Bought a workbench and weights...

Bought a workbench and weights...

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chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Monday 12th May 2014
quotequote all
When I was younger, from 13-19, I did intensive weight training (wouldn't think it to look at me now..). I did this 4 times a week and got pretty good, and looked quite good, too, ending up having 16" biceps and, at one point a 44" chest and 28" waist (I am 5'7")

However, that was almost thirty years' ago, and to say I am unfit and out of shape now would be an understatement. I am not what you'd call fat, but have a podge, and although I bought a good road bike last year, the hills kill me and the traffic scares me half to death, so that puts me off. I do not enjoy cycling one bit.

So, in a last desperate bid to get fit and lose a bit of weight, I thought, why not try what you always used to be good at? So with that in mind, I have ordered a work bench, a set of dumbbells with 20kg weights, a curl bar and a 50kg weight and bar set to start off very tentatively. All York stuff so I know it'll be interchangeable..

I thought I would remember the sets I used to do - but I cannot remember anything over the basics, bench presses, squats etc. I know that I need to warm up before using the weights, and I have a set of bike-rollers for this. What I would like is some advice on what sets would be best for the initial work outs?

I know that I need to start with very little weight to re-acclimatise myself to techniques - any other advice appreciated.

Cheers smile

(Edited because my father helped me remember the years I did the training when younger..)

Edited by chris watton on Thursday 2nd October 11:05

SickFish

3,503 posts

188 months

Monday 12th May 2014
quotequote all
I personally base my week on a push / pull / legs workout, and I have seen very good results. It has evolved from there though as I went from a "novice" trainer to an "intermediate" trainer.

My basic week started off originally like:

Mon - Pull
- BB deadlift (5x5)
- BB rows (5x5)
- DB curls (5x5)

Weds - Push
- BB bench press (5x5)
- BB incline bench press (5x5)
- DB shoulder press (5x5)

Fri - Legs
- BB squat (8x4)
- Leg press (8x4)
- Calf press (10x4)

I like to keep weights as heavy as possible.

Usually I do 20-30 mins of CV (HIIT or LISS) at the end as well as some ab work thrown in too - depending on how I feel.

Just remember, you cannot out train a poor diet - get this in check, calculate your maintenance Kcal and subtract 500, this is your daily net intake.

Calculate your protein requirements (4 Kcal/g)- (remember to include 1-1.5g/lb of lean body mass), take this from your maintenance.
Then work out what 20% of your maintenance is - this is your daily fat intake (9Kcal/g)
Then fill the remainder with carbohydrates to meet your daily needs (4Kcal/g)

Monitor and tweak over a few weeks.

Hopefully this helps thumbup

Edited by SickFish on Monday 12th May 13:40

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Monday 12th May 2014
quotequote all
SickFish said:
I personally base my week on a push / pull / legs workout, and I have seen very good results. It has evolved from there though as I went from a "novice" trainer to an "intermediate" trainer.

My basic week started off originally like:

Mon - Pull
- BB deadlift (5x5)
- BB rows (5x5)
- DB curls (5x5)

Weds - Push
- BB bench press (5x5)
- BB incline bench press (5x5)
- DB shoulder press (5x5)

Fri - Legs
- BB squat (8x4)
- Leg press (8x4)
- Calf press (10x4)

I like to keep weights as heavy as possible.

Usually I do 20-30 mins of CV at the end as well as some ab work thrown in too - depending on how I feel.

Just remember, you cannot out train a poor diet - get this in check, calculate your maintenance Kcal and subtract 500, this is your daily net intake.

Calculate your protein requirements (4 Kcal/g)- (remember to include 1-1.5g/lb of lean body mass), take this from your maintenance.
Then work out what 20% of your maintenance is - this is your daily fat intake (9Kcal/g)
Then fill the remainder with carbohydrates to meet your daily needs (4Kcal/g)

Monitor and tweak over a few weeks.

Hopefully this helps thumbup
Thank you! That does help.

I think the first couple of workout/sessions will be with light weights, just to get my body used to the movements..

Oh, this is the workbench I ordered:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000N3T0T6/ref=...


SickFish

3,503 posts

188 months

Monday 12th May 2014
quotequote all
Yeah, start of light, focus on correct form.

Heavy weight/ crap form < lighter weight/ perfect form

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Saturday 17th May 2014
quotequote all
OK, everything has been delivered and set up.

I did my first (very careful) training session today, and hopefully will be OK for Monday, Wednesday and Friday workouts for the foreseeable future.

I started by spending 10 minutes on my cycle-rollers (so was knackered before I started! hehe ), followed by 3 sets of 10 standard barbell presses, curls (curling bar), dumbbell presses, incline chest fly's and finally bench press (I definitely will need more than the 70kgof weights I have now for the future)! Finished off by a more intensive cycle roller exercise, as I have no squat stands at the moment..

I am pooped, but feel quite good, with the blood running through the muscles for the first time in I don't know when. It was hard, even though the weights used were light, but enjoyable - more enjoyable that I thought it would be for a first 'loosening up' quick session.

A couple of things become clear - more weights needed - especially for bench presses, and I need to get some floor mats, as the garage floor is concrete..

Just hope I recover to do a longer session on Monday!

Stu R

21,410 posts

214 months

Saturday 17th May 2014
quotequote all
I'm currently dieting the flab off, and slinging weights for strength.

I've switched to doing cardio after weights instead of before and I'm seeing much better results. Contentious issue I expect, but it's working for me so thought I'd share.

goldblum

10,272 posts

166 months

Saturday 17th May 2014
quotequote all
Stu R said:
I'm currently dieting the flab off, and slinging weights for strength.

I've switched to doing cardio after weights instead of before and I'm seeing much better results. Contentious issue I expect, but it's working for me so thought I'd share.
That's the correct way round to get the most benefit from both.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Saturday 17th May 2014
quotequote all
Just ordered another 20kg of weights, some interlocking mats and some diet supplements. I agree about the diet, it is as important as the exercise.

When I used to do it in my teens, I couldn't afford the protein shakes and other stuff (am sure it was a lot more expensive back then, even taking into account inflation..), just raw eggs after a workout - glad I have a little more money to spend this time around....

Ken Sington

3,958 posts

237 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
goldblum said:
Stu R said:
I'm currently dieting the flab off, and slinging weights for strength.

I've switched to doing cardio after weights instead of before and I'm seeing much better results. Contentious issue I expect, but it's working for me so thought I'd share.
That's the correct way round to get the most benefit from both.
What is the science behind this way of doing it, because I always do it the other way round?

FredClogs

14,041 posts

160 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
I am not what you'd call fat,

Sure? redface)

To be honest if your nudging 50 you won't be able to build muscle at the same speed and in the same way you did when you were 17, and even if you could your heart may not like the extra loading, I'd get the doc to check you over and do cholesterol test etc... It may just happen that you can't put on any muscle at that age and you're running the risk of some pretty damaging injuries if you try. I'd stick to a cardio regime and aerobic excerices with light weights, kettle bell work out etc and have a look at your diet.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
FredClogs said:
chris watton said:
I am not what you'd call fat,

Sure? redface)

To be honest if your nudging 50 you won't be able to build muscle at the same speed and in the same way you did when you were 17, and even if you could your heart may not like the extra loading, I'd get the doc to check you over and do cholesterol test etc... It may just happen that you can't put on any muscle at that age and you're running the risk of some pretty damaging injuries if you try. I'd stick to a cardio regime and aerobic excerices with light weights, kettle bell work out etc and have a look at your diet.
What?

ShawCrossShark

4,264 posts

233 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
Ken Sington said:
What is the science behind this way of doing it, because I always do it the other way round?
I presume this is down to using the weights to burn off glycogen stores, which then leads to cardio burning body fat off rather than food stores

(I admit this may be bcensoreds but sure that's how it was explained to me biggrin)

goldblum

10,272 posts

166 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
ShawCrossShark said:
Ken Sington said:
What is the science behind this way of doing it, because I always do it the other way round?
I presume this is down to using the weights to burn off glycogen stores, which then leads to cardio burning body fat off rather than food stores

(I admit this may be bcensoreds but sure that's how it was explained to me biggrin)
Sort of, but weightlifting won't really deplete glycogen stores as it's mainly anaerobic. It's more the case that to get the most from a weights session in terms of calories burnt and a quality workout you need to be fresh and strong - and you're not after a run. However if it's weight control you're after it is good to be knackered before a run because it means you have to work harder and hence you burn more calories.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
Just finished my first full workout, sweated like a pig, hurt a great deal on the final reps, but I feel good now - if a little sore. Concentrated mostly on correct form and breathing, rather than weight.

Meoricin

2,880 posts

168 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
What?
£5 says he's an unfit older gentleman who desperately wants his excuse to be true.

Building muscle might be harder as you get older, but it's definitely not impossible. And weight training is still the most time efficient form of workout in terms of weight loss.

Stu R

21,410 posts

214 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
Just finished my first full workout, sweated like a pig, hurt a great deal on the final reps, but I feel good now - if a little sore. Concentrated mostly on correct form and breathing, rather than weight.
1-2 days after is when I really hurt.

I couldn't brush my bloody teeth without grunting like a silverback this morning biggrin

Keep it up though! smile

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
Meoricin said:
chris watton said:
What?
£5 says he's an unfit older gentleman who desperately wants his excuse to be true.

Building muscle might be harder as you get older, but it's definitely not impossible. And weight training is still the most time efficient form of workout in terms of weight loss.
Cheers smile

I never expected it to be easy, and I am sure I won't see any change for months, and probably only see real change after perhaps a year. I am in it for the long-haul.

I have a bit of a belly (who hasn't at 47!), and that's it - but it seems I never really completely lost the 'shape' of the upper body since weight training for the first time (4 times a week for over 4 years..), so I am hoping I can 'chisel away' the rough spots in time.

Baby steps for now, though - if I mess it up, I doubt I'll get another chance....

FredClogs

14,041 posts

160 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
Meoricin said:
chris watton said:
What?
£5 says he's an unfit older gentleman who desperately wants his excuse to be true.

Building muscle might be harder as you get older, but it's definitely not impossible. And weight training is still the most time efficient form of workout in terms of weight loss.
Not at all, I'm mid 30s with a BMI in middle of the chart, run a 45 min 10K, exercise ~6 hours etc... but none of that really matters, I'm just saying if you're over 50, carrying weight and unfit (by his own admission he found it hard doing 10 minutes on an exercise bike) then "pumping iron" isn't probably the best thing to be doing or the best route to a healthier outlook, but do whatever you like I'm not going to start arguing about it.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Monday 19th May 2014
quotequote all
I should explain how I use the bike - I have read quite a few articles relating to cardio-vascular exercise, and many seem to be of the opinion that a harder, more intensive session can be better than slow, snails pace session. With that in mind, I make sure the bike is in highest gear (the smallest cog so harder to pedal), and cycle quite fast until I cannot pedal any longer. I am sure someone fitter could do this for twice as long, at least.

If I put the bike into easier gears, you could end up peddling for hours!

I am not 100% sure if that's right or wrong, but it certainly gets the heart and blood pumping.

To state that you cannot put on muscle past a certain age is rubbish, though, which puts into question the validity of the rest of Fred Clogs' post.

Edited by chris watton on Tuesday 20th May 08:40

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Tuesday 20th May 2014
quotequote all
Perhaps I should have gone a little easier on the squats yesterday - am walking around as if crippled this morning - even walking down the stairs was a chore! hehe