Looking for some help.

[theforce3169]

Let me begin by saying that I am 38 years old, weigh about 210, 6'3" tall. I am a recovering addict/alcoholic/etc. Food was my first drug of choice back when I was 11 years old. I was a really skinny kid.....until then that is. I ate, and ate, and ate, mostly junk. I became fat quickly and up until I was 31 I was overweight and did alot of drinking and drugging. My average weight from 23 til 31 was about 275, and, I once wieghed 310.

My last time in the state pen. in '98 I decided to get into shape. At this time I wieghed my most 310. After 9 months of walking, jogging, handball, etc. I got down to 247......pretty amazing!

I got out in early 2001 and went back to doping but still put on weight; back to 265. I got into rehab and since I had no major responsibilities at the time, I went to the gym 7 days a week. I had no clue as to what I was doing. I probably did alot of damage. I mean, can you imagine a guy at 267 jogging on the treadmill.....yeah, my knees, shins, EVERYTHING started hurting.

Just after about 10 months I actually got down to 188lbs. I had trainers at the gym telling me that my losing weight that fast was dangerous. People were telling me that I was too skinny, which actually after being fat my whole life made me feel good!

I was on a starvation diet at this time (3 small meals a day and one snack). You gotta remember I grew up in the 80's when starvation diets were the thing. I wanted to put on some muscle and I finally got a trainer who told me that I had to eat 5 to 7 times a day.

I learned a little about exercise and quite a bit about nutrition in the past 7 years, but, man have I been struggling. Remember I was an active dope fiend for 17 years of my life, was overweight. And, now I found out some years ago that I have a herniated L5 which is also degenerating (man this ****er hurts EVERY GODDAMNED DAY!)

I also have hepatitis C and along with my back pain and some strange phenomenon with my midsection I find it quite hard to stay motivated. This midsection thing is a long story, but, in short, it has been theorized that because I had been so overweight for so long that my stomach muscle lining had been stretched out and though I am alot skinnier, the lining is still weak. What happened is that about 3 years ago I was doing stomach/core routines and all of a sudden my stomach portruded and felt like someone took a red hot Rambo knife and gutted my ass.........worst pain EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope, its not a hernia because you cant feel it. Perhaps because of the weak lining that I have a potential for a hernia but, hell I don't have insurance so I don't know.

ANYWAYS I am here today to just get some ideas on a workout I can do to build mass. I will want to cut later, but for now I would like all the info I can get on adding muscle mass while keeping fat gains low. This would include: nutrition, supplements, workout routines (be specific I need stuff spelled out!), etc.

REMEMBER, I am 38 years old, herniated/degenerative L5, joints hurt due to Hepatitis C. I wiegh 210 and I am almost 6'3".


Thanks
Shawn

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

Im not sure what all you can and can't do workout wise, but here are some basics, and just see what works for you.

A basic split looks like:

Mon: chest/triceps
tuesday: off
wed: Back/biceps
thursday: shoulder/traps
friday: legs
satff
sun: off

abs can be done where ever you see fit...

Being new/fresh, I would start out with higher rep stuff, in the 12-15 rep range per set

Examples of exercises:
chest: bb/db flat bench, bb/db incline bench, dips, butterflies, decline bench
triceps: skullcrushers, close grip bench, cable pressdowns
back: deadlifts, pull ups, lat pull downs, bent over rows,
bicep: curls, preacher curls, db incline curls, hammer curls
shoulder: military press, side/front laterals, reverse butterflies
traps: upright rows, shrugs
legs: squats, leg press, lunges, leg curls, calf raises

FORM IS KEY ABOVE ALL ELSE. Know what your doing with proper form.

I usually do 10-15 sets for the bigger muscles, i.e. chest/back/legs/some shoulder. and 7 sets or so for smaller ones, tris/biis/traps
Please Note: everyone is different
Just mess with it, and see what works for you. Everyone is different.

If you wanna throw in cardio do 30 min after workouts, @ 65% MHR (max heart rate). Off days, do 45 min-1 hr. preferably on an empty stomach

As far as gaining mass, thats diet there. Visit the diet section, read the stickies at the top, in bold. and throw together a diet, post it up, and people will critique for you.

Supplements, uuummm right now, I'd say just get your basic whey protein, multivitamin, and some BCAAs. once you get a solid diet and workout routine down, then you can add some or whatever

Last but not least, you sound like you have been through a lot. So, props to you on cleaning up your life, and best of luck.

[theforce3169]

Im not sure what all you can and can't do workout wise, but here are some basics, and just see what works for you.

A basic split looks like:

Mon: chest/triceps
tuesday: off
wed: Back/biceps
thursday: shoulder/traps
friday: legs
satff
sun: off

abs can be done where ever you see fit...

Being new/fresh, I would start out with higher rep stuff, in the 12-15 rep range per set

Examples of exercises:
chest: bb/db flat bench, bb/db incline bench, dips, butterflies, decline bench
triceps: skullcrushers, close grip bench, cable pressdowns
back: deadlifts, pull ups, lat pull downs, bent over rows,
bicep: curls, preacher curls, db incline curls, hammer curls
shoulder: military press, side/front laterals, reverse butterflies
traps: upright rows, shrugs
legs: squats, leg press, lunges, leg curls, calf raises

FORM IS KEY ABOVE ALL ELSE. Know what your doing with proper form.

I usually do 10-15 sets for the bigger muscles, i.e. chest/back/legs/some shoulder. and 7 sets or so for smaller ones, tris/biis/traps
Please Note: everyone is different
Just mess with it, and see what works for you. Everyone is different.

If you wanna throw in cardio do 30 min after workouts, @ 65% MHR (max heart rate). Off days, do 45 min-1 hr. preferably on an empty stomach

As far as gaining mass, thats diet there. Visit the diet section, read the stickies at the top, in bold. and throw together a diet, post it up, and people will critique for you.

Supplements, uuummm right now, I'd say just get your basic whey protein, multivitamin, and some BCAAs. once you get a solid diet and workout routine down, then you can add some or whatever

Last but not least, you sound like you have been through a lot. So, props to you on cleaning up your life, and best of luck.

Yeah, I have been through quite a bit, thanks for the well wishes.
And, thanks for the advise.

So, if I am trying to build mass, it's okay to do cardio? I keep hearing so many differences of opinions on this. One side says that if you do cardio you will lose the energy you need when you are working to build mass. I guess doing cardio after lifting would solve that problem..........
I would think that some cardio is necessary to lessen fat gains.

My chiropractor tells me that I shouldn't lift weights because of my lower back problems. Sometimes, I feel like she is right because the ****er hurts.
I know squats aren't a good idea and so far as cardio goes, jogging is a big no-no....which sucks because I like it

How do I determine my MHR?

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

Yeah, I have been through quite a bit, thanks for the well wishes.
And, thanks for the advise.

So, if I am trying to build mass, it's okay to do cardio? I keep hearing so many differences of opinions on this. One side says that if you do cardio you will lose the energy you need when you are working to build mass. I guess doing cardio after lifting would solve that problem..........
I would think that some cardio is necessary to lessen fat gains.

My chiropractor tells me that I shouldn't lift weights because of my lower back problems. Sometimes, I feel like she is right because the ****er hurts.
I know squats aren't a good idea and so far as cardio goes, jogging is a big no-no....which sucks because I like it

How do I determine my MHR?

65% max heart rate is: (220 – your age) x .65
Its usually not jogging. For me, its more of a semi fast paced walk on an incline on the treadmill.

Yes,, cardio needs to be done when bulking. 3 times a week would suffice, for about 45 minutes each time.

[theforce3169]

65% max heart rate is: (220 – your age) x .65
Its usually not jogging. For me, its more of a semi fast paced walk on an incline on the treadmill.

Yes,, cardio needs to be done when bulking. 3 times a week would suffice, for about 45 minutes each time.

Thank you for the info. Should I implement the cardio on my off days? Or, should I do them after lifting?

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

Thank you for the info. Should I implement the cardio on my off days? Or, should I do them after lifting?

Whatever works for you. Personally, I would do them on off days, right when you wake up, on an empty stomach.
My main point was that if you do do cardio on lifting days, do it after, not before workout.

[theforce3169]

65% max heart rate is: (220 – your age) x .65
Its usually not jogging. For me, its more of a semi fast paced walk on an incline on the treadmill.

Yes,, cardio needs to be done when bulking. 3 times a week would suffice, for about 45 minutes each time.

WOW, I just used the formula, and my 65% is only about 119. WOW, when I do cardio, according to the machines, my HR is between 145 and 155. But, I only go for between 20 and 25 minutes. I'll try the 45 min at 65%, see how it goes.

How do you measure your HR when you are doing cardio?

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

WOW, I just used the formula, and my 65% is only about 119. WOW, when I do cardio, according to the machines, my HR is between 145 and 155. But, I only go for between 20 and 25 minutes. I'll try the 45 min at 65%, see how it goes.

How do you measure your HR when you are doing cardio?

Yeah, its def not a fast pace. You can do 70% if you want.
But it shouldn't be easy either. It should be easier on the joints for ya
If you want something quicker/harder you can look into HIIT (high intensity interval training) but thats def not done for 45 minutes... its a whole new kind of cardio


The treadmill I use reads my HR. Or you can buy a HR monitor from Academy or elsewhere

[theforce3169]

65% max heart rate is: (220 – your age) x .65
Its usually not jogging. For me, its more of a semi fast paced walk on an incline on the treadmill.

Yes,, cardio needs to be done when bulking. 3 times a week would suffice, for about 45 minutes each time.

I know I can go find other workout techniques/methods/etc, but do you have a particular routine you recommend or use yourself?

Is there any routine on here you particularly like? Or, do you do your own? When bulking how do you lift (how many sets? How many reps? Do you warmup and gradually increase weight? Or, do you do a couple of warm ups of a certain muscle group and then go to your max and work your way down?

I read that pyramiding technique on here somewhere.........

[xlxBigSexyxlx]

I know I can go find other workout techniques/methods/etc, but do you have a particular routine you recommend or use yourself?

Is there any routine on here you particularly like? Or, do you do your own? When bulking how do you lift (how many sets? How many reps? Do you warmup and gradually increase weight? Or, do you do a couple of warm ups of a certain muscle group and then go to your max and work your way down?

I read that pyramiding technique on here somewhere.........

Right now, Im doing a regular one muscle group a week split:

Monday: Back/Traps
( deadlifts 3 sets, pull ups 3, bent over rows 3, 2-3 lat pulldowns....bb shrugs 4, db shrugs 3)
Tuesday: Chest/Abs
(db incline bench 3, db flat bench 3, dips 3, 2-3 incline flies....whatever for abs, usually decline situps, and decline reverse crunches )
Wed.: Off
Thursday: Legs
(squats 3-4, lunges 3, leg press 2-3, leg curls 3, seated/standing calf raises 5-6 sets)
friday: shoulders/arms
(military press 3, side/front laterals 2-3 each, reverse flies 2-3......i superset standing bb curls with skullcrushers 3 sets. then superset db incline flies and angled bar press downs 3 sets. then about 6-7 quick, heavy, hard sets of wrist curls)
sat and sun: off


I do about 2-3 warm up sets when I started with the bigger muscle. Im doing mixed rep range per week, 1st week low reps, 2nd week med rep, 3rd high reps, then repeat.


Main thing is to see what works for you. Everyone is different and it takes time to see what really works...

I like to change my workouts every 3-4 months or so...

[Stoneco|d]

Don't do HIIT ... try light jogging (it would make your condition worse). Can you go on an elliptical? If not use the bike, just go a bit longer and you should be good. Plus make sure your workouts are high intensity and don't take too much time between sets. Just go in then out. I'd keep a record (a book) of what you lift everyday, would be very helpful. When I bulk, I always keep a book with me so I can improve my workouts every week.