Please Critique: Training Split for Brand New Beginner

[Moyer]

For a skinny guy that's basically never lifted before:

Monday: Chest and Triceps
Tuesday: Back and Biceps
Wednesday: off
Thursday: Quads and Hamstrings
Friday: Shoulders, Calves, and Abs
Saturday and Sunday: off

10-12 reps of each exercise

Chest and Triceps
-Dumbbell Bench Press x 3 sets
-Dips x 3
-Lying Tricep Extensions x 2

Back and Biceps
-Wide grip Pull-ups (palms out) x 2
-Chin-ups (palms in) x 2
-Dumbbell rows x 2
-Standing curls x 2

Quads and Hamstrings
-Squats x 3
-Lunges x 2
-Lying hamstring curls x 3

Shoulders, Calves, and Abs
-Dumbbell Overhead Press x 2
-Dumbbell Shrugs x 2
-Standing Calf Raises x 2
-Sitting Calf Raises x 2
-variety of ab exercises

Does this sound alright? Maybe need more sets per workout? Thought about adding more chest and/or shoulder exercises. Possibly also changing ham curls to stiff legged dead lifts. What do you all think?

 

[LakeMountD]

i think you will find a 3 day split much better.. m-w-f

put shoulders on chest and tri day, calvs on leg day, and abs on bicep day..

 

[mauibuilt]

I'd go....

*Chest Day*
Bench Press or Dumbell Flat Press

If Bench press, then Incline Dumbell Press
If Dumbell Flat Press, then Incline Barbell Press

Dips



*Back Day*
Deadlifts

Barbell Rows

Pull-up's or Pull Downs



*Shoulder Day*
Dumbell Shoulder Press or Barbell Shoulder Press

Lateral Raises

Shrugs


*Bicep Day*
Barbell Curls

Preacher Curls with EZ Bar

Bumbell Curls or Hammer Curls

*Tricep Day*
Skull Crushers or Close Grip Bench

Push Downs

One Handed Kick Backs

*Legs*
Squats, squats and more squats

Leg Extensions

Leg Curls

Calves


I reccomend doing 3 sets of each....volume is pretty low, better for you because you're just beginning. Notice all of the exercises are compound exercises or mass building exercises....

I'd stick with doing each muscle once a week...again because you are just beginning.....

To answer your question about needing more sets...if anything you need less sets

For all days, alternate which exercise you start the day with to keep from repetition.

 

[mauibuilt]

I'd also reccommend you go 10-12 reps for the first 4 weeks, then switch to 6-10 reps for the next 4 weeks and repeat.

 

[LakeMountD]

I'd also reccommend you go 10-12 reps for the first 4 weeks, then switch to 6-10 reps for the next 4 weeks and repeat.

agreed.. go injury free

 

[Moyer]

Mauibuilt, are you saying that I should lift 6 days a week?

Also, to anyone else that replies: all advice is appreciated, but it's VERY helful if you add reasons for changes that you would make. That way I can learn

I understand that I should alternate the order of exercises to prevent imbalances. Why exactly should I switch to 6-10 reps per exercise after 4 weeks? Something to do with hypertrophy vs strenth?

Thanks

 

[LakeMountD]

Mauibuilt, are you saying that I should lift 6 days a week?


Thanks

no what he is saying.. is that WHATEVER DAY you choose to do each muscle outlined by an asterisk you should do those exercises..

 

[Bean]

moyer i think the routine you have just stated is great... i wouldnt change a thing... dont add more sets for bodyparts...
this low volume high intensity is what IA advocates for newbies and hardgainers...

what a lot of people will suggest is you add more sets; i think you've got plenty...,

only thing you need to think about is going to a 3 day routine... i wouldnt do a 4 day routine until you got some training under your belt

 

[LakeMountD]

moyer i think the routine you have just stated is great... i wouldnt change a thing... dont add more sets for bodyparts...
this low volume high intensity is what IA advocates for newbies and hardgainers...

what a lot of people will suggest is you add more sets; i think you've got plenty...,

only thing you need to think about is going to a 3 day routine... i wouldnt do a 4 day routine until you got some training under your belt

which is exactly wht i said in the second post lol... im tellin ya im silent on these boards.. no one ever hears what i say.. ahhh crap they just dont believe me ...

:saw: non believers

 

[Longdog]

1 more thing that nobody mentioned: You may want to make your monday workout your back or leg day. 75% of the knobs in every local gym lift chest on Monday. They start the week with bench. After partying all weekend, its time to get "serious" on Monday. Each bench in the gym will have 2-3 guys working on it with a few lurkers waiting for one to open-up during peak gym hours. Even the incline & decline will have a crowd.

The sad thing is that they also bench again on Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday. Then wonder why bouncing 135 lbs off their sternum 3-4 days a week isn't getting them anywhere.

Seriously- I try to avoid my chest day falling on Monday for this reason. Why wait 10 minutes for a bench when the empty squat rack is staring at you?

 

[Moyer]

I reccomend doing 3 sets of each....volume is pretty low, better for you because you're just beginning. Notice all of the exercises are compound exercises or mass building exercises....I'd stick with doing each muscle once a week...again because you are just beginning.....To answer your question about needing more sets...if anything you need less sets

This statement seems to contradict itself. This means that on a Chest/Tri/Shoulder day, I should do 27 sets...

 

[BrKonman]

I believe he meant 3 sets per bp or at most 3 sets per exercise, but definitely not to do every one of those exercises every time the bp comes up in the rotation.