Question/s for LauraMax

Aquajock

Aquajock

Cathlete
Hi, Laura! I wanted to pick your brain for a minute:

I am soon going to be venturing into the fearsome waters of gym-floor cable machines for strength training, as a complement to my free-weight stuff that I do at home. I've noticed from several of your posts in that past that you maintain a consistent machine-based strength training program of your own, and I was wondering if you could either publish here your traditional weekly training schedule (including machines used, order of exercises and weightloads) or copy a link to a previous post if you have done so in the past.

Many thanks in advance!

A-Jock
 
Oh, I'd love to see it too. The cables are my favorite piece of equipment. If I was so lucky to build a home gym and could only get one piece of equipment, it would be a cable system. There is nothing you can't do with that!!
 
Although I am not Laura and I am on a home workout binge now, I want to play! When I worked out at the gym I did the multijoint exercises (like squats, lunges, chest press) first with free weights and then the machines or cables or isolation type free weight exercises. The theory is to do the hardest exercises when your muscles are not tired. So on leg day, you may do squats, lunges, dead lifts, leg press, leg extensions and cable kickbacks. In a total body format there are so many protocols,but the same applies. Not sure how reliable the theory is, but a lot of experienced builders seem to follow it.
 
Congratulations for your foray into the wonderful world of cables! :D My routine is mostly free weight based, but I do use some cables for isolation moves. And on occasion to switch things up a little. Here's my routine, & I'll insert some subs w/cables if you want to give it a try. Have fun!

Legs:
Squats on smith machine, 3 sets 8-10
Lunges on smith machine, "
Leg press, 3 sets 6-8
Leg extensions, 3 sets 6-10
Ham curls, 3 sets 6-10 (I use a standing ham curl machine w/cables working each leg in isolation, there are also some that plate load, if you have one at your gym give it a shot, it's SO much better than the ham machines that work both sides at the same time)

Chest:
Bench press, 3 sets 8-10
Incline press, 3 sets 8-10
Low end cable flies, 3 sets 8-10 (you want to place the handles at the lowest setting on the machine)
Pec deck, 3 sets 8-10

Biceps:
Barbell curls, 3 sets 6-8
21s on cable machine--you've seen these in Cathe's DVDs, similar to crazy 8s. You divide the range into 3, do 7 reps at the low end, 7 reps at the mid end, 7 reps at the high end.
Preachers curls, 3 sets 6-8
Concentration curls, 3 sets 8

Back:
Assisted pullups, 3 sets 6-8
Wide grip lat pulldowns, 3 sets 8-10
Close grip lat pulldowns, 3 sets 8-10
Seated rows, 3 sets 8-10
Back extensions, 3 sets 15

Triceps:
Cable pushdowns w/V bar, 3 sets 8-10 (can sub with overhead extensions with rope)
Modular cable tricep extensions, 3 sets 8-10 (this is a super cool machine if your gym has it, very effective)
One armed cable pulldowns, 3 sets 8-10
Overhead extensions, 3 sets 8-10

Shoulders:
Barbell shrugs, 3 sets 10 (I never do my max on these, I'm afraid of the football player neck)
Upright barbell rows, 3 sets 10 (can be subbed on cable machine with straight bar at lowest setting)
Military press, 3 sets 6-8
Front raises, 3 sets 8-10 (can be subbed on cable machine with straight bar at lowest setting--not quite as challenging but nice if you're short on time b/c you're not working both sides separately)
Lateral raises, 3 sets 8-10 (can be subbed on cable machine with handle at lowest setting)
Bentover lateral raises for rear delts, 3 sets 8-10 (can be subbed on cables with handle at lowest setting)
Side lying lateral raises, 3 sets 10

I think that's everything (other than core & cardio, I'm sure you don't need my help for that ;)). Let me know if anything's unclear. BTW, I started this sort of nontraditional split b/c I used to work shoulders w/legs, but both being my most important body parts, I was too tired after legs to get a decent delt w/o, so I took my easiest routine (chest), paired it w/legs, & took my second easiest routine (tris) & paired them w/shoulders.
 
LauraMax said:
Congratulations for your foray into the wonderful world of cables! :D My routine is mostly free weight based, but I do use some cables for isolation moves. And on occasion to switch things up a little. Here's my routine, & I'll insert some subs w/cables if you want to give it a try. Have fun!

Legs:
Squats on smith machine, 3 sets 8-10
Lunges on smith machine, "
Leg press, 3 sets 6-8
Leg extensions, 3 sets 6-10
Ham curls, 3 sets 6-10 (I use a standing ham curl machine w/cables working each leg in isolation, there are also some that plate load, if you have one at your gym give it a shot, it's SO much better than the ham machines that work both sides at the same time)

Chest:
Bench press, 3 sets 8-10
Incline press, 3 sets 8-10
Low end cable flies, 3 sets 8-10 (you want to place the handles at the lowest setting on the machine)
Pec deck, 3 sets 8-10

Biceps:
Barbell curls, 3 sets 6-8
21s on cable machine--you've seen these in Cathe's DVDs, similar to crazy 8s. You divide the range into 3, do 7 reps at the low end, 7 reps at the mid end, 7 reps at the high end.
Preachers curls, 3 sets 6-8
Concentration curls, 3 sets 8

Back:
Assisted pullups, 3 sets 6-8
Wide grip lat pulldowns, 3 sets 8-10
Close grip lat pulldowns, 3 sets 8-10
Seated rows, 3 sets 8-10
Back extensions, 3 sets 15

Triceps:
Cable pushdowns w/V bar, 3 sets 8-10 (can sub with overhead extensions with rope)
Modular cable tricep extensions, 3 sets 8-10 (this is a super cool machine if your gym has it, very effective)
One armed cable pulldowns, 3 sets 8-10
Overhead extensions, 3 sets 8-10

Shoulders:
Barbell shrugs, 3 sets 10 (I never do my max on these, I'm afraid of the football player neck)
Upright barbell rows, 3 sets 10 (can be subbed on cable machine with straight bar at lowest setting)
Military press, 3 sets 6-8
Front raises, 3 sets 8-10 (can be subbed on cable machine with straight bar at lowest setting--not quite as challenging but nice if you're short on time b/c you're not working both sides separately)
Lateral raises, 3 sets 8-10 (can be subbed on cable machine with handle at lowest setting)
Bentover lateral raises for rear delts, 3 sets 8-10 (can be subbed on cables with handle at lowest setting)
Side lying lateral raises, 3 sets 10

I think that's everything (other than core & cardio, I'm sure you don't need my help for that ;)). Let me know if anything's unclear. BTW, I started this sort of nontraditional split b/c I used to work shoulders w/legs, but both being my most important body parts, I was too tired after legs to get a decent delt w/o, so I took my easiest routine (chest), paired it w/legs, & took my second easiest routine (tris) & paired them w/shoulders.
Click to expand...

Hi again, Laura, and thanks for such a detailed response! Would you mind a bit more 411: how often do you do the above-listed sets? Do you complete one entire set within a week, or twice a week, or what?

Thanks again!

A-Jock
 
I work each body part once a week, & trouble spots 2X a week. My "trouble spots" are rear delts & hams. So on my tricep/shoulder day I throw in some extra ham curls, & on my leg/chest day I throw in some extra rear delt exercises (there's actually some logic to this--I figure since I'm working front delts w/chest work, I get a bonus delt workout).

Hope this helps! Let us know how you like! :)
 
LauraMax said:
I work each body part once a week, & trouble spots 2X a week. My "trouble spots" are rear delts & hams. So on my tricep/shoulder day I throw in some extra ham curls, & on my leg/chest day I throw in some extra rear delt exercises (there's actually some logic to this--I figure since I'm working front delts w/chest work, I get a bonus delt workout).

Hope this helps! Let us know how you like! :)
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! Although hamstrings are not one of my trouble spots, I do indeed have my own. For an alternative hamstring drill, do you ever do single-leg hamstring bridges with the working leg's heel on a chair seat, the non-working leg extended vertically and a heavy weight (dumbbell works great) on the lower abdomen? I find these work very well, especially with ankle weights on as well.

Thanks again for your info!

A-Jock
 
Aquajock said:
Thank you very much! Although hamstrings are not one of my trouble spots, I do indeed have my own. For an alternative hamstring drill, do you ever do single-leg hamstring bridges with the working leg's heel on a chair seat, the non-working leg extended vertically and a heavy weight (dumbbell works great) on the lower abdomen? I find these work very well, especially with ankle weights on as well.

Thanks again for your info!

A-Jock
Click to expand...

No, haven't tried them. Maybe I'll give it a shot, thanks for the suggestion. My club has a variety of ham curl machines, I really like the standing curls where you work one leg at a time. I have stick legs, & a lot of trouble building muscle. :confused:

How are you liking the cables? Almost every single exercise can be modified w/cables. You're really creative, I think once you get used to them you'll probably be making much better use of them than I do. :p
 
LauraMax said:
No, haven't tried them. Maybe I'll give it a shot, thanks for the suggestion. My club has a variety of ham curl machines, I really like the standing curls where you work one leg at a time. I have stick legs, & a lot of trouble building muscle. :confused:

How are you liking the cables? Almost every single exercise can be modified w/cables. You're really creative, I think once you get used to them you'll probably be making much better use of them than I do. :p
Click to expand...

Hello again, Laura and thanks! Alas, I haven't been able to get unified with the cable equipment YET, but after Labor Day I'm going to put it on the rotation. Am greatly looking forward to something new! Thanks again for your information -

A-Jcok
 
Hi

Thanks Lauramax for sharing and posting your rotation. I think I'll give this a try for a month. I need to get back into things and this looks like a good workout.

Thanks again

Laura
 
LaughingWater said:
I can't remember if I've ever asked you, Laura: What's your general diet like?
Click to expand...

I do low carb. I've tried them all (abs diet, BFFM, low GI, etc. etc.) & low carb is the only one that really works for me. A sample menu is something like this:

Breakfast: 2 hardboiled eggs
Lunch: a giant salad w/some kind of protein (either leftovers from dinner or tuna)
Dinner: broiled meat & steamed veggies
Snack: 4 tablespoons PB

Good luck & have fun Pippa/Laura. Let me know how you like! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top