Ok I weight lift 5 days a week not 3.
Normally do 4 sets of each with 10-15 reps
2 days are lower body which consists of 1 hour + 0 cardio:
o Back Squat
o Romanian Deadlifts
o
o Traditional Deadlifts
o Hip Thrust /Glute Bridges
o
o Sumo Squat
o Weighted Standing Calf Raises
o
o Bulgarian Lunges
o Single Leg Deadlifts
o
o Sumo Deadlift
o Good Mornings (sometimes skip because of back problems)
o
o Curtsey Lunges
o Dumbbell Step Ups
1 day is a lower body day but consists of all machine work 1 hour + 0 cardio:
o Leg Press - all variations - use bands also
o Leg Extensions
o
o Hamstring Curl
o Abductor & Adductor Machine
o
o Bulgarian Lunges
o Sumo Squats
o
o Random lower body exercises (depending how I feel)
2 days are upper body which consists of 40 minutes + 10 min HIIT:
o Hammer Curls
o One Arm Dumbbell Rows
o
o Incline Bench Bicep Curls
o Rear Delt Flies
o
o Wide Curls
o Barbell Upright Row
o
o Overhead Press
o Lateral Raises
o Front Raises
o Bent Over Rows
o Dumbbell Bicep Curls
o
o Tricep Dips
o Skull Crushers
I will throw in glute activation exercises all the time
with bands or weighted ankle straps:
*Glute Kickbacks
*Donkey Kicks
*Firehydrants
*Hip Thrusts
*Single Leg Glute Bridge
*Cross Overs
*Hip Thrusts
*Monster Walks
*Sumo Walks
*Seated Hip Abduction
One day I do plyo 40 minutes + 20 min of LISS
consists of lunges, squats, kicking, jumping (I actually do insanity DVD)
ONE rest day!
Awesome, thanks for taking the time to write that all out. So you are saying that one workout is 4 sets of everything you listed, as supersets? So you do Back Squats superset with Romanian deadlifts for 4 sets of 10-15 and then move onto regular deadlifts and hipthrusts as a superset for 4 X 10-15 and so on? For all of that? And you get this all done in an hour?
So, my next questions are probably the types of questions females sometimes hate, but you've actually got a good base and look like you've built some structure/muscle so you probably already know more than most.
1. What do you squat and deadlift?
2. Do you increase weights on a regular basis - i.e. - do you progress?
3. You previously mentioned that you can't do chest exercises - can you share the reason for this? Also, I noticed you mentioned some back problems - what kinds of problems? It looks like you do a number of dead lift variations without issue...so some details may be helpful.
Judging by the VOLUME of work you have here, you must be using relatively low intensity on each exercise. Even at a lower intensity, doing all that gives you machine status IMO. And you're willing to work and you've seen some good results - so I don't want to change too much if you don't want to go in a new direction - but I would do things MUCH differently. Which is relatively meaningless because there are many roads to Rome and my way and your way may both get there. It is a matter of what you prefer - but I can share ideas and you can use what you like.
The one down side of my way vs. your way - your way probably does create a good calorie burn, which will aid in weight loss. My way MAY reduce your overall calorie expenditure slightly, but I think it will build some muscle and improve your composition over time, especially since you seem to have your diet in a good place.
Basically, I would drop a BUNCH of the exercises you are doing. They become redundant at some point; and you're asking your body to get good at too many different things. Pick one movement and get good at it. For instance, deadlifts, sumo deadlifts in the same workout for a total of 8 sets and up to 120 reps? I think you'd be better off to do 1-2 sets of just one version of the deadlift but make those sets high intensity - going close to failure or to failure. You will find that if you do this, you will get stronger and stronger every week.
I know women often don't focus on getting stronger, and don't want to get big and bulky - but I want to point out some things. I am a guy - I have, presumably, much higher testosterone than you do. This will make it easier for me to get bigger and stronger. Even with this advantage, I will be LUCKY if I gain 5 pounds of muscle this year. Hell, in all reality, 2 pounds is going to take work. For a trained woman to gain more than 2 pounds of muscle in a YEAR is pretty hard. You won't wind up big and bulky by accident.
What you will do though, if you focus on strength, is become stronger - which will make you more capable when dealing with life. Boxes your brother, father, boyfriend/husband can't life you will suddenly be able to pick up because of all your deadlifting and squatting; for instance.
I can give more details - but I don't want to push too much or assume too much. Those are just my thoughts.
