Post: #1

Do you guys have a professional helping you and keeping track of your workouts, prescribing exercises according your performance? Or do you take a DIY approach and do whatever seems right at the moment, tracking it yourself? If DIY, what resources you use for it and how you choose your workouts?

Post: #2

6 days a week walk on an incline treadmill to burn only fat. 20 incline at 2.5 speed does the trick. Your heart rate may vary. You want to be in a heart rate range of 135-145 beats per minute for optimal fat burning and to preserve muscle.

3-4 times a week a 3 round dip, pull up, air squat, sit up warm up. Usually 10 pull ups, 15 dips, 20 air squats, 20 sit ups.

Followed by strength lifts. Squats, dead lifts, presses, power cleans, etc. Some bicep work on Fridays.

Leaves me lean and jacked though.

Diet is Key though. No sugar or processed carbs. Little dairy when I do it's raw goats cheese or raw goats milk.

Post: #3

I think having a "professional" helping you is only for the very new and the elite - anyone in between should be able to feel what they need to work on better than any outside observer can see, and only when they're reaching their limits

My only "tool" is a notebook and pen.

Post: #4

(03-13-2014 06:03 PM)MidniteSpecial Wrote:  6 days a week walk on an incline treadmill to burn only fat. 20 incline at 2.5 speed does the trick.

Midnite - I like the 6 day a week walk on an incline treadmill ritual. A few questions for you:

1) How many minutes do you walk each day? (on avg. if it varies)

2) Do you do this in the morning to make a habit, or just whenever you can fit it in?

3) I'm assuming that you think it is best to put incline really high and walk slower (20 incline at 2.5MPH) vs. something in between (say, 10 incline at 4.5MPH). What is your philosophy on this point or is it just personal preference.

4) Is the incline walk usually done completely separate from your weightlifting or done before/after?

Thanks

Post: #5

Elliott Hulse on YouTube is my favorite expert.

WIA

Post: #6

(03-13-2014 07:11 PM)anonymous123 Wrote:  

(03-13-2014 06:03 PM)MidniteSpecial Wrote:  6 days a week walk on an incline treadmill to burn only fat. 20 incline at 2.5 speed does the trick.

Midnite - I like the 6 day a week walk on an incline treadmill ritual. A few questions for you:

1) How many minutes do you walk each day? (on avg. if it varies)

2) Do you do this in the morning to make a habit, or just whenever you can fit it in?

3) I'm assuming that you think it is best to put incline really high and walk slower (20 incline at 2.5MPH) vs. something in between (say, 10 incline at 4.5MPH). What is your philosophy on this point or is it just personal preference.

4) Is the incline walk usually done completely separate from your weightlifting or done before/after?

Thanks

1. I do a ten minute warm up at like 1.5 speed on 3 incline. Then I do 30-40 minutes at a heart rate of 145 Bpm which right now is about 20 incline at 2.5 speed. Heart rate is key though dont be afraid to start slow. Then I do a 5-10 minute cool down at a slow speed with no incline. I like to listen to my favorite music it makes it easier. That or I watch sportcenter or a fight.

2. I try to do it when I first wake up before eating my first meal. But if my schedule is crazy I will do it whenever.

3. First off I enjoy it way more than running on a treadmill. I hate running on a treadmill. I love the uphil walk/hike feel. I sweat a lot and I look at it symbolically like everyday I climb a mountain to start my day 'on top'. Also if I keep me heart rate under 150 Bpm I know I'm burning only fat and not compromising any muscle. At this heart rate I also am maximizing my aerobic capacity. So my objective is to get to faster and faster speeds at the same heart rate. Google 'aerobic capacity test' for more on that.

4. In a perfect world I would do my incline hike in the morning and my lifting in the early afternoon or evening but we all know how life is. Majority of the time I end up lifting after my treadmill work. In which case I will bring some protein or eat before I go.

A good book that breaks down the science of aerobic capacity: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1616083794

*now that it's getting warmer I will try to get to the track once a week and do ten 100 yard sprints with one minute rest in between. This releases good human growth hormone and makes me more explosive.

Post: #7

^ Hey - thank you for the excellent write up. I'm going to give this a shot. I'm in the "easy gainer" category (if you want to call it that), but in all reality I'm a veteran weightlifter that needs a sustainable cardio plan.

The regiment that you outlined above actually would result in a better diet for me...something about a strong cardio habit in the morning that reinforces healthy dietary practices. And, when I don't have a healthy cardio regiment I'm more likely to eat like shit! This is regardless of the weights I'm throwing up.

Thanks again.

Post: #8

Nobody needs to pay some high school drop out to tell them how to use weights. 5 minutes of internet research can teach you as much as he will.

You don't need a diary to strictly track yourself. If you cant remember how much you lifted 2 days ago, then you're a dumb cunt.
Just keep pushing untill you are moving your way up the rack.

If you cant motivate yourself to get off your ass and move, to improve yourself. Then how fucked is the rest of your life going to be?

Its not rocket science to keep a good diet.
But first of all, If your dietitian is some companies marketing team, then just give up there.
Cut out soft drink and cheese straight away. You will never even miss it. Soft drink is detrimental to your health and how necessary is it really to eat fatty cheese?

I don't go crazy on my diet. I am fairly repetitive with salads and meat based dishes Monday - Friday. but once you are stuck in the habit, its easy.
That with 4 days a week in the gym is all you need.
If you can afford it, eat fist-fulls of supplements, it doesn't hurt.

Also something worth mentioning is that shit isn't going to happen overnight.
You ever see those dick-eaters in the gym who do some incline sit ups, then look in the mirror and lift up their shirts to see if they have gained a 6pack in the last 5 minutes? Yeah, most people do it.
Its going to take more than 12 months for you to get the body you want. But if you are going to be working out intermittently, then expect even longer.

In summary: All you need is a good attitude. Just get the fuck up and move your ass and lay off the junk food!

Post: #9

Set a tangible goal first. The rest is about finding ways to continually progress until you reach the goal. Track your progress on paper, lets you examine the progress more objectively.

Starting strength is the best resource for beginner lifters. It teaches you how to do the major lifts in precise detail and the program lets you get the most out of newbie gains.

Post: #10

The best way to learn is to experiment and measure your own progress.

I hate to say the first 2 years of my training we're very negligible, but it's true.

I started to learn more through trial and error, and by experimenting different things. I'm still not quite there yet in terms of maximum workout efficiency, but my workouts are 10x better than they used to be.

Post: #11

^ setting up goals is a good way to start. From this day to that I will do whatever. Just start small and expand as it goes. I at 5'7 went from 135 to 165 more or less in year by having small goals. I went light weights from the beginning trying to get as good technique as possibly before going heavier. But everyone different I would use a compound only routine for 6 weeks before changing

Post: #12

I use an app callled Jefit

There are a bunch of routines to choose from or you can make you own. The begginer routine that it starts out with by default was actually decent. I edited the sets and reps and changed out a couple lifts here and there and added an extra day.

   
Here is my chest and triceps routine.

I like to alternate between regular bench and incline.

You can add in how much weight you did that day after you are done.

Post: #13

Good advice, thanks. I was lifting for two years until six months ago when a bike accident injured my knees, shoulders and back. I started again this January but had to stop and reevaluate the whole thing to account the recovery, and was wondering what you guys were doing to keep track of your progress.

Post: #14

I had a trainer help me get form. Once i got that and understood the mind muscle connection I focused on an all compound lift routine.

I have a little note book i take in the gym to track my weight numbers and progress. I don't want to bother remembering that junk. Makes it easier to track progression too.

Post: #15

I stand naked in front of a mirror and look to see where I need more muscle and less fat.

I then plan my workout and diet accordingly.

Post: #16

Up those reps or sets @Monty!

For me leg day is a hassle only because of the amount of time I need to warm up. It will take me 30 mins+ to get my legs and knees warns because I can start to get into the rack and put on some modest weight. My calves take 20-30 mins also to break down, adding on more time. I've tried to split my leg routine but it just ends up being the same just cut in half time wise while squeezing out my other routines. It is what it is. So I usually do legs on my slowest days (Thursday or Friday).

Post: #17

I try to do my key lifts (squat and Deadlift) early in the week. I know that if I do them on a Friday that I'll be out drinking and partying and won't get the proper nutrition and recovery.

Post: #18

I began lifting about 1.5-2 years ago on my own after not having done any consistent weight training for >8-10 years. At that time, I read through several reviews of different training programs geared towards beginners and decided to go with Starting Strength.

I was working out at the gym in my building at the time; a gym that had only a smith machine and no power rack. Aside from writing down the weights I hit from week to week in the Notes section of my iPhone, I was not systematically tracking anything. Additionally, I was not following any regimented dietary advice such as GOMAD or IF or even tracking calories. Needless to say, my results were paltry/non-existent.



In the summer of 2013, I decided to get more serious about my training and sought out a gym that would have the equipment I needed. I was still interested in following a SS-based routine because I knew I was still a beginner. I researched local gyms by visiting them, talking to the fitness manager, and surveying the equipment. I eventually found one that had an abundance of power racks, benches, and equipment necessary to support a mostly barbell based lifting routine.

After signing up, I immediately tapped into the services of a personal trainer. I wanted someone to teach me the proper form; and learn about basic training principles including lifting technique, stretching, warm-up, injury prevention, etc..



In the next few months thru the Fall of 2013, I went through 3 different trainers (the first a power lifter, the second a guy interested in BJJ) until I finally found a guy who I gelled with. He himself had been a PT for several years and was now focused on bodybuilding (had a plan to start competing in fitness competitions in the near future.) In Fall/Winter 2013 we started a routine that was based around mostly bodybuilding type principles. 4 day split: back/chest/legs/arms. Start each session with the main compound heavy lift of the day, after which we would transition into more accessory type exercises that would often be done in super sets. He would help keep track of my progression via written notes.

My nutrition up until this point had started to improve slowly from the unorganized, directionless mess that it used to be. I read up on Paleo/Primal diets, and tried incorporating elements of these into my daily/weekly routine as I could. I started tracking calories using the MyFitnessPal app as well.



These efforts in tandem got me from about ~25% bodyfat in summer 2013 to ~20ish% BF by winter 2013.

I kept reading about how key nutrition is to achieving fitness goals. Some resources even purported >80% of fitness results can be attributed to one's diet as opposed to weightlifting regimen. I decided that I wanted to learn more about nutrition; I was going to get more serious about it by enlisting the services of a nutritionist.



In Jan of 2014, I started working with a nutritionist who helped me develop a diet plan based mostly on IF/Leangains principles. My goal was to continue chasing a body recomposition as I was/am still in the beginner stages of development.

We set up an excel spreadsheet where I have been making weekly inputs tracking my weight, various body measurements (i.e. chest, arms, waist, hips, thighs, etc.) using a tape measure, and lifting stats. I have also been taking weekly pictures so that I can visually follow any changes/stalls over time. It should be interesting to compare pics/progression at 6-month intervals.

The dietary plan calls for certain macros to be hit on training days and certain macros to be hit on rest days. When starting this most recent plan, I made the decision that I want to try to hit the macros as close as is possible to how the plan is being prescribed.

To achieve that end, I created another excel spreadsheet on which I wrote down my most commonly eaten foods. I made a change and decided that I was going to try to prepare >90% of my weekly meals at home in my own kitchen. I no longer wanted to rely on MyFitnessPal's estimates of macros in my food; and I wanted to try to move to a mostly all organic, unprocessed, grass-fed, free-range, non-GMO diet.

I began planning out my meals for the week and have used this nutrition sheet to help me make my grocery list for the week and figure out how to prepare meals for the whole work week every Sunday. I now am able to do all of my juicing, lunch prep, and side dish prep in a couple of hours every Sunday evening. The only time I need to spend time cooking in the kitchen during the week is when I make a fresh tenderloin steak for dinner on nights after training (currently 3 nights/wk.)



After following and tracking the diet/lifting plan for about 6-8 weeks, my 2 consultants (personal trainer + nutritionist) and I noted that my lifts/body recomp measurements were not progressing as well as we would have expected. We made some tweaks to the macros and revamped the lifting regimen.

Diet-wise we essentially cut carbs down even further. Lifting-wise we decided to focus much more on heavy compound lifts and cut down on high-rep assistance exercises.

As I had my nutrition spreadsheet set up with all the macros already listed for all of my common foods, it was very easy for me to tweak around my planned weekly meals and grocery list in order to follow the new plan. This will serve to eventually help me cut ties with the nutritionist as well and be more self-sufficient once I have things dialed in and the routine transitions into becoming an unconscious habit.

I also decided to create a separate weightlifting spreadsheet as my ultimate goal is to educate myself enough on form/principles to the point where I can work out without the need of a personal trainer on the regular. In addition to using this sheet to track my lifting progress, I've also begun to use it as an easy-to-access resource where I can collect useful bits of training resources; such as suggested foam rolling techniques to hit certain muscles, reminders on proper lifting form, thoughts on future lifting routine tweaks.

For reference, my current regimen is alternating 2 different workouts at 3 days per week.

Workout A
Deadlift 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5
Chin-Ups reverse pyramidal sets

Workout B
Squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Dips reverse pyramidal sets
Hip Thrusts reverse pyramidal sets

Including a light joint warm-up, foam rolling, warm-up sets, work sets, and post-lift stretching; I am typically able to complete the above in a little over an hour.



As a brief aside, I recently came across a series of articles that described the use of EMG in identifying exercises that result in the greatest activation of certain muscle groups. I made cliffs notes to add to my spreadsheet for future reference.

Back/Biceps
Chin Up/Pronated Wide Grip Pullup/Parallel Grip Pull Up
DB Bent Over Row/Feet Elevated Inverted Row
DB Elbows Out Chest Supported Row/Prone Trap Raise
Deadlift
Bar Curl

Chest/Triceps
Guillotine Press/DB Bench Press
DB Incline Press/Mid-Pulley Crossover
Dip
Rope Extension

Shoulders/Trap
Seated Behind the Neck Press
Band Face Pull
Cable Lateral Raise/Barbell Shrug

Hip, Leg, Calf
Squat
Deadlift
Glute Bridge/Hip Thrust
Heavy Lever Calf Raise

Reference: Bret Contreras: Inside the Muscles



I would venture that a DIY approach is appropriate for many/most motivated guys out there. If you have the time/resources/interest, investing in professional help can be useful for some; even if just to get you started off on the right path. The key is to enlist these services to self-educate yourself so that you work towards self-reliance.

With any approach, be it DIY or assisted, systematically keeping track of progress/results is key. It will allow you to ensure that you are moving forward and not stalling/regressing. In addition, it will provide objective measures by which to assess whether changes you have made actually make a difference. Finally, being able to quickly/easily see how much quantifiable progress you have made over time can provide a psychological boost that can help you through the lulls.

Post: #19

Sthesia, this was amazing. Thanks for your time to write your insights in such detail, they were really helpful.

Post: #20

I usually have a couple of key exercises that I absolutely have to do on the workout days and then add a few more during the workout depending on how I feel and the situation in the gym.

I usually keep track of everything in my head.

Post: #21

I've structured my workouts this cycle as:

M Squats
T Horizontal push/pull (bench, row)
W Squats
R Vertical push/pull (press, PU/CU)
F Squats

Add in maybe one or two other assistance exercises depending on how I feel: GHR, calf work, curls, face pulls/other light shoulder work, etc.

Post: #22

I follow a DIY approach. For me it's mainly about strength, but I'd be kidding myself if I said i was 100% happy with how I look. I like Gio's method and will most likely add some isolation to my compound based routine.

My buddy and I train together, our only equipment is a barbell, a tractor loader for a weight rack and a pencil and paper. Love it.

We do keep spreadsheet records, and have a weigh in / measure up every few weeks.

Consistency is key above all else. Pick a routine that you know you can stick to, you can always add to it later.

Post: #23

Just a quick update. I settled in a simple routine that goes like this:

20 minutes walking fast
5x10 bench press
5x10 pull down lat machine
5x10 biceps curl
5x10 triceps extension
5x20 ab crunches

For legs I do an old wushu routine, alterning between three stances: horse, crouch and bow. It's a motherfucker to do those right.

The 5x10 goes like this: one with slightly lighter weights than I'm used to to warm up, then three at the nominal weight and one slightly heavier than normal.

So far I'm taking one day in, one out to rest. It's working fine so far, but I'm thinking about streching the rest time to avoid injuries. Maybe one in, then one at the pool for cardio (no weight training) and one out. Rinse, repeat. Two months later I'll add two more to complement the routine (maybe deadlift and squats).

Any thoughts?

Post: #24

Sunday: dead lifts and pull down lats
Monday: sprint hills
Tuesday: push ups and bench presses
Wednesday: casual run 30 minutes
Thursday: biceps, triceps, shoulders
Friday: off
Saturday: off or run

Post: #25

I'm still doing the boring old full-body lifts 3x a week.