Cardio and weights?

monster_fighter

Hi lads,

Am: 5'10, 11st7.

Need to: shift pot belly, get upper body/arms to die for.

I religiously goto the gym 3 times a week (since Oct 2004).
I run 5-5.5km at 13-13.5kph.
Then I do 50 reps on 4 diff upper body machines.

I had been eating too much fat so I cut that out a week ago.
Needed more protein (i think) so I take soya protein.

Problem is that I can't seem to lose the belly (well, a bit i suppose) and the bicepts are better but not great.

Am I doing anything glaring wrong?

I'd keep going to the gym anyway (results or no) 'cos I feel great after and there's the cute girl on reception too...

monster

logic1

What are your arm measurments? What exercises do you do for upper body? How much protein do you eat a day in gms? Why don't you work legs?

.logic.

jman0

You're obviously gonna have to do some abs work in your routine.

logic1

jman0 wrote:

You're obviously gonna have to do some abs work in your routine.

Why?

.logic.

monster_fighter

What are your arm measurments? - Bicepts Left 33cm, Right 32cm.

What exercises do you do for upper body? - Curls 50, Incline 50, Tricept Extension 50, and that one where you sit with your chest against the rotating beam and twist 50.

How much protein do you eat a day in gms? On gym days about 120 grams, on others about 90 (on reflection this seems low, no?)

Why don't you work legs? - Forgot to mention I cycle to college daily (about 8 k a day).

I also stretch like a good thing, so no problems there (sister's a ballerina so I know them importance).

monster

Jefferson Darcy

Decent diet and a proper weights routine (including legs) will give you the bod you want.

Normally someone who can run like you do and maintain the 3 sessions a week would be fairly cut. You said you've cut out fat, but you don't necessarily have a great diet at the moment. Do you booze a lot?

logic1

monster_fighter wrote:

What are your arm measurments? - Bicepts Left 33cm, Right 32cm.

Does quick cm to inches conversion umm... that's exceptionally small. You must be very light with regards bodyweight already? Ops just noticed you're 5'10" and 11st 7lbs.

If I were you I'd focus on putting on all over body mass. The cutting can start in a few months which will get the belly off very quickly. Trying to do both at the same time is asking for trouble.

What exercises do you do for upper body? - Curls 50, Incline 50, Tricept Extension 50, and that one where you sit with your chest against the rotating beam and twist 50.

Sounds like a rubbish routine tbh. Do you do 50 reps all in one set and move on or 5 sets of 10 reps? If you're doing 50 reps non stop you're not using nearly enough weight,

How much protein do you eat a day in gms? On gym days about 120 grams, on others about 90 (on reflection this seems low, no?)

Depends on your bodyweight but if you're trying to put on muscle yeah it's especially low. You should be getting at least 200gm a day to make any noticeable changes in your lean body mass. You don't need to cut protein intake on non-training days only carb intake. I'd keep protein the same throughout.

Why don't you work legs? - Forgot to mention I cycle to college daily (about 8 k a day).

So why don't you work legs

I also stretch like a good thing, so no problems there (sister's a ballerina so I know them importance).

She dating anyone? *cough*

Seriously get back with details on your routine it looks exceptionally bad. You need to work your whole body, shoulders, arms, chest, back, abs, legs, trap - everything needs to be in synergy. You'll put more mass on your arms from working just back than you ever would with working just arms.

.logic.

monster_fighter

Normally someone who can run like you do and maintain the 3 sessions a week would be fairly cut. - That's what's worrying me, I run that without even breathing through my mouth, piece of piss (though I sweat like a rapist... :rolleyes: )

You said you've cut out fat, but you don't necessarily have a great diet at the moment. Do you booze a lot?
Diet, Weekdays.
Breakfast = 1.5 bouls of cornflakes (sprinkling of muesli) + vit tablet, garlic tablet an ECA stack (yeah, I know - bad for you, they keep me going all day).
Lunch = I'm a poor student and rarly eat lunch, but on gym days (afternoons, always) I take 30 grams of protein.
Dinner (as of 2 weeks) = Typically a pack of noodles, an egg, small amount of veggies (could do with more), wholewheat pitta bread, maybe some small amout of cheeze. + 30 grams of pure protein.

Booze? Was drinking once a week (on average), 'bout 4/5 cans/pints. Now it's about 2/3 'cos I've recently taken to turning into a wanker when I'm drunk :eek:.

monster

monster_fighter

Does quick cm to inches conversion umm... that's exceptionally small. You must be very light with regards bodyweight already? Ops just noticed you're 5'10" and 11st 7lbs.
Light? yeah, I suppose, though I have a smallish frame and light bones (though by looking at me you'd say I was boarder than average, which I'm not)

If I were you I'd focus on putting on all over body mass. The cutting can start in a few months which will get the belly off very quickly. Trying to do both at the same time is asking for trouble.
I suppose protein is the best way to do this? No?



Sounds like a rubbish routine tbh. Do you do 50 reps all in one set and move on or 5 sets of 10 reps? If you're doing 50 reps non stop you're not using nearly enough weight,

No, Typically 1 set of 15, 3 of 10 and one of 5/10.


Depends on your bodyweight but if you're trying to put on muscle yeah it's especially low. You should be getting at least 200gm a day to make any noticeable changes in your lean body mass. You don't need to cut protein intake on non-training days only carb intake. I'd keep protein the same throughout.
More protein it is then. I think I go for 30g x 3 per day + meals.


She dating anyone? *cough*
Yeah unfortuantly, though as soon as she's not...

Seriously get back with details on your routine it looks exceptionally bad. You need to work your whole body, shoulders, arms, chest, back, abs, legs, trap - everything needs to be in synergy. You'll put more mass on your arms from working just back than you ever would with working just arms.
Cool, will look at it.

jman0

logic1 wrote:

Why?

.logic.

Seems logical to me.
Why not put muscle under that fat, wouldn't that help shift it?

Sangre

Yes but its not going to be visible until he shifts the weight. Of course depending on body type, it may never be visible.
I see my friends doing 100 sits in the gym or talking about it. Still trying to convinced them to spend that time running if they want a flatter gut, change the diet or if already flat do weighted sit-ups. But do they listen? Pffft.

atgate

Watch those noodle packs. Most of them are soaked in palm oil before drying. Palm oil is full of sat fat. You might as well be eating a big mac since the cal/fat content wouldn't be that different. I used to eat 3 or four packs a day thinking they couldn't be bad. No wonder I was a fat fu@#er

fischerspooner

First of all, Soy protein is a waste of time. Get some whey or casein into you, soy does NOT do anything for building muscle.
I do cardio 3 times a week, and cycle in and out of work every day (about 5 miles each way). Cardio consists of 30 mins on a cross trainer with varied levels of difficulty. Basically do cardio in a way that has you almost dead at the end of it and soaking with sweat.
As for weights training - 6 to 8 reps on a heavy weight will suffice. Bench press, squats, and deadlifts are all very important, as is barbell rowing and wide grip pullups. Don't worry about biceps etc. they improve as the aforementioned improves.
Basically there's no easy way about it, you have to kill yourself for the first while to get results
Check out this website, very good for weight training techniques on various parts of the body

http://www.ast-ss.com/training/exercises/eow-intro.asp