Help with a workout

Lockstep

Hey folks, I'm unsure if this should go in the Fitness Log thread but I'm not posting a log as much as looking a good workout.


I started going to the gym when I arrived in IReland in September. My physique had completely gone to pot during my last year in school doing the European Baccalaureate. A lack of sports, late nights studying and stress meant my weight went down to around 61kg. I was never big into sports before that but I did have a healthier aspect to me.
I then spent a summer in France trying to find work, having no money and living off junk food. I had feck all to do other than find work and hang out with my flatmates in pubs. My weight went up to something like 62.5kg.
I joined a gym upon arriving in Ireland who told me I had a bodyfat % of 4.5%, when I went again later I had risen to 66kg and a bodyfat of 5%. This was in December.
I just had my army reserves medical the other day, they told me I'm 186cm and 70kg (although I was wearing my army boots).
What I'm trying to say here is that I have gotten a bit fitter since hitting the gym, but the haphazard way I approcahed it did me few favors.

Anyway folks, I would greatly appreciate if someone could help me out with a weightlifting program. I was doing work at the gym but it was fairly haphazard as I was a bit shy to ask for help. I'd really like to get a real program going now and to not be (as Walt0r described me) built like a 12 year old.

I know deadlifts and squats are advisable but if I could do without them I'd be very grateful as my gym only has one barbell for squats which is also used for bench presses, it is almost always in use, it's hard enough to get it for barbell bench presses.


My goals are simply to gain muscle, I think my diet isn't too bad recently (usually 2-4*Weetabix in the morning with apple juice, I've started taking along a weight gainer shake during the day to get me through college, chicken of some description with a few potatoes and veg in the afternoon, chicken with rice in the evening)

Sports I do during the week:
Monday: Boxing for 90-120minutes
Tuesday-Rowing technique followed by Ergs, 2*10mins, Aikido:2 hours or so
Wednesday: Rowing, Ergs 3*10mings
Thursday: Rowing Technique, 2*10mins Etgs
Friday: Aikido: 1 hour
Weekend: My way of keeping in touch with my old man is to go for a fast walk which he needs for his heart, usually 90 minutes down by the ocean. Once or twice during the weeked.


I'll have more rowing training in my week later on when i get more into it and stop being such a novice, which will involve weekend training and a new weight program but I'd love a weight program to try and get me in shape for the meantime. Ideally I'd like a workout for Monday and Friday which would take 45mins to an hour (I;m strapped for time in college mornings and the gym fills up horribly during the day)

IF it makes any difference, I stopped drinking altogether (been off for about 6 months now) and I don't smoke.

Thanks for help folks, I've made gains since I arrived in Ireland and this site was a good un.

An Citeog

Maybe you could try the Starting Strength workouts A & B. Technically, you're supposed to be doing them 3 times a week (and messing with the programme is a big no no), but it's intensive, takes about an hour (this is highly subjective and depends on rest times etc) and is a really good way to build your overall strength.

There is one huge drawback for you though and that's that it's a barbell training programme. Bench press, deadlifts, military press, power cleans all require the barbell. I suppose you could use dumbbells for the military and bench presses but not for the other 2. It's also worth checking out Bulgarian Split squats if your gym doesn't have a power rack or you can't get near the barbell.

It's not ideal but it does give you a good full body workout in 2 days.

TerrorFirmer

If you're that restricted, there are a lot of simple things you can do. Avoid the temptation of continuous isolation exercises. Dips, chins, bench is actually a great basic start f you can't do squat/deadlift. I actually don't do either myself and have still gained a lot of strength over the last few months in particular. It's ideal, but not compulsory for gains asthetically and practically as is sometimes made out.

When I have no access to the gym I do bench, military press, dips, chins (using rafters in my attic), 21's and bent over rows. Basic as hell but you can do it all with a barbell and some plates. You don't even need a bench, I usually do light benching just lying on the floor (no more then 50-60kg though, on the very remote chance I dropped it, or something). although obviously it gives you a crap range of motion so not advisable vs a real bench, only if you were stuck. My point is really there is loads of stuff you can do with zero equipment. Look up body weight exercises, even.

Don't worry too much about being the 'new' guy in the gym. Everyone starts somewhere....nobody walked in and started lifting the heaviest weights. I felt that way once. And still do a lot of the time. It's actually good motivation, it pushes you that little bit extra.

Pen1987

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

You don't even need a bench, I usually do light benching just lying on the floor (no more then 50-60kg though, on the very remote chance I dropped it, or something.

you couldnt possibly be working your chest if your "benching" lying flat on your back, might get a little work on your shoulders but no chest excercise...


Its all the cardio thats keeping your weight down low...

Lockstep

Pen1987 wrote: »

you couldnt possibly be working your chest if your "benching" lying flat on your back, might get a little work on your shoulders but no chest excercise...


Its all the cardio thats keeping your weight down low...

I havn't been following such a schedule for very long.


Was doing boxing for 6months or so, Rowing and Aikido for a few weeks.

TerrorFirmer

Pen1987 wrote: »

you couldnt possibly be working your chest if your "benching" lying flat on your back, might get a little work on your shoulders but no chest excercise...


Its all the cardio thats keeping your weight down low...

I didn't specify areas I was hitting, and I also said it was hardly ideal. It was an example of what you can do without actually owning much. Obviously, I do most of my workouts in an actual gym.