Compound Excersises Only (Full Body)

[Tris]

I'm sure this has been posted somewhere, but i would like to hear some recent comments or opinions and maybe some GOOD advice, like what order to perform the excersises.

I've been thinking about trying a full body workout consisting of only Compound excersises for about 8 weeks. Is this something i shouldn't be doing? Here's what i've planned, and i'm also a beginner so i'm looking for the best bang for my buck.

No isolation exercises, no cardio just these.

Squats
Deadlifts
Bench Press
Military Press
Pull Ups/Dips

 

[Revok]

Isolation exercises have their place, particularly as assistance work. Why disregard them?

 

[oxcart]

Good luck doing squats and deads back to back.... :scared:

 

[toonie]

Workout A
Squats - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Bench - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Deadlifts - Work up to 1 set of 5

Workout B
Squats - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Press - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Chins/pull-ups - 3 sets. Add weight if completing more than 15 reps or whenever you want...

Alternate between A and B three times a week with at least one day off between. Keep the weight constant across sets. Start light, ensure proper form, add 5-20lbs a session to squat and deadlift, 5-10 to bench and press (less if possible as things get tougher). Check out the Starting Strength wiki (because this is just a variation of that program). Eat plenty, sleep a lot, get stronger.

 

[cheez whiz]

Add in rows and ab work, keep your volume low and weight reasonable, and that will do fine for a beginner. There are designed programs that you might want to check out, though, that may be more effective. You'll see Starting Strength mentioned, for one.

 

[flak]

Definitely add rows. You've got no horizontal pull exercises in your line-up right now.

 

[toonie]

If you don't like the routine I listed, check out the FAQ (you should check it out regardless) and go to the part that lists different programs.

 

[rafib]

I'm sure this has been posted somewhere, but i would like to hear some recent comments or opinions and maybe some GOOD advice, like what order to perform the excersises.

I've been thinking about trying a full body workout consisting of only Compound excersises for about 8 weeks. Is this something i shouldn't be doing? Here's what i've planned, and i'm also a beginner so i'm looking for the best bang for my buck.

No isolation exercises, no cardio just these.

Squats
Deadlifts
Bench Press
Military Press
Pull Ups/Dips

Here's a good article about compound and isolation exercises

Also, why are you doing no cardio? It's not like going for a run is such a huge calorie burning thing if you are trying to put on weight and it just gives you so much energy. Or at least do some sprints. Don't you want to be athletic?

 

[PowerHungry]

Workout A
Squats - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Bench - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Deadlifts - Work up to 1 set of 5

Workout B
Squats - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Press - Work up to 3 sets of 5
Chins/pull-ups - 3 sets. Add weight if completing more than 15 reps or whenever you want...

Alternate between A and B three times a week with at least one day off between. Keep the weight constant across sets. Start light, ensure proper form, add 5-20lbs a session to squat and deadlift, 5-10 to bench and press (less if possible as things get tougher). Check out the Starting Strength wiki (because this is just a variation of that program). Eat plenty, sleep a lot, get stronger.

 

[toonie]

http://cdn2.knowyourmeme.com/i/000/048/229/original/roflbot-uA2M.jpg?1272828848[/ img][/QUOTE]

Lol. What makes this even more bad-ass is that I don't see what you have foreseen.

 

[TheeFaulted]

As mentioned, starting strength is the answer you're looking for. It will program the exercises you are looking for, with the benefits of linear progression. It would definitely be the most "bang for your buck."

Plus of course, you must also have lots of sleep and food for recovery. I also suggest you run this routine for more than 8 weeks

 

[PussyPants]

I'd include power cleans, power snatches, jerks and my new favorite - snatch grip deadlifts off a four inch platform.

 

[EddieLovesYou]

If you're just starting out I'd steer clear of compound exercises; there's too much going on and your muscles will get confused. And not the good kind of muscle confusion.


/jk

 

[viendammage]

I'm sure this has been posted somewhere, but i would like to hear some recent comments or opinions and maybe some GOOD advice, like what order to perform the excersises.

I've been thinking about trying a full body workout consisting of only Compound excersises for about 8 weeks. Is this something i shouldn't be doing? Here's what i've planned, and i'm also a beginner so i'm looking for the best bang for my buck.

No isolation exercises, no cardio just these.

Squats
Deadlifts
Bench Press
Military Press
Pull Ups/Dips

What exactly are your goals? These exercises are a great place to start a fitness program as they will work your muscles more than say, machine bicep curls. They'll also give you a solid foundation of muscle to carve out a physique in the future. You may get a little bored going to the gym doing the same 5 exercises 2-3 times a week though.

 

[TheeFaulted]

What exactly are your goals? These exercises are a great place to start a fitness program as they will work your muscles more than say, machine bicep curls. They'll also give you a solid foundation of muscle to carve out a physique in the future. You may get a little bored going to the gym doing the same 5 exercises 2-3 times a week though.

I don't find progress boring. I'd much prefer to have the same 5-6 exercises a week and be making continual gains than to change my exercises regularly and not hav trackable gains. More reps/ bigger numbers a boring routine does not make.

 

[Tris]

Thanks guys, some great comments.

As for my goals, i'd like to gain some overall size and strength in preparation for next hockey season. So i've got about 5-6 months to get ready, after my first 8 weeks of the routine i was planning on doing cardio for several weeks before the season starts.

I've heard being a beginner i could see some real gains in the first 3-4 months using only compound exercises, then moving on to a more intermediate routine including isolation exercises.

I'd also like to know that with a simple routine like that, there has to be a proper order in which to do the movements.

Thanks again,

 

[PowerHungry]

Thanks guys, some great comments.

As for my goals, i'd like to gain some overall size and strength in preparation for next hockey season. So i've got about 5-6 months to get ready, after my first 8 weeks of the routine i was planning on doing cardio for several weeks before the season starts.

I've heard being a beginner i could see some real gains in the first 3-4 months using only compound exercises, then moving on to a more intermediate routine including isolation exercises.

I'd also like to know that with a simple routine like that, there has to be a proper order in which to do the movements.

Thanks again,

There's no use to stop lifting in two months just to do cardio if indeed that's what you are indicating. As your season gets closer, you will obviously focus more on your team practices, technique, skills, etc. but you'll want to move into maintenance mode: you'll reduce volume significantly while still keeping intensity high enough to maintain the strength gains you've made without overreaching and messing up your sport.

Also, you can make some real gains beyond just your first 3-4 months, so there's no use to preemptively decide you'll move on to an intermediate routine then.

In regards to the basic gist of your post though, a simple program of basic compound lifts is what you need and there is indeed an order in which you should do them first. Power/explosive exercises go first, then your compound strength exercises go next. But you've already been given a good program and lift order on the first page. Or just go to the Starting Strength wiki yourself.

And read the FAQ.

 

[JauntyAngle]

I'd also like to know that with a simple routine like that, there has to be a proper order in which to do the movements.

Thanks again,

As a rule of thumb, explosive movements (like power clean) first. And don't do similar exercises next to each other, e.g. don't do two pushing motions (press and bench) or two pulling motions (bent over row and deadlift) together. So a sequence like Power Clean - Bench - Squat would be a reasonable approach.

A lot of people would say that although all of the exercises you have picked are great, it is not a great idea to try to do all of them in one day. Instead, you should try to do them all over the period of a week, with more important exercises perhaps done more than once. This is how a lot of beginners programmes are, e.g. some of the Bill Starr programmes go

Monday: Squat, Bench, Clean (or Row)
Wednesday: Squat, Press, Deadlift
Friday: Squat, Bench, Clean

While 'Starting Strength' alternates these two workouts

Day A: Squat, Bench, Deadlift
Day B: Squat, Press, Power Clean

also done on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

One thing you should consider is whether you should be making your own programme, or just using one that was designed by an expert. (Most of us would say the latter.) You can find plenty of programmes that were designed by experts here:

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f13/faq-update-beginner-intermediate-routines-1210858/

 

[ssdd]

I'd include power cleans, power snatches, jerks and my new favorite - snatch grip deadlifts off a four inch platform.

Are you standing on the platform or is the weight on a platform? The range of motion is already huge with the snatch grip DL, I would need some kind of superhuman hamstring flexibility and extra long arms to do that while I was standing 4" off the ground.

 

[viendammage]

I don't find progress boring. I'd much prefer to have the same 5-6 exercises a week and be making continual gains than to change my exercises regularly and not hav trackable gains. More reps/ bigger numbers a boring routine does not make.

Like I said, just goes back to basic goals. It's one thing if you're just starting off, lifting for sports to build a foundation of core strength. It's another if you're just trying to get in shape to feel/look better. The motivated athlete versus the guy with a full time job training to fight office butt think and prioritize differently you know?