Getting fit with SwordsMaster

[Blodrast]

Yep, thanks for the answers. I don't eat much before a workout either, but I do after it. I guess that from what I've read, the downside of taking protein before bed is that the body may consider that since it's not really doing any effort, it can just store all that, rather than rebuild muscle. So, for instance, perhaps it might not be a good idea to take the protein unless you've actually worked out that day/evening ?

As for the pear/apple thing - yeah, crunches and similar stuff didn't help much... or maybe it did only in the sense that my love handles haven't grown larger...
Anything else short of liposuction that I can do about it ?

[Vladimir]

If I had the money I'd cheat. I'm just not sure whether all those men's health magazines are all crap or not. I was very sedentary when I was younger and you can still see it. Even after going from 217 to 186 at ~1.8m.

[The Wizard]

Men's Health itself is pretty good, in my opinion. There are some borderline exercises they propose (which can place serious strain on, say, your lower back) but otherwise yeah, it's pretty good.

[Strike For The South]

I have to disagree. Many mainstream health magizines are crap and truth be told there are only a few rules you need to live by. People go to the gym day in and day out and yet they never lift any heavier or look any bigger. This is mostly due to a poor diet lack of sleep and a crappy routine. If you are trying to lose weight all you have to do is eat in a caloreic defict (high in protien 250g at least...at least) forget cardio. Who do you see on cardio machines? Fat people with bad knees bad hearts and high blood pressure. If they knew what they were doing they would look better. Getting mass and gaining stregnth is a battle and your weapon is a fork. consume at least 5000 calories a day 7000 if you are doing intense manual labor or practcing high intenseity sports. As for sleep get at least 8 hours it isnt that hard. Now the rotuine. This is what gets my blood pressure rising. Trian in the 3 big lifts. Squats deadlifts and bench press. You dont need millions of curls you also dont need to lift 7 days a week. Yall probably know this but it needs to be said for all the aspring lifters. I now leave you with a recipe

STRIKES POWER SHAKE!@@@@@

16oz. Milk
1 Frozen Banana
2tbs PB
2 scoops whey
1 cup oats
olvie oil (use at discrtion)

Blend

thats about 1300 calroies you are 20% to your daily goal

[Beren Son Of Barahi]

Hey BSOB, (sorry about the pseudo-soviet abbreviation, but you have a long screen name),

First, about your question on protein: With the kind of exercise you are doing, i do not think protein is necessary. How is the muscle pain? If your muscles get really sore, consider taking protein once a day, about an hour before bed, or half an hour or so after exercising on an empty stomach to get your muscles to recover quicker.


Other than that, if what you want to get stronger, you are not doing enough of pretty much anything. I am sorry if i'm being too harsh, but you asked for advice yourself. You are not doing nearly enough reps. In fact i think you should be able to handle at least 10 times more. From your description, you are a big guy. With 1.98 tall, you should weight in somewhere between 92 and 105 kg if you are fit, depending on how much muscle you carry.

30 crunches barely warm you up. My recommendation, without using weights, is you do a set of 50, rest 30 sec, do a set of 45, rest for 30 sec again, do a set of 40, and so on until you get down to 5.

For pushups, the same: do a set of 30, then 25, then 20. On the next set to 25, 20, 15, then 20, 15, 10, then 15, 10, 10, and then 10, 5, 5.

Do some other exercise in between these sets.


For abs also to some winshield wipers: lie on your back flat on the floor. Spread your arms in cross, lift both legs straight up. Now keeping your legs straight twist to touch your fingers with your toes without separating the opposite shoulder from the floor. 1 rep is one rotation to both sides. Aim for 10 reps.


Handstand pushups are great, but I think you are approaching them in a strange way. Just holding a handstant won't help you to do pushups, just as standing up won't help you do squats. Get someone to spot you holding your ankles and actually attempt the pushups. The first few, you will barely go down 2 inches, but you'll find it easier as time goes on.

Keep up a low-fat diet, but you also want it to be a high-fibre, high-protein. So chicken and veggies are good, with the occasional pasta plate and steak.


And, as I said already somewhere above, you do not spot-reduce fat. You either have it everywhere or nowhere at all. Which means you should train your legs just as anything else. Specially since the biggest muscle on your body is the quadriceps. Meaning that it'll burn the most calories per minute.


Anyhow, hope this helps.

the muscle soreness is manageable, but it could be better. i think ill try taking some protein, see if it helps and go from there. i don't really like doing things too much too soon or i get bored of it and i stop doing it, iv found that i am better off to do something a little easy for while until i get it to be routine, once its routine then i can start to push my self. also, although i would not say i am weak, or whimpy, i find that this being my 1st week of this, i am finding it harder then i thought i would. so i am not sure if i could handle the 285 crunches and 235 push ups you suggest. The leg lifts are great, but i am doing them before anything else and they take their toll on me.

other then the crunches and push ups, what do you think of the positions , plank, low board ect? are they of any value at all? i know its mostly muscle endurance it is building but i feel like they help overall. i would be interested in what you think.

Holding the shoulder stand and hand stands are to build up my back muscle after a car crash, as well as doing back bends (lie face down, lift arms in front of you, and lift you legs straight, lift as high as you can and hold it for 30 - 60 secs, you should in time get it so that your hips are the only thing touching the ground). after hold the hand stand i try the push ups. i don't have anyone to spot me so its hard to get used to it.

I am not tring to spot loose fat, instead i am trying to build the muscles under the fat so that in time ill be loosing fat from all over, and with any luck have some more muscle as well..

and thanks, ill keep your suggestion as a goal to where i should be aiming for, it shouldnt take long to get it all together...

[naut]

I've always, always had very, very little body fat

Likewise, last time I checked I had 4.2% body fat but I'm more of a mesomorph.

30 crunches barely warm you up. My recommendation, without using weights, is you do a set of 50, rest 30 sec, do a set of 45, rest for 30 sec again, do a set of 40, and so on until you get down to 5.

For pushups, the same: do a set of 30, then 25, then 20. On the next set to 25, 20, 15, then 20, 15, 10, then 15, 10, 10, and then 10, 5, 5.

I think I might try that.

[SwordsMaster]

the muscle soreness is manageable, but it could be better. i think ill try taking some protein, see if it helps and go from there. i don't really like doing things too much too soon or i get bored of it and i stop doing it, iv found that i am better off to do something a little easy for while until i get it to be routine, once its routine then i can start to push my self. also, although i would not say i am weak, or whimpy, i find that this being my 1st week of this, i am finding it harder then i thought i would. so i am not sure if i could handle the 285 crunches and 235 push ups you suggest. The leg lifts are great, but i am doing them before anything else and they take their toll on me.

other then the crunches and push ups, what do you think of the positions , plank, low board ect? are they of any value at all? i know its mostly muscle endurance it is building but i feel like they help overall. i would be interested in what you think.

Holding the shoulder stand and hand stands are to build up my back muscle after a car crash, as well as doing back bends (lie face down, lift arms in front of you, and lift you legs straight, lift as high as you can and hold it for 30 - 60 secs, you should in time get it so that your hips are the only thing touching the ground). after hold the hand stand i try the push ups. i don't have anyone to spot me so its hard to get used to it.

I am not tring to spot loose fat, instead i am trying to build the muscles under the fat so that in time ill be loosing fat from all over, and with any luck have some more muscle as well..

and thanks, ill keep your suggestion as a goal to where i should be aiming for, it shouldnt take long to get it all together...

It's your call, obviously. But the routine I suggested is part of the average boxing workout about 4 weeks into the training year, about 3 times a week.

Planks, etc are great for your core muscles, but don't get bored with it. I mean there is only so much fun in holding the same position for 5 min. Experiment, introduce a swiss ball, ask your gym instructor for some ideas.

SFTS, 7000 cal is quite a few cal. You obviously do some other sport also. I can't imagine you consuming 7000 cal a day for however many sets of 3 lifts...

[doc_bean]

consume at least 5000 calories a day 7000 if you are doing intense manual labor or practcing high intenseity sports.

Heh, I can manage to gain weight consuming 1000 calories a day, I think the general rule is 'there is no general rule'. Almost everyone has a different metabolism.

[The Wizard]

I have to disagree. Many mainstream health magizines are crap and truth be told there are only a few rules you need to live by. People go to the gym day in and day out and yet they never lift any heavier or look any bigger.

Friend, be that as it may, I've followed one of their routines (I've since added some other exercises to the mix) and I got great results from it. My only problem is an occasional lack of motivation; the sets themselves are just fine.

Fact is that most people in your gym follow the routine set out on a card by the gym itself, which is usually provided by the people making the devices in the place (Nautilus, LifeFitness, etc). They also follow cardio exercises under the impression that that loses you more fat, while weight training or even real body building gives you more muscle which takes more calories to maintain, which in turn means you're burning more calories all day long -- instead of just those thirty minutes once or twice a week on the treadmill.

As for protein shakes -- I need to get myself one of those. Any recommendations? I've only ever once substituted it with raw eggs (they taste like... nothing, really).

[Vladimir]

As for protein shakes -- I need to get myself one of those. Any recommendations? I've only ever once substituted it with raw eggs (they taste like... nothing, really).

Has anyone tried Muscle Milk? It seems to really help me retain muscle mass while I haven’t been very active lately. That could be due to the decreased cardio I’ve been doing though.

Reading the information on the label it seems like an impressive product that is based on human milk. Every morning I imagine that I’m sucking on two, giant, chocolate flavored breasts.

[The Wizard]

Sounds good, though I'm not sure if they have that here in this sorry excuse for a swamp they call Holland. I'll have a look-see if they do... thanks anyways, Vladimir!

[LeftEyeNine]

Yo ladies,

I have decided to grow my arm muscles a month ago and I have been doing the illustrated exercise once a day since then for each arm seperately, with a 7.5 kg weighing dumbbell, started at 40 repeats and increased to 50 for the last 15 days. Yes, I have a weak arm and yes, I know nuts about gym jargons. That's why I illustrated which basic exercise I've been doing for the past month:



On a protein-dedicated diet, this stuff really improved my arms' shape and power only in one month, however I need more variation of this. Because I want to improve the side parts of the upper arm and the whole forearm. I bet you have suggestions on what I can do, considering the amount of weight I have been lifting already which I have adjusted absolutely close to my limits and will be pushing forward as I improve. I know the golden rule : You need to push your limits to stimulate muscular improvement.

And also what kind of weight-lifting schedule do I need to improve the illustrated part below. In Turkish we call those muscles "wings", which are located at your back and actually are the side parts of that masculine "triangular" look. (marked with red arrows here):



Some people said that I'll need bench press to aim that which sounds reasonable. I just want to make sure and hear of other options, if there are.

Thanks in advance.

[SwordsMaster]

Well, ok. It wouldn't be a bad ide to learn the names of the muscles involved, btw, but i guess this is not the important issue...

What you have been doing is develop your biceps. Part of it anyway. I am assuming your palm is facing upwards. Try the same exercise with the palm facing down, and you should feel the burn (I've always wanted to say it) in your forearm and wrist muscles.

For more forearm development try something that climbers do: get 5-6 rubber bands, put the tips of your fingers together in a pear shape and put the rubber bands around them. Now open your fingers as many times as you want.

For the "wings" or latissimus dorsi or dorsal, do pullups. Once pullups are too easy attach 15 kg to your waist and go at it again. There is no better exercise.

[The Wizard]

Bench presses, or anything involving the chest tend to improve those muscles, though you'll also be training your chest muscles themselves, of course. Pullups, too, and I'd agree with SwordsMaster in saying that they put more strain on the dorsal muscles than do chest exercises and so provide better results.

On the note of pullups, how to exactly to attach weight to the waist when your gym only has machines (you know, Nautilus, LifeFitness and all that jazz) and barbells and dumbbells? I do 3 x 10 pullups right now, and am planning to increase that to 15 - 20 in the future (I've just come off a long period of inactivity) but I'm kinda curious as to this.

[Beren Son Of Barahi]

Just a quick note to say, i am now doing 5 times the amount of push ups, sit ups and crunches i was doing before, almost to where you said i should be at. after 2 weeks i am getting somewhere. i also learnt a very good lesson, don't go into health shops and ask for advise. they tried to sell me everything under the sun...

time to add some dips and handstand push ups into the mix....

[Strike For The South]

LEN start squating. just trying to isolate one or two muscles isnt going to cut it you are going to have to do the big 3 compund movements along with isolation excersises and doing 50 reps a day is waay to much voulme. I would also point out you triceps not your biceps make up 2/3's of your arm.

[SwordsMaster]

Bench presses, or anything involving the chest tend to improve those muscles, though you'll also be training your chest muscles themselves, of course. Pullups, too, and I'd agree with SwordsMaster in saying that they put more strain on the dorsal muscles than do chest exercises and so provide better results.

On the note of pullups, how to exactly to attach weight to the waist when your gym only has machines (you know, Nautilus, LifeFitness and all that jazz) and barbells and dumbbells? I do 3 x 10 pullups right now, and am planning to increase that to 15 - 20 in the future (I've just come off a long period of inactivity) but I'm kinda curious as to this.

To attach some weight to you, get a weight disc like one of the ones used for barbells, string a belt through it, and attach it to another belt (one of those hard, weight-lifting ones) that you then, attach to yourself like you normally would.

[Blodrast]

Bench presses, or anything involving the chest tend to improve those muscles, though you'll also be training your chest muscles themselves, of course. Pullups, too, and I'd agree with SwordsMaster in saying that they put more strain on the dorsal muscles than do chest exercises and so provide better results.

I'm not sure that bench presses do anything for your lats. Pullups, pulldowns target the lats.

Also, LEN, SFTS does have a point - it may be a good idea not to just work the biceps and completely ignore the triceps. Huge imbalances in muscles may lead to injuries in the long run. Also, if you're only in it for the show, I think a nicely sculpted triceps is worth more than a huge biceps. ;) You may also want to work the deltoids (shoulder) a little bit.

[Andres]

LEN, I'll give you my scheme. I never go to the gym, I do all my exercises at home. The only things you need, are:

- a pair of dumbbells
- a chair
- a flat bank (or your bed)
- a "pull-up bar" (you can use tree branches, just find something strong enough to carry your weight and on which you can hold a strong grasp with your hands, be creative )

Seated lateral raises (shoulders):

Take a dumbbells in each hand, allowing the dumbbells to hang down at your sides with your palm facing in toward your body. Next, simultaneously raise the dumbbells by bringing the backs of your hands to the ceiling until your elbows are at shoulder height, keeping your arms as straight as possible throughout the movement. Your arms have to be more or less parallel to the floor, hold for a second and return to the start position.


Lying dumbbell extensions (triceps):

Take a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the dumbbells tightly with your arms extended and a slight bend in your arms and all the tension on the tricep muscles. Slowly lower the weight down behind your head while keeping your elbows in. Raise the dumbbell back to the starting position while keeping your elbows in during the entire movement.

Dumbbell pullover (chest):

Start by resting your shoulders and upper back on a flat bench. Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground. Grab hold of a suitable dumbbell with both hands . As you inhale, bring the dumbbell behind your head as you bend your elbows and squeeze your chest. Exhale as your bring your arms back up to the starting position.

Dumbbell curl (biceps)
Hold dumbbells at your sides with palms facing away from you and keep your elbows close to your sides. Curl both dumbbells toward your shoulders simultaneously. When your arms create a 90-degree angle, squeeze the biceps. Then lower to the start position under control.

Dumbbell squat (upper legs, quadriceps, knees)

Stand with dumbbells grasped to sides. Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat. During the exercise Keep head forward, back straight, chest high, arms straight to sides, and feet flat on the floor; equal distribution of weight through forefoot and heel.

Dumbbell lunges (quadriceps, hips)

Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands. Take a 2-3 foot step forward. Once the stepping foot is planted, the upper body and the front knee should not move forward during the lowering and raising of the body. Keeping the upper body vertical, dip your lower body straight down until back knee comes close to the ground. Hold the tension in the front of your leg, then raise your body straight up and return to starting position.

Dumbbell leg raises (calves)
This exercise is done in a standing position with your feet close together. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand. Lift your left (right) foot slightly off the ground and begin the exercise with your right (left) calf muscle. Push up with your foot and rock up onto your toes. Be sure to really flex your calves at the top of this movement for a one-count. Return to the start position and repeat. The initial upward movement should be slow and controlled.

Incline pec fly (chest)

Make sure to keep your arms almost straight with just a slight bend at the elbow. Bending the elbows more will only make the exercise easier and less effective.Lie on your back on an incline bench (or your bed). Arms out to the sides with elbows slightly bent. Bring your arms together above your chest.

Dumbbell palms in presses (shoulders)
Raise dumbbells to shoulder height. Sit at end of bench (or on a chair), feet firmly on floor. Press dumbbells straight up to arm's length, palm in elbow in. Lower dumbbells to starting position. Keep body rigid. Do all work with shoulders and arms. Do not lean from side to side. Inhale up, exhale down. Can also be done with plams facing out. Can also be done standing, with palms facing in or out.

Pull-up (or "chin-ups") (back)
Grasp a pull-up bar with a slightly-wider-than-shoulder-width overhand grip. Bend your knees so your feet leave the floor and pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Slowly lower yourself until your arms are almost fully extended, then repeat.


I always go for 3 sets of 10 reps. Grab the heaviest weight you can handle. The last rep must be very hard, nearly impossible. Remember: no pain, no gain. Feel free to add push ups (3 sets of 20 reps) and crunches (3 sets of 30 reps) to the scheme.

Don't do this more than 2 or three times a week. Ideal is 48 hours between each workout. I don't care about special food. I just do the exercices, and when I'm up to it, I add some more weight on the dumbbells. If possible, I do the exercises seated, trying to lean my back against the wall, since I have a rather weak lower back (had a hernia when I was 19).

Have fun

Oh, and if you want pictures to see how the exercises are performed, just google the names of the exercises.

And do some "cardio" as well: running, cycling or swimming at least once a week (twice a week is better, do it on the "off" days, when you are not doing the above scheme).

[Artificer]

And do some "cardio" as well: running, cycling or swimming at least once a week (twice a week is better, do it on the "off" days, when you are not doing the above scheme).

This is probably a silly question, but one I still want to ask. Will doing a cardio workout every day adversely effect the weightlifting?

[SwordsMaster]

This is probably a silly question, but one I still want to ask. Will doing a cardio workout every day adversely effect the weightlifting?

Yes, in the sense that you'll be exhausted. You have to let your muscles rest.

[Andres]

Yes, in the sense that you'll be exhausted. You have to let your muscles rest.

And a cardio once or twice a week, on a day when you don't do any weightlifting?

[SwordsMaster]

And a cardio once or twice a week, on a day when you don't do any weightlifting?

Again, if you are using a different set of muscles, then yes, but otherwise I would do either very light cardio, or slow down the weightlifting schedule

[Geoffrey S]

In general for rowing we do a heavy set of weightlifting on tuesdays followed by a brief light technique training on the water to prevent injuries and a light endurance training the day after, with a lighter (and shorter) set of weightlifting on fridays with a regular endurance training on the water following straight on.

As for the rest, monday we run, wednesdays and sundays are either technique or endurance training, thursdays are intensive longer distances, and saturdays are endurance coupled with sparring against the heavy eight. All training is preceded by ten minutes on a rowing machine followed by a set of exercises for abs.

[JimBob]

I've been starting a fitness program that is more than just running around outside. My goals are just to increase my fitness, strength and endurance. I don't have any equipment and don't plan on getting any, what are exercises that don't use equipment that a beginner could do? Besides push ups, sit ups, running etc.

[LeftEyeNine]

Oh thanks so much for your quick replies, you have just earned a Bodrum trip from LEN.

So more questions arise:

1- The exercise I have been doing will focus on my triceps and forearm if I do it with my palms faced downwards. Am I right ? If so, what's your recommendation on the weight and the number of repeats ? (I've been lifting 7.5 kgs 50 times a day with my palms faced upwards)

2- For triceps exercises, I have read somewhere that since those muscles are weak in the beginning, they advise doing them only once every 3 days, not everyday. What do you think?

3- Keeping on from my regular 50 repeats a day biceps exercise, is that too much? Should I modify the schedule? 50 repeats really make my arms burn, therefore I think less repeats wouldn't be of any use towards development. What's your ropinion ?

4- Placing some hard stuff on the walls where I'm a tenant in, is something quite unlikely to be allowed. What would be your next best advice to improve my dorsal then? Bench press? Or..?

[SwordsMaster]

Oh thanks so much for your quick replies, you have just earned a Bodrum trip from LEN.

So more questions arise:

1- The exercise I have been doing will focus on my triceps and forearm if I do it with my palms faced downwards. Am I right ? If so, what's your recommendation on the weight and the number of repeats ? (I've been lifting 7.5 kgs 50 times a day with my palms faced upwards)

If you do the bicep exercise with the palms facing down, you'll work biceps and forearms, not triceps. I don't recommend doing more than 12-15 reps on an exercise, even that is too much, if you can do more, you need heavier weights. (example, if I ever do bicep curls- which is your bicep exercise - I do 4 sets of 8 reps and 25 kg)

2- For triceps exercises, I have read somewhere that since those muscles are weak in the beginning, they advise doing them only once every 3 days, not everyday. What do you think?

Idiocy. If you think they're weak, they'll be weak. another good triceps exercise is your traditional pushup. We used to do them every day and only get stronger.

3- Keeping on from my regular 50 repeats a day biceps exercise, is that too much? Should I modify the schedule? 50 repeats really make my arms burn, therefore I think less repeats wouldn't be of any use towards development. What's your ropinion ?

As I said above, IMO, way too many reps. Get heavier weights.

4- Placing some hard stuff on the walls where I'm a tenant in, is something quite unlikely to be allowed. What would be your next best advice to improve my dorsal then? Bench press? Or..?

Get a tree branch, a football crossbar, or something of the sort and do your pullups there...

[Vladimir]

Yes, diamond push-ups. Connect the tips of your thumbs and forefingers and feel the burn.

[The Wizard]

To attach some weight to you, get a weight disc like one of the ones used for barbells, string a belt through it, and attach it to another belt (one of those hard, weight-lifting ones) that you then, attach to yourself like you normally would.

Ah, excellent. Thanks, SwordsMaster!

[Vladimir]

The Total War Workout: I have a set of handweights that I keep in the same room as the computer. Whenever I play Total War I usually have several agents moving about the map. Whenever I hit end turn I use the weights while I'm waiting instead of sitting there constantly clicking. It works great. Monday I was a little sore after playing for a while on Sunday.