Time for a change

[kaypee]

Hey guys,

Only really stumbled across this site tonight and thought it'd be a good idea to immerse myself in the 'netmostphere' as it were.

I first joined the gym in 2007 and was relatively committed for about 7 months before it took a back seat to Uni work.

I've recently rejoined the gym and and keen to stick to it this time.

It's been about 2 months since I rejoined the gym and have been wondering every day for the past 2 months why I stopped in the first place.

Some stats:

age 26 (for another month)

177cm

~72kg

20%bf (yuck)

I used to have some pretty bad habits which I have rectified before and since starting gym including:

stopping smoking

reducing alcohol intake

regular meals, which includes breakfast which I was skipping for years..

less crap in said meals

Currently I go to the gym at 5.30 when it opens and routine is as follows:

Monday: chest/bicep/tricep

bench press

situps

cable flyes

vertical leg raises

ez bar curls

situps

skull crushers

Wednesday: back/shoulders

pull-ups/lat pull downs

situps

3 point row

vertical leg raises

shoulder press (db)

situps

shoulder killers

Friday: legs

squats (smith machine)

bridge

leg extensions

hamstring curls

calf raises

situps

Tuesday/Thursday: cardio

which i usually do for ~45mins

am also toying with the idea of changing it up to:

Day 1/4: upper

Day 2/5: lower

Day 3/6: cardio

Day 7: rest

Diet:

Pre-workout(5am): 2scoop whey + 2 teaspoon instant coffee in water

Post-workout(~6.30)/breakfast: 2scoop whey + milk, 4 weetbix

morning tea ~9-10: nuts,fruit(usually banana)

lunch: chicken sandwich, yoghurt

afternoon tea: 2 scoop whey + water (on non-cardio days)

dinner: chicken breast + veges/beef stirfry + brown rice/pasta + mince

I've been slack with the diet recently as work has been a little crazy, but its starting to calm down again so I can really focus on eating properly again, especially seeing as I will be able to get some grocery shopping done this weekend!

I don't get a lot of exercise/do a lot of moment throughout the day as I work as a software developer (i.e. sit on ass all day and stare at a screen) and dealing with clients around the world means that there are some late nights, hence my choice for gym in the morning. It also gets me pumped for the day.

Any advice is welcome!

I was thinking about switching diet around so post-workout would be whey+water for faster absorption + say a tuna sandwich or something lightish then having a proper breakfast when im at work, around 9ish.

Thoughts?

[Phedder]

Welcome, good on ya for getting back into it, and especially kicking the smoking and other bad habits :clap:

I think your training would benefit if you swapped to the upper/lower/cardio split you proposed. Balancing the movement planes is a good idea also, for every pressing movement, include an opposing pulling movement. Upper days should focus around a bench/db pressing movement, and a rowing movement. An overhead pressing movement and pull up/chin up variation would fit nicely too. Lower days should focus around the squat, lower push (get away from the smith machine and into a free weight squat rack) and deadlifts, lower pull. Instead of training abs every session try doing them just on lower days at the end of the session, as squats and deadlifts can tax the core as well. Have a read of this article, it may change your thoughts on ab training.

http://articles.elitefts.com/articles/t ... d-sit-ups/

As for your diet it seems decent, but maybe try swapping one of your shakes for an actual meal? Protein powder is a supplement and should be treated as such, it's there to supplement your diet. Afternoon tea could be 250gm of cottage cheese with carrot sticks or celery etc, many other options as well.

Be consistent, focus on heavy compound movements and eat well and you'll reach your goals.

[Grover]

:nod:

What Phedder says makes a lot of sense

keep at it

[kaypee]

Thanks for the pointers!

First thing that went on my grocery list was cottage cheese and am eager to start rocking the stuff

The routine was created by a staff member at the gym I'm going to and I figure the use of the smith machine was to help with technique before I went and ruined myself with horrible form. Revision of routine should be happening soon, around a week or 2. Exciting!

That article was an interesting read.

I do understand that exercises like squats, deadlifts train the core, which is essentially all situps are doing anyway, but surely it can't harm by throwing in a bunch of ab exercises on days you don't do core intensive exercises, or even having the extra work on the abs?

[Phedder]

The cottage cheese is a personal favourite of mine, some don't care for it but I love the stuff. Fits in whether bulking or cutting too

Technique for the smith machine and free weight squatting is quite different. You'd be better off practicing with just the bar free weight and getting the basics down, because I don't think the smith machine will transfer well to free weight squats technique wise. Some say the smith machine actually puts you at more risk, but I don't know the details on this, probably something I should read up on.

Doings abs on non core intensive days is fine, and probably recommended. However what I believe the article is getting at is that the cores main function isn't to get your head closer to your knees, it's to transfer force through the body and help stabilize movements. As such I prefer to train in that way, using weighted prone holds and side planks etc. That's my preference, and many others have different ways of training. By all means do crunches/sit ups if you enjoy doing them, they're still going to help, but incorporate some stabilization training as well.

[kaypee]

Ah yea, I see what you are trying to say.

Unusually enough, I am spurred on by the ache I get after a good intensive workout, especially the DOMS, which is mostly why I have opted to keep the sit ups in the routine.

In any case, that is definitely something I will be keeping in mind when I work out.

[kaypee]

So I'm finally onto a free weight squat

\:D/

the thing i am concerned with, the instructor has me doing deadlifts on the same day... and a front squat.

is this normal?

I don't really like the idea of squats and deadlifts on the same day given they are big exercises..

[Dontrunwithknives]

So I'm finally onto a free weight squat

\:D/

the thing i am concerned with, the instructor has me doing deadlifts on the same day... and a front squat.

is this normal?

I don't really like the idea of squats and deadlifts on the same day given they are big exercises..

I personally would not do squats and deadlifts on the same day. But if you are not going heavy and are doing 12+ reps then I don't think doing them on the same day would matter as much.

[Ronin]

I do squats and deads on the same day once per week, and have no trouble with them. In fact, the last 2 weeks I've been hitting PBs, increasing my dead by 20kg.

[Beowulf]

What on Earth are Shoulder Killers?

[kaypee]

What on Earth are Shoulder Killers?

combined side raise and front raise

[morattigirl]

What on Earth are Shoulder Killers?

combined side raise and front raise

Another term... Mac Raise

[Blackstarninja]

i cant stand cottage cheese so how i get my protien in is 6 egg whites , 1 yolk , 200gms of lite cottage cheese .

mix it up and scrambled in pan , makes the eggs taste like their cooked in butter , healthy as and so filling

yum yum yum

[kaypee]

i cant stand cottage cheese so how i get my protien in is 6 egg whites , 1 yolk , 200gms of lite cottage cheese .

mix it up and scrambled in pan , makes the eggs taste like their cooked in butter , healthy as and so filling

yum yum yum

oh man.. i just tried that.. it's awesome.. thanks so much!

[aj3353]

hay mate who cares if you stopped going to the gym the main thing is your back and ready to get fit theres people out there that just sit and think about it but never get around to it its a great feeling at the gym and the trainning does so much for you what more would you wont in life rich great body fit able to do eny outdoor sprots and liv longer good on you you mite not see enythin change for a few weeks but when :pfft: you do you feel on top of the world

[Dubble_D]

Full stops please..... :roll: