My workout

[Bubblegum Bandit]

[duma]

Well, I have found that my way is giving me more mass, and strength. Although, I don't know that I am increasing in either with the speed I could, if I were to do it correctly. I have been working out since January, and you can tell a difference.

 

My goal, I guess, would be to be more cut, but gain mass. Thgouh again, this is something I have to fit into my schedule (that includes law school, full time job, and a wife), so I dont have time to be at the gym more than three times a week.

 

I usually do three (varied) excercises for a muscle group. I do three sets of each. I usually start with a lower weight (if it is a machine, I dont do this with dumbells), and do more reps. I then increase weight until my third set, where I can hardly reach 10 reps. Does that sound reasonable, or is there a better way?

 

Also, I like the idea of focusing on my biceps one day, and having them worked out secondary on another day. I got my routine off of a website, that explained why it is a good idea. The place just never mentioned how to work the reps, or what that kind of routine would reach, as far as a goal might go.

[Brillow_Head]

Looks like I need to up my cardio to at least 4 times a week then cause I wanna loose about 20lbs in 3 months. That with increased reps as per BGB sounds like the best combo.

 

Now, here is another question. I hate getting up early in the mourning so lifting at the crack of dawn is out for me. I lift durring lunch. What time would be good to do the cardio? The time availible for me are 5 PM to Midnight. I usually eat around 7->7:30.

[Bubblegum Bandit]

What time would be good to do the cardio?  The time availible for me are 5 PM to Midnight.  I usually eat around 7->7:30.

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My personal opinion, do cardio when you can. Get in a routine to where something feels wrong if you're not doing it and stick to it. Some trains of thought say first thing in the morning because you body has used up most of your calories from dinner and supposedly will then use fat stores when burning the calories. I don't know if that's actually been proven, but its a pretty accepted theory around the gym.

 

So, my thought is this, eat at 5 and then some time between the time your belly has settled from eating and going to bed do your cardio. Seems like it would follow the same stream of conscious right? If you burn your dinner calories on the treadmill or something, then while you sleep your body will be using fat stores? Anyway, like I say, my personal opinion is just do it when you can, but there may be some merit to metioned scenario as well.

[Bubblegum Bandit]

Well, I have found that my way is giving me more mass, and strength. Although, I don't know that I am increasing in either with the speed I could, if I were to do it correctly. I have been working out since January, and you can tell a difference.

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As mentioned above, you will get some of everything from each scenario. You are also still kind of early in it as well. Your biggest strides are going to come in the first year or so. (meaning your largest gains over a period of time.) If you stay with it for at least a couple of years you will see/feel yourself hitting plateaus and kind of stalling as far as mass or strength gain. That's when its most important to vary your routine and hit those muscles at different angles to get it moving again.

 

My goal, I guess, would be to be more cut, but gain mass. Thgouh again, this is something I have to fit into my schedule (that includes law school, full time job, and a wife), so I dont have time to be at the gym more than three times a week.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It can be done on three days a week. You're not going to look like Mr. Olympia, but I don't know many guys who want THAT much mass. I have all those things in my schedule as well, the problem is I don't go to the gym, I play freaking poker on line with Fatty....LOL

 

I usually do three (varied) excercises for a muscle group. I do three sets of each. I usually start with a lower weight (if it is a machine, I dont do this with dumbells), and do more reps. I then increase weight until my third set, where I can hardly reach 10 reps. Does that sound reasonable, or is there a better way?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think if you are only doing three sets, you will get more from your exercises if you work the other way around. After a few warmup sets obviously, don't jump right into the heavy weight, I would try to set the weight to where in every set I'm really working to get to the 10th rep. Which should mean you need to bump down in weight each set.

 

Also, I like the idea of focusing on my biceps one day, and having them worked out secondary on another day. I got my routine off of a website, that explained why it is a good idea. The place just never mentioned how to work the reps, or what that kind of routine would reach, as far as a goal might go.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You could switch to a push-pull type of program for this....basically do biceps and chest one day and back and tris the other. If you are going to do that I would very my routine similar to this to get maximum rest...

 

Monday - bis and chest

Wednesday - legs

Friday - tris and back

 

That way you have a minimum 2 days of rest before those muscles are working hard again.

[shep48]

couple things lets start with my fav and goal for years. MASS. plain and simple u want to get big u have to eat alot I mean ALOT. It has to be high in protein chicken, fish, milk, protein shakes (metrx taste the best and no stomach problems). You should be eating at least six meals a day, 3 solids and 3 shakes. You need to eat every 2-3 hours. This will keep your metabolisim up. The pros arent even ripped year round. They go on crazy diets before shows. now the lifting part... if you arent sore the next day you didnt work out nearly hard enough.. You should be doing 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps per exercise. If you can lift it 8 reps for 3-4 sets its not heavy enough. you need to find a weight that you can lift 6 reps for 3 sets and thats your starting point. once you can do it 8 reps for 3 sets its time for more weight. dont leave the gym without going to failure. ( no rest breaks longer than 2min, longer will nullify results). go through your workout and then at the end hammer it b4 leave. also one of the biggest things to learn is muscle concentration ( this makes a huge difference). when your doing a rep you need to learn to actually flex the muscle your working on.

 

Lots of thoughts here sorry for ramblings.. your body works on a clock u need to get up and eat (even for dieters) metabolism is a key to your goals, u need to get it started and keep it up. eating (even for dieters) keeps your metabolisim up so your body thinks it will get food again some time. to long between meals, your level and insulin will drop and your body starts to save cause it thinks no food is coming..

 

 

they say its better to work out earlier in the day, gets your levels up, and also allows you eat in your "metabolic window" huge uptake capability in your system about 1 hour after u workout.

 

Ive pretty much red everything on this stuff for the last 13 years, lifted with my cousin (semi pro boy builder) that being said you need to take all this crap and find out what gives you results.. find a partner that you can be competitive with and push more than him

[duma]

Thanks Bubblegum Bandit and Shep! I will do the rep thing. I am going to try and vary my routine every month. That should follow your advice, and the advice from the forementioned website.

 

I don't want to look like a muscle man. I know my wife doesn't want me to look like that either.

 

Shep, you talk about eating first thing, however, I have heard that if you don't eat before running, you will burn fat. So long as you give your body allot of protein after working out, you will save the muscle. What are your thoughts on that?

 

BTW, I skipped the gym today.... I got too far behind in my class readings (mind you that this is the first week of classes... )

Edited August 24, 2005 by duma