Official Giant Bomb Fitness Thread

I have always been an on/off type of person. Either I work out for a few months or I don't for equal amount of time. Mostly that stemmed from me never really being into activities and physical strain. Probably largely due to asthma when I was younger always making running feel like death and when I first tried lifting weights the whole "male" thing of talking about how much you bench really took some getting used to since while I've always been strong back/legs wise and overall been a pretty naturally strong individual compared to others who did little to no training I was always a bit weak chest wise. But I tried to get into it and for a while there a few years ago I thought I was about to but a cold got me of a week and my lazy streak and eating crap came back. So it wasn't quite until the end of summer last year that I finally took a long hard look at myself and really made a decision to be dedicated. And change my mindset from "I should really get to the gym" to "Man, I want to lift some weights!"

And, lo and behold, almost 6 months later I am still at it every week. I started out with a 3-way split with 2 cardio days. But have since moved to a 5 day split as follows;

Monday: Chest / Cardio

Tuesday: Back / Cardio

Wednesday: Legs / Cardio Optional

Thursday: Shoulders / Cardio

Friday: Arms / Cardio

I rest all weekend, unless I feel like adding some cardio in. Lately I've been enjoying the stair machine and going for about 30-40 minutes working up a good sweat. As for the weights part, I had been doing relatively mid to high reps at first. Staying at around 12. But has since backed down and upped the weights. This week, as an example, I did some 4-6 reps sets as well as some light sets with up to 20 reps. In general though, I don't really have much of a sophisticated system other than to make sure I get all my muscles worked and worked hard. And since I try and push myself to the limit, I usually take a week off every 8 or 12 weeks. That has helped a lot in making sure my body can catch up if I am feeling run down in joints or general fatigue. Beyond just kicking my own ass in the gym, I try to eat better to a reasonable level but I am not quite at the point in that part of my lifestyle that I feel like getting all micromanaging about it. I am at current rate just happy to be going at it as ferociously as I am.

On a tangental related note, does any of you bombers take any supplements to give you some boost? PWOs, recoup shakes, amino acids, creatine etc.?

I've been doing P90x for a few months now, and am loving it. It keeps you feeling healthy and active - and you can do it in an apartment (though the plyometrics involve some jumping, so if you have people living below you perhaps organize your workouts for when they are away to do it)

@thabigred said:

Adding achievements in the form of an app is such a good idea to working out. I just wish someone would make an app for people who actually train instead of the sort of shit that is in fitocracy. Like Yelp it's an app that is a wonderful sound concept that is held back by inane design issues.

Have you looked at the quests, not the achievements? There are far more for strength than any other activity. I don't think adding 2.8x bodyweight deadlift and 2.3x bodyweight squat achievements was designed with casuals in mind either... Maybe you train much more seriously than the average person, but I've always liked the difficulty of the quests and achievements in Fitocracy. They still feel far off in the distance, so it's something to aim for.

I need to get back on track with my weight loss. Back in 2011, I lost a bunch of weight. I was doing so well. Then I got a job. Since getting a job, I don't have time to exercise and I don't have time to eat healthily. Well, when I say "I don't have time", what I mean is "It is far easier for me to sit on my fat ass and eat a takeaway after a long day at work than either cook a healthy meal or do some exercise". I put most, if not all, of the weight that I lost back on. I fell back into all the bad habits I had before. I need to change those habits. I did it once, I can do it again.

To put some perspective, I'm incredibly overweight. Around 26 stone, which is about 360 lb or 165 kg. I just had a pork pie and two chocolate bars for my dinner, because I was at work until 9pm and I just grabbed something quickly. I need to change or I'm going to end up in an early grave. I didn't start doing anything as a new year's resolution because that's cliché and most people doing that fail. I wanted to do it in my own time, not around some arbitrary date when people are supposed to do that sort of thing. Well, I'm starting now!!! Well, tomorrow. It's nearly bed time now.

@MattyFTM said:

I need to change or I'm going to end up in an early grave. I didn't start doing anything as a new year's resolution because that's cliché and most people doing that fail. I wanted to do it in my own time, not around some arbitrary date when people are supposed to do that sort of thing. Well, I'm starting now!!! Well, tomorrow. It's nearly bed time now.

I think, more than exercise, you need to change your relationship with food. It seems like more than being lazy, you also comfort eat. I think the best thing to do, and what I try to do as much as I can, is to plan ahead and only buy the things you need for the week ahead. You can also designate a "MAKE ALL THE FUCKING FOOD" day, such as Sunday or whenever you have a day off. You can invest in a slow cooker, throw in a bunch of food, cook it up all day while you relax, distribute it into tupperware boxes, and bring them everywhere with you. That means you won't snack and you'll always have a healthy meal on hand.

Just a few suggestions! We Bombers are here to support you through your journey. Maybe we can have a summer progress check-up later on down the line and show off our progress.

@MattyFTM said:

I need to get back on track with my weight loss. Back in 2011, I lost a bunch of weight. I was doing so well. Then I got a job. Since getting a job, I don't have time to exercise and I don't have time to eat healthily. Well, when I say "I don't have time", what I mean is "It is far easier for me to sit on my fat ass and eat a takeaway after a long day at work than either cook a healthy meal or do some exercise". I put most, if not all, of the weight that I lost back on. I fell back into all the bad habits I had before I need to change my habits. I did it once, I can do it again.

To put some perspective, I'm incredibly overweight. Around 26 stone, which is about 360 lb or 165 kg. I just had a pork pie and two chocolate bars for my dinner, because I was at work until 9pm and I just grabbed something quickly. I need to change or I'm going to end up in an early grave. I didn't start doing anything as a new year's resolution because that's cliché and most people doing that fail. I wanted to do it in my own time, not around some arbitrary date when people are supposed to do that sort of thing. Well, I'm starting now!!! Well, tomorrow. It's nearly bed time now.

There are a lot of things you can do to combat a unsupportive lifestyle. You can buy sugar free protein bars instead of the chocolate bars. Most burger joints have a Grilled Chicken Sandwich alternative to the cheeseburger. Never order food with cheese, dressing, or mayo. Also stay away from soda, mixed liquor and only drink light beer. Drink water a lot. Try your best to hit a gallon a day. I promise if you completely eliminated candy, beef, and soda from your diet you will lose at least 20 lbs. Also there's some people that believe extreme temperatures can help weight lose. Such as drinking Ice water and adding suger free hot sauce to foods. I don't use this as a crutch in my diet, but I apply it. Buy a low carb 5 lb jug of Whey Protein. The ultimate purpose is to build muscle. However, it's incredibly healthy and protein burns fat.

That's before we even talk about easy exercises. So simple things. Like never use escalators or elevators. Try to walk around the block at the end of the day. It's therapeutic and healthy. Those are some good tips that don't require you to really put any effort in or change your lifestyle. I used to actually be pretty obese in my early years. Your body fat is probably really high. I'm not trying to insult you. But most overweight people have the "easy fat". Simply put, you probably have about 30 lbs you can lose without really trying.

@Kill: @EpicSteve: Yeah, I totally know the food is my main problem. Last time I basically calorie counted. I wasn't always eating the healthiest stuff, but I knew what I was eating and how many calories it contained, and I always kept my calories down. I plan on doing pretty much the same this time. I know calories aren't everything, but keeping track of them and keeping them down will go a long way to helping me lose weight.

On the exercise front, last time I pretty much just walked. I started walking everywhere. I was walking at least two or three miles a day, often more. I was unemployed. I could go for nice long walks. I had time. Naturally, I don't have the luxury of time anymore. I can't just wake up in the morning and go for a two hour walk. But I make small changes, and I do plan on doing so, and I can think about doing more if it becomes necessary. But the food is the most important part.

Anyways, thanks for the advice and support guys. I primarily just wanted to put it out there to provide some culpability for myself. I've done the typical "I'm going to start tomorrow" thing in the past, and then never actually started. Putting it out there forces me to do it.

@Kill: I'm not JUST looking to gain mass, I'm preparing for Marine Corps boot camp and I'm going to try for top marks for the PFT, which means I have to be able to run 3 miles in 18 minutes, be able to do 20 pullups, and something like at least 75 or 100 crunches in 2:00.

And, I need to start taking in more calories, so that's another part of it. I won't be able to build any fuckin' mass when I generally get by on a meal and a half each day. I need to start eating more, so that's a good thing in my situation, not a bad thing.

And I'll stop being sore as soon as I get back into the flow of things, my body remembers that it needs to eat to survive, and all that. Right now, my body pretty much turns away calories, which is problematic.

Soon, I'll start lifting and all that a lot more, I'm just figuring out a weekly routine for it.

I want to build mass, but I need to also build endurance and all that. My career plans for the Marine Corps are pretty ambitious, and I'll need to prove myself pretty early on to get where I want to get, and that means getting everything right. I don't mind having a ridiculous calorie intake, because that's pretty common in the Corps.

Also, I'm just being a dick because I believe the way that requires you to work is always the best way to do things. Not just because "don't be a pussy" but also because of the reasons I gave. Why cheat your way to the top (natural or not, you're skipping work) and end up struggling to keep the weight off when you can lose weight, and then get in shape, and potentially have a good body instead of a pasty soft scrawny body? If all you give a damn about is losing weight, I guess power to you, but I'm of the opinion you should do things right, and that means a good diet and the right exercise.

@TheHBK: And that's how you went from this...

To this...

My goal is to end the year out more fit than I started it. Also the Firocracy app is so awesome it is bringing my real life stuff with RPG stuff and I love it. Thanks for introducing it to me without that thread I never would have found it! :D

@ProfessorEss said:

@TheHBK: And that's how you went from this...

To this...

Exactly. From chump to champ. Keep up the good work guys.

goal is to lose 30lbs by august, already dropped 10, guessing its all water weight but whatever, I workout 5 days a week and changed my eating to 5 small meals a day, actually I'm following that thing on youtube, sixpackshortcuts, shit is legit, its basically a 4 month program, I'll check in 2 months to let you guys know how the progress is going

I'd thought I'd start posting here. I've historically had problems dealing with my weight.

Example A.) This is me at 250 lbs.

For years I tried to get the extra weight off, and keep it off. I've abused Ephedrine pills, made myself throw up, and starved myself. It resulted in me basically losing and gaining between 50 and 100 lbs several times in the past decade, and those behaviors ended up causing me way more hardship than the weight ever did. After reaching an embarrassing new low (or high, if my scale is to believed,) I made an effort to get legitimately healthy as opposed to simply just not-fat.

I started by simply cutting out sugar for good. It may suck, but sugar is straight up toxic in your bloodstream. At no point in human evolution were we as species exposed to as much sugar as many consume on a daily basis. Even if you are a healthy weight there is a variety of reasons to avoid it. I saw almost instant benefits from this.

Another thing I did was to limit my carbohydrate intake to alittle under 50g a day. This may be a bit extreme, so I'd consult with a doctor if you are worried about it. Regardless, sugar and carbohydrates are most people's number 1 barrier to losing weight. This was a mistake I'd made in years past, blaming the fats and calories in meats assuming starchy vegetables and breads were better to fill up on. I was very wrong.

Sticking to proteins (lean ones when available) and leafy vegetables ended up being the way to go. These are things that as a species we evolved to live off of, the staple to our diets (That food pyramid they shoved down our throats as children in school is, was, and always will be complete bullshit.)

The last piece of the dietary puzzle was finding out how good fiber is for you. Fiber is hard to break down in your stomach, meaning you can fill up on more of it without absorbing as many calories as you would with a less fiber-heavy meal. This is why MULTI-grain breads are much better for you than white, or garbage wheat bread. The latter tend to break down into sugar very quickly in your stomach, which as I mentioned before is very bad.

Exercise was always troublesome to do consistently. Over the past few years I've worked between 70-90 hours a week, so getting to a gym was nothing I ever could stick with for more than a month or two. I just started doing pushups and Hindu squats, whenever I could for as long as I could. The results were immediate.

As rewarding and good for your health as cardio training is, the simple fact is that it takes way more time and is far less effective for losing weight when compared to resistance training. If you have any doubts about this, it won't take very long on Google to confirm what I'm saying.

I'm lucky enough to have the space in my house for weight lifting equipment, which is valuable once you are down to a healthy weight. Regular weight training allows me now to loosen up my diet a bit, without fear of gaining massive amounts of fat over time. I actually get to eat WAY MORE now that I just stick to the weight bench a couple times a week, because I'm using that food to fuel muscle growth. Its really liberating.

All that being said, this is a picture taken of me this past summer. I'm the healthiest I've ever been in my life, and I couldn't be more proud.

It all seems so simple now, and the lessons learned I wish I had from the start. That is why I hope to hang out in here and help any of you videogaymers who'd like support in any weight loss endeavors. If you have any questions, or advice I'm more than happy to answer them for you.

Good luck!

@itsVASH said:

goal is to lose 30lbs by august, already dropped 10, guessing its all water weight but whatever, I workout 5 days a week and changed my eating to 5 small meals a day, actually I'm following that thing on youtube, sixpackshortcuts, shit is legit, its basically a 4 month program, I'll check in 2 months to let you guys know how the progress is going

Mike Chang's a fuckin' boss. Incorporating his drop set dumbbell exercises into my routine made a huge difference, fast. I blasted through my max rep plateau in just a few workouts. And yeah, his nutrition videos are pretty spot-on too.

well i worked out a fuckin ton while i was doing cage fighting and jiu jitsu tournaments. ever since my last concussion i have decided against cage fights for a while at least. been doing music again so i havent been working out for the last few months. i do miss it but working out isnt fun to me so its hard to be motivated without a fight or something coming up.

@MordeaniisChaos said:

Also, I'm just being a dick because I believe the way that requires you to work is always the best way to do things. Not just because "don't be a pussy" but also because of the reasons I gave. Why cheat your way to the top (natural or not, you're skipping work) and end up struggling to keep the weight off when you can lose weight, and then get in shape, and potentially have a good body instead of a pasty soft scrawny body? If all you give a damn about is losing weight, I guess power to you, but I'm of the opinion you should do things right, and that means a good diet and the right exercise.

I see what you're trying to say, and it's admirable, but it's kind of flawed thinking. If someone is on steroids, they will be working harder than any person can naturally. The recovery times are so reduced that you can fit in 2-3 workouts a day. It's an insane workload, even if it's 'cheating', and I still admire the results even if someone is on gear because I know it still took dedication to get there. For cutting fat, even if you're on an EC stack or IF you still need to put the work in. I guess I didn't make that clear, but it's true. I guess I don't see people's aversion to it. I see lots of people drinking coffee before a workout, but they'll refuse a caffeine pill even though it's the exact same thing and will have the same result. You definitely don't sit around on IF and ECA and lose fat while doing nothing, it's always combined with a diet and hard exercise. That's why, to me, they are just optional tools around a solid routine and diet.

It's kind of insane for me to compare steroids to EC stack anyway. Apples and oranges. To get the thread back on track, here's a little check list for Bombers to tick off as they become fit as all hell:

Im aiming to get a 10 pack, bench 275 pounds and squat 315 by july.  The weight room is about to get this work.  

fap fap fap fap fap....

I have cosplaying to do around the time of March. Just really need to lose ten pounds 160 to 150 and build some muscle mass (which I have been doing for two weeks now).

Cosplaying is important!

@Mallard: Wow, good fucking job, dude. That's awesome. I can tell you really know your shit about diet and nutrition. I actually took it a step further myself, going full-on paleo (the Primal strain of paleo, to be more specific), ditching grains outright. I haven't eaten one grain in about 7 months and I'm the healthiest I've ever been, and it's just generally improved my physiological existence all-around. It's basically at the essence of your mention of what humans are evolutionarily adapted to digest; just like sugar, grains ain't that.

@MattyFTM: Good luck dude, I remember in grade 10 I got up to 265, it was a low point for me, one day I saw what I looked like in the mirror. At that point I just changed, I started doing more stuff and eating a little less, eventually once I was out of school I continued to exercise after as I was when I was in PE, twice day at the time. After my father died from unhealthyness, he was about 280 lbs when he dies I sort of picked it up and put it into overdrive. Now the gym is part of my life for the long haul, I thrive on it, and hav been working out for two years straight.

Right now I am cutting, I was 220, now I am at 210, and my goal is 205.

Now I know this is not that big of a deal to lose like 60lbs but I can say that it takes a change in the way you look at things, your health, and your appearance. I can also say that it gets easier with time, and if you want to you CAN do this thing, just take it serious, and man the fuck up for yourself. Start small, finish big, or vice versa, good luck man I hope you reach your goals.

@Mallard: Crazy change dude.

I don't have any pictures from when I was really heavy but here is from 240 to 210.

My whole exercise routine revolves around skiing in winter and mountain biking in summer. Usually i'll do about four hours of the seasonal appropriate activity once a week. That's about it.

Keep in mind, though, that I work outdoors and do a lot of walking during the week on the job.

@Kill said:

@MordeaniisChaos said:

Also, I'm just being a dick because I believe the way that requires you to work is always the best way to do things. Not just because "don't be a pussy" but also because of the reasons I gave. Why cheat your way to the top (natural or not, you're skipping work) and end up struggling to keep the weight off when you can lose weight, and then get in shape, and potentially have a good body instead of a pasty soft scrawny body? If all you give a damn about is losing weight, I guess power to you, but I'm of the opinion you should do things right, and that means a good diet and the right exercise.

I see what you're trying to say, and it's admirable, but it's kind of flawed thinking. If someone is on steroids, they will be working harder than any person can naturally. The recovery times are so reduced that you can fit in 2-3 workouts a day. It's an insane workload, even if it's 'cheating', and I still admire the results even if someone is on gear because I know it still took dedication to get there. For cutting fat, even if you're on an EC stack or IF you still need to put the work in. I guess I didn't make that clear, but it's true. I guess I don't see people's aversion to it. I see lots of people drinking coffee before a workout, but they'll refuse a caffeine pill even though it's the exact same thing and will have the same result. You definitely don't sit around on IF and ECA and lose fat while doing nothing, it's always combined with a diet and hard exercise. That's why, to me, they are just optional tools around a solid routine and diet.

It's kind of insane for me to compare steroids to EC stack anyway. Apples and oranges. To get the thread back on track, here's a little check list for Bombers to tick off as they become fit as all hell:

Dude's kind of got a big ass.

@Kill: And again, the dependence remains. Take away the thing the process depends upon, and the whole bloody thing collapses. And it doesn't change the fact that it's just impatience and laziness.

And it has nothing to do with being "admirable" nor to do with being at the absolute peak, it's about being sustainable, it's about being honest, and it's about being capable personally without relying on boosters. I don't drink coffee before a workout, I drink a bit of cold water. I don't take any cheats. I just eat a good bit of protein, and work hard. It's slow, and it's hard to keep motivated for a lot of people, so they tend to take the easy or quick way around, because they can't stand to just do things the honest and healthy way.

To each his own, but I'll keep to my way of doing things.

I'm the healthiest I've ever been in my life, and I couldn't be more proud.

This is very cool. I joined the group. I'm gla55jAw on there as well. I need to finish up my profile and post a picture. I posted my workout from Tuesday and I'll post my workout for tonight after I do it. I didn't know a site like this existed. It will be better than only sometimes logging my lifting results for the day. I still have to weigh myself, I always forget to do it in the morning before I eat or drink anything.

My goals, to lose the fat I've built up. I was doing a sort of bulk. I don't count calories though, so it was a little dirty. I gained some weight; I checked last week. I'm 5'5" and the scale (although it was cold in my garage, so it may have been off) said 158, which is the most I've ever been. But, at the same time, I've been shattering my 1 rep maxes these last few months. I'm normally around 150, but I want to get to around 135-140. I'm going to start cutting and take calorie counting more seriously.

Right now I am doing a sort of power lifting routine that I've put together. I lift every other day

Main lifts:

1. Dead Lift
2. Bench Press
3. Squat

Those are my mains. I work my way up to 1-2 rep max on those after warming up. Then I do assistance work (It's sort of like Wendler 5/3/1) I usually do more of the same body part and add biceps on back days, triceps on chest days. Sometimes I throw shoulders in, sometimes I'll add an extra workout in between days and do just shoulders or just arms. I also do 20-40 mins of treadmill cardio on non-lifting days.

I will probably do this routine for another month before I switch it up, but my goals are to hit 1-2 rep max in:

• Dead Lift - 300
• Bench Press - 205 (really 250, but that will take some time)
• Squat - 205

@Unilad said:

fap fap fap fap fap....

Fitocracy's got you covered, record your...ahem... "reps" under the shake weight.

I'm totally into my kettlebells. I can't stand working out for more than 15 minutes so they're perfect. My goal is to bump the kb weight up to a hefty 52 pounder. That's what real men do I hear. Currently at 36 lb, but it's definitely lighter than I should be using.

Lose fat, gain muscles! Can't go wrong, right?!

For the past 4 years I've been doing circuit routines with free weights and sometimes going to a gym. But a few months ago I got mono and have been losing muscle mass since working out has been too strenuous, So my goals aren't anything big but I would like to get back up to curling 65lbs by the end of the year, I had only just begun to when I became sick,

I can curl 45 easily but in a month or two hopefully I'll be healthy and I just want to get back to where I was, I was happy with that.

Lovin' this thread. You guys are kicking some major ass here.

I'd be happy if I closed out 2013 having lost about 20-25 pounds or so. I'm a big dude, bigger than I'd like to mention, and my mobility is just wrecked. I'd like to get back into any shape other than "round," but I'm not stressing myself out about it like I've done in years past. Right now, I'm just cutting back portion sizes, lifting dumbbells, and trying to walk a lot more. That last one's difficult, seeing as how I love to walk outdoors and it's the dead of winter, but I'm trying not to let that be an excuse to just sit around all day. I'm also doing half-crunches, some flexibility exercises, and drinking tons of water and tea. Tea has practically replaced pop, which is good. Now if I can just quit my cravings for snacks, I think I'll be on the road to some serious weight loss.

Just a reminder to join the Giant Bomb 2013-2014 fitness challenge on Fitocracy! I'm currently at #2 behind the working out machine that is @Pezen

Let's get lean in 2013, Bombers!

Placed 2nd in a half marathon last year, training to step up to a full marathon this year. Also, try to finally kick the caffeine habit and maybe start eating more organic food. But that requires money

I've been lifting weights for 20 years now. Tried alot of splits and diets and been logging everything since 1999. I did a Classic bodybuilding show in 2006 and finished dead last :D But it was fun to try it out. I work out for my own pleasure and not to compete in anything.

Being 34 now ive learned and decided that bulking and dieting down is not the wat to go for a natural. So i maintain a pretty low bodyfat year round and build what little muscle i can. To me that is the way to go. I like to be happy with how i look and feel year round, not just 2 months in the summer.

Right now im lifting 5 days a week and i go thru the whole body 2-3 times a week. I dont do any cardio, just maintain my bodyfat with a strict diet. I love what i do and will never stop.

Up until October I was always a runner that just did some calisthenics everyone once in a while, but since I came out to the sandbox I have been doing crossfit and loving it. Done within an hour and always feel destroyed but awesome at the same time.

My short term goal is to continue to lose the last bit of weight I want to lose, and to keep building up running speed/endurance. I have a pretty good running/cardio routine down, but I am way spottier when it comes to strength training. I just have a hard time sticking to a schedule, and I don't really know what I should be doing. Goal for 2013 is to run a 10k, which I have no doubt I can do, I might be setting my sights too low and may have to adjust, but for now that's where I am.

If I can just throw in my two cents about losing weight, my wife and I found the key for us was tracking calories. Of course it was important for us to be in the gym 5 days a week too, but paying close attention to what you are eating is invaluable. Of course you can't just worry about the number of calories either, but the quality. Avoid processed foods, minimize alcohol, etc. Alcohol is my worst enemy when it comes to keeping the extra weight off. I just love a nice glass of whiskey. Or beer. Or wine. I finally just had to commit to keeping alcohol out of the house, and limiting drinking to once a week when out with friends. And not to excess. Works so far.

It's amazing how quickly you can lose weight when you change your diet though. Back in 2011 I dropped about 40 pounds in 4 months or so, mostly by changing my diet, with light but regular exercise. Then I broke my elbow very badly, requiring surgery, and couldn't work out for a while. After I recovered, I got lazy, stopped working out, started eating garbage again and gained about 30 of it back over 2012. I recommitted to a healthier lifestyle back in August or September, and I've lost all but 5 pounds of it or so again. Anyone can commit to being healthier, losing weight and getting in shape. But be ok with some setbacks and fluctuations, no one is perfect. Just do your best and don't give up.

@Kerned said:

but I am way spottier when it comes to strength training. I just have a hard time sticking to a schedule, and I don't really know what I should be doing. Goal for 2013 is to run a 10k, which I have no doubt I can do, I might be setting my sights too low and may have to adjust, but for now that's where I am

If you want to try strength training, my best advice is to follow a routine. StrongLifts 5x5 or Starting Strength tend to be the best for building up strength without many complications and the workouts take about 30-40 minutes so it'll be easy to stick to a schedule. A lot of people in this thread lift 5 days a week but I personally feel that is overkill, especially for beginners who need time to recover (like me).

For Kerned and anyone else wanting a routine, this is a good one I found from a YouTube channel called Ice Cream Fitness. It's StrongLifts modified to allow more arm work for those big biceps etc:

Workout A

Squat 5x5

Bench Press 5x5

Barbell Row 5x5

Barbell Shrug 3x8

Skullcrusher 3x8

Chins 3x5-8 or Straight Bar/Incline Curl 3x8

Hyperextention 2x10

Kneeling Cable Crunch 3x10-20

Workout B

Squat 5x5

Deadlift 1x5

Standing Press 5x5

Barbell Row 5x5 -10%

Close Grip Bench Press 3x8

Straight Bar or Incline Curl 3x8

Kneeling Cable Crunch 3x10-20

5x5 means 5 sets of 5 repetitions of each movement. So you'd do something five times, rest 1-3 minutes, do it another five times.

Cut any accessories out of this if you feel it is too much work. The only things you REALLY need to keep are the squats, deadlift, standing press, rows, and bench press. These are staples.

Schedule is AxBxAxx then the next week BxAxBxx then repeat the cycle. The x means a day off so basically either Monday Wednesday Friday or Tuesday Thursday Saturday you go to the gym and lift, whichever fits your schedule. Each workout, try to add 5lb or 2.5kg to whatever weight you were using last and keep doing this until you completely plateau, at which point you drop back down 10% and build back up to your max to try and exceed it.

If this is too much work for you or you have never lifted a weight in your life, stick to classic StrongLifts:

A

Squat 5x5

Bench Press 5x5

Barbell Rows 5x5

Squat 5x5

Overhead Press 5x5

Deadlift 1x5

My best advice is be CONSISTENT and try to not modify the routine too much. Stick it out even if it becomes boring. They are designed this way for a reason.

@MrMuscle said:

Being 34 now ive learned and decided that bulking and dieting down is not the wat to go for a natural. So i maintain a pretty low bodyfat year round and build what little muscle i can. To me that is the way to go. I like to be happy with how i look and feel year round, not just 2 months in the summer.

Right now im lifting 5 days a week and i go thru the whole body 2-3 times a week. I dont do any cardio, just maintain my bodyfat with a strict diet. I love what i do and will never stop.

Perfect attitude to have. I find the whole notion of bulking / cutting these days absolutely crazy.

I do a simple 2-day split (with some variation) and workout with weights 4 days a week, and HiiT 3 days a week.

Maintaining a healthy diet, and low bodyfat is an ideal which I wish more people would strive for. (for long-term health prospects)

@StrikeALight said:

@MrMuscle said:

Being 34 now ive learned and decided that bulking and dieting down is not the wat to go for a natural. So i maintain a pretty low bodyfat year round and build what little muscle i can. To me that is the way to go. I like to be happy with how i look and feel year round, not just 2 months in the summer.

Right now im lifting 5 days a week and i go thru the whole body 2-3 times a week. I dont do any cardio, just maintain my bodyfat with a strict diet. I love what i do and will never stop.

Perfect attitude to have. I find the whole notion of bulking / cutting these days absolutely crazy.

I do a simple 2-day split (with some variation) and workout with weights 4 days a week, and HiiT 3 days a week.

Maintaining a healthy diet, and low bodyfat is an ideal which I wish more people would strive for. (for long-term health prospects)

With all respect to Mr Muscle, he has been lifting for 20 years and has likely already met his genetic potential. He'll only be able to add a couple of pounds of muscle each year now whereas a noob on a calorie surplus will gain much more muscle in their first 3-5 years of lifting (the noobgains effect). That is why I feel bulking is necessary, especially if you start out extremely skinny and want to add any kind of size at all. Once you have a solid muscular base, bulking and cutting can take a wayside and you can maintain the body you have already earned. It's physically impossible to build serious muscle unless you are on a calorie surplus and that means you will always have some fat gain as well as muscle gain.

Get swole as fuck.

@Kill said:

@StrikeALight said:

@MrMuscle said:

Being 34 now ive learned and decided that bulking and dieting down is not the wat to go for a natural. So i maintain a pretty low bodyfat year round and build what little muscle i can. To me that is the way to go. I like to be happy with how i look and feel year round, not just 2 months in the summer.

Right now im lifting 5 days a week and i go thru the whole body 2-3 times a week. I dont do any cardio, just maintain my bodyfat with a strict diet. I love what i do and will never stop.

Perfect attitude to have. I find the whole notion of bulking / cutting these days absolutely crazy.

I do a simple 2-day split (with some variation) and workout with weights 4 days a week, and HiiT 3 days a week.

Maintaining a healthy diet, and low bodyfat is an ideal which I wish more people would strive for. (for long-term health prospects)

With all respect to Mr Muscle, he has been lifting for 20 years and has likely already met his genetic potential. He'll only be able to add a couple of pounds of muscle each year now whereas a noob on a calorie surplus will gain much more muscle in their first 3-5 years of lifting (the noobgains effect). That is why I feel bulking is necessary, especially if you start out extremely skinny and want to add any kind of size at all. Once you have a solid muscular base, bulking and cutting can take a wayside and you can maintain the body you have already earned. It's physically impossible to build serious muscle unless you are on a calorie surplus and that means you will always have some fat gain as well as muscle gain.

Absolutely. People need to find out what is best for them and their situation. It just might be that a beginner can get better results by bulking hard. Usually the problem is a lack of knowledge. Luckily these days you can find everything you need to learn free on the internet. Ofcourse, if you ask 10 people they will have 10 different asnwers hehe. But at least the information is out there. When i started training there was no such things. We got our information from FLEX and Muscle & FItness, not exactly ideal.

And No offense taken. People need to figure out for themselves what is the best way for them to get the results they want. I will never impose my opinions and experience on anyone unless they ask. Ive tried bulking myself ofcourse and dislike it. To me, i belive a couple of hundred calories above maintanance is sufficient to build all the lean muscle I can. While feeling fit and healthy the same time. It might take a bit longer, but im willing to trade that for feeling out of shape.

And you are 100% correct in that training for so many years i cant really expect to grow much more. Im now 85kg at 189cm. If you use some of the common ways to calculate your max bodyweight in competition shape i can expect to become no heavier than 89kg (189-100). But those last kilos will be hard to gain no matter how i do it. So again id rather be happy and lean than unhappy and heavy.

Just to illustrate what results I have gained using these guidlines here is a picture of me at the age of 18.

And here is a picture of me now at age 34.

Ive definately done alot of stuff wrong, and probably still have a couple of things to improve on. But im positive that more bodyfat wont help me.

EDIT: Just wanted to add that i dont think that everyone that bulks goes on see food diet (you see food you eat it) and alot of people have 100% control of their diets even if they are bulking I dont wanna come of like someone who thinks people bulking are lazy. Most of them put in the work like all of us. Lean bulking for instance has become a new trend now and that requires alot of control.

I am upping my days at the gym +2, I now take an extra gym class on a Sunday and go to the gym on a Friday. The only days I don't go to the gym are Monday and Thursdays and I'm thinking about going on Mondays too after work. People tell me that I spend a lot of time at the gym and say I spend too much time at the gym, I tell them that at the gym I get to socialise, get fit and do something good. I mean my usual evening routine without the gym would be go home and sit in front of the computer until I go to sleep, going to the gym gives me something to do and no reason not to do it.

@Kill said:

@StrikeALight said:

@MrMuscle said:

Being 34 now ive learned and decided that bulking and dieting down is not the wat to go for a natural. So i maintain a pretty low bodyfat year round and build what little muscle i can. To me that is the way to go. I like to be happy with how i look and feel year round, not just 2 months in the summer.

Right now im lifting 5 days a week and i go thru the whole body 2-3 times a week. I dont do any cardio, just maintain my bodyfat with a strict diet. I love what i do and will never stop.

Perfect attitude to have. I find the whole notion of bulking / cutting these days absolutely crazy.

I do a simple 2-day split (with some variation) and workout with weights 4 days a week, and HiiT 3 days a week.

Maintaining a healthy diet, and low bodyfat is an ideal which I wish more people would strive for. (for long-term health prospects)

With all respect to Mr Muscle, he has been lifting for 20 years and has likely already met his genetic potential. He'll only be able to add a couple of pounds of muscle each year now whereas a noob on a calorie surplus will gain much more muscle in their first 3-5 years of lifting (the noobgains effect). That is why I feel bulking is necessary, especially if you start out extremely skinny and want to add any kind of size at all. Once you have a solid muscular base, bulking and cutting can take a wayside and you can maintain the body you have already earned. It's physically impossible to build serious muscle unless you are on a calorie surplus and that means you will always have some fat gain as well as muscle gain.

Completely understand, its just that my personal goals have always been to be functionally fit, rather than big or bulky. Because of this,I'll always prioritize cardio over weights, in any of my routines.

I've seen many, many people attempt to clean bulk at my gym, and a large proportion of them have been unable to honor the attention to detail in their diets, to pull it off successfully.

Saying that, Mr Muscle should be an inspiration for those with enough dedication to get big.

I now go 6 days a week, Friday is my day off. I am working with a trainer to get my routine all sorted. I also purchased a whole new line of clothing from
Slazenger, 3 white T- Shirts, 3 White Sleevless vests, 3 white pairs of shorts, trainer socks and running shoes. I also bought a sexy pair of swimming trunks, goggles and an iPad Shuffle, running with an iPhone 4S is not that great.

I do a light one hour workout on 6 of 7 days of the week. Push-ups, sit-ups, freeweights and such - the classics really. In Summer I like to go swimming and cycling in addition to that. My idea of doing fitness is to never do too much, never push it - since it's all about lifestyle and not about immediate results. It's been working for me since over 5 years, and not working out is causing me discomfort now, so I guess that's a success. That's not to say I don't enjoy the results of my fitness regiment.

Since mid-December 2012, I'm trying out a new *One Meal a Day* lifestyle. Essentially just eating a nice big breakfast, including a hot homecooked dish. So far, it's the best thing ever. I've never been a great sleeper, always teetering on the brink of insomnia all my life - now however, I fall asleep almost instantly to a peaceful 6-8 hours of resting sleep. Sleeping is the best. I'd highly recommend trying a similar diet.

I'm doing the insanity program...it's one helluva workout. kicks my ass almost everytime...i'm about halfway through the program. anyone else tried it?

I just lost like a half hour of my life watching Japanese Women's MMA fights on YouTube. So... thanks.

@phoenix6153 said:

I'm doing the insanity program...it's one helluva workout. kicks my ass almost everytime...i'm about halfway through the program. anyone else tried it?

Yeah, I've completed the program a few times. It's pretty good, I prefer P90x though, less cardio. I do alot of running, and I need the extra cardio in Insanity. Also the Insanity cardio abs workout is pretty bad.

You'll definitely get results if you stick with it though. Best of luck!

My plan is to get back down below 300lb by pax east. (32 to go) Eating small meals and walking about 2 hours a day has served me well in the past and it will again. Playing a MMO really put me back a bunch since I was at 260lb at one point which was just right according to my doctor.

@phoenix6153 said:

I'm doing the insanity program...it's one helluva workout. kicks my ass almost everytime...i'm about halfway through the program. anyone else tried it?

I tried it for a few weeks, hated it. Gave me knee problems with all that jumping.