Need some guidance for training/diet adventure

[WinstonSmith]

Hello all,

this is my first post in what I hope will many to come. I have finally decided to get serious at the gym, not just show up to throw some weights around and blow off some steam. I have been trolling for the past couple weeks gleaning advice from the experts from all over and would just like to get some feedback on a couple questions I have.

First off, my stats
38, Male, 240lbs, 6'3", approx 18%BF (will get it tested ASAP)

I have trained with weights since high school, nothing serious, just staying in basic shape. Metabolism seemed to leave me when I left the Oil Patch and became a software developer. Went from climbing mountains to stuck in a chair for 12 to 16 hours a day (I run my own company so my boss is an ass). Needless to say I have put on a spare tire around the midsection but still have OK muscle mass from many ears of outside work.

My goals are reduction in body fat and increase in lean muscle. No daydreams about visible six-pack as of yet, just being at the beach with my kids without fear of Greenpeace setting up a watch on me would be fine.

I currently train using a modified version of Rippetoe's "Starting Strength". I have always liked pure strength compound exercises so this was a great way for me to start off on this adventure. Been on the routine and have doubled all my starting poundage’s at least.

Routine
Consists of workout A and Workout B
Mon-Wed-Fri = A-B-A
then
Mon-Wed-Fri = B-A-B
and so on

Warm-ups of bar(10), 40%(5), 80%(3)
Working sets are 3 sets of 5 reps except Deadlift which is one working set of 5

Workout A
Squat - Working Set 260lbs
OH Press - Working Set 115lbs
Deadlift - Working Set 255lbs
Pull-Ups 3 X fail (only at 5 full but getting better)

Workout B
Squat - Working Set 260lbs
Bench Press - Working Set 205lbs
Bar Rows - Working Set 165lbs
Dips (3 X 8 and failure on last)

I do cardio on Tues and Thursday along with some abs but they get quite the workout anyways

My diet is currently under construction. Basically eggs, veggies, tuna, chicken, whey protein shakes, 5g creatine, 5g glutamine, oats. I am an extreme newbie to this so bear with me.

I train at 6am so I am up at 530 and have a protein shake on the drive from the gym to work. I need meals I can take with me, have a small fridge at the office too.

I have access to a 4 month supply of HGH which is what got me into doing a lot of research on this. I don't want to waste a $ intensive cycle on poor basics and diet. Should I stick strictly to my workouts as they stand? I have bodybuilder buddies that say this HGH cycle is the time to focus on any body parts you want to mold, so maybe I should add in some isolation exercises? I don't know, I will see what I get back in feedback from you guys.

Hope this post wasn't too long and thanks in advance!!!

[Older lifter]

Hi and welcome.

Ok, read the whole letter and have a few questions

Your main goal is losing weight while maintaining your muscle structure right???
Your weight training program is very short and am i right in thinking only 5 rep's? on the working set?? (classic bulk / powerlifting training)

Your traning legs (squats) everyday exp your day off???? no rest and no ham training???

You did not state if this program your doing gets bigger, including more exercises to hit all the body parts and different methods of doing those exercises as right now it seems more inclined to weight lifters not bodybuilders.

On the eating side, i for one eat 6-7 times a day and i don't mean shakes,,, this with well planned meals suppling pro/carbs/fats will help feed the body and increase your metabolism.... man i know this is short but there is a lot to answer your questions

I also have not used HGH but as i understand it it should be used on a long cycle to get results (6 months or more) you need to read up on this more and really look into the need to use it at your stage.

Will look back, and good luck

[Older lifter]

Oh one more thing, do you know what your body type is?? Ectomorth, Mesomorth, Endomorph or a combination of two of them,,, this will help in designing a program for you,,, you sound more on the Endomorth end.

[Klimax]

Try to train 4 times a week (gh makes recovery time shorter) with a four sessions splits; so you can add some compound execercises, hitting each bodypart once a week. Stay in the 6-12 reps range.

[WinstonSmith]

Thanks for the feedback!

My training program was geared towards getting my body out of a rut of no consistency or real program over the last 4 years. I wanted to get gains in strength and relearn the muscles for the basic movements (if that makes sense). The program I am on is just a start, I would like to go to a split routine (MT / TF) and that’s where the experts come in. A program that works for my age and experience. I understand not everyone reacts the same so it will be a work in progress as I make gains or nada.

The squats every workout sure got the metabolism revved and seemed to spike all my other exercises. I went up by 5lb per exercise every workout and 10 lb for the Deadlift but I am getting to the point now that form is coming into question so I am ready for a more body-building routine as you pointed out.

I guess I would be a combo of Ecto with Mesomorph. I am a hard gainer but have size naturally, with a tendency to gain fat around the middle. Wide shoulders with the V taper but not defined at all.

[WinstonSmith]

Thanks Klimax, thats what i thought i should get into. Any sample routines or is it better for me to try to put one together and you guys crtique it?

[WinstonSmith]

OK, after a couple hours of research and modifiying old routines i used to do i came up with the following. Abiding by a rule i found all over this site, keep it simple.

Monday

• Back
  
  • Deadlift
  • Bar rows or one arm dumbell rows
  • Close grip pulley rows
  • Pull ups
• Cardio

Tuesday

• Shoulders
  
  • Overhead dumbell press
  • Front and side raises
  • Shrugs?
  • Upright rows
• Cardio/abs

Wednesday

• Legs
  
  • Squats
  • Leg press
  • Leg curl
  • Calf raises

Thursday

• Biceps
  
  • Standing bar curl
  • Incline dumbell
  • Hammer curl or cable curls
• Cardio/abs

Friday

• Chest
  
  • Flat bench press
  • Incline dumbell press
  • Flat bench flys
• Triceps
  
  • Cable pull downs
  • Head crushers
  • Close grip bench press

Saturday

• Cardio (optional)

Sunday
Off

I will post reps and weights as i get the excercises worked out.

Critics enjoy and thanks for any feedback!!

[Older lifter]

Thats starting to look better,,, your bringing in more to hit more muscles. I would be looking at 8-10 for most parts and 10-12 on legs at this stage, monitor your progress and add a few more exercises when your ready.

As you learn more you will be hit with a whole host of program types, I don't knock too many as you have to try and see how your own body responds to them.

Just to give you an idea of what others are doing i will list my current program
I am nearly 45 and my programs are a 6 day split eg:

Monday Chest/ Bi's
Incline bench
Bench press
Cable flies
Pullovers

Bar curls
inclince Db curls
double cable standing curls

Tuesday Legs
Squats
Leg Press
Leg ext
Stiff leg deadlifts
Leg curls

Wednesday Off

Thursday Back
Wide grip pull downs
Close grip pull downs
Bent over BB row
Hyper's
Deadlifts
Also do rear delt's on my back day, cable or bent over DB flies
Plus 2 exercises for calf

Friday Shoulders/Tri's
Shoulder press
Seated DB flies
Upright rows
Cable flies

Laying tri ext
Close grip bench press
Single arm tri ext with cable

Saturday off

Sunday Start repeating from the mondays program.


I change the excercises as my body starts to get used to them, and i throw in heavy days for the shock effect, S/S, forced reps, pyramids, etc are all done as needed to keep the effect working. Heavy days my reps drop to 4-6 and i concentrate on form with as much as i can get in that range, good shocker for the muscles (some disagree with this but i find that it has been good for me and i only do it sometimes on one days workout only)

Anyhow mate, all the best and good luck with it, hope that i can help a bit..

[Klimax]

OK, after a couple hours of research and modifiying old routines i used to do i came up with the following. Abiding by a rule i found all over this site, keep it simple.

Monday

• Back
  
  • Deadlift
  • Bar rows or one arm dumbell rows
  • Close grip pulley rows
  • Pull ups
• Cardio

Tuesday

• Shoulders
  
  • Overhead dumbell press
  • Front and side raises
  • Shrugs?
  • Upright rows
• Cardio/abs

Wednesday

• Legs
  
  • Squats
  • Leg press
  • Leg curl
  • Calf raises

Thursday

• Biceps
  
  • Standing bar curl
  • Incline dumbell
  • Hammer curl or cable curls
• Cardio/abs

Friday

• Chest
  
  • Flat bench press
  • Incline dumbell press
  • Flat bench flys
• Triceps
  
  • Cable pull downs
  • Head crushers
  • Close grip bench press

Saturday

• Cardio (optional)

Sunday
Off

I will post reps and weights as i get the excercises worked out.

Critics enjoy and thanks for any feedback!!

You could train bi and tri together and let chest alone.

[WinstonSmith]

Sounds good, glad to see i am going in the right direction. I will post as i progress and get my diet in order.

Klimax - if i move bi's with tri's should i move it away from chest by a couple days? Maybe change it with the shoulder day? I like that idea of combining as i did the bicep day today and it did not feel like enough of a workout alone.

[Klimax]

You could do arms after shoulder-day, then legs and chest friday or

back
chest
legs
shoulder
arms

P.S. I liked 1984 too.

[WinstonSmith]

^^^ nice catch lol