Hey,
I have been weight training over the past year but I have not done any real power lifting. Now I am trying to bulk while keeping fat off in a new workout I have been putting together after reading many articles, threads, and peices of advice. Previously I lifted 5 days a week working a different muscle group every day. This workout is to be done 3 times a week. Please critique it.

Workout A:
Squat @ 5X5
Dead Lift @ 5X5
Arnold Press @ 4x8-6
Pull-ups @ 3X?? (To failure)
Bicep Curl @ 4X8-6
Core/Ab Work

Workout B:
Bench Press @ 3X10-8**
Standing Military Press @ 5X5
Lat Pulldowns @ 5X5
Tricep Extensions @ 4X8-6
Core/Ab Work

I plan on working out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and switching between workout A and B every time. After I do these workouts I also plan on doing some HIIT or possibly 60 mins of low instensity cardio because I was told doing cardio the same day after a workout disrups gaining muscle less than off days. My diet is clean, and I do my best to keep it packed with protein.

(**I have been doing bench presses for a long while so now my pecs are large and disporpotionate to the size of other muscles and I hope to balance that by doing 3X10's until my muscles even out)

Edit- Stats:
Age: 18
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 150 lb.
% BF: 11%-11.5%

Looks ok to me...just keep a journal and write down your thoughts after each set or workout for reference so you can make adjustments as you go.

Personally, I would pick between deadlifts or squats and do just one in that workout. They are both demanding if you are doing them right and using respectable weight. Up to you though, just listen to your body and don't over train. Also, if you want to even out that pectoralis overdevelopment, I would not be benching. Do something else like a side press where you have more muscle recruitment.

I recommend you do workout A, take 2 days off or do cardio/cals, and then do workout B for the first few workouts or weeks. Then compress the workouts every other day if that is your goal. This will give you more time to heal up since you will be going 3 times a week.

Thanks for the advice. A workout journal is a great idea, I am definately going to do that. And the side press seems like it'd be working a lot of the same muscles as the military press, maybe I should try doing butterflys instead? Also I really want to add size to my deltoids, are there any good exercises that work them especially well that you might recommend so I could incorporate them into the workout? Thanks again for the help.

It seems like you have enough shoulder exercises with the military press. You could work the rotor cuffs in your shoulders. Use a very light weight and control it though.

The side press utilizes alot of the chest as well. Yes, you have plenty of shoulder work...I would just make the adjustment. Keep the side press at 5x5 and drop the military press to 3x3. Or, do them on alternating days. Doing both won't hurt, just keep making your adjustments.

Need help bad guys. Today I did Workout A (took about 45-50 mins for what I accomplished) and I plan on doing Workout B on Sunday, then A again on Wednesday so I get 3 days rest for both workouts my first time.

The Problem:
I did the Squats, Deadlifts, and by the time I got to Arnold Presses I was fatigued and sweaty. I also burped up like air a lot and I could tell it was like my protein shake. I did the Arnold Presses, then pull-ups, then I ran out of time and had to head to work and I felt a bit nauscious (Sp?) and dizzy. I drove home, had a headache, was light headed, dizzy, and very nauscious. I could not help but throw up, luckily I think it was just water and a bit of protein shake. My workout stats and eating regiment so far are below. What should I do?

Morning Food:
1 Protein Shake, 1 Glass of Milk, 3 Eggs. (In that order) Before going to the gym I drank 1 glass of water plus the milk and shake. At the gym I drank about 1 glass of water while working out. I counted 520 KCals and 54g of protein.

Workout Stats:
Squat (Smith Machine-Read Below) @ 5X5 @ 115/135/155/165/165
Deadlift @ 5X5 @ 115/115/115/135/115
Arnold Press @ 4X 7@40/8@40/6@40/6@35
Pull-Ups @ 3X 8/6/7
Didn't get to bicep/ab work or HIIT.

Other Questions:
1) I told one of the gym staff I had never done squats before and asked him if he could guide me on my first few. He told me to do the smith machine, he told me it was better than free weights and more effective. What do you guys think?
2) Doing Pull-Ups on the Pull-Up bar has a lot of different forms to use. The bar is straight and long and bends downward on the sides (like many lat pull bars). Should I be holding the mid region of the bar with my palms facing me, should I be holding the mid region with my palms facing away, or should I be holding the curved down area with my palms facing away? (it seems the last option is hardest, middle option is medium, and first option is easiest)

Dude, you drink MILK before doing a squat/deadlift workout ?!?

Definitely check your diet. Have a small shake with a little simple and complex carbs and then wait a while before you hit the gym. Or don't eat at all before. Eat a good meal at dinner and keep hydrated before your workout should be fine. Personally, I just have a small cup of coffee before I workout and drink water.

Also, I would never do squats on the smith machine. I know some people do, and some people suggest it for noobs, but I would never. You can't learn proper technique from a machine that limits your range. Watch a video of good form and keep your weight minimal until you perfect it. Goes for the deadlift too. Squats and deads can F-you up if you do them wrong under load.

Pull ups -

Doing pull ups, your hands should be about shoulder width. Make sure you are comfortable when you do them. If you want to do them wide gripped, I suggest wide grip lat pull downs instead. That way you can vary the weight.
Doing "pull ups" with your palms facing you are called chin ups, not pull ups. This favors your arms quite a bit more than pulls. Pulls are more of a full body, arms/lats/shoulders. They are fairly similar though. These you can do anything from very close grip to shoulder width. And if you do chins, I recommend you vary the grip.

The body needs fuel for a good lifting routine. I wouldn't suggest lifting weights on a completely empty stomach.

No, the smith machine is not better or more effective than freeweights. It has its advantages and disadvantages, just like anything else, but I've never seen any machine I though superior to free weights.

That's why I said to have a good dinner the night before. Althletes call it carb loading. And working out before a meal is a common thing. I actually suggested a small amount of carbs and protien prior to.

Theres a number of things that need to be said here so i will quote them as they come.

The Biceps are already being utilized heavily during the pull ups. Replace the Bicep curs with another "push" compound movement.
Also if you are able to do more then 10-12 pullups in one set I would suggest you start doing weighted pull ups.

The lat pull down is already using the Tris as a strong dynamic stabilizer. Replace the tricep extensions with another "pull" compound movement.

I would suggest you keep Pec focused exercises down in the sub 5reps per set. This will minimize mass gained while still gaining strength.

If your goal is hypertrophy then I generally advise against use of HIIT more then once a week at the absolute most.
I am an advocate of Low intensity aerobic exercise over High intensity when ones goal is primarily hypertrophy.

I agree, For most people squats and dead in the same workout if exerting yourself fully might be to intensive on the body. However, this does not hold true for all people. In some cases starting out with squats and doing your upper body work then moving to deads later in the workout can allow for enough recovery to hit the deads with maximum force.

Yes, You are already doing it. The main muscle worked in the Arnold press AND military press is the Front Deltoids.

You mentioned you didn't want to work the chest so much. If this is the case you might want to skip the flys. As their main target is the pecs.

ALWAYS before any workout try to down at least 3 classes of water. And continue to drink water (more then one glass) during a workout.
Add some carbs, oatmeal is usually the ideal choice in these situations.
Given the amount of protein between 3eggs,one glass of milk and oatmeal. The protein shake might be better suited after the workout. Mixed in with some type of fast digesting sugar such as dextrose. I personally like 1.5-1 or 2-1 ratio of carbs to protein.
As well If you want to have it with breakfast also. Going for a half a serving of your protein powder with breakfast would be more then sufficient IMO.

Please note I'm assuming your workout to be about an hour/hour and a half after breakfast.

He is absolutely wrong, He simply didn't want to fool with you so he placed you on a machine to get rid of you.

I actually will have to disagree with you here. I believe pre-workout nutrition is absolutely CRUCIAL.

Just a few suggestions to help complement what you are currently doing.

Ok, after re-reading the origional. I thought he said something about fat loss, but he said "keeping fat off".

For a strength/bulk workout I would agree that intake before training would be advisable.

thanks for all the replys, it was all EXTREMELY helpful