Training Advice

[street9009]

Hello all,

I'm new here (obviously- see my post count to the left) but I signed up for a membership so I can get some advice from the people who know best on how to get in shape.

I am a 25 year old guy. I have been tall and pretty thin my whole life, but in the last couple of years my activity level has waned quite a bit and it's starting to show. I have gained some weight (which is not necessarily a bad thing I just don't like how this weight looks) and it shows around my midsection.

What I'm trying to do is really find out how to best take care of this. My fitness goals (in beginners terms) would be to firm and tone up the flab a bit. My weight is in the 185-190 range and I'm not really disappointed with that, as I said before, so I'm really just looking to try to turn what I have into a more solid muscle.

I have been a swimmer for a long time but I have gotten away from it. I figure that would be a good cardio source. However, I'm not sure how to balance that with weightlifting, an area in which I am a total newbie.

Can anyone help me figure out some sort of schedule and routine to follow? I've gotta get this metabolism sped back up a bit.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[miked8c]

Learn technique for the 3 big lifts, squat, deadlift and bench. Once you have the technique down begin a 5x5 program(5x5 Calculator).

It will make your entire body much stronger and will bring up all your weak points so that over all your body will become stronger. I do not know if you are trying to lose weight but this program will cause you to gain muscle, and in turn weight, you will notice differences in a month or so.

For the record, you can't reduce particular parts of fat. If you want to lose fat off your midsection you must do cardio so that your entire body loses fat, it is impossible to single out your stomach fat and burn that and that only. Your particular body happens to store its fat in its midsection more than other areas, like your ass or thighs.

Another point, toning is not an accurate term. Muscle can only grow or shrink, it can not "tone up". If you wanted to "tone your arms" you would increase the workload you put on your arms, and increase your cardio so that your triceps and biceps would grow and your body fat would decrease allowing your arms to have more definition and therefore look "toned". Its not as easy as it sounds as I am oversimplifying.

Not trying to tear you apart, but you had the motivation to subscribe this board, I just want you to start off on the right foot.

 

[street9009]

Thanks for the response. It sounds like I really do need to get back in the pool.

Do you have a suggestion for when to weight-lift and when to do cardio? Should I do both each time I exercise? Concentrate on this area or that area?

Also, I'm more comfortable on the machines as opposed to free weights. I have no training whatsoever on free weights. Would that work as well?

Forgive the beginners questions. I've only ever been a swimmer. Never really got serious with the weights and other exercising. Never had to. Like I said, have always been thin, but youth is fleeting and I've started to show it.

If you want a picture of how I'd like to be, since the "toning" word is probably not correct- in the Omega system post, I'd be content looking like the very first pictures. Don't need to be huge, but may try to bulk up some after I'm done getting into that kinda shape. Gotta start somewhere, right?

 

[miked8c]

It sounds like your trying to bulk and cut simultaneously. Pick one, you might be able to pull it off for the first couplt weeks because your body will be growing rapidly as it adapts to the new stresses of lifting. However,soon you'll end up getting weaker as you lose weight and your muscles don't have the nutrients to continue grow because you are cutting back on food.

Ask someone else about cardio, I never do it. What I do know is that if you follow the 5x5 program you will get results fairly quick. You will gain weight but it will be powerful weight, good weight.

You don't like to stray from machines? Thats fine, just know that free weights are many times more effective at building as stronger and more powerful body as they require balance and assistance muscles to perform. Machines are easy, just sit there and push or pull in a direction until your muscles are too tired to go on. Thats great, but your working much less muscles than if you were performing a free weight exercise which often require multiple muscle groups and build core strength.

At the same time I don't want to tell you to work with free weights have you pull a muscle or screw up your back because your technique is off. So unless you can get down the basics then stick with machines I guess. But by all means free weights are the better option.

 

[shibs]

Good advice ^^ but I'm definitely gonna push you to start exploring free weights more. They are drastically better and will get you better results, faster. If you're scared, then start with really light weight, like squatting just the bar. Use slow controlled motion. Youtube some videos about form, there's a lot more to it than you'd think.

As far as a routine, maybe try an upper/lower split and do it Mon/Wed/Fri, with cardio between 2 or 3 days a week. I think that with just lifting it will transform a lot of that fat into muscle, I don't think you should start cutting as that's more for advanced body builders who wanna get really low body fat percentages IMO. Just starting eating clean. And don't worry about the beginner questions, everyone has to start somewhere.

Welcome to EF

P.S. Get on the free weights!

 

[ramnares]

Like Mike said, you need to pick a goal first.

For the cardio, since you're already a swimmer you can always hit the pool on non-lifting days, or incorporate a HIIT workout after your weight-routine. Personally I find it much better to do cardio on non-lifting days since I have more energy left but that's just me.

 

[OSUBEAVERS]

I think you should just slowly learn how to lift free weights. You are going to get far more efficient results from doing that as compared to anything else. Go ahead and work your way back in with the machines than start hitting free weights. The machines rob you of incorporating stabilizer muscles. The best advise you can get is get in there and start. Get used to going start slow and don't kill yourself so that you miss time. Good luck and feel free to pm me with any questions at all.

 

[moya]

if you are serious about this, take the time to learn the free weight moves...
focus on squats, bench, deadlifts and millitary press...
get signifigantly sfronger at those and you will be doing fine...

 

[Tblock1]

focus on the big lifts and kick ass!

 

[street9009]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I definitely have a plan of attack now. We'll see what I can come up with.

Does it make sense to try to lift 3 days a week (let's say MWF) and swim 2 days (T/TH)?