Thread for casual working out/weight loss.

I didn't think the weight lifting thread was really appropriate for us weaklings who just want to lose some weight, so here is this one.

Tomorrow is May 25th, which will be exactly 4 months until my cousin gets married. I am the best man and want to look thin and sexy in my awesome suit. So, it's an excuse to finally start working out.

Today was Day 2 of the gym. I won't be obnoxious and bump this thread every day, but here is stuff I have done so far. Keep the following in mind: I am bringing my brother to the gym as my guest, and he is very uncoordinated so I haven't bothered thinking about "advanced" or complicated routines. Also I am going to Planet Fitness where they don't have bench pressing or heavy weights.

- Cardio (usually elliptical, sometimes stationary bike)
- Arm curls/free weights ... yesterday we did sets with 15 lb. weights.

They have a "12 minute ab routine" area where you rotate between 9 different stations. It was intimidating today but I'm going to try it tomorrow.

MY QUESTIONS:

- I plan to do cardio 6 days a week and weight stuff every other day. On the non-cardio day, should I not go at all, or should I go and limit it to weights?

- What kind of numbers should I look for here? How many sets of 10 reps should I do with 15 lb. free weights, for example? On the elliptical today I did 3 miles in 31 minutes ... is either of those "too much" to do every single day?

- Besides cardio, some free weights, and that ab routine, is there any other basic exercise that you would recommend as completely ESSENTIAL to fitness and/or losing weight?

MY WEIGH-INS:

- Sunday, May 22nd: 170 lbs.
- Sunday, May 29th: 170 lbs.
- Monday, June 6th: 169 lbs.
- Sunday, June 12th: 169 lbs.
- Sunday, June 19th: 169 lbs.
- Sunday, June 26th: 175 lbs. (what the fuck)

My 2 cents...

Do as much as you can with free weights rather than machines.
If you have to sacrifice something, sacrifice cardio.
Give yourself a week or two to get warmed up, and then aim to do 2 sets of 7-10 reps at the heaviest weight you can handle while maintaining proper technique (which includes being aligned, smooth, controlled motion, control of your breathing, breathing out during exertion, in during release.
Pause briefly between exertion and release, and always release more slowly than the exertion part. So for example, breathe in, lift the weight in about 1 second while exhaling, pause for a second, and bring the weight back down slowly over two seconds while breathing in.
Learn some core and legs exercises (and do them), such as planks, lunges, etc.

squats, deadlifts, benchpress, pullups, cardio /thread. I consider those essential for any exercise program regardless of goals/expectations. Fuck ab routines, do squats (and if you feel like that is not enough throw in some leg lifts and/or planks, most ab work is a huge waste of time).

leave it to taco faggot to make the gayest thread of all time

What time of the day do I take protein powder?

This is a judgment-free thread, bro

tAco, your gym doesnt have a bench? dayum I don't believe you, but if that is so....gtfo, and def don't waste time with arm curls and ab work. Compound movements ftmfw. If you don't know how to do deads or squats watch video and ask people in the gym. No need to complicate it, keep it simple, use proper form (youtube is your best friend), choose a weight that makes you struggle get the last couple reps out without breaking form. Probably 8-10 reps, 3-5 sets each exercise, 3-4 days a week, and do cardio 6-7 days a week.

Taco Tuesday, I like you a lot, but that description of what you did in the gym made me absolutely cringe. You don't have to do what these guys are saying and work the heavy compound lifts (although there is no question, that is ideal). But doing some random fucking arm curls for your biceps and then the ab station is like the worst thing I've ever heard. There is definitely a science to working out, and you'll find that people are so harsh / passionate about the correct way to do things because there is, in fact, a correct way to do things.

For your goal, cardio is essential. Do whatever cardio machine you like basically, just make sure you're getting that calorie burn. Your diet is equally important as what you do in the gym. So, cardio should be done every day, and then you can do something like a basic split:

Day 1:
Cardio 30 - 60 minutes
Pull-ups
Rows
Lat pull downs
Bicep curls

Day 2:
Cardio 30 -60 minutes
Chest press of some sort
Cable flys
Tricep pulldowns

Day 3
Cardio 30 - 60 minutes
Leg press
Shoulder raises
Ab work

The reason for the split is to work symbiotic muscle groups at the same time to fatigue, then give them multiple days to rest before taxing them again. Doing random bicep curls for a few minutes every day is not going to make your arms bigger, dude.

That split is hardly ideal, but it's going to be the best combination of feasibility and effectiveness for your goals. And watch your diet.

I didnt say "heavy" compound lifts, and compound lifts will not only be the most effective way to hit all muscle groups, but also build practical strength and promotes health far more than a bunch of iso movements. All the while keeping workouts simple.

I see way too many tools in the gym doing arm extensions, and ab work, while ignoring squats and deads. They rarely reach their goals, and get injured way easier.

Cardio is definitly key for weightloss, but at the very least do squats.....the most important exercise.

No shit sherlock, I even said that in my post... but clearly TT has little interest in performing compounds so I suggested some alternatives. Did you even read my post?

Sand in your vagina? yeah, you gave pretty good advice, you just left out squats, my post wasn't entirely directed at you, did I quote? You said "heavy compound lifts", and obviously he should use light weight till he gets his form down, duh.

giving intensity to a training regimen would actually be much more "essential" imo than cardio, with nutrition still being the most important.

but yeah planet fatness i've heard varying reports of not having barbells altogether, the "lunk alarm", having pizza on site as a "reward", etc. anyone who works out there must be a complete dumbass. why would you want an environment where everyone is half-assing? i'd rather workout in a gym where i feel uncomfortable and puny and the least experienced so i'm motivated by the others around me.

I want to start doing free weights. Can somebody tell me how many weights I should buy? I have a bar bell and 20 kg (44 lbs, 2x10). I don't really have much of an idea of how much I can bench, as it's been years, but I'm sure it's more than that. Also I figure I can deadlift more than anything else, but I don't want to go to a faggot gym to test myself out, when I have two garages that I don't use.

I've seen them at K Mart in 10kg, 5kg, 2.5kg and 1.25kg. I dare say you can get 20 and bigger elsewhere, but I will be getting them at K Mart.

How many units of each should I buy? My goal is - be less of a weakling.

Also I'm asking about this because I will look like an absolute dickhead buying weights so I don't want to do it more than once.

fer realz? hahahahahahahahahahahaha

why would you look like a dickhead? Just buy 4 or so of each weight, and then buy more when you make gains. Or go to a nearby gym, that is what I would do. I used to workout in a home gym setting, but I much prefer a fully decked out gym.

are you worried about what the kmart employees will think?

I'd have to walk through the mall holding a ton of weights - looks like I want to improve myself.

I think 4 of each will probably sort me out, thank you. It's just that I've never done a deadlift or a squat and from what I think they are, it seems like there would be a fair difference to what one can bench and what they can squat and deadlift. What do I know, though?

I own 2 x 10 kg weights (2x 22 lbs)

I will buy, unless instructed otherwise -

4 x 10 kg (4 x 22 lbs)
4 x 5 kg (4 x 11 lbs)
4 x 2.5 kg (4 x 5.5 lbs)
4 x 1.25 kg (4 x 2.75 lbs)
Giving me a total of 95 kg (209 lbs)

This is more than I can do of any of those exercises, if I don't currently work out, right?

buy a shitload.

I really want to try to lose some weight and get a bit healthier this summer. My problem is that I'm so out of shape that I don't know where to begin, and I'm lazy and easily discouraged. I'm also currently on medication that fatigues me and makes my joints ache. If all goes well I'll be off that within a month though. I'm still really, really weak and low-energy regardless though. Last time I tried to get into a regular exercise routine, I maxed out my heart rate and breath to the point of almost fainting after less than 10 minutes on an elliptical on an easy setting. After that happened two or three times i just quit. I'm not even fat. Just a bit overweight, and very feeble. I think I need to find an exercise plan for old men with disabilities or something...

Man the fuck up and get in the other thread!

There's plenty of advice in it, not only for gaining muscle, but also targeting the people that only look to lose fat.

There's really no need to make a second thread, where you will basically get the same advice as in the other one ...or will be made fun of for retarded "routines", also like in the other thread...

@ everyone I guess

My point is that all of the stuff in the weight lifting thread is intimidating because I don't know what the fuck it all means. Yes, there is no bench pressing at Planet Fitness, at least the one where I joined. The reason I tried out arm curls and the ab thingy is that they're some of the only exercises I know how to do. Also I'm pretty damn out of shape and am trying to just get started. Schube mentioned pull-ups as part of "Day 1" ... well, I can only do about 2 pull-ups right now, so how is that going to help me? I feel like I need some base muscle work before I get into all of these exercises and techniques that I am clueless about.

It's the same with KK pushing squats so much. I would probably kill myself or tear my groin doing squats because I have no clue what to do and am extremely weak. Is there honestly no "starter" version of all of this that will help me get in the swing of it?

What do they have in the free weights section? IMO if they don't have a bench where you can adjust the incline you should either sign up elsewhere or get your own bench and dumbbells for home use... there are so many useful exercises you can do on those benches besides bench pressing.

They have benches and dumbbells, just not the press bar.

Ah... that's good actually... you can still bench w/ two dumbbells, and it actually improves your balance and coordination to have to lift each one instead of just lifting a barbell. What I typically do on the bench includes incline press (35), shoulder press (25), and bent over row (40). The weights I provided are what I do when I'm in good shape but not my best shape.

Another cool thing is to stand on a bosu ball (or have one foot on it) during some exercises, with knees slightly bent, as this forces your core to work to keep you balanced. Same deal for sitting/lying on the swiss ball...

Btw, getting a trainer (maybe once a month if you're frugal) is money well spent.

taco, i am more than willing to help you learn as much as you can and can provide videos/descriptions of exercises, etc. i would just want in return that you give it your all. i fear that part of the reason some people don't do things like squat heavy is partly due to a lack of knowledge and partly from laziness. feel free to address any and all specific questions to me, and i will answer them as beginner as possible as long as you do your absolute best to implement the advice

Okay, thanks. For starters, what the hell are these things:

"Shoulder raises" sounds simple enough but I'm sure I have the wrong idea about what it involves.

Lat Pulldown

One of the most bastardized exercises in the gym, IMO, you must remember the name of a lat pulldown when doing it. It is a LAT pulldown, short for latissimus dorsi pulldown - the lat is a back muscle. This is NOT an arm exercise. With a slightly arched back, you should contract your back to bring the weight down your chest, then control the weight on the way up again with your back. You can think of your arms just as hooks allowing your back to pull the weight. I also sometimes imagine myself almost as a puppet on strings, with the strings on my elbows and someone pulling those strings down. This will take some time to get used to, but do you best do use your back doing this exercise.

Cable Fly

This one should be fairly simple to master. Just think of those old videos you have surely seen of Arnold just doing a big bodybuilding pose. Again, your arms are really just hooks. You want to move the handles in a semi-circular motion by contracting the pecs, then slowly return to the starting position by stretching the pecs. There is no need to touch the handles together when you have finished the contraction; in fact, NOT touching them promotes more constant tension on the muscle which will lead to getting more out of the exercise.

Tricep Pressdown

Take a "ready" stance like an athlete would (tight core, butt out a bit and chest puffed out a bit), grab the apparatus, and bring the weight down by contracting your triceps. You will see many different variations/handles on these machines - as a beginner, just do whatever appeals to you most/looks best.

Can you be more specific about "shoulder raise". That could mean a number of different things.

Most places have weight-assisted pullups that help you subtract from your bodyweight at first.

Shoulder raises, well there's a variety of them... When I get home I'll try and link you to a vid.

The mind-muscle connection Pimp B mentions in talking about the lat pulls is absolutely crucial for every exercise.

Absolutely. There are a lot of general tips I feel like I need to give, but I don't want to put so much info in this thread that it's overwhelming, as that defeats the whole thread's purpose.

Does your local public library have books with exercise descriptions? I found browsing some of those very helpful, plus I also spent some money on books that the library did not have that have been extremely helpful, in addition to asking questions here and browsing the old W&N thread.

that is why you learn how to do them, and start really light until your form is down. No way would you jump into heavy deep squats right away, start with quarter squats and lightweight. There are only a few reasons not to do squats, and being weak and not knowing how to do them are not good reasons. I just wish when I had first started lifting someone had told that to me, I wasted a shitload of time.

Ok, since this thread has gone to helpful-mode, I will also provide a link which I think is very helpful for a beginner.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

It has more or less every possible exercise for every possible muscle/muscle-groups listed, along with good descriptions and .gifs of the movement.

Thanks for the help everyone, I'm going to peruse this material tomorrow and try to learn about the right form for at least a few things before I go in tomorrow.

@ brett is every image supposed to be "PWNED" from Star Wars or is that a hotlinking issue

I rather think Brett got PWNED there hotlinking from somewhere

Fucking hell it would be hilarious if Brett put those pics there deliberately.

unfortunately i didnt

Been doing pull ups, chin ups and push ups like a boss lately. When I started I couldn't even do 2 pull ups or a single chin up. Now I can sets of 10-12 each.

lol

brett how do you go about getting tone rather than mass and vice versa?

goddammit

i want to start lifting weights but dont want to get too big

170 lbs. weigh-in today. I wasn't surprised since you don't see results that quickly AND I had to miss two days because of a family member in the hospital. I'm excited to get back into a daily routine.

The past two days I started trying Schube's split. Here is my big question right now: I end up adjusting down to very little weight because it feels like I can barely keep good form ... but then it seems like I'm using so little that it's not doing much good for myself. What level of "discomfort" is productive instead of detrimental? I did the chest press and the cable flys today, but I don't feel any burn or anything in my chest; it seems like it was all arms. I looked up a bunch of videos to make sure I was doing them correctly, is it possible I didn't have enough reps or weight?

Overall though, feels good man.

Goal for intensity:

There is a "pain period" involved in weightlifting (which you need to lift through) where you are tearing your muscle down so it can grow back stronger. It will take some time to understand your body to the point where you can differentiate between this and abnormal pain. Aim for the 8-10 rep range. The activated muscle(s) should be so fatigued by the 8-10 rep range that you cannot complete another rep with reasonable form. If you can do more than that, the weight is too light and you should increase it. If you can't even do 8, drop the weight down until you can.

The "burn" you're describing is actually going to be from something called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). You should feel most sore 24-48 hours after working out, especially if you're just starting.

And yes, it's very important to understand that your arms are only acting as hooks for that cable fly. You want to focus during the motion and really contract your chest muscles to do as much of the movement as possible.

Jazz is gonna get hardcore DOMS.

who cares

He should be adequately prepared, it's been a factor in me stopping the out working before.

This time I'm gonna do it, though!