General Workout Routines and Questions

[Pako]

I know where you're coming from. My advise is to try not to be intimidated and focus on your own thing. If there are big guys giving advise, I would listen.....after all, there big. Most the big guys I talk to are more than willing to offer help, advise, and opinions. Get in there, do your thing, and have a good workout. Everyone usually starts small, so don't sweat it. :-)

 

[Der Alta]

Last night was a perfect coincidence for this post. There was a group of guys working out in the gym and they were a bit lax in their workout. Talking between sets, joking around. The owner of the gym started in on his bicep routine and literally within 5 minutes, he had scared the guys out of the gym. Not that that was a good thing, or bad, just very funny. I was still there working out though. I'm looking for incentive to work harder. I had it right there in front of me.

Don't let other people in the gym intimidate you. As Pako could likely attest, there was a time when he started and 225lbs was an incredible weight.

We all start somewhere.

As for other people interupting, put some headphones on and concentrate on the weight. If you appear focused and intent on what you're doing, they are less likely to bother you.

 

[Pako]

Last night was a perfect coincidence for this post. There was a group of guys working out in the gym and they were a bit lax in their workout. Talking between sets, joking around. The owner of the gym started in on his bicep routine and literally within 5 minutes, he had scared the guys out of the gym. Not that that was a good thing, or bad, just very funny. I was still there working out though. I'm looking for incentive to work harder. I had it right there in front of me.

Don't let other people in the gym intimidate you. As Pako could likely attest, there was a time when he started and 225lbs was an incredible weight.

We all start somewhere.

As for other people interupting, put some headphones on and concentrate on the weight. If you appear focused and intent on what you're doing, they are less likely to bother you.

Most definitely! It takes lots of hard work and years of dedication. It took me a good year of heavy training in my late teens to get to 205lb on bench for example. My natural max on bench was 155lbs.

Look for motivation in the people that you look up to.

 

[Bram Turismo]

155?! Man, I'm having enough work with 100 lbs

The only thing I know is that no one, not even my girlfriend, will be able to hold me away from my squats and deads

On squats; New PR of 167 lbs @ 3setsX5reps 👍

 

[Der Alta]

Well, I finished the first cycle of exercises. I was given a new one tonight, that I'll start in on tomorrow. I'm a bit wary of it, as it looks a significantly different than what I was expecting.

I'll post it up here when I've got it into Excel (Or as a PDF.)

 

[TB]

This looks like as good a thread as any to post this. I just ran/walked (for the first time in a very long time, mind you) 2.5 miles and then wrapped up with a 2 mile bike ride (again, partially screwed as I haven't taken the extra links out of my chain so I rode my 20" Schwinn instead).

Felt really good to get moving and actually go somewhere as opposed to using the elliptical machine. Listening to P. Funk the whole time didn't hurt any, either. :tup:

 

[Pako]

This looks like as good a thread as any to post this. I just ran/walked (for the first time in a very long time, mind you) 2.5 miles and then wrapped up with a 2 mile bike ride (again, partially screwed as I haven't taken the extra links out of my chain so I rode my 20" Schwinn instead).

Felt really good to get moving and actually go somewhere as opposed to using the elliptical machine. Listening to P. Funk the whole time didn't hurt any, either. :tup:

Feels good to get off the couch doesn;t it? 👍 Oh man, that would have killed me I think. I have been so anti-cardio during this bulking phase, that would have really hurt. How'd it feel? I'm still waiting for it to get nice here so we can take the kids out on walks, hikes, and bike rides.....hopefully soon, this has been the longest winter EVER.

Well, I finished the first cycle of exercises. I was given a new one tonight, that I'll start in on tomorrow. I'm a bit wary of it, as it looks a significantly different than what I was expecting.

I'll post it up here when I've got it into Excel (Or as a PDF.)

Can't wait to see the new routine. I think the rest of my lifting buddys are ready to get cut up this summer. With my body type, bulking is easy.....loosing fat is not. The other guys are just the opposite. With your other routine of 20min cardio + 40min weights followed with 20min cardio, did you find this type of cross training effective in loosing body fat? I would love to trim up and get my body fat in the low 5-6% but I have fear of loosing muscle mass and strength that I have worked so hard to gain. I would be curious what your thoughts (and or trainers thoughts) are on this....

 

[TB]

Feels good to get off the couch doesn;t it? 👍 Oh man, that would have killed me I think. I have been so anti-cardio during this bulking phase, that would have really hurt. How'd it feel? I'm still waiting for it to get nice here so we can take the kids out on walks, hikes, and bike rides.....hopefully soon, this has been the longest winter EVER.

Figures as soon as I find something new that I like it has to start raining for a few days so I can't go.

Regardless, I felt pretty decent afterward. Calves hurt for about 30 minutes or so, but have been good all day today. Other than that, no issues, thankfully. 👍

And I completely agree that this has been quite possibly the longest winter in quite some time. Between ridiculously cold and record setting floods, I can't wait to be able to mow my lawn. At least then I'll know it's all over for a while!

 

[Der Alta]

Indeed it has been a long winter. I'm all ready for spring or summer, if Mother Nature decides to skip spring.

Here's the new 5day cycle, 12 week workout routine. It is geared to more towards Cutting fat than gaining muscle. I'll be slimmer for summer, and then bulk into the Fall. At that point, I'll gear my chest workout towards a power lifting regiment into November, when the Bet comes due.

I'm still questioning a few things on it, but I'll trust in someone who's done this longer and better than I have. In particular, some of the exercises I think are not geared towards my goals. I still do the Elliptical for 20 minutes before and 20 after. My Ab workout is now a full day by itself. I'm working different regions of the body at different points. For instance, Shoulders & Deltoids on the same day. The two approaches to that are 1) it pumps the body heavily with blood in all directions, thus forcing the body to burn more enegry (Fat), and 2) The Legs are a major muscle group, Shoulders a minor group. As long as I flip which I start with each week, I'll gain muscle and trim more fat. The same with Day 4, Pecs & Glutes.

The last caveat I have is the weights on this routine are off. I'll adjust them after the first workout, to force my goals to where they should be. For instance, I've done Bicep & Tricep 21's with the same amount of weight as I have listed. I'll adjust that if I find it too easy.

Currently I'm at 18.5% body fat. At the end of this 12 week cycle, I'm aiming to be at 10-12% Which should put me at about 190lbs.

With your other routine of 20min cardio + 40min weights followed with 20min cardio, did you find this type of cross training effective in loosing body fat?

A good amount of body builders do a significant amount of Cardio. So 40 minutes is right for me. I was doing 25 minutes of treadmill, until I found I wasn't getting enough loss out of it. My trainer pushed me to 40 minutes, split, based on hwo I was doing. 20 before to gear the body into burning fat and timing in the Pre-workout Supplements to hit while I was weight training.

Other trainers and body builders I've seen and talked with, say "40 minutes of cardio after weights" instead of splitting 20/20. I think that's because they want to be absolutely fresh and top notch when doing their weight routine. I do have to note, that on a leg day, I'll go a bit lighter on the elliptical, as I want to be able to lift the weights. Its really going to be up to you which way you want to do your cardio. I think splitting it works really well for me, as I don't get bored (demotivated) trying to slag through 40 minutes non stop. It gives my legs a bit of rest and doesn't over tax them in one instance.

I'd like to see others thoughts on the routine I've posted.

Thanks.

 

[TB]

I'd like to see others thoughts on the routine I've posted.

Your link to the 5day cycle, 12 week workout routine doesn't work - Error 404.

 

[Der Alta]

Thanks! I missed a Capitalization. Got it. I also fixed yours. By the Powers Of Admin!

 

[Dazzla]

Been going to the gym almost every day for the past few weeks now. I can feel my body getting stronger, the results are not instant, but I'm feeling much stronger and well confident.

Not to mention I've gained about 6-7 pounds and I'm lifting more than ever before.

hehe...gotta start somewhere

 

[Pako]

Thanks for that DA, do you mind if I share that new routine with my partners to get their feedback? I think we're all pumped to get ripped by the end of summer so we're all looking for the best routine, especially since Hydroxycut is pulled from the market according to the FDA today.

For the record, you can probably tell from my girlish figure I've never taken diet pills....

 

[TB]

Thanks! I missed a Capitalization. Got it. I also fixed yours. By the Powers Of Admin!

Gracias.

Something minor that I noticed is in cell C6/C7, it should be 2 sets, not 4. Either that or all of the other Supersets (C12/13, C14/15, etc.) need to be doubled.

One thing I found odd, and maybe it's due to an injury (I can't recall offhand), is that there is only one set of Leg Extensions and not only that, but it's only at 25 pounds. I also just noticed that your hamstrings aren't getting any direct attention. Granted, they do their fair share during squats, leg press and the elliptical, but I wouldn't think a few sets of leg curls could hurt.

Other than that, it looks good, at least to my completely untrained eye!

 

[Bram Turismo]

Aargh, I planned on starting working out again tomorrow as the feeling in the shoulder was good, and no pain was there. However, while chopping wood with one of these (which is a great exercise in itself by the way):

My shoulder is all screwed up again, have to give it another week before I try again at 170 lbs squats. In the meantime though, I can bust my butt off with some intense cardio 👍

 

[Der Alta]

Thanks for that DA, do you mind if I share that new routine with my partners to get their feedback? I think we're all pumped to get ripped by the end of summer so we're all looking for the best routine, especially since Hydroxycut is pulled from the market according to the FDA today.

For the record, you can probably tell from my girlish figure I've never taken diet pills....

Feel free to borrow/reuse/rebuild/redesign as necessitated by your own workout.

Gracias.

Something minor that I noticed is in cell C6/C7, it should be 2 sets, not 4. Either that or all of the other Supersets (C12/13, C14/15, etc.) need to be doubled.

One thing I found odd, and maybe it's due to an injury (I can't recall offhand), is that there is only one set of Leg Extensions and not only that, but it's only at 25 pounds. I also just noticed that your hamstrings aren't getting any direct attention. Granted, they do their fair share during squats, leg press and the elliptical, but I wouldn't think a few sets of leg curls could hurt.

Other than that, it looks good, at least to my completely untrained eye!

You are correct, in that the C6/C7 should read 2 instead of 4.

As for the Leg Extensions, I haven't done those in quite some time, so I just threw a number in there for weight. I ended up using 55 lbs. And yes, only one set. After the Squats and the Leg Press, One set is all I require. My legs have been sore for 3 days.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Ugh, I just did 6 steep-ass hill funs and almost threw up at the end. Thought I should throw abit of HIIT into my cardio plus sprints have always been my weakness.

 

[Der Alta]

Thanks for that DA, do you mind if I share that new routine with my partners to get their feedback? I think we're all pumped to get ripped by the end of summer so we're all looking for the best routine, especially since Hydroxycut is pulled from the market according to the FDA today.

For the record, you can probably tell from my girlish figure I've never taken diet pills....

Pako, I've updated it in the BMI thread, but wanted to follow up your question. I've just had my Body Fat tested, and in three weeks, I've dropped 2% body fat and maintained my lean muscle mass. The drop in weight is due to the regiment above, and the maintaining muscle mass is due to my diet.

Carbs & Protein intake matched in the morning. Midday I'm eating 75% protein, 25% carbs. At the end of the day, I've minimized my Carb intake and maximized my Protein intake. My Fat intake is really low, avoiding it as much as I can. Mostly eat Chicken, Broccoli and Brown Rice.

If you take the regiment above, and adjust the numbers according to your regiment, you should be able to cut some body fat nicely. If you have questions, ask here, and I'll relay them to my trainer for an answer.

Good luck.

 

[Pako]

That is awesome, thanks. I'll look it over. Did my first 20 min of cardio on Friday and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. 👍

 

[Omnis]

Anyone ever try spinning before? The fitness bikes at the gym are great but I find it a bit boring. I wish I had a bike that fit me so I could go for a proper ride. But then there are those spin bikes... how are they any different from the normal bicycle machines?

 

[TB]

But then there are those spin bikes... how are they any different from the normal bicycle machines?

A stationary bike will allow you to stop pedaling and freewheel. A spin bike won't as it's like a fixed gear bike.

 

[Omnis]

A stationary bike will allow you to stop pedaling and freewheel. A spin bike won't as it's like a fixed gear bike.

Oh, right. But besides that?

 

[Blake]

Erggh, I’m having a really hard time dropping weight. I stopped going to the gym at the start of 2008, and went from 98kg to 105kg and basically sat at that weight until March this year, despite zero exercise and a pretty ridiculous diet.

But since March I’ve been going to the gym 4 times a week, 2 times with a personal trainer. I’m having awesome results in terms of cardio endurance and strength gains. Hell, even my body shape is getting better. But I’m still 105kg and not losing fat as quickly as I want to.

Very annoying, I think I need to get someone to dismantle my diet and set me on the right track, because I’ve made some changes myself, but the effect on my waist line is minimal (although I feel less lethargic, sleep better, and have more energy at the gym, etc.).

/vent

 

[ExigeEvan]

My dad had the same issue.

You're not tempted by having post workout snacks are, because you feel like you've justified them with the work done?

Without having an in depth look at your diet the best I can say is drink lots of water, eat 3 good meals a day and avoid snacking inbetween.

 

[Blake]

No, I don’t have unhealthy snacks. I think it’s mostly caused by a more than healthy sized dinner with heaps of carbs.

My meal routine is pretty much:
6am: wholegrain toast w/ low fat margarine
9am: protein supplement milkshake
1pm: lunch, usually a chicken sandwich or wrap
5pm: fruit, usually mandarins at the moment
7pm: dinner, which is usually something based on pasta, noodles or rice

Then I go to the gym at about 8:30. So I presume the huge carbs at the end of the day doesn’t help.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Carbs at the end of the day, but before gym, is fine in my opinion.

It might just be your portion size is out though, since I've been trying to cut fat for summer I've been a little less generous with the amount of rice I cook. But there's still alot more than most people have. So perhaps large amound of carbs, rather than huge is what you should be aiming for.

And just quickly, if you're buying a prepackaged sandwhich be careful, there can be alot of extra calorific goodies in them like mayo and such.

 

[Der Alta]

No, I don’t have unhealthy snacks. I think it’s mostly caused by a more than healthy sized dinner with heaps of carbs.

My meal routine is pretty much:
6am: wholegrain toast w/ low fat margarine
9am: protein supplement milkshake
1pm: lunch, usually a chicken sandwich or wrap
5pm: fruit, usually mandarins at the moment
7pm: dinner, which is usually something based on pasta, noodles or rice

Then I go to the gym at about 8:30. So I presume the huge carbs at the end of the day doesn’t help.

Your taste buds will hate you but your lack of weight loss is very likely due to diet.

Change the Toast to Oatmeal. Skip the margarine. If you want some flavor add a some of the Instant Cream of wheat. Change the Protein supplement shake to two small potatoes. Microwave them and eat them "as is"

Lunch, eliminate any Mayonnaise (change to Mustard). If you can, instead of the wrap, pack some Chicken Breast, Brown Rice and Broccoli for lunch. Try to minimize the cheese on your sandwiches.

Skip the Fruit altogether. Orange Juice in the morning (8-10oz) if you want, but no other fruit. Fruit is high in Sugar, which means you're loading in the carbs, in the afternoon. Cottage Cheese is very good.

It looks like your dinner may be too heavy on the calories. A bit of Brown Rice, lots of Veggies, and some more chicken. Then your shake after the workout. If you're hungry at the end of the night, have some more cottage cheese.

Two things that come up when looking at your meals. What are you drinking throughout the day? Your diet would look much better if you reversed it. Carbs in the morning, Protein through out the day.

As for drinks, here's what I follow and have had success with. The only liquids that I take in are lots of water, as much black coffee as I want and my protein shakes. On a rare occasion, I'll have some Trop50 (OJ from Tropicana, less sugar and calories). No Seltzer water, Soda, Creamer in the coffee or booze.

I'd type more, but the missus wants me off here.

 

[Omnis]

Don't eat starches during the second half of your day.

 

[Blake]

Thanks for the advice.

Regarding drinks I start the day with a low fat hot chocolate (I didn’t even think about that!) because it's winter, then the protein drink at 9am and from then on just water. About 3 litres a day.

I’ll respond more when I get home from work.

 

[Der Alta]

Tonight I finally sat down with my trainer and we reviewed what I've done so far. He's happy with the weights and reps and the progress, which means I'll be changing out of the "Cut" routine to a "Bulk" routine in two weeks. Provided my Body Fat gets to 14%. His feeling is that with a change in exercise intent but with the same eye to detail on my diet, I'll still make the 12% goal by August 1st. He's fairly confident I'll hit it before then, and as such wants me to switch to a Mass building exercise routine.

I've also eliminated creatine from my supplements as it isn't as productive as regular water. I've increased the L-Glutamine in my shake, as well as added another shake to my daily diet.

So Breakfast is supposed to be Oatmeal, Eggs (2yolks, 5whites) and a Protein Shake (52g protein, two spoonfuls of Yogurt, Ice, water, and a Huge spoonful of L-Glutamine). In addition to the Supplements. Zinc, Magnesium, Glucosimine, Chondoitin, Centrum*, and sometimes a Vitamin C.

Same 9am, Noon, and 3pm meals. Chicken, Broccoli (or Peas), and Brown Rice. I get 8 oz of V8 (low Sodium) with a Heaping spoonful of L-Glutamine prior to my workout, and then a Shake after the workout (same as Breakfast shake). If I'm hungry in teh evening (and I usually am) I'll have Cottage Cheese or another piece of chicken.

When I get the new routine laid out and in proper format, I'll post it up here for you all to look at. Probably should shoot some "Before and After" pics at some point.