Working out.
 

I know a few people on this site work out, and I seem to remember one person being a personal trainer, at least at one point. So I have a few questions.

Okay, basicly I have 3 gyms available to me at the University I attend, and I really would like to start getting into shape a bit more. I don't particularly like tread mills and have decided to start running outside, but I'd like to do a bit more.

I basicly want to just tone my body, I have a lot more lower body strength than upper, and I'd just like to gain a little upper body but more than anything just tone. I've started to get a small belly which I want to get rid of. I'm wondering what type of time investment, excersizes, and type of results I can expect. Thanks for any help!

Re: Working out.
 

Swim.

Re: Working out.
 

Daseal, I got pretty cut (I never thought I would have a six pack before, but I do now) by doing running and eating a lot of protein and select carbohydrates. One day I found the exercises that the guy who played "The Punisher" did and in the course of losing 50 pounds, I feel like I put on about 10-15 pounds of muscle.

To put on about 1-2 pounds of muscle a week, you should try to eat your body weight in grams of proteins each day. (I suggest fish)

In terms of losing the belly, if you do about a total of 100-150 reps working out all areas of your stomach 3 times a week and eat decent food and drink lots of water, you can expect to lose that gut in 2-3 weeks.

This is from my own personal experience, but it's something that worked for me. I'll try and find that website for you that had whatshisname from Punisher.

NOT Dolph Lundgren. LOL

Re: Working out.
 

[quote]In terms of losing the belly, if you do about a total of 100-150 reps working out all areas of your stomach[/quote]

What type of excersizes, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to this!

Re: Working out.
 

[QUOTE=Daseal]What type of excersizes, I'm a complete idiot when it comes to this![/QUOTE]

Thats actually somthing I would like to know as well. I'm pretty toned and built in all the area's of my body, but I still have a little gut that I have problmes with. I just cant find an ab workout that will work for me. What did you do, Malcom?

Re: Working out.
 

The main thing is that you have to remember that fat melts off the body like a snowman. It's the fattiest parts of our bodies that get skinny last. Basically I have a set of 2-3 exercises for each part of my abdominals (upper, middle, lower and obliques).

For the upper, lay flat on your back and do 15 normal crunches, keeping your elbows behind your head but make sure they are pointed completely outward (form is VERY important to this). Rest for 30 seconds, then put your knees at a 90 degree angle from your body (this is hard to explain in words) with your feet perpendicular from your body and knees together. Do 15 more reps and rest 30 more seconds. Then put your foot together and spread your knees as far apart as possible. Same deal, 15 reps, but this time rest for 2 minutes before you begin the middle abs.

For the middle, put your hands underneath your hips/butt and pull your knees straight to your chest and then back out but never touch the floor. Also do these for 15 reps and rest for 30 seconds. The next exercise is to alternate knees to your chest (like a bicycle) for 15 reps for each leg.

Rest for 2 minutes and then get in the push-up position. Except in this position, rest your elbows and forearms on the floor. Suck in your abdominals muscles are hard as you can for a count of 60-80 and make sure you breathe. Basically, try to get your belly button to "touch" your spinal cord.

I gotta run out for a second, but I'll be back and list the rest...

Re: Working out.
 

Sorry for the delay...

Anyway, to get your obliques, put your knees to one side and do 15 reps of crunches on that side and switch positions. If you have weights, 35-45 pounds seem to be good, put one of them in one arm and lean to the side as far down as you can go and do 15 reps on each side. Then, take a dumbbell or anything like a broom and put it on your shoulders. Sway back and forth with your feet shoulder width apart without turning your hips. Do 15 reps for each side.

After that workout, your stomach will be KILLING you the next day if you did good form.

In addition to that workout, I really only walked/jogged 3-4 miles a day, drank only water and ate sandwiches (ham and cheese) and omelettes with a slice of whole wheat bread. It gets kind of boring so I'm open to any suggestions food-wise.

I don't claim to know what I'm talking about at all, this is just what worked to give me the abs I always wanted. So far, it's been VERY low maintenance. I've only gained about 3-4 pounds back and it's been over 2 years. I just walk/jog 2-3 miles about 5-6 days a week and the pounds stay off and you stay completely energized the whole week.

AND I have plenty of room in my diet for hops and barley! :)

Re: Working out.
 

Daseal, I'm the former personal trainer. I was certified for 3 years with the YMCA and ACE.

Malcolm's got a great workout routine-- his abdominal workout is fantastic-- and it sounds like he really has made a lot of improvement with it. You'll notice he does a lot of cardio work, too, and that's really where the fat loss comes from. You simply [I]have to [/I] maintain a steady cardio routine to keep the fat from piling on around the midsection.

Malcolm plays down the amount of cardio he's doing, but for most people, that's actually a lot. However, if you really want to reduce body fat, a steady diet of relatively intense cardio (60%-80% max heart rate for 15-20 minutes, 3 to 5 days a week) is an absolute necessity. The key is finding a variety of cardio exercises that work for you.

Personally, I've become a cross-trainer devotee. I like the upper-lower body dynamic that those machines provide, and I never get bored with them. I generally do 18-20 minutes on the cross-trainer, 5 days a week, using the cardio program on the machine. The cardio program automatically adjusts the resistance to keep your heartrate in the optimal "cardio zone" (60%-80% max heartrate), using heartrate sensors on the handgrips.

As far as weight training goes, I've found that I can get the same results from 1-set training that I can get from 3- or 4-set training. The key is using a resistance that will LIMIT you to your target reps in that one set. If you're shooting for 12 reps, use a weight that you can only lift 12 times. Once you get to the point where you can lift that weight 14 or 15 times, it's time to move up to the next weight that will limit you to 12 reps.

My upper-body workout generally consists of the 18-to-20 minute cardio program (I open every workout with the cardio--both to warm-up and for the fat-burning, cardio-enhancement effect), followed by stretching, and then a circuit of dumbbell press, seated row, overhead dumbbell press, lat pull-down, lateral raises, cable-crossover, dumbbell bicep curls, and finally, triceps extension. I do the weight training exercises with very little rest in-between exercises (just enough time to put the weights away, drink some water, and move on to the next exercise), and I find that my heartrate generally stays in the "cardio zone" throughout most of my workout. When you combine the 18-20 minutes of cardio exercise to open the workout, with approximately 20 minutes of weight training wherein my heartrate is in that same elevated zone, that means I'm burning a lot of fat.

In fact, while I was working as a personal trainer, I followed this routine religiously (5 days a week), and actually dropped down from about 8% body fat to 3.5% body fat in about six months. At the same time, I put on about 8 to 10 lbs of lean mass.

But like Malcolm was saying, you have to eat right. You've got to make sure you're taking in enough protein to compensate for your exercise program, and avoid simple sugars as much as possible. Consume only complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, and avoid loading up on carbs at night.

I'm not a big proponent of supplements or special diets, though. I strongly believe that you can avoid a lot of expense and frustration by simply eating a balanced, sensible diet-- avoiding sugars and empty calories, and getting plenty of lean protein; both in animal and vegetable form. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, and drink plenty of water, milk and juices.

Re: Working out.
 

Hey Dasael, I've found that a great alternative to a treadmill is an elliptical machine. I bought one back in October and I love it, and I'm the kind of person that hates running. But with the elliptical I use at 3-4 times per week at 30 minutes per shot and it's a great workout.

Re: Working out.
 

joecrisp, it's great to talk to someone who is certified.

Now that you're here I HAVE a few questions myself. :) I had been trying to put on some muscle. I've been eating all my protein (no supplements, I do every natural) varying my workout (changing reps/routines/time of day) and I'm hardly noticing any difference. I've gotten on a big plateau.

Any suggestions???

And thanks a lot for the compliments/motivation... It's just something I've tried to stick with since I lost the weight.

Re: Working out.
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72]Hey Dasael, I've found that a great alternative to a treadmill is an elliptical machine. I bought one back in October and I love it, and I'm the kind of person that hates running. But with the elliptical I use at 3-4 times per week at 30 minutes per shot and it's a great workout.[/QUOTE]

Oh I agree 100% here. I love to run outside, but I hate the tredmills, plus they kill the knees. The Elliptical, in my opinion give you a better workout and its not tough on the knees or joints because its such a smooth, flowing motion.

Re: Working out.
 

[QUOTE=TheMalcolmConnection]joecrisp, it's great to talk to someone who is certified.

Now that you're here I HAVE a few questions myself. :) I had been trying to put on some muscle. I've been eating all my protein (no supplements, I do every natural) varying my workout (changing reps/routines/time of day) and I'm hardly noticing any difference. I've gotten on a big plateau.

Any suggestions???

And thanks a lot for the compliments/motivation... It's just something I've tried to stick with since I lost the weight.[/QUOTE]

Ironically, sometimes the best cure for the endless plateau is rest. If you've been on a pretty steady program for a significant amount of time (4-6 months), you'll usually find yourself hitting that plateau, and it seems impossible to break out of it. You might want to try inserting one or two weeks of active rest for every six-to-eight weeks of weight training. By active rest, I mean finding other activities (recreational sports, hiking, yardwork, etc.) to keep your body active, while providing the muscles an opportunity to rest and heal.

Prolonged plateaus that don't respond to significant variations in the training program are usually an indication that the body needs rest. I've often found that by simply laying off the weights for a week or two, I feel stronger and more energized and enthusiastic when I go back to the training program, and I start progressing again.

But you took the right steps by trying to change-up your routine, modifying the reps and exercises, trying different schedules. When those modifications don't work, your body's usually trying to tell you that it needs a little break.

Re: Working out.
 

Great to get all this free advice, thanks Joe.

Another thing I'd suggest is to get a subscription to Men's Health (or something similar), it'll give you a variety of ideas on exercises so you don't get bored or in a rut.

Re: Working out.
 

JoeCrisp,
Here's the thing, I work nights and sleep during the day. When I am up I spend as much time with my two year old until she goes to sleep. I have a couple hours on my own before I have to go back to work...Basically no time to get to the gym and frankly, can't afford it now.

Do you have any suggestions for me. I can see the cardio workout is very important but how can I do that from home.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Re: Working out.
 

Wow - thanks for all the suggestions guys. Good to see lots of other people on this site are active and can give me pointers!

Now all I have to do is lookup half the words you guys said, and then try to get over my fear of entering a gym!

Re: Working out.
 

I'm going to stay away from the "details" of working out and try to give some basic pointers.

Keep in mind that you need to work out regularly (not working out 5 times per week one month and 1 time per week another month). If you develop a steady routine where you commit yourself to working out on say Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, it's easier to stay in the habit of working out and it becomes enjoyable (or, at least you feel like crap if you don't work out). If you don't commit yourself to a regular workout schedule, it's VERY easy to fall out of the routine of working out for months at a time - thereby wasting all of your hard work. Trust me, I know from experience. I'm a member at a gym and I go every M, W, F morning. I'm not the most self-disciplined person and so if I don't have a set routine, I find excuses not to go to the gym.

As for diet, there's no need to stay away from carbs provided you are ready to work out very soon after eating carbs, don't binge eat before you go to sleep after starving yourself during the day, try to eat larger breakfasts, and consume lots of water.

Best of luck.

Re: Working out.
 

eat al the fruit you want-deink alot of spring water

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I think most importantly you need to find something you enjoy doing, otherwise you're not going to stick with it.

Re: Working out.
 

Thanks for the advice Joe!

Good luck Daseal!!

Re: Working out.
 

[QUOTE=NY_Skinsfan]JoeCrisp,
Here's the thing, I work nights and sleep during the day. When I am up I spend as much time with my two year old until she goes to sleep. I have a couple hours on my own before I have to go back to work...Basically no time to get to the gym and frankly, can't afford it now.

Do you have any suggestions for me. I can see the cardio workout is very important but how can I do that from home.

Thanks for any suggestions.[/QUOTE]

There are quite a few exercises you can do at home, many of them without any equipment.

Here are a couple of sites that provide good info on strength training, and exercise in general:

[url]http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html[/url]

[url]http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/weight.htm[/url]

As far as equipment-free strength-training, here's an article that provides some good examples of exercises that can be done at home, without the need for weights or equipment:

[url]http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1608/is_12_19/ai_110621924[/url]

However, I would invest a little money in an adjustable bench (one that has an adjustable back pad that can lay flat or stand-up straight), and a few sets of dumbbells. You can find these things relatively cheap at any fitness or sporting goods store. Fixed-weight Dumbbells are usually about 20 to 25 cents per pound, or you can buy dumbbells with interchangeable weight plates. I prefer the cast-iron fixed-weights, but it's up to you.

It's good to have at least a pair of 15 pounders, 25, 35 and 45 pounds. Using the first site I listed above, you can click on a body part, and find dumbbell exercises for each one.

You can do a quick circuit of six to ten exercises each day, alternating upper body one day, and lower body the next. Generally, you can complete a full circuit of strength training exercises in about 20 minutes. I workout five days a week, alternating weekly between 3 days of upper body, 2 days of lower body, and vice versa.

As far as cardio goes, the best solution for you may be running/walking or biking for 20 minutes a day. It's hard to do cardio exercises at home without equipment. So you basically have to get outside and do your cardio that way.

If you have a limited amount of time to work with, you could do 20 minutes of cardio before you go to work, and 20 minutes of strength training when you get home.

Liek Ramseyfan said, the key is getting into a routine-- making exercise a daily habit, just like eating and sleeping-- and sticking with it.

Re: Working out.
 

thanks JoeCrisp....much appreciated

Re: Working out.
 

I was on the swim team in college and that kept me in the best shape of my life. Of course, having a coach yelling at you to keep swimming for 3 hours a day probably had a lot to do with that.

But I always thought swimming was the best kind of cardio you could do, though JoeCrisp would be able to tell us. I kind of thought that swimming was good because when you think about it, when you're in the water, no matter which direction you move your arms and legs you are meeting resistance. The water provides a bit of resistance (which has the effects of weight training). It's kind of like doing cardio with very light weights for a ton of reps. Good for the heart & lungs, and good for the muscles at the same time.

Plus, I always liked how I wouldn't get too overheated. We would bust our asses up and down the pool but the cool water always felt good; it just takes heat away from your body.

Re: Working out.
 

[QUOTE=Schneed10]Plus, I always liked how I wouldn't get too overheated. We would bust our asses up and down the pool but the cool water always felt good; it just takes heat away from your body.[/QUOTE]


And if you needed to pee.......

Re: Working out.
 

Schneed - do you recommend just laps or any other activity?

Re: Working out.
 

[QUOTE=Daseal]Schneed - do you recommend just laps or any other activity?[/QUOTE]

Yeah there's actually lots of great stuff you can do if you get bored of laps. I know I went insane on a number of occasions just following the black line on the bottom of the pool up and down, up and down.

First, you can mix up your strokes. Try backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly. I find that backstroke works your abs, hips, thighs, and ass the most. Butterfly really works your shoulders and chest (though it's the hardest stroke for novice swimmers). Breast will really work your abs, inner thighs, chest, and biceps. Tough to explain how to perform each stroke in written words. Best thing I can suggest is try to find some video of the olympics if you're not familiar with what they look like.

Other good exercises:
Elementary Backstroke. This is good when you're tired, but you want to keep moving. It's relaxing, allows your muscles to "warm down." Lie on your back and do a breaststroke kick, followed by a double stroke with your arms. Your arms and legs never break the surface of the water.

Kicking. Grab a kickboard and hold it out in front of you. Rest your straightened arms on it. Now kick for a few laps. Works your legs, abs, and ass big time.

Underwater swims. Swim as far as you can under water without coming up for air. Then right after you catch your breath, repeat. This builds lung capacity and helps make your body more efficient at using oxygen. I think it's real fun too.

Sprints. Just go balls out as fast as you can for 1 lap. Catch your breath, and wash rinse repeat. Improves fast twitch muscle. Reminds me of running suicides (aka wind sprints).

Sculling. Hard to describe. Lay flat on your stomach, push off the wall to get momentum. Then once you're moving, no kicking. Just use quick, tiny little strokes out in front of your body to keep you moving, never pulling your arms down past your shoulders. Works on your upper body big time. This is a bit more advanced.

Tarzan swimming. Keep your head out of water looking straight ahead. Swim freestyle without putting your head in. Makes you real tired, works your back and abs.

Pool running. Trying to run just 15 yards in shallow water is a serious workout.

Underwater shadow boxing. Just duck underwater holding your breath for 10-15 seconds and shadow box like a madman. Come up for air just for a few breaths, and repeat over and over till you're tired. I mean beat the crap out of your imaginary friend. This isn't as good cardio-wise, but some people get frustrated with laps and want to do something different. Being underwater and holding your breath helps your lung capacity and makes you use oxygen more efficiently. And the water provides resistance to your punches. Remember to exhale steadily while underwater.

Swimming offers many advantages:
Peeing in the pool
Staying cooler, stinking of chlorine instead of sweat
Girls in bathing suits

Disadvantages:
Others peeing in the pool
Stinking of chlorine
Grandmas in bathing suits

Re: Working out.
 

Swimming and cross-country skiing are probably two of the best cardio exercises in terms of burning calories and improving cardiovascular condition. Obviously, most of us won't be able to do much cross-country skiing, but the cross-trainer machines I spoke of in a previous post simulate the action of cross-country skiing, providing resistance to both the upper [I]and[/I] lower body, much in the way that swimming does.

Another great benefit of swimming and using cross-trainers and other elliptical machines, is that they are zero-impact activities, meaning there is no stress on the joints due to impact on a surface, which is one of the major drawbacks of running and other aerobic activities.

As an indication of how beneficial swimming and cross-training can be for the heart, some of the lowest resting heartrates ever recorded in healthy humans have been those of Olympic-class swimmers and cross-country skiers. These athletes have been known to have resting heartrates in the 30s! As a comparison, a resting heartrate of 60 is considered healthy for most humans. Resting heartrate is an indicator of the strength and efficiency of the heart and cardiovascular system. The healthier that system is, the less beating the heart has to do, since the heart muscle is stronger and capable of pumping more blood per beat, and the vascular system is capable of transporting blood and oxygen more efficiently throughout the body.