Gym Routine

[KenjiOgiwara]

2 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

The good news is that if you're a relative beginner with heavy weights then you'll usually put on a fair bit of beginner muscle whilst losing weight. Everyone is different but I believe that's pretty common.

This is so true. Newbie gains is a thing. I've been lifting for 10 years now and if I suddenly start lifts on muscle groups I've never prioritized I get gains even in calori deficit. 

[kurtsimonw]

I have been going 6 months, and after a 6 month gap before that, I'd been going 18 months. I don't know if I'll count as a newbie, despite having next to no muscle!

[KenjiOgiwara]

What's interesting is looking at calories and what you need and how much you take in. 

I think it's normal to say an average male needs about 2500 kcal a day to break even, i.e. not lose or gain weight. For women the average woman they tend to say 2000 I think. 

Personally I think these are estimations on people who are slightly fat, but that's an uneducated guess.

I normally don't have breakfast and just have a protein shake, double espresso and maybe some berries if I crave sugar. So normally around 200-300 kcal. Then I have a salad at lunch that I think is around 500 kcal. Then I go home, and eat a dinner which is around 1000 kcal and that's what I eat an entire day. On workout days I go home and hit the gym. My garmin tells me I burn normally 200 kcal on warm-up and 400-500 on my strength. So I assume 600 kcal negative here. Then I go home and eat a 1000 kcal dinner. Which means my workout days are around 1200-1500 (because the workout days I often add another shake 200 kcal and some almonds. Now 1200-1500 is probably a lot less than my body wants on workout days. But even while I've done this every day for 12-18 months now, I still have not been able to get to a very low fat percentage, which tells me I probably need to cut even more calories from my nutrition plan. 

TLDR: Figuring out how many calories you actually need is difficult, but you can assume you need a lot less than you think if you want to lose weight fast. And a lot of the time you ingest way more calories than you think.  

[KenjiOgiwara]

2 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said:

I have been going 6 months, and after a 6 month gap before that, I'd been going 18 months. I don't know if I'll count as a newbie, despite having next to no muscle!

In that case you probably have a fair amount of muscle, but it's hiding under fat haha. Just google "fat percentages male photo examples" or something like that. People who looked fairly unfit at 20+ BF% look very muscular at lower percentages. Which is why a lean fit plan is in my opinion the best for people who aren't interested in heavy lifting competitions or something similar. There are guys in my gym who lift crazy heavy stuff, but I just look fitter than them shirt off cause of all their fat. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

I've started jogging on my gym off days. It's weird how heavy jogging gets after 10 years of lifting weights. 10 km and I am completely knackered. Kinda embarrassing 

[KenjiOgiwara]

Are there any nutrition experts here? How many calories do you reckon is needed after a strength workout before it starts getting stored as fat? 

[villaglint]

1 hour ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Are there any nutrition experts here? How many calories do you reckon is needed after a strength workout before it starts getting stored as fat? 

I'm no nurtriion expert but it sounds to me like you are eating a post workout kebab. You dont need no internet expert to tell you that's a bad idea. 

 

 

 

 

ps I have done this before!

[KenjiOgiwara]

Didn't understand that post at all, but maybe it's a joke that passes me by. 

I just wonder, cause you need X amount of calories to not drop or gain weight each day. The amount of calories needed is affected by the calories spent during the workout and the post workout muscle building (i.e. all the nutrients your body is needing to rebuild), call these additional calories Y. So if I workout 4 times a week, then those 4 days I will need X + Y. If I move past Y then I will store more fat. Then it's also case that rebuilding often occurs on rest days, so you will need X+Y on rest days as well. 

So how many calories does a normal restitution after a workout consist of? 

Edited July 9, 2019 by KenjiOgiwara

[JB]

Just arrived at my gym for quick late night session, hoping to avoid the crowds. Bit of noise coming from upstairs. Popped my head round the door and Phil Heath is in there. Wasn’t expecting that.

[Stevo985]

I need to change up my routine. Been doing it for about a year (on and off)

got some good results at first but getting bored now. 

Any suggestions or ideas?

looking for a 4 day split to accompany a cut. Alongside a Calorie deficit and increased cardio. 

[A'Villan]

Just signed up with one of my states best bodybuilders turned strongman as a personal trainer. Pretty excited to work with someone at the top of their field.

He's written me up a routine tailored to my schedule for basketball, it's all new to me but I can't wait 'til our first session next week.

The idea is that every workout we do will improve my game and ability and allow sufficient time to be fresh for the 3 matches I play per week.

[A'Villan]

On 28/07/2019 at 06:10, Stevo985 said:

I need to change up my routine. Been doing it for about a year (on and off)

got some good results at first but getting bored now. 

Any suggestions or ideas?

looking for a 4 day split to accompany a cut. Alongside a Calorie deficit and increased cardio. 

Do you have any interest in playing ball sports for your cardio requirements?

Personally jogging gets mundane for me, but I'll chase a ball for 8 hours some days.

I don't know what a cut is, is that some process where you get leaner?

As for your 4 day split, I have Arnold Schwarzenegger's encyclopedia, would recommend for sure.

If the goal is intensity in your workout, in order to gain the best results, I'd imagine supersets would help achieve that.

Sorry Stevo, I'm not going to be of much help haha. But that encyclopedia is good for novice, amateur and pro I believe.

[Stevo985]

2 hours ago, A'Villan said:

Do you have any interest in playing ball sports for your cardio requirements?

Personally jogging gets mundane for me, but I'll chase a ball for 8 hours some days.

I don't know what a cut is, is that some process where you get leaner?

As for your 4 day split, I have Arnold Schwarzenegger's encyclopedia, would recommend for sure.

If the goal is intensity in your workout, in order to gain the best results, I'd imagine supersets would help achieve that.

Sorry Stevo, I'm not going to be of much help haha. But that encyclopedia is good for novice, amateur and pro I believe.

I'd love to play more ball sports, 5 aside especially, as I hate bog standard cardio. Unfortunately don't get much opportunity anymore.

And yeah a cut is losing body fat to be leaner. I've not been very strict this year and it shows. I reckon I need to lose a stone of fat.

If I really knuckled down I could probably do it in 12 weeks

[wilko154]

On 04/07/2019 at 09:20, kurtsimonw said:

I feel I have that horrible skinny/fat shape. There's stomach/chest areas of fat, but otherwise I'm a pretty skinny build.  I'm no nutritionist, but I feel my diet is pretty good. Wholemeal bread, eggs, tomatoes, chicken breast, 5% minced meat for "treat" meals like burgers, eggs, brown rice, tuna, potatoes and then various fruit/veg. Then I use protein shakes on workout days just to give the protein a little top up.

I think it's the frustration of knowing I'm getting stronger, but seeing no physical changes as a result, then keeping those fatty areas.

As for deadlifts/squats. I do have anterior pelvic tilt, so I have a real concern about completely **** my back by doing them. I'm not the most confident gym goer when it comes to trying knew things anyway, so it's one of those things that's hard to just start doing on your own when you don't know what you're doing.

Diet sounds good to me, I wouldn't change it. If you want to get really picky with it then download MyFitnessPal and track your calories or macros, there are various videos on Youtube that show you how you can do this. It works but it can become an obsession and slight pain.

I see you mentioned trouble with your back, personally I would take them out and just use Bent over Rows instead. Deadlifts are ideal for working your back, but not worth the risk. Look up some workout plans online and try to bring them in to mix up what you are currently doing, I find sometimes getting into the gym early on a Saturday or Sunday gives you a chance to try a few things out whilst its quiet. I use an app called FitNotes, build up a session (4 sessions each week hitting all body parts) and then track my progress in the app; it also helps remember what you did last time and the weight you lifted with an incentive to improve without sacrificing form.

The key to losing weight unfortunately is cardio (it sounds as though your diet plan is pretty much on point), drop in 10-15 minutes cardio at the end of each session for a month or two and see what the results look like. Either run, row, incline walk or use the cross trainer.

 

[A'Villan]

3 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

I'd love to play more ball sports, 5 aside especially, as I hate bog standard cardio. Unfortunately don't get much opportunity anymore.

And yeah a cut is losing body fat to be leaner. I've not been very strict this year and it shows. I reckon I need to lose a stone of fat.

If I really knuckled down I could probably do it in 12 weeks

That's unfortunate. Futsal is great fun. Really teaches the intricacies of the game because long ball is redundant.

Just a suggestion, here in Melbourne we have facebook groups for pick-up basketball and futsal. Surely you'd have some too.

If ever the inclination to get a run in comes up, you've just got to check a facebook group to get involved and there's no commitment to a season.

Do you know Serge Nubret? Easily the most aesthetic bodybuilder to walk the planet as a 70 year old. Arnold was long turned Dad-bod by then.

He was all about high volume, high rep, moderate weight split training. He was never about getting as big as possible, but symmetry, proportion, overall shape.

He was someone I tried to emulate for some time, before realising I needed to learn the ropes and fundamentals instead of copying what he was doing.

But yeah, check him out at age 70, if you don't know him.

 

 

[kurtsimonw]

1 hour ago, wilko154 said:

Diet sounds good to me, I wouldn't change it. If you want to get really picky with it then download MyFitnessPal and track your calories or macros, there are various videos on Youtube that show you how you can do this. It works but it can become an obsession and slight pain.

I see you mentioned trouble with your back, personally I would take them out and just use Bent over Rows instead. Deadlifts are ideal for working your back, but not worth the risk. Look up some workout plans online and try to bring them in to mix up what you are currently doing, I find sometimes getting into the gym early on a Saturday or Sunday gives you a chance to try a few things out whilst its quiet. I use an app called FitNotes, build up a session (4 sessions each week hitting all body parts) and then track my progress in the app; it also helps remember what you did last time and the weight you lifted with an incentive to improve without sacrificing form.

The key to losing weight unfortunately is cardio (it sounds as though your diet plan is pretty much on point), drop in 10-15 minutes cardio at the end of each session for a month or two and see what the results look like. Either run, row, incline walk or use the cross trainer.

 

Thanks for that mate.

I have a google docs for my diet which I've been using to pre-plan a days meals, which has helped. I'm 200 pounds, 6"4 and don't look overweight, but I do actually find it piss easy losing weight - it's losing fat I struggle with, especially in certain areas and I know you can't spot reduce which makes it all the more annoying.

What do you do for your chest? It's an area I'm very conscious about because it's the one area to me that looks fatty. I can't seem to do anything to really feel it. Pec flys are about the best, but still not great. Whenever I try and do any dumbbell presses or anything, either it's too light to feel anything, or the weight is too heavy that I'm getting quite bad elbow pains.

[wilko154]

34 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said:

Thanks for that mate.

I have a google docs for my diet which I've been using to pre-plan a days meals, which has helped. I'm 200 pounds, 6"4 and don't look overweight, but I do actually find it piss easy losing weight - it's losing fat I struggle with, especially in certain areas and I know you can't spot reduce which makes it all the more annoying.

What do you do for your chest? It's an area I'm very conscious about because it's the one area to me that looks fatty. I can't seem to do anything to really feel it. Pec flys are about the best, but still not great. Whenever I try and do any dumbbell presses or anything, either it's too light to feel anything, or the weight is too heavy that I'm getting quite bad elbow pains.

My current session for chest is:

Bench Press - 4 Sets of 10 Reps

Incline Press - 3 Sets of 12 Reps

Cable Crossover - 3 Sets of 12 Reps

Dumbell Chest Hammer Press - 3 Sets of 8 Reps

 

Cable Crossover can be swapped out for Pec Fly or Chest Fly

Dumbell Chest Hammer Press could be swapped out for Decline Press or a Machine Chest Press

 

Again the best way to lose fat will be cardio at the end of every session as lifting weights will only increase muscle mass. I have the same problem as you with my chest, fat builds up on my chest and stomach first.

Maybe even stick a dedicated cardio day in if you have time. I used to circuit 10-15 minutes of each cardio machine (row, run, cross trainer, bike), it's a killer but works.

[JB]

Today’s the last day of a diet that’s ended up getting me probably the leanest I’ve ever been. I’m pretty sure that I’m well into single-digit % body fat. I’ve gone from around 17st10 to 15st12 at 6’5. I wasn’t exactly fat before so some of the weight loss is probably muscle but I’ve adjusted my training to try and keep as much as I can.

I’ve learnt a lot and am obviously pleased with the results and the shape I’m in but on the whole, it’s been a pretty horrible experience that I’m not sure is worth it. I’ve been constantly hungry, thinking about food, sleeping badly, pissing constantly and feeling light headed. (I don’t want to complain, though - voluntary starvation for aesthetic goals is a textbook first world problem and I’m fortunate to be able to do it by choice.)

The hunger and the body’s demand to be fed has been the hardest part. I’ve probably not hit my actual calorie goal once and have eaten something I shouldn’t have pretty much every day. I’ve also had a couple of weddings and nights out where everything’s gone out the window. 

It took me a while to see results. I looked a lot worse for a while before I got better. Interestingly, I really started getting results when I incorporated a couple of weekly refeeds. 

I cheated too much in the first few weeks so had to step things up to a level I wouldn’t usually. For the last few weeks I’ve been aiming for a calorie deficit of around 1000 per day and topped it up with 500cal daily cardio. It’s completely unsustainable in the long run but has got me results in a relatively short space of time.

The next time I diet, I’ll plan it better. I’ll do it more slowly and less extreme, have diet breaks and use refeeds earlier on. 

Off on holiday tomorrow so all the good work will probably be undone in the space of a few days, if not before I leave Birmingham Airport

[wazzap24]

On 05/01/2019 at 16:04, wazzap24 said:

I am fat. 

No longer just 'a bit overweight', but actual fat.

I'm 2 1/2 stone over my fighting weight and 2 1/4 of that is on my stomach. 

I'm 13 months away from 40 and I need to do something. 

I'm going to get cracking on Monday. 

Reckon I can drop a stone in a month with a decent diet and some HIT. If it's going well I might hit the weights after that.

I've just made a 'goodbye' visit to Walter Smiths and got myself some sausage rolls and scotch eggs. One. Last. Hit. 

Dropped 2st 

January was a false dawn (as was February, March and April), but I finally stuck to it from May onwards. 

No exercise, just did that Keto diet thing. Went from 14.5st to 12.5st in 8 weeks. 

Kept it off for the past few weeks, just trying to make things a bit healthier now and introduce some exercise. 

It’s cost me a fortune in new clobber though, especially as I’ve been buying ‘nice’ stuff now I can actually wear it as oppose to £3 XL t-shirts from the sale rail in GAP! 

[KenjiOgiwara]

Got a bone infection, so next weel is my 4th week with out gym. I feel so rotten

Afraid all my work will get lost now. Worked so god damn hard all year long as well.