Beginning questions....

**syd** · 10-09-2003, 07:16 PM

I am finally putting the diet, workout, and rest all together to try to build a damn body. I am using creatine and protein and working each body part once a week. I am 5.10, 180lbs, 26...

How long does it take before I will see results?

Any recommendations?

Also my legs are not worth a damn right now (can only squat about 90 lbs....should I work them out twice a week to catch up?

Thanks for the help!

**mfenske** · 10-09-2003, 08:15 PM

Hey Syd, welcome to the board. Congrats on making a decision to get in better shape. I will share with you what has worked really well for me. As a little preface I should say that I used to be really heavy (fat) and this has worked really well for me. First, get that diet in order. Here's what I eat just about every day
7:30 Oatmeal with 2 scoops (1 vanilla, 1 chocolate) whey protein and 2 small packets aspartame sweetener
8:30 @ the gym. Gatorade powder (3 scoops or 45 ish grams of carb) and vanilla whey protein,
9:30 Postworkout Gatorade powder (3 scoops) with Vanilla Whey Isolate
10:00 Post-Postworkout Gatorade powder (3 scoops) with Vanilla Whey Isolate
11:30 Homemade chili- (95%lean beef, kidney beans, black beans, tomatoes, serrano, and jalapeno peppers. Yummy)
1:00 Protein shake (2 scoops chocolate, 1 vanilla)
2:30 Tuna or Salmon 7 oz.(in the water-packed pouch) and vegetable, usually carrots
5:30 Lean meat 8oz. (eye of round, pork sirloin, turkey breast, bison, venison, etc.) Vegetable 8oz
8:30 Chicken breast 6 to 8 oz. Vegetable 8 oz.
10:30 24 oz. Fat-free cottage cheese.

This has been working really well for me. I am at 230 pounds and leaner and stronger than ever. My workout is pretty simple
Monday- Dumbbell Bench press (3 warmup sets, 3 work sets)
weighted Bench dips (2 sets 90, 115)
Cardio 20 min

Tuesday- Deadlifts (3 warmup, 3 work)
Cable pulldowns (3 sets)
Cable Row (2 sets)
Barbell Curl (3 sets)
Hammer Curl (2 sets)
Forearms wrist curls (3 sets)
Reverse wrist curls (3 sets)
Cardio 20 min

Wed- Abs & Cardio
Hanging leg raises (3 sets)
Cable twists (3 sets)
Cable Crunches (3 sets)

Thursday
Squats (3 warmup, 3 work sets)
Seated Calf Raises (2 sets)
Calf Raises (2 sets)
Cardio 20 min

Friday
Front raises (2 warmup, 2 worksets)
Rear Delt raises (2 warmup, 2 worksets)
Lateral Raises (2 sets)
Shrugs (3 sets)
Skullcrushers (1 warmup, 3 work sets)
Cable pushdowns (2 sets)

Got all that? Seriously though, just remember to keep at it. You see yourself every day so the changes are less apparent to you. If you stick with it (and you WILL) your friends and family will let you know. And if they start to grill you about it, don't let it bug you, they'll learn to accept it (they're probably just too jealous or lazy themselves). BTW love your avatar. Mark

**znak** · 10-10-2003, 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by syd

I am finally putting the diet, workout, and rest all together to try to build a damn body. I am using creatine and protein and working each body part once a week. I am 5.10, 180lbs, 26...

How long does it take before I will see results?

Any recommendations?

Also my legs are not worth a damn right now (can only squat about 90 lbs....should I work them out twice a week to catch up?

Thanks for the help!

You will have gains the first few weeks that are awesome IF you work out with intensity. Keep your reps in the 10-12 range for four to six sets. Five or six exercises is reasonable.

Concentrate on FORM, FORM and FORM. Do each exercise correctly. DON"T WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT. Time and again, I see people doing a quarter of the ROM becauser they have too much weight on the bar. You will get stronger FASTER if your form is right AND avoid injuries.

As a beginner, you can work out an hour and a half. Look around, learn various exercises for the muscle various groups as you are doing your work out. (I would imagine that the gym gave you one.) When you understand the form (start, middle and lockout), mix them into your work out substituting for an exercise for the same group.

I agree completely with mfenske, you have to have your diet in control. One gram of protein for every pound you weigh. 3000 calories/day minimum. Do the math and you will see that you will probably need to suppliment with a protein powder.

FORM, DIET, INTENSITY...

Go to the gym like a religion, four times a week, you'll feel better in a week, look noticably better in a month and have serious changes in six.

Go for it man!