# Feedback from experienced folks



## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

So being new and having little to no experience in the gym I thought I’d post my current routine here and hopefully get some tips to help me get the most from my time in the gym. I’m right at 6weeks in and I know I could benefit from some good advice.  I’m seeing good results don’t get me wrong but me being me I always listen to a voice of experience.  

Day 1- chest/tri
30 minutes jogging walking treadmill
dumbell press 4x8
incline dumbell press 4x8
decline press 4x8
dip machine 4x8
pec dec. 4x8

Triceps 
rope pushdown 4x8
straight bar pushdown 4x8
triangle bar pushdown 4x8
skull crusher barbell 4x8
tricep extension dumbbell 4x8
6 sets abs (different excersizes alternating)
battle rope 3 sets until failure 

day 2
legs/biceps
30 minutes treadmill
squats 4x8
leg press 4x8
leg extensions 4x8
leg curls 4x8
calf raises 4x8

biceps
cable curls 4x8
seated curls 4x8
decline curls 4x8
hammer curls 4x8
concentration curls 3x8 last set to failure 
battle ropes 3 sets each until failure 

day 3 back/shoulders
lat pulldowns 4x8
close grip cable rows 4x8
wide grip rows 4x8
2 sets chin ups each until failure 
bent over rows 4x8
one handed bench rows 4x8 each
machine rows 4x8

shoulders
Seated dumbbell presses 4x8
lateral raises 4x8
bent over lateral raises 4x8
cable face rows 4x8
dumbell shrugs 4x8
upright rows 4x8
some type of delt excersize, machine or cables 
6 sets different ab excersizes 
3 sets battle ropes each till failure 

I’m eating right around 2000 calories a day clean as I know how,  plain oatmeal or egg whites and fruit for breakfast most days. lots of baked chicken, green veggies, brown rice sometimes, lean steak 3-4 times a week

200g whey protein every day
5-7 grams creatine 

that’s about it guys and gals.  Like I said I’m seing great results but I’m always open to help from people that know more than me, thanks for reading.


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## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

I should add that day 4 is a rest day, strictly


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## Gadawg (Jul 14, 2018)

What are your goals?


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## Viduus (Jul 14, 2018)

Something seems odd. 200g of whey is 800cals. Almost have your food for a Day is coming from protein shakes?

This isn’t in addition to the 2000cals you’re intending to eat right?


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## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

Viduus said:


> Something seems odd. 200g of whey is 800cals. Almost have your food for a Day is coming from protein shakes?
> 
> This isn’t in addition to the 2000cals you’re intending to eat right?



Damn....you sir are correct, not in addition to food.  Thanks for pointing that out as I’ve not once paid attention to calories from whey.


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## stevenmd (Jul 14, 2018)

Viduus said:


> Something seems odd. 200g of whey is 800cals. Almost have your food for a Day is coming from protein shakes?
> 
> This isn’t in addition to the 2000cals you’re intending to eat right?


 That's what I was thinking!  I don't know what DonaldPumps goals are but the last time I only ate 2000 calories plus 800 calories from whey protein was... well, never.
DonaldPump - what is your goal?  Gain muscle?


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## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

Gadawg said:


> What are your goals?



Honestly I just wanted to get in shape at first now I can’t stop thinking about getting bigger. I think I am too early in the game to really set any hard goals,  I feel like I want to build some muscle, learn to lift correctly and see where my head is at 6 months in.  Hope that makes sense.


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## stevenmd (Jul 14, 2018)

How old are you?


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## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

37 going on 21


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## Viduus (Jul 14, 2018)

Quick estimate of your TDEE is 2450. You should cut 100g of whey so you’re at maintenance. 

From your intro thread you have a high BF % and low lean mass. I’d PM Spongy and ask for some quick direction on which to tackle first. He’s a very experienced guy. 

Raise your cals up or down accordingly. Keep lifting.

(most would say to switch the remaining whey for real protein)

Also, Spongy normally provides paid diet advice so ask politely and gratefully lol!


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## stevenmd (Jul 14, 2018)

DonaldPump said:


> 37 going on 21


  Why are your calories so low?  Are you carrying a lot of bodyfat at the moment?  Why did you choose 8 reps over 10 or 12?  Sorry so many questions, just trying to get an understanding of where you truly are and what your launching point is.


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## stevenmd (Jul 14, 2018)

stevenmd said:


> Why are your calories so low?  Are you carrying a lot of bodyfat at the moment?  Why did you choose 8 reps over 10 or 12?  Sorry so many questions, just trying to get an understanding of where you truly are and what your launching point is.


Guess I should have read your intro post better.  I agree 100% with Viduus.


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## Elivo (Jul 14, 2018)

DonaldPump said:


> Honestly I just wanted to get in shape at first now I can’t stop thinking about getting bigger. I think I am too early in the game to really set any hard goals,  I feel like I want to build some muscle, learn to lift correctly and see where my head is at 6 months in.  Hope that makes sense.



Never too early to set goals. 
Start out with small ones, not easy so to speak but attainable, then once you are into it more you can set new and harder ones. Being new to lifting you need to learn how to lift..i guess thats the best way i can think of saying it.  The proper form to use, esp for the bigger compound lifts. They are going to be your bread and butter for pretty much everything you do and the easiest ones to get hurt doing if you dont know how to do them.
There are a lot of guys with a lot of years behind them doing this stuff, ive been doing it  a while and im still amazed at the stuff i learn from these guys. Listen to them it will save you time and pain down the road.
As far as your routine you have layed out, im going to defer to some of the vets and let you get their opinion on it. To me it looks like you got a lot of the same movements for some muscle groups, such as 3 different pull downs for triceps. IMO id replace some of those with different movements but thats just me.


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## PillarofBalance (Jul 14, 2018)

Hey Donald... Pretty much no matter what you do so long as you work hard and eat decently 80% of the time you will build muscle and lose fat right now. 

So what I would suggest is to think longer term. When the noob gains dry up it gets harder. So focus more on barbell/compound lifts. Make sure you are getting stronger over time and your lifting is technically sound. Stay off the machines too. Especially for legs. I swear most of my joint issues are from machines.


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## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

Thanks, I don’t really know what my BF is but yea I was/am trying to lose some fat, I have  now, and I told my wife at the gym today I plan on upping my food this coming week a good bit.  The 8 reps was going off something I read somewhere. I should probably post a pic from 6 weeks ago and one of my self tomorrow, That would probably make it easier to actually help me.


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## Elivo (Jul 14, 2018)

DonaldPump said:


> Thanks, I don’t really know what my BF is but yea I was/am trying to lose some fat, I have  now, and I told my wife at the gym today I plan on upping my food this coming week a good bit.  The 8 reps was going off something I read somewhere. I should probably post a pic from 6 weeks ago and one of my self tomorrow, That would probably make it easier to actually help me.



The pics do help, i posted one when i started here and again a month later and will keep doing so, it helps letting others be able to see, we tend to be our worst critics and only see what we want to change and not what is already changing. 
Best of luck man!


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## Viduus (Jul 14, 2018)

PillarofBalance said:


> Hey Donald... Pretty much no matter what you do so long as you work hard and eat decently 80% of the time you will build muscle and lose fat right now.
> 
> So what I would suggest is to think longer term. When the noob gains dry up it gets harder. So focus more on barbell/compound lifts. Make sure you are getting stronger over time and your lifting is technically sound. Stay off the machines too. Especially for legs. I swear most of my joint issues are from machines.



What POB said cant be stressed enough. It was my experience as well. I do think it’s good practice to set a goal and learn how manipulating your diet and training will effect you achieving it. There’s such a wide margin of error for us that most decisions will still advance us if we keep working.

good luck!


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## Trump (Jul 14, 2018)

Mate your in the gym that’s the first step in the right direction well done. Everything else will be learnt over time, just keep at it and you will see results.


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## Elivo (Jul 14, 2018)

Trump said:


> Mate your in the gym that’s the first step in the right direction well done. Everything else will be learnt *over time*, just keep at it and you will see results.




This is a key point to remember, as a new lifter you should make great newbie gains, but this all takes time. The muscle gain, strength gain and weight/fat loss all take time. Remember this if you get to a point where you start feeling discouraged.  This is a long process and like i have been told many times on here (mostly by Jenn lol)  this is a life style. 
Keep pushing yourself, if you fall off the shit food wagon dont let it worry you, everyone has off days and everyone slips up now and then. But like POB said  you stick with it and do well 80% of the time, you will see improvement. 

And if all else fails , you are in the gym, you are improving yourself, so you are already miles ahead of most of the population.


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## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

Added some photos to the album on my profile.


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## Elivo (Jul 14, 2018)

DonaldPump said:


> Added some photos to the album on my profile.



There is progress there man, you just got to keep at it, like has been said and will be said again, it’s a long road and a life style! Keep it up!


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## Viduus (Jul 14, 2018)

DonaldPump said:


> Added some photos to the album on my profile.



When you said you had a beer belly... I thought you meant a real beer belly! Now your stats make more sense. 

Keep your cals the same (2800) and just start doing more intense compound exercises. We’re at similar points and keeping the intensity up and lifting heavier is the general advice I’ve received.

The more muscle you put on the more your new maintenance level will shift up to 2800. nicely done.


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## jennerrator (Jul 14, 2018)

Dude...you’re lucky...you can burn that off pretty easy just stick to cardio and diet as well as you’r training and all is good!


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## DonaldPump (Jul 14, 2018)

Ive been naturally slim my whole life so I guess I may unconsciously exaggerate the beer belly, all I know is that it was a chore to tie my shoes a month ago and now it’s not lol


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## PillarofBalance (Jul 15, 2018)

That's not a beer belly it's just dad bod. Usually bumping protein and lifting heavy takes that right away.


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## DonaldPump (Jul 15, 2018)

I was told to set a goal,  I have,  I wanna be the guy everyone asks for anabolics who doesn’t use them........ I put a lot of thought into this, don’t try to back me down.


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## Jin (Jul 15, 2018)

DonaldPump said:


> I was told to set a goal,  I have,  I wanna be the guy everyone asks for anabolics who doesn’t use them........ I put a lot of thought into this, don’t try to back me down.



THAT is a great goal.


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