The Fitness Guide

[Joe']

^All kinds of ab crunches, especially oblique and weighted crunches. I do 3 sets/25 reps for both exercises.

[mAgoTT50]

try out these ab exercises


http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/abs.html

[Raps13]

Ok I got a bit of a favour to ask from those of you who know this stuff. I want to get back into shape and look good while doing it but have no idea where to start.

I'm average size, defanitly not fat, just an average guy (ill post body pics later for reference) but am out of shape.

I'm about 180lbs and about 5'11 or 6'0.

What should I be looking at doing to get back into shape and eventually be toned?

Would it be too much of a favour to ask for somebody to put together a nice plan for me?

Thanks for the advice

[cyanide]

Would it be too much of a favour to ask for somebody to put together a nice plan for me?

Not sure if it would answer your question, but you could check out the first post of this thread.

[Raps13]

Sunday - rest
Monday - arms
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - chest and back
Thursday - rest
Friday - legs
Saturday - rest

Well Cy, it sort of did.

I like the above idea for a work out.

Could you suggest some excerisces that would be good for these goals:

-cut stomach fat, stronger abs
-stronger lower back/core muscles
-stronger chest,biceps,forearms(I have small forearms relative to the rest of my body)

Ideally I would like to be about 190lbs with 10-12% BF. Last time I checked I think I was about 18% but that was a long time ago.

Thanks again

[cyanide]

Ahh yeah, I don't think I put together exercise examples. I would usually refer to www.abcbodybuilding.com under the exercises section and let people pick out their exercises that work for them.

Your goals:
- cut stomach fat, stronger abs: what you eat (nutrition) has a lot to do with losing fat. Stronger abs can be done with various exercises like bicycle kicks, crunches, leg raises, and with equipment like a medicine ball.

- stronger lower back/core muscles: for the back, try t-pulls, bent-over rows, and barbell rows. For the core muscles, deadlifts (also primarily for back), bench press, and squats.

- chest: bench press, inclined push-ups, dumbbell flys, and dumbell press. Biceps: hammer curls, dumbbell curls, barbell curls, reverse curls, concentration curls. Forearms: Forearm curls, reverse forearm curls.

There's more exercises here. Remember, nutrition is just as important, if not more, as exercises.

[Fenix]

I was on a basketball court after well over a year. It was just a bunch of guys comparing cock sizes (relatively speaking) and competing who can jump higher. I'm a bit off shape (very relatively speaking), but nothing serious and I working hard to get back o being fit. But I could barely touch the rim. I was like - what the fuck? I was a pretty athletic guy who could dunk in variety in ways, but now I can barely touch the fucking rim? The whole thing also happened only 5 minutes after we had lunch and I had calves workout yesterday and legs workout on Monday, but still. Do you think all the added weight influenced my athleticism? But it's not like I've too much muscles. I'm 6'3 and only like 180 pounds and my frame has a lot of room to fill.

[cyanide]

Naw, it's simple: you haven't been on a basketball court in a year. If you haven't been jumping for over a year, of course you're going to lose your explosiveness.

[Fenix]

Yes, that's probably it, but it was an incredibly weird feeling to get back to the ground so quickly. Anyways, I'll work on my explosivness next summer. Considering that I have a much better body than I had in HS (ie. stronger and more flexible), I'll probably even up my former vertical.

[NNpF]

So I've decided recently to try and bulk a bit for a couple reasons.

I'm 6'1" about 144 lbs and I've always been a pretty thin guy. Anyways I started playing soccer in a men's league and obviously now there are a lot bigger guys playing and I find myself getting pushed around a bit and I just want to gain some weight for my own good.

I'm not looking to become huge or anything like that just put on some muscle / gain a little weight. I read through quite a bit of this thread and I need some help getting started.

First of all I usually eat around 4-5 times a day just sometimes it's not always the best food I can eat. I work from 3-9:30 on Wendsdays and I'm in school from 10:00am-8:00pm on Thursdays. I get a 30 minute lunch at work and I have a break at school from 12:45-2:30 so I can eat during those times. It's not that big of a problem I always have some snacks or whatever with me and during my breaks I try and eat as much as I can to hold me until I get home. From now on I'm going to be eating a lot more healthy and I basically have it planned out but if you have any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them.

My biggest problem is not knowing where to start with workouts. I'm looking at upper body mainly (arms, chest, abs etc.). Fitting in 30 min workouts daily is not a problem. I have soccer games once a week so that's not too much cardio to get in the way besides the occasional jog when I'm bored.

At home I have dumbells, a workout bench and a skipping rope (:p). I can go to the gym from time to time but not very often seeing as I have work, school and soccer. So I'd just like to hear any suggestions about how I should get started and any specific workouts I should be doing.

[mAgoTT50]

ok, just a little program for you
5-10min of jumping rope
Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl 3sets of 15 reps
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms-In 3sets of 10reps
push ups 3sets of 10too30reps(work your way up too 30)
sit ups 5sets of 15too 45reps

-----------------------
and get some protein powder and creatine

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/c ... rce=header

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=3753

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http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercis ... order=Name

[Sauru]

this thread makes me sad. i used to be in such good shape, then came a wife, and kids, and now, well i am not in such good shape anymore. i mean i aint fat and i can still run with the guys i ball with, but i lost the abs and all that shit

[Its_asdf]

^I guess you haven't lost all that weight put on by having children, huh?

I know Andrew, I didn't get the Simpsons quote exactly right.

[NNpF]

ok, just a little program for you
5-10min of jumping rope
Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl 3sets of 15 reps
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms-In 3sets of 10reps
push ups 3sets of 10too30reps(work your way up too 30)
sit ups 5sets of 15too 45reps

-----------------------
and get some protein powder and creatine

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/c ... rce=header

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?products_id=3753

--------
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercis ... order=Name

I looked around the internet and I think I've found a nice plan that might work but I'm still open to all suggestions.

And I've been drinking protein shakes for a while.

I just realized I've had this avatar and sig since I joined...Time for a change just need to stop being lazy. :p

[Jackal]

And lol, you're surely not a n00b. By the way how is that workout working for you? Did you get to your goal or are you still working on it?

Guess I should bring this topic back from almost going to page 2 of Gen Talk.

Since I've been back in Holland I haven't been training much, I went sporadically. Going from 30 degrees C to 0-2 degrees C is quite depressing. Especially when you leave half your family behind for over a month. I didn't eat unhealthy or anything, just didn't train. I lost a bit of muscle I'm guessing but I'm still around the 74 kg's. Since this week Monday I started training my butt off again though. My usual hour of cardio and 45 to 50 minutes of weights. I feel a lot better, so much so that I decided to train twice today. I'm beat but I couldn't be happier. I also feel a lot less...mushy to put it like that. I can't describe it fully, just that I "tighter".

I'm still trying to get to the 68-70 kg mark. Hopefully with my newfound motivation, I'll be able to achieve that in the coming months.

[cyanide]

I also feel a lot less...mushy to put it like that. I can't describe it fully, just that I "tighter".

It might sound dirty (:cheeky:) but the term I use for that is "hard." I get that too when working out consistently for at least a month, my body becomes like a rock, and not as you put it, "mushy."

I'm still trying to get to the 68-70 kg mark. Hopefully with my newfound motivation, I'll be able to achieve that in the coming months.

Go for it man, and you will achieve that considering how much progress you've made.

[Jackal]

For sure, let's hope no one dies in the mean time.

It's a real bitch walking to the gym in -2 degrees C though. A real bitch. Even if it is 10 minutes, you start doubting the whole thing and wishing you could stay in bed forever.

[shadowgrin]

Seeing the man love of you two just made me flaccid.

[Jackal]

Hey, look at the bright side of things Shadow.

No one gives a shit.

[Pera]

It's a real bitch walking to the gym in -2 degrees C though. A real bitch. Even if it is 10 minutes, you start doubting the whole thing and wishing you could stay in bed forever.

You should try running an hour a day in -5 C. Thats what I do. Its snowing and I run = great combination for the towns people to laugh at me. I suppose people don't understand that when you put a goal for yourself you stick to it. But yeah, I usually freeze my ass off daily when I run around.

I got a question though. Could I build muscle mass on my arms and legs without losing weight? Since I don't want to be too skinny.

[Jackal]

No, no, no. I'm from the Caribbean, me & the cold do NOT get along.

Uhm, build muscle mass without losing weight? Sure, when building muscle mass you're actually gaining. If you're at a good weight, don't do as much cardio as you would to lose weight. Just do it enough to get your heartrate up and then hit the weights. That'll help you grow.

I did manage to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time though.

[Pera]

Actually gaining it sounds quite good. I'm around 70-72 kilograms right now. So it goes really good with my height and I don't want to lose the way I feel "just about right" with my weight. Having to lose weight would make me look skinny and I don't want that.

[shadowgrin]

You don't want that skinny 'model' look?

[Pera]

Depends what a skinny "model" look means to you.

I'm going for a more sporty look rather than being too skinny.

[Jackal]

So last day of working out before heading to the States, I am glad the hotel where we'll be staying has a gym though. Just don't know if I'll enjoy working out there, but I guess beggars can't be choosers.

I had my bodyfat calculated today, I'm at a very nice 13.4%. It was my goal to hit 15% before, then it changed to around 10% and totally at the end I want to be around 8%. I started off in the 20's somewhere. In other words, I'm quite happy.

Time to rock this wedding. I'm quite excited.