jeff29053

Im 24 years old,
230 Ilbs.
and only bench 155 pounds:confused:

So im not in a very great fix. I need advice mostly at this point on toning up. About 3 weeks ago i began getting involved in some activities and started running. Im up to 1.5 miles 3-4 days a week. But i really need to add some muscle definition.

If anyone could give me an idea as to how i should be lifting i would greatl appreciate it, i have a pretty nice bench with a lap pull down, squat rack and all, but just need some pointers as to what exercises and rep scheme i should be headed toward..

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!

Jock

Mate, it sounds as if you are confused as to what you want, you don't seem to have any clear goals. You hint at the fact that you would like to be stronger but you would also like to "tone up".

Give us the following details and maybe the advice you recieve will be a little more helpful.

What are your goals?
What is your routine?
What is your current diet?

Just trying to put you in a more focussed mindset mate, it's very easy to want several things straight away. We all know that unrealistic goals lead to dissapointment and apathy.

Get a piece of paper and write down what you wish to achieve within the next year. Make your goals realistic and achieveable and there is NO reason, with the help of the bros here why you can't reah them.

Best of luck, Jock

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jeff29053

What are your goals? Basically i just want to look better and more defined. I would like to get stronger, BUT i would rather look better and feel better about myself first. So priority one would be losing weight and looking more defined.


What is your routine? Currently im just lifting a little here and there with no set routine really... Sometimes i will do bench, sometimes back, i dont know enough to set a routine. Ive only been lifting for a week, i just wake up in the morning and do something different everymorning. Usually do chest and arms.

What is your current diet? Basically veggies, whole grains, and low fat snacks like popcorn, pretzels, and yogurt. Only been doing it for a week though. I cant eat meat so ive also purchased some protein shakes (ProComplex). Taking it once a day, probably need more though.

Basically at this point i would rather look good then be strong, i can work on strength later, but right now i just hate my average joe look, i want to look more defined.

jeff29053

OH, also i really need a 3-day split if possible due to my work and current schedules i really only have 3 days i could work out for weights. I started this cardio kickboxing class and although its not exactly appealing to me to get kicked around it forces me off the coach, i do that 3 days a week also currently.

winger

Jeff, welcome to the forum. It's always nice to see new people. Diet is key. Lets start at the beginning.
Proteins are, fish, turkey, chicken, eggs, beef, pork.
Carbohydrates are, veggies, fruit, breads, pasta, sugar.
Fats are, oils, butter.
When you eat, always eat a protein when you eat a carb. This alone will make you loose weight. Carbs go through the body fast. Proteins are slow. Carbs make the body spike insulin and make the body store fat. We want to get away from that.
If you cut back on the carbs and eat more protein then you will loose the fat on your body. An average vanilla shake at Mcdonnalds or what ever. You will need to run, not jog, 50 minutes to burn that off.
Back off on the carbs and eat more protein and you will loose weight.

I train each body part once a week.
Monday- chest
Tuesday- back
Wednesday- legs
Thursday- shoulders
Friday- bicepts
Saturday- tricepts
This is what I do. You said you only can train 3 times a week.

Monday- Chest, shoulders, tricept
Wedesday- legs
Friday- Back and bicept. This is a push pull routine.
I would do cardio 3 times a week when you first wake up in the morning. This gives you your best bang for the buck. If you drink a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and do cardio 20 minutes later it even works better. PM me if you dont understand. Their are allot of good blokes on this forum that will help you with questions and problems.

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jeff29053

So without eating meat i guess im kinda screwed huh? :(

Also, should i stick to compounds, isolations, or a mixture of both you think for my goals?

winger

Basic compound excercises.
Can you eat fish, turkey, chicken or eggs?

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jeff29053

Fish and Eggs yes, i tried 3 egg whites with one whole egg a few days back. It wasnt bad at all really. I could do mostly whites mixed with one or two egss or something i suppose.

veganlifter

protein sources for non animal eaters would be:
legumes (like beans and lentils and everything made from them), soy products, wheat glutein products, nuts, seeds etc. Conventional bodybuilding knowledge is limited to animal products as the sole protein source, so you need to look deeper.

winger

I like that. Good info. On the eggs you dont have to get rid of the yoke. Eat the whole egg because that was the way it was made. The yoke is very good for you and over the years has had a bad rap. Try eating fish, preferably salmon. Eat some oatmeal for breakfast and some eggs. Eat some salmon for lunch with a nice green veggie and after 3 or 4 days check out how nice your skin will appear. You wont believe it.

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Greyphantom

Watch your soy intake too... its not evil but it is know to lower test levels and also affect male unborn children... try milk powders for a protein source... also as suggested stick with the basic compound movements and lift in a routine something like 1 day chest, arms 1 day legs, 1 day back shoulders or something similar...

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The Ghost who Grows!!!

jeff29053

Ive heard alot of people suggest oatmeal to me, whats so big about oatmeal??
Just curious because i looked on the ingredients and it doesnt look anything special.


Ive kinda wrote down a routine based on what ive been getting as feedback. I wanted to go with 3 days a week, but it was just too many exercises in a day and i think i would probably neglect to do some of them. I work a hard labor job as well, so with that in mind i went more with Winger's initial suggestion of one part a day, except i bunched bi's and tri's together to get an extra day off.... Here goes:

Monday
[Biceps & Triceps]
-EZ Bar Curl + Close Grip Bench Press
-Hammer Curl + Rope Press down
-Reverse Barbell Curl + Bench Dips

Wednesday
[Chest]
-Bench Press
-Incline Dumbbell Press
-Butterflies

Friday
[Back]
-Dumbbell Rows
-Straight Arm Pull-Down
-Good Mornings
-Dumbbell Shrug

Saturday
[Legs]
-Squat
-Weighted Calf Raises
-Leg Extension
-Reverse Extension

Sunday
[Shoulders]
-Arnold Press
-Front Dumbbell Raise
-Lateral Dumbbell Raise

Any feedback would be nice, but i did have some few concerns with the routine i wasnt sure about how to work out if you guys could help me out?

1.) I moved tri's together with bi's to open another day up, does that look like it should work out alright? Or should i do a separate day for tri's also OR add them to Chest day?

2.) On the back day, is that too much for the back? I was trying to throw shrugs in also, but not sure if its too much for that day or not, what do you guys think?

3.) On legs... with the Squats are the extensions really neccessary?? And if not can you guys suggest maybe another exercise or should i stick with the extenstions... seems like same muscles though to me.

4.) On shoulders, should i stick with the Arnold Press or go with military press or both?

You will probably notice there is no ab routine in there, but i take cardio kickboxing and 3-4 times a week right now and they pound our abs with every crunch and sit-up movement imagenable so thats the reason for that.

Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks!!

winger

Well Jeff not bad but your sunday shoulder workout indirectly hits your tricepts. Monday you are doing tricepts. You need a break here. Also for your back day I would do Pull ups. I like to do 2 widening and 2 thickening. I also like to do rear delts on back day.

Monday - Shoulders and tricept

Wednesday - Back and bicepts

Friday - Chest

Saturday - Legs

This is a push pull routine.
You can do your routine and add shoulders to your arm day. That means you rest on Sunday.

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Sychokid

getting "toned up" comes from low bodyfat percantage.

To lose fat, cardio and of course diet have to be in check.

As far as cardio goes, HIIT (high intensity interval training) would be a better choice, Its shorter, burns more fat, and mantains more muscle then conventional aerobics.

As for training, you would have to elaborate more on your goals

Jon

winger

Mike Mentzer, High intensity training. God I love this guy.

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