Anybody have any tips/plans/etc for a rank gym newb? They offer one free session with a trainer, but said we should workout a few times on our own before we do that.
So I just joined a gym, now I need to really learn about how to workout right.
- Thread starter Tenchiro
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How about some goals? Are you lifting to get fit? to get big muscles? to get strong? to help with cycling? How often can you go? how active are you outside the gym? What other activities outside of the gym and how often do you plan on doing them? Are you willing to work real hard? Answer these questions, and that can help in giving you direction as far as how to approach your triaining
My main goal is to lose as much of my fat as possible, then once I am satisfied there to conentrate on strength training, and bulking up my upper body. I want to go about 3+ times a week, at least to start off.
If you wanna start with fat loss I would do lots of cardio. Then add weights in.
This is kinda hard to tell you exactly what to do, you have tons of options, but for fat loss, first and foremost is diet, its not the most fun, but it is the most effective method for losing fat. Add in cardio for an extra kick, but its not 100% necessary, i lost 20lbs, only changing my diet, from 12% bf to 9% bf in just a couple of months, with no cardio, so keep that in mind. For bulking up, you can go the traditional route, ie do the crappy bodybuilder stuff, it should help you get a large upper body, but functional strenght will be limited. You can go the smart route (my route 
) and do powerlifting stuff. If you look at any powerlifter they have massive upper bodies, and they are strong, so it is more functional. But i hope you know effective muscle gain is going to require you to gain some of the fat you lost. If you want to learn a bit more about powerlifting, and the right way to do things, check out these articles:
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/264eight.jsp
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/265eight.jsp
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/264eight.jsp
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/267eight.jsp
) and do powerlifting stuff. If you look at any powerlifter they have massive upper bodies, and they are strong, so it is more functional. But i hope you know effective muscle gain is going to require you to gain some of the fat you lost. If you want to learn a bit more about powerlifting, and the right way to do things, check out these articles: http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/264eight.jsp
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/265eight.jsp
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/264eight.jsp
http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/267eight.jsp
check out www.crossfit.com. the forums a great, with advice on nutrion too.
Thanks for the info, as it stands right now I am at (according to the guy in the gym consutation) at 27% BF. 
I feel like a fat ass...
Should I use that to put on some muscle, keeping in mind I don't want to be huge just strong. Or should I do cardio for a while to slim down while also doing weights to tone up and build my strength.
I feel like a fat ass...Should I use that to put on some muscle, keeping in mind I don't want to be huge just strong. Or should I do cardio for a while to slim down while also doing weights to tone up and build my strength.
basically, if your diet, or level of activity sucked before now, than whatever you do, ie lifting, or improving your diet, will immediately cause you to lose a bit of fat, and gain muscle. If you have been active, but your diet sucked, than just changing the diet will help. But i dont think extra cardio is needed, espescially if you are riding your bike. try and move quickly from exercise to exercise, that will keep your heart up, and kinda act like extra cardio. Watch what you eat, start lifting smart, and your bodyfat will drop quite a bit.
I have been fairly sedentary for the last 1.5 years due to back problems. I can finally get out and ride again and plan to do so as much as possible.
I wouldn't call the kind of riding I do a perfect aerobic exercise though, that is why I was planning to hit the treadmill (or whatever) a few times a week. I also want to use it to build up my cardio so I can ride faster and longer.
I am going to try to meet with the trainer tonight or tomorrow and see what they say.
I wouldn't call the kind of riding I do a perfect aerobic exercise though, that is why I was planning to hit the treadmill (or whatever) a few times a week. I also want to use it to build up my cardio so I can ride faster and longer.
I am going to try to meet with the trainer tonight or tomorrow and see what they say.
Well, i pretty much guarntee your going to get different advice from the trainer than what i am telling you, mainly because powerlifting is not a well liked form of lifting, anyways, riding your bike, and all the lifting will whip your butt into shape quick, when you add in a cleaned up diet to the equation, your ability to do cardio will skyrocket without any extra cardio stuff.
You need to be careful for the first couple of months you start lifting, and riding if you have been sedentary, and since you had had a bad back, your core muscles are going to be weak, and are going to need lots of work, just like a strong house has to be built on a strong foundation, a strong body has to be built upon a strong core, so for the first 2-3 months, i would really focus on strenghtening your low back, your abs, obliques, and legs. doing bicep, tricep, shoulder work( more or less fluff muscles) isnt going to do much to help you out in those first couple of months. Also watch out for overtraining, since your body is not going to be used to a high level of activity, choose to do either cardio or weightlifting, but i wouldnt do both, so that your body can adapt to a more active life style. When your body can handle the higher level of activity start to slowly add in more acitvity, and more exercises.
You need to be careful for the first couple of months you start lifting, and riding if you have been sedentary, and since you had had a bad back, your core muscles are going to be weak, and are going to need lots of work, just like a strong house has to be built on a strong foundation, a strong body has to be built upon a strong core, so for the first 2-3 months, i would really focus on strenghtening your low back, your abs, obliques, and legs. doing bicep, tricep, shoulder work( more or less fluff muscles) isnt going to do much to help you out in those first couple of months. Also watch out for overtraining, since your body is not going to be used to a high level of activity, choose to do either cardio or weightlifting, but i wouldnt do both, so that your body can adapt to a more active life style. When your body can handle the higher level of activity start to slowly add in more acitvity, and more exercises.
this is kind of a misconception. Adding muscle would aide in reduction fat much more by increasing your base metabolic rate. To only do cardio would reduce both.
I won't add any of my points about lifting as they seem to match bbmj...I am a big advocate of core exercises and powerlifting (in your case I would take it slow to build the strength up around the injured area) matched with a good cardio routine.