3

All of my friends who workout tell me that I they do a 1 muscle group a week training routine in the gym and that I should do the same. My problem is that I hate that and I don't want to go to gym for purely body exercises.

Instead I have made up a routine I follow for 5-7 days a week. It goes like this:

  • Pull ups
  • push ups
  • dips
  • diamond push ups
  • wide push ups
  • crunches
  • plank
  • squats
  • lunges
  • jump rope

This is one cycle. If you can do about 10 pull ups, you do 5 here rest for 15 sec then do push ups and move in cycles. After rope jumping for about a minute you repeat the whole process again 2 more times.

After finishing this for a total of 3 cycles you then move on to cardio such as running for about 30 mins outside.

This is what I currently do. What do you think about this routine?

Improve this question
6
  • 2
    What's your goal? Whoever told you to do 1 muscle group a week has no idea what they're talking about.
    – Eric
    Commented Dec 13, 2015 at 16:27
  • @Eric Kaufman my goal is to be athleticly built, not muscly like bodybuilder but with solid yet defined body picture. Yu think this could be ok? It works almost every muscle.
    – diredragon
    Commented Dec 13, 2015 at 16:31
  • Are you okay with using a gym or not? A properly equipped gym is going to get the job done faster and better, but it's not a requirement.
    – Eric
    Commented Dec 13, 2015 at 16:32
  • @Eric Kaufman i can go to the gym and do like everyone does but the point is that i find it boring to split my training and go to the gym. I understand that it does a better job but since i like the routine i wrote down, i mean its fun to do, i feel burn allthroughout the body at the end but im worried as to what results it might bring. I believe its ok and can define muscles and not overwork something. What do you think of the workout?
    – diredragon
    Commented Dec 13, 2015 at 16:51
  • The biggest problem I see is that there doesn't seem to be much room for progressive overload, especially if you use this exact circuit every time you workout.
    – Alex L
    Commented Dec 14, 2015 at 6:49

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4

Like Alex L mentioned in a comment, your program completely lacks progressive overload, which is how we actually get stronger.

Progressive overload is the increase of intensity that we place on our body, and we do this in two ways;

  • increasing the resistance by using more weight

  • increaseing the volume by doing more sets and repetitions

Unless you go to the gym, the exercises you mention are pretty much bodyweight only, so you'll be unable to increase resistance unless you start using other tools, but then again, the gym is the place where you have all the tools you need in one place.

And I know what you're thinking, "I can get progressive overload by increasing the volume", as I said in my second point, but there is another problem here.

With most of those exercises, you can steadily progress until you're able to do 50-100 repetitions, but sadly, this does very little to build muscle. Once you go over 20 reps, it's pretty much an aerobic movement, meaning you'll be working your stamina, and not your strength.

Only two of the exercises you mention are actually heavy (in the long run), and that's pullups and dips, where you push against your entire bodyweight. But also here, you'd eventually end up at a point where you can do 20+, and again you'd need to find ways of increasing the resistance.

I can see that you're quite reluctant to go the gym for pure bodyweight exercises, and that's understandable. But if you want to build muscle AND get a lean physique, then bodyweight is probably the hardest way to do so. In that case, I'd recommend looking into some more advanced calisthenics.

Improve this answer
2
  • Thanks for the explanation! I thought about this and came up with something. After i reach 20+ repetitions, i could just add weight to myself by means of a bag strapped to my shoulders, like a school bag.
    – diredragon
    Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 18:34
  • @diredragon - Yeah, but you have to do similar things for ALL the exercises. And if you're gonna do it, do it when you reach 12 reps at something. Then add weight, so you're only able to do 5-8 reps instead. And remember, variation is key! Do both types, both with and without weight. And with different amounts of weight. Progressive overloading comes from variety as well.
    – Alec
    Commented Dec 15, 2015 at 20:51

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.