Read through this all, and like many have said it is almost like a religion. You need to find the path that works for you and then stick to it.
My only real suggestion though, be realistic with your goals and the routine you eventually do select.
Picking something that will be hard for you to maintain in the beginning will only result in you giving up and failing.
There is nothing wrong with starting slow then eventually building yourself up through the months, be open to trying new things and expanding your routine.
Read through this all, and like many have said it is almost like a religion. You need to find the path that works for you and then stick to it.
My only real suggestion though, be realistic with your goals and the routine you eventually do select.
Picking something that will be hard for you to maintain in the beginning will only result in you giving up and failing.
There is nothing wrong with starting slow then eventually building yourself up through the months, be open to trying new things and expanding your routine.
This is where most people go wrong. They start out simple and see a lot of progress early on. Then they get excited and start jonesing for more, faster progress and expand/complicate their routine. Or they change things up too soon before they've milked the gains out of what they're doing. Keep it simple. When things get stale and you plateau, make small changes. Change a movement or two. Play with rep/rest schemes a little. But the basics are simple and adding a bunch of crappy isolation movements usually screws things up a lot more than it helps.
Yeah, you start adding this and that and all of a sudden you lose your focus on what is important.
Wendler puts it well when he says stop majoring in the minors. His point is to put your energies into the main exercises that really make the difference.
I have been guilty of this and have to fight the temptation all the time by trying to put too many things into a given cycle of training. So I am more careful now. If I add something I delete something and then assess to see if it is really going to help me with my goals.
There are so many variations to choose from of a given movement so it is easy to keep a routine fresh but still be faithful to the fundamental movements.
For sure prioritize the most important movements when energy levels are high early in the session.
There have been periods where I have gained muscle where I cycled in high volume training and increased my work capacity. That said for me now I am trying to stay focused for the longer term progression. If I feel I need some added volume on a given day I program that in but try to be careful it does not negatively impact the rest of the weeks training. It is very much about recovery to lift another day.
__________________
Rectitude--Courage--Benevolence--Respect--Honesty--Honor--Loyalty
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
"Why do we fall? So we might learn to pick ourselves up."
"It’s not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us."
Last edited by Entropy3000; 06-17-2012 at 10:51 AM.
But the basics are simple and adding a bunch of crappy isolation movements usually screws things up a lot more than it helps.
excellent post. There are always exceptions to every rule, but Isolations should, for the most part, be reserved for more advanced trainees who've had a stall in progress. Even then, they should generally be used pre or post compound movement as part of a superset or pre-exhaust. Stick to the big compounds, then stick to them some more. Lift big, eat big, sleep big.
excellent post. There are always exceptions to every rule, but Isolations should, for the most part, be reserved for more advanced trainees who've had a stall in progress. Even then, they should generally be used pre or post compound movement as part of a superset or pre-exhaust. Stick to the big compounds, then stick to them some more. Lift big, eat big, sleep big.
That was one of my mistakes in the begining. Too many islation movements.
Bicep Curls , Pulldowns ,D.Bell Side Laterals.
With limited results.
When I started doing Pull Ups , Weighted Pullups , B. Bell Rows ,and Deadlifts ,OH Press my back and shoulder exploded.
Now when I train back,I only do one isolation movement at the end of the entire work out, if I still have the energy.
My lats,traps and shoulders also began to grow.
At nearly 47, putting on 20 pounds of muscle is no longer on my radar. However, keeping 20 pounds of fat from accumulating, is.
I've never been a big guy, but have almost always at least looked like someone that tries ... with varying degrees of success, to stay in shape. There seems to be a point, particularly with guys that do stay in shape, where you become 'timeless'.
Tough to tell if you're 30 or 50. I still get a kick when people just a few years older than me, refer to me as 'young man', or people presume you are the same age as your colleagues that are 10 to 15 years your junior.
At nearly 47, putting on 20 pounds of muscle is no longer on my radar. However, keeping 20 pounds of fat from accumulating, is.
I've never been a big guy, but have almost always at least looked like someone that tries ... with varying degrees of success, to stay in shape. There seems to be a point, particularly with guys that do stay in shape, where you become 'timeless'.
Tough to tell if you're 30 or 50. I still get a kick when people just a few years older than me, refer to me as 'young man', or people presume you are the same age as your colleagues that are 10 to 15 years your junior.
__________________
Rectitude--Courage--Benevolence--Respect--Honesty--Honor--Loyalty
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
"Why do we fall? So we might learn to pick ourselves up."
"It’s not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us."
Or 48. I get the same thing, people think I'm in my 30's. When I tell them I have a nearly 22 year old in addition to the nearly 12 and just 8 their jaws drop, further still when I say I had him when I was 26.
eHarmony is depressing when there are photos. You look at people who are maybe just a few years older and they look old enough to be your dad, or your gramps. That just doesn't go over well with me. It's a huge psychological hurdle, one I'm really sure I couldn't get over. Something is wrong when someone posts a photo of themselves with their four grown sons and you archive them because you know it just wouldn't work, you'd rather go out with one of the sons!
I delete anyone who participates in motorized sports. Also golf (which I find really boring and pointless, just my opinion) and motorcycling (which leads to injuries, or death, and is needlessly dangerous considering the roads in our state...if I was cruising in the desert states it would be a different story.)
Having dated someone and then found him nearly dead certainly does not help the issue of health and fitness when it comes to dating. The truth is he had neglected his health in many ways and did not really pay attention to symptoms.
I have to say the healthiest person I know personally is a guy who has survived colon cancer twice.
HNU, I know what you mean about appearances... at 35 years old I am finding many women my age look like they are still 25, and a number look like my mom's friends - 30's is a bad decade for some people. Unfortunately the only ones on those sites that message me are the old looking ones and it is depressing like you say... and the young looking ones NEVER bother to reply to me.
Also, I would HIGHLY recommend not filtering ones who enjoy motorsports or golf, unless they are showing you it's their ONLY hobby, I find I enjoy a lot of things including golf and would love to ride a motorcycle in the summer, but those are activities that will not consume me, and when I ride I am responsible (you probably are associating all the young idiots who decided to treat cars like pylons on an obstacle course).
Just saying to keep an open mind and not limit yourself based on qualities that may not really be a big factor in the kind of person you'd find happiness with.
Something is wrong when someone posts a photo of themselves with their four grown sons and you archive them because you know it just wouldn't work, you'd rather go out with one of the sons!
__________________
Rectitude--Courage--Benevolence--Respect--Honesty--Honor--Loyalty
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
"Why do we fall? So we might learn to pick ourselves up."
"It’s not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines us."
At nearly 47, putting on 20 pounds of muscle is no longer on my radar. However, keeping 20 pounds of fat from accumulating, is.
I've never been a big guy, but have almost always at least looked like someone that tries ... with varying degrees of success, to stay in shape. There seems to be a point, particularly with guys that do stay in shape, where you become 'timeless'.
Tough to tell if you're 30 or 50. I still get a kick when people just a few years older than me, refer to me as 'young man', or people presume you are the same age as your colleagues that are 10 to 15 years your junior.
Also, I would HIGHLY recommend not filtering ones who enjoy motorsports or golf, unless they are showing you it's their ONLY hobby, I find I enjoy a lot of things including golf and would love to ride a motorcycle in the summer, but those are activities that will not consume me, and when I ride I am responsible (you probably are associating all the young idiots who decided to treat cars like pylons on an obstacle course).
Just saying to keep an open mind and not limit yourself based on qualities that may not really be a big factor in the kind of person you'd find happiness with.
This is off-topic of course. I agree about not limiting myself but tend, maybe too much, towards environmentalism and the mowing of large tracts of natural habitat and using gas and oil for pleasure riding is a big hurdle for me. I purposely chose to live where I could limit my use of gas and can bicycle, kayak and xc ski locally. I'm toeing the line and thinking next winter my kids and I will do some downhill skiing (them) and boarding (me.) It's one of those things where the benefits might outweigh the costs since it's social, and the mountain is local. I have a free pass as a student, and my kids can do the after school program (on a PTA activities scholarship.)
One limiting factor is I don't want to date anyone who lives more than 20-30 miles away. It's not just the gas, but the wear and tear on a human being spending that much time in a car, and then the hurdles of really getting to know someone when they don't already live in your local community. I've had really bad luck with long-distance relationships. I think there is a tendency to feel obligated, for me, after someone is driving so far to be with me, and also being deprived of a day to day experience without the commitment of living together.
I was open-minded before now I am pretty much how I was as a child and more in touch with what really works for me. Same activities and past-times, same personality, etc. I even have a guy friend who reminds me a lot of the boyfriend I had in preschool I guess I'd like to date someone where I can hop on my bike and meet him downtown for dinner, lunch or a ride to get ice cream. Or to go to the movies or hang out at the beach in the evening to BBQ.
I'm also aware of some inconsistencies like I volunwork at a movie theater and that takes energy to run. But it's a place that shows environmental and prosocial films in addition to the indies. I drive to get there, but usually combine the drive with other errands. And I use the computer a lot for work and of course TAM.
I really don't want to compromise myself in a dating/relationship situation. Therapy has returned me to a state of being 12 and knowing my mind. Unfortunately I am as fit as a 12 year old too, and this does create some problems with dating. Everyone acts so unnecessarily grown up sometimes, overthinking stuff, defining themselves according to grown up terms. Maybe that's why they age, because they think they have to!
To keep to topic, working out should be fun! Just another activity that you enjoy spending time on. Like everything else.
However, there I can think of a few things that you could benefit supplementing. And no, it ain't the juice.
Fish oil is really good for your joints, and has a host of other great benefits for your body. And unless you are eating cold water fish 5 nights a week, you aren't getting enough in. So I would suggest throwing in some of this.
Also, for your protein:
Taking in 300-400g of protein is a horrible idea. You'll be crapping a brick. Ideally, you aim for 1g of protein for every lbs. you weigh. So I weigh 210, so I try to get around 210g of protein.
Also, at night, your body goes catabolic, and will eat up your muscle to fuel itself. Now, you can either eat a fair amount of cottage cheese, or try getting a casein protein shake before bed.
Unless your body fat % is over 12-15. Then you won't need it, you body burns up the fat.
As for your workouts, isolation movements are not super great. Free weights are the best, because they stimulate the stabilizer muscles, and make you grow more proportionally.
I would suggest free weights for your triceps, legs, biceps, chest when possible.
Machines are good for your back and shoulders.
And don't get me wrong, machines are good. But they aren't the same. The movements aren't natural, and it doesn't stimulate the stabilizer muscle as much as free weights do.
I am also a big fan of the hodgetwins on youtube. So you may try watching their videos. Called twinmuscleworkout. They give some great, humorous advice.
I've been using this workout From body building dot com forum
A Simple beginner's Routine You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.
Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.
These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.
You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows: The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps. The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps. The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps. The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps. The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps. If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and
repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets. Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.
I am also a big fan of the hodgetwins on youtube. So you may try watching their videos. Called twinmuscleworkout. They give some great, humorous advice.
Hodgetwins super hilarious, but sound scientifically based advice.
Good website also.
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Re: How to build muscle? 
Re: How to build muscle? 
I guess I'd like to date someone where I can hop on my bike and meet him downtown for dinner, lunch or a ride to get ice cream. Or to go to the movies or hang out at the beach in the evening to BBQ.
