You sound like where you were is where I am at now. I'm 38 and have been weightlifting for 15ish years. I've reached the point where the pain in my elbows is becoming to much to ignore, so I know a change is in order.
I ignored it for too long. The critical point for me was when i tried to lift a suitcase and almost screamed in pain. I knew then if it affected every day things I had to do something about it. I immediately stopped upper body work for 12 weeks which was very difficult. My left elbow improved very quickly but it took about 18 months to get my right elbow back to about 90%. I had physio, acupuncture, electric treatment, you name it but I think rest was the biggest help.
I've used elbow pads ever since but noticed at the beginning of the year pain on the inside of my elbow (golfers elbow). I then had to re-evaluate what I could do. I love lifting weights but certain exercises like pull-ups, chin-ups and db flyes cause pain so have to be done infrequently these days. I'm still doing weights but just two days a week and mainly in a HIIT format, e.g. 40 seconds lifting, 20 seconds rest and then onto the next exercise doing a few rounds in a circuit. I've throttled the weights right down as well concentrating on good form and nice slow smooth reps. I do three days of HIIT cardio as well, normally between 25 - 35 minutes and am loving it. I'm eating as much as when I was bulking, normally two heavy carb meals after training so it's all good.
ichaice, very motivational story and photo... I had a similar aha evolution journey...when I started a serious concentration in fitness it was with just weights....but now that I have a few years of P90X3 instead and assorted burst training, at 48.5 years old I am in the best shape of my life...muscle tone better, more streamlined etc...still a journey to go before goals (meaning it wont ever end) but so much happier I switched from the weights and machine focus....here is me in NYC just yesterday:
Its been great following your fitness journey all these years and what a change its made. I think you look much better now then you did when CR came out.
I'm an older (about the same age as DC) long time weight trainer. For many years I used to concentrate on weights with little cardio. I've trained at UP Fitness here in London and done most kinds of weight training. I've always been in reasonable shape and experimented with putting on bulk, stripping away fat etc. My weight has fluctuated by as much as 20lbs. Unfortunately time, age, wear and tear took it's toll and I've had lot's of issues, mainly with my elbows. I suffered very badly with tennis elbow which took a long time and three physios before it improved.
At the start of the year I started suffering with golfers elbow (the opposite side of the elbow to tennis elbow). This prompted me to look into alternatives as now my main focus is to be fit and healthy rather than bulky in constant pain. I had always done a little bit of HIIT but in very small quantities so decided to give it a go. I'm now doing three HIIT cardio sessions a week (mountain climbers, burpees etc) and two weights HIIT sessions. During the weights sessions I'm only lifting a fraction of what I used to knock out. Occasionally I will still do a strength weights session just to shake things up. I must admit I'm enjoying my training again and find it to be varied and challenging. My wife hated doing weight training and is now doing HIIT cardio and is really enjoying it.
Here's me at UP Fitness after a particularly hard session a couple of years ago
Here's pretty much where I am now in terms of progress
you look like you're in great shape! I hope I look that good when I'm your age.
I've always been quite lean (think Jamie Dornan) and have recently been under a bout of stress which has wrecked havoc on my mind and body. So I've been battling it with the usual weight lifting I've always done but also have included cardio everyday for a mile or two and its worked wonders not only for physical health but also mentally. Here's a picture I took two years ago when I was bulking up along with my obvious inspiration. I'm not that big anymore and honestly don't really care to be, I'm not a massive eater so it was tedious to have to constantly eat to maintain that size.
I am a bit softer than that currently. But I pretty much walk around like that shot. If I keep in my cardio and eat perfectly for a month it comes back every time.
I'm desperately trying to get in shape for my wedding. Fitting my Sunspel and Magnoli Polo's perfectly are my motivation. I used to be 12st with good muscle, these days, i'm 14 and it's just not shifting. I'm in the gym 3-4 times a week, trying to eat as much fresh and simple food as possible, but there hasn't been much of a difference since Christmas, I have no idea whats going on. When i got really into the gym in about 2008, i looked great in about 6 weeks. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
I'm desperately trying to get in shape for my wedding. Fitting my Sunspel and Magnoli Polo's perfectly are my motivation. I used to be 12st with good muscle, these days, i'm 14 and it's just not shifting. I'm in the gym 3-4 times a week, trying to eat as much fresh and simple food as possible, but there hasn't been much of a difference since Christmas, I have no idea whats going on. When i got really into the gym in about 2008, i looked great in about 6 weeks. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
I'm back in the gym daily but must admit struggling with motivation since winter is kicking in. I think also being in the same dark dreary gym (often on my own due to the time I go) for the last 12 years does not help!
Weighed myself the other day and I am 16 stone which shocked me however I dont feel that heavy!! Off to get a second opinion (use another scales lol)
On the positive side my lower back feels strong and pain free!! I'm doing light weights nowadays and more cardio
I'm desperately trying to get in shape for my wedding. Fitting my Sunspel and Magnoli Polo's perfectly are my motivation. I used to be 12st with good muscle, these days, i'm 14 and it's just not shifting. I'm in the gym 3-4 times a week, trying to eat as much fresh and simple food as possible, but there hasn't been much of a difference since Christmas, I have no idea whats going on. When i got really into the gym in about 2008, i looked great in about 6 weeks. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Maybe list your sample diet?
breakfast - rice krispeys with semi skimmed milk
lunch - usually a fresh sandwich, brown bread, sometimes rice and chicken
a bit of fruit, blueberry, grapes if i’m peckish
dinner- chicken or fish, runner beans
I do like a few beers on friday night, i suspect this is not helping, and my stomach does tend to bloat a lot after beer. I suspect this is probably the main culprit but it shouldn’t be enough for it to sustain all week,
At the gym i tend to do 30 mins on the cross trainer level 15, at around 8-10.5 kpm
10k on the bike, at quite i high resistance.
And low-med weights, between 25-55kgs.
If i run I get very bad shin splints very quickly, i would rather do it, but it’s high impact on my joints, and since i’m 42 I don’t feel like hobbling everywhere.
If I may provide a bit of advise on exercise and diet.
Regarding your diet, the cereal is not helping. Try a clean carb such as oatmeal with protein powder and 1 cup blue berries with 1 cup unflavored almond milk instead.
Lunch seems fine, I would stick with the chicken and rice.
Do a no/low carb, high protein snack (if a protein bar, look to see what are the nutritional figures, most are candy)
Dinner is good.
-
Gym you should be doing some light weights to get into lifts, concentrate on form and ask questions to those who know what they are doing.
I would do as a start 4 on/ 3 off.
Day 1 Chest/Biceps
Day 2 Off
Day 3 Back/Triceps
Day 4 Off
Day 5 Legs and Shoulders
Day 6 Off
Day 7 Cardio (swimming, steep incline treadmill since you mentioned pain when running and those mentioned are low/no impact)
Try to do 2-3 exercises per muscle group to start with as a gradient, 10 reps minimum.
If I may provide a bit of advise on exercise and diet.
Regarding your diet, the cereal is not helping. Try a clean carb such as oatmeal with protein powder and 1 cup blue berries with 1 cup unflavored almond milk instead.
Lunch seems fine, I would stick with the chicken and rice.
Do a no/low carb, high protein snack (if a protein bar, look to see what are the nutritional figures, most are candy)
Dinner is good.
-
Gym you should be doing some light weights to get into lifts, concentrate on form and ask questions to those who know what they are doing.
I would do as a start 4 on/ 3 off.
Day 1 Chest/Biceps
Day 2 Off
Day 3 Back/Triceps
Day 4 Off
Day 5 Legs and Shoulders
Day 6 Off
Day 7 Cardio (swimming, steep incline treadmill since you mentioned pain when running and those mentioned are low/no impact)
Try to do 2-3 exercises per muscle group to start with as a gradient, 10 reps minimum.
Lastly, no alcohol until wedding.
OK, I will give this a try, I have noticed that there is a noticeable difference arms and shoulders after a day of rest or two. Ok, no alcohol. I'll try and find an alternative solution to relaxing on fridays and if i'm DJing, i'll have a diet lemonade or something like that.
Thanks a lot for the help. I used to make myself oatmeal/raisin muffins for breakfast and they work a treat, they're filling and very skinny. I'll make some tonight and stick to those from now on.
i used to do steep incline treadmill before i got into the cross trainer and do think that was better at just shedding the fat. I’ll start when i get to the gym tonight. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated and i’ll let you know how i get on.
I've been doing steep incline treadmill when not in the mood for running - I find it exhausting but at least I can watch a movie on the iPhone to pass time away which I cannot do if running (find running a mental snoozefest)
If I may provide a bit of advise on exercise and diet.
Regarding your diet, the cereal is not helping. Try a clean carb such as oatmeal with protein powder and 1 cup blue berries with 1 cup unflavored almond milk instead.
Lunch seems fine, I would stick with the chicken and rice.
Do a no/low carb, high protein snack (if a protein bar, look to see what are the nutritional figures, most are candy)
Dinner is good.
-
Gym you should be doing some light weights to get into lifts, concentrate on form and ask questions to those who know what they are doing.
I would do as a start 4 on/ 3 off.
Day 1 Chest/Biceps
Day 2 Off
Day 3 Back/Triceps
Day 4 Off
Day 5 Legs and Shoulders
Day 6 Off
Day 7 Cardio (swimming, steep incline treadmill since you mentioned pain when running and those mentioned are low/no impact)
Try to do 2-3 exercises per muscle group to start with as a gradient, 10 reps minimum.
Lastly, no alcohol until wedding.
OK, I will give this a try, I have noticed that there is a noticeable difference arms and shoulders after a day of rest or two. Ok, no alcohol. I'll try and find an alternative solution to relaxing on fridays and if i'm DJing, i'll have a diet lemonade or something like that.
Thanks a lot for the help. I used to make myself oatmeal/raisin muffins for breakfast and they work a treat, they're filling and very skinny. I'll make some tonight and stick to those from now on.
i used to do steep incline treadmill before i got into the cross trainer and do think that was better at just shedding the fat. I’ll start when i get to the gym tonight. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated and i’ll let you know how i get on.
If weight loss is the goal here I see (way) too little cardio.
I can identify with a lot of posts here. I have been lifting for 20 years doing the same things each week. I had always done Arnold Schwartzenegger 4 day split routine (with minor variations) where you worked each body part once a week, hard. I switched to a much more difficult workout in December 2015 that had me doing each body part twice a week being in the gym 6 days a week. I am in the best shape I have ever been in right now but it hasn't been without consequence from training like I am 24 at 44. I have tennis elbow in my right arm from, well, tennis and it affects me greatly. It really makes me mad to have worked so hard for six months and then have a problem that the only solution to is rest. I can do most things in the gym per my workout but there are a few exercises that I simply can't touch anymore, like reverse curls for forearms.
There is no better feeling than the self confidence that comes from building your body. I think for me, my small stature was extreme motivation. I am 5'4 and 152. Before I increased my gym time 6 months ago, I was 139. height stayed the same. )
If I may provide a bit of advise on exercise and diet.
Regarding your diet, the cereal is not helping. Try a clean carb such as oatmeal with protein powder and 1 cup blue berries with 1 cup unflavored almond milk instead.
Lunch seems fine, I would stick with the chicken and rice.
Do a no/low carb, high protein snack (if a protein bar, look to see what are the nutritional figures, most are candy)
Dinner is good.
-
Gym you should be doing some light weights to get into lifts, concentrate on form and ask questions to those who know what they are doing.
I would do as a start 4 on/ 3 off.
Day 1 Chest/Biceps
Day 2 Off
Day 3 Back/Triceps
Day 4 Off
Day 5 Legs and Shoulders
Day 6 Off
Day 7 Cardio (swimming, steep incline treadmill since you mentioned pain when running and those mentioned are low/no impact)
Try to do 2-3 exercises per muscle group to start with as a gradient, 10 reps minimum.
Lastly, no alcohol until wedding.
OK, I will give this a try, I have noticed that there is a noticeable difference arms and shoulders after a day of rest or two. Ok, no alcohol. I'll try and find an alternative solution to relaxing on fridays and if i'm DJing, i'll have a diet lemonade or something like that.
Thanks a lot for the help. I used to make myself oatmeal/raisin muffins for breakfast and they work a treat, they're filling and very skinny. I'll make some tonight and stick to those from now on.
i used to do steep incline treadmill before i got into the cross trainer and do think that was better at just shedding the fat. I’ll start when i get to the gym tonight. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated and i’ll let you know how i get on.
If weight loss is the goal here I see (way) too little cardio.
Normally I would do a routine like that but cardio in between each weight day and have day 7 off completely
I can't speak much on specific routines/diet, but I definitely have experience with motivation. Where I used to live, I kept in shape by doing sports: climbing, snowboarding/skiing, hockey, kayaking, trail running. Fitness was a side effect of doing something I loved, and any training I did (weights, cardio, yoga) was simply so I could get better at the activities I loved. I hated going to the gym "just to get in shape"; lifting weights or running on a treadmill bore the hell at of me.
So if I can add anything it would be:
1. Mix up the gym work with outdoor activities, sports or "fun stuff" as much as possible; I'm not a big fan of running on sidewalks, but I really enjoy trail running because it involves a mental aspect. If you don't pay attention and stay focused, you end up flat on your face when you trip over a root or rock. The scenery is also better. Also, a lot of sports require you to use muscles that are difficult to target in a gym, and have other benefits like improved reaction time, mental focus, etc. For example, indoor/outdoor climbing requires not only strength, flexibility and technique but also strong problem solving skills and concentration. Plus, these types of activities are just more fun (for me) than repetitive motions in a gym.
2. Try yoga, tai chi or a martial art. Because I climbed a lot, I thought I was pretty strong and flexible, but man! my first yoga and tai chi classes kicked by a$$! I took them to help me with my balance, flexibility and mental focus, but they did a lot more for me than just that. My strength and muscle tone also improved a lot, which I was not expecting.
3. After one particularly inactive winter, I wanted to lose some weight and get back into "summer sports" shape. I started using a heart rate monitor (this was 25 years ago, so it was a very basic Polar), but it made a huge difference to how I trained for cardio fitness. I stayed at the low end of my target heart zone and stuck with Long Slow Distance. When I started, I was very disciplined about staying in that zone, even if it meant slowing down and walking when my HR got elevated. I lost the weight fast and my cardio fitness improved more quickly than it ever had before. My lesson learned: I thought that running until I was panting was "working hard and burning fat", but the truth was I wasn't training efficiently and I needed the HR monitor to show me that.
If weight loss is the goal here I see (way) too little cardio.
If the man is not accustom to the gym and actually working the body hard (which is what I duplicated from his post), than its all about gradients and actually taking a win.
After week one, I would recommend he post back here with how he did and then increase the intensity while keeping the gradient in until maybe he can do the following:
EXAMPLE:
CARDIO WARM-UP 5 MIN
SHOULDER PRESS BB 3X10
STANDING ALT DB PRESS 3X10
KETTLEBELL SWING 3 MIN
SQUAT 3X10
DEADLIFT 3X10
LUNGES 3X10
CALF RAISES 3X10
-
Also @smirkingrevenge, if you want a solid routine I would look at bodybuilding.com. The data they have on supplements, diet, workouts (for every level of person), etc. is fantastic. Also on every exercise there is a hyperlink to a picture/video of how to do it and tips on doing it.
I am personally interested in how it goes, please keep me posted. -{ I always try to help my fellows out with fitness whenever I can {[]
Thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate it. I have 7 weeks to lose about 1 and 1/2 stone. It's not a great deal, but as i get older, it's definitely getting harder. @nafets47, I will check out Body Building.com. I never want to look like Arnie, i have to say, just slim, and in good shape. I'll let you know how i get on.
Solely thinking that you have to do cardio galore for weight loss is a myth. Plenty of great transformations have been achieved through proper diet, intense weights sessions & the odd active recovery session in your weekly routine.
I'd seriously recommend you take a look at a great book by Nick Mitchell called Your Ultimate Body Transformation Plan. Amazon sells it. Trust me - this man is an extremely well respected PT & the book is an excellent tool for anyone wishing to improve their physique / learn about sculpting their body properly & effectively.
I'm by no means a fitness expert so can only share what has worked for me personally.
I get by with 3 workouts each week - chest/shoulder/triceps, back/legs/biceps and abs/core.
Used to be quite scrawny at 176 cm and 60 kg - now I'm at 74 kg with a quite low body fat percentage. The key for me to achieve this has been 70% diet and 30% hard training. However, I also learned that I achieve the most when I really allow myself to rest. The "48 hours rest between training each muscle group" isn't enough for me - I end up feeling tired all the time and the motivation goes out the window. Rather commit to something less ambitious when it comes to diet and workout routine that not being able to actually do it because it's too tough!
Smirkingrevenge: I've found myself to have a lot more motivation for cardio training when it's combined with an activity I like - I hate running for instance as I find it very boring and repetitive!
I don't know how much time you have but you could join some sort of martial arts class that also focusses on cardio: MMA, boxing, muay thai, kickboxing or what not. I've trained Krav Maga for around 3 years and got in the best shape of my life! (Currently on a break though). I feel I can continue twice as long with a physically straining activity when it is in this setting as I don't have time to think about how tough it is as much as when you do something by yourself. Also a very Bondian type of workout I think -{
As I said, only got 7 weeks and don't really have time for martial arts, plus, they don't really interest me and i don't have any desire whatsoever to be kicked in the face )
But consistency is definitely the way forward, and no booze. Which means i'll be trolled on my wedding night. )
I've learned a long time ago to not comment on fitness threads because, like most things in life, what is needed is very personalized and you'll usually see the vast majority of posts being made by people either guessing or repeating old wive's tales. However, when I see what Smirkingrevenge wrote I see two things that I absolutely would change, so I felt the need to comment. And these are very common:
1) You're eating way too many carbs
2) You're doing way too much cardio
Regardless of the type of carbs that you're eating, whether they are "clean" or not, they're still carbs. I can't judge how much protein you're getting but I would guess not nearly enough (think of the carb to protein ratio in a sandwich - it's a huge eye opener to actually measure how many grams of meat you're using and then seeing how much protein is in there).
Regarding cardio, it only burns calories while you're doing it. IMHO (and I used to be a personal trainer at a university) I'd concentrate more on the weights. None of the guys that I know who compete (and some are smaller fitness models, not bodybuilders) do cardio other than for a warm up - and these guys are shredded to an inch of their lives. If you absolutely feel the need to do cardio, the cross trainer (called elliptical trainer here in Canada) is the least effective piece of cardio equipment there is. You're better off walking on a Stepmill (looks like a short escalator, far more effective than a Stairmaster) or power walking on a treadmill at the maximum (usually 15%) inclination. No steady state cardio - alternate between going faster and slower.
Of course, no one here knows me in the real world so they may think that I'm guessing or re-posting things that I've read somewhere else. I wouldn't go on to any kind of forums because there's a lot of garbage information there. As for Bodybuilding.com I'd say that even if you find some good info there, does it really apply to your situation or is it more for a guy who wants to look like Schwartzenegger in his prime?
As for specific routines I don't know what your imbalances, weaknesses, or injuries are - this is important because you can only do as much as the weakest muscle allows you to do. This is one reason why random routines that someone finds on the internet or in a magazine usually never work (if it did, every guy who goes to the gym would look like Daniel Craig). Regardless of the routines that people do, most people don't go much past what they can already do. I can't tell you how many times someone I was training would stop when they hit a specific number (say, on rep number 8 or 12). I would then force them to keep going and found out they could do more - in a few cases, up to 40 reps! If your body is already capable of doing 40 reps (or even 15) and you stop at 12 - how will you ever get into *better* shape if you're doing less than what you can *already* do?
Just my two cents, but I'd say that I have very often found the following to be true for most people (guys and girls):
1) Eat way fewer carbs and far more protein than you do now
2) Do way less cardio and far more weights than you do now
3) When you go to the gym , push yourself to the limit of what you can do, and the next time you go, do more than you did the last time. Every time.
For those who think DC wasn't at his fittest in SP I think the first picture didn't help him, even though we all look like that having a good chuckle. But seriously I think the longer hair he had in SP softened his face compared to the close cut in SF which better outlined his angular features, also the stubble further highlighted his jawline. Regardless of his fitness levels between each film a haircut can make a big difference.
Comments
Wow, you're going to give DC a run for his money soon David
I ignored it for too long. The critical point for me was when i tried to lift a suitcase and almost screamed in pain. I knew then if it affected every day things I had to do something about it. I immediately stopped upper body work for 12 weeks which was very difficult. My left elbow improved very quickly but it took about 18 months to get my right elbow back to about 90%. I had physio, acupuncture, electric treatment, you name it but I think rest was the biggest help.
I've used elbow pads ever since but noticed at the beginning of the year pain on the inside of my elbow (golfers elbow). I then had to re-evaluate what I could do. I love lifting weights but certain exercises like pull-ups, chin-ups and db flyes cause pain so have to be done infrequently these days. I'm still doing weights but just two days a week and mainly in a HIIT format, e.g. 40 seconds lifting, 20 seconds rest and then onto the next exercise doing a few rounds in a circuit. I've throttled the weights right down as well concentrating on good form and nice slow smooth reps. I do three days of HIIT cardio as well, normally between 25 - 35 minutes and am loving it. I'm eating as much as when I was bulking, normally two heavy carb meals after training so it's all good.
I am a bit softer than that currently. But I pretty much walk around like that shot. If I keep in my cardio and eat perfectly for a month it comes back every time.
Maybe list your sample diet?
Weighed myself the other day and I am 16 stone which shocked me however I dont feel that heavy!! Off to get a second opinion (use another scales lol)
On the positive side my lower back feels strong and pain free!! I'm doing light weights nowadays and more cardio
breakfast - rice krispeys with semi skimmed milk
lunch - usually a fresh sandwich, brown bread, sometimes rice and chicken
a bit of fruit, blueberry, grapes if i’m peckish
dinner- chicken or fish, runner beans
I do like a few beers on friday night, i suspect this is not helping, and my stomach does tend to bloat a lot after beer. I suspect this is probably the main culprit but it shouldn’t be enough for it to sustain all week,
At the gym i tend to do 30 mins on the cross trainer level 15, at around 8-10.5 kpm
10k on the bike, at quite i high resistance.
And low-med weights, between 25-55kgs.
If i run I get very bad shin splints very quickly, i would rather do it, but it’s high impact on my joints, and since i’m 42 I don’t feel like hobbling everywhere.
Regarding your diet, the cereal is not helping. Try a clean carb such as oatmeal with protein powder and 1 cup blue berries with 1 cup unflavored almond milk instead.
Lunch seems fine, I would stick with the chicken and rice.
Do a no/low carb, high protein snack (if a protein bar, look to see what are the nutritional figures, most are candy)
Dinner is good.
-
Gym you should be doing some light weights to get into lifts, concentrate on form and ask questions to those who know what they are doing.
I would do as a start 4 on/ 3 off.
Day 1 Chest/Biceps
Day 2 Off
Day 3 Back/Triceps
Day 4 Off
Day 5 Legs and Shoulders
Day 6 Off
Day 7 Cardio (swimming, steep incline treadmill since you mentioned pain when running and those mentioned are low/no impact)
Try to do 2-3 exercises per muscle group to start with as a gradient, 10 reps minimum.
Lastly, no alcohol until wedding.
OK, I will give this a try, I have noticed that there is a noticeable difference arms and shoulders after a day of rest or two. Ok, no alcohol. I'll try and find an alternative solution to relaxing on fridays and if i'm DJing, i'll have a diet lemonade or something like that.
Thanks a lot for the help. I used to make myself oatmeal/raisin muffins for breakfast and they work a treat, they're filling and very skinny. I'll make some tonight and stick to those from now on.
i used to do steep incline treadmill before i got into the cross trainer and do think that was better at just shedding the fat. I’ll start when i get to the gym tonight. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated and i’ll let you know how i get on.
If weight loss is the goal here I see (way) too little cardio.
The workout I am doing is posted here -->http://www.steveplaystennis.com/workout-routine/. It is tough.
There is no better feeling than the self confidence that comes from building your body. I think for me, my small stature was extreme motivation. I am 5'4 and 152. Before I increased my gym time 6 months ago, I was 139. height stayed the same.
Normally I would do a routine like that but cardio in between each weight day and have day 7 off completely
So if I can add anything it would be:
1. Mix up the gym work with outdoor activities, sports or "fun stuff" as much as possible; I'm not a big fan of running on sidewalks, but I really enjoy trail running because it involves a mental aspect. If you don't pay attention and stay focused, you end up flat on your face when you trip over a root or rock. The scenery is also better. Also, a lot of sports require you to use muscles that are difficult to target in a gym, and have other benefits like improved reaction time, mental focus, etc. For example, indoor/outdoor climbing requires not only strength, flexibility and technique but also strong problem solving skills and concentration. Plus, these types of activities are just more fun (for me) than repetitive motions in a gym.
2. Try yoga, tai chi or a martial art. Because I climbed a lot, I thought I was pretty strong and flexible, but man! my first yoga and tai chi classes kicked by a$$! I took them to help me with my balance, flexibility and mental focus, but they did a lot more for me than just that. My strength and muscle tone also improved a lot, which I was not expecting.
3. After one particularly inactive winter, I wanted to lose some weight and get back into "summer sports" shape. I started using a heart rate monitor (this was 25 years ago, so it was a very basic Polar), but it made a huge difference to how I trained for cardio fitness. I stayed at the low end of my target heart zone and stuck with Long Slow Distance. When I started, I was very disciplined about staying in that zone, even if it meant slowing down and walking when my HR got elevated. I lost the weight fast and my cardio fitness improved more quickly than it ever had before. My lesson learned: I thought that running until I was panting was "working hard and burning fat", but the truth was I wasn't training efficiently and I needed the HR monitor to show me that.
If the man is not accustom to the gym and actually working the body hard (which is what I duplicated from his post), than its all about gradients and actually taking a win.
After week one, I would recommend he post back here with how he did and then increase the intensity while keeping the gradient in until maybe he can do the following:
EXAMPLE:
CARDIO WARM-UP 5 MIN
SHOULDER PRESS BB 3X10
STANDING ALT DB PRESS 3X10
KETTLEBELL SWING 3 MIN
SQUAT 3X10
DEADLIFT 3X10
LUNGES 3X10
CALF RAISES 3X10
-
Also @smirkingrevenge, if you want a solid routine I would look at bodybuilding.com. The data they have on supplements, diet, workouts (for every level of person), etc. is fantastic. Also on every exercise there is a hyperlink to a picture/video of how to do it and tips on doing it.
I am personally interested in how it goes, please keep me posted. -{ I always try to help my fellows out with fitness whenever I can {[]
Im really noticing this at the moment lol
Well aren't you the lucky one! Guess there'll be no problem in that area of the marriage ... :v
Seriously, best of luck reaching your goal!
I'd seriously recommend you take a look at a great book by Nick Mitchell called Your Ultimate Body Transformation Plan. Amazon sells it. Trust me - this man is an extremely well respected PT & the book is an excellent tool for anyone wishing to improve their physique / learn about sculpting their body properly & effectively.
I get by with 3 workouts each week - chest/shoulder/triceps, back/legs/biceps and abs/core.
Used to be quite scrawny at 176 cm and 60 kg - now I'm at 74 kg with a quite low body fat percentage. The key for me to achieve this has been 70% diet and 30% hard training. However, I also learned that I achieve the most when I really allow myself to rest. The "48 hours rest between training each muscle group" isn't enough for me - I end up feeling tired all the time and the motivation goes out the window. Rather commit to something less ambitious when it comes to diet and workout routine that not being able to actually do it because it's too tough!
Smirkingrevenge: I've found myself to have a lot more motivation for cardio training when it's combined with an activity I like - I hate running for instance as I find it very boring and repetitive!
I don't know how much time you have but you could join some sort of martial arts class that also focusses on cardio: MMA, boxing, muay thai, kickboxing or what not. I've trained Krav Maga for around 3 years and got in the best shape of my life! (Currently on a break though). I feel I can continue twice as long with a physically straining activity when it is in this setting as I don't have time to think about how tough it is as much as when you do something by yourself. Also a very Bondian type of workout I think
But consistency is definitely the way forward, and no booze. Which means i'll be trolled on my wedding night.
1) You're eating way too many carbs
2) You're doing way too much cardio
Regardless of the type of carbs that you're eating, whether they are "clean" or not, they're still carbs. I can't judge how much protein you're getting but I would guess not nearly enough (think of the carb to protein ratio in a sandwich - it's a huge eye opener to actually measure how many grams of meat you're using and then seeing how much protein is in there).
Regarding cardio, it only burns calories while you're doing it. IMHO (and I used to be a personal trainer at a university) I'd concentrate more on the weights. None of the guys that I know who compete (and some are smaller fitness models, not bodybuilders) do cardio other than for a warm up - and these guys are shredded to an inch of their lives. If you absolutely feel the need to do cardio, the cross trainer (called elliptical trainer here in Canada) is the least effective piece of cardio equipment there is. You're better off walking on a Stepmill (looks like a short escalator, far more effective than a Stairmaster) or power walking on a treadmill at the maximum (usually 15%) inclination. No steady state cardio - alternate between going faster and slower.
Of course, no one here knows me in the real world so they may think that I'm guessing or re-posting things that I've read somewhere else. I wouldn't go on to any kind of forums because there's a lot of garbage information there. As for Bodybuilding.com I'd say that even if you find some good info there, does it really apply to your situation or is it more for a guy who wants to look like Schwartzenegger in his prime?
As for specific routines I don't know what your imbalances, weaknesses, or injuries are - this is important because you can only do as much as the weakest muscle allows you to do. This is one reason why random routines that someone finds on the internet or in a magazine usually never work (if it did, every guy who goes to the gym would look like Daniel Craig). Regardless of the routines that people do, most people don't go much past what they can already do. I can't tell you how many times someone I was training would stop when they hit a specific number (say, on rep number 8 or 12). I would then force them to keep going and found out they could do more - in a few cases, up to 40 reps! If your body is already capable of doing 40 reps (or even 15) and you stop at 12 - how will you ever get into *better* shape if you're doing less than what you can *already* do?
Just my two cents, but I'd say that I have very often found the following to be true for most people (guys and girls):
1) Eat way fewer carbs and far more protein than you do now
2) Do way less cardio and far more weights than you do now
3) When you go to the gym , push yourself to the limit of what you can do, and the next time you go, do more than you did the last time. Every time.
*Obviously not to the point of injuring yourself