New Year fitness regime

[HMFC#1]

Since the turn of the year I've been trying to get into a new fitness regime. My main aim is to build more muscle and just to generally get fitter.

 

Does anyone know of any good websites that could help me or even have useful advice of their own.

[Pete Seeger]

Buy - High intensity training by Mike Mentzer. It's the bible if your looking to put on weight/muscle.

[Carl Weathers]

Since the turn of the year I've been trying to get into a new fitness regime. My main aim is to build more muscle and just to generally get fitter.

 

Does anyone know of any good websites that could help me or even have useful advice of their own.

 

Try the menshealth forum.

 

I'd also recommend reading about a full body workout with a cardio day.

[coppercrutch]

Since the turn of the year I've been trying to get into a new fitness regime. My main aim is to build more muscle and just to generally get fitter.

 

Does anyone know of any good websites that could help me or even have useful advice of their own.

 

If you want to get fit start running up and down Corstorphine Hill. Up and down Kaimes road in the middle does the job. Pretty hard work though.

[gadgey55]

get a 6 second ab trainer. 20 notes on ebay. sure gets rid of the belly, and ye can watch eastenders at the same time. High time i blew the stoor off mines!

[hughesie27]

get a 6 second ab trainer. 20 notes on ebay. sure gets rid of the belly, and ye can watch eastenders at the same time. High time i blew the stoor off mines!

6 seconds?

How old are you HMFC#1?

[HMFC#1]

6 seconds?

How old are you HMFC#1?

 

17 nearly 18 though.

[Carl Weathers]

17 nearly 18 though.

 

How tall are you, what do you weigh etc?

 

If you want to put on muscle you'll need to eat the right stuff and lot's of it.

Seriously, have a look at full body workouts.

 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/iovate5.htm

[gadgey55]

6 seconds?

 

It's a spring loaded abdominal trainer. You push it down towards the floor and hold it there for 6 seconds. Do it for about 20 minutes. Pretty knackerin, but the results are good for the ol 6 pack.

[Csaba's Broon Shoes]

It's a spring loaded abdominal trainer. You push it down towards the floor and hold it there for 6 seconds. Do it for about 20 minutes. Pretty knackerin, but the results are good for the ol 6 pack.

 

Are you John Collins by any chance ?

[gadgey55]

Are you John Collins by any chance ?

 

 

As I said in a previous post, I need to blow the stoor off it! My 6 pack is lookin mair like a keg this weather!

[Csaba's Broon Shoes]

 

As I said in a previous post, I need to blow the stoor off it! My 6 pack is lookin mair like a keg this weather!

 

Them ab trainers also double up as a towel rail or mini clothes type horse .

[hughesie27]

17 nearly 18 though.

Well initially you need to do a couple of standardised tests. To improve fitness do the bleep test. I take it you have hear of it? If not I'll let you know.

For strength, muscle. I would get hold of a gripometer. These will give you decent starting points (Tell you have your CRE is compared to other 18 yea rold guys and how strong you are compared to the same guys.) Then it's simple. For CRE, 'fitness' jsut go running. Complete the 'coffin' a couple of times a week. Again I'll let you know what it is if you don't know. Get toa gym, take your ipod. Use the runing machine, cross trainer and rowing machines specifically. But also use the ab, bicep/tricep, quads improving machines. This will help you biuld up the muscle while you increase your CRE at the same time. The best method I find in gettin bigger guns though is free and simple. Press ups. Sit ups.

I used to go through 100 of each a night a least. I also used to go on until I simply couldn't gather the strength to push myself up one more time and my arms hurt. It's great before you go to bed becasue it really shaters your arms and resting them ona cool bed sheet not moving is something close to heaven!

Any other help let me know.

[HMFC#1]

Thanks guys. Help much appreciated.

[McJambo]

Well initially you need to do a couple of standardised tests. To improve fitness do the bleep test. I take it you have hear of it? If not I'll let you know.

For strength, muscle. I would get hold of a gripometer. These will give you decent starting points (Tell you have your CRE is compared to other 18 yea rold guys and how strong you are compared to the same guys.) Then it's simple. For CRE, 'fitness' jsut go running. Complete the 'coffin' a couple of times a week. Again I'll let you know what it is if you don't know. Get toa gym, take your ipod. Use the runing machine, cross trainer and rowing machines specifically. But also use the ab, bicep/tricep, quads improving machines. This will help you biuld up the muscle while you increase your CRE at the same time. The best method I find in gettin bigger guns though is free and simple. Press ups. Sit ups.

I used to go through 100 of each a night a least. I also used to go on until I simply couldn't gather the strength to push myself up one more time and my arms hurt. It's great before you go to bed becasue it really shaters your arms and resting them ona cool bed sheet not moving is something close to heaven!

Any other help let me know.

 

To build up strength, if thats your main goal you really cant do a "CRE" workout at the same time.

 

You also need to eat the right stuff. The right stuff can vary tho depending on what type of body you have and how easily you put on or lose weight!

 

PM me if you need more info.]

 

Best things to join a Gym and ask one of the trainers they will do you a free program and advise what kind of diet you need.

[Toggie88]

If you want to get fit start running up and down Corstorphine Hill. Up and down Kaimes road in the middle does the job. Pretty hard work though.

 

I've started doing that, although I'm just going up and down Corstorphine Bank Drive just now - give it a month or two and I'll build my way up to Kaimes Road.

[coppercrutch]

I've started doing that, although I'm just going up and down Corstorphine Bank Drive just now - give it a month or two and I'll build my way up to Kaimes Road.

 

Well I might see you there sometime !! I just set myself a goal month by month and then increase it that way

 

I start off at Parkgrove, run around Corrie Hill up the path past the Bommie, Murrayfield Golf club and the zoo. Then down and back up Kaimes Road and back again. Hard hard run, but you feel amazing at the end !!

 

BTW - By May I plan to do Kaimes Road up and down 3 times in the middle of a total run of about 7 miles.

[Toggie88]

Well I might see you there sometime !! I just set myself a goal month by month and then increase it that way

 

I start off at Parkgrove, run around Corrie Hill up the path past the Bommie, Murrayfield Golf club and the zoo. Then down and back up Kaimes Road and back again. Hard hard run, but you feel amazing at the end !!

 

BTW - By May I plan to do Kaimes Road up and down 3 times in the middle of a total run of about 7 miles.

 

 

I'm way way way off attempting something like that. I have been out every night for the past couple of weeks so hopefully it won't be too long, but I'm just really trying to lose weight at the moment.

[coppercrutch]

I'm way way way off attempting something like that. I have been out every night for the past couple of weeks so hopefully it won't be too long, but I'm just really trying to lose weight at the moment.

 

Well good luck to you. But you probably shouldn't be going out every night. Alternate days off and on to give yourself a break. Every day will be hard on the joints adn increase the chance of injury.

 

Try to change your routes as well. And do one longer run followed by a shorter one. Maybe find a steep hill/some steps and run up and down it 5 or 6 times. Add an extra time every 2ns attempt. You will soon start feeling much better and before you know it your fitness will be quite good.

 

I do one longer hard steady run, followed by one shorter more intense run. And I have 2 seperate runs for each type.

 

 

Long:

 

(1) 4.4 miles.

 

1st mile easy warm up.

Next 2.4 miles hard.

Final mile easy warm down.

 

(2) 5 miles.

 

Up Corrie Hill, lots of ups and downs. Hard work but steady pace.

 

Short:

 

(3) 1 mile to warm up.

Then 2.2 miles interval training. Run hard for one lampost, then easy for the next.

 

(4) 1 mile to warm up.

Then 6 times up and down a steep 80m path. Hard up the hill. Easy jog on the way down.

 

You could follow the same sort of plan, and cut down the distances to start off with. Same principle applies and build it up slowly as you improve your fitness.

 

Anyway you probably know all this already but thought I would add my tuppenceworth !!

[Therapist]

I've started doing that, although I'm just going up and down Corstorphine Bank Drive just now

 

Be careful in the Corstorphine area mate. There are known to be Unionist car drivers in that area who would not hesitate to run down an SNP jogger.

[Toggie88]

Be careful in the Corstorphine area mate. There are known to be Unionist car drivers in that area who would not hesitate to run down an SNP jogger.

 

Most of them don't have cars. Just little bikes

[sked21]

Well initially you need to do a couple of standardised tests. To improve fitness do the bleep test. I take it you have hear of it? If not I'll let you know.

For strength, muscle. I would get hold of a gripometer. These will give you decent starting points (Tell you have your CRE is compared to other 18 yea rold guys and how strong you are compared to the same guys.) Then it's simple. For CRE, 'fitness' jsut go running. Complete the 'coffin' a couple of times a week. Again I'll let you know what it is if you don't know. Get toa gym, take your ipod. Use the runing machine, cross trainer and rowing machines specifically. But also use the ab, bicep/tricep, quads improving machines. This will help you biuld up the muscle while you increase your CRE at the same time. The best method I find in gettin bigger guns though is free and simple. Press ups. Sit ups.

I used to go through 100 of each a night a least. I also used to go on until I simply couldn't gather the strength to push myself up one more time and my arms hurt. It's great before you go to bed becasue it really shaters your arms and resting them ona cool bed sheet not moving is something close to heaven!

Any other help let me know.

 

Someone has been doing PE.

 

Reading that you could probably have done a better job than my PE teachers when I was at school.

 

HMFC#1, my recommendation would be to get yourself down the gym and just try the weights to get a weight (ie kg not just one weight) that feels comfortable and then focus on the main muscle gropus.

 

Chest

Legs

Shoulders

Back

Biceps

Triceps

 

Maybe do 1 (2 for a couple) excersie for each of these to build strength. Then once you are a little stronger you can do sessions on just two of these muscle groups to build them up even more.

 

So for eample you could do:

 

Monday - Biceps and Triceps

Wednesay - Chest and Back

Friday - Shoulders and Legs

 

And if you want to build muscle and keep fit then you have to eat a lot of protein or so the personal trainer I had told me (My mother got me a few sessions for christmas).

 

Fitness wise I used to run for 30 minutes at 15 km an hour. But you only run for 40 seconds jump to the sides for 20 then jump back on for another 40 and then jump back off for 20 and so on. But it burns a lot of calories and if you want to bulild mass you don't want to burn too many calories or so the PT told me.

[vladtheexhaler]

To build up strength, if thats your main goal you really cant do a "CRE" workout at the same time.

You also need to eat the right stuff. The right stuff can vary tho depending on what type of body you have and how easily you put on or lose weight!

 

PM me if you need more info.]

 

Best things to join a Gym and ask one of the trainers they will do you a free program and advise what kind of diet you need.

 

 

Nonsense.

 

You have mentioned eating the right stuff and that is the key here. The problem that many people encounter is that the intensity of exercise required to make effective cardio gains results in the body utilising glycogen as its primary fuel. The body has limited glycogen stores and if you don't have a sufficient intake then then body will start to use the glycogen stored within the muscles which will obviously have a detrimental effect on strength gains that occur through muscle hypertrophy. There are however other mechanisms that partly account for strength gains which are mainly neurological which should not be affected in any way by cardiovascular training.

[hughesie27]

Intense training (lots of push ups)= fast heart beat = improved CRE, McJambo

You are right that a high protien diet is essential. All the body bulder slife on it and drink one of those mega bottles of water (the ones you would struggle to carry for long!) a day. Obviously that is their profession though.

 

Sked, you are spot on. Got an 'A' for my Int 2 last year and jsut got an 'A' for my Higher prelim.

[vladtheexhaler]

Protein is essential but the majority of the Scottish population consume excess protein so supplements are generally a waste of money unless you're doing some hard core body building. The body must use protein up within a relatively short period of time after which point it is converted into fat, defeating the point somewhat.

[Pete Seeger]

Protein is essential but the majority of the Scottish population consume excess protein so supplements are generally a waste of money unless you're doing some hard core body building. The body must use protein up within a relatively short period of time after which point it is converted into fat, defeating the point somewhat.

 

100% correct.

[loveofthegame]

100% correct.

 

So taking protein after a gym session(which my flatmates tell me to do...) is pointless?!

 

For the OP theres nothing like pounding the streets or playing sport to get and stay fit. Its easy really, despite what the lardier ppl amongst us will tell you! A run takes so little out of your day and i find it a great stress relief and really enjoy the 'pain' that comes with it- alter your route now and again and of course add to it and its great, certainly much better than the horrible monotony of a running machine.

 

As for bulking up join any gym and you'll probably get a free appointment with a personal fitness instructor at the start. If you cant afford that then press ups, sit up, pull ups(bars only like a fiver from Argos) can be done in the house. Using 'self made' apparatus around the house is also very useful- eg stairs for calf lifts, chair for tricep letdowns etc etc etc.

[Boaby Ewing]

That's bollocks about protein - I doubt very much that the average Scottish diet contains enough quality protein to build decent muscle.

 

King ribs don't count unfortunately.

 

It really depends if the OP is A) Overweight and wanting to get in shape Skinny and wanting to bulk up, or C) Average weight but wanting to tone up and put on a bit of muscle.

 

If he's B or C he almost certainly needs more protein, and extra carbs to boot if he's B.

[vladtheexhaler]

Average Scottish diet (1994)

 

35% energy from carbs

20% from protein

45% from fat

 

Dietary recommendations for sport

 

60-70% carbs

12% protein

12-28% fat.

 

Individuals engaged in strength training really don't need to exceed 15% total energy from protein . Agreed total calorific intake will need to increase but simply by eating more carbs the amount of protein consumed is likely to increase in any case.

 

The RDA for protein is 0.8g per kg body weight, most people exceed this. Whilst those involved in serious weight training may consume up to double this amount there is no scientific evidence that consuming more than 1.6g/kg body weight has any benefits and it may in fact be damaging to their health to do so due to the demands placed on the kidneys.

[Boaby Ewing]

If he wants to bulk up fast and starts lifting a decent amount of weights he'd be better with 1-2g of protein per pound of bodyweight in my experience.

 

With plenty of water on top to help process it/save the kidneys.

[portobellojambo1]

Since the turn of the year I've been trying to get into a new fitness regime. My main aim is to build more muscle and just to generally get fitter.

 

Does anyone know of any good websites that could help me or even have useful advice of their own.

 

I tried the same, a fitness kick. Tried to cut back to 40 fags a day and cut back on the pizzas, Chinese and chip shop grub I was eating. All it did was make me thirsty, and I ended up drinking more vodka to compensate. Put on almost half a stone as a result.

[Toggie88]

I tried the same, a fitness kick. Tried to cut back to 40 fags a day and cut back on the pizzas, Chinese and chip shop grub I was eating. All it did was make me thirsty, and I ended up drinking more vodka to compensate. Put on almost half a stone as a result.

 

Niiiiice:cool:

[sked21]

Since the turn of the year I've been trying to get into a new fitness regime. My main aim is to build more muscle and just to generally get fitter.

 

Does anyone know of any good websites that could help me or even have useful advice of their own.

 

Try playing 5's as well.

 

Fun and it keeps you fit.

 

Especially when you have finishing like I did tonight.

[HMFC#1]

Been going to the gym for around a month now. Really also been trying to up my protein intake by eating more chiken, turkey and pork and also been taking a protein shake after my workouts.

 

In a week ive mainly been doing three days weight training and two days cardio but Im starting to think I need to cut back on the cardio.

 

I have the desire and determination to build muscle but my main problem seems to be my knowledge of fitness, nutrition and muscle building.

[Carl Weathers]

Been going to the gym for around a month now. Really also been trying to up my protein intake by eating more chiken, turkey and pork and also been taking a protein shake after my workouts.

 

In a week ive mainly been doing three days weight training and two days cardio but Im starting to think I need to cut back on the cardio.

 

I have the desire and determination to build muscle but my main problem seems to be my knowledge of fitness, nutrition and muscle building.

 

I'll mention again that the menshealth forum will probably help answer your questions, or point you in the right direction.

 

As for Protein shakes, I have 3 a day.

 

My diet is still poor though - I need to eat a lot more to get better results.

 

I just work the main areas every 2nd day.

 

An example workout.

 

Chest 5x6 DB chest press

Legs 5x6 Squats

Shoulders 5x6 DB Shoulder press

Back 5x6 Lateral Pulldown machine

Bicep/tricep 5x6 Ez bar curls

 

I do occasional abs work but to get a six pack you need to lower your bodyfat to around 10%.

 

I'm still learning and it's an on going process. Diet seems to be the key though.

[Snake Plissken]

I'll mention again that the menshealth forum will probably help answer your questions, or point you in the right direction.

 

As for Protein shakes, I have 3 a day.

 

My diet is still poor though - I need to eat a lot more to get better results.

 

I just work the main areas every 2nd day.

 

An example workout.

 

Chest 5x6 DB chest press

Legs 5x6 Squats

Shoulders 5x6 DB Shoulder press

Back 5x6 Lateral Pulldown machine

Bicep/tricep 5x6 Ez bar curls

I do occasional abs work but to get a six pack you need to lower your bodyfat to around 10%.

 

I'm still learning and it's an on going process. Diet seems to be the key though.

 

I'm a fitness instructor so I feel I may have some decent advice to give here...

 

 

The bit I highlighted was to do with exercise order:

 

you shouldn't do biceps after lats and you shouldn't do shoulders before biceps.

 

The biceps are a secondary muscle used in a Lat Pull down and the shoulders are a fixator for the biceps so its inefficient to do the exercises in the order listed as you will hinder your efforts in the pull-down as the biceps are small and weaker than your Latissimus Dorsi.

 

In terms of set/reps for body building you want to do pyramid sets of 12-10-8-8 initially, building up to 6 sets. You also want to do pre-exhaust isolation exercises before compound exercises to gain extra shape before you build.

 

Also if you really are serious about bulking up you should do a 2-day split.

 

Heres an example:

Workout A (Monday, Thursday)

Main Muscle Group

1) Warm-up - any CV machine for up to 5 minutes

2) DB Pec Fly Pecs

3) Bench Press Pecs

4) Single Arm DB row Lats

5) Lat Pull-down to front Lats

6) Seated Row Lats

7) Leg Extension Quads

8) Squats Quads

9) Lying Leg Curl Hamstrings

10) Preacher Curl Biceps

11) Cardio interval training

 

Workout B (Tuesday, Friday)

 

1) W/up

2) Lateral Raise Lateral Deltoids

3) DB Shoulder Press Deltoids

4) Triceps Extension Triceps (Long and medial Heads)

5) Triceps P/Down Triceps (all heads)

6) Triceps Dips to Reasonable Failure Triceps (all heads)

7) BB shrugs Traps

8) Calf Raise Calves

9) Ab Crunch Abdominals (upper)

10) Heel Drops/Leg Lifts Abdominals (lower)

11) optional cardio

 

As far as suppliments go I'd recommend cyclone, expensive but effective.

 

Any other questions, feel free to ask.

[Snake Plissken]

Been going to the gym for around a month now. Really also been trying to up my protein intake by eating more chiken, turkey and pork and also been taking a protein shake after my workouts.

 

In a week ive mainly been doing three days weight training and two days cardio but Im starting to think I need to cut back on the cardio.

 

I have the desire and determination to build muscle but my main problem seems to be my knowledge of fitness, nutrition and muscle building.

 

watch it with the protein mate, anything over 40g in one sitting and the body will simply store it as fat. You basically need to take 1.5g of protein for very kg of bodyweight so if you're 60 kg you need to take in 90g over the course of a day.

 

Tuna is an excellent source of protein and Turkey is preferable to both Chicken and Pork due to low fat content. Keep up with the protein shakes after you work-outs but watch the amount you're taking.