New lifting routine - critique?
 

Sorry if I come across as a lame newb here but please be gentle.
Background: 35, used to lift alot in college (enough to the point that I did bench press sets of 8-12 with 265-275)and enjoyed it. I like many turned into a slob last 8 years or so. I have been doing cardio (eliptical) 30 minutes 3-5 times a week for two years and realize I need to weight train to really get back in shape. Goal is weight loss and getting muscle back.

I have a friend I can lift with every 2-3 days but at the time we can go it is fairly crowded. We are have been doing the workout really quick with minimal rest between sets to make it kinda cardio as well so want to use minimal number of apparatus at a time to minimize time between sets and the crowding.

This is what we have been doing the last two weeks in this order generally (note we can't go every day to train alternate muscle groups):

3 sets flat bench
2 sets inclines
3 sets barbell butterflys

2 sets shoulder with barbells (lift straight out to 90 degrees)

3 sets triceps (with a curl bar that we lay down on a bench and then flex/extend to forehead)

3 sets biceps either with curl bar or barbells

3 sets lats on a machine with pulling bar down behind neck

abs (crunches on one of those slanted boards)

We do these with maximal effort and spotting where applicable. I know we don't do legs but I am not really interested in bulking up there - I played soccer and still have lots of muscle in my legs.

Is this a decent workout for 2 35/39 year old guys? I am still going to do the eliptical 3 days a week on top of this. I have felt great since starting. Or am I doing something horribly wrong here?

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

yes it sucks hard (something is better than nothing though). Seriously, squats and deadlifts need to be in there. Read the sticky.

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

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yes it sucks hard (something is better than nothing though). Seriously, squats and deadlifts need to be in there. Read the sticky.

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Good point.
Problem is that he works a day job - we are usually going around 4 pm and those are always jam packed with the really serious guys who monopolize them for an hour at a time. I was trying to develop a routine where we can essentially just use the bench press straight through (or standing) and not waste any time between exercises and sets. Is there some machines we can do to replicate what we are missing (those are much more freed up)?

Yes, I read the sticky and links for probably an hour but it all seems to be directed to my old college self who worked out 6 days/wk for 2 hours, not two (relative) geezers trying to better ourselves in 45 minutes 3x/week. We got through my posted workout today in 47 minutes and feel like it was kinda helping from a cardio standpoint too doing it at that pace.

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

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yes it sucks hard (something is better than nothing though). Seriously, squats and deadlifts need to be in there. Read the sticky.

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Good point.
Problem is that he works a day job - we are usually going around 4 pm and those are always jam packed with the really serious guys who monopolize them for an hour at a time. I was trying to develop a routine where we can essentially just use the bench press straight through (or standing) and not waste any time between exercises and sets. Is there some machines we can do to replicate what we are missing (those are much more freed up)?

Yes, I read the sticky and links for probably an hour but it all seems to be directed to my old college self who worked out 6 days/wk for 2 hours, not two (relative) geezers trying to better ourselves in 45 minutes 3x/week. We got through my posted workout today in 47 minutes and feel like it was kinda helping from a cardio standpoint too doing it at that pace.

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The program I'm on is 3x/week and takes about 45 minutes to perform if you use about 1 minute rest periods. It's the Starting Strength program. Another poster here does the 5x5 program in under an hour, and it's also a 3x/week program.

Are the squat/power racks always taken because there's not enough of them? Or because most people squat at your gym? My gym basically has everyone doing curls and tricep pushdowns and rarely anyone squatting, which is nice.

You can do power cleans with a few feet of space and just the bar from the bench/incline/military press. Oftentimes the seated military and incline bench stations are unoccupied leaving a bar open to use. Power cleans are an awesome full body exercise that you should consider learning. You could also do front and overhead squats with the bench/incline/military press bar, although they probably won't be near your 5 rep max, but that's definitely an improvement on your program.

Oh yeah, deadlifts only require a bar, which you could definitely do at the bench press station.

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

I was always under the impression that lat pulldowns BEHIND your neck were bad for your back/shoulders, plus all the macho meatheads at the gym I worked at decided it was the best exercise to grunt loudly and cheat using momentum. Go for the regular lat pulldown and mixing it up with an underhand grip as well.

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

I really want to see this barbell butterfly exercise.

But yeah, blah blah this workout blows hard.

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

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but it all seems to be directed to my old college self who worked out 6 days/wk for 2 hours, not two (relative) geezers trying to better ourselves in 45 minutes 3x/week.

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I'm also a 37 year old geezer and lift 2x/week. I now deadlift both workouts and front squat in one. As previous poster said, read the sticky. The concepts can be applied to those of us with full time non-poker jobs.

My $.02....if you can, try working out in the a.m. before work. Weights likely to be less crowded.

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

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I was always under the impression that lat pulldowns BEHIND your neck were bad for your back/shoulders, plus all the macho meatheads at the gym I worked at decided it was the best exercise to grunt loudly and cheat using momentum. Go for the regular lat pulldown and mixing it up with an underhand grip as well.

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pullups are way better, why not just do that?

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

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but it all seems to be directed to my old college self who worked out 6 days/wk for 2 hours, not two (relative) geezers trying to better ourselves in 45 minutes 3x/week.

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I'm also a 37 year old geezer and lift 2x/week. I now deadlift both workouts and front squat in one.

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You may find (eventually) that DL twice a week is too much and change one of those to a lighter DL or other pull, as well as taking the occasional week off from DL.

Re: New lifting routine - critique?
 

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I know we don't do legs but I am not really interested in bulking up there - I played soccer and still have lots of muscle in my legs.

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I think everyone who's ever lifted has been told that squats are the backbone of any program, and yet a majority of folks decide that given the limited amount of time they have and their desire for bigger arms/chest and their contentment with the size/shape of their legs that they should do bench/curls. Pure folly.

Anyway. Get your diet in order, and whatever gets you into the gym or working out is a step in the right direction.