Newbie Beginnings..

[wickfut]

Hey, I've just noticed this part of the forum and seeing I've been thinking it's time I got off my lard, keeping a log here may be just what I need to keep me motivated.

About me.

I'm 41. I haven't really trained before, managed about 4 months a few years back and then got side tracked with something and never returned.

I'm 6ft tall with a slim/beer belly build, 34-36 trouser waist and my scales have just told me I'm dead on 13 stone (83kgs?).

I'm going to have to take it a bit easy on my knees as I've a problem with shooting pains in them when I run, and I need to do a fitness test at work soon so I need them working. Had an x-ray, doctor says nothing serious and I have a few physio sessions booked for in a few weeks.

I'll be working out at home as I've got a fair bit of weights here to get me started. Mainly a bench, an adjustable dumbbell set with upto 65kg per dumbbell and a cheapo 5 ft bar. Also a pullup bar. Once I max out I'll buy a better bar and more plates.

My aim is to first lose this belly, which is probably going to be about 1.5 stone and then try to put muscle on.

I can manage 3 nights per week weights with a daily walk to and from work (3 mile each way) as a cardio.

Diet: Not measuring at the moment. Cut out most carbs. Have bread in the morning followed by chicken/beef/salmon, veg/fruit and nuts for the rest of the day. Similar to Keto to get this weight off. Will get some protein shake for extra cals.

I'm not sure what routine I should do yet. My old routine was a push/pull/legs.

Start weight. Not going to kill myself for the first 3-4 weeks. Going to take it easy to see how my knees hold up.

How does this sound ?

Day 1. Push

A) Flat DB press 4x8
B) Inc DB press 4x8
C) Overhead DB press 4x8
D) Flat DB pullover 4x8
E) Bench dips 3x20

Day 2. Pull

A) Bent over BB row 4x8
B) Chin-ups 3xfail
C) Single arm DB row 4x8
D) upright row 4x8
E) DB curls 4x8

Day 3. Legs

A) Deadlift 4x8
B) Hacksquat 4x8 (no squat rack)
C) Single leg on bench squat 4x8
D) Calve raises 4x20
E) laying leg raises 3x20

any advice from people with more of a clue than I have would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[wickfut]

First session over with, I'm going to be sore tomorrow.


[+ raise weight next week]
[= struggled keep same]
[- failed set same/lower weight]

Day 1. Push

A) Flat DB press 4x8 15/25/25/25 + raise weight next week
B) Inc DB press 4x8 15/20/20/20 = struggled getting DB into position, lifting ok
C) Overhead DB press 4x8 10/15/15/15 - failed after 6th rep on last 2x sets
D) Flat DB pullover 4x8 15/20/20/20 + raise weight next week
E) Bench dips 3x20 20/16/15 getting a bit tired now

thank god for FinRG soundcloud mixes for keeping me going

 

[mrthingyx]

How does this sound ?

Day 1. Push
Day 2. Pull
Day 3. Legs

any advice from people with more of a clue than I have would be appreciated.

Thanks

I find you lack of leg training disturbing!

To be fair, I only say this because I mostly train legs. Even my arm days involve leg biceps, too. Also, I'm not a bodybuilder, so my choice of exercise selection is somewhat different to the norm...

Personally, I would rethink your routine on the grounds of doing something with legs every training day that will help you burn more energy, as well as getting a more positive hormone balance for both fat burning (urgh) and mass building (depending on your diet).

Stronglifts is a basic programme that concentrates on the squat (effectively), with other big compounds (multi-joint exercises) thrown in. As you're just starting, I would encourage you to work to compounds to build up your overall strength level whilst cutting flab.

So, based on your available resources, it might looks something like...

MON
- Goblet squat;
- Single leg RDL;
- Dumbell overhead press (standing/sitting/whatever);
- Wide-grip chins;
- Bench dips;
- Core work (planks, deadbugs, barbell roll-outs, candlesticks, dragon flags...)

WEDS
- Rear-foot elevated split squat;
- Narrow grip chins;
- Dumbell bench;
- Dumbell row;
- Lat raise superset with reverse dumbell flys;
- Core work (as above...)

FRI
- Dumbell thruster (miserable exercise!);
- Barbell row
- Incline bench;
- Biceps (curlz,
- Core work...

Just my perspective. I think routines get overly complicated and lose focus pretty quickly, but this is my view as a weightlifter rather than a bodybuilder.

 

[wickfut]

cheers for the info.

As I posted in the OP, I can't do legs. My knees are wrecked. I have painful shooting pains in my knee caps when I walk down stairs.
I also need to do a yearly fitness test in work or I'm out of a job, a fitness test which is due any time now. This year will be done on lots of tramadol and afterwards I'll probably be in agony for a few weeks.

Goblet squats would put me out of action completely. ha ha

Don't get me wrong , I'm totally grateful for your post but it's something I'm going to have to change to once my legs have settled rather than straight away. I'll see what physio say when I'm there in a few weeks.

 

[mrthingyx]

cheers for the info.

As I posted in the OP, I can't do legs. My knees are wrecked. I have painful shooting pains in my knee caps when I walk down stairs.
I also need to do a yearly fitness test in work or I'm out of a job, a fitness test which is due any time now. This year will be done on lots of tramadol and afterwards I'll probably be in agony for a few weeks.

Goblet squats would put me out of action completely. ha ha

Don't get me wrong , I'm totally grateful for your post but it's something I'm going to have to change to once my legs have settled rather than straight away. I'll see what physio say when I'm there in a few weeks.

No worries and thanks for reminding me about your knees...

However...

Based on your description (and the exercises you selected) your knee problem is potentially a soft tissue issue (badoom-tish!) which requires some serious attention from a hockey ball and a foam roller. I would very much encourage you to look at the Mobility thread in the main forum as a matter of course.

For example, doing a hack squat, "single leg on bench squat" or even deadlifts suggest (to me) your knees function mechanically, but the fact that they hurt when you run implies some baaaaaaaad TFL/IT band problems that need fixing. Pretty quickly.

And if you can do a "single leg on bench squat", chances are a goblet squat won't kill you.

Anyway, just my perspective. Regardless of what you do, check out the mobility thread because I'm willing to bet imaginary money that - with proper attention from yourself - you can put an end to your knee problems.

 

[wickfut]

ha ha , yeah. I haven't actually got to leg day yet. I have no idea how my legs will cope. I know deadlifting 70kg didn't cause too much pain and neither did a 50kg hacksquat (damn those things are awkward)
I have tried a goblet squat and it seems that it's something to do with the position of my legs/weight being more out in front, the pressure in my legs that stop me from tipping forwards what brings on the pain.

I have no idea what TFL/IT is. You're talking serbo croat to me.

I'll check the mobility thread later tonight. got stuff to do at the mo.

Thanks for the help

 

[mrthingyx]

ha ha , yeah. I haven't actually got to leg day yet. I have no idea how my legs will cope. I know deadlifting 70kg didn't cause too much pain and neither did a 50kg hacksquat (damn those things are awkward)
I have tried a goblet squat and it seems that it's something to do with the position of my legs/weight being more out in front, the pressure in my legs that stop me from tipping forwards what brings on the pain.

I have no idea what TFL/IT is. You're talking serbo croat to me.

I'll check the mobility thread later tonight. got stuff to do at the mo.

Thanks for the help

Based on this... we're talking all kinds of potential mobility problems!

- Poor ankle mobility;
- Illio-tibial band is tighter than something very tight;
- Same for tensor fascae latae;
- Hamstrings are not used and tigher than the ilio-tibial band mentioned above...
- Glutes (med and max) are probably shot through, too.

So reading the mobility thread would be good!

You core strength probably needs work, too.

I appreciate I have gone through pretty much every mobility problem in the mobility dictionary, but what you're describing sounds like a bunch of maintenance issues.

 

[FrenchTart]

Not at all medical advice but just an FYI that might be interesting. I used to get pain and clicking walking upstairs on my right knee but stronglifts (and a bit of related mobility work) seems to have helped with it a lot - as in, I don't get it at all any more.

Possibly just coincidence but worth investigating.

 

[wickfut]

Based on this... we're talking all kinds of potential mobility problems!

- Poor ankle mobility;
- Illio-tibial band is tighter than something very tight;
- Same for tensor fascae latae;
- Hamstrings are not used and tigher than the ilio-tibial band mentioned above...
- Glutes (med and max) are probably shot through, too.

So reading the mobility thread would be good!

You core strength probably needs work, too.

I appreciate I have gone through pretty much every mobility problem in the mobility dictionary, but what you're describing sounds like a bunch of maintenance issues.

Yeah that's what the results from the x-ray said, no visible damage to anything.
I can't remember how I hurt them, one day I was fine and the next in agony in both knees. I imagine it was possibly some drunken fell forward and bent both knees the wrong way slightly or similar.

I'll give your workout a shot starting in a couple of days although leg exercises are going to be started from either body weight or about half of what I think is my max and I'll guage it from there.

Now to find the mobility thread....

PS> Thanks for this by the way.

 

[mrthingyx]

No worries! I just don't like seeing people fobbed off by healthcare professionals for stuff that is fundamental to the way humans exist.

As I said, my ideas of a routine is leg-biased with compounds because I aspire to be a weightlifter - not a bodybuilder. Ultimately, it is up to you your body, and your goals and what works for all those things.