Is this a decent workout routine?

[frogstomp]

Hey all, been lurking this forum for a while and wanted to get your opinion of the TNT workout on Mens Health. I'm 23 and started going to the gym again 2 months ago after a long layoff due to injuries (acl tear), poker and laziness. Basically just want to get in decent shape ( for me, like most, that means add some muscle and lose the gut). I was really struggling at the start but am encouraged by the progress i've made recently but my gym sessions are all over the place and i dont really have a set routine. The TNT workout seems pretty straight forward and I am familiar with all the exercises. I plan on lifting 3 times a week and cardio ( spinning classes at my gym) 2-3 times a week. Any advice bros?

[Thremp]

There are worse things. Read the FAQ and do something in that instead.

[shemp]

I kinda skimmed, and I'm a goofball. And whatever gets you to the gym is a good thing.

It strikes me that it is a weird collection of exercise pairings-- most of them are unrelated pairings and yet they are in the same style (lunge+press). (Only) One pairing is along the lines of the classic agonist/antagonist. And the other, the overload style pairing of rows and deadlifts is a strange/questionable choice (Outside of crossfit, you don't see deads paired like that). Anyway, I'd like to talk to the designer there. I feel like there might be some philosophical thing I'm missing. And I'm not quite sure, but there seems to be a typo in the last phase's B workout.

In any case, I'm not an expert. And I bet if you stick to that program for 12 weeks you'll have done a good thing.

edit: Another thing about the dead/row pairing is that it isn't gonna work with sets across.

[Salmon]

This is my couch potato work-out. I sometimes do this when playing on-line poker, watching TV, reading, etc.

Whenever I have to get up to get a glass of water, go to the bathroom, etc. I drop and do 10 push-ups and then 3 pull-ups.

The numbers accumulate pretty quickly if you spend the entire day indoors.

It's not optimal but it's good for getting exercise in between water or pee breaks.

[cbloom]

There are actually some really cool things about this routine (The TNT).

It appears to be based on modern Starr/HST philosophy. The rep progression is just like HST.

They have also done many of the same substitutions that I've done for movements that are easier on the joints, which is an important thing for couch potatos trying to get in shape. For example they've got front squats and goblet squats instead of regular squats, they've got the neutral grip shoulder press instead of military presses, these are all very good substitutions. It seems like they actually have some doctors working on the material.

I would say the only really bad thing about it is the typical Men's Health flaw which is that it's just crazy overcomplicated. There are too many different moves and no way you can really learn them all and have good form.

[cbloom]

[ QUOTE ]

It strikes me that it is a weird collection of exercise pairings-- most of them are unrelated pairings and yet they are in the same style (lunge+press). (Only) One pairing is along the lines of the classic agonist/antagonist. And the other, the overload style pairing of rows and deadlifts is a strange/questionable choice

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not really sure how pairings work in the modern philosophy. This looks like it's based on HST, so the goal of each day's routine is just to hit the whole body on each day, there's no isolation days.

I'm also not really sure if there's much validity behind the idea of alternating sets like they use here. I have read some suggestions that alternating militaries and chins is somehow better than doing them separately but I have no idea if that's true.

[shemp]

Couplets are either agonist/antagonist, unrelated, or overload. I see a bit more sense now in that I overlooked one of the agonist/antagonist pairings, and I that they are apparently avoided in phase I.

What struck me as odd is that the unrelated pairings seem to be fit a couple of patterns (beyond upper/lower).

Also, deads are a weird choice for overloading with a row because your upper back is providing stability and only transfering the load in the deadlift-- that is, you aren't building fatigue by moving from one method of contraction to another, but fatiguing with a row, and then expecting stability.

Couple other things, but I'm gonna leave it there.

edit: Btw, The total number of exercises seems overwhelming, but I suspect it isn't when you consider there are three distinct phases there.

edit #2: (I should say) The deads/rows isn't exactly an overload because back isn't the target of deads; still, I think/hope I'm being clear.

[Thremp]

I think everyone should be doing the simplest program that gives gains (within reason of course). There is little reason for a beginner to do a wave loading program where he can be doing just linear periodization.