My gym routine

[CrawlingFromShitshowToAfterglow]

I'm returning to the gym after a year off due to illness and family circumstances. I'm not sure where to start and can't afford a PT at the moment.

I asked Chat GPT to build me an exercise routine. Does this look okay? Or should I do something else.

I would really appreciate some pointers. Thanks.

Mon (Nov 3) Lower Body Strength + Couch to 5K
Strength:
• Leg Press – 4×10 @ 55–60 kg
• Romanian Deadlift – 3×10 @ 22 kg
• Glute Bridge – 3×12 @ 22 kg
• Walking Lunges – 3×12/leg (bodyweight or 5 kg DBs)
Core: Plank – 3×30 sec
Couch to 5K

Tue (Nov 4) Upper Body Strength + Core Strength:
• Seated Row – 4×10 @ 22 kg
• Dumbbell Chest Press – 3×10 @ 6–8 kg
• Lat Pulldown – 3×10 @ 22 kg
• Shoulder Press – 3×10 @ 5 kg
• Bicep Curl – 3×12 @ 4 kg<br>
Core: Side Plank – 3×20 sec/side

Wed (Nov 5) Rest

Thu (Nov 6) Full Body Strength + Couch to 5K (W1D2)
Strength:
• Goblet Squat – 4×10 @ 10–12 kg
• Dumbbell Deadlift – 3×12 @ 10 kg each
• Dumbbell Row – 3×10 each side @ 6 kg
• Shoulder Front Raise – 3×12 @ 3 kg
Core: Dead Bug – 3×10
Couch to 5K

Fri (Nov 7) Lower Body Strength (Glutes & Hamstrings Focus)
Strength:
• Hip Thrust – 4×10 @ 24 kg
• Step-ups – 3×12/leg
• Leg Curl – 3×12 @ 18 kg
• Calf Raise – 3×15 @ 10 kg<br>
Core: Reverse Crunch – 3×15

Sat (Nov 8)
Couch to 5K
Core Finisher: Bicycle Crunch 3×15
· Bird Dog 3×12 each side

Sun (Nov 9) Rest

I’m no expert but that looks like a lot if you’ve not exercised for a year and been ill.
Maybe start with one day on, one day off?

It looks just about OK, but were you lifting heavy before you were ill?

Those weights look great as accessories for someone lifting heavy on the main lifts (squat, deadlift, benchpress) and doing the stuff you've listed around those, but if you've not lifted, or have been out & ill for a year, then they're too heavy, IMO - of course, I don't know you/can't see you, so maybe they're OK in relation to what you used to do.

The other thing - and again, this is about starting sloooooow, and easing in, is that I wouldn't do Couch to 5K on the same day as legs/full body days! That's a lot of impact and stress on your joints.

Also, there's no mobility or limbering work. When do you stretch and work on mobility as a thing in itself, not just part of your cool down? Or a yoga class?

I'd pull it back a week, to just 3 days to start, and build up. That way you won't be so likely to injure yourself, or suffer exhaustion or DOMS too badly.

It’s a lot, what was your fitness level like before your year off? There’s not a lot of recovery time planned in.

Add some more prompts to chat Gpt and say you’d like to ease yourself back in, you need to gauge your current baseline.

Also I wouldn’t do C25K training on the same day as strength training unless you are very used to it.

Looks like a lot - start with half of this and then slowly increase and take your menstrual cycle and energy into account or you will tire yourself out and stress your body out. Imo.

I agree the weight needs you to check you can manage it

Some are harder than others - I can’t do a good glute bridge with a lot of weight and I’ve hurt myself doing that before. Same with weighted lunges (I hate them!) so I never do them but I love a squat

it depends what you want to do but if you are trying to grow muscles and strength, mixing it with cardio can be somewhat counter productive. I would really struggle to do a full leg weights session then run at a good speed for 30 mins, my muscles would be too fatigued. I don’t do c25k on the same time as a heavy leg day. Plus there are a lot of consecutive leg days in this list with no rests. You could get injury

3 x a week is more than enough for anyone. Weights wise, you wont know for sure until you start lifting again. What was your routine before?

I can guarantee you won’t be able to walk by Friday if you haven’t done any exercise for a year!! Break yourself in more gently.

I agree with the others it's a lot if you haven't been doing weights or running for a year.

I'd personally do two session of bodyweight exercise for at least six weeks to nail the form before adding any weights. Plus the three C25k runs, that should be good for the moment.

Thank you, everyone. Sorry for the delayed response, but I ended up with a DVT - Which also means doing the exercise routine very differently!