OK, so I bought some Lebert Equalizers, primarily because I wanted/needed something for modified push-ups, and because I was very intrigued by the inverted rows. (Yes, I know I may invite your scorn due to gimmicky-ness, but it's a decision I've made.) I've also made the decision (for some odd reason) to stick with bodyweight exercises for a while, and this seemed like a good way to modify bodyweight exercises for my, well, ample bodyweight. :o :D

Anyway, now that I have them, I'm pretty happy with them... but somewhat disappointed with the given routines. I know these are primarily compound movements, so I must be hitting quite a few muscles with each exercise, but I want to make sure I'm not missing some major muscles. It also seems awfully tricep heavy, but I guess there's no harm in that.

Day One:
- modified push-ups (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Chest/slides/Push-up-%20Regular.html)
- dips (assisted by feet down) (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Triceps/slides/Dip-%20Assisted%20with%20feet%20in%20front.html)
- tricep extensions (under bar) (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Triceps/slides/Tricep%20extension%20under%20single%20bar.html)

Day Two:
- inverted rows (modified with bent legs) (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Back/slides/Chin-up-%20Legs%20bent.html)
- body weight squats
- leg raises (hits abs/obliques) (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Abs/slides/Abs-%20Leg%20lifts%20over%20bar.html)
- assisted lunges (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Legs/slides/Legs-%20Assisted%20lunges.html)

I think you all are familiar enough with fitness/strength training to know basically what each exercise is, but I've linked most of these just in case. Oh, and it probably matters that my primary goal at this time is fat loss, and that I also cycle, run, and swim regularly. Anyway, assuming I need to add something, what is it? Thanks.

I'm not really good at analyzing weight routines for balance, but I'll give you my first impressions.

Those things look pretty cool. It makes me want to go out to a playground and try out some of those moves. :cool: It does seem a little imbalanced. I like to do a lot more exercises for back, but I think that might be a bit of a personal preference.

I would skip the tricep extensions, and move the ab work to day one, I think.

The assisted lunges actually look a little wimpy to me. A person really shouldn't need assistance for that if they're properly and regularly trained. If regular unweighted lunges are difficult for you, then use the equalizers until you get enough strength. But consider working up to assisted pistols (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Legs/slides/Legs-%20Single%20leg%20with%20both%20bars.html) instead. You'll have to work twice as hard that way. :evil:

And I'd also climb up on top of the bars and try an L sit or tucked L sit (http://www.drillsandskills.com/images/articles/tuckLsits.jpg) with them. But then I'd regret it because I'd surely hurt myself. ;)

I'm not really good at analyzing weight routines for balance, but I'll give you my first impressions.

Those things look pretty cool. It makes me want to go out to a playground and try out some of those moves. :cool: It does seem a little imbalanced. I like to do a lot more exercises for back, but I think that might be a bit of a personal preference.

I would skip the tricep extensions, and move the ab work to day one, I think.

The assisted lunges actually look a little wimpy to me. A person really shouldn't need assistance for that if they're properly and regularly trained. If regular unweighted lunges are difficult for you, then use the equalizers until you get enough strength. But consider working up to assisted pistols (http://www.lebertequalizer.com/gallery/Legs/slides/Legs-%20Single%20leg%20with%20both%20bars.html) instead. You'll have to work twice as hard that way. :evil:

And I'd also climb up on top of the bars and try an L sit or tucked L sit (http://www.drillsandskills.com/images/articles/tuckLsits.jpg) with them. But then I'd regret it because I'd surely hurt myself. ;)

Thanks for the input. (And thanks for not laughing at me for buying the equalizers! :) ) Yeah, I feel like my back is missing a bit. The inverted row/chin-up isn't working my traps as much as I expected. Maybe adding another slightly different back exercise would help.

At 228 pounds, and just getting back into training, regular lunges are very difficult for me. My heart rate shoots up and I actually feel dizzy after a set. (Oddly, bodyweight squats are fairly easy for me, and I'm forced to consider adding weighs very soon.) Of course, I control the amount of assistance my arms provide, and I am pretty good at moderating that (it absolutely slays me when I see people leaning on arm rails on cardio machines), so they're still challenging to me and they're still training the target muscles.

Assisted pistols are actually my plan for the next step after assisted lunges, so we're in total agreement there. :tu:

Any other input is more than welcome.

If you want a balanced routine, you should aim for equal volume between movement planes/muscle groups.

You have two horizontal push exercises (push-ups and dips) that use your chest, shoulders, and triceps. To balance that you want horizontal pull exercises (like the rows) in similar total volume to both the push-ups and dips.

So basically:

Horizontal Push:

Push-ups
Dips

Horizontal Pull:

Inverted Rows
Need a second pull exercise here or increase the volume of the inverted rows.

Tricep:

tricep extensions

Bicep:

Nothing. Need some kind of curl movement here to "balance" tricep work.

Quad dominant:

Squats
Lunges (depends on length of stroke. Short tends to be more quad, long tends to be more hamstring)

Hamstring dominant:

Nothing, unless you use a longer stroke for lunges.

So I would recommend increasing back, hamstring, and possibly bicep work in order to balance out what you're currently doing. I wouldn't worry too much about hitting your traps at this point. I'm not really sure how you would even do that effectively with bodyweight outside of some inverted shrug type movement. :confused:

If you want a balanced routine, you should aim for equal volume between movement planes/muscle groups.

You have two horizontal push exercises (push-ups and dips) that use your chest, shoulders, and triceps. To balance that you want horizontal pull exercises (like the rows) in similar total volume to both the push-ups and dips.

So basically:

Horizontal Push:

Push-ups
Dips

Horizontal Pull:

Inverted Rows
Need a second pull exercise here or increase the volume of the inverted rows.

Tricep:

tricep extensions

Bicep:

Nothing. Need some kind of curl movement here to "balance" tricep work.

Quad dominant:

Squats
Lunges (depends on length of stroke. Short tends to be more quad, long tends to be more hamstring)

Hamstring dominant:

Nothing, unless you use a longer stroke for lunges.

So I would recommend increasing back, hamstring, and possibly bicep work in order to balance out what you're currently doing. I wouldn't worry too much about hitting your traps at this point. I'm not really sure how you would even do that effectively with bodyweight outside of some inverted shrug type movement. :confused:

Good stuff, thanks. I guess I will have to throw some 'bell work in to better hit the biceps. (I know that biceps are being used in some of the other exercises, but I have yet to feel them after a workout, so I have to admit they're not being hit hard enough.)

I actually meant lats rather than traps (oops), and both are supposed to be hit somewhat with the inverted rows. I'm feeling them more today than I have in the past, so I must have done something better yesterday than before.

I'll add some kickbacks or hip raises to better hit the hamstrings. And I'll add a different row/pull-up exercise.

Does timing make a difference here? In other words, it's already set up that pushes are one day and pulls are the other. Should I continue that with triceps/biceps on separate days and so on? Or am I entering into tastes great vs. less filling area?

Does timing make a difference here? In other words, it's already set up that pushes are one day and pulls are the other. Should I continue that with triceps/biceps on separate days and so on? Or am I entering into tastes great vs. less filling area?
If you want to do push/pull stuff twice a week I would go with something like this:

Push day:
Quads
Chest/shoulders
tris

Pull day:
Hamstrings
back
biceps

Abs at the end of either.

Or go with full-body.

Got it. Thanks to both of you. :)