Weight training routine ?

[J4CKO]

Ok, I am set up now and have been faffing about with the weights in the shed, just trying stuff but am basically pissing about, certainly feel better and there is a little bit of definition coming back, forgot how good it makes you feel

Any suggestions of a routine to follow for a ageing (44) beginner ?

How many exercises would you typically do in a workout and how many reps ?

I am going in there for say 40 mins every other day and using the computer in there to watch videos to get new exercises

I am lifting sixty kilos fairly easily on the bench press again, so that came back reasonably quickly, ok, it isn't a lot compared to what you lot do but am not looking to get huge, just tone up and get some shape back, no particular desire to get fixated on lifting big weight, just what I need to get some benefit.

I think I will need to go to the local gym to do anything leg related as am a bit limited with a bench and free weights, there is an attachment for the bench for legs but its a bit crap, am getting another bar and going to attempt some light squats, concentrating on form with a bar, I have pretty bad flexibility in my lower legs and when I squat I find it difficult to keep my feet flat.

So, any pointers gratefully received !

Am also looking at my diet as well, am thinking all I need to do is avoid crap and eat better, lean meat, eggs, nuts etc, is there any point in anything else with my aims, i.e. not being fat, getting toned and maybe building a bit of muscle but not trying to be a bodybuilder.







I need to sort my diet out and stop eating ste,

[J4CKO]

V8mate said:

Check Youtube for ankle, knee and hip mobility exercises. Then persist with squats and deadlifts.

If your mobility is poor now, don't stress the joints out, piling them up with weight until you can see that flexibility/mobility is improving and you can do so with proper form.

Yeah, I think cycling hasn't helped there, will look at the exercises and then practice with a bar on its own and only add weight when I can do it properly.

I tend to gravitate to sets of ten, for example on the bench press I do four sets of ten with 60 kilos, is that overdoing it a bit for that one exercise ?

Edited by J4CKO on Monday 11th May 17:00

[J4CKO]

chris watton said:

If you are enjoying it, and it seems that you are, you really must try and buy a squat rack. Squats are the bread and butter of any weight training routine and they really must be included.

I think a decent routine for a beginner would be something like this:

Squats - 3 sets of 5 reps
Bench Press - 3 sets of 5 reps
Barbell Press - 3 sets of 5 reps
Curls - 3 sets of 5 reps
Dumbbell or barbell Rows - 3 sets of 5 reps

Deadlifts - 1x5 reps once per week.

You could do 5 sets of each, and have the first two sets as much lighter warm up sets.

Isolation exercises aren't that important when starting out, it's the heavy compounds that make the biggest impact.

Cheers, when you say a Squat rack do you mean the stands or a full on cage type arrangement, might have to re-arrange the man shed yet further to fit one in.

[J4CKO]

chris watton said:

J4CKO said:

Cheers, when you say a Squat rack do you mean the stands or a full on cage type arrangement, might have to re-arrange the man shed yet further to fit one in.

For your shed, perhaps something like this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bodymax-CF415-Squat-Spotte...

Probably find them cheaper on EBay...

Cheers Chris, will need to clear some of the storage out, of the shed will see how I progress and if I stick to it, might buy one when I get paid, did a few tonight with twenty kilos on a curling bar as that was all that was handy, and wasn't as bad as I thought, mangled to keep my feet flat, heart was pounding afterwards, just going to take it easy, getting another long bar and some more weights off a chap at work tomorrow.

Total spend so far after buying the last lot and selling the rower and exercise bike is twenty quid with these new ones, he always sells stuff to cheap and I feel bad so ended up reverse haggling from fifteen to forty quid, still not bad for sixty kilos of disks, a bar and two dumbells

[J4CKO]

I have found it is making me hungry, I had intended to have a sachet of Porridge but ended up with a Sausage butty, think I need to eat breakfast at home rather than give in to the temptations at work.

[J4CKO]

chris watton said:

I recommended that squat rack because, I believe, the shed height is restrictive.

Oh yes, and your diet is just as important, perhaps more so that the actual training - plenty of whole foods, protein and very little bread, sugar and processed foods.

Edited by chris watton on Tuesday 12th May 11:13

Yeah, height is at a premium in the shed/cabin, its about six foot at the sides and perhaps eight in the middle, can get a barbel to full stretch in one place but height is at a premium, I am six foot.

Got a nice steak for tonight (Aldi Fillet), baked potato and salad.

[J4CKO]

V8mate said:

J4CKO said:

Yeah, height is at a premium in the shed/cabin, its about six foot at the sides and perhaps eight in the middle, can get a barbel to full stretch in one place but height is at a premium, I am six foot.

Just join a gym!

Most are open long hours/24 hours, they have all the toys you'll need and more, and you get mirrors to check out how buff you're looking

The municipal one locally is near and quite good but I like having the gear all there, I can shoot out on a whim and do half an hour any time I fancy. My eldest is using it all quite a bit as well.

I may start to use the local one, but it starts to get expensive if you go often, we are trying to save up for a big holiday at the moment so am trying to keep the costs down, this has cost me pennies to set up so far, will see how far I get, I kind of like the quiet time in my man shed with the music on but am not ruling out going to an actual gym to use different stuff I haven't got at home and perhaps get some tips.

Not ready for mirrors yet, they lie, I am a young, muscle bound sex god but the ones in our house show a podgy middle aged dollop

[J4CKO]

Aldi Steak was awesome, so will stick with that for now, even better as youngest decided he didnt want his so shared a second one with the wife and eldest.

Back in the shed gym tonight.

Am avoiding doing some everyday, just yet anyway, will do some tonight and tomorrow ride to work (14 mile round trip) is that a good approach, bit of cardio one day, some weights the next ? basically the idea is to do at least 30 mins of something every day.

[J4CKO]

Chaps, is this any good ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olympic-Squat-Rack-Heavy...

Or is the one mentioned earlier in the thread, this sort of looks more like I would prefer using but obviously I am no expert.

Otherwise, going ok, did a good session of an hour on Friday, was meant to do yesterday but spent five hours re-arranging the shed, moving heavy work benches and destroying the old storage to make more room, so I let myself off doing any training as was knackered.

Pants felt a bit looser this morning , am seeing a hint of definition creeping back in.

I got some Protein powder so will give that a go, have noticed I am ravenous an hour or so after so will reach for that instead of raiding the fridge.

[J4CKO]

I ended up going cheap and cheerful, £79, should do, if its no good will move it on, we arent doing Worlds Strongest Man here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331497404018?_trksid=p20...

Feeling the benefit from a few squats already, still focusing on form but with the rack I can add a bit more weight as I wont have to hoik the bar around with it on the same.


Going to go to the gym at work with the resident weight trainers, get some tips, see what stuff I cant do at home.

[J4CKO]

Halb said:

Wasn't there a chap on here who use scaffolding poles to make a cage?

I do a bit of welding so I did consider it but by the time you have bought the steel, something to paint it with, welding gas, tips, wire etc I couldn't make one for any less and I don't have any suitable steel hanging about, for 79 quid including delivery, if its any good its cheap, it wont be having to cope with huge weight and intense use.

[J4CKO]

LordGrover said:

Show us your home gym

That is lateral thinking, love it.

Looking forward to getting mine and getting some proper squatting done (sounds wrong) to work on my puny thighs, actually they arent that puny, just measured them as the wife left a tape measure on the side and they measure getting on for 26 inches round and there is very little fat involved in that, I suppose six years of cycling to work have helped, not sure what the rest will cope with though. Biceps measure about 16 inches round so already a decent size.

However The most impressive one is the 38 inch waist and I haven't measured my bust yet but must be a 42B those are the bits I need to work on.