Post: #1

I finally got serious and began going back to gymn. God bless Planet Fitness: they may be the big box store of work-out, but there is one of those places everywhere. And cheap. Just don't expect much help from the high-schoolers who work there.
I've finally got my cardio up to where I want it for my age: 140 BPM @ 30'. Since you can do cardio every day, that's not a problem.
But I haven't done weight training in years. Too many damn years.
So where does everyone go to learn about it?
What websites and blogs do you recommend?

Post: #2

If you want to weight train the first thing you have to do is leave Planet Fitness for a real gym. If you can't squat or deadlift you're not really training.

Read stronglifts.com If you've never really lifted before. Or buy starting strength book. Good starting points for a beginner.

Post: #3

(01-17-2014 10:24 PM)RioNomad Wrote:  If you want to weight train the first thing you have to do is leave Planet Fitness for a real gym. If you can't squat or deadlift you're not really training.

Read stronglifts.com If you've never really lifted before. Or buy starting strength book. Good starting points for a beginner.

@RioNomad... You may have just changed my life bro... The guy at the website you shared has a story very similar to mine... can't wait to give this a shot!

Post: #4

Focus on what you are trying to improve in yourself. Then do the research necessary to make yourself better. Also, put a strong emphasis on your diet. PM me if you need any advice.

You earn a six pack in the kitchen, as well as the gym.

Post: #5

Advice
#1 Don't set off the lunk alarm





#2 Take it slow - Don't rush

#3 Focus on technique - not weight

#4 Once in some shape - find a better gym. I have never seen a Planet Fitness. But it doesn't seem to encourage excellence. It seems to want to make everyone stay in the same range of mediocrity. And apparently not a lot of free weights.

#5 But...you can still get strong on machines (from little bits I have read)

#6 So choose what make sense for you - but take it slow, an injury will cost you a lot of time.

Post: #6

I recently joined the YMCA, can't beat $30 a month...

That being said I just use the machines, I'm too much of a weakling right now to lift anything real heavy

Post: #7

(01-18-2014 03:29 PM)DJ-Matt Wrote:  I recently joined the YMCA, can't beat $30 a month...

That being said I just use the machines, I'm too much of a weakling right now to lift anything real heavy

Ditch that mindset.

Machines should only be used by the elderly and if you have an injury. If you're a healthy guy, even if you're a completely weakling, you need to hit free weights.

If you gotta squat an empty bar, then do that, but for god's sake don't use the smith or any other assisted bullshit. Keep a couple 5lb plates under your heels if you gotta, and work on your flexibility. There's more than enough resources online and youtube on proper compound lifting form to keep you from hurting yourself. Start with an empty bar and add weight every week, then come back and thank me later.

Stronglifts is a great start and Mehdi starts you out on an empty bar. If your goal is to gain weight and build up core strength, there's no better way to go. That was my goal and I gained about 25 lbs in a year. Some of that is fat and I've got a "lifters gut". You're not going to look shredded from stronglifts. It will, however, fix your posture, give you some mass on your shoulders, back, glutes, and quads, and make you feel a hell of a lot better about your life.

I'm currently doing this:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mike-ohe...ogram.html

The guy is a little goofy in his presentation but the routine is solid. After each workout my body feels completely torn up, in a good way. I'm not adding weight every week like I was with SL but I'm way more sore after workouts due to the higher reps. I'm doing 14 deadlifts per workout instead of 5 (at work weight)

If you're just getting started I'd say focus on eating mad calories and stick to stronglifts or starting strength. Do this for a year and don't worry about your belly, just ramp that weight way up. After your year is up, determine if you want to get bigger or start cutting your BF down and consider working in some bodybuilding exercises into your routine.

Post: #8

There's an entire thread here on Starting Strength you should read...plus read the book and check out the SS page for videos and for the explanation of the lifts. As far as programming, SS and Stronglifts are pretty much based around the same idea (compound movements, sets of 5) with some differences here and there.

This site also has a good, fairly concise explanation of SS programming:

http://blackironbeast.com/starting-strength

Post: #9

Thanks for the feed-back.
Other than getting rid of my gut, I want to go the distance for the martial art I currently do. It's nice taking down men half my age, but to get to the upper level I need to work on endurance. A 60 second free sparing match can leave most people winded.
And I'd like to hit harder.

Post: #10

If you're trying to lose weight/fat, be careful with your diet on any of the strength-building programs. I think you'll want to keep your calories on the low side for as long as you can, while the adaptions are mostly neural. That way you'll have leaned out some by the time the weight gets heavier, and can eat more and start putting on mass.

Post: #11

Chicken, tuna, salmon, red meat, greens, and fruit. If you want to gain mass and lose body fat, these are the things you need to eat every day (red meat 2-3 times a week).

Post: #12

Rio nomad thanks for the strong lift tip. I've been needing to shake up my routine and have just done of the 5x5 workouts and think this is Exactly what I need.

Post: #13

Just switch to a paleo diet while you lift, it does wonders for your gut and you don't need to worry about cutting calories. Intermittent fasting has been recommended by a few guys here for really cutting down the bf%.

The real issue is being consistent, absolute dedication for the first year will result is huge relative gains. Keep yourself focussed and don't skip work outs.

Post: #14

I got into weight training a little more than 3 years ago and I'm older than many guys here being a middle aged handsome devil.

For me, the quicker I raised the weights I was lifting, more I got hurt. Now, I tend to make sure I can control what I'm lifting before I start adding more.

I may not be making the gains like some of the guys here but I look at this as a long term lifestyle where I will be lifting for the rest of my life or as long as physically possible.

It is surprising how long it took me to figure out how to lift with proper form. It sounds easy, but when you start pushing more weight it can all go to hell and that is when you get injured.

Post: #15

Technique is the foundation of where strength is built. Doesn't matter how much you lift, you will get stronger if the form is right.