The Workout Thread

[Frito]

I started doing HIIT on that machine that's kinda like an elliptical, but you use both your arms and legs. Jesus. It's intense. I'm only doing half an hour a day or so (and then 10-15 minutes of just elliptical) and my shirt is soaked everytime. We'll see how it goes in a few weeks.

[Tones]

Keep it up and don't quit. Finding something you enjoy doing is the most important part of the battle, because if you don't like it, you won't do it.

This is the truth. I am on my eighth week of running; I'm progressing a bit slower than in the past (10% more every week, starting at 10 miles/week, at 19 miles this week), but I'm going a lot faster than I was in my last running program last July through November.

Not only that, but I have been getting a lot of people noticing that I have lost weight and saying I look better... having the fruits of my labor noticed is huge incentive to keep going.

[Dolemite]

I started doing HIIT on that machine that's kinda like an elliptical, but you use both your arms and legs.

That IS an elliptical.

[Advocate]

Thanks for the tips. Now what I meant was a routine.

I mean I go in and do like 20-30 minutes of cardio, then weights, then I do my Physical Therapy shit from when I had that car accident, and then I do like 100 crunches, and finally another 10 or more for cardio.

I need a weight lifting routine. I need a routine. I never had one. Mondays I do arms and chest, Tuesday back and shoulders, Wednesday legs, Thursday triceps and arms, Friday chest and back, Saturday shoulders and legs, Sunday off - usually.

My problem is I don't know what to do. I know curls, lat pull downs, pull ups, bench presses, tricep raises, and shit. I don't know anything else. That's what I need help with.

[Regus]

Advocate, this is the routine I do:

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5...ining-program/



This isn't a body building split routine, It's all compound lifts with barbells, you do it 3 days a week (remember: muscles do not grow at the gym, they grow when you are resting, so going so many days at once can me detrimental) and there are only 10 exercises in the program (you only do 5 a day). These lifts work multiple muscle groups at one time, so instead of working your arms one days and your legs the next you work your entire body on each day.

The main emphasis is on squats, which is a really difficult thing to learn how to do correctly, but they work so many muscles at once that there is a reason people call squats "the king of all exercises".

I personally think isolation exercises are a waste of time, why do one exercise that works one muscle when you can do one exercise that works ten?

You said that you are doing physical therapy so I don't know if this will work for you, but I've been on it for a month and I am seeing results. The thing to keep in mind is that these lifts are difficult to do right, and if you disregard form you will hurt yourself eventually.

[Advocate]

Thanks Regus.

[Dyne]

Thanks for the tips. Now what I meant was a routine.

I mean I go in and do like 20-30 minutes of cardio, then weights, then I do my Physical Therapy shit from when I had that car accident, and then I do like 100 crunches, and finally another 10 or more for cardio.

I need a weight lifting routine. I need a routine. I never had one. Mondays I do arms and chest, Tuesday back and shoulders, Wednesday legs, Thursday triceps and arms, Friday chest and back, Saturday shoulders and legs, Sunday off - usually.

My problem is I don't know what to do. I know curls, lat pull downs, pull ups, bench presses, tricep raises, and shit. I don't know anything else. That's what I need help with.

If you're already doing cardio and weights, isn't it a bit unnecessary to do PT? I've never had to do it but it seems to me if you're already working your whole body then what's the point?
Also go to bodybuilding.com or just google. There's TONS of shit out there for routienes.

[Frito]

That IS an elliptical.

Or is it?

I always thought ellipticals were the machines where you just use your legs and grab onto the machine for support, but they both work in an elliptical motion so you're probably right. Either way, HIIT is tough cookies.

[Dolemite]

I need a routine.

My current routine:

First of all, no matter what body parts I'm working, I do at least 5 minutes on the bike as a warm-up. Then I stretch the body parts being trained for another 5. On the first exercise, I do 2 warm-up sets...say, 15 reps, followed by 10. These sets should be easy, even by the final rep. You're just getting the blood flowing to the target muscles. After that, I start the first exercise, but I don't do warm-up sets for the rest of the exercises I do for that body part. It's already warmed-up, so I just go right to my heavy sets on exercise number 2 & 3 and so on...

I save cardio for after the weight lifting, when your body has already burned whatever sugar was in your muscles and will need to tap into your fat stores for energy. I usually do 20 minutes of HIIT training. Lately I've been doing the reclined bike on Random, which changes the resistance every 5 seconds. Makes for a pretty fresh cardio workout each time since you never do the same hill profile twice. But on leg day, I just jog on the treadmill for a while instead.

I use as much weight as I can handle without fucking up my form. But it's important to lift strictly and not let momentum do the work for you- don't just throw up the weight by jerking/swaying your body. I lift fast and always try to hold the weight at the top of the movement instead of just letting it drop.

I don't train triceps, mainly because they seem to develop enough on their own from the other body parts I train that involve presses and stuff. But everyone usually has a bodypart that develops easier than others...this may not hold true for you.


Mondays: Chest

Bench Press (grip is about slightly wider than shoulder-width)- 3 sets (Max-OT style- I start with a weight I can only do for 6 reps and stick with it for all 3 sets)

Incline Dumbbell Curl (I do a fairly low incline)- 3 sets (again, Max-OT style)

Incline Dumbbell Flys (I do these a little lighter- I aim for about 7-8 reps)- 2 sets

Pec Deck Flys (I also do these a little lighter- I aim for about 7-8 reps, and remember to hold at the top of the movement for a second for the peak contraction)- 2 sets


Wednesdays: Back and Biceps

Lat Pulldowns- 4 sets

T-Bar rows (close grip)- 4 sets

Barbell Rows (wide grip)- 2 sets

Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls- 4 sets (remember to hold at the top, and make sure you're curling the weight at the elbow only, as opposed to rotating your shoulder forward and up)

Machine Preacher Curls- 2 sets (again, hold at the top...I also go lighter with these, maybe 8 reps. Good for building peak)


Friday: Shoulders

Seated Behind the Neck Presses- 3 sets (hands about shoulder-width apart)

Barbell Upright Rows- 3 sets (again, hands shoulder-width apart, and hold the weight for a second at the top. Remember to keep your back straight the whole time, and lift only with the arms, until the bar is at your chin)

Seated Dumbbell Laterals- 3 sets (again, hold the weight for a second at the top).

Lying Rear Laterals- 3 sets (again, hold the weight for a second at the top. Make sure you keep your palms facing each other during each rep).


Saturday: Legs

Leg Extensions- 5 sets

Incline Leg Press- 3 sets

Lying Leg Curls- 5 sets

Donkey Calf Raise Machine- 5 sets

Seated Calf Raise Machine- 3 sets

[Kidnemo]

In my educated opinion, some of you people are dropping information that is not very good or safe.

I don't have time to respond fully now, but I'll try to get back on when I have a few minutes.