You don't have to exercise every other day, but you do need to give your muscles a rest. That can also be accomplished by working different muscle groups on alternating days, like upper body one day, lower body another, and then cardio. I also think it's a lot less boring than doing the same thing all the time.
Mix up freeweights and machine workouts. Freewieghts have the advantage of also working out your posturing/support/whatever you want to call them muscles, which get to be lazy on the machine. Use the machines for when it's impractical to use hand weights (like lower back muscles), or want to concentrate on a trouble spot.
After you reach a level you like, you really don't have to work out that often to maintain it. You really don't even have to work hard to get improvements, but that takes longer and most of us are impatient to see results.
Strength goes down with disuse, but whatever muscle tissue you gain will stay with you (unless your body is forced to canibalize it, like you're starving to death, or you get a horrid disease). Even then, your strength/tone won't go down much unless you become a couch potato, and it will be much easier to regain the strength.
The biggest help of all I think is getting a partner. Somebody to drag your butt out of bed when you don't want to, but need to keep up your schedule, and keep you from getting discouraged.
Yeah I used to have a partner help me get this going but I have to do it on my own now. I have gotten used to doing it so thats not a problem and I don't have a problem keeping a schedule either. I was just mostly trying to figure out what I should be doing. Yeah there is a lot of stuff that I have probably doing wrong like not resting my muscles enough and not having enough protein. I will look into this during the weekend. Thanks for the advice.
<!--QuoteBegin-Jim has Skillz+Aug 20 2004, 04:23 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Jim has Skillz @ Aug 20 2004, 04:23 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Wow is there really no one here that has been working out for a while and has some good advice? And stop it with GOOGLE IT PLZ! There is a lot I have read I was wondering what has worked for some people on these forums better than other things. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> hey, well yeah.... i will reccoment my own thing aswelll as this but this is a good place to start if you are semi new to it : <a href='http://www.wholefitness.com/basicworkout.html' target='_blank'>http://www.wholefitness.com/basicworkout.html</a>
ok i personally do the pyramids. cos i dont work on my lower body except running...
in short... it means whatever you do whether its pressups or weights.. ill use weights in my eg tho.
1, do 15 reps of regular bench presses with around 70-80 kg
2, do 15 reps with 120/130 kg (my max atm)
3, do 25 reps with 70/80 kg
it sounds odd.. but after you do it you will appreciate it... going up and down like that.. really tests your muscles 'adaptation'
it works for anything really.
situps... set of 40. rest for 60 s then do 80 then rest for 60 and do 40 again... its a good idea.
go do it and come back and tell me if you felt the burn ? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-DivW+Aug 20 2004, 02:51 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DivW @ Aug 20 2004, 02:51 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> These threads always crack me up. All of these "excersises" are so typically western and so bad for your body in the long run.
I'll just keep on practising yoga and my asanas to keep my body flexible instead of a hulking mass of excess muscles. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> excess?
sure you may be able to get both legs over your head but i can bench press over 300 lbs
ill take my option thanks <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I've found this has worked for me. Note that I was a weakling pretty much I was relatively tall, not skinny. So far it has made my muscles slightly bigger but they are a helluva lot more solid.
Do 10 reps on a weight you can handle no problem. Put it down to the next one and do 8. Then 6, 4 then 2. Keep putting it down to the next one and doing reps of 2 until you absolutely can't do anymore. Atm I can get up to 136kg.
basic bench pressing will get your upper body in shape just fine, eat the protein before you lift though.
for abs. do crunches, nothing works better than crunches.
don't use treadmils, they jack up your knees.
I can't remember what these were called, but back in football, we'd set a huge pad on our chest when we did benchpresses, and we'd do more weight then usual, and let the bar fall on the pad, and get all the exercise from the push, and not holding the weight. That really helped my chest alot.
Curls for biceps, and pushups/basic benchpressing for triceps.
work your neck out too, get a face pad and lift with your neck.
and shurgs for shoulders. pick up some heavy dumbells and just shrug your shoulders in a circular motion.
Oh and if you want to tone after you get the muscle you want, do burnout weights. Just go lower than your maximum weight and do as many as possible, without counting. Works faster than anything I've ever seen.
that should about cover it =D atleast that's what i've been doing for about 3 years now, works for me =D.
Zig...I am Captain Planet!Join Date: 2002-10-23Member: 1576Members
<!--QuoteBegin-kida+Aug 20 2004, 02:34 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (kida @ Aug 20 2004, 02:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> What type of exercising routine do they tell you guys to do in the corps?
I'd like to get an idea what they do. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> well i'm not even active duty yet.. but in boot camp I can look forward to working out EVERY single day, my entire body, muscle endurance AND resistance, plus tons of cardio..
and you should see some of the active duty guys. they do all that cardio, running 7plus miles normal, and they still look like they're made of brick. calves like cantaloupes, the whole deal.
THAT is fitness... where you have the kind of muscle that won't just slough off when you work it in a way it doesn't like. where you condition your body to the point that it DEFIES its own pattern.
Meh, I was slow today, first time doing 3 miles straight through with no brakes and I don't think I did that great. It took me about 27 minutes to do 3 miles and it usually takes me about 7:30 to do a mile so meh. But it felt good afterwards and I expanded my weightlifting experience to try new things, things of which are now sore.
The only thing I need now are those protein shakes. So I need to get the protein suppliments from GNC but how much should I put in my milk? Is there such thing as too much protein in a protein shake(thats a rhetorical question, how much is overkill). Is there anything else I should put in my shake besides milk and protein?
Boy am I slipping - I forgot one of the best things you can do to an excersize regime:
<i><b>STRETCH!</i></b>
Before and after every workout do a thorough 20-30 minutes of stretching. It will help prevent injury <i>and</i> enhance the effect that your workout has on your body.
<!--QuoteBegin-Dragon_Mech+Aug 20 2004, 07:05 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dragon_Mech @ Aug 20 2004, 07:05 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Boy am I slipping - I forgot one of the best things you can do to an excersize regime:
<i><b>STRETCH!</i></b>
Before and after every workout do a thorough 20-30 minutes of stretching. It will help prevent injury <i>and</i> enhance the effect that your workout has on your body. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Don't worry, I already do a lot of stretching.
<!--QuoteBegin--|HN|-_Prodigy_+Aug 20 2004, 02:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (-|HN|-_Prodigy_ @ Aug 20 2004, 02:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I can't remember what these were called, but back in football, we'd set a huge pad on our chest when we did benchpresses, and we'd do more weight then usual, and let the bar fall on the pad, and get all the exercise from the push, and not holding the weight. That really helped my chest alot. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> That isn't always a good idea, unless all you're going for is explosivity. If a balanced workout is more your goal, a fast up (1 second) and a slower down (2-3 seconds) is what I've always heard taught to people who just want to get in shape.
Naturally you'll train differently to become a football player or olympic weight-lifter than just healthy.
Also, I'm pretty sure that kind of exercise is what makes competitive weight lifters look chunky vs. body builders who are often not all that strong but train for definition.
Comments
I'd like to get an idea what they do.
All of these "excersises" are so typically western and so bad for your body in the long run.
I'll just keep on practising yoga and my asanas to keep my body flexible instead of a hulking mass of excess muscles.
You don't have to exercise every other day, but you do need to give your muscles a rest. That can also be accomplished by working different muscle groups on alternating days, like upper body one day, lower body another, and then cardio. I also think it's a lot less boring than doing the same thing all the time.
Mix up freeweights and machine workouts. Freewieghts have the advantage of also working out your posturing/support/whatever you want to call them muscles, which get to be lazy on the machine. Use the machines for when it's impractical to use hand weights (like lower back muscles), or want to concentrate on a trouble spot.
After you reach a level you like, you really don't have to work out that often to maintain it. You really don't even have to work hard to get improvements, but that takes longer and most of us are impatient to see results.
Strength goes down with disuse, but whatever muscle tissue you gain will stay with you (unless your body is forced to canibalize it, like you're starving to death, or you get a horrid disease). Even then, your strength/tone won't go down much unless you become a couch potato, and it will be much easier to regain the strength.
The biggest help of all I think is getting a partner. Somebody to drag your butt out of bed when you don't want to, but need to keep up your schedule, and keep you from getting discouraged.
hey, well yeah.... i will reccoment my own thing aswelll as this but this is a good place to start if you are semi new to it : <a href='http://www.wholefitness.com/basicworkout.html' target='_blank'>http://www.wholefitness.com/basicworkout.html</a>
ok i personally do the pyramids. cos i dont work on my lower body except running...
in short... it means whatever you do whether its pressups or weights.. ill use weights in my eg tho.
1, do 15 reps of regular bench presses with around 70-80 kg
2, do 15 reps with 120/130 kg (my max atm)
3, do 25 reps with 70/80 kg
it sounds odd.. but after you do it you will appreciate it... going up and down like that.. really tests your muscles 'adaptation'
it works for anything really.
situps... set of 40. rest for 60 s then do 80 then rest for 60 and do 40 again... its a good idea.
go do it and come back and tell me if you felt the burn ? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
All of these "excersises" are so typically western and so bad for your body in the long run.
I'll just keep on practising yoga and my asanas to keep my body flexible instead of a hulking mass of excess muscles. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
excess?
sure you may be able to get both legs over your head but i can bench press over 300 lbs
ill take my option thanks <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Do 10 reps on a weight you can handle no problem. Put it down to the next one and do 8. Then 6, 4 then 2. Keep putting it down to the next one and doing reps of 2 until you absolutely can't do anymore. Atm I can get up to 136kg.
basic bench pressing will get your upper body in shape just fine, eat the protein before you lift though.
for abs. do crunches, nothing works better than crunches.
don't use treadmils, they jack up your knees.
I can't remember what these were called, but back in football, we'd set a huge pad on our chest when we did benchpresses, and we'd do more weight then usual, and let the bar fall on the pad, and get all the exercise from the push, and not holding the weight. That really helped my chest alot.
Curls for biceps, and pushups/basic benchpressing for triceps.
work your neck out too, get a face pad and lift with your neck.
and shurgs for shoulders. pick up some heavy dumbells and just shrug your shoulders in a circular motion.
Oh and if you want to tone after you get the muscle you want, do burnout weights.
Just go lower than your maximum weight and do as many as possible, without counting. Works faster than anything I've ever seen.
that should about cover it =D atleast that's what i've been doing for about 3 years now, works for me =D.
I'd like to get an idea what they do. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
well i'm not even active duty yet.. but in boot camp I can look forward to working out EVERY single day, my entire body, muscle endurance AND resistance, plus tons of cardio..
and you should see some of the active duty guys. they do all that cardio, running 7plus miles normal, and they still look like they're made of brick. calves like cantaloupes, the whole deal.
THAT is fitness... where you have the kind of muscle that won't just slough off when you work it in a way it doesn't like. where you condition your body to the point that it DEFIES its own pattern.
The only thing I need now are those protein shakes. So I need to get the protein suppliments from GNC but how much should I put in my milk? Is there such thing as too much protein in a protein shake(thats a rhetorical question, how much is overkill). Is there anything else I should put in my shake besides milk and protein?
Thanks
<i><b>STRETCH!</i></b>
Before and after every workout do a thorough 20-30 minutes of stretching. It will help prevent injury <i>and</i> enhance the effect that your workout has on your body.
<i><b>STRETCH!</i></b>
Before and after every workout do a thorough 20-30 minutes of stretching. It will help prevent injury <i>and</i> enhance the effect that your workout has on your body. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't worry, I already do a lot of stretching.
That isn't always a good idea, unless all you're going for is explosivity. If a balanced workout is more your goal, a fast up (1 second) and a slower down (2-3 seconds) is what I've always heard taught to people who just want to get in shape.
Naturally you'll train differently to become a football player or olympic weight-lifter than just healthy.
Also, I'm pretty sure that kind of exercise is what makes competitive weight lifters look chunky vs. body builders who are often not all that strong but train for definition.