[Spunger]

I know this is a dumb question but I've never done this before, mainly lifting weights.

I've found some websites that show basic exercises for chest, back, legs, arms etc...which help me because I have 200lbs of freeweights. I can squat/dead lift it no problem but the other exercises I don't know what my "range" should be, or better yet what sorta of system I should use to go up in weight as I know I won't gain muscle if I always just lift the same amount.

I've got a heart rate monitor for my cardio stuff. I've learned that no matter what, at 3.0 mph I can keep my heart rate in the mid 130's which is the lower part of my "range" according to the polar monitor. 3.2 or 3.3 mph gets me into the middle. I do that for 30 minutes. I'm trying to do this everyday. So the cardio portion is off to a good start.

It's the weights I'm finding I am funny with. I weigh 241lbs as of right now. This last week I've gotten my diet under control so I figured it's a good time to start. I try the bench press and I can do 100lbs by the 3rd set 8-9 times before I feel like it's too much. But that seems to be my max (well without someone spotting me). When I was in probably the best shape of my life I could only do 100lbs or so 10 times, and maxed at 1 time 150lbs. I was probably 185-195 at that point. So I really have very little upper body strength. But at the same time I never lifted to do anything other than what was required for PE or track. Now.......I'd like to gain some muscle and have the tools to do so.

I do alternate muscle groups (arms/chest/shoulders/back) so I know that is a must. I know not to lift more than I can keep good form. I know that if it hurts somethings wrong. But I'd like to know how much weight should I be doing to gain muscle? If I can get my brother to spot me on the days that I want to try harder on the bench press and such that'd be fine (maybe once a week).

Also how much time should one spend lifting weights? I can't really go past 15-25 minutes if that. I can put in a hour long workout (including weights) but that's atleast 10 minutes of rest in there. I just want to do this right. If I'm trying to drop weight but gain muscle beyond dieting I'd like to do it right.

Any ideas or hints/tips?

 

[ride26]

i lift daily and have found that insted of liftting more weight, try less weight and more reps. i used to try to move as much weight at one time as i could but i was finding myself very sore the next day and i saw little to no mass gain, so lets say you can do 3 sets of 12 reps at 175lbs i suggest go for 3 set of 15 reps at 145-150 lbs
also you might want to try a supplement, i suggest as a start try animal packs
also split your days and musle groups up, one day to each group
maybe mon. chest/back, tues. total legs , wed only cardio thurs. arms/abs fir. rest, sat. try a little of everything, sun. alot of cardio with some free weights
that is my week at the gym, everyone is diff. so mix it up and try what works best for you
also do your home work alot of your problem could be in what you eat,,go for the high protein...if you can get the book titled the abs diet and read it it has alot of great meals and work out tips and it go on to suggest the best foods for someone who is trying to gain mass

good luck hope this helps

 

[Spunger]

Thanks for the tips Ride, I understand what you're saying.

Ultimately I'd like to loose ehh........maybe 20-25lbs. But I'd also like to get some more muscle to my body. I don't expect to be where I was when I was 18 (around that 185-195 mark) but anywhere between 210-220 would be awesome. If I can do that then I guess I could think about going less, but I wanted to set a realistic goal. 20lbs is realistic, at this point 40+ I dunno would be. Me being a male, 24 years old should help I hope. I have been trying to eat higher protein. Eggs probably aren't the best for you but I've been able to eat 2-3 in the morning, plus some at lunch and dinner so I know I have been eating more........LOL my uhh.......you know has changed significantly since I started doing this. I'll spare the details though

I'll try the lower weight at more reps. I haven't been too sore so that's why I'm wondering if I am lifting enough. I can feel it a little bit, but it's not painfull. I know pain is no good.

 

[Kevin]

Kinda depends on what your trying to accomplish.
If you want to look beefcake you should lift as much as you can 4 sets of 8 or 10 lifts. (but build it up from the first to the last set)
If you just want to tone your muscles a bit repeating with less weight is better.
Make a programme on which group of muscle your gonna train on what day. For example, on monday train chest and biceps, tuesday back and triceps. Also remember to allways train the big group (chest, back, legs) first before the smaller groups (like biceps, triceps).
Also remember to give your muscles enough rest.
If you trained your chest on monday you shouldnt train it again the following day because the muscles wont have time to rest and grow stronger.
Nutricion is also very important. Your body is very much like a spunge so remember to allways eat healthy after any kind of exercise.
Eggs are actually not bad at all as long as you take out the yellow (whatever you call it at the other side of the pond).
Milkshakes are really good too.

 

[Spunger]

Eggs are actually not bad at all as long as you take out the yellow (whatever you call it at the other side of the pond).

LOL the only good part huh, so the clear stuff is what is good for you? I just scramble up 2-3 eggs a day for breakfast with a bagel and cream cheese. I haven't eaten breakfast in like 4 or 5 years now? so eating it is new to me, but it does make me feel better. This is the 2nd week of eating it. I know eating has alot to do with weight loss or muscle gain. That one I've figured out.

 

[ito]

With the amount of weight you are able to lift I would definitely consider adding pushups and dips to your routine. Your upper body sounds like it is in pretty sad shape (no offense) and adding some "body-support" workouts would build it up quickly without making you worry about how much you should be lifting.

Work in pushups throughout the day so that your chest gets used to supporting that much weight. Over time it will get easier and you will begin to lift more.

Just wondering, do you know for sure that your weights are weighted correctly? At your weight only being able to lift 100 is way below average. I'm a lot younger than you, but I started lifting after when I had to stop running track and crosscountry. I was a skinny mofo at 120 and I was repping about 100-120 when I first started and moved up pretty quick. Are you adding in the weight of the bar? I wouldn't be surprised if you are lifting more than you think. Unless you truly do lead a very unactive lifestyle

Try the pushups for a few weeks, see if you find a change in how much you can lift

The Ito

 

[Spunger]

With the amount of weight you are able to lift I would definitely consider adding pushups and dips to your routine. Your upper body sounds like it is in pretty sad shape (no offense) and adding some "body-support" workouts would build it up quickly without making you worry about how much you should be lifting.

Work in pushups throughout the day so that your chest gets used to supporting that much weight. Over time it will get easier and you will begin to lift more.

Just wondering, do you know for sure that your weights are weighted correctly? At your weight only being able to lift 100 is way below average. I'm a lot younger than you, but I started lifting after when I had to stop running track and crosscountry. I was a skinny mofo at 120 and I was repping about 100-120 when I first started and moved up pretty quick. Are you adding in the weight of the bar? I wouldn't be surprised if you are lifting more than you think. Unless you truly do lead a very unactive lifestyle

Try the pushups for a few weeks, see if you find a change in how much you can lift

The Ito

I'm pretty sure they are weighted correctly. I can only do 100lbs (maybe 120lbs with a spotter) 10 times. That is on my third set though. I've never been "strong" doing the bench press. They are steel weights, typical gym ones. The bar doesn't weigh much, as it's not the normal 30 or 40lbs bar at say Golds. The bar is from one of the 125lbs weight sets that you get at Big 5 and the weights when you slide them on is smaller than say Golds ones. But I'm sure the weight I'm using is correct.

Yes, I live an unactive lifestyle. LOL I found my nitch in DH riding probably because it didn't require me to pedal alot. I worked an office job for 4 years (2000-2004) which I had virtually no exercise before or after work. I packed on probably close to 50lbs over that time....and lost 5-10 hear and there but it was just weight that came back so I didn't really loose it. Now I'm giving myself a goal of racing the Firestone race if I get into shape where I feel good about it. So hopefully it works.

My diet has changed 100% though since 2000-2004 till now. While I worked an office job some days I'd eat out 2 times, something like fatty mexican food or KFC or whatever else was in the area. I did that for pretty much 3 stright years. I started eating differently but not entirely when my girlfriend did weight watchers. She stopped and gained her weight back. I never lost any while she was on it. I was drinking 2-4 Coke's a day, not eating anything in the morning and just a HUGE dinner and fast food lunch. I could easily eat a double quarter pounder with cheese, and a 10 piece nuggest and supersized fries no problem. Now.......probably as of about 9-10 months ago I stopped doing that. Now I just get a burger meal and that's enough. And even as time has gone on I spoil myself once and a while (who doesn't to stay sane) but I can control somethings better. I gave up having Coke in the house as of December. Now it's lots of water or milk and OJ but not in excess. I pretty much drink water throughout the day now. I can stop myself at say Taco bell with 3 items rather than 5. I still eat out, but not nearly as much as I use to. I try to cook as often as I can and cook healthy stuff. I feel now that my diet has changed for long enough that I have it controlled working out is all I need to fit into it.

Pushups I can some.......but not many. I bought these funky push up things that you grap onto to do push ups. They elevate your hands, so it's almost like doing a dip just not with a bar. I can't do many push ups with that because I think it targets muscles that are weak in my system. But regular push ups, non-sitting on my knees, down to the ground and back keeping flat I can do 20-25. I know that using your body weight will help alot fast because I don't think I could put 240lbs on a bench and bench it, put doing a pushup I could. Funny how that one works...

I won't lie. I have a bike for everything short of riding on the road as I refuse to wear the clothing of choice and just don't like riding on the road really. But truthfully I'm not very active. I've been more active in the last 2 weeks then I have in the last 4 years. But I am going to stick to this every day routine of eating and working out and see where it gets me. Today I did legs and arms as I did chest yesterday. My legs are way strong (even when I was a member at Golds, my buddies who lifted 3-4 time a week I could outdo them in any lower body exercise) but upper body they won.

My ultimate goal besides Firestone is to look better, feel better, hopefully make my size XL shirts and 38 pants fit looser and get to the point where daily I can do 45-60 minutes of Cardio in my heart rate zone AND weights. Right now I can easily sustaine 30 minutes in my zone and the weights........but I'd like to get that up. I tried before to just jump into doing an hour on the treadmill but it sucked. It was hard to sit there that long. But with the heart rate monitor it helps alot because before when I'd run fast I thought I was getting a workout (I was) but way out of my zone. Now I've learned that I don't need to run so fast and get so tired when I can run 3.0 or 3.1/2/3 and be a fast walking pace and being in my zone. I do run/jog/walk as well on it.

 

[Spunger]

BTW.......I dunno how this works out but I looked up the bar and it says it weighs 22lbs. It's a threaded collar type, NON olympic. I looked up a 7ft threaded bar and sure enough the regular weight was 22lbs or 10kg. Maybe that's right? If it is then I don't feel so bad as it add's another 20lbs to my deal but I know I can do 100lbs of weight on the sides (25/15/10 on each side), without the weight of the bar.

 

[ito]

Yes, I live an unactive lifestyle. LOL I found my nitch in DH riding probably because it didn't require me to pedal alot. I worked an office job for 4 years (2000-2004) which I had virtually no exercise before or after work. I packed on probably close to 50lbs over that time....and lost 5-10 hear and there but it was just weight that came back so I didn't really loose it. Now I'm giving myself a goal of racing the Firestone race if I get into shape where I feel good about it. So hopefully it works.

No offense man, but God damn I hope I never get there.

Good job with working out more and hopefully you can stay motivated to keep moving toward your goals. Pushup bars are great if you want to target specific muscles and really challenge yourself, but I would ditch them for regular pushups, at least for now. If you can do 20-25 pushups that is a pretty good start. Wake up each morning and on the way to the shower just try to bust out 15-20. Don't overload yourself, but just do that and see if you can improve that number without straining yourself early in the morning, it can be a good measurement of growth. I used to do it in Junior High when I was insecure and tiny, wanted to improve my strength so I just did that for close to a year. Got insanely good at pushups and built up my body a little bit. It also gets your heart going first thing in the morning, which is a good energizer for the rest of the day.

I understand the road sentiment, but consider throwing slicks on your bike and enjoying the road. Grab some Nema shorts(little bit of padding) or throw some lycra under your board shorts or whatever and go for a short, but fast road ride.

To me it sounds like the diet change is the best thing you have done so far. That is huge and congrats. Do yourself one better and learn to love veggies. Visit the SB farmer's market (it kicks ass!) and cook food from there when you get the chance, it will make eating healthy much more enjoyable.

Other than that man, congrats. Maybe consider a dietician if you can't keep motivated, but so far it sounds like you are doing an awesome job.

I'll see you at Firestone I guess. I'll be the skinny guy kicking everyone's butt on the XC course....hopefully

Good luck man.

The Ito

 

[Kntr]

Im not a fitness guru, but I use to lift a lot and I think I know a little about exercise and nutrition.

Little background. Im 33yo. When I was in HS, I lifted all the time. I weighed 175-180 at 5'9". I could bench 275 lb and squat about 315 lb. There is no way I could do that now. I could probably do 225 bench and 225 squat. I have a bad back from a motorcycle wreck in 98.

Anyway, to lose weight and get muscle tone, you want a lot of reps. Figure out what weight you can lift 3 sets and do it 18, 15, 10 times (reps).

If you want to gain mass, you do 3 sets of 10, 8, and 6 reps with more weight. See the difference? More weight less reps.

At my age I want endurance. I want to be able to ride all day and not be sore the next. I do high reps. I do 3 sets of 20, 18, and 16 reps. I usually do full body lifting 2 times a week. I dont lift enough to concentrate on certain areas.

As for food, DONT EAT EGGS THAT MUCH. They are full of cholesterol. Buy Eat Beaters or some other egg substitute. If you have to eat eggs, mix one full egg with the egg whites of 3-4 eggs. The yoke is what is so bad for you. At your weight I bet you have high cholesterol. You might want to get it checked. It usually cost about $20 to have it checked.

Instead of Roast Beef get smoked turkey for your sandwiches and fat free Mayo or spray butter. Stack on the lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. A good place to eat out for sandwiches is Subway, if you get the right sandwich.

My wife has started cooking with Ground Turkey. At first I said, where is my ground beef. Now, I cant tell the difference.

I know this sounds like a huge change. At first it is hard, but after awhile you wont tell the difference.

Stay away from FAST FOOD. Taco Bell is bad too, but hey, its my favorite place to eat. Also, if you do eat out, go have Chinese food or Subway.

If you lift 3-4 times a week and stay away from bad food, you will be surprised how fast the weight will drop and how fast you will gain muscle.

More info about me. I was like you at 24. I didnt exercise or eat right. When I finally had enough, I bought a mountain bike and threw away all the junk food I had in my house. I ate right, biked all the time, lifted and went swimming, and stayed away from bad food and pop. I WENT FROM 220 to 170 IN 2 MONTHS. I lost 50 lbs in 60 days.

I dont mean to preach at ya but hey you only have one body.... treat it the best you can.

 

[Spunger]

Thanks guys! This is all helping me figure out a baseline to start at.

I figured my bench bar weighs 20lbs. So......total I can bench, max, on the 3rd set of 10 reps is 130lbs. I found that out yesterday.

I hear ya about the taco bell. We litterly live 50 yards away from one, along with a chubbies (burger place), pizza hut, mexican place, pizza places, coffee placed etc... they are in walking distance. We haven't eaten there in a while but I try to get things that I know can't be all that bad (like regular tacos vs a mexican pizza). I don't mind getting sandwhices from subway or quiznos. As long as there is a menu to choose from it's ok. It's slowly working.

The food thing I'll try the ground turkey. I've heard once you season it like for a taco mix or something or probably even a burger you can't tell the difference. I believe it too. The veggies I'd need to up big time as I was never a fan of them. Very few that I like to eat. But I'll try it. Even in sandwhices (I don't mind turkey but it's not the #1 meat on my list ).

I want to gain muscle and loose weight. That is my goal. So I've been working in 30 minutes on the treadmill and doing weights (arms/legs/chest) and as of today I've seen my lowest weight all year. 240lbs (well 239.5) but our scale is funky. I lost almost 4lbs this week as I gained a bunch, then lost some. But I think for the next week I'll continue to work out, I'll try the turkey sandwhich diet for lunch, dinner will be the same (cooking atleast 4 days during the week) and see where I get. You never know, Turkey might be my long lost friend

 

[Kevin]

Also drink lots of water, like 2L a day.
If you want to build up muscles you are gonna have to provide them with building stones.
Try and eat low fat meat like chicken or even better, turkey.
2 pieces of fruit a day and have some muesli with fat free yoghurt every day.
Offcourse you can allways buy some Milkshakes with added eggwhite and proteine because they are really good and tasty as well.

 

[Kntr]

My buddy use to carry a gallon jug of water with him everywhere he would go when he was trying to lose weight. He would always finish it by the end of the day. He swore it helped him to lose weight faster and he would not be as hungry during the day. He is a body builder in Las Vegas and is a personnal trainer at a huge gym.

 

[Morryjg]

Good reading. Thanks for putting this all down in print!

 

[Atomic Dog]

I've been doing lots of reading on weightlifting and such lately. A wealth of information can be found here.

The best advice that I've found so far is to stick with compound exercises for the most part. I think the main ones are:

bench press
squats
deadlifts
barbell rows
military press
pullups
dips

Most of the folks on the above site advocate using variations of the above to do a full-body workout a few times a week. They also suggest switching up the number of sets and reps you do from week to week. (i.e. do 3 sets of 12 one week, 5 sets of 5 the next, etc.)

I only started a couple months back myself so I'm certainly no expert, but it seems to work for me.

 

[Spunger]

Thanks! That is like.......one of the better sites that explains all this stuff. Plus the diagrams of the exercise helps to just see what you're suspose to be doing.

I know I got my calories down. I have changed my entire diet (around eating better) and I try to do between 30 minutes and an hour on the treadmill (with a heart rate monitor so I know I'm in my zone), and lifting every day (different groups). So far so good!

 

[SilentJ]

I'm not going to add much as there seems to be really good info so far, but I just tried something different recently and it seems to be pretty wicked.

Most peeps know that going too fast when lifting is bad - momentum can 'help' you lift the weight. I thought I was going decently slow when lifting, but read something somewhere about going *really* slow. It said to do a 2 second positive rep and a 4 second negative rep. Going my normal speed I can bench 300ish for 3 sets of 12 reasonably easy - the above method yielded 185 for 10, 7, 4 reps and I was worked. Just another way to shock your muscles, I suppose.

 

[doAZido]

I am not going to give any lifting advice, the info people have givin you is outstanding, I would like to say that you should not put any limits on how fit you can get. you say you know you cant get where you were at 18, why not? you can get in better shape than when you were 18 if you want to,I am 42 and 4 years ago I was 195 pounds,36 going on 37 waist, then I discovered mountain biking, now I weigh 150, I lift 3 to 4 times a week, I am in the best shape of my life, and I am addicted to keeping myself fit, I know this thread is a little old now but I just hate to hear you limit yourself.......Good Luck and Go For It!

 

[Polandspring88]

When you first start lifting it is often hard because of the fact that you have not built up all of the other muscles that are needed to do an exercise. For instance, triceps also help in the bench press, and yours may be underdeveloped or hurting, just like your pecs are. You also have not built up your stabilization muscles, the ones that let you repeat the same motion over and over while keeping the weight balanced. Keep at it, though the low weights may discourage you, once you get over the initial hump you will have a great period of strength increase.

As mentioned, exercises performed at a higher weight and between 6 and 10 reps are going to build more muscle. In the beginning you are better off taking a lower weight and lifting until failure. This stimulates the muscle much more than just pushing out a set number of reps, and you will definately feel the burn. For example, if you were to do tricep push downs, you start with a weight that you can only do 6-8 reps of, do those, then immediately drop the weight and do another 6-8 reps. By the end you will be dying even at what would normally be a very low weight. Same with bench press. We use a technique that involves pausing halfway down, then lowering it the rest of the way. Once you are done that set of ideally 10, then you put the bar back up and rest for a few seconds and then continue on normally. It will kill you the first few times you do it, but it will help out quite a bit.

Try referencing www.bodybuilding.com, they have a lot of workouts that are specifically aimed at certain body parts. It has given me a lot of general guidelines and routines to follow.