Some help for a (now) thin guy...

[scrawnyguy]

Hi folks... I have been lurking these boards for a while, and have read many, many semi conflicting opinions on training/diet combinations, so I am (yet again) gonna open that door and ask for help... but first The Story:

I am 39 years old, 5' 10", 170 lbs., and tend towards the thick side. (Not sure if that really qualifies as mezomorph or however that is spelled...) Exactly a year ago, I was 258 lbs., and was totally out of shape.

By using the machines at the gym 5 days a week, and cutting out fats and carbs to an unhealthy degree, I managed to shred down to 155 in about 6 months. (I never did any aerobic activity, I simply used the weight lifting machines... unless you count a 15 minute warm up on a stairmaster...)

For the next 6 months, I have been working my strength back up, have added a lot of proteins, good fats, and veggies back into the diet (about 1800 calories a day) and have brought my weight up to a really toned 170-172.

Supplement-wise, I use Designer Protein, Amino (Mass) Liqiud, No2, DHEA, and creatine, as well as GNC Mega-Men vitamins. I have considered 'riods, but don't think I am there yet. Maybe next year for that...

I work out daily, which is, from what I gather, too much. I have a great 24 hour gym with tons of equipment. I am currently working each muscle group through 3 movements each; reps 12/10/8 increasing to fail, 12/10/8 again, and on the last movement medium weight 10/10/10.

Now for the Questions:

1) I still have a small fat deposit around my navel/ab area. How the hell do I get rid of it without burning off the muscle I have gained?

2) I am still using machines, but want to switch to free weight; anyone know of a beginner book that will show me the movements? I am a klutz, and do not naturally pick up stuff like this without being shown exactly what to do. I cannot afford a trainer, and kind of keep to myself at the gym.

3) How do I work my butt safely? I had L4-5 and L4-3 removed in September, and my surgeon will not permit me to do squats, at all. I have tried using the leg press machine, but it doesn't seem to reach the glute.

4) Arms. I have little arms/shoulders. How often should I work them and in what combination... some isolate tris/bis/shoulders, others say work it all together? What works?

5) I do not sleep well. I work odd shifts, so I usually get 5 to 6 hours at a stretch, max. More often, it is 4 hours, twice in a 24 hour period, rather than 8 straight. Is that affecting muscle growth in a really dramatic way?

6) I am 100% unwilling to gain fat, even if it slows muscle gains. I worked too freaking hard to change the shape of my body. I fear fat. I was a blubber ball. Is there any way to get gains without gaining fat?

Here's a shot of where I am at... any suggestions from all you muscle gods out there would be really great. Thanks in advance, folks!

 

[Tom Treutlein]

First, the fat around your navel area is simply that - fat. You get rid of it like you would any other fat. That's probably going to be real stubborn though and you shouldn't stress out about trying to get rid of it.

Second, use www.exrx.net for some basic guidelines for how to use free weights. They're not too complicated, you don't need to buy a book on it. Just check out the sticky at the top of this board "Training Routines & Exercise Descriptions" to find a link on how to bench, squat, and deadlift properly.

Third, you can use good mornings, leg curls, and lunges to hit the glutes.

Fourth, anything will work. Bis/Tris together is nice. Others like to put the small muscle groups with their bigger synergists, as in chest/tris and back/bis.

Fifth, it is effecting growth. To what degree, it's hard to say exactly. Just try to get as much solid sleep as you can. 4+4 isn't as good as a straight 8.

Sixth, you can gain muscle without fat, but it's so difficult that it's not worth it. Just deal with some extra fat, my man. You may be 100% unwilling now, but eventually you'll realize it's better to go to one extreme, then the next. You don't need to become a fat ass again, but you'll lose whatever abs you have (most likely). Don't worry about it!

 

[scrawnyguy]

Tom,

Thanks for your response... some of it I wanted to hear, some I didn't. I don't know how (with what I do for a living) I am going to get 8 straight hours of sleep a night (on-call system administrator for a major ISP in charge of some crucial systems...) but I will make it a priority. I will check out the free weight sites, thanks again.

I do want to probe deeper on one thing... frequency. For someone at my level of fitness, with the goals I have, do you think frequency is a problem? I am resting a muscle group every other day, with two days in a row off once every two weeks. (If I stay in sequence, the body parts getting the 2 day rest rotate every second week...) Some of the things I have been reading would seem to indicate that I am in overkill mode here, and burning down any gains. Thoughts?

Again... thanks for the guidance, folks...

Jay

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Well, you're a beginner so whatever you do will work. I'd stick with whole body workouts, M/W/F to get yourself started. 3x8 or 4x6 rep schemes, 2-3 exercises for the major bodyparts, 1-2 for the smaller ones. Hell, you can focus on ONLY heavy compound lifts and grow. You're new, take advantage of that. Get your diet in order and just train hard. Be consistent. What you're doing now probably isn't overtraining, but as your training intensity increases, it may throw you across that boundary.

 

[scrawnyguy]

You rule, man. Thank you. I think this is the first time I have gotten straight answers to straight questions from anybody. I am sitting here with my journal re-working the next month's worth of workouts... (looks like I need to add a food plan to it as well... ) Beach season is almost here... gotta get moving!!!

 

[vinylgroover]

I wouldn't worry too much about gaining a little extra fat in order to grow some muscle.......you've got the diet locked in and your training is evolving........now that you have learnt how to apply and live a healthier lifestyle, you are less likely to get your 'fat' out of control as it was previously.

You're prolly not overtraining, but it's not a bad thing to learn the less is more mantra early on, because once it becomes an attitude thing, it can become very difficult to cut down on your training in the future when you need to. I have seen quite a few guys who have been doing high volume training for so long and their gains have stopped but they find it very hard to reduce the volume ofteir training through fear they will regress even though it could beneft them.

 

[du Chaneaux17]

Ya' man I agree start out like that and after a cycle or two, switch it up to a different type of split. They say it's better to change up like that for better muscle growth. And just eat alot bro', that's one thing that will help the most for muscle growth, along with training and sleep. Keep at it, bro'

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Who is "they" that says it's good to change it up? I can tell you one thing, "they" are wrong. You don't need to change anything up to grow muscle. Overload the muscle, supply it with nutrients in abundance and it will grow. None of this switching things up to "shock" the muscle bullshit.

 

[vinylgroover]

Who is "they" that says it's good to change it up? I can tell you one thing, "they" are wrong. You don't need to change anything up to grow muscle. Overload the muscle, supply it with nutrients in abundance and it will grow. None of this switching things up to "shock" the muscle bullshit.

word

 

[du Chaneaux17]

Who is "they" that says it's good to change it up? I can tell you one thing, "they" are wrong. You don't need to change anything up to grow muscle. Overload the muscle, supply it with nutrients in abundance and it will grow. None of this switching things up to "shock" the muscle bullshit.

Excuse me, tommy boy, but I may not be able to prove that I'm right about this, but can you prove that I'm wrong? I'm just trying to give the man some motivation, and if what I say is wrong than say so without puttin' me down in a cocky way. It's just I've read before that changing up helps muscle growth, that "shocking" bullshit, but if this isn't true than I stand wrong.