Penny for your thought?

Wudyaluk

Hi guys and gals,

Recently joined a gym and the PT put a program together for me. I was hoping you enlightened folk of H&F could have look and see if there are any major discrepancies and could you make any recommendations.

Basic Stats: Male, 26, 6 ft, 80Kg

Diet:
I think I eat reasonably clean.
B: Porridge or eggs
L: Meat Salad sambos & fruit
Stir frys, pastas, meat 2 veg. I try avoid processed sauces or meats.
6/7 pints maybe once a month because i'm only human!!

I have no particular goals in terms of mass or an aesthetic outcome. I do it more so for enjoyment and general fitness. I would typically only get to the gym 3 days a week. Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Cardio is usually social soccer or 5km runs at weekend.
My weights program is as follows. I was told just alternate between the two (upper and lower body) and do a variety of core exercises after each.

P1. (3 x 10)
Barbell Squat – Back (50 kg)
Barbell Squat – Front (40 kg)
Leg Curl (30 kg)
Leg Extension (40 kg)
Calf Raise (60 kg)

P2. (3 x 10)
Bench Press (50 kg)
Pull Ups (Various grips) – ( assisted & unassisted)
Dips – (assisted & unassisted)
DB Shoulder Press (20 kg (10kg x 2))
Bicep Curls (20 kg)

Thanks

Alf Veedersane

Did the PT mention about how increasing the weight for each?

Did he show you how to do the squat and bench?

Hanley

Looks reasonably solid in my humble but usually correct opinion (.... )

Might be nice to have some upper back work on the second day too, like a chest supported row or something. But as a relative beginner, 2 days alternating like that's a great starting point.

Wudyaluk

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Did the PT mention about how increasing the weight for each?

Did he show you how to do the squat and bench?

He walked me through the routine and I've got him to check my form once or twice. He says I've good technique. With regards the increasing the weight, well this is a bit of a grey area for me.

Is there a standard progression you would try to achieve?

If I'm being honest I'm probably too reluctant to add weight for two reasons.
1. Since I train on my own I don't want to put myself in a position where I push myself to failure and drop a bar on my ceann.
2. I don't want to sacrifice form and possibly injure myself for the sake of appeasing my ego and lobbing on the weights for the sake of it.

I was thinking of starting a proper log book and try achieve a progression, however humble!

Alf Veedersane

Wudyaluk wrote: »

He walked me through the routine and I've got him to check my form once or twice. He says I've good technique. With regards the increasing the weight, well this is a bit of a grey area for me.

Is there a standard progression you would try to achieve?

If I'm being honest I'm probably too reluctant to add weight for two reasons.
1. Since I train on my own I don't want to put myself in a position where I push myself to failure and drop a bar on my ceann.
2. I don't want to sacrifice form and possibly injure myself for the sake of appeasing my ego and lobbing on the weights for the sake of it.

I was thinking of starting a proper log book and try achieve a progression, however humble!

You'll know yourself where you're at. You've got a starting point and see how the 3x10 feels. you will probably be able to add 2.5 kg at least once a week on the likes of the squats, especially at the start.You might not get the three sets of 10...it might be 10, 9, 7 or something and you can just go again the next time.

But for all of those exercises, you won't be dropping the bar on your head. And for the bench press, you'll be able to gauge yourself if you've that next rep in you or not. If not, rack it. Maybe try benching where you can have safety bars either side of you until you're a bit more comfortable gauging whether or not you have another rep or it's time to re-rack.

And you're right to not sacrifice form just to get extra rep(s).

GiftofGab

Not enough calories in your diet for you to gain alot of muscle. Also needs to be more protein. Eat protein at every meal. Around 25g of protein each meal if you can. You will probably even lose fat with a diet and workout like that.

Workout looks good for a beginner. If it was up to me I would add deadlifts in there too. Ask your PT about them.

You're doing all the main exercises with that workout (except deadlifts). IMO the best exercises are squats (front and back), deadlifts, pullups (and chinups), dips, bench press and maybe even military press (or DB shoulder press). Once your hitting those exercises your wont go wrong.

Going to gym 3 times a week and playing soccer or running 5k is a pretty solid start. Plus your diet is clean.

IK09

THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT AS ONE.

This is only my opinion, not fact. You say you have no particular goals? Personally, I wouldnt be able to go to the gym if I had no goals. What is your objective? Your diet seems good. You joined a gym...you must have an objective?

Like yourself I play a good bit of 5 a side to keep "fit" i.e. so i didnt feel guilty about my lifestyle. When I started going to the gym, I wanted to burn fat through weights to build muscle and cardio to improve general health. I stuck with the weights as I found the cardio boring.

I asked a PT in my gym to do a BMI and body fat index on me. The results honestly shocked me. My body fat content was 23.4%, the majority of which was stored in my trunk, i didnt look fat, i did feel like there was a good bit of weight around my middle, but nothing that i couldnt just run off. It was a wake up call. Im 28, so around the same age as yourself, I figured if I was ever going to "get fit", I had to do it now.

So my goal was (still is) to get my body fat to below 11% through any means necessary, eating right, weights, running, soccer etc.

My point is set yourself a goal. Not something that you can just force yourself to do i.e run 10km.
Make it a challenge for yourself, i.e. run 10km in 50mins.

I think the reason most people "leave" the gym is not because they are not willing to do the work, but they have no reason for being there, they are just doing it for the sake of doing it, "to be more healthy". Do not be afraid to fail at these goals either. If you say you want to run 10km in 50mins but the end of August and you end up doing it in 55mins, you have to look at how far you have come and how close you are to achieving your goals.

The beauty of this place is you have somewhere you can come to vent your frustration, ask questions about how you can improve, get information on nutrition, find new exercises, find inspiration and encouragement etc. You will meet people here who have achieved your goals, who know how to achieve them, who know the common mistakes etc.

Wudyaluk

IK09 wrote: »

THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE IT AS ONE.

Not at all, I appreciate the feedback.

When I said I have no particular goals I meant I wasn't looking for very specific training regime i.e. powerlifting or competitive bodybuilding.

But saying that your point is perfectly reasonable. I haven't been going to the gym very long so I'm probably still in the honeymoon period where I simply get enjoyment from physical exertion. As you say, my interest may wane over time unless I set a specific goal over a set time interval.

I think "general fitness" to my mind is about doing generic everyday stuff without exerting yourself. Being able to run a few km and lift your own bodyweight without expelling a kidney through your arse.

I understand what you are saying; that I should set tangible gym specific goals otherwise I'll just get bored.

Definitely food for thought.

IK09

I found it very difficult to stick to my goals (probably set them too high) with my cardio. So i signed myself up to a 5km, 6km, 8km, 10km runs & Tough Mudder. It was the only way I could get myself to do it. You should look into tought mudder, if all round general fitness is your goal. Its on in October.