Goin back to the gym.....

unreggd

I stopped goin the gym around this time last year [omg a whole year!]

I had just started college [a 9 to 5 course] and a part time job, then I left college and started working full time [Christmas full time]

Anyways, im back to college now part time, not working, and wont be working for a month or so, and wont work much


So I have a question about my workout

I always did a mix of cardio and weights

I'd usually do 2 15min rounds of cardio [treadmill & X-trainer]
then do all my weights, then ab work, then stretches

but I was always wrecked after the cardio, so didnt really do my weights properly


This time I plan on goin the gym 4 times a week, but splitting my programme

2 days do one of the cardio machines and half my weights, then do the rest the other 2 days

Would this be beneficial? I'd be doing less than before, but the quality of my workout would be a lot better [i think]

thanks!

Ice87

Well it all really depends on what your goal is?

Hanley

Ice87 wrote:

Well it all really depends on what your goal is?

Presumably to loook better.

If that's the case, weights first.

unreggd

pretty much yeah

I know ill be shot for this, but, i wanna "tone up"

by tone up I mean shift some fat and make my muscles more tense and strong as opposed to bigger, although I'm all for big muscles

So weights, then cardio, abs after weights?

Also, what abt splittin my programme, would that be ok???

Hanley

Everyone knows what "tone" means. I don't know why people get their knickers in a bunch over it. Maybe they think knowing that the person actually "increased muscle mass to a sufficent level and reduced bodyfat low enough so that you can view the muscle umipaired" makes then better than the people who call it "toning", but lets face it, we all know what it means and what people mean when they say it.

Don't look at abs as being a seperate part of your work out. A strong core will let you squat and deadlift more. Which means more muscle, faster metabolism and all that assorted stuff that comes with that....

Splitting works. Simple as. Eveybody's jumped ont he Total Body Train recently but spliting has ALWAYS worked for the guys whos job it is to build muscle (bodybuilders) so what makes a regular gym goes so special that they're suddenly above it?

/rant

Weights, Cardio, Abs looks ok, but make sure you train your abs like any other muscle. Don't just do sets of 20-30million reps. Use weight if neccessary. Do declines to make them harder if needs be.

Gaz

Totally agree with Hanley but i would add that gaining muscle and loosing fat at the same time is difficult , not impossible but difficult so you will need some specfic goals , loose fat ? Gain Muscle ? And alot of this will be based on diet.

I am trying to do what your doing ... to get "toned"

Im trying out my first bulk , hoping to put on 10kg of muscle in 3 months , then im going to try and cut the fat down to 10% or lower , im doing this with a split program , lifting heavy (well heavy for me) and eating alot.

Good luck mate

unreggd

thanks a mil

Black Swan

Don't forget to stretch before and after your workout (to avoid injury and improve flexibility).

unreggd

Before? I thought you're not supposed to stretch cool muscles?

I usually do a 5 min warmup, then stretch afterwards