another newbie post...

[sallis.n]

Hi ladies and gents:
I've been reading this forum on and off since I was about 17 and thought I needed steroids to get better. Thanks to a few of you I decided against that and saved my little buddies down below. I had torn out my MCL and LCL at the end of my high school football career and that- with the crazy lifestyle college kids tend to live- I never got back into my routine. I'm 21 now and a graduating senior. I've done a good bit of research in the past weeks in the forum (so as not to ask repetitive, stupid questions), but I’m left with a few things I’d like your opinion on. First, the stats:
Age: 22
Height: 6'1"
Weight: ~190
Body Fat: I can only guess, but I’m putting myself in the high teens to low 20's

I am an experienced lifter in the sense that I know how to properly do exercises and know what exercises work what muscles. However, I have not been in a good routine for a few years. Through my reading, I’ve come to believe that the 3-day program outlined in one of the stickies would work best for me (the type-2 fiber routine). The workout that I’ve decided on goes as follows: (following the ABC fiber routine)
M&F:
Chest: decline/incline bench
Shoulders: Dumbbell press
Triceps: close grips
Traps: shrugs
Abs: weighted crunches

W:
Back Width: pull downs
Back Thickness: rows
Biceps: dumbbell curls/ traditional curls
Calves: standing calf raises
Quads: squats
hams: leg curls

So, the first thing I’ll do is get my max's on the various exercises. Now, how should I go about finding the right weights to do for each set (A, B, & C fibers)? And do you think that jumping into this type of workout would really be the right thing for me? As far as supplements go, I think I’ll get back on the creatine, glutamine, and multi-vitamins. It worked well for me in the past. I already have some M1T and 4-AD, but I think I should hold off on those until I get a solid base- how long do you think that would be? (6 months? a year? or is it relative?) I know it's a lot to ask and a big post but any help would be greatly appreciated- you guys have always pointed me in the right direction in the past and I’m sure you'll continue to do the same.

On a side note, I've always been into sports- whether it be football or mixed martial arts. I am not doing anything now and I’m having a very hard time with motivation. Any suggestions or tricks that's worked for ya'll? Anyone know of a good mixed-martial arts gym in atlanta/athens area?

Again, thanks for your time! You can reply to this post, e-mail me, or shoot me a PM- whatever is most convenient for you.

Desperate to get back in shape,
Nic

[Keyser Sozey]

I can't really comment on that type of w/o, b/c I have never done it. What I can give you is a 4 day routine that is easy and allows you to figure those numbers for your max, etc..

Mon: Quads
1. Leg ext. 5 * 20, 15, 12, 10. (essentially pre-exhaust for squats)
2. Squats 5 * 20, 15, 15, 15, 12.
3. For inner quads, I do a high \ / foot placement on the leg press, and bring it down as low as possible. 4 * 10, 10, 10, 10

Hamstrings
1. stiff leg deads to upper shin 4 * 10, 10, 10, 10
2. Lying Leg curl 4 *10, 10, 10, 10

Calves
1. Standing calf raises 8 * pyramid up in weight and adjust reps

Tues: Chest
1. Inc. db press 4 *12, 10, 8, 6
2 Flat db press 4 * 12, 10, 8, 6
3. Decline Flyes 4* 12, 10, 8, 6

Tris
1. Skullcrushers 4 *12, 10, 8, 6
2. Tri pushdown 4 *12, 10, 8, 6

Abs

Wed. OFF

Thurs. Back
1. Wide grip chins or Pulldowns (front) 4* 12, 10, 8, 6
2. Bent over bbell rows 4 *12, 10, 8, 6
3.Deadlifts 4 *3, 3, 3, 3 (sets of threes to get max poundage possible)

Traps
1.Bbell shrugs 6* 15

Calves
1. Seated calf raises 8 * (pyramid weight and reps)

Fri. Delts
1. Military Press 4* 12, 10, 8, 6
2. Side db laterals 4 *12, 10, 8, 6
3.bent over rows 4* 12, 10 ,8, 6

Bis
1. Bbell curls 4 * 12, 10, 8, 6
2. inc db curls 4 * 12, 10, 8, 6

4arms
1. wrist curls 4 *12, 10 ,8, 6
2. reverse curls 4 * 12, 10, 8, 6

Abs

[sallis.n]

thanks for the input man. hopefully i'll get a few more opinions and then i can decide what'd be best for me. thanks

[TADOLFI]

Your w/o looks pretty good.
Keyser has some nice major muscle group exercises in what is posted - maybe pare that down a little so that you are just doing the larger compound movements and then add on more secondaries as you get adjusted to being back in the gym. Prolly about 5 - 6 weeks.
As for the motivation...have goals, but don't get stuck or focused on one thing - Like "I've gotta get my chest to 50 inches by this time".
Go in with the base of using good form and you'll have to experiment with the weight levels to know where your workout weight will be.
If you max on an exercise I recommend 60% of the weight to start.
Give that two weeks and adjust to 70% if it feels good and your form is not sloppy.

Don't start so high with poundages that you defeat yourself the first few workouts because you're not getting your sets and reps that you've envisioned.

The good news is that most guys I've talked with that get back in the gym after some time off usually have a lot of it back within a third of the time it took to get there before. (So if you worked out for a year, took time off and you come back - you'll probably be back to that level in about 4 months)

I would not supplement right away and just stick to the multi.
Use your diet as the main tool to grow for at least a year.
And don't underestimate getting the proper amount of rest.

Good Post - sounds like you're being smart about it - Good Luck.

[sallis.n]

don't mean to be redundant. but thanks tadolfi. like i said, any advice helps

[sallis.n]

only time i'll do this... bump...