staffs_blue said:
After a few years of basically doing nothing,i've re-joined a gym and decided to start weight training again.
I'm not looking to bulk up,just looking to increase my size a little and 'cut up'.
What would be the best way to go about this?
Should I concentrate on certain muscle groups(arms and chest monday,back and shoulders wednesday,legs and abs fridays) or should i do an all over workout 3 days a week to begin with and then work the muscle groups individually?
Hi, every single post that tries offering advice here fails for you, except
Wafty Cranker
So hats off to Wafty Cranker for the sound advice.
First off:
avoid weight training.
This is a complete No-No, you haven't lifted any weights for years yet you have been doing one thing: lifting your own body weight around the house and at work.
A big misconception for exercising is the need for a gymnasium which just isn't needed unless you really want to be a bodybuilder or lift weights that exceed your current body weight (powerlifter).
Lifting weights requires alot of technique and physical balance, as you use your body less this creates muscle/joint imbalance which eventually leads to injuries. Lifting weights whilst your body is imbalanced like that is asking to be injured, and believe me: i've had many injuries whilst in a gym, how does 160kg crashing down on your back sound when doing a Back Squat improperly?
You need to get used to the body movements you will be doing in the future without the risk of injury, so my advice is to use your own body weight as the resistance.
Press-ups/chin-ups/pull-ups/dips/plank/side-plank/lunges/squats theres loads here:
<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Bodyweight_exercise" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:B ... t_exercise</a>
if you want to know how they look, youtube them, for example
The plank:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQmRINu4jU[/youtube]
You can focus on two seperate workouts, they can be: power & strength.
Your power workout would consist of quick repititions in a set period of time.. so in 10 seconds try to do as many pushups as possible.
Your strength workout would consist of set repititions, say (6-8) in a very controlled and slow manner. so rather than doing 10 pressups in 10 seconds, you would do 6-8 press-ups in 40 seconds.
Try doing each workout Monday-Wednesday-Friday, alternating the strength and power workouts.
so if you do the power on a monday, do the strength on a wednesday, then power on friday, and strength on monday... and so on.
Now your routine won't just consist of pressups, you need to include a full body workout which your working your upper body, mid section and lower body.
So alternating your workout is also good, example would be to do some pressups, then quickly switch to doing some
back squats which will work your lower body, then back again to say some Dips (working your triceps) then back again to say working your scapula with some scapula pushups.
CirCuit Training - google this, and read about it. try to understand it and incorporate circuit Training into both your power and your strength workouts.
try to include atleast 7 stations in each circuit, and do atleast 4x rounds in your power workout, and 3-5 rounds in your strength workout.
Remember, your power workout is all about exploding as quick as possible, as soon as you start to slow down, quit and go onto your next station.
Your strength workout is all about controlling your own body weight.
it shouldn't take you no more than 15mins to complete your power workout, and 25mins with your strength workout.
if you struggle to devise up your own routine using your own body weight let me know and i will devise one up for you.
H.I.I.T - High Intensity Interval Training.. google this, read up about it... try sprinting down the street, or up anhill for 30 secs, as fast as you possibly can. then walk back for 1minute.... then try again, 30 secs sprint, 1min walk.
Try this just 4/5 times.
This is your cardio workout, done :)
Gradually over time (months) reduce your 1min walk by 5 seconds to 55 seconds, keeping the sprint at 30 seconds.
keep reducing the rest period over several months.
Try to do your HIIT on the Tuesday-Thursday, so days you are not doing the power/strength workout.
Remember, your workout lasts as said 15mins, but your living your life in that day for 23hrs so whats most important is what your putting inside your body.
Big misconception: eating loads of heavy foods such as pasta before a workout... Avoid, try to get your workout done before work, its quick - its not a 3hr gym session.
Have some light breakfast, maybe a banana, or some porridge.
if you cant get it done before work, after work... people who exercise before or after work are more likely to be more focussed in their jobs than tired.
After your workout your body will be craving the complex carbohydrates such as pasta and brown rice and proteins such as chicken/tuna... the best time to eat is throughout the day in smaller portions, no big portions in 3 meals, cut your meal in half and consume atleast 6 smaller sized meals per day.. eating clean foods such as pastas/brown rice/chicken/tuna.... constantly feeding your body throuughout the day will eradicate the craving for crappy junk foods and chocolate/crisps...
if you get hungry at night and crave something, make yourself a pint of Water....
I'm gonna do this now for all you guys wanting the six-pack :
Water
Water
Water
Water is very important, i mean its probably the most natural thing you can do as a human being (except drinking your own urine and taking a dump, oh yea and sex)
Always have water beside you, when you crave anything, just drink water.
Please try to eat food though guys, dont just rely on water throughout the day, eat pasta, eat chicken, as much as you want... just dont eat the skin off the chicken and dont eat those pasta ready meals.
You can eat alot, just make sure its quality foods that are filling.
Finally: I eat shit, tonight my fiance offered me the chance of a chippy tea, and then she bought some chocolate... yummy i couldn't resist.
But this is a rareity, rest assured tommorow i'll be eating skinless chicken breast fillets on a pitta bread with fresh salad and brown rice.
You can enjoy your food and your drink, just theres a big difference between eating takeaways and going out on the piss every night of the week and once a month.