looking for advice about workouts (pretty long, sorry)

Hello! This is going to be a little unique.. I work at a little gym called Koko FitClub.. they're not super well-known, yet. So if you've never heard of it, I'll give you a little breakdown.

Basically this is known as "Automated Personal Training"

They built a weight machine like this: http://roneradionowindy.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/smartrainer.jpg?w=720&h=472

and you have a usb thumb drive that contains your height/weight/age.. etc. and a specific program that you're on. I am currently on our Burn Advanced program, and I'm trying to get stronger, but also burn fat (main goal, right now).

anyway, based on the program you're on, your current stats, and a strength test you take periodically, it automatically loads up a 30 minute, full body workout for you.

This is awesome, especially for people who don't know what the heck they're doing.

My question is this: I've been working here (and thus, workout out here) for about a year and a half.

According to my strength tests and the fact that I can lift a little heavier weights.. I have gotten stronger.

But I haven't really seen a change in my body.

I've gotten really good about watching what I'm eating over the last few weeks, and have dropped a couple of pounds.. but not a huge change over a year and a half.

My questions basically are:

Do you think this is a good program?

Should I be doing more workouts?

Should I just supplement them with something else? (I occasionally do videos at home from something like Daily Burn)

Or, should I just scrap all of this, and work out at a normal gym with a split days type of workout like most people do?

I'm going to include as much info about my program and workouts as I can here:

My last two workouts:

Total Weight Lifted:9,520 lbs estimated me at 202 calories burned, and it took my 32 minutes to complete

1. Squats : 110lbs 8reps

2. One-leg row : 17.5 lbs 6 reps, both right and left

3. Squats : 120lbs 10 reps

4. One-leg row : 17.5lbs 6 reps right and 6 reps left

5. Squats : 120lbs 12 reps

6. One-leg row : 20lbs 6 reps right, 6 reps left

7. Shoulder press : 15lbs 8 reps right/8reps left

8. ab crunch : 60lbs 8 reps

9. Shoulder press : 15lbs 8 reps right/8reps left

10. Ab Crunch : 60lbs 8 reps

11. Shoulder press : 15lbs 8 reps each

12. Ab Crunch : 60lbs 8 reps

13. Biceps curl : 50lbs 10 reps

14. Trunk rotation (using a rope) : 20lbs 8 reps right and left

15. Biceps curl : 60lbs 10 reps

16. Trunk rotation : 22.5 lbs 8 reps each

17. Chest press : 60lbs 12 reps

18. Chest press: 60lbs 8 reps

19. Chest press : 50lbs 4 reps

Next one:

took me 22 minutes, estimated calories burned 155 (not sure if this is relevant info.. but just in case I'll include it)

1. Squat to upright row : 35lbs 10 reps

2. two- arm reverse row : 50lbs 6 reps

3. Squat to upright row : 40lbs 6 reps

4. Two-arm reverse row : 50 lbs 8 reps

5. Squat to curl : 60lbs 8 reps

6. chest fly : 50lbs 8 reps

7. One arm reverse fly : 15lbs 6 reps right/6reps left

8. Trunk rotation (using a hand strap) : 17.5lbs 6 reps right/6 left

9. ab crunch : 60lbs 12 reps

10. ab crunch : 50lbs 10 reps

11. ab crunch : 50lbs 8 reps

12. Chest fly : 50 lbs 8 reps

13. one-arm reverse fly: 15lbs 6 reps each

14. trunk rotation : 22.5 lbs 6 reps each side

15. chest fly : 50 lbs 8 reps

16. one-arm reverse fly : 15 lbs 6 reps each

17. trunk rotation : 20 lbs 6 reps each

18. Kneeling chop : 22.5 lbs 6 reps right and left

okay, hopefully that gives you a little bit of an idea of how they're set up.

aaanndd I think this is officially too long. haha. sorry, just except for what I've been doing here, i'm a total weight lifting newbie. so I'm looking for a just a little bit of guidance.

my university offers personal training, so I was thinking about doing that for a month or so, and see if I notice any changes. I have a wedding in October I'm trying to get ready for!!

Thanks!

this is a calender of my workouts this month. my strength session from the 26th is missing.. and any cardio session that says "500 points" was 15 minutes of a guided workout, as well.

You'll get better response if you limit it to one question at a time and post your question to other people's threads.

Sounds like she's trying to sell the useless machine than ask for help.

Bodyweight deep squat, chin ups, and pulls up are sufficient for an all body workout.

yeah, thank you. I'm obviously new to all this.

I'm not trying to "sell" anything.. it's just where I work. So it's the access I have.

I am definitely not strong enough to do chin ups or pull ups, either. I have tried. haha.

I'm thinking about just not working out here and doing some other stuff at home/my school gym and comparing.

thanks, anyway.

I am definitely not strong enough to do chin ups or pull ups, either. I have tried. haha.

Half a pull up today, half a pull up tomorrow, 1 pull up the next day, 1 at a time until you get to 2, then 2 at a time...

Had to read that a couple times to digest it.

My questions basically are:

Do you think this is a good program?

Should I be doing more workouts?

Should I just supplement them with something else? (I occasionally do videos at home from something like Daily Burn)

Or, should I just scrap all of this, and work out at a normal gym with a split days type of workout like most people do?

The 2 routines look like good multi-body workouts. Good variation, but to me, for your 3.25 workouts per week, you need a 3rd routine and potentially a 4th -catch-all day for both variety and to hit the rest of your body. Alternatively, you could throw in a good body-weight day...something that has combination of all kinds of push-ups (standard, military, close, wide, offset, clap/plyo), pull-ups (std, wide, narrow, reverse, etc.), and more core (plank, side crunches, crunches, leg-lift, etc.), in alternating fashion and doing max rep.

If you're kind of plateaued and not seeing the results you want, then change is good! Good for your body, good for your brain too to fend off boredom.

And last thought, before I go too long, IMO you're better off abandoning machine exercises and use free weights. Just doing isolated, say shoulder presses on a machine that controls all the movement except the up-down can create unsupported/non-uniform muscle growth....meaning, all the other muscles in your shoulder, arm, and core that help create stability will develop out of sync with the primary muscle being worked and can lead to injury or to (this happened to me!) shoulder joint 'pain' because of the end-way I was building muscles.

Free weights, body weights, core....

helpful?

Also, given that strength appeared to increase, but you didn't see much change in your overall body, makes me wonder what your intended goals were? More size? Definition? Pure strength?

Knowing the answers to those will help vector in your diet and achieving your goals.

yeah, thank you. I'm obviously new to all this.

I'm not trying to "sell" anything.. it's just where I work. So it's the access I have.

I am definitely not strong enough to do chin ups or pull ups, either. I have tried. haha.

I'm thinking about just not working out here and doing some other stuff at home/my school gym and comparing.

thanks, anyway.

And neither was I when I started at the start line. Quick fix pills that get us to the finish line don't exist. Please take this in a positive way.

The workouts I suggested are the most simple and effective. Shut out the naysayers and you'll be surprised how much more you are capable of. And above all; listen to your aura.

Hi Megan,

In response to your original post,

I would recommend decreasing the volume of work and increasing the intensity/quality of work, and focus on progressive intensity as it IS the only thing that will continue to warrant new adaptive response's.

I an advocate of machines (in combination with certain free weight movements) - and not merely because its my opinion:) There are many who claim that free weight's and / or bodyweight training are superior, however the reality is, it's simply not necessary for an exercise movement to mimic other activities to improve upon your ability to perform them, what am saying is (and what physiology is saying), is that anything that improves strength throughout your body will improve your functional ability. Moreover, if machine's are so bad for our joint and connective tissue health as many free weight only advocates claim they are, then why do most rehabilitation centers treat patients on expensive resistance machines to improve upon function ability? Why do many top athletes today use machines now over or in combination with free weights? Here's a brilliant article by Drew Baye (HIT and highly experienced world renowned trainer) http://baye.com/machine-training-myths/

Force, over-training (over exposure to the stimulus / wear and tear) and moving resistance through positions of disadvantaged leverage are what cause injuries.

Best

Rob