John’s “Getting Ready For The Beach” Weight Training Program

I am a beginner/intermediate weight lifter with about 4 years experience. I have gained 23 lbs over the last 3 years training 3 days per week for about 10-12 weeks, then a 7-10 day rest (do nothing).

I am 6' and 176 lbs and 45 years old. I have developed and tested some different routines over the past couple of years and would like to share one of them, that may be timely, with fellow lifters:

GET READY FOR THE BEACH routine:

Monday - Legs

15 minutes on treadmill.

Squats on Smith Machine
1 x 10 x 90 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 10 x 180 lbs
1 x 10 x 270 lbs
1 x 8 x 320 lbs
1 x 20 x 90 lbs

or (rotate every other week)

Sumo dead lifts
1 x 12 x 90 (warm-up)
1 x 10 x 180
1 x 10 x 230
1 x 8 x 250
1 x 15 x 90

Lunges.
1 x 12 x 10-15 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 20 x 20 lbs
1 x 20 x 25 lbs
1 x 15 x 30 lbs

Lying hamstring extensions super setted with seated leg extensions super setted with seated calf raises. These are done in order with no rest in between. Start with a low weight on each. I use 75 lbs on hamstring, 105 lbs on leg extension and 65 lbs on seated calf raises. I progressively increase the weight about 5-10 pounds on each and do 3 to 4 sets or until exhausted. This is also a good aerobic set of exercises.

Leg Press
1 x 12 x 270 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 12 x 360 lbs1 x 10 x 450 lbs
1 x 10 x 540 lbs
1 x failure x 360 lbs

Abs
I use an exercise ball to relieve strain on my lower back.
1 x 30 (warm-up)
1 x 40 with 25 lbs plate held to my chest
1 x 40 with 25 lbs plate held to my chest
1 x 40 with 25 lbs plate held to my chest

Wednesday - Chest and Back

10-15 minutes on the rowing machine

Bench Press. With Spotter on flat bench or no spotter on Smith machine. This routine for Smith machine. Weights are not extremely heavy as I have a bad shoulder.
1 x 12 x 70 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 12 x 90 lbs
1 x 10 x 180 lbs
1 x 6 x 230 lbs
1 x failure x 90 lbs

Machine flys
1 x 15 x 145 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 15 x 165 lbs
1 x 12 x 220
1 x 10 x 240
1 x 8 x 240

Incline dumbbell press
1 x 12 x 45 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 12 x 55 lbs
1 x 10 x 60 lbs
1 x 8 x 65 lbs

Seated Lat pull downs. I superset between the wide grip bar and the narrow "V" handle.
1 x 10 x 10 x 95 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 12 x 12 x 115 lbs
1 x 10 x 10 x 120 lbs
1 x 8 x 8 x 135 lbs

Bent over rows (keep your head up looking straight ahead or else OUCH!)
1 x 15 x 60 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 12 x 70 lbs1 x 10 x 80 lbs
1 x failure x 70 lbs

Dumbbell rows
1 x 12 x 45
1 x 10 x 60
1 x 10 x 65
1 x 6 x 75

Machine cable cross overs. Light weight and lots.
1 x 25 x 25 lbs
1 x 30 x 30 lbs
1 x 25 x 35 lbs
1 x 20 x 20 lbs

Friday - arms and shoulders

10-15 minutes on the rowing machine

Bicep/triceps superset. Standing barbell curls plus narrow grip bench presses (Smith machine)
1 x 15 x 40 lbs + 1 x 15 x 70 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 12 x 50 lbs + 1 x 12 x 80 lbs
1 x 10 x 55 lbs + 1 x 10 x 90 lbs
1 x 6 x 60 lbs + 1 x 6 x 100 lbs

Biceps - seated dumbbell curls
1 x 12 x 25 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 10 x 30 lbs
1 x 8 x 35 lbs
1 x 6 x 40 lbs

Tricep superset: tricep rope pushdowns + close grip push ups
1 x 15 x 75 lbs x 15 push ups
1 x 12 x 100 lbs x 20 push ups
1 x 12 x 115 lbs x 20 push ups
1 x 10 x 125 lbs x 15 push ups
1 x 10 x 135 lbs x failure push ups

21's
1 x 21 x 30 lbs
1 x 21 x 40 lbs
1 x 21 x 30 lbs

Lateral front raises superset with lateral side raises
1 x 15 x 15 x 15 lbs (warm-up)1 x 12 x 12 x 20 lbs
1 x 12 x 12 x 20 lbs
1 x 10 x 10 x 20 lbs
1 x 8 x 8 x 25 lbs

Seated shoulder press. (Smith machine)
1 x 12 x 50 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 12 x 70 lbs
1 x 10 x 90 lbs
1 x 12 x 70 lbs

Dumbbell Shrugs superset with close grip barbell raises (Smith machine)
1 x 15 x 55 lbs x 12 x 50 lbs (warm-up)
1 x 15 x 65 lbs x 10 x 70 lbs
1 x 15 x 75 lbs x 10 x 70 lbs
1 x 15 x 80 lbs x 8 x 80 lbs
1 x 10 x 75 lbs x 8 x 80 lbs

Abs
After each set perform 10 reps with 25 lbs dumbbells of standing bicep curl to overhead shoulder press.

I use an exercise ball to relieve strain on my lower back.
1 x 30 (warm-up)
1 x 40 with 25 lbs plate held to my chest
1 x 40 with 25 lbs plate held to my chest
1 x 40 with 25 lbs plate held to my chest

I take 5g of creatine with 250 ml water during the last 10 minutes of the workout. In the change room I take 2-3 large scoops of Interactive Mammoth 2500 protein powder with 400 ml water, 1/2 before and 1/2 after my shower. I cycle off the creatine during my 7-10 day rest period.

These workouts take about 45 min to 1 hour with high intensity. I use a weight lifting belt for the squats, dead lifts, standing lateral raises, close grip barbell raise, shrugs and 21's. Since I do not have a training partner at the moment, the Smith Machine is my friend. Your poundage's will vary and will increase after the first 20 to 30 days, however keep the sets and rep count the same. Change the order of the workout every 4 weeks: Mondays on Friday, Wednesdays on Monday... etc. To spice the routine up, trim 1/2 of the poundage and double the reps. Do this near the end of the cycle. Bring a towel, you'll need it!

Do this routine for 3 months: April, May and June or May, June and July and you will be cut for the beach. This is also a good routine for the fall, before a cruise. Eat (meat, fruit and veggies), drink lots of water, repeat. Take a good multivitamin. Take 5 grams of glutamine before bedtime.

Treat yourself to pizza or your favourite fast food one meal a week. Take it easy on the brewskys!
That's it.

Regards,

John

For illustrations and descriptions of the weight training exercises, please go to the following page:

Weight lifting exercises