Gym Routine

[Stevo985]

9 hours ago, StefanAVFC said:

Gym-my people. I need your help.

Background, I've gone from around 97kg / 15 st 4 to around 80kg / 12 st 8 (190cm / 6'3 btw) in around a year or so. Started with diet, whilst still playing a lot of football. I'm now playing centre half at a fairly decent level in the City's league.

However, due to my weight loss, I'm missing some bulk to play there  I mean, I haven't struggled generally as I'm not an imposing defender, more ball playing but i've struggled with big strong forwards.

I want to focus the Winter Break on bulking up everywhere, as I've lost the weight in disproportionate areas - for example I have a flat belly but still some love handles etc.

I am not a gym person, I'd rather go for a bike ride, play football, squash whatever but I need to force myself into the gym this winter to be ready for the Spring games.

Can anyone suggest to me a 3 time a week routine that will actually enthuse me to go and that I'll stick to?

Also, diet alongside it. I am so stuck in eating less calories that I have to force myself to eat a big meal before I play otherwise I'll just eat my usual 1800/2000 daily.

Any help would be really appreciated

Google "Stronglifts" and follow that over the winter.

Should be perfect for you. It's 3 times a week, focuses on big compound lifts and designed for beginners.

There's a good, free app called "Stronglifts - Gym Workout Log" (The icon for the app is just text that says "5x5")

That's a good way to keep track. You don't need to do any calculating, it just tells you what to lift next.

Plenty of people in here have followed it, myself included. So any questions I'm sure we can answer them.

[StefanAVFC]

13 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Google "Stronglifts" and follow that over the winter.

Should be perfect for you. It's 3 times a week, focuses on big compound lifts and designed for beginners.

There's a good, free app called "Stronglifts - Gym Workout Log" (The icon for the app is just text that says "5x5")

That's a good way to keep track. You don't need to do any calculating, it just tells you what to lift next.

Plenty of people in here have followed it, myself included. So any questions I'm sure we can answer them.

What about calorie intake on gym days? What would you recommend? Maintain or above 2500?

[Stevo985]

8 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

What about calorie intake on gym days? What would you recommend? Maintain or above 2500?

2500 would probably be a good start. If you find yourself struggling to add weight to your lifts then eat more. Everybody is different so weigh yourself every week (same time, first thing in the morning before you eat is good). The ideal would be for your weight to be increasing by about 1lb a week (assuming you're following the lifting routine). 

Basically if you're managing to increase your lifts then you're all good. If you're stalling then it might be time to eat a bit more.

[StefanAVFC]

My biggest problem is that I have a complex about weight gain.

Even if I know the weight is being added through muscle mass, I will still be like '**** I'm gaining weight'.

If I'm honest now, I'm too skinny and don't feel or look great but that'll be my biggest hurdle. I'll start with it post-Christmas, hopefully after an unintentional bulk from being at home

[villaglint]

1 minute ago, StefanAVFC said:

My biggest problem is that I have a complex about weight gain.

Even if I know the weight is being added through muscle mass, I will still be like '**** I'm gaining weight'.

If I'm honest now, I'm too skinny and don't feel or look great but that'll be my biggest hurdle. I'll start with it post-Christmas, hopefully after an unintentional bulk from being at home

I’d agree with Stevo on the stronglifts as being a good place to start. I’d only add that it would be useful to either have some tuition or spend time watching YouTube videos, reading articles to get the form right particularly on squats and deadlifts. Get it right from the start rather than trying to relearn something when it gets heavy. 

With the weight thing I’d personally say don’t bother weighing yourself if you have a complex about it. I’d guess your complex is about the way you look rather than a specific number which is basically meaningless without context. If you are playing football regularly and going to the gym with discipline then the way you look bit will take care of itself. Whatever number you happen to be doesn’t really matter. 

I weigh myself every day but don’t give rats ass what the number says. I eat whatever I want over the winter and cut out a couple of bits of excess over the summer. To me that works and I feel I have my weight and fat level on a piece of string. 

[StefanAVFC]

13 minutes ago, villaglint said:

I’d agree with Stevo on the stronglifts as being a good place to start. I’d only add that it would be useful to either have some tuition or spend time watching YouTube videos, reading articles to get the form right particularly on squats and deadlifts. Get it right from the start rather than trying to relearn something when it gets heavy. 

With the weight thing I’d personally say don’t bother weighing yourself if you have a complex about it. I’d guess your complex is about the way you look rather than a specific number which is basically meaningless without context. If you are playing football regularly and going to the gym with discipline then the way you look bit will take care of itself. Whatever number you happen to be doesn’t really matter. 

I weigh myself every day but don’t give rats ass what the number says. I eat whatever I want over the winter and cut out a couple of bits of excess over the summer. To me that works and I feel I have my weight and fat level on a piece of string. 

Thanks, yeah I agree with the tutorials. I'll use the Christmas break to get the form right. Will probably go with my dad to the gym while I'm home and practise a little.

With regards to the complex - I got myself into a hole and became so self-conscious about it and now I've shed so much of it, I'm terrified of gaining it again. I know it's irrational but still, it's in my head.

Thanks guys  

[villaglint]

2 hours ago, StefanAVFC said:

Thanks, yeah I agree with the tutorials. I'll use the Christmas break to get the form right. Will probably go with my dad to the gym while I'm home and practise a little.

With regards to the complex - I got myself into a hole and became so self-conscious about it and now I've shed so much of it, I'm terrified of gaining it again. I know it's irrational but still, it's in my head.

Thanks guys  

I do get it, but I’d assume what you are terrified of returning is fat rather than weight. Weight is just a number so can’t be terrifying. And if you are going to gym three times a week and playing sports twice a week you will have to eat an unenjoyable amount of food to get fat again. 

If you are self conscious about the way you look then going to the gym will almost certainly make you feel better about yourself because if you are disciplined you will look better. Also beyond a couple of passing comments literally no one else will care so it also helps to illuminate the irrationality of being self conscious in the first place from a different angle. 

Anyway all in all going to the gym - definitely a good thing. Do it! and enjoy the process! 

Edited December 5, 2018 by villaglint

[Rds1983]

4 hours ago, villaglint said:

I’d agree with Stevo on the stronglifts as being a good place to start. I’d only add that it would be useful to either have some tuition or spend time watching YouTube videos, reading articles to get the form right particularly on squats and deadlifts. Get it right from the start rather than trying to relearn something when it gets heavy. 

I seem to remember that the stronglifts website had a load of demonstration/tutorial videos for each of the five moves and he talks you through it all. I'd recommend that  @StefanAVFC take a look there and not just download the app. I'm still surprised that he (I want to say Mehdi?) gives the app and all the advice away for free as he could easily charge for it.

Edited December 5, 2018 by Rds1983
Include name

[V01]

99% sure there are videos of the routine included within the app. I'd suggest you add in some core work and a little cardio if you are running it. 

[El Zen]

On 05/12/2018 at 10:38, StefanAVFC said:

My biggest problem is that I have a complex about weight gain.

Even if I know the weight is being added through muscle mass, I will still be like '**** I'm gaining weight'.

If I'm honest now, I'm too skinny and don't feel or look great but that'll be my biggest hurdle. I'll start with it post-Christmas, hopefully after an unintentional bulk from being at home

I’m pretty much in the exact same place as you. Lost 20 kg last year, and would ideally like to add about 5kg muscle. 

I know how effective Stronglifts can be, having done it before. I have two issues:

1) As you say, having lost all that weight and feeling great about having made that effort, intentionally eating enough to put weight back on is a little scary. I fear it’ll put me on a path that leads back to lazy, slight overweight. 

2) Still struggling with a slipped disc in my lower back, caused by poor-form squats and deadlifts over a year ago, I can’t actually do compound lifts (or, I don’t think I should anyway.) 

So I’m kind of stuck feeling slightly too skinny, which is a strange feeling really. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

I've gone from being 170 weighing in at 89 kg to 170 (shocker ) weighing in at 66-68 kg. 

Kinda fancy raining some more muscles now. I am fairly fit, been lifting for 10 years, but it's very lean build now. 

Currently trying to achieve 3-4 workouts a week, but it varies a lot due to work. 

Normally I do 20 minutes of rowing as a warmup, about 5 km. Then 1 hour of weight lifting. 

Currently normally at 1400 - 1800 kcal daily avg. Guess I should up it to 2200 ish, but I really don't want to get fat again. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

Okey need some input and opinions. I'm currently gonna step up the workouts. Gonna try and keep averaging 4 days a week. 

I'm looking at 3 different workouts.

1) Warm-up 20 minutes rowing. 1 hour weights. Rotation of bench, hangups, bicep curls, dips, leg raise, situps, plank.

2) Warm-up 20 minutes rowing. 1 hour weights, deadlift, squats. 

3) 9-10 km rowing cardio workout. 

 

I'm thinking about skipping the cardio completely as I don't need to lose more weight, but since I cut my rowing in half, I've noticed my back getting smaller. So I'm unsure whether I actually should cut that workout. Maybe I should just do this 3 set workout once a week. Say 1, 2,3,1,1,2,3,1,1.

 

Opinions?

[Davkaus]

5 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Okey need some input and opinions. I'm currently gonna step up the workouts. Gonna try and keep averaging 4 days a week. 

I'm looking at 3 different workouts.

1) Warm-up 20 minutes rowing. 1 hour weights. Rotation of bench, hangups, bicep curls, dips, leg raise, situps, plank.

2) Warm-up 20 minutes rowing. 1 hour weights, deadlift, squats. 

3) 9-10 km rowing cardio workout. 

 

I'm thinking about skipping the cardio completely as I don't need to lose more weight, but since I cut my rowing in half, I've noticed my back getting smaller. So I'm unsure whether I actually should cut that workout. Maybe I should just do this 3 set workout once a week. Say 1, 2,3,1,1,2,3,1,1.

 

Opinions?

You say you don't need to lose weight. What are your goals? You mention your back getting smaller, so I'm guessing building more lean mass is your priority?

I wouldn't recommend skipping cardio entirely. I've seen far too many swole gym bros who look incredible, until they're out of breath climbing a set of stairs, but I wouldn't start your routine with 20 minutes rowing. If you're doing it properly, 20 minutes on an erg should crush you. If you want to build muscle, lifting weights should be your primary exercise. Get cardio in after or on your rest days so you can really go for it with the weights.

Erging should not be your primary back exercise if gaining muscle is your motivation, and you shouldn't be measuring your weights by duration. 1 hour of weight lifting could either be doing absolutely **** all, or something incredible. What routine are you following?

I don't really like stronglifts as a routine, but it's been recommended a few times in the last couple of pages. I think it's an imbalanced routine, and certainly not one to follow for more than a couple of months, but it's good for embedding the fundamentals and the wiki is a great resource.

Edited January 1, 2019 by Davkaus

[Stevo985]

20 minutes cardio is too long to warm up for lifting weights. You’ll have no energy left

[Davkaus]

I'm looking forward to really getting back in to it in the new year. the last couple of months have been an injury ridden period, it's been pretty demoralising. From constant back pain (I think I now just have to accept I have a bad back, I need to see the GP though), to wrist pain (bad bench form), and that's after recovering from shoulder impingement.

I'm rethinking my workout regimen from "lift the heaviest I can" to "minimise injury and maximise time in the gym". I've been following Nsuns, which has been absolutely incredible for me. My b/d/s went from 70->110, 100->155, 90->130 within about 3 months. Still pretty weak numbers, but better than I've done before. I'm dropping the back squat entirely though. I just don't have the hamstring and ankle flexibility to safely squat heavy, and it keeps **** my back. Deadlifts are fine, but I can't squat to proper depth without my form breaking down, and it keeps hurting me.

I'm sticking to Nsuns for upper, but swapping out exercises and getting in more mobility and stretching, so I think my workout will look something like this for the next couple of months:

Monday: All light weight/high volume: bench/OHP/rows/pullups

Tuesday: heavy leg press + split squats (subbed for heavy back squat) and volume sumo deadlifts, then pilates in the evening

Wednesday: Heavy OHP, incline press, rows, pullups

Thursday: Heavy Deadlifts, front squats + yoga in the evening

Friday: Heavy bench, volume OHP, rows and pullups

Weekends: Swimming, badminton, and some more yoga.

I laughed at yoga and pilates before I did it, but it kicks the shit out of me, and it really helps build some flexibility to keep lifting well.

Edited January 1, 2019 by Davkaus

[Davkaus]

6 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

20 minutes cardio is too long to warm up for lifting weights. You’ll have no energy left

You know what this means? We're Villa-supporting, vegan, weightlifting friends

[KenjiOgiwara]

9 hours ago, Davkaus said:

You say you don't need to lose weight. What are your goals? You mention your back getting smaller, so I'm guessing building more lean mass is your priority?

I wouldn't recommend skipping cardio entirely. I've seen far too many swole gym bros who look incredible, until they're out of breath climbing a set of stairs, but I wouldn't start your routine with 20 minutes rowing. If you're doing it properly, 20 minutes on an erg should crush you. If you want to build muscle, lifting weights should be your primary exercise. Get cardio in after or on your rest days so you can really go for it with the weights.

Erging should not be your primary back exercise if gaining muscle is your motivation, and you shouldn't be measuring your weights by duration. 1 hour of weight lifting could either be doing absolutely **** all, or something incredible. What routine are you following?

I don't really like stronglifts as a routine, but it's been recommended a few times in the last couple of pages. I think it's an imbalanced routine, and certainly not one to follow for more than a couple of months, but it's good for embedding the fundamentals and the wiki is a great resource.

Well, I feel kinda ok with my fat percentage now. It's hard to know what you guys think in terms of weights loss as I could be speaking to greek gods or something. Guess I could add a photo if that makes it easier to assess.

I prefer lean mass I think. Well I just wanna keep slim and bulk up. Know that's a slight contradiction, but that's essentially what I'm trying. 

Love rowing before my weights though. I get really knackered after 20 minutes rowing. I'm not good at it, just love how I can go hard for 20 minutes and be worn down. Normally around 4600-4900 m depending on the day. The sweat just kills me then. 

Not sure how much 20 minutes cardio affects my lifting tbh. I will try lifting first to get a feel for it as you say, but normally I feel pretty fresh and ready for lifting after 20 minutes cardio. 

Gonna try improve my deadlift technique though. Was at 330 pounds, but the technique is really bad. Doubt I'm even at 280 now after losing so much weight.  Gotta go harder on my legs as well methinks. 

What back exercises should I do ? Hangups, rowing and deadlift has been the circuit so far. 

 

Edited January 2, 2019 by KenjiOgiwara

[KenjiOgiwara]

9 hours ago, Davkaus said:

I laughed at yoga and pilates before I did it, but it kicks the shit out of me, and it really helps build some flexibility to keep lifting well.

I am still laughing at it. I refuse to call it workout. 

Know I'm probably wrong about it, but I just can't bring myself to do downward dog or whatever. Ironically I've been told by 2 different doctors to start doing yoga due to neck, shoulder and backpain combined with tension headaches. 

[Stevo985]

18 minutes ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Well, I feel kinda ok with my fat percentage now. It's hard to know what you guys think in terms of weights loss as I could be speaking to greek gods or something. Guess I could add a photo if that makes it easier to assess.

I prefer lean mass I think. Well I just wanna keep slim and bulk up. Know that's a slight contradiction, but that's essentially what I'm trying. 

Love rowing before my weights though. I get really knackered after 20 minutes rowing. I'm not good at it, just love how I can go hard for 20 minutes and be worn down. Normally around 4600-4900 m depending on the day. The sweat just kills me then. 

Not sure how much 20 minutes cardio affects my lifting tbh. I will try lifting first to get a feel for it as you say, but normally I feel pretty fresh and ready for lifting after 20 minutes cardio. 

Gonna try improve my deadlift technique though. Was at 330 pounds, but the technique is really bad. Doubt I'm even at 280 now after losing so much weight.  Gotta go harder on my legs as well methinks. 

What back exercises should I do ? Hangups, rowing and deadlift has been the circuit so far. 

 

it doesn't matter what you look like to be honest. What matters is your goals. If you're looking to built muscle then you can go easy on the cardio and use the calories for muscle building. If you want to lose fat then you probably need to keep the cardio pretty high.

Your diet is the most important thing in both. If you want to build muscle you need to be eating more than your 1400-1800 calorie intake you indicated above (unless you're about 5 foot), accompanied with a decent lifting routine. If you're worried about getting fat then just make sure you're lifting a lot and monitor your weight/fat week on week. if it's going up too much then cut back.

 

20 minutes hard cardio before lifting is a terrible idea, imo. Your energy will be sapped, even if you feel fresh, and you won't be able to lift as much. Doing the cardio is fine, but if it were me I'd do it after I lift without a doubt.

Edited January 2, 2019 by Stevo985

[KenjiOgiwara]

Ok cool! I will try a few lifting sessions where I do cardio last.