LG John

Ok guys,

2004 has been, well, a disaster!!! I've been stressed, lazy and generally pathetic when it comes to eating and exercising correctly. I've lost a lot of muscle mass, can't take on a flight of stairs without being knackered and have put on fat.

This obviously needs to change and I'm due to go on holiday at the start of August. My question is what should I do??

I'd like to look and feel good on holiday and also to build a foundation of strength, etc to work on when I get back from holiday. The way I see it I have the following options:

1. Go on a diet and work mainly on CV stuff to burn calories and lean out. I suppose if I went at it pretty hard I could be pretty lean looking by summer but also pretty weedy.

2. Do the opposite, eat big and train big with the idea of bulking towards the summer. Sure I'll carry a fair bit of fat but I also have the structure (when my muscles are toned and hard) that can 'carry' that fat quite well. I'd just look like a big loon.

3. Do an Ozzy and get fired into an army like routine of CV work and lots of pressups, sit-ups, squats, etc, etc with sensible eating (but not with the goal of bulking).

Personally I think Option 3 might be the best as I'd probably lose some fat doing it but also tone my muscles into shape and give them a solid foundation on which to build upon after the hols. I'd also Improve my general fitness and strength which will aid and protect me during summer activities.

Thoughts

Brendan Hughes

What happened to kuk sool?

LG John

I still do that twice a week but at the moment we are working on techniques and forms mainly as the tourney is coming up. Not much in the way of strength/CV work.

super_si

no chance of 1/2 really. Holiday presuming june/july/august. No chance tbh. Even on gear etc youd be pushing it 15 weeks to do full cycle pct etc.

Better goal would be next summer now.

Si

yoza

You need motivation.

Get into a routine.

Buy a membership for an extorsionate amount of money, then you will think you need to go to get your money's worth.

Place a £1/£5 whatever, in a jar each time you complete a workout.

Go on a course of supplements, that must be used with regular workouts.

Train with a friend or two, if you dont feel like going they will encourage you too.

Remind yourself that summer is around the corner.

Look in the mirror.....

LG John

Yoza, maybe a better way to motivate myself would be the realisation that I've paid 5 months gym membership @ £54 a month and not used it

yoza

What could you have used £270 for ?

Just pack your bag and go NOW, no excuses, just go.

milo

firstly.. you can thank **** for muscle memory. once you start working out again, within weeks you'll be back to where you were originally.


depends what your real goals are. it sounds like your goal is to be pretty cut up by august... so bulking isn't really an option.

fix your diet and get a good WEIGHT training routine (this will burn more calories than most CV AND is less catabolic). unless you're after cardiovascular conditioning, cv is pointless if you have your diet good.

in 3 months, you could EASILY stand to lose 15lbs of pure fat (altho 5 lbs of muscle will likely go with that), giving you a MUCH better bodyfat percentage. it is ALL about diet tho, so quit treating your mouth like a toilet and you'll look and feel loads better.

agree with yoza - you need motivation... so post up your routine and diet (it will formalize it if nothing else). in fact.. better still, at the end of each day, starting tomorrow, reply in this thread with EXACTLY what you eat, exactly what exercise/lifting you did... and your weight and bodyfat percentage each week. not only will you see the improvements, but if you like i'll get on your case if you **** up

ozzy

It depends on what you want to achieve. A army-style fitness regime won't get your HUGE as it's a detriment to the type of combat most soldiers find themselves in i.e. running everywhere carrying extra weight. The last thing you want to do is carry additional weight on top of an already big body frame.

If you want BIG muscles and "look" great, then fix your diet, hit the gym and do some cardio work that'll get you sweating buckets.

If you want to actually be fit (as apposed to just looking it), then run, circuit train, lift some weights, run some more and then run even more. Run with some weights if you really want to get fit quickly and find some hills if you want to really work your legs.

Stefan

imlach

IMHO, cardio work will 100% make you feel AND look good. Feeling good about yourself is FAR more important than if you have a bit of muscle mass.

I think getting a bit leaner & fitter is FAR more acheivable by August instead of trying to bulk up, which requires a lot of effort, food wierdness, and all sorts.

I'd get out on your bike, run, row, and maybe do circuit training a few times a week if you really have to.

If you want, I'll take you on a gruelling 6 hour 100 mile cycle that'll make you feel GREAT the next day.

imlach

A short term goal to achieve - the yearly Edinburgh to St Andrews cycle ride on June 22 (or around then). It's only 65 miles, so pretty easy, and LOADS of non-distance cyclists do it every year. Great fun.

You've got 1 month to get out on your bike a bit to train up. Begin with 10 miles. That's only your house to Queensferry and back. Not far. By week 2, you'll be on 20 miles no probs (your house to Mussellburgh and back). By week 3, you'll be on 40 miles (your house to East Fortune and back) - or 50 if you can stretch to North Berwick and back.

Next stop, St Andrews.

LG John

Sounds like my best bet is to sort out what I'm eating pronto and go back to the gym. I think I'll simplify my gym work for now and stick to big exercises that work lots of muscles. Squats, bench-press, pull ups, deads, etc. This should mean I won't have to spend too much time in the gym and will give me good all over body strength to work with if at a later time I want to bulk up again.

I would start tomorrow but I have the end of a cold just now and my back is screwed today for some reason!! Guess it'll have to wait a day or two I'll also run through a lot of kuk sool forms as these use lots of muscles and are very very tiring to do.

imlach

Why bore yourself in a gym?

Gyms are dull, and can usually only last an hour or so in them. Plus full of vain posing meatheads Smelly & sweaty places too...

At the weekend, go up north and climb a Munro for 6 hours, or go out for a 6 hour cycle. You'll have fun, and burn off FAR more than 1 hour in the gym.

Like my mates, all off up canoeing & camping on Loch Sheil this weekend, with a Munro climb on the Saturday....great boys weekend and booze comes free of calories cos you're burning so many

super_si

Sounds like a plan but time. You do you routine you dont skip! but split groups up. like
Monday chest, bi's
Wed back shoulders tri's.
Fridays Legs + calfs

Sorted maybe throw in cv and abs

Si

LG John

I suspect milo might disagree That sentance is to him what an Intel Celeron is to you

imlach

Obviously no booze would be better, I agree.

However, having a bit of fun along the way did no-one any harm. As I said, being "mentally fit", is just as important as being "physically fit". You don't need booze to have fun, but small amounts give a lift, with little after effect.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

SB, just go topless on the beach, be proud of your **** !

LG John

I couldn't inflict my ***** on anyone

milo

yeah, but 6 hours like that is HIGHLY catabolic. he wants to be muscular and lean... not a skinny streaky lanky piece of ****


it's not so much the calories in alcohol that's the problem.. it's the HUGE detriment to protein synthesis, nutrient intake, hydration, screw with test production etc etc etc.

milo

that's EXACTLY it. back to basics... old school.


tomorrow is chest day then

LG John

.......but I can't even stand properly just now such are the spasms!! **** knows what I've done to it!

milo

dude, go see a doctor then... its your back and you DONT wanna take chances where thats concerned.

ozzy

ROFLMAO. Even I'm not like that. That's why I mix lots of running with circuits and weights. Cycling is great for your legs as well as hill or cross-country running. Just back from an hours cross-country running. Mud past my ankles and my legs are burning. Don't know what chemicals it releases in your brain, but it's a great buzz.

I would agree with Imlach on Munro bagging. That will get you reasonably fit quickly and also build strength & stamina into your legs. Obviously there's 6 hours bimbling up a Munro and there's 6 hours of yomping up the damn things as fast as possible. It won't get you superfit (unless you run up the *******), but it's fantastic for building a good level of basic fitness and I can throughly recommend it. That's why I still try and get out on the hills as often as possible. Fantastic scenery, lots of fresh air and peace and quiet - can't ask for much more. Plus there bang on your doorstep.

Stefan

ozzy

Kenny,

If you've injured your back, go see a doc or chiropractor. I've a tendancy to pull the muscle between my shoulder blades doing too many pull-ups or heavy lat pulldowns. Only treatment is rest and then some sports massage to loosen any tight muscles.

Sitting at a desk 6hrs a day doesn't help either

Stefan

milo

totally agree.. i get the EXACT same feeling from weight training

LG John

I'll go to the doctors if it isn't eased off by tomorrow. I'm prone to getting the occassional spasm for a few hours and just need to lie down and get a good nights sleep...usually!

imlach

No, he wants to FEEL good on holiday. He doesn't NEED to be muscular. So long as he's physically fit, got his health, feels good about himself, and isn't overly conscious about his body, he'll have more than enough fun.

imlach

Sorry, but the guys I often see in the gym grunt like they've just come, and are withdrawing from something with a prickly rosebush inside....

Doesn't look that healthy to me.....no need for all that noise. Meatheads

ozzy

You mean all that grunting doesn't attact women

ozzy

Kenny, if you're interested, here's my weekly routine. I wouldn't copy it since it's taken me the last 6-12months to get comfortable with it and I've only added the two weight sessions over the past 2 weeks and I can feel my legs are probably getting over trained.

Mon - Session 1 - 60 min Circuits
Mon - Session 2 - 60 min Run (cross-country & hilly)

Tue - Session 1 - Weight Session
Tue - Session 2 - 60 min Jog (cross-country & hilly)

Wed - REST & Stretching Session

Thu - Session 1 - 60 min Circuits
Thu - Session 2 - 60 min Speed Session (sprinting)

Fri - Session 1 - Weight Session
Fri - Session 2 - 60 min Run (cross-country & hilly)

Sat/Sun - One day is complete REST, other is either a long run (15 miles) or Hill Walk or Hill Run


Circuit Routine
10 min warm-up (jog or stationary bike)
3 x cicruits. Either fixed reps (10, 15, 20, etc..) or timed (10 secs, 15 secs, etc..).
No rest between each exercises. 4-5 min rest between sets.
Exercises done as fast as possible.

Press-Ups (normal, arms shoulder-width apart)
Sit-Ups (incline bench)
Star-Jumps
Dumbell Curls (30kg with dumbells)
Squat Thrusts
Dorsal Raises
Leg Raises (hanging from pull-up bar)
Press-Ups (wide)
Step-Ups (20kg with dumbells)
Pull-Ups
Dips OR close-hand press-ups
Crunches
Squat Jumps (over bench)

8 min sprints (alternate 1 min jogs with 1 min flat-out sprints (14mph on treadmill)
10 min cool-down jog/walk


Weight Session

10 min warm-up jog
3 sets & 6 reps of each (except low pulley rows - 10reps coz the weight's too light)
Squats - 60kg
Machine Bench Press - 75kg
Lat Pulldowns - 70kg
Bent Leg Deadifts - 60kg
Machine Shoulder Press - 45kg
Low Pulley Rows - 90kg rack doesn't have any more weight
Barbell Curls - 35kg
Calf Raises - ??kg haven't tried these yet
Machine Crunches - 45kg
10 min cool-down jog

I've added a few daily protein shakes and creatine into my diet. Also switched from Lucozade Sport to a powder-based energy drink. Other than that, just a std healthy diet.

Stefan