Official I Joined A Gym Thread

[dapokerbum 0]

Upright rows, can use a barbell instead.http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises...pright-row.htmlThis is a bent over fly, but I do mine with cables, one handed.http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises...everse-fly.htmlI actually do the pushups at the end of my workout recently but I wouldn't do them in first. You can tire out thebi's and tri's and the rest of the workout won't be as effective. Doing it at the end will help push it and get the max.As far as the reps go, shoot for 15 but if you can only do 12 fine, just keep at it till you can do 15 comfortably then move up and go back to 12.

Ahhh seeing the Upright rows, isn't there some damage that can be done with these if done with too much weight or something? I remember reading something about that at one point and I took it out of my workouts.Also, the bent over fly is part of the 2 way flys that I do. The first set I do is the "flapping your wings" flys I guess is the best way to describe (I am still learning all the names of exercises that I have been shown over the years) and the second is the bent over fly.As far as the pushups and pullups go, in my thinking it is always nice to get a little warmup for the muscles before you start into the "main" workout. Before I start anything I usually do a few jumping jacks and arm rotations backwards and forwards and some other simple stretches. I'm not doing max pushups, I am just doing 3 sets of 12 to mix it in with the pullups. The main reason I do this is because I get bored in the gym if I am not constantly doing something. That's why I like to do a lot of push/pull type exercises because I can so them one after the other and not sit there all the time waiting to do another set.

[Randy Reed 0]

Ahhh seeing the Upright rows, isn't there some damage that can be done with these if done with too much weight or something? I remember reading something about that at one point and I took it out of my workouts.Also, the bent over fly is part of the 2 way flys that I do. The first set I do is the "flapping your wings" flys I guess is the best way to describe (I am still learning all the names of exercises that I have been shown over the years) and the second is the bent over fly.As far as the pushups and pullups go, in my thinking it is always nice to get a little warmup for the muscles before you start into the "main" workout. Before I start anything I usually do a few jumping jacks and arm rotations backwards and forwards and some other simple stretches. I'm not doing max pushups, I am just doing 3 sets of 12 to mix it in with the pullups. The main reason I do this is because I get bored in the gym if I am not constantly doing something. That's why I like to do a lot of push/pull type exercises because I can so them one after the other and not sit there all the time waiting to do another set.

I use the cable to do the upright row and can't imagine it would do damage. I don't lift that much. I do alot of stuff in between sets as well, stretching, etc., so as long as it's just a warm-up it's no big deal.

[Flushgarden 0]

I've decided I don't want to die 40 years too early, so as of today I'm on the 7th day of a 1200 calorie diet, and I've gone to the gym 5 out of the last 7 days.Back in 2002 when I was in college I put myself on a 1000 calorie diet for about 6 months. Even though I didn't really exercise at all during this time I shed a lot of weight. It was a great feeling. However that summer I got a girlfriend and then I pretty much forgot my diet and gained most of the weight back. In late 2003 and 2004 I cut my calories back again and I exercised a bit this time, and got back down to pretty much where I was at my lowest point in 2002. Then near the end of 2004 I got married (different girl), got off my diet, stopped working out, became addicted to fast food, and I've been gaining weight ever since. I don't actually know how much I weigh right now, but it's in a the lol range. Life sucks when you're really fat. I'm tired of it. I want to enjoy my life. I want to be active. I want to participate in things that I can't really do right now like going to amusement parks or just be able to walk more than a few hundred feet without getting tired. I want to have a more active social life. I want my wife to be proud of her husband when we do things with her friends. I hate the fact that people always ask her about my weight and what she's doing about it. I feel so bad for her. So as I said, I'm fixing myself by only eating 1200 calories a day, and going to the gym at least 5 days a week. I have 2 goals at the gym. 1. Sustain/increase muscle mass so that I can keep my metabolism going while taking in very few calories. 2. Gain endurance so that I don't get so damn tired so fast when I'm walking, so that I can do things with my wife and her family.I need some help with a plan for my first goal. I played football in high school, and spent a lot of time in the gym lifting so I'm not totally inexperienced, but so far since I've started on this diet I've just been wandering around from machine to machine and lifting with no plan. I think I just need to focus on a few compound lifts. One problem is I go to the gym alone so I don't have anybody to spot me on squats and bench. I think the 2nd goal is going well so far. I started off only being able to walk for 10 minutes at 1.8-2 mph. The next day I increased it to 12, then to 14 minutes (mixing in a little more speed), then I jumped from 14 to 20 minutes the next day, then 21 minutes last Friday. I took the weekend off, and then last night I had an amazing jump to 34 minutes. I even felt like I could have kept going a bit more. Starting tonight I'm going to limit it to 30 minutes and start increasing my speed. I'll be very happy when I get to the point where I can do 2 miles in 30 minutes, but I'm still a long way from that. Should I be doing cardio and lifting on the same day? If it's ok, I want to do 30 minutes of cardio along with lifting every day that I go to the gym...but I don't suppose it would be too hard to talk me into cutting back on the number of days I do cardio. I'd love any advice anyone can give me. I plan to be in this thread a lot.

[dapokerbum 0]

Welcome Flush! Check out post# 2266 that AVSfan put in. It has a ton of info on the right diet mixed with exercise.

[Flushgarden 0]

Welcome Flush! Check out post# 2266 that AVSfan put in. It has a ton of info on the right diet mixed with exercise.

Thanks. Yeah that is what helped me decide I should focus on compound lifts. Tonight I did 30 minutes on the treadmill and added more speed. Tomorrow I'm going to focus on legs. I think I should work on my lower body a bit more than upper body because that's were my biggest muscles are, and they will keep my metabolism going more than anything else. So I'm thinking lower body m,w,f, and upper body on Tuesday and Thursday. Maybe I should take a day off mid week and go on one weekend day? Or maybe I should just go 6 days a week. I don't know what you call it, but do you know that machine where you're almost like laying on your back and pressing up with your legs? Is that a good substitute for squats?

[avsfan 0]

Ahhh seeing the Upright rows, isn't there some damage that can be done with these if done with too much weight or something? I remember reading something about that at one point and I took it out of my workouts.

here is an opinion from a very conservative source; http://bodyforlife.com/exercise/faq.asp?cmsId=1081i suggest raising the bar/dumbbell handle to slightly above nipple height and lead up with shoudelrs, example;

Also, the bent over fly is part of the 2 way flys that I do. The first set I do is the "flapping your wings" flys I guess is the best way to describe (I am still learning all the names of exercises that I have been shown over the years) and the second is the bent over fly.

The side raises and front raises are excessive here. you will get superior results from upright rows and bent over flys.

As far as the pushups and pullups go, in my thinking it is always nice to get a little warmup for the muscles before you start into the "main" workout. Before I start anything I usually do a few jumping jacks and arm rotations backwards and forwards and some other simple stretches. I'm not doing max pushups, I am just doing 3 sets of 12 to mix it in with the pullups. The main reason I do this is because I get bored in the gym if I am not constantly doing something. That's why I like to do a lot of push/pull type exercises because I can so them one after the other and not sit there all the time waiting to do another set.

nothin wrong with this...it is a preference issue and if it gets you more psyched go for it.

[avsfan 0]

My wife lost an inch to an inch and half in all the major measurement areas this month. I have lost a few pounds, but not enough.Unfortunately, one of those areas she lost in, is the boobs.

nottttttt the boobs!!!!!!!!! wtg!

[avsfan 0]

Yes, I really like a few of the workouts that I was doing so I was hoping to be able to incorporate everything into this new workout. However, I will try the new workout next time with one addition if you don't mindI currently try for 12 reps when I am working an exercise. So I guess my workout will look like this:Saturday - UpperSunday - RunMonday - LowerTuesday - RunWednesday - UpperThursday - RunFriday - RestSaturday - LowerSunday - RunMonday - UpperTuesday - RunWednesday - LowerThursday - RunFriday - RestRinse Repeat.I am going to take a few weeks off, but I expect to really get this routine going in October and see how I feel for the goal of doing a half marathon at the end of April 2010.

we all have to find are own groove. what is the addition? Is it the rep range? If so that is fine. I listed the rep ranges so ppl can see what the ranges are. I f you like the 10-12 range which is a very status quo range go for it. just remember to increase the weight when ever you can do all your sets with your chosen weight with proper form for all sets.

[avsfan 0]

I lifted for the first time in a month after separating my shoulder. I've struggled with shoulder problems for a long time. I lost a little over 5 pounds in the past month and had to lower my weights I lifted by 10lbs. I just started chiropractic school so I'm trying to figure out a good workout schedule. I'll be able to lift Saturday and Sunday for sure, hopefully I'll be able to make it two mornings during the week. I'm also playing hockey for my school where we practice twice a week and have a game or two a weekend. Glad to see people are still working hard. Nice work Randy keeping it up.

nothin is more efficient than a full body workout 2-3 times a week. Welcome back! Just like a hockey player to have shoulder problems. This should help;

[avsfan 0]

I've decided I don't want to die 40 years too early, so as of today I'm on the 7th day of a 1200 calorie diet, and I've gone to the gym 5 out of the last 7 days.Back in 2002 when I was in college I put myself on a 1000 calorie diet for about 6 months. Even though I didn't really exercise at all during this time I shed a lot of weight. It was a great feeling. However that summer I got a girlfriend and then I pretty much forgot my diet and gained most of the weight back. In late 2003 and 2004 I cut my calories back again and I exercised a bit this time, and got back down to pretty much where I was at my lowest point in 2002. Then near the end of 2004 I got married (different girl), got off my diet, stopped working out, became addicted to fast food, and I've been gaining weight ever since. I don't actually know how much I weigh right now, but it's in a the lol range. Life sucks when you're really fat. I'm tired of it. I want to enjoy my life. I want to be active. I want to participate in things that I can't really do right now like going to amusement parks or just be able to walk more than a few hundred feet without getting tired. I want to have a more active social life. I want my wife to be proud of her husband when we do things with her friends. I hate the fact that people always ask her about my weight and what she's doing about it. I feel so bad for her. So as I said, I'm fixing myself by only eating 1200 calories a day, and going to the gym at least 5 days a week. I have 2 goals at the gym. 1. Sustain/increase muscle mass so that I can keep my metabolism going while taking in very few calories. 2. Gain endurance so that I don't get so damn tired so fast when I'm walking, so that I can do things with my wife and her family.I need some help with a plan for my first goal. I played football in high school, and spent a lot of time in the gym lifting so I'm not totally inexperienced, but so far since I've started on this diet I've just been wandering around from machine to machine and lifting with no plan. I think I just need to focus on a few compound lifts. One problem is I go to the gym alone so I don't have anybody to spot me on squats and bench. I think the 2nd goal is going well so far. I started off only being able to walk for 10 minutes at 1.8-2 mph. The next day I increased it to 12, then to 14 minutes (mixing in a little more speed), then I jumped from 14 to 20 minutes the next day, then 21 minutes last Friday. I took the weekend off, and then last night I had an amazing jump to 34 minutes. I even felt like I could have kept going a bit more. Starting tonight I'm going to limit it to 30 minutes and start increasing my speed. I'll be very happy when I get to the point where I can do 2 miles in 30 minutes, but I'm still a long way from that. Should I be doing cardio and lifting on the same day? If it's ok, I want to do 30 minutes of cardio along with lifting every day that I go to the gym...but I don't suppose it would be too hard to talk me into cutting back on the number of days I do cardio. I'd love any advice anyone can give me. I plan to be in this thread a lot.

First thing is, I am concerned about this 1200 calorie diet. what diet is it? can you link or refer me to it. this is a severe calorie deficit that could have excellent short term weight loss results but deleterious results later on. It is very important to target fat and preserve muscle mass. The high end of fat loss is to lose two pounds of fat per week. You have been exceeding that rate for a good year. I feel it is time to start focusing on your muscle structure and to slow the pace of your weight loss to two pounds a week. How much do you currently weight? How tall are you? What is your approximate age? Do you have a goal weight and what is it?I also want you to know that what you have done so far is outstanding! and I commend you on your AWESOME! results so far! You have been making an extreme sacrifice. I hope that I can assist you into getting these results into a simple and easy to maintain lifestyle that is rewarding to you.I want you to keep using the machines when you workout right now for 3-9 months.here is a fundamental workout that will get you going in the right direction. Perform exercises in orderI want you to do a three day split in order to maximize your activity level.Day 11.) Chest; Chest Press Machine

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps2.) Shoulders; Shoulder Press Machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWmQWyx18Ik...feature=related do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps3.) Triceps; Tricep Press Down

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 repsDay 21.) Quads;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps2.) Hamstrings;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps3.) Calfs;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 repsDay 31.) Back;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps2.) Traps;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps3.) Biceps;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 repsDay 4 REST!!!Of course a nice 40-60 minute walk wouldn't hurt here. Perhaps with the wife, . Choose a set weight to perform all three sets with. Perform the set for 12-15 reps. when you can do your choosen weight with proper form for all 3 sets for 15 reps increase your weight next workout. I f you cannot perform a set for 12 reps lower the weight next time. be sure to track your progress, i use; http://www.backpocketsoftware.com/products/BodyBook/ for iphoneRest 60-90 seconds between sets. You can rest 60-120 seconds between exercises. Do your cardio for 28-40 minutes after your workout. a good goal is to get to 3.3 minutes to 3.6 mph for 28 minutes. You could also proceed your workout with 6-12 minutes of walking to warm you up.That should give you a direction in the gym. P.s. I did not include abs yet. I need to know your weight and height first.

[Suited_Up 2]

So as I said, I'm fixing myself by only eating 1200 calories a day, and going to the gym at least 5 days a week. I have 2 goals at the gym. 1. Sustain/increase muscle mass so that I can keep my metabolism going while taking in very few calories. 2. Gain endurance so that I don't get so damn tired so fast when I'm walking, so that I can do things with my wife and her family.

Avs covered it for the most part, but this part popped out at me and I wanted to reiterate a little bit.Basically, eating 1200 calories and sustaining/adding muscle don't go together. Your muscles need more fuel to be able to build up, especially if you're working out 5 days a week. Which I'm sure is why Avs asked all the height/weight/etc/etc questions, so he can give you a much more specific range to go with.

[dapokerbum 0]

we all have to find are own groove. what is the addition? Is it the rep range? If so that is fine. I listed the rep ranges so ppl can see what the ranges are. I f you like the 10-12 range which is a very status quo range go for it. just remember to increase the weight when ever you can do all your sets with your chosen weight with proper form for all sets.

The Addition was the Pullups and Pushups at the beginning of the workout.Thanks for the video on the upright rows! I have usually done this with a barbell, but I think the dumbbell alternative will better suit me. So, since you know I like to "keep it moving" during my workouts, what would you suggest to be the best case. For Upperbody I am usually doing,Back Workout then chest workout, repeatShoulder I usually pick two - three workouts and alternate between themArms, I alternate between bicep and tricepLast night I did a great lower body workout. Someone mentioned that a little coffee before working out would help on sluggish days. Well I didn't feel like going to the gym at all, but i knew I better because I am leaving for vacation on Saturday and I want to make sure that I don't lose too much of what I have been working towrads during that time. So I have a quick espresso and went off to the gym and sure enough I was psyched about being there! I did 10 minutes on the bike and then:3 x 12 squats, 3 x 12 deadlifts, lunges with weights, 3 x 12 hamstring curls, and 3 x 12 calf raises. Followed that up with some Janda sit ups and felt GREAT. Definitely glad I made myself get there. Hopefully I might have time to at least do some pushups and lunges while on vacation, but I also just want to RELAX, so we'll see how it all goes. I will be getting back to full training mode when I get back to see if I will be up for a half marathon next April.

[Love4hockey 0]

Ok hockey...I got to...got to....I think you should be doing a full body workout then. so....day 1; full body workout.day 2; restday 3; restday 4; rest(repeat)ok you need to be doin the same amount of sets and reps for every body parts.the order you will workout muscles;abslegschestbackshoulderstricepsbicepshere are the exercisesabs; Janda Sit up 3 sets of 20-30 reps example;

legs; 3 sets of deadlifts for 12-15 reposlegs; 3 sets of squats for 12-15 repschest; 3 sets of dumbbell press for 12-15 repsback; 3 sets of dumbbelll rows for 12-15 repsshoulders; 3 sets of standing dumbbell presses for 12-15 repsshoulders; 3 sets of dumbbell upright rows for 12-15 repstriceps; 3 sets of dips for 3-15 repsbiceps; 3 sets of hammer curls for 12-15 reps

I used this program you wrote for me over the summer until my injury. I'm going to continue doing it since two days a week is all the time I have to commit to the gym. With my separated shoulder I've been told not to do dumbell/military presses. Do you know of any other shoulder exercises where I don't have to raise my arm above 90 degrees?I'm wondering why you prefer standing dumbbell presses to seated dumbbell presses. Is there reason for this, maybe to prevent lower back pain, or is it just a personal preference?

[Flushgarden 0]

First thing is, I am concerned about this 1200 calorie diet. what diet is it? can you link or refer me to it.

It's not any particular diet plan that was created by a professional. I just decided I'm only going to take in 1200 calories a day. Back when I first lost weight on a 1000 calorie diet a friend told he lost a lot of weight by doing that, so I did it and it worked. I didn't have any meal plan or anything. Back then I even limited myself to 10g of fat per day. This time I'm not worrying about how much fat I'm taking in within the 1200 calories because I know now that fat is necessary. This time I'm not stopping until I'm not a fat person anymore...and when I do stop I'm going to do it very carefully and still keep track of my calories as I increase my daily intake. I'm also never going to stop going to the gym. I'm NOT going to gain it back after I lose it. I'm trying my best to keep a good balance regarding what I eat. I eat as much protein as possible while still taking in a good amount of veggies and fruit. I also have a small amount of carbs every day, usually in the form of bread or rice. Pasta just doesn't seem like its worth the calories. I'm also trying to make sure I eat 5 times a day, but it doesn't always work out that way. Here is what I ate yesterday: Breakfast: 35 grapes - 120 calories Lunch (I ate half, and then waited 2 hours to eat the 2nd half): large salad with very little dressing - 100 calories est 1 salmon fillet - 450 calories est Dinner after my workout: 1/3 lb ground beef with no bun - 300 calories est 2/5 cup of white rice - 100 calories est 1 fried egg - 80 calories Total Calories: appx 1150 It's not perfect, but I think I have a good handle on it. I need to eat more early in the day. I intend to have some oatmeal or a boiled egg in the morning along with some fruit. Today I was busy in the morning and didn't eat anything for breakfast, and I know that's bad. I ended up eating only around 1000 calories today.

this is a severe calorie deficit that could have excellent short term weight loss results but deleterious results later on. It is very important to target fat and preserve muscle mass. The high end of fat loss is to lose two pounds of fat per week. You have been exceeding that rate for a good year. I feel it is time to start focusing on your muscle structure and to slow the pace of your weight loss to two pounds a week. How much do you currently weight? How tall are you? What is your approximate age? Do you have a goal weight and what is it?

I don't know if I made it clear or not but I just started with this particular diet last Wednesday, so I'm just finishing my 8th day. I'm aware that 2 lbs a week should be the target for a normal person, but for me I honestly don't care about that right now. Right now I'm pretty sure I'm in the morbidly obese range and its important for me to lose as much as I can as fast as I can. Once I get under maybe 275 I'll start carefully adding calories and try to target 2 lbs a week. Like I said, I haven't weighed myself in a while, but I know for sure I have a long way to go before I get there. I'll know when I'm close when my waistline gets to around 48 inches, which is what I think it was the last time I weighed that much. Oh and I'm 5'10'' and 30 years old. I don't really have a number in mind for a goal for my weight. I just want to get healthy and look good.

I also want you to know that what you have done so far is outstanding! and I commend you on your AWESOME! results so far! You have been making an extreme sacrifice. I hope that I can assist you into getting these results into a simple and easy to maintain lifestyle that is rewarding to you.

Thanks. At the gym tonight I was able to add more speed again, and I'm actually getting stronger! Tonight on the chest press I was able to do more reps than I did with the same weight on the night before I started this diet. Every time I go to the gym I'm able to do something better than I did the last time I went. It's a really good feeling. I definitely feel like I'm already getting smaller too. I also have more energy. Aside from being hungry a bit more than most people would like, I feel absolutely great. I feel like at this rate I'll be showing some dramatic results within a couple months. I took some "before" pictures last week right after I started this. They're pretty shocking and disgusting lol, but I'll probably post them as a comparison after I see some good results.

I want you to keep using the machines when you workout right now for 3-9 months.here is a fundamental workout that will get you going in the right direction. Perform exercises in orderI want you to do a three day split in order to maximize your activity level.Day 11.) Chest; Chest Press Machine

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps2.) Shoulders; Shoulder Press Machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWmQWyx18Ik...feature=related do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps3.) Triceps; Tricep Press Down

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 repsDay 21.) Quads;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps2.) Hamstrings;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps3.) Calfs;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 repsDay 31.) Back;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps2.) Traps;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 reps3.) Biceps;

do this for 3 sets of 12-15 repsDay 4 REST!!!Of course a nice 40-60 minute walk wouldn't hurt here. Perhaps with the wife, . Choose a set weight to perform all three sets with. Perform the set for 12-15 reps. when you can do your choosen weight with proper form for all 3 sets for 15 reps increase your weight next workout. I f you cannot perform a set for 12 reps lower the weight next time. be sure to track your progress, i use; http://www.backpocketsoftware.com/products/BodyBook/ for iphoneRest 60-90 seconds between sets. You can rest 60-120 seconds between exercises. Do your cardio for 28-40 minutes after your workout. a good goal is to get to 3.3 minutes to 3.6 mph for 28 minutes. You could also proceed your workout with 6-12 minutes of walking to warm you up.That should give you a direction in the gym. P.s. I did not include abs yet. I need to know your weight and height first.

Thank you very much for taking the time to come up with that. I really appreciate it a lot, and I will use it. The links are also extremely helpful. As far as abs go, I think I can work on them on the floor at home for now, right?

[Flushgarden 0]

Avs covered it for the most part, but this part popped out at me and I wanted to reiterate a little bit.Basically, eating 1200 calories and sustaining/adding muscle don't go together. Your muscles need more fuel to be able to build up, especially if you're working out 5 days a week. Which I'm sure is why Avs asked all the height/weight/etc/etc questions, so he can give you a much more specific range to go with.

It might not be possible for a skinny person that doesn't already have the fuel to increase muscle mass in their body, but I think a fat person can do it. Whether I lift or not, I'm going to be eating 1200 calories for a while. Worst case scenario is lifting doesn't help, but I think it will.

[avsfan 0]

The Addition was the Pullups and Pushups at the beginning of the workout.Thanks for the video on the upright rows! I have usually done this with a barbell, but I think the dumbbell alternative will better suit me.

I am cool with the pull up and push up addtion how about also adding in some jump squats;

I agree! I always pick the Dumbbell option over a barbell, cable, or machine...Of course there are always exceptions but the Dumbbell upright row is the fundamentally best choice. Here is a excellent dumbbell upright row demo;

The guys in the cable upright row demo kept his hands too far out in front of his body and bent his wrist slightly both those things are bad and can lead to injury.

So, since you know I like to "keep it moving" during my workouts, what would you suggest to be the best case. For Upperbody I am usually doing,Back Workout then chest workout, repeatShoulder I usually pick two - three workouts and alternate between themArms, I alternate between bicep and tricep

how about; Upper Body;1. chest- dumbbell press 3 sets 12-15reps alternated with 2. chest and back- dumbbell pullovers 3 sets 12-15reps and 3. back- rows 3 sets 12-15reps 4. shoulder- shoulder press 3 sets 12-15reps alternated with 4. shoulders/traps- upright rows 3 sets 12-15reps and 6. shoulders (rear deltoid) bent over flys 3 sets 12-15reps 7. dips 3 sets 12-15reps alternated with 8. bicep curls 3 sets 12-15reps so basiciacly to 1,2,3, in succession then repeat. Then 4,5,6, in succession then repeat. then 7,8, then repeat

Last night I did a great lower body workout. Someone mentioned that a little coffee before working out would help on sluggish days.

I have mentioned many times here that drinking one to three of cups coffee 15-30minutes will increase woorkout performance and results.....It cam up when you took a pre workout drink that had lots of caffeine in it.

3 x 12 squats, 3 x 12 deadlifts, lunges with weights, 3 x 12 hamstring curls, and 3 x 12 calf raises. Followed that up with some Janda sit ups and felt GREAT. Definitely glad I made myself get there. Hopefully I might have time to at least do some pushups and lunges while on vacation, but I also just want to RELAX, so we'll see how it all goes. I will be getting back to full training mode when I get back to see if I will be up for a half marathon next April.

sounds like you have a excellent plan for legsThe best two exercises to do on vacation if gym equipment is unavailable are Hindu Pushups ( they work the entire upper body when done right);

and Hindu Squats (works the entire lower body) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVnwXkMi58A I hope you have a wonderful vacation.

[avsfan 0]

I used this program you wrote for me over the summer until my injury. I'm going to continue doing it since two days a week is all the time I have to commit to the gym. With my separated shoulder I've been told not to do dumbell/military presses. Do you know of any other shoulder exercises where I don't have to raise my arm above 90 degrees?I'm wondering why you prefer standing dumbbell presses to seated dumbbell presses. Is there reason for this, maybe to prevent lower back pain, or is it just a personal preference?

Can you do upright rows (

)?You could do a set of 21's shoulder raises aka 3-Ways Shoulder which is three exercises in one set. You do 7 reps of front raises(

), 7 sets of side raises(

), and then 7 sets of rear raises(

) all in succession for 21 reps, you could do three sets of those.here is another example but I disagree with the order. Feel free to try either and do the one you like. I just prefer working from the largest part of the deltoid (the front delt) to the smallest part of the deltoid (the rear delt), here;

and some more shoulder rehab exercises for the rotator cuff;

and; I prefer Standing overhead pressing to sitting because standing presses engages the core and activates stabilization in the shoulders and over head pressing is the one movement where you can use your legs to push out a few reps with out a spotter when needed.Love if I was you i would look in to this; http://www.scientificwrestling.com/products/department2.cfm but buy from here(loadable); http://www.strongergrip.com/Docs/store/LoadableMace.html and a set of these; http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q...ategoryID_E_380 macebell and plyo could build awesome fitness and would defintley be hockey sport specific...fwiw

[avsfan 0]

It's not any particular diet plan that was created by a professional. I just decided I'm only going to take in 1200 calories a day. Back when I first lost weight on a 1000 calorie diet a friend told he lost a lot of weight by doing that, so I did it and it worked. I didn't have any meal plan or anything. Back then I even limited myself to 10g of fat per day. This time I'm not worrying about how much fat I'm taking in within the 1200 calories because I know now that fat is necessary. This time I'm not stopping until I'm not a fat person anymore...and when I do stop I'm going to do it very carefully and still keep track of my calories as I increase my daily intake. I'm also never going to stop going to the gym. I'm NOT going to gain it back after I lose it. I'm trying my best to keep a good balance regarding what I eat. I eat as much protein as possible while still taking in a good amount of veggies and fruit. I also have a small amount of carbs every day, usually in the form of bread or rice. Pasta just doesn't seem like its worth the calories. I'm also trying to make sure I eat 5 times a day, but it doesn't always work out that way. Here is what I ate yesterday: Breakfast: 35 grapes - 120 calories Lunch (I ate half, and then waited 2 hours to eat the 2nd half): large salad with very little dressing - 100 calories est 1 salmon fillet - 450 calories est Dinner after my workout: 1/3 lb ground beef with no bun - 300 calories est 2/5 cup of white rice - 100 calories est 1 fried egg - 80 calories Total Calories: appx 1150 It's not perfect, but I think I have a good handle on it. I need to eat more early in the day. I intend to have some oatmeal or a boiled egg in the morning along with some fruit. Today I was busy in the morning and didn't eat anything for breakfast, and I know that's bad. I ended up eating only around 1000 calories today. I don't know if I made it clear or not but I just started with this particular diet last Wednesday, so I'm just finishing my 8th day. I'm aware that 2 lbs a week should be the target for a normal person, but for me I honestly don't care about that right now. Right now I'm pretty sure I'm in the morbidly obese range and its important for me to lose as much as I can as fast as I can. Once I get under maybe 275 I'll start carefully adding calories and try to target 2 lbs a week. Like I said, I haven't weighed myself in a while, but I know for sure I have a long way to go before I get there. I'll know when I'm close when my waistline gets to around 48 inches, which is what I think it was the last time I weighed that much. Oh and I'm 5'10'' and 30 years old. I don't really have a number in mind for a goal for my weight. I just want to get healthy and look good.

This should help you with your diet; http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/biggest-loser-diet It will show you a better break of how to do what you are currently doing and it is inline with you current 1200 calorie plan.

Thanks. At the gym tonight I was able to add more speed again, and I'm actually getting stronger! Tonight on the chest press I was able to do more reps than I did with the same weight on the night before I started this diet. Every time I go to the gym I'm able to do something better than I did the last time I went. It's a really good feeling. I definitely feel like I'm already getting smaller too. I also have more energy. Aside from being hungry a bit more than most people would like, I feel absolutely great. I feel like at this rate I'll be showing some dramatic results within a couple months. I took some "before" pictures last week right after I started this. They're pretty shocking and disgusting lol, but I'll probably post them as a comparison after I see some good results.Thank you very much for taking the time to come up with that. I really appreciate it a lot, and I will use it. The links are also extremely helpful. As far as abs go, I think I can work on them on the floor at home for now, right?

The most important thing about working out is to always progress forward, an extra rep, some more weight, increased speed, etc.....progress. progress. progress! It must be made.I was debating about this last night but I would like you do the program I planned out for 3 months. Then do the same plan but all the exercises for 6 sets of 10-12 reps for the next 3 months. And hen do the same plan but all the exercises for 9 sets of 8-10 reps for the final 3 months. Then Depending on where your at we will start a free weight program.Can you currently perform this exercise; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ar2iRusnnc with correct form?

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A Fun Tip. So, I eat 1 1/2 cups Special K protein plus or Kashi Go lean every day for my first meal. Sometimes for fun I add a cup of 1% chocolate milk instead of 1% milk, it is only 70 caloreis more aaand very indulgent. :)I wanna make this thread more fun so expect more dumb tips from me.anddddd.....Special K protein plus and kashi Go Lean are the two cereals that are high in protein 1 1/2 cups is 20 grams of protein add 1 cup milk, and it is 30 grams of protein.anyone else got some Fun Tips?

[Dratj 0]

A Fun Tip. So, I eat 1 1/2 cups Special K protein plus or Kashi Go lean every day for my first meal. Sometimes for fun I add a cup of 1% chocolate milk instead of 1% milk, it is only 70 caloreis more aaand very indulgent. :)I wanna make this thread more fun so expect more dumb tips from me.anddddd.....Special K protein plus and kashi Go Lean are the two cereals that are high in protein 1 1/2 cups is 20 grams of protein add 1 cup milk, and it is 30 grams of protein.anyone else got some Fun Tips?

interesting. Just a random thought, how about mixing in a chocalate favoured protein drink and make it an extra 25 g of protein for an extra 140 calories? then it is 45 g of protein.Also, Gooooooo Flushgarden, I admire your resolve. I know you can reach your goal.

[dapokerbum 0]

A Fun Tip. So, I eat 1 1/2 cups Special K protein plus or Kashi Go lean every day for my first meal. Sometimes for fun I add a cup of 1% chocolate milk instead of 1% milk, it is only 70 caloreis more aaand very indulgent. :)I wanna make this thread more fun so expect more dumb tips from me.anddddd.....Special K protein plus and kashi Go Lean are the two cereals that are high in protein 1 1/2 cups is 20 grams of protein add 1 cup milk, and it is 30 grams of protein.anyone else got some Fun Tips?

I also have the Kashi Go Lean at my house! Very delicious in the morning.I usually mix it up in my breakfast rotation between, Kashi GO Lean, Yogurt and Granola, Eggs with toast, or oatmeal. These are my go to breakfast of choice. Sometimes if I've had a steak the night before and there are leftovers I will cut it up and add it to the eggs. Also, I try to keep a few boiled eggs on hand for those mornings when I like to hit the snooze a bunch of times ...Lunch is the hardest meal for me. At my job there are always lunch meetings and a few "caterer" lunches and by that I mean Pizza ... which sucks because pizza is awesome, but not so good for you. So I try to control myself and usually eat a sandwhich from the local deli or subway but it seems I also eat out and you get a veggie wrap with Franch Fries and I LOVE french fries ... anyway, sorry this started out as a tip for breakfast and ended with a broken dream of lunch >>> :)Fun Tip# 315 - Master the form and you will master the exercise.

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wish i had some fun tips but alas I dontjust got back from the gym, some back and bi work, hit the bag a bit. Craving a beer but decided to abstain. this week is dragging. anyone watch californication? just discovered that it was good and can't stop watching that shit. it's so funny.

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Flush, I have a tip for you; The thing usually paired with an extreme diet to accelerate drastic weigh loss is to walk 5 miles a day on the tread mill, . I hope that helps. If you do that you may want to put off working out till later.

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interesting. Just a random thought, how about mixing in a chocalate favoured protein drink and make it an extra 25 g of protein for an extra 140 calories? then it is 45 g of protein.Also, Gooooooo Flushgarden, I admire your resolve. I know you can reach your goal.

Excellent tip; I usually mix a scoop of chocolate whey in with oatmeal. Muscle milk also makes these; http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/productre...muscle-milk.htm

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anyone watch californication? just discovered that it was good and can't stop watching that shit. it's so funny.

I thought season two was excellent and showed way more depth than season one. I hope season three continues with the quality of characters in season two.