is my weights program ok?

seefin

Am a beginner-started lifting end Feb and know am meant to do 3 full body workouts a week but this doesn't fit into my routine. So what I've been doing is upper 3 days a week and lower 3 days, alternating. Am female, 5 feet,weigh 48kg and work from home so only using adjustable dumbbells. Been adding a half kg most weeks and reps I aim for are 3 sets of 15.
May be mainly water/glycogen but I've gained 3kg although my clothes fit the same. Eating same diet as before weightlifting but added 3 scoops of protein and a handful of seeds. My aim is to build some muscle, increase metabolism and strengthen my bones. Even though my body weight is low I was skinny fat!

Upper day:
Shoulder press
dumbbell row (I do 4 sets of 15 as my only pulling exercises )
Chest press
Triceps extensions
Full pushups- currently at 16; 15; 12


Lower day:
Goblet squats (3 sets of 15)
Side squats with dumbbells(3*20)
One legged glute bridges with dumbbells(I do 3 sets of 20 each leg)
Plank (3 * 75 secs)
Side plank(3*60secs each side)
Reverse crunches(3*26)

runnerholic

Just an observation or 2. I would increase the weight and decrease the reps to 10 if it was purely for strength. Throw in some bicep curls for the upper body session.
You could also do some calf raises for your lower legs.

seefin

runnerholic wrote:

Just an observation or 2. I would increase the weight and decrease the reps to 10 if it was purely for strength. Throw in some bicep curls for the upper body session. You could also do some calf raises for your lower legs.

Thanks for that. I do a fair bit of cycling and walking and feel my calves are already strong/muscly enough.
I want to build some muscle so is 15 reps too high for that? Been thinking I could lift heavier alright so will do what you advise.

Alf Veedersane

15 reps isn't too high for muscle building.

You could add in the likes of Romanian Deadlifts, lunges, split squats etc for your legs on the lower day

Mellor

The difference between 10 or 15 reps for a home dumbbell workout is largely academic.

arayess

without knowing the volume of the shoulder press and chest press it's hard to gauge.
But you may need more pulling volume upper body.
In fact I'd go further - if ever in doubt add in more pulling.
You should be doing more pulling than pressing.


For the lower body I'd work in some dumbbell deadlift style stuff . There are plenty of variants on the net to choose from

seefin

Yeah ive beem concerned that not enough pulling. No chin up bar im afraid. Any other pulling exercises apart from bicep curls ?

arayess

seefin wrote: »

Yeah ive beem concerned that not enough pulling. No chin up bar im afraid. Any other pulling exercises apart from bicep curls ?

DB pullover - it will work chest, back and triceps.

only other thing i can think off off the top of my head is an inverted row using a table or some furniture. It mightn't be possible in all cases.

seefin

I'm so glad I posted here!! Had ignored pull exercises and am starting off at such a low weight for any of the pull exercises im doing (less than half of that im able lift during push ones). Would have been so imbalanced if hadnt added these in so thanks.
One last question. I'm finding it hard going adding pull exercises onto each session. Could I be substituting rather than adding ie could I work front shoulders one session, trapezius the next etc. im trying to do all 9 exercises 3 times a week during upper body sessions and its a bit much( the exercises I listed in opening post plus 4 new pull ones)

Transform

seefin wrote: »

I'm so glad I posted here!! Had ignored pull exercises and am starting off at such a low weight for any of the pull exercises im doing (less than half of that im able lift during push ones). Would have been so imbalanced if hadnt added these in so thanks.
One last question. I'm finding it hard going adding pull exercises onto each session. Could I be substituting rather than adding ie could I work front shoulders one session, trapezius the next etc. im trying to do all 9 exercises 3 times a week during upper body sessions and its a bit much( the exercises I listed in opening post plus 4 new pull ones)

when you start out you can have a whole range of exercises and the volume can be quite high but as you progress you will need to cut back on the number of movements you train each day.

seefin

So basically do the same 9 upper body exercises 3 times a week? Time wise its a problem when im working out 6 days a week so ill aim for shorter session of 6 exercises once a week and all 9 twice a week ( upper body days). I might do same with my lower body- do one shorter session and 2 'proper' ones .

Alf Veedersane

seefin wrote: »

So basically do the same 9 upper body exercises 3 times a week? Time wise its a problem when im working out 6 days a week so ill aim for shorter session of 6 exercises once a week and all 9 twice a week ( upper body days). I might do same with my lower body- do one shorter session and 2 'proper' ones .

What's the full set of exercises for your upper workout and what sets/reps do you do?

seefin

The extra pulling exercises i added are:
Standing dumbbell upright row 3 *8
Bicep curls 3*8
Bent over rear delt raises 3*8
Two dumbbell rows 3*10

These are on top of the 5 upper body exercises I mentioned in first post. Im weak as hell doing these exercises ( except for the two dumbbell row as Ive been doing the single arm row for a few months now. )

Transform

seefin wrote: »

The extra pulling exercises i added are:
Standing dumbbell upright row 3 *8
Bicep curls 3*8
Bent over rear delt raises 3*8
Two dumbbell rows 3*10

These are on top of the 5 upper body exercises I mentioned in first post. Im weak as hell doing these exercises ( except for the two dumbbell row as Ive been doing the single arm row for a few months now. )

if youve been training a few months now then yes cut back on the exercises to about 4-5 per session.

seefin

So if I'm not doing each of the 9 exercises each session, should I try an 'a b a, b a b' program so I'm still doing each of the 9 exercises at least 3 times a fortnight?
As an aside can I do pushups outside of my session ie do a set throughout the day any day whenever I get a minute.ot will this interfere with muscle repair.
Ive no patience and want to see changes in body comp asap to motivate me to continue to push myself hard.