Opinions on my Routine?

[JacobHN]

For cardio, I do 8000 meters on the rowing machine in around forty minutes 3-5 mornings per week.

For a full body workout, I do:

4 sets of 20 military presses

4 sets of 30 bicep curls

4 sets of 20 bicycle crunches 

4 sets of 20 squats

4 sets of 20 calf raises

I know it's not the most intense workout, but what do you think? Any recommendations?

[Gershon · Accepted solution]

@JacobHN,

In my opinion, your resistance training is not a full body workout. That takes about 18 exercises to accomplish. You can spread them over two days and alternate routines.

I recommend starting with this picture from bodybuilding.com. Click on each muscle group and select an exercise from each group. Watch the video for each exercise to learn the proper form. Doing an exercise improperly can lead to short or long term injury.

Many people recommend three sets of each exercise. This has to do with how the muscles react to stress. Lower reps and higher weights will increase strength. The opposite increases endurance. I find the best balance is three sets of 6 to 12 reps. About two seconds each direction works well. Slow the last rep of each set so it's a little difficult. I start with 6 and increase to 12 over a few weeks. Then I increase the weight while going back to 6 reps. Rest about a minute between sets.

Keep a log so you can track each exercise. It works best for me to have a separate sheet of paper for each exercise. I keep them in a loose-leaf binder. I suppose there is an app for that, but it's too much trouble.

[JacobHN]

Thank you very much, I looked and found an exercise I liked for every group. I happen to have a notebook handy, too. 

The one thing I've never been clear on is how many days per week I should lift. 3 days a week? 4? I'm just not sure. 

[GershonSurge]

@JacobHN,

There aren't too many absolutes in recreational resistance training because there are many different types of goals. Generally, three times a week would be the minimum. I've noticed those who keep coming to the gym do so almost every day. 

Pick a number of days that works for you and see how it works out. If you start to feel pain, don't do so much. If you don't feel a bit sore, do a little more.

[Dominique]

As an alternative to the traditional "bro split" favoured by bodybuilders, you may want to consider something more focused on strength, like StrongLifts 5 x 5. It’s more simple and more time-efficient IMO.