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starting work out


donnadee

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i need help with deciding how to begin work out..i would like to begin lifting weights , not for weight loss, but for building muscle...i have had no past experience with gym so need advice on where and how to start...would i need to get a trainer to learn the right techniques or can i do it on my own?

thanks

 

 

on another note, im planning on taking up a sport..any recommendations...i'd love to try tennis or golf...(any tips on where in GTA lessons are offered for beginners?)

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Google is a good place to start for detailed beginner routines and videos(youtube) on how to perform the exercises with correct technique/form. Search john berardi for solid advice on nutrition.

 

Avoid routines that include pictures of steroid jacked men telling you to do 3 different exercises per muscle group.

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Personally, I love three exercises: Bench press, squats and pull ups. I think you should slowly (as in low weight) try these three first and do these to build up a base. Then you can add other exercises that target specific muscle groups.

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I'd also recommend you learn the proper techniques for deadlifts, squats, and bench presses which are a staple for those who lift naturally. BB.com is definitely a great resource.

After a few months I'd recommend you look into Stronglifts.com. I'm following their system at the moment and have been enjoying the new gains/PRs.

 

Also don't buy the hype into all supplements available. Quality whey and a solid nutrition plan will have you seeing gains on the scale, and save you money.

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I'll add..

 

You should always work your muscles in antagonist/protagonist pairs, so if you work your chest, then do your back also. Biceps - triceps. Quads - hamstrings and so on. Be absolutely sure you do the movement with perfect technique. It's much easier to gain correct technique from scratch then develop a wrong pattern and try to change it later! If you're not sure about technique, it might be worth your money to pay a trainer for a few sessions at the beginning (not talking about months).

 

You build muscle doing a smaller amount of reps with more weight as opposed to endurance. My magic number is mostly 6 reps, sometimes 8 with 3-4 sets of each exercise.

 

Training is fun!! For cardio, find something you enjoy. If you like running, then run. If you don't, then try biking or maybe hiking or tennis.. :)

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to add to that, i wud say to do cardio 5 days a week, cardio helps so much being able to have the stamina to begin weight training.

 

i may be a bit biased since im a hardcore runner i would say min 3 times a week 30 min, if you want to get in good toned, muscular shape, i would say build to 6 days a week at least an hour a day. if you just want to be bulky 3 times a week should do.

 

Don't forget to jog at least once a week.

 

And eat your spinach. lol but seriously, jogging is good for you.

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If gaining mass is your goal I highly recommend taking a protein supplement with your workouts. You'll find that since you havent really done it before you muscles will be SORE.. the protein will help with recovery and in building mass :) Also I wouldn't recommend dieting. Stick to a healthy diet, but don't short yourself on calories. You want to gain size and you need energy to do so!

 

As for a trainer, if you have a friend who lifts weights that would be a great place to start. Head to bb.com to figure out what kind of workout routine you want to do and then get your friend to show you the proper techniques. If you don't have a friend who lifts, find a friend who wants to work out with you anyways! Its always more fun to go with someone, i find lifting alone to be kinda boring.

 

Lastly, stick to it! You will see results almost very quickly but its kind of like a log function. Just because you see fast results doesn't mean you should slack off! Otherwise you'll end up going into a rhythm of hypertrophy, atrophy over and over :(

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I don't really train for bulking, I go for the swimmer/soccer player/healthy look, imo it tooks a lot more natural and you still get exceptionally strong, just not bulky. But everyone's different, some people enjoy being able to bench 300 (aghhhh!!!), whereas some people just like being able to go out and do a half marathon at a whim in the middle of the night, lol.

 

I've never been the type to count calories, have a system, anything like that, just try to get in 50-80 k a week of running during the summer and as much as I can during school and hit the gym 4-5 times a week for an hour and work on whatever feels like it needs working on (mostly what's recovered and doesn't hurt).

 

I'm sure there's probably all sorts of plans and things you can follow but iuno, I'm always was a bit too lazy for it, it's usually just like I feel I want to beat by body up for a bit so I go running randomly, lol.

 

 

But for gaining mass, I think cardio is detrimental more than anything. Long distance running does little for muscle hypertrophy, wastes calories and eats up recovery time. For bodybuilding purposes, cardio's used to lose fat. But this is circumstantial. A 160lbs guy would just need to cut 250cals, say a serving of chicken. A 260lbs would lose more calories in the same amount of time doing cardio, but would need to cut down his calories by maybe 1000, so he might as well just do the cardio if he feels the restriction is too hard mentally/physically.

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Here's an article i wrote on the topic of nutrition for muscle building...

 

 

Not everyone wants to be a bodybuilder nor does everyone want to be huge but there are a good number of guys out there for whatever reason are looking to bulk up and become more muscular than what they are now. Maybe they're underweight. Maybe they're short and think being more muscular will solve some of life's obstacles. Maybe they don't have a specific cause they are trying to address but quite simply want to get bigger - muscular.

 

So how does that happen? Well, the answer is easy but the process it not. First, the Answer:

 

Eat lots.

Train hard.

Rest lots.

Be consistent.

 

Seems simple right? Eat lots (of the right foods of course); train hard and lots; do it consistently; and finally... rest. Rest you say? Yes rest. Growth comes not from training but from resting and letting muscles heal; repair and grow but more on that later.

 

So yeah, simple. Not quite because here comes the process part:

 

Lots of eating:

Yes, it's true. In order to put on size you need food but the correct types of food. You need proteins; carbs and fats. Typically for putting on size you need more carbs than protein but in order to keep this simple for you beginners let's just say protein; carbs; and fats in a 40%/40%/20% ratio. 40%/40%/20% meaning 40% of your total daily calories from protein, 40% of your total daily calories from carbs and 20% of your total daily calories from fat.

 

Protein you say? Yes, protein. Protein is the building blocks of muscle so since we're looking to put on muscle we'll definitely want a lot of this good stuff. But what kind of proteins? These are the generally accepted protein sources:

 

Lean Steak (eye of the round, inside round, top sirloin, tenderloin, sirloin tip)

Lean Ground Beef (Extra Lean if possible)

Chicken Breast

Lean Ground Chicken

Turkey Breast

Lean Ground Turkey

Egg Whites

Whole Eggs (Omega 3's are beast for heart healthy)

Salmon

Tilapia

Tuna

Cottage Cheese

Milk

Whey Protein

 

Lots of variety to choose from to keep the protein sources interesting and not totally boring.

 

Now, what about carbs? So easy, so convenient, so tasty. Yes this is true but the general rule of thumb is if you can buy it pre-packaged and it tastes good out of the bag or box then it's not the kind of carb that you want. Good, clean sources of carbs is what we're after. And those are:

 

Oatmeal

Yams/Sweet Potatoe

Lentils

Beans

Brown Rice

White Rice (yes this is fine when consumed with a lean protein source and some fat)

Whote Wheat Pasta

Regular Pasta (see the explanation for white rice)

Whole Grain Cereals

Whole Grain Breads

 

The question I know you're wondering is... don't carbs make people fat? The answer to that is complex but the short answer is yes and no. When consumed in abundance leading a sedentary lifestyle (little activity) and when those carbs are mostly simple (sugar) carbs and processed (not in their natural state) then yes that typically will lead to a person storing bodyfat but when used in a balanced diet combined with physical activity then no you won't store bodyfat or at the very least the storage will be minimal but since we're on the quest for muscle a little bodyfat is needed.

 

So why does the body need carbs? Simple: energy. If you were to not eat carbs and just live off protein and fat or just protein then the body would begin using protein as an energy source and since protein cannot be stored in the body like carbs and fat can then that protein has to come from somewhere. But where? Muscle! Yes the very muscle you are trying to increase. Carbs give you the energy you need to get through a day and to conduct your training. They spare the body of having to rely on protein in your muscle to provide you with energy.

 

 

Now that we have protein and carbs covered we need to add in the fats. Like protein and carbs, fat is just as important to our muscle building goals. Like carbs there are good carbs (complex, starchy) and bad carbs (simple, sugar processed) and with fat there are good fats and bad fats. The fats that we're looking for are Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. These are considered Essential Fatty Acids. Essential in the sense that they body requires them. Some sources of these fat sources are:

 

Omega 3 Eggs

Walnuts (raw)

Almonds (raw)

Cachews (raw)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Macadamia Nut Oil

Avocado

Natural Peanut Butter

Natural Almond Butter

Natural Cashew Butter

 

Why is fat important? Well, it's important for a couple reasons. 1) The body is made up of fat so it just makes sense to feed the body the things that it requires. The body is made of water yet we wouldn't think of restricting water so the same applies with fats. 2) It stimulates various hormones in the body namely Testosterone. 3) Metabolism increase. 4) Supresses Insulin Release (insulin secretion = fat storage). 5) Stimulate Growth Hormone. So with all these reasons why fat is important in the body it makes little sense to restrict fats - the good fats at least. But what about the bad fats that come from french fries, bacon, burgers, etc. As the old saying goes... you are what you eat but a little treat every now and again won't hurt you so enjoy - but in moderation!

 

 

Now that know the nutritional components required to building muscle how does one put it all together? Here's a sample nutritional plan based on 2500 calories:

 

 

2500 Calories (40/40/20)

 

 

Meal 1:

2 Omega 3 Eggs

6 Egg Whites

1.5 Cups Oatmeal (cooked)

 

 

Meal 2:

5oz Lean Steak (cooked)

1 Cup Brown Rice (cooked)

 

 

Meal 3:

5oz Chicken Breast (cooked)

1.5 Cups Yams (cooked)

 

 

Meal 4:

5oz Lean Steak (cooked)

1 Cup Brown Rice (cooked)

 

 

Meal 5:

5oz Chicken Breast (cooked)

1.5 Cups Yams (cooked)

 

 

Meal 6:

1 Scoop Whey Protein Isolate (30 gram scoop)

1TBSP Natural Peanut Butter

 

 

Calories: 2538

Protein: 258grams

Carbs: 249grams

Fat: 56grams

 

 

Simple. Easy. Effective. Do that til you get bored and then sub in some new carb and protein sources to create the same macronutrient balance. Nutrition is the first and most important aspect to any weight gain or weight loss goals. Without sound nutrition as the foundation it won't matter how hard or how often you train because the results will be less than impressive.

 

 

Now that we have an effective and sound muscle gaining nutritional strategy we can hit the weights and start building it! Til next time...

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I don't really train for bulking, I go for the swimmer/soccer player/healthy look, imo it tooks a lot more natural and you still get exceptionally strong, just not bulky. But everyone's different, some people enjoy being able to bench 300 (aghhhh!!!), whereas some people just like being able to go out and do a half marathon at a whim in the middle of the night, lol.

 

I've never been the type to count calories, have a system, anything like that, just try to get in 50-80 k a week of running during the summer and as much as I can during school and hit the gym 4-5 times a week for an hour and work on whatever feels like it needs working on (mostly what's recovered and doesn't hurt).

 

I'm sure there's probably all sorts of plans and things you can follow but iuno, I'm always was a bit too lazy for it, it's usually just like I feel I want to beat by body up for a bit so I go running randomly, lol.

 

Going along with what you said, I really don't think anyone starting (we're not talking being a powerlifter here!) doesn't need to concern themselves with taking any supplements, or changing their diets unless it's not healthy to start with. Just be logical.

 

It's possible to gain a lot of strength and definition without bulking up too. You run, I was in the water 25+ hours a week on top of weights. Right before my last surgery I was deadlifting around 110kg and pulling around 180lbs which is pretty good for a swimmer. I honestly haven't done any bench pressing with a bar in over 2 years, just not needed for me and bad for my repaired shoulders.

 

I've always had a strict schedule training with a group, but once that's over I'm not stressing it out anymore. I've never counted calories or had a particular diet either, just be conscious of putting enough fuel in my body for my needs.

 

Beginning = taking it easy, finding what you like doing and doing it correctly, sticking to the bases. Just have a healthy lifestyle :)

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i'm one of those people that can never maintain a weightlifting regime, simply because the gym gets really boring to me after a while. I've take up rock-climbing/ bouldering. it doesn't really 'bulk' you up, but it definitely strengthens your muscles in a more natural way, and tones absolutely everything. Plus, you have the opportunity to climb outside in the summer and there's an awesome climbing culture/social scene!

 

for cardio, I play ball hockey. nothing gets your heart rate going than chasing a ball around an empty rink in 30 degrees for an hour!

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In an ideal world where I had the time and money on a student budget to afford all the food listed by Aaron I would be eating steak and chicken breasts everyday. But since I'm on a budget and am mainly concerned with consuming excess calories vs expenditure for weight gain, 2-3 of my daily meals comes from pre-boned chicken thighs from Costco. $20 for a pack x2 lasts me 1.5 weeks.

Skip the omega eggs and have a serving of fatty fish 3x a week.

Include high fiber nutrient dense veggies to keep it all regular.

 

Swim - I've had shoulder surgery to repair a multiple dislocated shoulder, and am benching close to 2 plates a side for reps. Perhaps look into a safer benching technique for those with shoulder ailments where emphasis is reduced on the shoulders? I can't think of another exercise that stimulates the chest as effectively.

 

+1 for table tennis as weekly cardio.

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Here are some articles by my favourite exercise scientist: Dr. Len Kravitz. He is a real exercise science guru and an amazing presenter! I have seen his presentations at numerous fitness conferences and I always make a point to register for at least one of his sessions at the conferences I attend.

 

http://www.drlenkravitz.com/Pages/articles.html

 

Articles on strength training:

http://www.drlenkravitz.com/Articles/burnfat.html

http://www.drlenkravitz.com/Articles/trainfailuredlk.html

 

If you can afford it, having a personal trainer for a session or two would be a great investment. They can show you how to do the various strength training exercises properly, so that you don't hurt yourself and you get the most out of your workout. Find someone who is certified with a reputable agency. Trainers certified with the Canadian Society Of Exercise Physiology (CSEP) are the most highly trained - they have to have a university degree in kinesiology/human kinetics. Then there are trainers who hold diplomas from various colleges (ie. from Humber, NAIT, etc.) After that, trainers certified with CanFitPro or the Y received top-notch certifications, but don't hold a kin-related degree or diploma. So if you go the trainer route, be sure to ask about their certification.

 

Good luck! I love lifting. I'm a resist-a-ball certified trainer, so I love using the stability ball for strength training.

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As a grad student in nutrition science I would have to disagree with your recommendation of a protein supplement. Right after a workout, your plasma AA are already very high, meaning that excretion and breakdown of AA is high as well, and giving large, fast-digesting source of protein right after will be wasted. Just make sure you eat a balanced meal within 30-60 min post workout and you'll be fine. Also just make sure you are in positive energy balance (i.e. intake more kcal than you expend) or you won't be gaining anything.

 

If gaining mass is your goal I highly recommend taking a protein supplement with your workouts. You'll find that since you havent really done it before you muscles will be SORE.. the protein will help with recovery and in building mass :) Also I wouldn't recommend dieting. Stick to a healthy diet, but don't short yourself on calories. You want to gain size and you need energy to do so!

 

As for a trainer, if you have a friend who lifts weights that would be a great place to start. Head to bb.com to figure out what kind of workout routine you want to do and then get your friend to show you the proper techniques. If you don't have a friend who lifts, find a friend who wants to work out with you anyways! Its always more fun to go with someone, i find lifting alone to be kinda boring.

 

Lastly, stick to it! You will see results almost very quickly but its kind of like a log function. Just because you see fast results doesn't mean you should slack off! Otherwise you'll end up going into a rhythm of hypertrophy, atrophy over and over :(

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In an ideal world where I had the time and money on a student budget to afford all the food listed by Aaron I would be eating steak and chicken breasts everyday. But since I'm on a budget and am mainly concerned with consuming excess calories vs expenditure for weight gain, 2-3 of my daily meals comes from pre-boned chicken thighs from Costco. $20 for a pack x2 lasts me 1.5 weeks.

Skip the omega eggs and have a serving of fatty fish 3x a week.

Include high fiber nutrient dense veggies to keep it all regular.

 

Swim - I've had shoulder surgery to repair a multiple dislocated shoulder, and am benching close to 2 plates a side for reps. Perhaps look into a safer benching technique for those with shoulder ailments where emphasis is reduced on the shoulders? I can't think of another exercise that stimulates the chest as effectively.

 

+1 for table tennis as weekly cardio.

 

Oh I can press with dumbbells, I just can't do it with a bar because of the hand angle. It's the one exercise that's the most dangerous for the particular repairs I have. In the end it doesn't matter much since swimming is more pulling than pushing anyways. Most efficient for us is single arm dumbbell press instead. I can work flies too.

 

Rock climbing is totally awesome I agree! Once I have the ok from my surgeon I'm definitely going back!

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As a grad student in nutrition science I would have to disagree with your recommendation of a protein supplement. Right after a workout, your plasma AA are already very high, meaning that excretion and breakdown of AA is high as well, and giving large, fast-digesting source of protein right after will be wasted. Just make sure you eat a balanced meal within 30-60 min post workout and you'll be fine. Also just make sure you are in positive energy balance (i.e. intake more kcal than you expend) or you won't be gaining anything.

 

Quoted for truth

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I weight about 160 lbs and around 185 cm. I am fairly lean but would like to gain muscle mass while cutting down on my body fat% to look cut. I am currently working out about 3-4 time a weeks and generally do 20 mins of biking after to burn some fat. I would love to get an awesome core but have no idea how to get one. Any recommendations for me?

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Wow, so many wise premeds! Not to hijack your threat or anything, but would anyone be able to advise on the opposite i.e. losing weight and toning? I've recently gone vegetarian so no delicious meat protein for me, unfortunately. I tried to start jogging, but I've always had incredible difficulty with it. I've also been swimming, but only a little (45 min, 3 times a week) due to limited pool hours. Anyone wanna advise me on diet/exercise tips? Please and thank you!

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Wow, so many wise premeds! Not to hijack your threat or anything, but would anyone be able to advise on the opposite i.e. losing weight and toning? I've recently gone vegetarian so no delicious meat protein for me, unfortunately. I tried to start jogging, but I've always had incredible difficulty with it. I've also been swimming, but only a little (45 min, 3 times a week) due to limited pool hours. Anyone wanna advise me on diet/exercise tips? Please and thank you!

 

I am looking for info on the same thing. I need to get back into the exercise train, just 2 months until my fellow med students see me and right now I look like the 'before' ad on Dr Bernstein commercials. I already eat properly, but if you could point me to some recommended sites with simple to follow (cheap!) exercise plans I'd forever be in your debt ;)

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