Starting now and hoping to finish strong!

[Ms T]

Salaam!

Well I'm taking the plunge and diving right in because it's time to set some real goals and work towards them. Although I've been going to the gym "regularly", I am ready to start working towards achieving some real results.

About a year and a half ago I weighed in at 86kg. Not really good when you're a 161 cm, 41 year old woman! I did something about it and sorted my diet out and started working out at the gym. I got down to 66kg a year later and felt better for it. But there was clearly so much more to do!

Due to work and complacency I have slowly gained weight and am currently 74kg approximately (yes you read right!). I've yoyo'd between 71-73kg for a few months now depending on my workouts and diet. I eat sensibly with the odd treat here and there but guess I could clean that up and keep it tight as it could be better.

Hence, I am looking to take things to the next level in terms of my training (diet and workouts). I've been back in NZ for about a month and recently joined a gym in Wellington and had a fitness assessment. A bit embarrassing but here are the results:

Height: 161 cm

Weight: 74kg

Body Fat %: 27.84

KGs of BF: 20.54

KGs Lean: 53.26

(Don't really understand it but there it is!). The gym instructor said realistically I would settle at around 70kg based on my body type/physiology/ethnic group blah blah. I would like to think I could get to the low 60s, but then I'm not a health professional! Anyway ...

I want to be strong and lean but don't really know how I can get to the next level. I think I have hit a plateau as I feel my workouts are more or less the same. We all have to have goals and my way out there goal is to see if I can work towards the body sculpting look. Not for competition but for me. Got to have something to work towards huh!?

My current gym programme from gym instructor is:

Legs: 2 x box squat (sit on box then stand up) @ 75kg

Back: 2 x lat pull down @ 37.5kg

Chest: 2 x bench press @ 40kg

Shoulders: 2 x DB shoulder press @ 10kg

Biceps: 2 x DB hammer curls @ 8kg

Triceps: 2 x 45 degree push ups

then two ab exercises. Oh and 30 minute cardio.

Any good? If I don't feel like it is working for me I may go back to my old kind of routine of alternating between upper and lower body on different days.

Okay that is me. I've already read some of the forums and workout journals and got some useful tips and bits of information. Even leads on people with whom to train. I'm looking forward to learning more!

Cheers

[jimmybro1]

I would suggest doing more of a three to four day training split.

Day 1: Back and Biceps

Day2: Cardio and Core

Day 3: Chest, Triceps and shoulders

Day 4: Cardio

Day 6: Hamstrings, Quads and Glutes

Day 7: Cardio

Repeat

-Back do Lat pull downs, bent over rows, pull ups, seated rows

-Biceps curls dumbbell and barbell

-Chest dumbbell flat and incline press, cable flies, flat flies

-Triceps tricep extensions, dips and kick backs.

-Hamstrings stiff leg deadlift, leg curls

-Quads squats, leg press, leg extensions

-Glutes glutes bridges and try this --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdvImw3x ... WYe9GZt28g

-Cardio walking, stationary bike, rowing etc

I would spend not longer than 30-45 mins lifting. Be sure to warm up enough before lifting. And also remember diet is 80% of the focus when transforming the body.

Google or YouTube the exercises you don't know mentioned above.

[Ms T]

Thanks for that, will definitely give the workout a try. 3 sets of 12-15 or just go for fatigue?

And yes, sorting the diet. 80% you say? Wow, didn't realise diet played such a BIG part in it all.

The glute work looks like its worth a try too!

Cheers!

[jimmybro1]

Yep just do the three sets of 10-16 reps.

But use a reasonable weight so after 10-16 reps are more or less failing/struggling rather than just going through the motions.

80% is just slapping a number on it. But without diet you won't see progress no matter how hard you train and with diet you will see progress even if training isn't on the money. So go figure it's a synergistic effect when one won't work without the other.

Maybe see a nutritionist state your goals and try develop your know knowledge it that area.

[teamfatboy]

Wow, well done on your achievements to date

Jimmybro's right, diet is a huge proportion of the task ahead of you - there's a saying that "Abs are made in the kitchen". The changes you might need to make could be small - adjusting how much of your diet's from protein, from fats and from carbs, or even changing it for work-out days and days-off.

The numbers you lift are just a way of calibrating your effort. Record them in a journal, and aim to push yourself a little further. The rep-range for muscle growth tends to be about 10-12 per set - lower is strength training, and higher's endurance training - so maybe if you've been doing 2 sets of 12-15, move to 3 sets of 10, aiming to fail on the last rep of the set - but keeping good form as far as possible.

It does sound like you've hit a plateau - your body knows what is coming, and can cope. So, you want to mix it up... there's no hard-and-fast rule about how often to change a routine, but once every two-three months isn't uncommon.

So, maybe move from that same programme to one which pairs muscles differently - rather than the same whole-body workout... hit legs hard one day, chest-biceps one day, and shoulders-arms another.

Always do cardio last - weights first, when muscles are fresh.

A nutritionist might help - but for body-sculpting, I'd recommend someone with body-building experience as well as nutrition experience, and can PM you the name of a Wellington PT who's got a lot of relevant experience, if interested.

[Ms T]

Thank you both for the suggestions. Will seek out a local nutritionist. If I'm going to do it, might as well do it properly! I don't think I realised it was such a science (amounts ofcarbs/protein/fats etc.) Much respect to the hardcore body builders/sculptors etc.!

I suspect the gym workouts will be the easy part. Excited about that part for sure as I enjoy going to the gym. Will do sets etc. as suggested.

TeamFatBoy ... yes please! I would appreciate contact details of a trainer if possible.

The "cardio last" is going to help lots as I'm knackered after my 30 mins of going hard out on cardio and sometimes struggle to get through my squats that are first up. Thanks for that!

Did my gym instructor's programme last night but will be moving to the split programme suggested by JimmyBro next time I'm in the gym. The glute exercises were good. Who knew?!

Cheers

[teamfatboy]

PM sent - look for an icon at the top right corner of the page.

The reason for doing cardio last is that, to build muscle, you want to do the strength work while the glycogen stores in the muscles are full. Expend that energy on strength first, then do cardio, which makes the body tap other energy sources.

Good luck

[Ms T]

Thank you for sending the details on. I've just sent an email off and am super excited!

Cheers

T