Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Chris,

If building muscle is your goal at this point, stick to compound lifting exercises. Your schedule or routine will depend on the time that you can devote. My current weightlifting workout schedule looks like this, for example:

Monday:
Chest and triceps (push force) - flat bench press; flat bench dumbbell press; chest dip; flat bench dumbbell flyes; triceps extension; kickbacks.

Tuesday:
Legs - squats; hack squats; barbell straight-back straight-leg deadlift; hyperextension; leg extension; leg curls; calf raises.

Thursday:
Back, traps and biceps (pull force) - chin-up or pull-ups; lat pulldowns; bent-over rows; straight barbell curls; barbell reverse curls; wrist curls; shoulder shrugs.

Friday:
Shoulders - Military press; arnold dumbbell press; dumbell lateral raise; dumbbell front raise; lying dumbbell rear delt row.

Use enough weight that will enable you to stay with low reps (6-8)...3 sets of each exercise. If you can, get in-and-out...don't drag out your workout and try to keep your lifting to 45-minutes.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

It varies from person to person. For me, my first 2 sets of the exercise usually stays the same (heavy enough so that I can get 8 reps). The last one I sometimes have to decrease since the muscles that are being worked are bit more fatigued and getting to the 6-8 rep range is a real struggle (I work out alone @ home with no spotter when working with dumbbells. I don't need an accident to happen while I'm lifting).

Forgot to share an internet site with good references to lifting exercises, http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Also note that by adding muscle mass you're going to limit weight loss...at least in net numbers as muscle weighs more then fat tissue. I guess my point is so long as you're happy with your figure don't worry too much what the scale says relative to your goals.

I'd also add some cardio to your gym routine.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

I've lost 20 lbs. in two months by eliminating all carbonated soda pops - even the "diet" ones. Drink water w/lemon. No more fried foods. Cut back on bread, but if you need to eat bread - eat wheat bread. Eliminate the junk food snacks. Also, if you have the willpower - cut out as much sugar as possible.

Five days (M-F) at the gym doing 40 minutes of elliptical (cardio) exercise. That's it.

- Colton

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Losing 80lbs in six months is quite a lot; trying for 40 lbs in two months (5 lbs per week) seems unhealthy. You might check with your doctor, to make sure that that rapid of weight loss won't cause you problems.


I'm down about 30 over 7 months by improved diet, reduced calorie intake, and excerising a few times a week. I could have achieved more if I'd been more consistent on both diet and exercise.

I don't have a strong program. For the gym, I target 30 min weights and 30 min aerobic. I go in about three days a week and alternate upper and lower body for the weights.

For diet, I bought a dietary scale and aim for about 2000 cal a day (a 400 cal deficit for what I need). And I've been working in more salads, vegetables, etc., to improve my nutrition.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Better you can visit the link below by which am following the workout for my gym. And it will be more useful for me and my students.
------------
george

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Armando: Thanks for posting that excellent website.

VERY helpful.

Colton: Why do you suppose eliminating diet soda has helped with weight loss? I've heard other people suggest it...but I've never been able to find anything definitive on that subject.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

My doctor says that diet sodas may cause "starvation syndrome." Your body expects everything that it consumes to have calories. Since diet soda doesn't have any, your body thinks you haven't eaten anything, so you could be eating more than you would if you had a regular soda.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

I really don't want to hijack the thread on this subject, but if you switch from diet soda to water--I understand the logic that water is the best thing we can put in our bodies and that diet soda is merely flavored carbonated (and in many instances, caffeinated) water which contains unnecessary stuff...but why would dropping diet soda in favor of water lead to weight loss?

I've heard it said by a number of people but the logical part of my brain is having a hard time wrapping itself around the concept.

Thomas: For example, wouldn't water lead to that same "starvation diet" situation, if true for diet soda?

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Good point. This may answer the question:

Your Body's No Fool - Yahoo! Health

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

One way to trick your body into thinking it has already eaten too much is to check out the following web page.

This is why you're fat.

Check this page a couple of times each day and I'd guess you will lose weight.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

I have a bookmark on my other computer which I'll share, this post is to bookmark/remind me.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

The Doggcrapp system is the best Ive ever used for building muscle.

Even if you dont follow it religiously and use it as a general outline for youre workouts, it gets results. I used it for about 3 months last year and had great results.
Not even doing any cardio, the extra padding I had melted right off me.

Id love to do it again but have been nursing a non-gym related shoulder injury forever now.

DoggCrapp Method of Weight Training

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Hey, Jon. Those pics you had up briefly yesterday were a great example of your success with that program.

That Doggcrapp (how the heck did it ever get that name?!?) program looks pretty intense.

My wife and I just began a gym membership on April 1 and have been concentrating on cardio and some beginning weight training in order to introduce some tone back into our middle-aged bodies.

There's so much to learn! Even basics about taking breaks between bouts of weight training to allow for muscle recovery is a revelation.

While on the one hand it seems like such a simple, basic thing (go exercise and get stronger)...there seems to be so much good information based upon study on the subject that one should really be educated before beginning even rudimentary workouts.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

He actually explained the name once. He had posted bits and pieces on a old board ,but had no name for it really.When someone asked he just blurted out doggcrapp.

Some time later it had circulated back to him about how the routine was being passed around and becoming popular - he said if he'd known that he would have thought up a proper name for it.

It has appeared in some magazine articles and such and is usually just called DC Training or Dantes System.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Agree! Jon your results made me want to start working out again. Thanks for the motivation.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

I took them down becuase I felt like I was bragging.I'll put it back up.

Once again, about a 3 month difference between the first pic and the others. First pic I was depressed and about 25 pounds overweight. I used doggcrapp for about 3 months and these were the results - even without the proper calorie intake and only getting about 4 hours sleep a night. Also took about 3 weeks to a month just to get used to being back in the gym.

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/2634/66317006.jpg


Im still going to the gym right now. Not quite that size anymore as Ive been dealing with a shoulder issue. Not sure how I hurt it, wasnt in the gym.

But Id recommed the routine to anyone who wants to see results in a short amount of time. Follow it the best you can and the extreme stretches shouldnt be skipped. Even thought Im not doing the routine now, I do do the stretches after each workout. DC training is really for medium or advanced weight lifters, but even using the routine as a general guideline will get you some nice results if you really work hard at it. I gave the routine to a beginner, who loved it and customized the routine a bit for himself and got great gains as well. For instance the first month, because my weights were a lower volume, I did 2 sets instead of 1. But even I was shocked how fast my weights went up. Use youre own judgement - BUT BE CAREFUL! Never sacrifice good form!

Heres a pic of how to do the stretches properly. Extreme stretches for lats, chest, triceps and quads SUCK!!!!
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/8...tretches66.jpg

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Nah. It ain't braggin'. It's the results of hard work.

I just figured you had second thoughts about putting pix of yourself on the 'net.

But those are impressive results and I'm now intrigued by your comments about the stretching. I can't tell you how I have to force myself to remember to stretch--even before doing the cardio stuff. For some reason it seems to "secondary" to me...even though I intellectually "get" that the stretches are just as important as the actual exercises.

My wife and I, who have each lost about 40 pounds over the last year or so, have been on a miserable weight-loss plateau now for a couple of months and really want to step things up. That's why we joined the gym...but we are pretty ignorant about how to maximize our efforts to continue our journey.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

I have a hard time remembering to stretch as well and I really don't enjoy it when I do. I worked out for about 6 years straight and my wife was always riding me about how unflexible I was. I guess if I am going to start back I should try to do it right this time.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

"I just figured you had second thoughts about putting pix of yourself on the 'net. "
Well that too.


I do stretch in between each sets briefly. I didnt when I was younger, but Im not so young anymore and have pretty bad arthritis - so I do it.
These "extreme stretches" are for hitting the bodyparts you just worked. These are done at the END of each bodypart.

Mike, Adding some good weight lifting, going on the treadmill at a higher effort rate are the type of things that can help you get over that plateau.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Thanks, Jon. And that's what we've decided to do: work it just a little bit harder...AND be extra aware of what we're putting in our mouths. Although we've made a wholesale change of our eating habits, we figure maybe we've gotten a bit sloppy on the amounts of what we're eating.

This is tough stuff!

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

To me, weight loss just follows naturally after becoming more active. After I quit my last desk-job and began home remodeling projects full-time, I dropped from around 230 to 205. And as I remind people, that was on the "beer and pizza" diet.

Sitting at a desk all day is the real killer.

Mike, your problem may have to do with getting one kid married off and the other off to college. You have been cooking for 4 for so many years....you need to cut back. And those two young people who left your table were probably the most voracious eaters in the house. I'm sure some kind of portion control is the most important thing for you. Rather than cutting back 1/2 you probably need to cut back 2/3 on a household basis.

Plus more pizza.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Couldn't agree more.

I look around and see really obese people everywhere. What we've become as a society in the United States is embarrassing. The foods we eat combined with the complete lack of activity most of us have in our daily lives is a pairing that has lead us to become a nation of sedentary, unhealthy people.

Now I realize that last paragraph is not ground-breaking news in a long shot. But it bugs me that many people are conditioned to not see that the problem lies within.

I wanted to stop at the pizza shop on the way home from the gym tonight in the worst way!

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

What's really odd is how much worse "restaurant" food is for you. I can cook a similar menu item and I know it's got a lot less fat and sodium in it.

Tonight: chicken Marsala over noodles.

1 boneless chicken breast, cut into smaller pieces so it'll cook faster. Marinate in balsamic vinegar and olive oil for an hour or so (maybe add some basil and paprika). Cut up an onion and 5 cloves of garlic, brown in saute pan with olive oil . When onions begin to caramalize, throw in chicken and cook on all sides. Toss in sliced mushrooms, cook somewhat, deglaze the pan with Marsala, cover and simmer.

Toss egg noodles in a pan of boiling water. When done, drain, put in bowl, cover with chicken Marsala.

Eat with copious quantities of Cabernet to cut your cholesterol via the "French effect".

Hey, it works for me!

My point though is that a restaurant would cook the onion/chicken in bacon fat and throw in huge amounts of salt.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

How to gain muscle mass - (How to gain weight & build muscle)


I found the link

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

Yes portions mean alot when it comes to loosing or maintaining your weight.

The old rule was that each portion should be able to fit into the palm of your hand. I had a neighbor a few years ago who dropped about 30 or 40 pounds just by drastically reducing his portions, not even changing what he ate.

We've gotten used to filling our plates and its really not good for us.

Thats another good thing about exercising and trying to build muscle, another meal isnt too far away

Tip for those thrying to put on some muscle: One thing I did because I just didnt have the appetite to eat so many grams of protein a day, was to drink a glass of milk every hour or 2 in between meals.

Re: Help Recommend a Workout Program for Me

"Sitting at a desk all day is the real killer."

Yes it is - in more ways than one. I often came home from IBM annoyed, frustrated, pissed off,tense,etc. Very different from being tired from a days work doing tile (which can actually make you feel good. Knowing you accomplished something for the day).
But your right, I look at some of these people and say who do you ever let yourself go that badly.Even when I was depressed (and Ive had depression issues all my life) and gained some weight like in the pic above, I said "I have to snap out of it". I have to sometimes force myself to go to the gym when I dont feel like going at all.


"I look around and see really obese people everywhere. What we've become as a society in the United States is embarrassing. The foods we eat combined with the complete lack of activity most of us have in our daily lives is a pairing that has lead us to become a nation of sedentary, unhealthy people."

There isnt any balance anymore. Kids and people I think have just become so lazy. I played hours of intellivision as a kid, pissed away hours watching movies and reading comic books - but I walked or rode my bike everywhere, played football or baseball everyday and so on. My G/Fs kids dont do ANYTHING. No sports, they dont ride bikes, they dont walk anywhere. They come home from school and go right onto their laptops to play games with kids from wherever - and theyre both overweight(severely IMHO).

I know people are busy, but just 45 minutes a day dedicated to exercise can make a real difference.