Posted: 8/16/2009 6:38:51 PM EDT
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Last year I started a fitness program and stuck with it for several months, never hitting the gym less than five nights a week once I started. I continued on this course until I had to make a business trip to Papua, New Guinea, in December of last year. While I was there I picked up the local flu, which caused an intensely bad cough that was very unpredictable. When I got home, before I was fully recovered from it, I picked up the local flu as well. More coughing at any time. It took me several months to completely recover, and honestly I'm not sure I'd say that my throat and upper respiratory tract has actually completely recovered even now. I'm fine but I don't think I'd say my condition is as it was in, say, November of last year. Between that and a variety of other things that I had to start doing in the evenings, ("Life happens"), I haven't been back in the gym since then. I decided that I would not return to the gym as long as I had an unpredictable cough. Particularly when physical stress seemed to bring it on. I do not want to start coughing while I've got a couple hundred pounds over my head and I'm all that's supporting it. It is time to start a new program. I'm recovered, and the business I had to attend to has been completed. My evenings are once again free. My initial starting stats: 44 years old, younger looking than that, though. 6 feet tall, 215 pounds. I judge I'd have to lose 35 well-distributed pounds before I'd start seeing muscle contours. I've got a little belly but nowhere near as much as a lot of guys. But I'm unwilling to tolerate what I do have. It has to go because I'm not happy. When I was last in the gym, some of my strength capabilities were: Standing double arm curl with free weights: 125 pounds at 12 reps. (First set, additional sets at lower weights.) Six unassisted pull-ups. Free weight bench press: 225 pounds for three reps, max. 240 single lift max. Ab curls: 20 reps at 240 pounds, or more. (Sitting, machine weight) Back extension: Greater than 100 reps at 305 pounds. (Max available on machine) Leg curls: 300 pounds, 12 reps, sitting or prone. Leg extensions: 300 pounds, 12 reps Pectoral flys: 300 pounds, 12 reps, sitting, machine weight. That's what I remember for certain right now. My initial goal is to return to workouts and get back to these levels inside of one month. I think it's possible that I've retained almost all of my strength but as a matter of principle, my first new workout will be a light one just to give my muscles the wake-up call that I'm going to be working them hard once again. I don't want to be crippled sore the next few days after that first new workout. My longer term goal is simply to drop the fat and get to the point that I can actually see the six pack that is hiding on my belly underneath some extra fat. As a result this workout program will be heavy on cardio level workouts. I really need to work on dropping fat more than on building muscle because I've already got a decent build...just covered in a bit too much fat for my tastes. When I get to the low fat percentage look I'm hoping for, then I'll be in a position to start working out specifically to sculpture my musculature. This is not me but I would be perfectly happy to achieve comparable results:  It'll be a long haul to get there, but worth it. CJ |
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You're a smart guy to have the understanding that by taking it easier that first few days you will avoid soreness. I would not go in expecting to be as strong as you were. But let me clarify it, you may come out stronger. Are you looking to just lose the fat and drop weight or do you want to add muscle? I know that sounds retarded, but a lot of people go to the gym just to looking skinnier so the muscles they have will show. Screw that noise, I want to be badass and judging from your internet personality, so do you. And six pack always equals low body fat with some good ab muscles.
So few people will see you without a shirt, but they will see the guns pulling so hard on your sleeves. And if you can get your core muscles sprung, the rest will fall into place. It makes me sad to see all the young guys at my gym just working on their arms and pecs. I'll watch them incline, decline, and near max bench for an hour, but not one squat or deadlift. And they are hard workers but I hear them complain of not adding mass or getting cut. Just work that core and the fat will go and all the muscles will come in time. Your bench will get better and you chest will grow. So my advice, kill yourself with some leg presses. Work slowly back into a good squat routine, I think leg presses are great to help avoid knee and hip pain. Focus on low rows and total arm type lifts. Then figure out how much and what else you will do with your time in the gym. Then you will see the fat roll off. And as you say, once you are lower in fat, then you can shape the muscles. You sound motivated and have a good plan. Good luck. 
PS––when I started my thread on getting back to being in shape a while back, I had some posters call me a fatass for motivation. So, GET TO THE GYM, TUBBY. 
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I'm all about the legs and back/stomach muscles as well, but I do have to be careful about squats and deadlifts and heavy leg work because my knees are a bit crackly. I don't want to overstress them. I've never had a knee injury but the cracking noises they make do make me want to be very careful NOT to hurt them. There was a time when I could leg press 500 pounds on either leg, easily. But I'm not 19 anymore and I stopped skateboarding on a daily basis back around that same time. (That's how my legs got so strong back then.) Yes, I want to build muscle but cutting fat is more important to me right now as my upper body development is adequate and my biceps are bigger than average. Measure the circumference of a 2-liter soda bottle. My arms are bigger than that, at about 15 and a half inches. And I've always had big muscular forearms, too. Almost Popeye-ish. My forearms are bigger than most men's biceps. Maybe they'd size down a bit if I had a girlfriend.  I figure I'd look great if I just cut the body fat down enough to see muscle definition. But if I'm going to work out for that goal, I might as well convert that fat to muscle while I'm at it. I have a few definite strength goals to achieve, too. One is 20 unassisted chin-ups in good form. Another is a 300 pound bench press, and the third is curling 200 pounds free weight, standing. I think I can achieve all of these before my next birthday in May, if I work smart and hard. I'd also like to improve my laterals and other muscles that contribute to that wedge shape. CJ |
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Quoted:
I'm all about the legs and back/stomach muscles as well, but I do have to be careful about squats and deadlifts and heavy leg work because my knees are a bit crackly. I don't want to overstress them. I've never had a knee injury but the cracking noises they make do make me want to be very careful NOT to hurt them. Those crackly knees can be caused by overly tight hips and ankles. A good resource for loosening up your lower body is Magnificent Mobility As for strengthening, try a lot of single leg work (lunges, step ups, one leg squat with your back foot on a bench, etc). If you belong to a gym that has power/squat racks, put the support pins at knee level and do deadlifts from there. As for an actual workout, just be intense and use as many muscles as possible during each workout. That should help burn away fat and help new muscle growth. |
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Quoted:
I'm all about the legs and back/stomach muscles as well, but I do have to be careful about squats and deadlifts and heavy leg work because my knees are a bit crackly. I don't want to overstress them. I've never had a knee injury but the cracking noises they make do make me want to be very careful NOT to hurt them. There was a time when I could leg press 500 pounds on either leg, easily. But I'm not 19 anymore and I stopped skateboarding on a daily basis back around that same time. (That's how my legs got so strong back then.) Yes, I want to build muscle but cutting fat is more important to me right now as my upper body development is adequate and my biceps are bigger than average. Measure the circumference of a 2-liter soda bottle. My arms are bigger than that, at about 15 and a half inches. And I've always had big muscular forearms, too. Almost Popeye-ish. My forearms are bigger than most men's biceps. Maybe they'd size down a bit if I had a girlfriend.
I figure I'd look great if I just cut the body fat down enough to see muscle definition. But if I'm going to work out for that goal, I might as well convert that fat to muscle while I'm at it. I have a few definite strength goals to achieve, too. One is 20 unassisted chin-ups in good form. Another is a 300 pound bench press, and the third is curling 200 pounds free weight, standing. I think I can achieve all of these before my next birthday in May, if I work smart and hard. I'd also like to improve my laterals and other muscles that contribute to that wedge shape. CJ Good deal, sounds like you are ready. And for that wedge, its those damn shoulder presses/military press. And the tolerable low rows, lat pull down(front and back), and incline dumbbell presses. And get in the cable tower and do everything you can think of from both directions. I don't know if you hang out here, but: T-nation Forums is a great place to find out all the new stuff to focus on muscles and fat loss. Sure, there is a mention or two(or twenty-three) about using the juice, but every body builder that wins does use. But just don't pay attention to that mess, roids are for guys that look in the mirror all day. They have a load of great info over there. Good luck. |
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I'll use nutritional supplements and plenty of them but I won't be using anything illegal. I use DHEA and Creatine and a handful of vitamins and other assorted supplements every day. My gym does have a cable tower, several of them, actually, and I do use it a lot in any way I can think of. I watch other people and do what they're doing IF it seems to be working for them. Which most exercises do, I guess. I can't think of an exercise that's completely worthless. CJ |
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I would do Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe for a few months. This is an excellent strength program, and it sounds like you want to get stronger in the short term. Just make sure you eat enough. "Enough" means a surplus of about 300 calories a day, which works out to about 3 pounds a month.
After a few months of this, you could cut back your diet to "maintenance" or even a slight deficit while continuing with Starting Strength and adding a day of high intensity interval training. Note: Starting Strength is a real bitch if you aren't gaining weight at the same time. |
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It's kind of the reverse. My higher short term priority is to cut fat. I'm happy with my strength level for now but am not happy with how much extra fat I'm carrying around with me. The fat goes first. Once I'm happy there, I can refocus on muscle gains with a better tailored diet and exercise program. I recently found my very first BDU belt I got issued when I joined the USAF in 1987. It's about six inches too short to accomplish its mission on my waist today and I've sworn to wear that belt again without straining. THAT defines one of my program main goals. When I was 33 I had a 32 inch waist and weighed 163 pounds. Due to the fact that I'm much more muscular now than I was then, I believe that I will NOT make it back down to 163 pounds but I believe that I can get back down to the 32 inch waist. It is a major goal for me. CJ |
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One thing that you have not talked about in your post is carido.....
that is the best thing for burning fat.... running, biking, swimming, rowing etc. When I started working out I wanted to be buff, now I want stamina - I have done three sprint triathlons this summer and at the end of the month I am going to step it up and run in a Olympic Triathlon at Camp Blanding at the end of the month. When you can put a 1.5 K swim, 40 K bike and a 10 K run toghther - you have to be on the right track. I know that seven months ago I was 260 lbs and very out of shape. now I am 216 to 220 trying to get to 205. I am 6-1 and 45. Just keep steady at it and you will make gaines. Badredfish 
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Check this out.
Waterbury Summer Project This workout will seriously kick your ass. It looks much easier on paper. Everyone that post about it says it and I agree. I started it once before and fell off about halfway thru. If you want to kick your ass into shape and burn a ton of fat this should do it. I'm starting week 1 this week. The hardest part for you on this would be finding your correct weights for the lifts if you haven't been doing similar lifts. They change every two weeks. I have the workouts in .pdf form so they are easy to follow and document. Let me know if anyone wants them. Edit: Quick note for anyone that actually looks at this. From reading thru the coments/QandA the first excercise is supposed to be a hang clean with a full squat. The article above made a typo on that. Here is the orginal thread on it that the author posted. I think you might have to sign up to view this one. Original Waterbury Summer Project thread |
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Well, I've officially restarted my workouts with a session last night. I decided to go easy on the exercises so as to avoid excessive soreness, which WILL happen if you overdo it on muscles and joints that aren't acclimated to the work. I still managed to burn my triceps at the elbow side tendons. Not bad, but more of an effect than I was trying for. However, I also managed to get a workout on my back and lats that was obviously effective, far more so than I usually manage. It's the kind of effect I try for every time but don't always get. The problem there is that my back is extremely strong and it's hard for me to get a really good workout on it. I succeeded by hitting the lower back extension machine at full weight (225 pounds, which is light for me as I was working one that goes to 305 pounds for a long time, at full weight) so to compensate for the lighter resistance available, I did a single set of 150 reps. Yeah, THAT did the trick. I think a couple of people were trying not to stare.  FINALLY, I got a workout that made my back just a littlebit sore the next day. Anything less just bounces off. Due to a job I've got to do in another county that will take several days, I won't be able to make another workout until Saturday at the earliest. But that'll be fully focused on my lower body OR I'll do cardio. My program plan is simple: A seven day cycle: Monday: Upper body and cardio (1/2 hour minimum) Tuesday: Lower body and cardio Wednesday: More cardio (1 hour minimum) Thursday: Upper body and cardio Friday: Lower body and cardio Saturday: More cardio Sunday: OFF Repeat For now that works for me. |
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Yeah, I overdid it. I wasn't trying to but my bicep tendons are just now recovered to the point that I have full range of motion without pain. I've also worked six straight 12 hour days in the sun so I haven't been up to getting back to the gym anyway. Monday or Tuesday I expect to return and I'll see how it goes then. My arms have weird proportions. I got my grandfather's arms. They're currently 16 inches around the biceps and 15 inches around my forearms near the elbow. Popeye forearms. It's kind of weird when you notice that your forearms are bigger than most guy's biceps. Oh well.. I yam what I yam! CJ |