Any Advice for Training Routine?

Funk It

Right folks, I'm 24 and play rugby. Im about 5' 9" and 90+ kg, have a fairly stocky build but probably a stone overweight (well, in bad weight lets put it). I have had quiet a few injury setbacks over the last few seasons (don't worry not looking for medical advice, all good to go again) so I am trying to get into better shape than ever.

I have started doing 2 circuit training's a week, one on a beach and one in the gym. Will be doing my own weights and fitness sessions on other evenings and on weekends.

Fitness

• Long-ish runs (5 miles or so at the moment, not going to lie, only gone a couple times so far) with intervals in sections along the way
• Have a weighted vest down with me now, so want to start doing sprints up the nearby sand dunes
• Also want to source a good size bit of strapping (from farmers supplies or somewhere) and attach to a tyre to do sprint sledding.

This is only an example, open to criticism and improvement by all means:

Weights
Example Day 1

• Like to stick with dumb bells when doing chest variations (flat/inclined press), for better movement and mechanics. Flys and occasional cables thrown in as well
• Superset circuit: Shoulder Press - Shoulder Raises (bent elbows, end with dumbells up in front of chest) - curls/triceps - shrugs
• Core exercises

Example Day 2

• Leg Press (rarely get near the squat rack, only 1 and busy on weekdays, will try and go there early on sundays if possible)
• Weighted Lunges
• Leg Curls - machine - then with balance ball
• Core (sometimes none if good leg session complete)

Example Day 3

• Pull down machine
• Chin-ups
• Bent Over Row
• Deadlifts (being honest, haven't done many for a while, saw that they have one of the Hex Deadlift bars, so want to give that a go)
• Curls/Tricep - dips or skull crushers
• Core

Now, I understand that when fitting in an off day (or 2) that I can't do the circuit training (x2), all the weights trainings (x3) and the intense fitness sessions each week. The odd mixed weights session will have to be added in, or skip a circuit training to hit the weights.

Goals

• To lose the belly, and I mean totally gone (getting my nutrition together, I know its got everything to do with losing weight, but this post is getting crowded enough already).
• Get fitter and stronger
• Add bulk

As wanting to lose weight and add bulk are opposite things (negative calorie and surplus calorie difference), would losing the weight first (cutting) followed by bulking and then cutting again during preseason in August be a good idea or would any of you have any other recommendations?

Any advice or criticism would be great.

Funk It

Thanks, I still have an awful lot of work to do. I often think that I wouldn't do a leg or weights session on a certain evening (e.g. tuesday) before a circuit training (wednesday) due to not wanting to be stiff. Maybe its just me making excuses and only getting in half the training that I could be. No fear of me overtraining the rate I am currently going anyways, so just wondering if a week was broken up into lets say:

Weights x 2 or 3 days
Circuits x 2 days
Fitness x 1 day

As the circuits include fitness (especially the beach circuits), there might not be as much use for more than 1 additional fitness session a week. I often hear about the American football players and their "2-a-day" training sessions.

I suppose I would like to know is circuit training beneficial to my goals, or would I be better off doing my own weights and fitness sessions them evenings instead? Or is there anything else that I should be looking at including or leaving out?

Funk It

Alright, not wanting to be asking the same questions and annoying everyone, but what seems to be my greatest downfall is not knowing whether to bulk or cut, as I am pretty uneducated about it. I want to get my protein in, as I want to increase muscle mass, but on the flip side I want to start losing body fat.

From my understanding, you need to intake more calories to put on muscle mass than your using, and you would need to use more energy than the calories your taking in if you want to lose body fat. Im in a constant twist, between which I need to be doing and a balance has to be met. If anyone has any previous experience or advice it would be very much appreciated.

Hanley

Realistically I think it would probably take 3x as long to reach your muscularity goal as your leaness goal. If not longer. On that basis, and given your weight and height, I'd say cut. And do it relatively low carb too.

Reason being, low carb diets (say <125-150g) generally improve insulin sensitivity and will lead to more nutrients being rammed into your muscles when you increase kcals again and start bulking. Net result should be greater muscle growth!

Funk It

Cheers Hanley, I think that's exactly what I needed to hear, so no more extra helpings claiming it will help gain muscle mass. Will try and shift the unwanted weight and then hopefully start bulking by around June.

Not wanting to sound totally clueless, but if I go low carb (even though I will be getting a certain amount of carbs from veg or whatever), would it be worthwhile having a carb day a week, nothing too overboard, just to keep energy levels up or will that be done through stored energy in fat anyways? Must say, I do like the sound of that net result of the insulin sensitivity and nutrients.

Many thanks for the responses. Its good to get a picture of the path I need to take.

irish son

Hanley wrote: »

Realistically I think it would probably take 3x as long to reach your muscularity goal as your leaness goal. If not longer. On that basis, and given your weight and height, I'd say cut. And do it relatively low carb too.

Reason being, low carb diets (say <125-150g) generally improve insulin sensitivity and will lead to more nutrients being rammed into your muscles when you increase kcals again and start bulking. Net result should be greater muscle growth!

Would his energy levels be low for his training on a low carb diet? e.g. tiredness, lack of concentration, loss of fitness. Or is this just propaganda that high carbers like to spin? Im just wondering because i play football but could do with losing a bit of weight and was thinking of going low carb but dont want it to affect my training. Would it maybe be a good idea to have small high carb meal before and after trainings and gym sessions like oats? Also when he decides to bulk would you still recommend a relatively low carb diet getting most of your cals from protein and fat? Sorry for hijacking the thread

Funk It

irish son wrote: »

Sorry for hijacking the thread

Not at all more than welcome, all good points raised. Still have 2 rugby games left this season myself, so the more replies, the more advice I can take in.

Funk It

Finally got a crack at the hex deadlift bar, have to say I liked it, its a great contraption. Two worries are correct form and going to heavy too fast. Only did 2 sets, first at 70kg x12 and got excited and wanted to try it at 110kg x10, decided to stop after that before I got ahead of myself, want to build it up with time. I was gripping the handles that flip up, if ya get what I mean, probably could get more out of it if I use the lower handles. Have never really done a whole lot of deadlifts, so any advice would be greatly appreciated. All I can say about my form was that I had feet about shoulder width apart, shoulders back, kept a straight back and chin lifted a bit and looked up throughout (apparently made sense to me at the time).

As far as the cutting is going, I am seeing results. Not getting in as much training as I wanted, but eating relatively clean. Example of my cutting diet would be:

- Breakfast - 4 eggs (scrambled) or bowl of cereal the odd morning

- Lunch and Dinner - Chicken/Fish with plenty beansprouts and other mixed veg
(I make enough for dinner to leave some in a container in the fridge for lunch the next day), put a bit of sauce (sweet chilli/tartar or similar) over it, a teaspoon or 2 at most.

- Snack on a few bananas and oranges after dinner.

- Have a big spoon of casilan 90 (Casien) with water before bed. Used to eat a half tub to a tub of cottage cheese before bed, but really couldn't face going back to that at the moment.

- Occasional bar of chocolate, i'd say an average of 3/4 a week.

- Not drinking a whole lot at the moment, few pints a week currently (emphasis on currently... it is summer after all)

- I might have a sandwich/panini once a week or some rice if im out, but other than that, I keep away from the high carb food sources.

As I am happy out with the cutting at the moment (if I am doing it right at all!), I think I might keep it up until July or so, but just worried about losing muscle mass during this time.

Now I think I (somewhat badly) asked this question before, but I hear of some folk who lose weight and get a bigger chest or arms (bigger by tape measure, not just looking bigger through increased definition), and I just want to know if that is possible? From my reading on here, more calories for building muscle mass, less calories for weightloss.