My current diet

I only train each muscle group once a week and have made decent progress in my strength gains and physique gains.

Are you also not on a diet? If you are in a deficit, you won't see much progress on the muscle building front, regardless of how much you smash them.

As I said in another thread, get a simple routine, stick to it for a few months, if you haven't lost weight by then, re-evaluate
 
No more than skipping on the spot really, you will only lose weight if you are in a calorie deficit, this is either achieved by consuming less calories than needed to maintain your current weight or by adding in exercise (weight training in this case) to make yourself be in a deficit due to using up energy.

Just do what mrthingy posted for a month, upping the weights each session (unless you've been told otherwise), weigh yourself each morning after you have woken up and done your business and write it down, at the end of the month see how much weight you have lost. If you have not lost any weight, then you need to look at the reasons why. Which could be anything
 
opethdisciple said:
Ok so as I understand it the routine 'mrthingyx' posted is for burning calories rather than building muscle?
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No that's down to diet really, the routine that mrthingyx posted is a mass building routine.
Just stick to a simple 3 day split such as the one mrthingyx posted, don't over complicate matters just get in the gym and do it consistently for a few months, keep your diet clean and with adequate kcals and see where you end up.
This game is a marathon not a sprint.
Sometimes switching your brain off and just sticking with it and not thinking about it is the best way to make gains especially in the beginning.
 
tom_e said:
No that's down to diet really, the routine that mrthingyx posted is a mass building routine.
Just stick to a simple 3 day split such as the one mrthingyx posted, don't over complicate matters just get in the gym and do it consistently for a few months, keep your diet clean and with adequate kcals and see where you end up.
This game is a marathon not a sprint.
Sometimes switching your brain off and just sticking with it and not thinking about it is the best way to make gains especially in the beginning.
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Pretty much what I had to do. Just listen to peoples advice, stick to your guns for a few months then look at how things are.
 
Delvis said:
Pretty much what I had to do. Just listen to peoples advice, stick to your guns for a few months then look at how things are.
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You're a perfect example of this, in the beginning you seemed to change your routine and diet more than I changed my pants but since you've stuck to one idea you're making some cracking gains.
Proof it works!
 
opethdisciple said:
Ok so as I understand it the routine 'mrthingyx' posted is for burning calories rather than building muscle?
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That is correct. Building muscle is one thing that we will work on once you've stuck to a controlled diet and consistent training programme for a few months (we can change the programme to what works, but only after you've knuckled down to let your body adapt).

But you have to start, and then you have to stick to it. And if your intention is to lose weight, that means being rigid.

A full-body workout will hit you harder initially, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It will be more DOMS-ified for the first couple of weeks, but once you get over the initial hurdle, you will probably find the resulting endorphins unnervingly addictive. :D
 
I dont think I can find the older ones.

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I really want to get somewhere guys. Doing the gym etc is part of the person I want to be.

(Without blowing my own trumpet) I am on the chirps a lot these days so feeling good about my self is in line with the way I want to present my self to the girls.

So stay with me. The effort is there. I have been at the gym solid for the last 6 weeks. I did wobble a little, but I still went go through my doubts and then had some positive sessions.

I even trained a few weeks back when I wasnt feeling well. So the will power to do it is there.

I get dissolusioned easy if I feel like what I'm doing isnt going full steam in the right direction. I have no motivation if I think my routine isnt spot on. But once I'm comfortable with what I'm doing, then the motivation is there.

I'll get some pics up...
 
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Right are you ready to be astonished?


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Feeling the power?

So the question is, what would you do with that body?

Build muscle or trim fat?
 
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opethdisciple said:
Build muscle or trim fat?
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This is your problem, and will undermine either approach if you don't stick fast to one.

You need to cut/trim fat for a couple of months, building your strength up, and then we can play with hyper trophy.

BUt you need to show some commitment: you've been posting on here for a number of months without any real direction in your diet or programme. Now I KNoW you've been given both in clear terms, so you need to get your head down and stick to both pretty tightly for the next couple of months. Do not come back here, posting that it's not working or whatever if you get silly with your diet or decide to change your programme yourself. :)

So go do it. And good luck.
 
To be honest, your current build isn't far off where I was about a year ago. I focused mostly on cardio to begin with (cycling, cross-trainer and then adding running as I got fitter) and introduced stronglifts back in May. I've continued running as I enjoy it and it costs me nothing and also bought a power cage and some weights so I'm not reliant on a gym anymore (the nearest decent one is 40km away).

As mrthingyx says, you need to decide what you want to focus on and give it at least a few months to see some results but I agree with him that shifting some of the flab would be a priority as it'll make any muscle gains more visible which will help with motivation.

I haven't been doing as much weights work recently as I've got hilly half marathon that I'm training for but I'm really pleased with what I've managed in a year and once the half marathon is done I'll be dialing the running back to focus on strength for at least 6 months.

Before/after pic if you're interested.

8zlcbc.jpg
 
mrthingyx said:
This is your problem, and will undermine either approach if you don't stick fast to one.

You need to cut/trim fat for a couple of months, building your strength up, and then we can play with hyper trophy.

BUt you need to show some commitment: you've been posting on here for a number of months without any real direction in your diet or programme. Now I KNoW you've been given both in clear terms, so you need to get your head down and stick to both pretty tightly for the next couple of months. Do not come back here, posting that it's not working or whatever if you get silly with your diet or decide to change your programme yourself. :)

So go do it. And good luck.
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1. How do I add weight to pushs ups? Instead, could I do dumbell chest presses, flat or incline?

2. Inbetween gym sessions, I should do some cardio right? As I have dodgy knees swimming is fine right?

3. I understand that what you have suggested is for burning calories, but I did Wed session on wednesday and it was super quick. Is that fine?

4. Leg Press. What I was doing before was dropsets. So I would do amrap at 90kg, amrap as 70kg and amrap at 50kg. etc... I found this pretty good actually.
Can I stick with this, or do you suggest sticking to 3x8-5x8?

5. SLDL - Can I do this using barbels instead of using olymipic bars?

6. I guess there is no point adding dips to the routine?

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Diet:

After dinner, I do tend to eat dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs) and maybe a few nuts, as well as a 0% fat yogurt.

Im guessing I need to stop this as well.

What about tea, with semi skimmed milk. this is fine right?
 
opethdisciple said:
1. How do I add weight to pushs ups? Instead, could I do dumbell chest presses, flat or incline? Stick a plate on your back. If you have none, use a rucksack with a Dumbell. If you can't do these, then a single arm flat Dumbell press should just about suffice.

2. Inbetween gym sessions, I should do some cardio right? As I have dodgy knees swimming is fine right? If you want to shift the process along faster, sure. :)

3. I understand that what you have suggested is for burning calories, but I did Wed session on wednesday and it was super quick. Is that fine? If it was that quick, you need to use more weight. To the point where the final set of each exercise is REALLY hard.

4. Leg Press. What I was doing before was dropsets. So I would do amrap at 90kg, amrap as 70kg and amrap at 50kg. etc... I found this pretty good actually.
Can I stick with this, or do you suggest sticking to 3x8-5x8? no. Use a consistent weight. Do 8 reps of whatever is pretty difficult for the first set rest for a minute, then go at it again. Rinse and repeat. You won't be doing much for your muscles by 'drop setting' them every time.

5. SLDL - Can I do this using barbels instead of using olymipic bars? read your sentence and you will have your answer. ;)

6. I guess there is no point adding dips to the routine? you can if you want, although if you're pushing to workout as hard as you should, then this shouldn't even be a question. ;) If you have a burning need for dips, stick them in on Monday...

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Diet:

After dinner, I do tend to eat dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs) and maybe a few nuts, as well as a 0% fat yogurt.

Im guessing I need to stop this as well. My preference would be to have them straight after your workout. if you can't do this because of logistical issues, then swap them for nuts. The yoghurt is a red herring, anyway as the carbs in that will do you more damage than the fat. :)

What about tea, with semi skimmed milk. this is fine right? as long as you're not necking the stuff every five minutes. Twice a day won't hurt.
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Also, how did the planking go? This shouldn't be easy if you're not used to it, so I'm curious...

Core work is some of the most miserable stuff in the gym because so few people do it (it's about the bro-gainz, amirite?), and even fewer do it properly (ab rollaz, or that silly weeble wobble thing that chicks do because Davina has ripped obliques), so if 30 seconds is easy, then push it to a minute.

And the point of going to the gym to trim down isn't to spend ages in there: that's for cardio bunnies who don't want to look like men (because obviously, lifting weights turns girls into East German hammer throwers). The idea is to chivvy along a nice calorie deficit in line with a good diet. This will help you lose weight without becoming too miserable, or making your recovery between sessions intolerable.

However, if the session is too easy and you're not feeling tired, then you aren't working hard enough. Simple. :) So up the weights.
 
mrthingyx said:
Also, how did the planking go? This shouldn't be easy if you're not used to it, so I'm curious...

Core work is some of the most miserable stuff in the gym because so few people do it (it's about the bro-gainz, amirite?), and even fewer do it properly (ab rollaz, or that silly weeble wobble thing that chicks do because Davina has ripped obliques), so if 30 seconds is easy, then push it to a minute.

And the point of going to the gym to trim down isn't to spend ages in there: that's for cardio bunnies who don't want to look like men (because obviously, lifting weights turns girls into East German hammer throwers). The idea is to chivvy along a nice calorie deficit in line with a good diet. This will help you lose weight without becoming too miserable, or making your recovery between sessions intolerable.

However, if the session is too easy and you're not feeling tired, then you aren't working hard enough. Simple. :) So up the weights.
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Regular planks is not a problem. I have been doing them for the last 6 weeks and before also. There are abs underneath the flab!! But the side planks where tough as never done those before.

You like your single arm stuff dont you. I have access to a gym by the way, not working from home.

So rather than pushups will do single arm chest press. But why single arm and not regular 2 arms chest press?

Also the Single arm dumbell press (seated) is this basically a one arm shoulder press? Any you tube videos showing correct form?

Also leg press I should be aiming for doing 5x8 sets?
 
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opethdisciple said:
Regular planks is not a problem. I have been doing them for the last 6 weeks and before also. There are abs underneath the flab!! But the side planks where tough as never done those before.

You like your single arm stuff dont you. I have access to a gym by the way, not working from home.

So rather than pushups will do single arm chest press. But why single arm and not regular 2 arms chest press?

Also the Single arm dumbell press (seated) is this basically a one arm shoulder press? Any you tube videos showing correct form?

Also leg press I should be aiming for doing 5x8 sets?
Click to expand...

The point of doing a pushup isn't to kill your chest, but get your core working under a specifci strain (unlike the plank). With a single arm chest press, you're engaging your entire core to stop yourself falling off the bench. :)

Try it - you'll see what I mean. :D

However, if you have access to barbell plates, use those for pushups as the pushups will sting your glutes to a degree, too. :)

The seated dumbell press is a seated shoulder press/whatever. My particular preference is barbell overhead press, but it's largely irrelevant.

What you need to concentrate on with teh press is keeping your shoulder stable, so lock your scapulae back and stablise through your core. Keep the weight going straight up with your humerous in line with your shoulders.

The thing with the leg press is getting you and your body into a shape that can burn as many calories as possible, as they are a poor equivalent of squats. If you'd had the Tier 1 Sports Arena lot on your case, you'd be doing 10x10 at something horrific, so count your blessings. ;) If you can hit 8x9 with a CONSISTENT weight that leaves your legs fried, do it. You should be feeling a serious burn in your glutes, hamstrings and quads if you're doing it properly.

The idea behind this routine isn't to turn you into a hulking behemoth, but to get your muscles working in a balanced fashion and prepared to take some serious load when you've shed the weight you want. As such, you can work as hard at it as you like and you'll derive equivalent benefits. Rush through it, and it won't do anything... just like any other routine.
 
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