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2004/03/09, 12:19 PM
Hi all. I'm new to this board, so bear with me a bit. I'm extremely tall (over 6'8") and about 204 pounds. I had been trying to lose weight, but now I'm really only trying to gain muscles since my weight is under control (lost about 40 pounds).
Due to my job and other things, I usually can only workout Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I can get in ten or twenty minutes on other days, but not a full workout. I had been doing all my weights (minus abs) on Monday and Thursday, and doing a little cardio plus abs on Wednesday and Saturday.
But is that the best way to build muscle? Here are some of the options I was thinking about:
1) (Current) Weights on M & Th; Abs/Cardio Wed & Sat.
2) Upper body on M & Th; Abs/Lower Body on Wed. & Sat.
3) Back/Shoulders/Legs M & Th
Chest/Bi/Tri/Abs W & Sat.
Any advice on which might work the best? Maybe some other regime? Thanks! :cool:
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2004/03/09, 01:07 PM
For abs I was talking about floor exercises mostly, but not just 100 situps, etc. I need to take a look at upping my ab workout. Its gotten to the point where they are used to doing floor exercises and I think it may be time to add weight exercises.
I looked at the PT workouts, but none of them seem to be suited to my schedule of MWThSat. Perhaps, though, I just need to play with it more -- I didn't spend very long looking at it.
Thanks for the welcome!
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2004/03/09, 01:23 PM
Took a look at the PT workouts again. Unfortunately, need the professional version to change them up. Also, I'm a bit confused as to their structure. I put my goal as to gain muscle only, and yet the workouts that were produced usually have 4 sets of most exercises with 15 reps. I thought it was generally agreed that to build muscle you want to fail from 6-8 reps, and that 3 sets was probably enough. Am I wrong?
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2004/03/09, 04:04 PM
Unfortunately, don't have a digital camera, so you'll have to take my word for everything. Although I could trim down a bit more particularly in my legs, I'm afriad the high reps will just be burning the muscle I do have away -- or at the least not gaining more muscle.
It also occurred to me that picking advance might help, but there again, although the reps go down a bit, there are stil up to 20 reps for some exercises, and all exercises start with at least 10-12 for the first set, many times with four sets. Maybe that's just the first week, though?
Not sure if I should switch to the FT program or just stay on my own and keep tinkering with it.
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2004/03/09, 04:07 PM
What level have you input on the FT workout and what goals?
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The greatest mystery of life is who we truly are.
Charlie
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2004/03/09, 04:18 PM
I chose "Gain Muscle Mass & Size Training" and have looked at both intermediate and advance.
Just to give you an example, for advance it suggests the following for the chest/biceps day:
Dumbell Incline Press (16, 8, 6, 4)
Barbell Flat Bench Press (16, 8, 6, 4)
Machine Pullover (10, 8, 6)
Two Hand Cable Curls (14, 10, 8, 6)
Standing Barbell Curl (12, 8, 6, 4)
As I mentioned, I've never heard anyone recommend four sets for buildling muscle. It would seem maybe without the first set, it would be what I would expect with a 10, 8, 6 progression. Thanks for your help!
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2004/03/09, 04:20 PM
Sorry David, found your goals. you should be able on FT to specify days without joining as pro. If you input advanced level and gain lean muscle mass that should give you lower reps. You can just lower the reps on your own. Hope this helps.
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The greatest mystery of life is who we truly are.
Charlie
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2004/03/09, 04:22 PM
Those numbers are correct but you need to know that the first set is warmup and you do it with light weight.
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The greatest mystery of life is who we truly are.
Charlie
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2004/03/09, 04:41 PM
Ah. That would make a difference! Thanks charlie.
And I can indicate how many days a week I work out, but just not the spacing. I can just shift it all, though. Instead of M/T/Th/F, I can just put everything back a day to Su/M/W/Th. Also, guess I can't swap exercises without joining (my gym doesn't have some of the stuff), but I guess I can just swap them out in my head.
Its weird to me, though, to do one muscle group only one day a week. The setup for the program I have is:
Monday: Back/Calves
Tuesday: Chest/Biceps
Thursday: Legs/Calves
Friday: Shoulders/Triceps
I've read that if you don't work a muscle group every 48-72 hours, then it will start the process of losing muscle. Is this accurate? I realize when working your biceps and chest on tuesday you are also working shoulders and triceps to some degree. Maybe that's the answer?
Don't you get tired of answering newbie's questions? :) Thanks for taking the time!
Mike
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2004/03/09, 06:17 PM
I just look at it as 4 days. What it says at the top of thepage doesn't really matter. When you print the workout you can swap exercises and write them in. The timing of recovery for muscles varies with everyone. If you hit them hard, once a week seems to be the rule of thumb offered here. Large , more used muscles like legs and abs can be hit more than once a week but most others can benefit from a 7 day recovery. Remember you hit different muscles secondarily on different days too like you said. You don't grow muscle in the gym. You grow it during rest. Lift heavy and eat well and rest.
On your days off don't underestimate the power of push-ups chin, and other body weight exercises. Your diet and rest are still a huge factor in the equation. Hope this helps
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The greatest mystery of life is who we truly are.
Charlie
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2005/11/12, 12:17 PM
hi everyone. i am really confuzed rite now on how to do mass training properly and at the same time get a nice definition and also seperating my muscles. wat i do currently is - chest back shoulders on monday, and chest back tricep bicep on wednesday, and then it restarts to chest back and shoulders the day after. wat i am planning to do is>
Monday- Chest, back
Wednesday- shoulders , biceps
Friday- triceps forearms
Sunday- legs, abbs
i just need advice if my new plan is appropriate for mass, and is the way im seperating my new plan good too.
thank you
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