Advice.

Discussion in 'Fitness, Health & Nutrition' started by CaliforniaKing, Feb 14, 2014.

  1. So I want to get in shape, or at least better shape.I'm 19 (turning 20 in a few months) I weigh roughly 210 lbs, I'm about 5ft 10 inches tall. I've had a gym membership since September (haven't gone yet) and I have a job so I can afford to buy healthy foods and shit. 
     
    A friend from my job who is studying to become a personal trainer is going to be helping me soon, give me some advice about what I should eat and how I should workout daily/weekly. 
     
    But so as not to remain biased I'm asking for advice here too. I wanted to be in great shape for this summer but right now I'd be happy with just slimming down. I've been commuting to college for the last year and a half but I'm likely transferring to an away school for the Fall 2014 semester and I DEFINITELY want to be in great shape by then, y'know new school, want to meet girls, etc. 
     
    Is it possible? 
     
     

     
  2. You've had a member ship since September and haven't gone once yet..?


    Hate to be a downer but did you research anything at all your self instead of asking to be spoonfed all the info?

    if you can't even do that how are you going to have the discipline to train and diet hard? You know it's not a walk in the park, it takes a shit load of dedication and hard work. Pure blood sweat and tears son
     
  3.  
    That's what I wrote. 
     
     
     
    I didn't ask to be 'spoonfed' all the information, I'm nineteen. I was on the football team for one season in High School and on the Track Team for one season in High School. I've exercised before. I've done both weight training and cardio exercises. What I've asked about is what type of routine I should try and what type of results I could expect o get and in what time frame. 
     
     
     
    I asked for advice. Everyone has different ideas about workout and dietary routines.
     
     
     
    I do know. 
     
  4. Oh damn we got an all star here.



    You should work out minimum 4 times a week.
     
    You should also try to hit muscles that are worked on the same day so you don't run into problems with being to sore with a muscle group on another day.  For example almost all back workouts require a ton of bicep use and chest exercises use tris.  Also back exercises like the dead lift do indeed require a lot of leg power so try to keep leg day and back day a couple to few days apart.
     
    So keeping that in mind:
    Monday:
    Chest/tris
    Tuesday:
    Leg/Calves
    Wednesday:
    Shoulders/Traps
    Thursday:
    Off
    Friday:
    Back/Biceps
    Saturday+Sunday: Off
     
    That's just an example split so you can switch up the days if needed and it's just a general guide line so you can do what works for you.

    What's REALLY important is form.  I don't know how experienced you are but if you aren't you should really read up some guides that show diagrams of how the movements are done to get real efficient workout from them as well keep you away from injury. 
     
    *Second most important thing is too not cheat and use light enough weight to perfect the form.
     
    Really try to use the targeted muscles to do the lifting, don't jerk and use momentum to cheat.  Get your mind connected to those targeted muscles.
     
    For example, when doing chin ups, lat pull downs, rows, think of your arm as something just connected to the bar and your back/lats the engine of a pulley.  Try hard to only use your back and at the last range of motion squeeze your shoulder blades together.  If you do it right, your arms will feel all right but you will feel that burn and pump in your lats and middle/lower back(depending on what exercise you're doing).
     
    This applies to every exercise for the most part.
     
    *Also reps and sets are another very important way to get the most gains in terms of strength and mass.
     
    For heavy compound exercises like squats, dead lifts, and bench.  You can go heavier but lower reps and sets.  If you are a beginner try the 5x5 routine for those lifts.  But use weights that you are still comfortable with and move up from there.  Try to lift 5lbs more per exercise per week.
     
    As for every other exercise, 3-4x8-12 reps and sets is recommended.  Don't rush brotha, use weight you can lift properly and squeeze them out right.  You will gain much faster and keep your self away from long term injury.
     

    Remember to not overload your routine with tons of exercises, few exercises done right will blow away a ton of unnecessary and poorly executed ones.
     
    Deadlift 5x5
    Bent over BB rows 3x8-12
    Barbell Curls 3x8-12
    Bent over DB or Alt Renegade rows 3-4x8-12
    Incline hammer or regular DB curls 3-4x8-12
    Chin ups 4x8(this worked well for me, play around with it)
    Lat Pull downs 3-4x8-12( Use light weight for this. This exercise is perfect to learn that mind to muscle connection I was telling you about. Perfect the form and go heavier from then on)
     
    Preacher curls are optional.  Barbell curls if done properly should be plenty bud.  Preacher curls also
    hit the brachialis which isn't really even part of the biceps. However it is near the biceps and could add mass that looks like part of the bicep.  So unless you're biceps are lagging, it's not really necessary.
     
     
     
     
    One last note.  For any exercise day, try to alternate the exercises so you don't constantly hit the same major muscle groups in a row.  Give them a break and work out the second muscle group of the day.  The routine I just organized for you shows you that.  For example, try not to do all back exercises in a row but after a back exercise, do a biceps, then back, etc.


    Chest/tri day routine

    5x5 Bench press
    3-4x8-12 Tricep pushdowns(I'm guessing you're using the lat pull down pulley for this?)
    3-4x8-12 Incline dumbell press
    3-4x812 Close grip bench press
    5x5 Incline bench press
    3-4x8-12 DB skull crushers
     

     
    If your goal is too achieve mass.  Try to do more compound exercises and loose the isolation exercises for now.  Incline db presses have been found to be very good for the upper chest development though so do that.

    To give you a general idea: Isolation exercises are obviously to hit a specific muscle better.  Compound exercises are movements that require more muscle groups to work and lift the weight.  So more than one muscle gets hit.


    Squat advice/legs:
    Foot stance, place feet shoulder width with toes facing about 25 degrees outwards.
     
    When coming up from the squat, look ahead and a bit above with your chest out and push up with your heels. Where your eyes are the body will follow.
     
    Calf raises should be hit hard for it to be really effective.  Many people have a hard time growing there calves and it's because they don't hit them hard enough.  If you're one of them which 90% of the people are, you got to beat the shit out of them.  I'm talking about real burn and pump that it's going to be hard to walk for a bit after.  Because of this I recommend you do this exercise last.
     
    Try doing 3x20-30 reps.  But really get that full range of motion doing the raises.  Even 10-15 reps of the set do the pause and hold method. Raise the weight and hold for 2-3 seconds and flex your calves. Try to do weights that are 75% of your max.  If you can't raise the weight up with your calves, you won't be able to rep it out well and get the full range of motion of the exercise.  You will feel the burn, it'll hurt if done correctly.
     
    You should also do stiff legged dead lifts.  Very good exercise for your hams and a bit of calves.  Tough but really hits the hams.


    Shoulders
     
    DB lateral raises 4x8-12
    DB front raises 4x8-12
    Standing or seated DB military presses 4x8-12
    Bent over seated DB flies(for rear delts) 4x8-12. Or you can do reverse cable flyes
    Dumbell shrugs(go heavy as you can and full range of motion! Also apply the hold and flex method) 4x8-10
    barbell shrugs(same thing as dumbell shrugs) 4x8-10
     
    Heavy deadlifts and SLDL or holding anything heavy will also grow your traps. So don't skimp out on deadlifts!



    As you get more advanced, switch up one or two workouts every other week. I.e; do incline hammer curls one week, next week do incline dumbbell curls.



    A little something I sent to other members so its a little choppy since it's a little out of context.

    ask me any questions.

    as for diet, low carbs, medium fat, high protein. Look up what your caloric maintenance should be for your weight and eat 500 calories lower. Every week drop another 500 till you see the results you like.


    Train fasted.
     

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