Advices for workout routine

Question

I am 15 years old and I've been working out for 4 months and swimming for a year. I'm stuck at finding an ideal workout routine, since I have to conciliate lifting weights and swimming.

My routine is:

• Monday: workout
• Tuesday:swimming
• Wednesday: workout
• Thursday: swimming
• Friday: workout

My routine is a ABA - BAB, where in the first week I do A(anterior body) - B(posterior body) - A, and in the second week I do a B - A - B program, but my results are close to none.

What would be the best routine to optimize muscle growth? I was thinking about a full-body division, though my lats and shoulders wouldn't get enough rest.

Answer 1

As you are not sure what specific routine you want to follow and as you are practically untrained when it comes to weights you would benefit from the Stronglifts 5x5 routine. This routine teaches you the important movements, allows you to achieve a lot and then gives you the knowledge you need to transition onto a more specific program.

Stronglifts 5×5 uses five free weight compound exercises: the Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, Overhead Press and Barbell Row. You do three of these exercises each workout, three times a week, for about 45 minutes per workout. You Squat every workout, three times a week.

Read through the information on that page, there is a lot of good advice for beginners. Stronglifts suggests that you should follow GOMAD (Gallon of milk a day) to support your nutritional intake and ensure that you are taking enough protein and calories to continue to progress an develop muscle. This does work but you may gain some surplus fat (easily remedied by cutting calories), alternatively you should eat just above your TDEE to maintain 'your sick abs'.

In reality, if you are working out that much and are working through puberty, GOMAD won't leave you with too much surplus fat.