The "Body for Life" Program

[Takujii]

There are probably threads on here about it but im not up to trolling for hrs on end for past threads.

Basically I met this awesome women and she told me about the "body for life" (BFL) program. well I'm quite interested in it and would like to try it. So far she's told me she has done the entire program once and it worked wonders. If seen quite a lot of good reviews from people that read the book n such. There are however a few concerns. Has anyone taken the program? What did you feel during and after the 12 week program? Was it worth it? Is this guy just trying to sell his suppliments using a hyped up program? I'd like to do my research before i get myself into something. Does anyone have some feedback or ideas for me?

I'm a 23yr old Male 5'7" with a medium build that i let slip. Im not in totall shape but decent enough to get me around and hide it. In the past 7 months ive gone from a size 29/30 to a 31/32 so ive gained a little bit of extra unwanted poundage...I recently started jogging every couple of days to try and get that activity level back up. I would like something that will help me change the ways I eat, daily activity levels, and have more energy to get up and go. I work in the office quite a bit so in that respect my activity level has gone down. This all with a dedicated mindset to change now and in the future for the better. Any ideas?

Much thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[casualbb]

I've seen some BFL info.

Basically the recommendations on diet and cardio are sound, but the weight training routines leave a lot to be desired. Scope around here and find a routine that you like better to incoporate with the diet and cardio elements it recommends.

 

[Takujii]

my basic goals are to loose the uncessesary body fat i've gained and keep it off. But long-term goals are becomming flexible and quick. I was in kickboxing before but found that i wasnt flexible enough and now quite sure how to get to that point. I also started indoor sport climbing. I found that in the activities that i wanted to do i felt i needed to condition myself and prepare my body a little more before i become a little more hardcore in those activities. Basically I'd like to continue more traditional martial arts and outdoor rock climbing. I've been suggested to create longer muscles and less bulk but have no clue where to start. Ive never done any fitness programs or schedules before.

 

[Takujii]

On another note, I've talked with a couple of friends and came to the conclusion that you can have a stupidly insane amount of strength but without the bulk. Most rock climbers i know and hear of can lift twice their body weight but look like ripped toothpicks. I ask them and they say its longer muscles and yes it can be done. But its also in Muscle/weight ratio to each individual. How they do it? I have no clue.

yeah I'm quite newbish and clueless at the moment. But in the meantime im going to continue digging around these forums. Any upfront advice help is always appriciated. Thanks

 

[endpoint]

Body for life is a nice introduction to resistance training.

everyone i know who did it, followed it......got great results, but then after the 12 weeks went a different direction.

Its a common misconception that muscle size=strength.

You can get quite strong with minimal gains in muscle size.
Body for life might not be the best idea for rock climbing. A lower bodyweight would be better.

http://www.drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=ebooks

has a resistance training program "rock climbing" E-book for just under $6.

or maybe we can write something up here

 

[Takujii]

Thanks Endpoint

*LONG READ*
okay Ive looked over some of his stuff and read a few more things on the boards. Lets see if i can come up with a training schedule. I feel the training schedule will be the easiest part, whereas scheduling the right diet which include recepies, prot shakes n such will be the hardest for me. Im not used to eating healthy and I live on my own.

I need to maximize my strenth/weight ratio. giving myself explosive strength, and anaerobic strength endurance. Same with martial arts comparitively. basically I need endurance and constant busts of explosive strenth. This gives me the quickness, the strength and the endurance I need. I think. I'm really new at -this sorta thing. Now my first questions:

1. What is Anaerobic Strength?(cant find a decent anaerobic def in the dictionary)
2. If i need to build explosive strenth i need Larger weights with shorter reps doing explosive exersices, or some sort of resistance training right? What is recommended for upperbody/lowerbody workouts then?
3. I dont want to add bulk. Im 5'7" and dont want to look anymore stalky that I already do. but dont larger weights add bulk?
4. For my regular muscle training and strength gain smaller weights with more reps to = each set is recommended correct? Approx how many reps is recommended with a small comfortable weight? how many sets? and how long do I rest between each set?
5. with all that weight training, how do I become more flexible? Does stretching do it? before I train and after I train? How do i know im doing my stretches properly? I use the hold 10 seconds, rest for 5, shake it off a lil during, then repeat again. Each stretch twice. Should I join a Yoga Program?
6. Glute-Ham raises work out which muscles? your back and abs? or more of an allaround upper/mid/lower body excercise?

Okay I have 7 days in a week right? Ill start with day one being Monday for now. Please let me know if this is too hard a start at the beginning. Also Would it be a good idea to just do 15-20 mins cardio and change my diet for weight loss about a week/two weeks before starting this workout or a modified/better suggested one?

Day1: Upperbody
-warmup Stretching
-short cardio: Jog for 15mins mid intensity
-Low weights more reps:
dumbell benchpress
alternate dumbell curls
pronations and supinations(forearm workouts?)
wrist curls
-Weight Endurance lifting (holding low weights with arms outstretched for about 30secs each position) keep repeating each position equally.
-High Pulls (haha i can only lift the bar w/o any weights at the moment. Its a start)
-pulldowns
-Ab workout. Leg lifts sitting on bench or laying on back.
-Stretch out

Day2: Intensive Cardio/mid body
-warmup stretching
-Long Cardio:Jog 30mins Alternate: 5 mins mid intensity/5mins high intensity
-walk 30 mins
-Ab workout. Leg lifts sitting on bench or laying on back.
-Low Rows
-back turny things. sitting with legs secure, holding back on incline, holding a weight and pivoting your back slowly from side to side. works lower back muscles i think.
-Glute-Ham lifts (as many as I can do after the run)
-stretch out

Day3: Lower body
-warmup stretching
-short cardio: 15 mins jog mid intensity
-Lunge walking
-jump squats (explosive strength)
-stretch out

Day4: Intensive Cardio/mid body
-warmup stretching
-Long Cardio:Jog 30mins Alternate: 5 mins mid intensity/5mins high intensity
-walk 30 mins
-Ab workout. Leg lifts sitting on bench or laying on back.
-Low Rows
-back turny things. sitting with legs secure, holding back on incline, holding a weight and pivoting your back slowly from side to side. works lower back muscles i think.
-Glute-Ham lifts (as many as I can do after the run)
-stretch out

Day5: Upperbody
-warmup Stretching
-short cardio: Jog for 15mins mid intensity
-Low weights more reps:
dumbell benchpress
alternate dumbell curls
pronations and supinations(forearm workouts?)
wrist curls
-Weight Endurance lifting (holding low weights with arms outstretched for about 30secs each position) keep repeating each position equally.
-High Pulls (haha i can only lift the bar w/o any weights at the moment. Its a start)
-pulldowns
-Ab workout. Leg lifts sitting on bench or laying on back.
-Stretch out

Day6: Intensive Cardio/mid body
-warmup stretching
-Long Cardio:Jog 30mins Alternate: 5 mins mid intensity/5mins high intensity
-walk 30 mins
-Ab workout. Leg lifts sitting on bench or laying on back.
-Low Rows
-back turny things. sitting with legs secure, holding back on incline, holding a weight and pivoting your back slowly from side to side. works lower back muscles i think.
-Glute-Ham lifts (as many as I can do after the run)
-stretch out

Day 7:
rest

Rinse/repeat, give feedback in 4 weeks? 2 weeks preparing with cardio, train intense for 12 weeks. give report every 4 weeks on progress. after 12 weeks condition regularily but not so intense. lower diet to match conditioning. basically eat foods that are low on the glycogen scale so unused energy isnt stored as fat with the lowered activity level from the intense training/conditioning. This is the plan what do you think?

 

[endpoint]

If you are going to do this or any training, your eating has to be good...or you way as well give up.

1 anaerobic means with out oxygen. (ie short bursts of activity with rest)
2 yep, larger weights, explosive movements with little reps
3 you will gain weight but if you train the right way, this can be minimalised (body for life would have add bulk)
4 *for muscle gain 12 reps, 4 sets. or 10 reps 4 sets. for muscle and strength 5 or 6 reps, 5 or 6 sets. 3-1 reps 6-10 sets for strength
5 do yoga if you can. stretch before and after a work out
6 glute-ham, works out what it says! the glutes and hamstrings (your bum and back of your legs) it will work other surrounding muscles a bit too.

I just woke up......i cant read properly yet. where did you get the program?

I will review rthe program in the afternoon




*These are general rep/set ranges. You will find different people with different ideas......but these are accepted common basics

 

[Takujii]

Endpoint,
Thanks for everything so far.

As far as the training schedule, I conjured it up based on my brief conditioning experience in Kickboxing, and talking with a few friends of mine. Im used to jogging, but now just not on a regular basis. I think its a start to planning out a good schedule, but i feel that it needs work before I impliment it. It seems unbalanced.