How many different exercises should you do per muscle? Does it matter? I just want to make sure I'm not overdoing it. For example today was lower body day for me and I started out doing leg presses, did 3 sets of 10. Then I did 3 sets of lunges holding 10lb dumbells (per leg). I did wide stance squats 3 sets of 12, regular squats, 3 sets of 12, and closed leg squats, 3 sets 12. Then I did squats and lunges on the step with two platforms underneath , again 3 sets. I guess the lower body exercises are a bit different than upper body days, on upper body days I tend to work the same muscles over and over just using different lifting exercises. Is this okay? Man I wish I could find a site that would give me a routine for free ! grins.

Any help is appreciated! Also I do ab work everyday, god knows I need it :-))

Yhe body for life work out is a safe and sure workout. check it out at www.bodyforlife.com
good luck

Well-
In my opinion, if you are just starting out... actually overall it seems to be a lot! So yes, you might have been over doing it. Squats and lunges are great lower body exercises than the individual leg press or hamstring curls because they target your glutes, hams and quads at the same time where as many of those machines will only isolate a particular muscle group. My suggestion ( from a previous trainer stand point) is to do 2 sets of 20 regular squats, 2x 20 open toed squats( to target your inner thighs as well) and dont forget about your calf muscles. That is if you are starting out or even have been at it for awhile. If you find that not challenging enough SLOW down the movement. Count to 3 on the down phase and 3 on the up this works the best for me), or add another set. If choose to add weight do 5 pound increments AND make sure you are doing he exercise properly! This is the number one cause to "over doing it" and injury. Using a step to do lunges is another move that will increase resistance. Good Luck, I hope this helps. Keep us posted

I've been at it for 8 months, that's why I started doing the movements on the step as well, to challenge myself. Thanks for the info!

Try www.exrx.net. I went there after reading about it so many times on here. They help you design a routine based on your fitness level and available equipment (free weights, machines, etc.) and even have videos to demonstrate each exercise.

If you're interested, there's a link on the first page of my journal to the first lifting programme I used. A friend of mine designed it, and I have passed it along to many of my friends when they first started lifting.

thanks Built, it helps to actually see a routine. I'm like a voyeur at the gym, always looking at what others are doing and incorporating it into my own routine , grins. I wonder if they think I'm looking at them because I think they're hot? :-O

So you're on a two-day split? Upper body one day and Lower body another? How many times per week?

If so you're doing way too much. Here are Tom Venuto's guidelines (a cut & paste from his 'Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle')

BFFM Exercise guidelines
Beginner: One exercise per muscle group/full body routine
Intermediate: Two exercises per muscle group/ two day split
Advanced: Three exercises per muscle group/three day split
Advanced II: Three or four exercises per muscle group/four day split

You can download forms from the Body for Life website with a really cool two day split. There are four exercises to choose (2) from for each body part.

Hope this helps.

Well, it was a starter programme a bodybuilder friend of mine set up for me three years ago, and it worked fine. I don't think there are any GOSPELS in this stuff - only guidelines.