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Advice on workout and Protein Whey for Weight Loss

  • 30-05-2010 9:03pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭


    Hi guys,

    just a few questions I'd like to put through to you.

    I got a circuit workout off a private fitness instructor last year which was to help with my weight loss.

    The routine consisted of three sets of the following:

    Squats x 10
    Chest Press x 10
    Lat Pull Down x 10
    Lunges x 10
    Shoulder Press x 10
    Side Shoulder Raise x 10
    Triceps Pushdown x 10
    Hamstring Curls x 10
    Bicep Curls x 10
    Ab crunch x 25

    I fell off the wagon and trying to get back on it. I'm currently only able to repeat one round of the above routine (I was like this last year when I started and slowly built it up)

    I normally try and do the routines in the morning before work, but have found that I normally have to do them in the evening.

    My question is, is this a good way to lose weight? My main focus is to lose weight, age 24, 5'7 and around 16 stone :o:o

    As for diet, I know what I'm supposed to do and trying to work on it, typically:

    Morning - Porridge
    Mid Morn - Nuts/Banana
    Lunch - Salmon and brown bread/meet or extras from last nights dinner
    Afternoon - Nuts/Apple
    Supper - Meet, rice and a bit of veg

    Anything I can do to improve this?

    Also, I've been reading mixed reviews about taking protein whey for weight loss. What do you guys think? I intend to go and do the routine above 3 times a week, the days I'm resting, I'd hope to go for walks with the dog/cycles.

    What do you guys think?

    Any help, advice etc would be great.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,692 ✭✭✭Danger781


    Taken from:
    http://www.wheyoflife.org/faq.cfm#9
    Q: Will whey protein help me lose weight?

    A: Adding whey protein to the diet is a great way to jump-start a weight loss program. Whey protein is a key ingredient in numerous weight loss and meal replacement products and whey protein isolate (with no fat or carbohydrates) is often the preferred choice. Studies have found that individuals who combine diets with leucine rich protein foods, like whey protein, and exercise have more lean muscle tissue and they lose more body fat. As they lose fat their metabolic rate increases and they naturally burn more calories each day. Another way that whey protein helps manage weight is by promoting satiety, or a feeling of fullness. One recent study showed that whey protein was superior to casein, the other protein in cow's milk, in promoting satiety.

    This article goes into a lot more detail:
    http://www.answerfitness.com/240/does-whey-protein-help-weight-loss-fitness-nerd/

    Hope this helps :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    Danger781 wrote: »

    Hi Danger, thank you very much for the link, I'd had a look at that article, but just wanted to run it by neutral minds before I go and dive into it.

    I've gotten some Whey off a friend of mine and am thinking of using it, but thought it would be best to get some opinions on here first.

    If I was to use it, how much and how often and when?

    Any tips/comments/suggestions would be great. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,692 ✭✭✭Danger781


    I'm in the same boat as you to be honest :p Those articles make it sound pretty good, but I'm just wondering if it's worth it or if it would really benefit me much:confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56 ✭✭midlands19


    whats the difference whit whey protein and normal protein suplment ??????



    mark


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,829 ✭✭✭TommyKnocker


    Hi Oregato

    Here is my opinion.
    I got a circuit workout off a private fitness instructor last year which was to help with my weight loss.

    The routine consisted of three sets of the following:

    Squats x 10
    Chest Press x 10
    Lat Pull Down x 10
    Lunges x 10
    Shoulder Press x 10
    Side Shoulder Raise x 10
    Triceps Pushdown x 10
    Hamstring Curls x 10
    Bicep Curls x 10
    Ab crunch x 25

    I am assuming (judging by the routine) that you are a member of a gym and you received this routine from one of the gym trainers.

    This is a pretty generic gym routine and you will probably find lots of noob's no matter what they say their goals are are given the same or a pretty similar routine.

    IMHO this is not the best type of routine for weight loss. The best routines for body fat loss are High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which in the gym can be done on the cross trainer or rower or outside you can do hill sprints, wind sprints. Basically you go as fast and as hard as you can for say 40 seconds then recover for 30 seconds and repeat up to 10 or 12 times. Complete workout should take about 20 minutes and you should feel totally wasted and almost physically sick at the end of it. If you don't, then you didn't work hard enough. When you get used to it increase the work period and decrease the recovery period.

    Another great method for losing body fat is Crossfit type routines.

    See this video for an idea of this type of routine.



    Also if you want to build some strength and a little size while dropping body fat, then check out either of the following routines
    • Strong Lifts 5x5
    • Starting strength
    As for diet, I know what I'm supposed to do and trying to work on it, typically:

    Morning - Porridge
    Mid Morn - Nuts/Banana
    Lunch - Salmon and brown bread/meet or extras from last nights dinner
    Afternoon - Nuts/Apple
    Supper - Meet, rice and a bit of veg

    Anything I can do to improve this?

    Snacks: Be careful with the nuts. They are calorie dense. They provide a high number of calories for a small amount.

    Lunch: Drop the bread. Have some veg or a large salad instead.

    Supper: Drop the rice. Have a bigger portion of veg instead and be careful with any sauces/gravy you use. Use sparingly.
    Also, I've been reading mixed reviews about taking protein whey for weight loss. What do you guys think? I intend to go and do the routine above 3 times a week, the days I'm resting, I'd hope to go for walks with the dog/cycles.

    To drop body fat there is only one simple rule you need to follow.

    You need to burn more calories in a day than you take in!!!

    It really is as simple as that.

    Can you answer the following questions
    • How many calories would you need to consume each day to stay at your current weight (you maintenance calorie figure)?
    • How many calories is your current diet providing each day?
    If you can't answer both of these questions, then honestly you should not even be considering taking a whey protein supplement.

    Whey protein is a supplement. It is meant to supplement an already good diet and you should have a good reason and understand why you are taking it.

    When Protein is NOT a magic powder. It will not magically help you drop body fat.

    When Protein IS simply a type of powdered food. It provides calories.

    If you are taking in more calories then you are expending each day then you will gain weight in the form of body fat.

    So again IMHO you should give the Whey protein back to your friend for now. Read through the the thread titled "Fitness, the basics (Including Diet and Nutrition)" which is stickied at the top of the main page. g'em one of the Mods and someone who knows what they are talking about posted a formula on the second page to help you work out your maintenance calorie requirements. Then work out roughly how many calories you are taking in each day. To lose body fat you should be taking in around 350 - 500 calories less than your maintenance figure.

    So long as you have a calorie deficit each day of around 500 calories, then you should be dropping about 1 lb of body fat each week.

    When you have your diet sorted using real whole foods, then and only then should you consider if you need any form of supplement. And even then research the different supplements and know why you are taking it and what benefit you expect to get from it.

    Just because you see all the other "Sheep" in the gym downing all sorts of potions and pills it not a good enough reason to start down the supplement route. It's through these clueless "Sheep" that the supplement industry is the billion dollar industry that it is today.


    Best Regards,

    M


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,692 ✭✭✭Danger781


    Thats really informative B-Builder! :D

    I was considering adding a little whey protein to my smoothies after I sort my diet out and start exercising regularly. Would you advise against that?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,829 ✭✭✭TommyKnocker


    Danger781 wrote: »
    Thats really informative B-Builder! :D

    I was considering adding a little whey protein to my smoothies after I sort my diet out and start exercising regularly. Would you advise against that?

    I am not anti supplement, so I would not blanket advise against taking whey.

    But Why are you taking it?

    What is your lean body mass weight?

    How much protein are you getting each day from your normal food intake?

    What are your goals?

    Are you getting enough protein already from your diet to support your goals?

    Will the extra calories provided by the whey interfere with these goals?

    These are the kind of questions that you should be asking yourself.

    Once you can answer these questions, weighed up the pros and cons and are sure that taking the supplement will help achieve your goals, then go ahead.

    But as I have said, taking supplements just because you see others doing it is not a valid reason. And contrary to poplar belief, Whey protein is not a magic powder. It's simply a powdered food source.


    Best Regards,

    M


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,692 ✭✭✭Danger781


    B-Builder wrote: »
    I am not anti supplement, so I would not blanket advise against taking whey.

    But Why are you taking it?

    What is your lean body mass weight?

    How much protein are you getting each day from your normal food intake?

    What are your goals?

    Are you getting enough protein already from your diet to support your goals?

    Will the extra calories provided by the whey interfere with these goals?

    These are the kind of questions that you should be asking yourself.

    Once you can answer these questions, weighed up the pros and cons and are sure that taking the supplement will help achieve your goals, then go ahead.

    But as I have said, taking supplements just because you see others doing it is not a valid reason. And contrary to poplar belief, Whey protein is not a magic powder. It's simply a powdered food source.


    Best Regards,

    M

    Well the main reason I would be taking it is to improve weight loss and gain a bit of muscle after a workout. Most likely running or cycling. Once I lose some weight I'm going to start on a weight lifting program. I'm currently weighing in at approx. 195lbs and I'm pretty lacking strength/muscle wise.

    Not quite sure how much protein I'd get on an average day. I enjoy nuts as a snack and will have a boiled egg every now and then. I also enjoy the occasional steak too :rolleyes: On an average day at a guess I would get 50g+ of protein. What should I be aiming for?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    Hi B-Builder, thank you very much for your informative posts, just to shed a bit more light on my situation/set up.

    B-Builder wrote: »
    Hi Oregato

    Here is my opinion.



    I am assuming (judging by the routine) that you are a member of a gym and you received this routine from one of the gym trainers.


    This is a pretty generic gym routine and you will probably find lots of noob's no matter what they say their goals are are given the same or a pretty similar routine.

    I actually paid for a full private one on one session with a fitness instructor. I knew him before he got into the whole fitness industry but he does seem honest and knows what he's talking about. He basically said to start off with this routine for the first x months, then afterwards, he we get me onto a different routine, but with a job change and other changes, I dropped the ball altogether and didn't continue.

    As for going to the gym, I used to use a well know one in South Dublin, but the overcrowding and lack of free weights and equipment, I just gave up. (I hated having to go into a gym and try to contest for a set of dumbbells, especially when crowded)

    I've now invested in a bench similar to this: http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/3026438/Trail/searchtext%3EYORK+BENCH.htm

    which I have in a spare room in the house. I picked this bench as it looks like it would cater for all of the routines I posted above. I have a bar and a load of weights as well.
    B-Builder wrote: »
    IMHO this is not the best type of routine for weight loss. The best routines for body fat loss are High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which in the gym can be done on the cross trainer or rower or outside you can do hill sprints, wind sprints. Basically you go as fast and as hard as you can for say 40 seconds then recover for 30 seconds and repeat up to 10 or 12 times. Complete workout should take about 20 minutes and you should feel totally wasted and almost physically sick at the end of it. If you don't, then you didn't work hard enough. When you get used to it increase the work period and decrease the recovery period.

    Another great method for losing body fat is Crossfit type routines.

    See this video for an idea of this type of routine.

    Cheers for the advice, but to be honest, I don't see myself going back to the gym, also, I'm fairly unfit and after speaking to doctors before, they told me not to do heavy running etc in case I damage ligaments in my legs/foot. Start off walking was the first piece of advice and then build it up was what I was told.. Obviously, this is less effective.

    B-Builder wrote: »
    Also if you want to build some strength and a little size while dropping body fat, then check out either of the following routines
    • Strong Lifts 5x5
    • Starting strength

    This is what I want to do, build strength and muscle and drop body fat. From what I've read, gaining muscle helps to burn calories, which in turn would mean that I would burn a lot more doing weights and building muscle than doing Hiit.

    Also, I find I enjoy weights more than any cardio, not to say I don't push myself doing weights, but it just suits me better. And now, having the equipment in the house allows me to do the routines almost whenever I want which is a big helping factor.

    B-Builder wrote: »
    Snacks: Be careful with the nuts. They are calorie dense. They provide a high number of calories for a small amount.

    Lunch: Drop the bread. Have some veg or a large salad instead.

    Supper: Drop the rice. Have a bigger portion of veg instead and be careful with any sauces/gravy you use. Use sparingly.

    Thanks very much for the information. I'm of Asian origin, so a lot of meals prepared at home consist of white rice, obviously not the best, but I'll try my best to cut this down as much as I can.

    B-Builder wrote: »
    To drop body fat there is only one simple rule you need to follow.

    You need to burn more calories in a day than you take in!!!

    It really is as simple as that.

    Can you answer the following questions
    • How many calories would you need to consume each day to stay at your current weight (you maintenance calorie figure)?
    • How many calories is your current diet providing each day?

    If you can't answer both of these questions, then honestly you should not even be considering taking a whey protein supplement.

    Whey protein is a supplement. It is meant to supplement an already good diet and you should have a good reason and understand why you are taking it.

    When Protein is NOT a magic powder. It will not magically help you drop body fat.

    When Protein IS simply a type of powdered food. It provides calories.

    If you are taking in more calories then you are expending each day then you will gain weight in the form of body fat.

    So again IMHO you should give the Whey protein back to your friend for now. Read through the the thread titled "Fitness, the basics (Including Diet and Nutrition)" which is stickied at the top of the main page. g'em one of the Mods and someone who knows what they are talking about posted a formula on the second page to help you work out your maintenance calorie requirements. Then work out roughly how many calories you are taking in each day. To lose body fat you should be taking in around 350 - 500 calories less than your maintenance figure.

    So long as you have a calorie deficit each day of around 500 calories, then you should be dropping about 1 lb of body fat each week.

    When you have your diet sorted using real whole foods, then and only then should you consider if you need any form of supplement. And even then research the different supplements and know why you are taking it and what benefit you expect to get from it.

    Just because you see all the other "Sheep" in the gym downing all sorts of potions and pills it not a good enough reason to start down the supplement route. It's through these clueless "Sheep" that the supplement industry is the billion dollar industry that it is today.


    Best Regards,

    M

    I can't answer the questions but will read the stickies again (I did last year but should do so again to refresh my memory)

    As for the supplements, my understanding is as follows:

    You would take protein whey after a workout to help repair the damage muscle, thus meaning that you would build more muscle and help burn calories quicker.

    It is also ment to make you feel fuller after you have had it so I was thinking it could replace one of my snacks (thus eating less)

    And as protein takes your body a lot more to digest/process, it would not be stored as quickly or as easily as normal fats.

    I'm not talking about taking excessive amounts and by no means would I think it was a magic powder, I just thought it would help with my progress.

    Would you recommend any type of weight based exercise that I could perform from my own home with the bench? There is no way in hell I'll be going back to my local gym. The staff don't care, it's over crowded and most of the time, I feel self conscious stupid while working out there..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 830 ✭✭✭mrpink6789


    I've been "taking" whey protein for about a month now and I have found a huge difference positively. I feel stronger and I am able to lift heavier as a result. Also having more muscle means my metabolism has increased so my weight loss has been much better. I do the cross trainer for a half an hour followed by 30-40 minutes of weights (about 8-9 different exercises concentrating on each major muscle, all free weights). Every other day I play Squash.
    As said above you have to sort out your own diet to make sure you are getting enough protein, whey is not a magic formula. But it does help if you cant seem to get enough protein in your diet.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    I haven't taken any yet, think B-Builder is right, best to get myself sorted diet and exercise wise first and then work on supplements if needed. Can anyone suggest any good exercises for losing weight?? Especially weights?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭metamorphosis


    OREGATO wrote: »
    I haven't taken any yet, think B-Builder is right, best to get myself sorted diet and exercise wise first and then work on supplements if needed. Can anyone suggest any good exercises for losing weight?? Especially weights?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    B -Builders advice is always helpful and spot on - you'd be wise to take on board his advice. Protein requirements for you can easily be made up in diet through foods like tuna/cottage cheese/chicken/egg whites/eggs

    In terms of exercises - compound exercises are the best working more of your body. Squats, dead lifts,lunges,bench press, military press etc

    Look up 'Starting Strength' and Stronglifts 5x5. A lot of people here swear by them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    ULstudent wrote: »
    B -Builders advice is always helpful and spot on - you'd be wise to take on board his advice. Protein requirements for you can easily be made up in diet through foods like tuna/cottage cheese/chicken/egg whites/eggs

    In terms of exercises - compound exercises are the best working more of your body. Squats, dead lifts,lunges,bench press, military press etc

    Look up 'Starting Strength' and Stronglifts 5x5. A lot of people here swear by them.

    Thanks UL Student, I've had a look at starting strength but am I right in thinking that the exercises are very very short per day? The last time I read about starting strength, it seemed to be a very small amount of exercise.. is that correct?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,829 ✭✭✭TommyKnocker


    Hi Oregato

    I am doing strong lifts 5x5 myself (though I have modified it a little :))

    When I started I worked with very light weight and found that I flew through the routine, as I did not need much rest between sets.

    But the emphisis here with the light weight should be getting your form/technique right.

    Then when you have your technique down you start adding weight at each workout.

    Once the weight starts to build up, you will find yourself requiring more rest time betwen sets. I take around 90 seconds between most sets now and my routine can take more than an hour to complete.

    However the results I have gained with this program and a reasonably clean and low carb diet I am really happy with.

    My stats

    Male, 47yrs old, 5' 6", 77kg, 11% BF

    Squat: 92.5kg
    Bench: 77.5kg
    Dead Lift 120kg
    Standing Press: 55kg

    These are not huge numbers by any means and hopefully I will be able to increase them further, But I am happy enough with my progress to date.


    Best Regards,

    M


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    B-Builder wrote: »
    Hi Oregato

    I am doing strong lifts 5x5 myself (though I have modified it a little :))

    When I started I worked with very light weight and found that I flew through the routine, as I did not need much rest between sets.

    But the emphisis here with the light weight should be getting your form/technique right.

    Then when you have your technique down you start adding weight at each workout.

    Once the weight starts to build up, you will find yourself requiring more rest time betwen sets. I take around 90 seconds between most sets now and my routine can take more than an hour to complete.

    However the results I have gained with this program and a reasonably clean and low carb diet I am really happy with.

    My stats

    Male, 47yrs old, 5' 6", 77kg, 11% BF

    Squat: 92.5kg
    Bench: 77.5kg
    Dead Lift 120kg
    Standing Press: 55kg

    These are not huge numbers by any means and hopefully I will be able to increase them further, But I am happy enough with my progress to date.


    Best Regards,

    M

    Thanks B-Builder. My main concern is not doing enough, I think the routine I have is going alright for me but I'm not sure if this is the optimum route to go. I do find that I'm sweating like a pig afterwards and feel really tired exhausted. I'm only able to do one round of the routine so far, and its taking me around 25 minutes (I try to rest as little as possible between different exercises, but sometimes, it does require me to change equipment/weights on the bench which takes a little time)

    Do you think I should switch over to starting strength? Is starting strength more orientated towards getting bigger or losing weight? Like I said, I want to lose as much as I can efficiently, this doesn't mean that I'm looking for a quick fix, what I mean is something that if I put an hour into, I know that that hour would have been used to the best of my abilities.

    Thanks again for the useful information.

    Will


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,829 ✭✭✭TommyKnocker


    OREGATO wrote: »
    Thanks B-Builder. My main concern is not doing enough, I think the routine I have is going alright for me but I'm not sure if this is the optimum route to go. I do find that I'm sweating like a pig afterwards and feel really tired exhausted. I'm only able to do one round of the routine so far, and its taking me around 25 minutes (I try to rest as little as possible between different exercises, but sometimes, it does require me to change equipment/weights on the bench which takes a little time)

    Do you think I should switch over to starting strength? Is starting strength more orientated towards getting bigger or losing weight? Like I said, I want to lose as much as I can efficiently, this doesn't mean that I'm looking for a quick fix, what I mean is something that if I put an hour into, I know that that hour would have been used to the best of my abilities.

    Thanks again for the useful information.

    Will

    Hi There

    The thing that will have the biggest influence on weight loss is your diet.

    You need to have a calorie deficit of around 500 calories per day and be eating clean 95% of the time at least. So you should work out your maintenance calorie figure and then subtract 500 from that. Then spend a few days getting a idea of how many calories you are actually eating. Once you create a calorie deficit the weight loss will follow.

    As for exercise, both starting strength and strong lifts are programs designed to build strength. They are built around the big compound lifts, so in each lift you are using a number of muscle groups. The routine you were given is all isolation exerciese. It is a fairly generic routine given to most new gym users. These routines are taken from what a professional body builder would use. However these guys have already built up their strength. You will never see a Pro Body Builder curling 12kg dumbbells. You might see them using 30-40kg dumbells.

    So for folks starting off with weights, you are better starting off with a strength program. This will give you both strength gains and size gains (providing your diet is geared towards gaining muscle). Then when you have built up a decent level of strength, the isolation exercises can be used to target certain muscles more speciffically.

    Also starting off with just isolation exercise can lead to muscle imbalnces and a non symetircal physique. For instance I have seen a couple of guys in gyms who only seem to work their chest and biceps, with the result that have a well developed chest and biceps. However their triceps and forearms are under developed and skinny. They have real skinny legs and because they have neglected their back, their shoulders are pulled forward, so they look kind of hunched over.

    You are far less likely to suffer muscle imbalances using a fully body strength program like starting strength or Strong lifts.

    Also as I said, the crossfit type workout (see the video in my first post) is a great way to burn body fat and get good conditioning.

    My current conditioning workout is as follows.

    25 V-Ups
    50 Kettlebell Snatches (25 each arm)
    25 push-ups
    50 double hand Kettlebell swings
    25 Burpees
    25 Kettlebell thrusters (using 2 16kg kettlebells)
    50 Mountain Climbers
    50 Kettlebell Clean & Press

    This is done by going straight from one exercise to the next (as much as possible, and I do two rounds, with 5 minutes rest between rounds). Also I try to do these rounds as quickly as possible. My current time is 15:52 for the first round and 21:38 for the second round. I do this workout twice a week now.

    This really takes it out of you and I am always totally fcuked and feel physically sick for about 20-30 minutes after the second round.

    Make sure that you haven't eaten for about 2 or 3 hours before you try something like this :D

    Here is the Youtube video from which I got this routine. I modified it a little as I could not do 50 burpees together, so I halved it and added the 25 thrusters. Also I swapped the mountain climbers to be the second last exercise, so I am using the KB's every second exercise.




    Best Regards,

    M


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    Thanks for the tips B - Builder, I might look into starting strength, as opposed to doing my normal routine, the only thing that puts me off doing the routine your doing is it looks really intensive and I doubt I'd get through the whole thing, but maybe, I'll try out starting strength to begin.

    As for my original routine, would you say its worthwhile to keep going with it, although it might not be affective, I can live with it to a certain extent, I fear that I'll get a routine that's too difficult and I'll end up losing interest, what do you guys think?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,829 ✭✭✭TommyKnocker


    OREGATO wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips B - Builder, I might look into starting strength, as opposed to doing my normal routine, the only thing that puts me off doing the routine your doing is it looks really intensive and I doubt I'd get through the whole thing, but maybe, I'll try out starting strength to begin.

    As for my original routine, would you say its worthwhile to keep going with it, although it might not be affective, I can live with it to a certain extent, I fear that I'll get a routine that's too difficult and I'll end up losing interest, what do you guys think?

    Hi Will

    IMHO you should seriously look into starting strength. You will get much better results from that then from the routine you are currently doing. Also I found strong lifts very motivational when you start adding weight, as each week you are lifting heavier then the week before so you know you are getting stronger. And if you have your diet sorted, it will not take long before you start to see the changes in your body shape. This will give you the motivation to keep going.

    Then when you get to the stage that you can not add any more weight to some of your lifts, you simply drop the weight back down, not to where you started, but maybe by around 20%-25% and start again. This method helps you pass your previous sticking points.

    My Conditioning routine looks intense and is challenging for me. But I am sure there are guys on here who could breeze through that. That routine was not meant for you to follow. It was to give you an idea of they type of workout which if you used it along with your starting strength workouts would really help with your goal of dropping body fat and give you the best bang for your buck.

    So say that you were working out 4 times a week, your week might look something like this

    • Day 1 (Monday). Starting strength, workout A
    • Tuesday (rest or maybe a walk or easy cycle)
    • Day 2 (Wednesday). A conditioning workout.
    • Thursday (Maybe do 30 minutes of stretching)
    • Day 3 (Friday). Starting Strength, Workout B
    • Day 4 (Saturday). A conditioning workout
    • Sunday. Total rest. Maybe 30 minutes stretching
    Of course change the days to suit yourself and you do not have to start with 4 days a week. You could start with 3 and then after a few weeks add in the 4 day. The idea is to keep pushing yourself, but not to kill yourself. Listen to your body and you will notice after a few workouts that you are starting to push yourself harder then you were at the start.

    On your starting strength days the emphasis is on building strength and getting all your reps and sets complete. So if you need to take a minute or two between sets, then that's ok.

    On your conditioning day(s) the emphasis is on building endurance, so you should try to go through the circuit of exercises, one after the other, with as little rest as possible. Of course you may not be able to go non stop at the start. Look at my own conditioning workout. 16 minutes for the first round and 23 minutes for the second. That's 7 minutes extra of stopping to catch my breath or give my arms a rest so I don't let the KB go flying across the room :). But the idea is to push yourself. You should be dripping with sweat. You should be gasping for breath. And your heart should be beating out of your chest. When it's not, it's time to find a tougher routine :)

    If you look again at the video in my first post



    You can see that this lady is doing a circuit of 4 exercises,
    • Air squats
    • Dumbell Snatches
    • Inverted rows on Rings
    • Pushups
    Notice that she goes straight from one to the other with little or no rest. Seeing as Crossfit Cindy is mentioned, this is if I am not mistaken usually 3 rounds of, 21 reps in the first round, 15 reps in the second round and 9 reps in the last round. But again you can scale this to suit your level of fitness.

    So maybe you could start with 15 reps in the first round, 10 reps in the second round and 5 reps in the last round, but with the goal of building up to 21, 15 & 9. Also if you have no where to do inverted rows, then swap it for a bent over row using your barbell and some weight.

    These are just some ideas that IMHO will get you better and faster results than the routine you are currently following. But I am am IT engineer. I am not a personal trainer and have no qualifications in physical training or nutrition, so what I have advised is what I have found works for me or have read about given good results.


    Best Regards,

    M


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,692 ✭✭✭Danger781


    B-Builder is EPIC. :D

    I'm new to this forum and I'm already amazed at how much you put in here!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 898 ✭✭✭OREGATO


    B-Builder wrote: »
    Hi Will

    IMHO you should seriously look into starting strength. You will get much better results from that then from the routine you are currently doing. Also I found strong lifts very motivational when you start adding weight, as each week you are lifting heavier then the week before so you know you are getting stronger. And if you have your diet sorted, it will not take long before you start to see the changes in your body shape. This will give you the motivation to keep going.

    Then when you get to the stage that you can not add any more weight to some of your lifts, you simply drop the weight back down, not to where you started, but maybe by around 20%-25% and start again. This method helps you pass your previous sticking points.

    My Conditioning routine looks intense and is challenging for me. But I am sure there are guys on here who could breeze through that. That routine was not meant for you to follow. It was to give you an idea of they type of workout which if you used it along with your starting strength workouts would really help with your goal of dropping body fat and give you the best bang for your buck.

    So say that you were working out 4 times a week, your week might look something like this

    • Day 1 (Monday). Starting strength, workout A
    • Tuesday (rest or maybe a walk or easy cycle)
    • Day 2 (Wednesday). A conditioning workout.
    • Thursday (Maybe do 30 minutes of stretching)
    • Day 3 (Friday). Starting Strength, Workout B
    • Day 4 (Saturday). A conditioning workout
    • Sunday. Total rest. Maybe 30 minutes stretching
    Of course change the days to suit yourself and you do not have to start with 4 days a week. You could start with 3 and then after a few weeks add in the 4 day. The idea is to keep pushing yourself, but not to kill yourself. Listen to your body and you will notice after a few workouts that you are starting to push yourself harder then you were at the start.

    On your starting strength days the emphasis is on building strength and getting all your reps and sets complete. So if you need to take a minute or two between sets, then that's ok.

    On your conditioning day(s) the emphasis is on building endurance, so you should try to go through the circuit of exercises, one after the other, with as little rest as possible. Of course you may not be able to go non stop at the start. Look at my own conditioning workout. 16 minutes for the first round and 23 minutes for the second. That's 7 minutes extra of stopping to catch my breath or give my arms a rest so I don't let the KB go flying across the room :). But the idea is to push yourself. You should be dripping with sweat. You should be gasping for breath. And your heart should be beating out of your chest. When it's not, it's time to find a tougher routine :)

    If you look again at the video in my first post



    You can see that this lady is doing a circuit of 4 exercises,
    • Air squats
    • Dumbell Snatches
    • Inverted rows on Rings
    • Pushups
    Notice that she goes straight from one to the other with little or no rest. Seeing as Crossfit Cindy is mentioned, this is if I am not mistaken usually 3 rounds of, 21 reps in the first round, 15 reps in the second round and 9 reps in the last round. But again you can scale this to suit your level of fitness.

    So maybe you could start with 15 reps in the first round, 10 reps in the second round and 5 reps in the last round, but with the goal of building up to 21, 15 & 9. Also if you have no where to do inverted rows, then swap it for a bent over row using your barbell and some weight.

    These are just some ideas that IMHO will get you better and faster results than the routine you are currently following. But I am am IT engineer. I am not a personal trainer and have no qualifications in physical training or nutrition, so what I have advised is what I have found works for me or have read about given good results.


    Best Regards,

    M

    I can't thank you enough for the helpful and informative posts.

    I think you're right about starting strength. Is there a book I can buy or any helpful websites that I should visit to find out more, I remember looking into it before, but nearly every site asks you to buy the book.

    Is there any definitive websites that would explain the concept to me a bit better?

    I think the routine you outlined looks really good, on the conditioning days, I could do the circuit training that I posted up? I find that it gets my blood pumping but at the same time, I feel a tired satisfaction after.

    Also, I hear of people complaining about aches and pains (in a good way) on the days after a workout, I haven't gotten that feeling over the past two weeks I've been on the circuit training, is this an indication I'm not pushing hard enough??

    Thanks again for the help B-Builder, keep it coming ;)

    Will


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 830 ✭✭✭mrpink6789


    I've been doing free weights for a while now but got the STarting Strength book yesterday from Amazon.com. Link below.

    http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275471499&sr=1-1

    Dont buy it from the UK site as its more expensive, only problem is the delivery from the US takes at least 4-6 weeks.

    Had a read of it last night, goes in to a huge amount of detail. Still trying to perfect my squat before I even try it in the gym!


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