*** Yet Another Workout/Exercise Thread ***

[Led Zeppelin]

This is for all of us that workout and/or exercise at the gym. I figure you can't have enough of these, so I'll start another one. All input will be appreciated. If you don't have any business in this thread and are just here to flame, etc, move along please.

How many times do you go to the gym per week, and what workout regimen do you follow? For example, do you do cardio on Monday/Wed/Fri, and lifting on Tues/Thurs? Or do you take days off during the week, etc.

I worked out last night at the gym for a good two and a half hours, doing both cardio and lifting, and I am really sore today. I can just barely straighten out my arm without any pain. I did want to go tonight again, but I don't want to risk injury. Of course, you always hear no pain, no gain, so maybe this pain is good and it shows the workouts are being effective. Advice? Do you all workout if your muscles are sore, or would you take a day to rest them?

 

[SoylentGreen]

Rest them.

 

[VBboy]

I would suggest reading a book rather than asking fellow Anandtechers for medical/workout advice There are countless books written on the subject... Many recommend resting the muscle for 4-5 days.

So if your muscles are sore, don't even think about using them. The whole idea is to let them regenerate! Less is more, in this case. Don't forget to stretch before and after the workout. They recommend 15+ mins to stretch out.

 

[Farmall]

Did you just start? You probably overdid the routine a bit. If you are going to work out on a daily basis break down your routine so you are not working the same muscle groups everyday. In order for your muscles to grow they need the time to rebuild after the workout.

 

[VBboy]

Don't forget that most Anandtechers are smelly geeks who hack Linux b0xens from their basements, so they wouldn't have a clue how to even approach the push-up exercise

 

[Led Zeppelin]

Originally posted by: Farmall
Did you just start? You probably overdid the routine a bit. If you are going to work out on a daily basis break down your routine so you are not working the same muscle groups everyday. In order for your muscles to grow they need the time to rebuild after the workout.

Well, I have been working out for about two years, but I recently had a foot injury that forced me to not workout for 6 months, so in essence, I have just begun to get back into a regular schedule this past Saturday, and have gone every day since, but I really feel the soreness today.

 

[PunDogg]

man u have to rest buddy, or else u will do more harm than good. I work out tues, thurs, and sat. i lift and do cardio everytime, but you should workout for no more than 1 hour to an hour and a half, too much and u over train, thats one of the biggest mistakes people do is over train. i run for 20-25 mins, and then i left for 30-45 mins, then i go home and take some protein drinks, and multi vitmans, i get them from my GNC, which my family and I own. But the main thing is take it easy, and build up, or else u will end up hurting yourself. Hope this helps
Doggfather

 

[acidvoodoo]

i do 3 day split


sunday-back/chest

tuesday-legs

thursday-arms/shoulders



should be monday, weds, fri, but iwork fridays so it was has to be done this way

 

[Spamela]

first of all, 2 1/2 hours is way too long.
you want to vary the muscles worked & give them time to recover.

i workout 3x per week (powerlifting). if i'm really sore, then i'll wait a day or skip the next workout entirely.

currently i do:
Tuesday - bench squat

Thursday - rack dead lift or good mornings

tuesday and/or thursday i do triceps extension & curls (both with dumbells)

Saturday - squats, back extensions, situps

check out my sig link to see my son deadlifting over 500lbs.

 

[Farmall]

Originally posted by: LedZeppelin

Originally posted by: Farmall
Did you just start? You probably overdid the routine a bit. If you are going to work out on a daily basis break down your routine so you are not working the same muscle groups everyday. In order for your muscles to grow they need the time to rebuild after the workout.

Well, I have been working out for about two years, but I recently had a foot injury that forced me to not workout for 6 months, so in essence, I have just begun to get back into a regular schedule this past Saturday, and have gone every day since, but I really feel the soreness today.

I would suggest not going full out right of the bat, I am somewhat in the same predicament that I broke my wrist. It takes a while to get back to where you were before. I have found that the motivation to get restarted is the hardest hurdle for me.

 

[Led Zeppelin]

Originally posted by: Farmall

Originally posted by: LedZeppelin

Originally posted by: Farmall
Did you just start? You probably overdid the routine a bit. If you are going to work out on a daily basis break down your routine so you are not working the same muscle groups everyday. In order for your muscles to grow they need the time to rebuild after the workout.

Well, I have been working out for about two years, but I recently had a foot injury that forced me to not workout for 6 months, so in essence, I have just begun to get back into a regular schedule this past Saturday, and have gone every day since, but I really feel the soreness today.

I would suggest not going full out right of the bat, I am somewhat in the same predicament that I broke my wrist. It takes a while to get back to where you were before. I have found that the motivation to get restarted is the hardest hurdle for me.

Not for me, I'm really motivated because the new gym I joined has sooooo many hot women there.

 

[NormanTheCow]

My current schedule is:

Mon: Tris/chest
Tues: back/bi
Wed: Shoulder
Thurs: Basketball
Friday: party
Sat/Sun: basketball

 

[venk]

Me Regiment

Monday -

Morning
15 Minutes Interval Training (10x 30 sec sprint/1min walk)

Night
Chest, Triceps, Biceps, Upper Back
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Tuesday -

Morning
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Night
Legs, Stomach, Lower Back
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Wednesday -

Morning
15 Minutes Interval Training (10x 30 sec sprint/1min walk)

Night
No Weights
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Thursday -

Morning
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)

Night
Upper Body Body Circut Workout
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Friday -
Morning
15 Minutes Interval Training (10x 30 sec sprint/1min walk)

Night
Lower Body Circut Workout
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)

Saturday
20 Min Jog


Sunday
20 Min Jog

Add in some Basketball on Fri, Sat, and Sunday and you have my routine.

 

[Johnlee]

Funny you should ask. I'm leaving for the gym now.

I go whenever I get a free minute.

 

[Commish]

I go at least every other day, minimum. I do 30 minutes of cardio, every time on the cross trainer. Then do resistance for abs back, arms every time for another 30 minutes. After that, I go sit in the sauna for about fifteen minutes to relax. I just started a month ago and I've lost eighteen pounds.

 

[theNEOone]

Originally posted by: venk
Me Regiment

Monday -

Morning
15 Minutes Interval Training (10x 30 sec sprint/1min walk)

Night
Chest, Triceps, Biceps, Upper Back
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Tuesday -

Morning
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Night
Legs, Stomach, Lower Back
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Wednesday -

Morning
15 Minutes Interval Training (10x 30 sec sprint/1min walk)

Night
No Weights
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Thursday -

Morning
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)

Night
Upper Body Body Circut Workout
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)


Friday -
Morning
15 Minutes Interval Training (10x 30 sec sprint/1min walk)

Night
Lower Body Circut Workout
30 minutes Low Itensity Training (Walking on a Tmill/Eliptical)

Saturday
20 Min Jog


Sunday
20 Min Jog

Add in some Basketball on Fri, Sat, and Sunday and you have my routine.

This is an excellent routine. If I had the time, I'd do exactly the same thing. Guys, the kind of workout you do depends on what kind of gains you're looking for. But generally, you don't want to lift weights and do cardio in the same session. Think about it, the two are opposing each other. Weightlifting is for gaining mass and muscle, cardio is to lose fat. I.e., one is to lose weight, the other is to gain weight. You can't do both at the same time!!! The idea that fat is converted directly to energy that fuels muscle growth is a myth. The biochemical pathways are extremely complicated, and your body doesn't like to be losing weight while at the same time gaining weight. One thing will dull the effects of the other. For example, say you decide to go lift weights, then immediately afterwards do some cardio. The process of lifting weights works to KILL muscle cells, and after you stop lifting your body works to repair the muscle. For this, your body needs ENERGY!!! Namely, proteins. If you go do cardio, you're actually burning energy that your body could potentially use to repair muscle!!! Read some muscle mags or nutrition guides. The biggest gains in muscle occur if you chug down some protein IMMEDIATELY after working out.

Let's say you do some cardio first. Well this just burns energy that your body could use while you're lifting weights, namely complex carbs. Also is the idea that usually you should eat about 1-2 hours before lifting weights, or 3-4 before doing cardio. If you do cardio too soon after eating, you're just burning the food in your stomach, rather than fat that's already collected around your waste.

The story here is that you should seperate cardio and weightlifting!!

 

[StageLeft]

Here is an idea:

Monday: Chest/tris
Tuesday: Back/bis
Wed: Rest
Thursday: shoulders/legs
Fri: Rest
Saturday: start over cycle again.

This way a body part is worked every 5 days. Anymore than that and I am thinking it's overtraining.

Cardio I'd like to do 5 days a week but we all know how likely that is to happen. Cardio if I do it is always after weights.

 

[bolido2000]

I think 2 hr might be a little too much. I do:

1 Day: Chest/Tricepts
2 Day: rest
3 Day: Back/Biceps/Abs
4 day: rest
5 day: 10min cardio/legs/shoulders
6 day: rest
*Repeat*

This is a begginer's routine. Is good to have one day break between workouts so your body can focus on two muscle groups to recover. Also, don't worry if in the future you don't get sore after working out. Real progress is measured by your endurance and increased strenght.