Newbie Introduction

[girlboxer]

First I would like to say thank you for some great advice I have already received, it saved me from making a decision I was really not ready for.

Simple stats (as I have not been measured in a while but intend to do so this weekend)

During the week I train at 4:30 am one the weekends it can be whenever. I keep a weekly log.

Age: 43 (tomorrow)
Weight: 124.5 (last time weighed, I don't do it very often because I go by feel)
Height: 5'6 (swear I'm shrinking as I get older)

Sample Diet (Yesterday's meals)

6:30 am - post workout shake Pure WPI and water / Creatine

8:30 am - 1 cup Greek non-fat plain yogurt, 1 cup blueberries, 2 organic weetabix biscuits

11:00 am - Medium apple, low fat string cheese, 14 Almounds

1:30 pm - 1/2 cup brown rice, 4 oz extra lean turkey patty, zucchini

4:00 pm - Pear, 1 tbsp natural peanut butter (was a bit more hungry because of workout)

6:30 pm -Tilapia, spinach, 1 cup mixed zucchini/yellow squash, balsamic vinegar

9:00 pm - Casein protein with water

Last weeks workouts:

Arms:
BB standing curls 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
Standing overhead DB extension 3 x 10 x 22.5's
Standing DB curls 3 x 10 x 22.5's
Straight bar cable press 3 x 10 x 70 lbs
High cable curl 3 x 10 x 30's
Bench DB kickbacks 3 x 10 x 12.5's
Hammer Curls 3 x 10 x 20's
Reverse grip cable press down 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
Cable crunches 3 x 25 x 100 lbs
25 min stepmill

Shoulders:
Standing BB military press 3 x 10 x 40 lbs (this was last week, looking to move up in weights for all exercises)
Standing DB front lateral raise 3 x 10 x 12.5's
Standing DB side lateral raise 3 x 10 x 10's
Sitting bench bent over DB rows 3 x 10 x 8's (just started these...weak)
Sitting Arnold DB press 3 x 10 x 15's
Cable shrugs 3 x 10 x 150 lbs (going to switch to DB)
Standing upright BB rows 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
Crunches 4 x 25
Leg ups 4 x 10
30 min run

Chest: (just getting back to chest due to injury, will share below)
BB bench press 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
Cable cross overs 3 x 10 x 35's
Incline BB press 3 x 10 x 35 lbs
Decline BB press 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
DB flys 3 x 10 x 15's
Single arm DB press 3 x 10 x 15's
Fly machine 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
Hills with the dog

Back:
Close grip lat pull down 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
Wide grip lat pull down 3 x 10 x 70 lbs
DB overhead pull 3 x 10 x 27.5 lbs
Standing close grip reverse grip BB row 3 x 10 x 45 lbs
Single arm bench DB row 3 x 10 x 27.5 lbs
Seated cable pull 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
Standing cable pull through 3 x 10 x 45 lbs (new one I tried)
ISO single arm 3 x 10 x 59.5's
ISO high single arm 3 x 10 x 57's
Hyper extensions 3 x 12
Bicycle crunches 3 x 25
Hills with the dog

Legs: (just got back to working legs also)
Walking lunges 3 x 15 x 10's
Step-up with knee lift 3 x 15 x 10's
BB Romanian deadlift 3 x 15 x 35 lbs
Leg press machine 3 x 15 x 120 lbs
Good mornings 3 x 15 x 35 lbs
Inner thigh machine 3 x 15 x 70 lbs
Outer thigh machine 3 x 15 x 60 lbs
Butt blaster machine with glute focus 3 x 15 x 20 lbs
Kick outs for abs 3 x 25
30 min run

I'm not sure if some will say that it looks like a lot on one body part but this works for me and I feel great. I must add that because of two old injuries (one in right shoulder and one in right leg) I have been having my muscles worked on for over 5 months once a week (was out of the gym for upper body for 2 months and legs were a bit longer) and it has been a god send. Because the muscles have now healed and are now bonded together and are in the proper places I am so much stronger and recover so much quicker.

I only take as supplements right now Magnesium (for muscles and nerves) and Zinc

Sorry for the book, just wanted to get some feedback...thanks

P.S. I tend to freak out most about results during PMS when I'm totally holding water! That is what prompted me to inquire about using var. I'm over it for now.

 

[musclemom]

Very good intro post and welcome, hun. It's nice to have someone near my age join the crowd! (I'm 45).

At a quick glance, you're not eating enough, especially not to support those workouts. You wanted to cut BF and get a six pack, right? You're REALLY going to have to nail the diet down. That means putting it in a diary and getting a handle on your macros.

Fitday.com is a free diet diary. There's a few downloadable diaries out there, too, but you generally need to pay for them.

Just an aside, that's a LOT of ancillary muscle work. I don't see a lot of compound movements other than the benchpress (I am aware of the fact you're recoverying). You'd be surprised at what just adding squats or deads can do. Activating the central nervous system through a whole body compound movement has a synergistic effect throughout the entire body.

Also, think in terms of quality, not necessarily quantity with working out. A couple of days you're doing the same exercise twice with just a change in hand positions (close vs. wide grip) what you COULD do is cut about 1/3 or even 1/2 of the exercises out (or rotate them, do each group alternating weeks) and work heavier.

The main thing I've discovered as I get older and keep lifting is that I really need to work smarter, but when you work smarter you get better results with less work, so it's a win-win.

 

[trex74]

First I would like to say thank you for some great advice I have already received, it saved me from making a decision I was really not ready for.

Simple stats (as I have not been measured in a while but intend to do so this weekend)

During the week I train at 4:30 am one the weekends it can be whenever. I keep a weekly log.

Age: 43 (tomorrow)
Weight: 124.5 (last time weighed, I don't do it very often because I go by feel)
Height: 5'6 (swear I'm shrinking as I get older)

Sample Diet (Yesterday's meals)

6:30 am - post workout shake Pure WPI and water / Creatine

8:30 am - 1 cup Greek non-fat plain yogurt, 1 cup blueberries, 2 organic weetabix biscuits

11:00 am - Medium apple, low fat string cheese, 14 Almounds

1:30 pm - 1/2 cup brown rice, 4 oz extra lean turkey patty, zucchini

4:00 pm - Pear, 1 tbsp natural peanut butter (was a bit more hungry because of workout)

6:30 pm -Tilapia, spinach, 1 cup mixed zucchini/yellow squash, balsamic vinegar

9:00 pm - Casein protein with water

Last weeks workouts:

Arms:
BB standing curls 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
Standing overhead DB extension 3 x 10 x 22.5's
Standing DB curls 3 x 10 x 22.5's
Straight bar cable press 3 x 10 x 70 lbs
High cable curl 3 x 10 x 30's
Bench DB kickbacks 3 x 10 x 12.5's
Hammer Curls 3 x 10 x 20's
Reverse grip cable press down 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
Cable crunches 3 x 25 x 100 lbs
25 min stepmill

Shoulders:
Standing BB military press 3 x 10 x 40 lbs (this was last week, looking to move up in weights for all exercises)
Standing DB front lateral raise 3 x 10 x 12.5's
Standing DB side lateral raise 3 x 10 x 10's
Sitting bench bent over DB rows 3 x 10 x 8's (just started these...weak)
Sitting Arnold DB press 3 x 10 x 15's
Cable shrugs 3 x 10 x 150 lbs (going to switch to DB)
Standing upright BB rows 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
Crunches 4 x 25
Leg ups 4 x 10
30 min run

Chest: (just getting back to chest due to injury, will share below)
BB bench press 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
Cable cross overs 3 x 10 x 35's
Incline BB press 3 x 10 x 35 lbs
Decline BB press 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
DB flys 3 x 10 x 15's
Single arm DB press 3 x 10 x 15's
Fly machine 3 x 10 x 40 lbs
Hills with the dog

Back:
Close grip lat pull down 3 x 10 x 80 lbs
Wide grip lat pull down 3 x 10 x 70 lbs
DB overhead pull 3 x 10 x 27.5 lbs
Standing close grip reverse grip BB row 3 x 10 x 45 lbs
Single arm bench DB row 3 x 10 x 27.5 lbs
Seated cable pull 3 x 10 x 55 lbs
Standing cable pull through 3 x 10 x 45 lbs (new one I tried)
ISO single arm 3 x 10 x 59.5's
ISO high single arm 3 x 10 x 57's
Hyper extensions 3 x 12
Bicycle crunches 3 x 25
Hills with the dog

Legs: (just got back to working legs also)
Walking lunges 3 x 15 x 10's
Step-up with knee lift 3 x 15 x 10's
BB Romanian deadlift 3 x 15 x 35 lbs
Leg press machine 3 x 15 x 120 lbs
Good mornings 3 x 15 x 35 lbs
Inner thigh machine 3 x 15 x 70 lbs
Outer thigh machine 3 x 15 x 60 lbs
Butt blaster machine with glute focus 3 x 15 x 20 lbs
Kick outs for abs 3 x 25
30 min run

I'm not sure if some will say that it looks like a lot on one body part but this works for me and I feel great. I must add that because of two old injuries (one in right shoulder and one in right leg) I have been having my muscles worked on for over 5 months once a week (was out of the gym for upper body for 2 months and legs were a bit longer) and it has been a god send. Because the muscles have now healed and are now bonded together and are in the proper places I am so much stronger and recover so much quicker.

I only take as supplements right now Magnesium (for muscles and nerves) and Zinc

Sorry for the book, just wanted to get some feedback...thanks

P.S. I tend to freak out most about results during PMS when I'm totally holding water! That is what prompted me to inquire about using var. I'm over it for now.

Welcome, you'll find a lot of good advice here

 

[girlboxer]

Very good intro post and welcome, hun. It's nice to have someone near my age join the crowd! (I'm 45).

At a quick glance, you're not eating enough, especially not to support those workouts. You wanted to cut BF and get a six pack, right? You're REALLY going to have to nail the diet down. That means putting it in a diary and getting a handle on your macros.

Fitday.com is a free diet diary. There's a few downloadable diaries out there, too, but you generally need to pay for them.

Just an aside, that's a LOT of ancillary muscle work. I don't see a lot of compound movements other than the benchpress (I am aware of the fact you're recoverying). You'd be surprised at what just adding squats or deads can do. Activating the central nervous system through a whole body compound movement has a synergistic effect throughout the entire body.

Also, think in terms of quality, not necessarily quantity with working out. A couple of days you're doing the same exercise twice with just a change in hand positions (close vs. wide grip) what you COULD do is cut about 1/3 or even 1/2 of the exercises out (or rotate them, do each group alternating weeks) and work heavier.

The main thing I've discovered as I get older and keep lifting is that I really need to work smarter, but when you work smarter you get better results with less work, so it's a win-win.

Thanks! My biggest issue and always has been is food (afraid of it even if I am eating clean). I see that you have given suggestions to others about calorie intake, how many do you think I should be taking in. Also, any help with cutting down my workouts but still getting max results is extremely welcome! I'm all for working smarter!

Oh, and I used to do squats and deads...just have to introduce them again...soon

 

[girlboxer]

Forgot to mention the getting the muscles worked on is all muscles, not just the injured areas.

 

[musclemom]

Thanks! My biggest issue and always has been is food (afraid of it even if I am eating clean). I see that you have given suggestions to others about calorie intake, how many do you think I should be taking in. Also, any help with cutting down my workouts but still getting max results is extremely welcome! I'm all for working smarter!

Oh, and I used to do squats and deads...just have to introduce them again...soon

Oh you don't need to do both, I don't! Just pick one to do per week. If you put those in you'll probably want to revamp your entire leg workout based on how it makes you feel.

As to the exercises, at a glance, for now I think you could LITERALLY go through your workouts as they are grouped now and just pick off every other exercise and you'd still have a VERY good routine. I'm lousy with coming up with routines, I've been doing the same one for decades.

Food ... I think you should be at least in the 1800 a day range. You're in no way need of losing weight, you actually may need to go higher but you don't need to do everything at once. Right now you need to see how much you are taking in currently.

Just stay away from the scale, it is an evil thing If you need something to record progress, get a tape measure.

 

[girlboxer]

Oh you don't need to do both, I don't! Just pick one to do per week. If you put those in you'll probably want to revamp your entire leg workout based on how it makes you feel.

As to the exercises, at a glance, for now I think you could LITERALLY go through your workouts as they are grouped now and just pick off every other exercise and you'd still have a VERY good routine. I'm lousy with coming up with routines, I've been doing the same one for decades.

Food ... I think you should be at least in the 1800 a day range. You're in no way need of losing weight, you actually may need to go higher but you don't need to do everything at once. Right now you need to see how much you are taking in currently.

Just stay away from the scale, it is an evil thing If you need something to record progress, get a tape measure.

Lol, I was doing both but less squats, they really don't agree with me. Glad you said that, now I will only do deads!

Guess it's back to recording foods, actually hate doing that but I will start tomorrow and see where I'm at calorie and macro wise and try to see where I can add.

No, I'm not looking to lose anymore weight and am okay with gaining a few if it's muscle. I hate the scale so no worries there. Thanks again for your input. Just curious a bit on your background if you don't mind sharing?

 

[musclemom]

Lol, I was doing both but less squats, they really don't agree with me. Glad you said that, now I will only do deads!

Guess it's back to recording foods, actually hate doing that but I will start tomorrow and see where I'm at calorie and macro wise and try to see where I can add.

No, I'm not looking to lose anymore weight and am okay with gaining a few if it's muscle. I hate the scale so no worries there. Thanks again for your input. Just curious a bit on your background if you don't mind sharing?

Ah, if you're actually looking to gain we may have to get your calories as high as 2230. Yes, my dear, back to recording but only for the sake of getting benchmarks and a feel for portion sizes

Since I workout exclusively from home, and have never gotten around to getting a squat cage, I have only ever deadlifted. Deads work well for long limbed chicks. I actually have a trap bar that I deadlift with, best investment I ever made.

Anyway, I didn't intend my background to turn into a biography but it basically did You asked so I rambled:

My background ... nothing professional in terms of training/weights. I'm 45 and I've been lifting off and on since I was in my late 20s. Diet, alternative medicine, herbs and vitamins have always been a pet interest of mine (I'm my own best guinea pig). Professionally I'm a full time medical transcriptionist specializing in neurology/neurosurgery and orthopedics. I've also worked extensively in the legal and insurance industries.

From a personal perspective, I was born with congenital joint and spine problems (sacralized lumbar vertebra, virtually nonexistant lordotic curve in my cervical spine, extreme lordosis of the lumbar spine with deviated hips, degenerative joint and disc disease throughout my spine and extremities) and I can, with absolute conviction, say that one of the MAIN things that has kept me functional since I turned the corner of my 30s has been weight training. I won't kid anyone, I don't have the "body" I'd like, don't weigh what I'd like (may never, in fact) but I CAN bend over and touch my toes easily and I currently live most of my days pain free!!! Hot damn, THAT is an accomplishment in my book!

I also live with environmental (chemical) and food intolerances (gluten, primarily) and I generally have paradoxical reactions to many prescription and OTC medications, so I've had to learn how to get around in this world while being a "canary in a coal mine." I've had to be my own doctor but more importantly, I've had to learn how to avoid NEEDING medical care because doctors usually hurt me real bad.

Basically, I'm an oddball who has a lot of wide ranging interests (see the Avatar?) but one of the things that has remained constant in my life has been Iron. Free weights have always been, and will always be, my constant friend.

Like Henry Rollins says, 200 pounds is always 200 pounds

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Welcome to Elite

 

[slat1]

Lately I have limited each body part to 4 exercises per workout. Four sets too. Still growing and getting stronger. I used to spend two hours in the gym. Now I am in and out in less than one.