all are probably better than making your own.

I started with Strong Lifts 5x5. Its a full body workout done three days per week using common compound exercises most people think are very effective. Spend the first month learning great form so you can do them well and progress. The StrongLifts website has video explaining each exercise and how to properly do it. If you really want an upper / lower split there is a variant for four days per week.

If you don't like StrongLifts then find another. There are plenty.

Whichever you choose, you have to work hard. Also, you have to have your nutrition correct, especially if you want to lose fat. As a beginner you can probably "recomp" meaning build muscle and burn fat at the same time, but again, it will require proper nutrition.

It's none of my business what you do of course, but you asked for opinions. You got great comments from some experts, but my thinking is start at square one and keep it simple. I know it sucks after paying the trainer and doing this for 7 months, but if its not working you want to fix that, however you can.

Yes, I agree in that something has to change. I need to keep things simple and find a structured program. As far as nutrition goes, fortunately, I have been exceeding 1 gram per pound of my weight. Thanks a lot for your helpful post.

 

[Guy11941]

Yes

Only if they're a priority for you. I personally do not think that you should, but that's your decision.

Yes, it'll fill in the gaps on your leg training.

Yes, make all 3 working sets. Instead of 3x10, do 3x8-12. It's perfectly fine if your reps look something like 13, 11, 10 or 11, 9, 7.

When the first set is more than 12 reps, add a small amount of weight.

Got it: thanks, CJ.

 

[Guy11941]

CJ, is there a particular exercise you would suggest starting with on my upper body days? I am not bent on lateral raises, but do like them because it seems my shoulders might need the most work.

 

[CJ]

CJ, is there a particular exercise you would suggest starting with on my upper body days? I am not bent on lateral raises, but do like them because it seems my shoulders might need the most work.

Post pics of your torso, shirtless. Face blacked out. Let's see where you're at.

 

[Test_subject]

Swap the Arnold Presses for either OHP or DB Presses.

Arnold presses are a terrible exercise. They’re literally different for the sake of being different.

 

[Kraken]

What exercise would you recommend starting out with ideally?

...

As far as nutrition goes, fortunately, I have been exceeding 1 gram per pound of my weight. Thanks a lot for your helpful post.

Go ahead and post the pic @CJ requested and brace yourself for honest (but very helpful) feedback. He can tell you what needs work.

Also consider that the exercises you select should of course be effective toward advancing your goals, but also those that you will do consistently and properly. Ideally they will be exercises you enjoy and are confident with. And, compound exercises (that work many muscles at once) since you're a beginner.

The most common ones (and therefore you can find many videos teaching them) include bench press, squat, dead lift. These all rock. Now you generally need a gym for this but you said it was no problem to go to a gym.

Others here can give you great advice that may be better than mine, but my thought is you can't go wrong with a simple program that uses the most common compound exercises for a full body workout three days a week. You'll easily find lessons on how to do the exercises, you'll make quick progress that is easy to track and you'll build confidence.

Again, see if you like this one:

https://stronglifts.com/

 

[Kraken]

Oh, nutrition is more than just protein. You needs carbs as well to power your body through workouts and your day. How much depends on your goals, which, I don't think you have actually told us yet.

 

[Guy11941]

Go ahead and post the pic @CJ requested and brace yourself for honest (but very helpful) feedback. He can tell you what needs work.

Also consider that the exercises you select should of course be effective toward advancing your goals, but also those that you will do consistently and properly. Ideally they will be exercises you enjoy and are confident with. And, compound exercises (that work many muscles at once) since you're a beginner.

The most common ones (and therefore you can find many videos teaching them) include bench press, squat, dead lift. These all rock. Now you generally need a gym for this but you said it was no problem to go to a gym.

Others here can give you great advice that may be better than mine, but my thought is you can't go wrong with a simple program that uses the most common compound exercises for a full body workout three days a week. You'll easily find lessons on how to do the exercises, you'll make quick progress that is easy to track and you'll build confidence.

Again, see if you like this one:

https://stronglifts.com/

I will post a front and side pics tonight.

My trainer said I should never do deadlifts because they are bad for one's knees, and since I have chronic knee pain, I have never even tried one. I do romanian deadlifts for what it's worth. Would you or anyone say that deadlifts are crucial for the legs?

Thanks for your post.

 

[Guy11941]

Oh, nutrition is more than just protein. You needs carbs as well to power your body through workouts and your day. How much depends on your goals, which, I don't think you have actually told us yet.

I mainly just eat meat and veggies, maybe 100 grams of carbs per day. My goal in strength training is hypertrophy.

 

[CJ]

I will post a front and side pics tonight.

My trainer said I should never do deadlifts because they are bad for one's knees, and since I have chronic knee pain, I have never even tried one

Your trainer is a idiot.

. I do romanian deadlifts for what it's worth. Would you or anyone say that deadlifts are crucial for the legs?

No exercise is crucial, unless it's part of your sport.

Thanks for your post.

 

[CJ]

I mainly just eat meat and veggies, maybe 100 grams of carbs per day. My goal in strength training is hypertrophy.

Then you should start eating some carbs, or else you're swimming against the tide.

There are actual receptors in the body that can sense glycogen levels. If they're too low, it will inhibit muscle growth.

 

[Guy11941]

Then you should start eating some carbs, or else you're swimming against the tide.

There are actual receptors in the body that can sense glycogen levels. If they're too low, it will inhibit muscle growth.

Yeah, I need to start keeping track of my diet with the MyFitnessPal app

 

[Guy11941]

Could cardio be inhibiting my gains? One thing I do most mornings is to use my elliptical trainer for 50 minutes. Then in the evening, I lift weights. I read that as long as there is 6+ hours between cardio and strength training, the cardio will not inhibit hypertrophy.

The reason why I do the cardio is because of the endorphins I feel several hours afterward which I don't feel after lifting weights. Then again, maybe if I push myself more with weights, I would feel more endorphins.

 

[Test_subject]

Could cardio be inhibiting my gains? One thing I do most mornings is to use my elliptical trainer for 50 minutes. Then in the evening, I lift weights. I read that as long as there is 6+ hours between cardio and strength training, the cardio will not inhibit hypertrophy.

The reason why I do the cardio is because of the endorphins I feel several hours afterward which I don't feel after lifting weights. Then again, maybe if I push myself more with weights, I would feel more endorphins.

Doing too much cardio can hurt your gains, but hitting the elliptical for an hour won’t.

It’s a great way to improve body composition.

 

[CJ]

Could cardio be inhibiting my gains? One thing I do most mornings is to use my elliptical trainer for 50 minutes. Then in the evening, I lift weights. I read that as long as there is 6+ hours between cardio and strength training, the cardio will not inhibit hypertrophy.

The reason why I do the cardio is because of the endorphins I feel several hours afterward which I don't feel after lifting weights. Then again, maybe if I push myself more with weights, I would feel more endorphins.

Again, what's actually inhibiting your gains is your training. It's incredibly subpar.

Cardio is fine, I do a lot of it. Including long ass day hikes

 

[Kraken]

Your trainer is a idiot.

Ha! Beat me to it.

Yeah, I need to start keeping track of my diet with the MyFitnessPal app

Yes, or Cronometer which is more powerful and lets you scan bar codes for free. But more important, you need to decide what your daily calories and macronutrients should be first. You need carbs.

 

[Kraken]

Again, what's actually inhibiting your gains is your training. It's incredibly subpar.

Maybe his nutrition too.

 

[Kraken]

My trainer said I should never do deadlifts because they are bad for one's knees, and since I have chronic knee pain, I have never even tried one.

My understanding is the deadlifts will strengthen your gluts and hamstrings, and many other muscles, but I mention those because they will support your knee ligaments. Of course you need proper form.

Did your trainer have you squatting?

 

[Test_subject]

Any beginner program should contain squats, bench and deadlifts, IMO (absent injuries/limitations that make them unsuitable).

They’re the foundational movement patterns of most lifts and are extremely useful for building overall strength. You’re short changing yourself if you skip them, as a beginner.

No lift is absolutely crucial, but some offer way better bang-for-your-buck.