Beginning Weight Training-Please Critique My Program

Expert Discussion Strength Training
1

Hi, I am a 14 year old guy from Toronto Canada. I’m planning on starting to lift when we do health(seat work about drug abuse, eating right etc.) for Phys. Ed to get stronger and faster. I have been on sites like this reading and learning as much as I can for around 2 and a half months . I am going to do a program I made but I wanted some smarter more experienced people to Critique it first. Well here it is (sorry if it’s garbage, that’s why I need your help).

Day 1: Heavy Upper Body Day

Bench Press- 4x4
Weighted Dips- 3x4
Weighted Chinups - 3x4
Weighted Pull Ups- 3x4
Bent-Over Rows- 2x8
Grip: Bar Holds- 4x45 Seconds

Day 2: Ab Work + Stretching

  • Do in as many sets as needed

Crunches on Ball- 150 reps
Crossover Crunch- 100 reps
V-Sits- 150 reps
Reverse Crunches- 150 reps
Side Crunches- 120 reps
Plank- 5xMax Time
Grip: Wrist Roller- 3x2

Day 3: Lower Body Workout 1

Olympic Squat- 3x6
Straight Bar Deadlift- 3x6
Split Squat- 2x5
Barbell Step Ups- 2x8
Romanian Deadlift- 5x6
Grip: Crush Gripper- 3xMax
Day 4: Ab Work + Stretching

Crunches- 150 reps
V-Sits - 150reps
Reverse Crunches- 150reps
Woodchoppers
Hight to Low- 75reps
Low to High- 75reps
Plank- 5xMax Time
Grip: Poor Man’s Pinch Gripping- 3xMax Time

Day 5: Repetition Upper Body Day

Chin Ups- 3xMax
Pull Ups- 3xMax
Push Ups- 3xMax
Diamond Push Ups- 3xMax
Skull Crushers w/Weight- 3x12
Grip: Hammer Curls- 4x6

Day 6: Lower Body Workout 2

Sprints- 40M, 60M, 80M, 100Mx2, 200Mx2
Overhead Squat- 3x8
Snatch Grip Deadlift- 3x8
Good Mornings- 3x10
Hang Clean/Box Squat- 3x6

Day 7: Ab Work + Stretching

Bridges
Facing up- 3xMax Hold Time
Facing Down- 3xMax Hold Time
Plank- 3xMax Hold Time

*Do in as many sets as needed
Woodchoppers-
High to Low- 80reps
Low to High- 80reps

I posted this on another board and >SO FAR< I haven’t had to change much . Should I add more sprints? Please help out. Thanks for reading.

2

initial impression - lots of work, lots of redundancy.
Things I like -
The Hi/low split

Things I don’t like-
the rote sets, reps, and intensities (of the sprints in particular).

Something I’d consider, especially only being 14 (oh god, if I could go back now!) is much simpler…

MWF
Squat (I’d suggest box squatting, but that’s personal preference)
Bench
Deadlift
— each of these should be very light weight (broomsticks!), developing form and technique. lots of repititions, not neccesarily a lot of volume. after about 8 weeks on fridays, you could do the work up to a heavy double in each.

after the “technique portion” of this, go with basic mass builders like
Dumbbell Bench and Shoulder Presses, Dumbbell Rows, Chins, Front Squats, Lunges, Leg curls, Very light good mornings and rdls, and go a basic 3x10-esque sets and reps. add weight when you get about 30 reps easy. mix it up, and limit yourself to 5 mass builders each workout.

finish with ab and low back work.
Go quickly and delibeately through it.

I can’t give any prescriptions on the sprints other than playing a wide variety of recreational sports will do wonders with you in terms of teaching you to move. stay in shape by eating right and being active, along with the lifting (which will put in the strength and improve body composition), and let your track coach in the spring do the work on the sprinting.

other good ideas -
find heavy awkward things to carry and throw, and do it really fast. (seriously!)
Bet your friends you can do something better than they can (you do it anyway, just do it daily)

3

Thank you Brian. I like your Idea about Technique portion and I will do this and slowly work up to the program I made like you said and start the program when we do health(which is probably in 2-3 months anyway). We are doing football and running in Phys Ed so I have the recreational sports part covered for now. Thank you for the advice I really Appreciate it.

4

i think ur program looks very good. big volume is also something good through low intensities and high reps. ive even gained strength last season through high reps. like for bench i used to do 3x15, 3x12, 3x10 with no more than 30sec between reps and 2min between sets. and sometimes could add in a burnout. maybe something you should consider.
gluck

5

Thanks For the feedback Komy. I’ll post what I’m going to plan on doing before the program I made once I make it. Both of your suggestions work out perfectly for me since it’s going to be a while till we start Health Class so I’ll have something to do during that time period. Thanks for the feedback guys.

6

Should I try something like this or should I split it up into Upper and lower body days? Here:

Workout One

Olympic Squat 3x10
Snatch Grip Deadlift 2x10
Romanian Deadlift 2x10
Bench Press 3x10
Bent Over Dumbell Rows 3x8
Weighted Dips 3x8
Bradford Presses 3x8
Hammer Curls 2x10
Bar Holds 3x90seconds

Workout Two

Deadlift 3x10
Split Squat 3x8
Romanian Deadlift 3x10
Dumbell Bench Press 3x10
Bent Over Barbell Rows 3x8
Military Press 2x10
Hammer Curls 2x8
Wrist Rollers 3x2

Workout Three

Deadlift 3x10
Barbell Step Ups 3x8
Good Mornings 3x10
Loaded Push Ups 2x10
Bent Over Reverse Flye 3x8
Barbell Curl 3x8
Those Things you Squeeze 2xMax

*Done on off day’s from Phys Ed. So Day one would be on a sunday and Day 2 and 3 on off day’s from Phys Ed.

7

A few minor tweaks, were I you…
two “technique” sets for each of the big three (Squat, BP, and DL)… should be good. just keep going with perfect form until it detiriorates. do a broomstick set and an empty bar set. With the rest of the movements, mix it up, just make sure you get in a push, pull and some leg work. I’d skip the grip for now, b/c it’s really draining on the cns and will only provide minimal marginal benefit. Yes, you need a strong grip, especially to get stronger. At some point, you’ll need to do special work. there’s no need now.

Good exercise selection though, I like that.

Again, just bust ass when your in the weight room with an idea of what you want to do and where you want to go.

hope that helps

8

Thanks man, I’l take your advice and do some technique lifts and take out the grip work. I appreciate all your help.