Riv's Gym Life (from 7/27/08)

R

Riv

0
Hello everyone,

I live in the Middle East and am 23 years old and 183-185cm tall. I used to be very fit and used to run a mile everyday in my school days. After 5 years of work, I've become a fat boy.

I realized this when we went hiking about 3 weeks ago and I couldn't continue after a very short while, so I decided it was time to cut the fat and get back on the track and obtain a nice body at the same time.

I've started going to the gym daily and having two days as rest which are the weekends. I've read in many places that I should workout 3 days and rest 1 day, but I chose this routine because it keeps my mind off other thingsand releases stress.

This is my second week since the start. My first day to the gym was 27th July 2008.

I weighed 85-88 KGs then.

I started the threadmill, 200 meters brisk walk at speed 6.0, and 500 meters jog at speed 8.0 the firt week.

So my routine last week was, at 9PM get into the gym, do the threadmill for 700 meters and rest for 2 mins, then start weights.

I'm following a Men's health guide which I got from a friend. It has different execises with instructions on reps and sets for each level of people, beginners, advanced beginners, intermediate, and advance level. I'm doing the beginner now.

I've assigned exercises to myself as day 1 and day 2. On Day 1 I do Arms, Chest, and Shoulders. Day 2 is for Back, Lower back and Abs, and Legs.

Beginner level exercis for Arms.
-Barbell Biceps Curl - week 1 25 lbs
-Triceps Pushdown - week 1 25 lbs

Chest
-Barbell Flat Benchpress - week 1 5KG on each side
-Pec-Dec Machine Fly - week 1 40 lbs

Shoulder
-Machine Shoulder Press - week 1 5 KG on each side
-Cable Upright Row - week 1 40 lbs

Lower back and abs
-Pelvic Tilt - week 1 12 reps 1 set
-Superman - week 1 12 reps 1 set (this kills!)

Back
-Lat pulldown - week 1 40 lbs

Legs
-Leg Press - week 1 10 KG each side
-Leg Curl - week 1 40 lbs

------


Now I've done all that, the start muscle pain has disappeared, and now I'm in the second week and increased the weights.

I definitely feel a change!
 
At the start of week 2 I increased the weights and increased my threadmill distance and speed.

Threadmill. Before weights, 200 meters walk at speed 6.0, 500 meters jog on speed 8.0, 200 meter fast jog at speed 10.0, and now I feel my stamina coming back!
I started threadmill after weights also, so its 100 meters walk at speed 6.0, 200 meters job at speed 8.0 and 200 meters fast job at speed 10.0,
I will increase next week as well.

Weights.

Arms
-Barbell Biceps Curl - week 2 30 lbs
-Triceps Pushdown - week 2 30 lbs

Chest
-Barbell Flat Benchpress - week 2 10KG on each side
-Pec-Dec Machine Fly - week 2 60 lbs

Shoulder
-Machine Shoulder Press - week 2 10 KG on each side
-Cable Upright Row - week 2 60 lbs

Lower back and abs
-Pelvic Tilt - week 2, 20 reps, 15 reps (2 sets)
-Superman - week 2, 12 reps, 10 reps (2 sets)

Back
-Lat pulldown - week 2 60 lbs

Legs
-Leg Press - week 2 10 KG each side (no change)
-Leg Curl - week 2 60 lbs

---------

Btw, all those exercises are only done on 1 set basis, as a beginner I guess that's best.

I weighed my self last night and I weigh 76 KGS now! That's very good, I guess the fat is down.

In my diet I have reduced rice to just one meal a week, I eat bread and pasta mostly but it's still not healthy food, I need to put my foot down on food. Guide me in the correct way if you can on this one guys.
 
Last night I increased my run, and I'm so happy that I achieved 2 KM, I was still feeling like running more but stopped there. Hoorah to me!

I'm just having salads for lunch and dinner, having fried egg whites only for breakfast. I weighed myself last night after the workout and I was 72 KGs. I'm aiming to get to 65 and that's when I will start the real weight exercises, what my boss calls, MAN exercises! :D
 
Great job getting started. Be careful with your nuitrition, it seems like a large calorie defecit to me and you may find yourself losing alot of muscle with the fat. I think if you read some of the archives you see what I mean. Best of luck.
 
Hey, I'm back!

missyv, thanks for the advice, I wanted a dramatic weight reduction and I got one. My belly is gone, just a little left but it doesn't show anymore. I've been hitting the gym everyday for 2 weeks with two days rest. From yesterday I finished that routine in which I mainly focused on cardio and getting stronger in stamina, now I'm ready to hit the weights full on.

I devised a plan after getting input by a lot of people locally. I would exercise three days covering the total body. Yesterday was like a warm-up so from tonite I start from Day 1.

Day 1 - Biceps & Back.
Day 2 - Triceps, Shoulders, & Chest.
Day 3 - Lowerback n Abs & Legs.

I will be doing 3 sets of each exercise and increasing weights with decreasing reps. I think 3 sets should be enough for the time being or forever! Apparantly there are guys who do 6 sets of exercises, they're just crazy IMO!

--
My diet is semi-back to normal. I've started having grilled food again. Have become fond of Subway's guilt free food. I think I don't need to diet anymore and need all that energy when I'm in the gym. So gona become a carnivorous and eat away, but not too much!

I still do my threadmill run, that's my warm-up exercise, it's heats the whole body plus helps building my stamina further.

I wanted to post pictures but I'm too hairy for that ;)
 
^I thought of that but I read online somehwere that shoulders and chest exercises use up the triceps, meaning the triceps also get worked at the same time, so I decided to do the tricep exercises together with chest and shoulders and biceps seperate with the back so my triceps don't get too tired.

Splitting upper and lower will be kind of overlod for me I think! Biceps, Shoulders, Triceps, Chest, and Back! Don't you think?
 
I have a BIG update.

After some consultation, from some good guys (the people who were skinny and some buffed up and some are lean), they've written me a nice workout plan, mainly for growth of muscle. Can you tell me if this is good to follow or I should just stick to what I stated above?

Day 1 - Chest
Flat Barbell bench press, 10, 8, 6
Dumbell incline, 10, 8, 6
Flat Fly, 10, 8, 6
Push ups, 10x3

Day 2 - Back
Lat Pulldown, 10, 8, 6
Barbell Bendover row, 10, 8, 6
Narrow grip pulldown, 10, 8, 6
Dumbell Row, 10, 8, 6
Hyper extensions, 10x3

Day 3 - Arms
Barbell Curl, 10, 8, 6
Preacher Curl EZ bar, 10, 8, 6
Dumbell Curl, 10, 8, 6
Close grip press, 10, 8, 6
Cable Pulldown, 10, 8, 6
Skull Crusher, 10, 8, 6
Dips, 10x3

Day 4 - Shoulders
Barbell Mil Press, 10, 8, 6
Lat Raise Standing, 10, 8, 6
Upright row, 10, 8, 6
Bent over Rows, 10, 8, 6

Day 5 - Legs
Bw sure to stretch
Leg Extension
Leg press
Deadlift
Leg curl
Calf extension (Name?)

Day 6 - Cardio & abs n lower back
Run for 2 KM (about 1.4 miles, switching between speeds)
Crunches
Superman
Pelvic Tilt
Reverse extensions

Day 7 - REST
----

He told me to try supersets and triple sets as a challenge with light weights and gradually make my way up, if I can.

So Hows this plan?
 
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They also said that I should do a maximum of 12 sets per body part, so I can chose between exercises in the list for each body part per day.
 
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