Help with a workout plan.

[Signal9]

The13ig13adWolf,
As far as gains at 20cal/lb, yes but fairly slowly which is probably a good thing.

[The13ig13adWolf]

The home gym has just got the basic setup. Similar to this one but different brand and has an extra padded piece that connects to the leg extension --> http://www.sportslocker.com.au/produ...ail.asp?ID=495

It was the only one I could afford at the moment. I have just set it up last night.

do you have any DBs or freeweights of any kind?

Can the HIIT be done on a treadmill? It's a bit hard to take my toddler along we live in a small country town so child care is limited. Though I'll be moving to a bigger state in two months.

absolutely. rather than slowing the treadmill down for the active rest periods, just hold on to the side rails and jump off/back on. keep in mind the sprints should be as fast as you can hold them for the allotted time. the reason why i say jump off rather than slowing the treadmill down is, the amout of time it takes you to slow it down counts as part of the rest period and you're gonna want to take full advantage of that.

I will be fixing my diet too as I don't really have a set meal each day, it is usually whatever I throw together but I eat a lot of bread.
Would a protein powder do much good in regards with muscle development? Not the meal replacement one but just the whey protein. I read it helps with muscle recovery time and building of muscle. I'm thinking of this one --> http://www.thexton.com.au/product/Au...Powder__1.75kg

protein powders are great post workout due to the absorbtion rate. i'd also go with a low GI carb (ie. rice cakes or white rice) post workout too as your body needs both. the breakdown of that powder looks fine. everyone has their preferences so it's just a matter of finding one that tastes good to you provided the sugar content is low.

I did about an hours workout on the total 1000 gym which consisted of leg pulls, arm pullover, butterfly, seated row, squat, decline abs crunch, stretcher (for back, hamstring). I did 20-25 reps and 2 sets of each.
I also tried to do some pushups but I just fell flat on my face and wobbled back up. The thing is the NSW Police allow us to choose either the normal push ups or the ones on the knees but I'd prefer to do the normal pushups as I want to be fairly strong and not wimpy (which I am at the moment...lol).

an hour is good. why 20-25 reps of each? if strength is your goal the reps should come down and the weight should go up. i agree with the normal push ups v. 'girl' push ups. good decision ;).

The next day my arms and legs were sore and it didn't help I got hardly any sleep so I just set up my gym which took half a day to figure out and went to bed early.

So what I want to say is do you all still do exercises even when you're tired or have sore muscles? Also, do you do the exercises the exact same time each day and before or after eating, does it matter?

depends on how sore. on a scale of 1-10 if you're an 8...skip training. if you're more like a 4...go for it. if you're going to be doing some kind of full-body, don't train every day/consecutive days. timing of training doesn't matter, it's all about your personal preference.

eat before and after. training fasted = not a good idea. as a side note, HIIT should be treated as a training session in that respect. eat before (far enough so you don't cramp up though)

Another thing, I am so weak that I can't even put on one weight on the home gym. I just use the top upper weight because any more it is too hard. I could probably use it but with a bit of struggle. Shall I just try it or just get use to the upper weight thing, which is the same heaviness as each individual weight and then give it a go when I'm stronger?

form is important so don't just try heavier weight if you're compromising your form in any way.

[The13ig13adWolf]

The13ig13adWolf,
As far as gains at 20cal/lb, yes but fairly slowly which is probably a good thing.

definitely a good thing. when you're trying to put on size, putting on some fat is inevitable. slower weight increase (ie. 1lb a week) puts you in a better position to keep the fat gain an minimal as possible.

[woodyzj]

I might suggest looking into doing cardio at your target heart rate as well.

I believe the calculation is: 220-(age)=(answer)*65%-75%=THR

Although this may be another argued topic; cardio at max heart rates causing a catabolizing of the muscle..which is not advised as your body will begin eating muscle deposits rather than fat....but I would imagine a diverse lifting program and decent caloric intake might offset some muscle catabolism.

[Jynkxxie]

an hour is good. why 20-25 reps of each? if strength is your goal the reps should come down and the weight should go up. i agree with the normal push ups v. 'girl' push ups. good decision ;).

OMG! Someone else has heard of this! LOL I thought it was just me. I am amazed that it is allowed though.

I say do as many normal pushups as you can, then continue with "girl" push ups, and then, rinse and repeat.

[The13ig13adWolf]

OMG! Someone else has heard of this! LOL I thought it was just me. I am amazed that it is allowed though.

I say do as many normal pushups as you can, then continue with "girl" push ups, and then, rinse and repeat.

LOL, that's what i've always called 'em while thinking to myself....why does it have to be a 'girl push up'??? i don't do them that way and i'm a chick :p.

i didn't think they were permitted either. the departments down here from what i know (south fl) don't give you an option. it seems as though it would invite a stigma.

[bree]

do you have any DBs or freeweights of any kind?

No I don't have any though I could buy some dumbells. Are these what you are talking about? The big one or the small ones or both? http://www.paulswarehouse.com.au/sho...cat=323&page=1

an hour is good. why 20-25 reps of each? if strength is your goal the reps should come down and the weight should go up.

The reps are suggested on the Total Gym exercise booklet. The thing is the total gym only uses the weight of the person on it. More intense would be attained by adjusting the height of the bench to lay on.
I do 5kms or 20 mins on a exercise bike and the rest is the total gym. I did the same workout yesterday and my muscles do not hurt I just feel I have used the muscles but no pain. Does that mean I recover quickly or my arms got use to it within one day?

I'll be going to a personal trainer tommorrow hopefully he/she can give me a work out plan that coincides with what I have to test on.

The knee push ups or 'girl' push ups have only been implemented in the last few months, before that it was just the normal ones. Doesn't make me want to do them anyway.

Just a question for you The13ig13adWolf, could you always do pushups or was there an exercise that strengthen your arms where you were able to do your first pushup, or could you do them anyway?

I thought I could do 1 pushup but I have been trying all yesterday and I can manage half way but then my tummy sort of hits the ground first and getting back up is a bit of a wobble. But I do feel that the more I strengthen these arms the more I will be doing the push ups properly. I know it is only early days but my arms feel stronger already like when I try to do the pushups I can do it a lot better then before I started exercises.

Thanks again for your help.

[Jynkxxie]

I would be interested in your opinion of the Total Gym. I was going to get that, but for half of the price I got the Weider Platinum Plus. It was geared more towards what I was looking for more than the Total Gym, but would still be interested in your thoughts.

[The13ig13adWolf]

No I don't have any though I could buy some dumbells. Are these what you are talking about? The big one or the small ones or both? http://www.paulswarehouse.com.au/sho...cat=323&page=1

both would be ideal. a barbell (the big one) and dumbbells (the smaller ones) are used for different exercises.

The reps are suggested on the Total Gym exercise booklet. The thing is the total gym only uses the weight of the person on it. More intense would be attained by adjusting the height of the bench to lay on.
I do 5kms or 20 mins on a exercise bike and the rest is the total gym. I did the same workout yesterday and my muscles do not hurt I just feel I have used the muscles but no pain. Does that mean I recover quickly or my arms got use to it within one day?

hmmm. i'd adjust the height in order to go heavier and reduce the reps either way, keep in mind your goal is strength. in addition, if you're gonna do both cardio/training in one session, lift first. cardio pre-workout can compromise your training.

I'll be going to a personal trainer tommorrow hopefully he/she can give me a work out plan that coincides with what I have to test on.

there are a lot of cookie cutter/below par trainers out there. most (not all) are not worth the money so i'd see what he/she had to offer before hiring full-on. check educational background, what kind of cert(s), how long he/she has been training, ask to check out others training programs that he/she has devised (if they all look the same, run), see if he/she has ever trained anyone for these types of physical agility tests.

Just a question for you The13ig13adWolf, could you always do pushups or was there an exercise that strengthen your arms where you were able to do your first pushup, or could you do them anyway?

last june i could maybe do 2. now i can knock out about 30 (military style)without taking a 'breather pause', more with one or two of those.

I thought I could do 1 pushup but I have been trying all yesterday and I can manage half way but then my tummy sort of hits the ground first and getting back up is a bit of a wobble. But I do feel that the more I strengthen these arms the more I will be doing the push ups properly. I know it is only early days but my arms feel stronger already like when I try to do the pushups I can do it a lot better then before I started exercises.

Thanks again for your help.

that's ok. everyone has to start somewhere. before ya know it, you'll be pumpin' out 50+ ;).

[The13ig13adWolf]

I would be interested in your opinion of the Total Gym. I was going to get that, but for half of the price I got the Weider Platinum Plus. It was geared more towards what I was looking for more than the Total Gym, but would still be interested in your thoughts.

i don't know if your question is for me or bree so i'll just give my opinion anyway :p. i've never been a big fan of any total gym/bowflex/all inclusive mechanism. strictly my own personal preference but there's nothing superior to free weights. the problem with machines is they put you on a fixed plane therefore eliminating use of your stabilizer muscles. utilizing stabilizer muscles from the getgo will make a person stronger and prevent injury in the long run.

for the sake of an example, ever see a person squat on a smith and then try to push the same weight on a full/free weight squat? they can't. especially if they're pre-condidtioned on a smith (which, in my opinion, is the single largest waste of space in any gym but that's a whole new discussion).

[bree]

I would be interested in your opinion of the Total Gym. I was going to get that, but for half of the price I got the Weider Platinum Plus. It was geared more towards what I was looking for more than the Total Gym, but would still be interested in your thoughts.

Not sure if you are talking about the same total gym? I got the basic one total gym 1000? As I looked at the Weider that you have and it is something like $1000US and the total gym cost me $200AUD
This is what I got --> http://www.infomercialbuys.com/total-gym-1000.html

I think for a beginner as myself it will build strength but for someone that is pretty strong it would probably only maintain fitness as you are limited because you pull your own weight and there are only about 5 -6 incline adjustments to make it more intense. So far I've noticed some improvements of muscle development though it is very early days for me.

[Jynkxxie]

i don't know if your question is for me or bree so i'll just give my opinion anyway :p. i've never been a big fan of any total gym/bowflex/all inclusive mechanism. strictly my own personal preference but there's nothing superior to free weights. the problem with machines is they put you on a fixed plane therefore eliminating use of your stabilizer muscles. utilizing stabilizer muscles from the getgo will make a person stronger and prevent injury in the long run.

for the sake of an example, ever see a person squat on a smith and then try to push the same weight on a full/free weight squat? they can't. especially if they're pre-condidtioned on a smith (which, in my opinion, is the single largest waste of space in any gym but that's a whole new discussion).

I agree and disagree. The bowflex had a lot of restrictions on the freedom of motion, the machine I have now does not. Sometimes, restricting motion is a good thing, for not everyone knows "how" to lift. I have been studying, lifting, working out for many years now, and have used both methods. Where I see fit I integrate free weights, and vice versa. Free weights are no good to a user who does not know what they are doing. Restricting motion sometimes stabalizes (sp) the user and therefore restricts the exercise to the muscle it is designed to work. The real benefit I see to free weights is in toning, and shaping the muscles. Building the definition, not necessarily in their mass. And free weights are good for that because there is more range of motion. But if you don't have anything to define well...

Like a pitcher, I have one knee, one ankle, one wrist and one shoulder that I need. My knee in particular, is put under a lot of stress weekly that a lot of other people do not have. It is already finiky. I cannot do free weight lunges, or squats. I rely on my smith machine to keep me in line and keep as much stress off of my knee as possible.

We all have our opinions, the only one that matters is the one that produces results, which is different for everyone. ;)

[Jynkxxie]

Not sure if you are talking about the same total gym? I got the basic one total gym 1000? As I looked at the Weider that you have and it is something like $1000US and the total gym cost me $200AUD
This is what I got --> http://www.infomercialbuys.com/total-gym-1000.html

I think for a beginner as myself it will build strength but for someone that is pretty strong it would probably only maintain fitness as you are limited because you pull your own weight and there are only about 5 -6 incline adjustments to make it more intense. So far I've noticed some improvements of muscle development though it is very early days for me.

Yeah the total gym I wanted was a wee bit more than that. I was interested in it more for the pilates routines that I could invent with it. More or less I am looking at your opinion on the range of motion it gives the user.

[The13ig13adWolf]

free weight squats would actually have the potential to improve your knee problems. i actually think it's important for a beginner to start off with free weights and learn correct form straight away.

different strokes are absolutely better for different folks though and progress is progress no matter how you slice it .

[bree]

both would be ideal. a barbell (the big one) and dumbbells (the smaller ones) are used for different exercises.

I'll look into buying these too. I have noticed that some exercise plans require these.

hmmm. i'd adjust the height in order to go heavier and reduce the reps either way, keep in mind your goal is strength. in addition, if you're gonna do both cardio/training in one session, lift first. cardio pre-workout can compromise your training.

I gather it is best to do cardios on seperate days to weights?

there are a lot of cookie cutter/below par trainers out there....
see if he/she has ever trained anyone for these types of physical agility tests.

Yeah, I think you may be right there. I live in a country town, only one major gym and one police station so...

I think I might sit down have a good read of everything again and work out a plan based on the equipment I have at home plus the dumbells I will buy (been looking at them anyway) and the physical assessment and base it on that. Then I'll post it up to get opinions on it.

before ya know it, you'll be pumpin' out 50+ ;).

I wish...lol