Please critique my strength routine

[thecathasbeenfed]

I’ve been working out for a few years now. Doing a mixture of running, at home strength with dumbbells and also HIIT.

I think my routine is slightly chaotic, so I’d like to focus on three strength training workouts a week. I also like to get a decent amount of steps in each day.

Does the routine below miss any of the major muscle groups? I can’t spend much more time working out so it would be a case of swapping an exercise rather than adding to the list.

Routine below takes around 40 minutes with a warmup and cooldown included. I do 10 reps for each set and do them in sets of two, so will do all the rounds for the first two exercises and then will move onto the next set.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Arnold presses (7kg per dumbbell)
Dead lifts (10kg per dumbbell)

Tripcep dip (1 x 7kg dumbbell)
Weighted squat (1 x 10 kg dumbbell)

Chest press (10kg per dumbbell)
Banded crab walk (x heavy band)

Front lateral raise (5kg per dumbbell)
Jumping squats (3 x 30 seconds)

I'd exchange the front lateral row for back rows, you're not hitting the back enough.
I'd also worry you'll stall using those weights, can you increase them as it gets easier?

Also could Mix things up
So rather Than 10 of each sometimes do 20 ( fewer sets)
Sometimes less with heaviest weight

And sometimes switch one exercise for a related one
So instead of chest press one day do pressups

Instead of triceps dip do narrow press up or triceps extentions

Squats - wide stance , narrow stance , lunges

Jumping squat - > mountain climber , burpees , sidewinders

That's my concern too, I could increase using the weights I have but perhaps I need some 15kg ones too.

Good point on the lack of back work, I could get more bang for my buck with rows.

I like the idea of swapping things around a bit too, should that be every few weeks perhaps?

Got the comments mixed up! The back rows one was meant for @Daisy03

What's optimal is what helps

....you keep it up

I’d throw in some gorilla rows, mountain climbers, straight leg deadlifts, weighted hip thrusts, bicep curls, weighted lunges (forward, backward, curtesy), sumo squats.

I’d also get some heavier weights, or a few kettlebells (8/10/12kg).

Yea, missing a pull exercise there. Ideally, get a pull-up bar and start with some dead hangs.

You could play with some isometrics instead of squats. Bulgarian split squats as an example. And, increase difficulty of deadlift - single leg, if current weight too easy.

Add press ups as long as they don’t hurt your shoulders.

Lots you can do with body weight, a few weights, a pull-up bar and some kettlebells as things progress.

If you don't have a pull up bar but do have a tree or fence

Throw some rope ( washing line ) around it and then do layback pull ups - more practical for females than straight pull ups

( search TRX for the formal versions ) or

This is all incredibly helpful, thank you for all the comments.

Had to look up gorilla rows, such a good name

Pull ups are a good shout. I don't have a bar but I do have a fence which is fairly solid - might need to test if first though...

If you're short on time (is that why you're only doing 2 sets of 10? With such light weights for most of them you need to find a way to challenge yourself more if you want to continue to get results), you might be better off including more compound exercises e.g. clean and press, devil's press etc, bent-over rows etc

How do you know the OP isn't challenged by her existing weights ?

I’m a PT, your program isn’t balanced and isn’t hitting all major muscle groups.

Essentially you want to hit the following movements 1-2x per week. Reps between 6-20 are proven to improve strength and muscle growth, for simplicity I would aim for a simple rep range between 8-12.
(Google progressive overload, without help you’ll probably struggle to progress with your limited weight selection).

Knee dominant (squat pattern)
Hip dominant (RDL/ deadlift/ good mornings etc)
Supine hinge (glute bridge/ hip thrusts)
Split stance (split squats/ lunges)
Vertical push (overhead press movements)
Vertical pull (pull downs/ chin ups)
Horizontal push (press up/ bench press pattern)
Horizontal row (bent over rows/ banded rows)
Knee flexion (shelc/ supine walkouts)

2-3 x per week, 5-6 exercises per day. Plus add in some isolation exercises and core etc.

If you want a really decent, balanced program then I would advise paying someone for it, as there is so much more to proper training than just randomly putting exercises together.

Gorilla rows are fairly advanced, maybe a bit much for now btw.

Just to add, 3 sets of 8-12 would be better than 2 sets of 10.

Ahhh I mixed up what I meant, I do three sets of each exercise. What I meant was that I do the three sets for two of the groups and then move on to the next two groups.

Thank you for this very comprehensive and helpful response, I really appreciate that.

I do find the 10kgs challenging so not sure I could do more of those but it sounds as though I'm not quite maximising the short time I have so will revisit the plan and adjust!

If you're struggling to target all the muscles every time you could try doing two alternating programmes, e..g. Upper and lower body. Starting strength has this kind of format (but is probably more suited to barbells).
There's lots of info on different programmes on reddit xxfitness that might be helpful.