Hi, With the sun coming back from it's winter-vacation I'm getting the urge to train. Again. About 7 years ago I did a lot of body-building and when I was getting a nice body I quit (because of university?.. hmm). Where I'm working now there's a small gym. I.e. a small room with some dumbells, a bike, a threadmill, and one of those deathtrap multi-machines. I remember that during the first months I had to do boring training to get the body into shape, so I could move on to muscle-isolating sessions. But I hate that. So I thought about setting up a simple workweek-schedule, without forgetting to rest. Something like: Monday - A) Chest, biceps, legs or B) Chest, biceps Tuesday - A) Back, triceps, shoulders, lower arms or B) Shoulders, triceps Wednesday - Relax or cardio? Thursday - A) (repeat) Chest, biceps, legs or B) Back, lower arms Friday - A) (repeat) Back, triceps, shoulders, lower arms or B) Relax or cardio? Saturday - Relax Sunday - Relax For each muscle group I was thinking about 2 sets, with 12-10 reps each (light weights). Some people recommend going for a program with fixed exercises, and change program once a month or so. Others recommend "shocking" your muscles by changing exercises every training. I noticed that I flat-out pretty fast; if I do the same exercise for a few trainings I stop progressing untill I change exercise. I liked one flexible quote from a friend: "do what you feel like doing". Kinda like trusting your muscles/body? Abs is something I haven't mentioned but you can always do abs. [grin] Diet is a whole other issue. It's important but I'm not going to get into that in this post. Any comments so far? Also, I'm looking for a progress-tracking software. It could very well be a good sheet for Excel, but preferably something specialized. Especially with a print-todays-training-feature with the previous weights for those excercises pre-filled. Any tips on that? Let me hear your thoughts and let's see if we can set up a nice and simple start-up program. [smile] edit: yes the chocolate peanuts recipe in my sig is kinda ironic... [Edited by - Seriema on April 22, 2007 3:58:10 AM]

Body-building type training programs are definitely not the way to go. If you're starting fresh with a strength training program, you need to start with the basics: the squat, deadlift and other basic olympic moves. These moves stimulate muscles all over the body, promote the realease of hgh and testosterone, and help increase your metabolism by activating a large amount of your musculature. Stick to compound movements.

You'll also probably want to stick with lower to medium reps than high reps. The "high reps builds definition by burning more calories and thus fat" idea is a myth. Compound (NON ISOLATION) movements will increase your strength and elevate your metabolism like high-rep programs can never do.

Here is a great beginning program from the bodybuilding.com forum, and it explains the above in much greater detail.

Lastly, I highly recommend you check out CrossFit. This is a training protocol used by elite athletes, military, and police personnal to develope practical and functional strength and fitness. It works and can be scaled to all fitness levels. Off to the left side of the screen is the FAQ and "Start Here!" link. Browse these and definitely download the free issue from their journal entitled "What is fitness?"

Darkzim

What I've learned about higher reps is that they build strenght, while lower (heavier) reps build mass. I'm more into strenght building right now so I'll be going with higher reps, as that has worked for me before. I understand what you said about doing more olympic moves to work out the whole body at a time, it's a good suggestion. But as I mentioned, I don't have access to that kind of equipment (like a barbell); only dumbells, a bike, a threadmill, and a universal gym.

I'm looking into CrossFit right now, thanks for the tip.

Anyone with a nice training schedule app? Or do I have to make one myself? hehe

Original post by chessnut
Somewhat true. Anaerobic exercise(brief strengthed based) exercises definitely speed up your metabolism faster than aerobic exercise(long duration, moderate intensity), thus giving you greater fat loss, but aerobic exercise directly consumeing "fat" for fuel/energy is NO myth. Aerorbic exercise will strengthen your heart muscle and make your lungs more efficient, definitely things not to ignore if you want to truely be healthy, as opposed to just looking healthy like most body builders.
quote]

My assertion that high rep movements would not be beneficial is not based on the fact that aerobic exercise does not work. Obviously, performing aerobic exercise properly can burn body fat and make your cardiovascular system more efficient. However, using low weight-high rep with weights to do this may not be the easiest way to elevate one's heartrate. Furthermore, compound movements with lower repitions (say 3-5) build muscle faster than isolation movements at a higher rep range (10-12 or more). More muscle equates to a faster metabolism. It will also elevate your metabolism for much longer after the period of exercise than aerobic exercise.

However, high rep movements can be used to build muscular endurance, too. Obviously "being fit" is very important, so all-round muscular fitness would be important. That all depends on what you're willing to put in, though.

You say that you flat out, after doing the same routines a couple of times? That sounds like you do not eat proper. You should easily could do the same routines in many weeks especially if you are just starting up again.

I would also suggest that you start with the basic exercises as bench press, dead lift, squat, and throw in some 'one arm dumb bell row' for the upper back, dips for the shoulders/lower chest/triceps and calf press for well the calves, curls for biceps. That should do you well when starting out. Not really necessary to do isolation for the lower arms. That will get there as you do the other ones.

But remember VERY IMPORTANT, take care of you lower back. Squat, deadlift can kill it if you start out to high in weight. Regarding reps I usually recommend 6 - 8 reps X 2 sets in the beginning to get the muscles used to the strain again, then after a month or two lower it or raise it to whatever you goal is, mass lower, endurance higher. IF you feel 'ahh 2 sets thats nothing', well then you are not lifting enough weight [lol], well roughly speaking anyway, better to take another set than to strain a muscle. Also In the beginning you can easily just do a full body program with the primary exercises, instead of doing a split. So 3 times a week instead of four, with a little more time each session. You can always switch the order the exercises are performed, such that it won't get tedious.

Another thing to remember is that you should treat you abs as they are any other muscle group if you want a good result. And you should do them to build up core strength as you use it in pretty much any exercise, and it will also help for great posture.

Now when you have your eyes set on a goal, then here is what works for me. A progression program running over 9 weeks. If you have you eyes set at lifting 110 % of you current max, then relax a week, sounds easy yeah[smile]... Your muscle won't start to decline until after 10 - 14 days so that is no problem. Well that is just the first part of it. Now in week 1 start with 70% and slowly raise the weight 5 percent each week, until you in week 8 have reached the 110%. Then take a week off.

The reason for doing this is that you muscles have not yet begun to decline when you start again, but they have started to relax, and then when you hit them again even with the lower weight, then they are shocked. Search for progression programs and you can probably find some more scientific explanation. I have read it once but can not really recollect the details. But as I said, I works for me.

But to quote you friend, do what you feel like doing. It should be fun, not work [smile].

Have a great workout.

Everyone has their own opinion on what makes a good workout schedule. Tell someone "oh, I started swimming ever other day," and they will tell you "NOOOOOO, you fooool! You should be RUNNING!"

I'm currently on a workout schedule of Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, getting the shit kicked out of me in mixed martial arts. I determined yesterday "well, at least my knees don't hurt... but that's it."

Somebody go fetch Salsa

I recently (about a week now) started jumping rope.

I dont see any results yet, but i feel better already. I think its the perfect [cardio] exercise.

You can do it in your living room while watching tv, and its about as good a cardio workout as running or swimming. And Less impact on your knees and joints than running. A good jumprope is only 10 bucks.