Taken from my snapchat, put in some work today on the stairmaster, gonna slowly increase to shed that fat! Spoiler
I use the elliptical sometimes, max I can do it like 20 minutes though. I can squat and do weights, but my cardio is terrible! I'm always jealous of the people on the treadmills and stair masters. I just can't do it!
You just have to ease up to it, for stairmasters (and pretty much every cardio machine) it's all about intervals to burn that fat, this is what I do on the stairmaster, always stretch prior, put it only on level 1 and stay at that pace for the first 20 cals you burn, then up it to 3, burn 30 cals and take a 45 sec rest, up it to 7, burn 30 cals and rest 45 sec, keep doing that until you can go your highest level then go back down to 5 and back up from there, resting frequently, it's important to rest frequently to incorporate that maximum interval technique, it works great if executed correctly. You should try it and let me know how you feel.
Spring/summer/early fall I'll run 3-6 miles a day (usually towards the upper end), lift daily, and take a 26g serving of whey after the lift. No creatine because it sucks ass when you run a lot (some of you will know what I mean). I even out at around 165lbs mid summer. Because winters in Chicago are brutal, I don't run in the late fall or winters. I'll lift daily, sometimes twice a day during Christmas break from school. I'll take 26g of whey and a typical serving of creatine post work out. I even out at about 185lbs mid winter. I'm 6ft3 I put on about 20 pounds of muscle in the winter and lose it in the spring, every year. Yeah. Not sure if that's healthy, but that's what happens.
go away Going to the gym daily isn't a good thing. Sure it sounds like good gains will come, but just imagine a novice (not saying you are one, idk if you are) going to the gym doing a split seven days a week. Injuries everywhere, especially when a beginner has terrible form and doesn't even know it. Over training will take over and your body's CNS will need a rest once in awhile. Try maybe four or five gym days? Are you doing a specific split for the lifts? Are you eating right? Are you calculating your food in? What's your stats on squat/bench/whatever? Are you doing too many reps? It'd be nice to know what exactly you're doing, because losing 20 pounds of muscle during one season just does not sound right at all. It might just be mass (fat) that you think is muscle. Try measuring your body fat every month and write them down on a calender or something. Now on the running part.. to be honest, it sounds like you're just making up excuses for it. If it's so cold during the winter and you really want to run, then get a trendmill or just wear the right gear and go outside. I know it's terrible to run during the winter, but the gains will be worth it.
FEE FIE FO FUM! THE GIANT HAS YET TO DRINK THE RUM FOR HIS MUSCLES HE TRAINED TILL HE BECAME DUMB FOR HIS MUSCLES HE TRAINED TILL HE LOST HIS WAGE AND WENT IN A SLUM FOR HIS MUSCLES HE GROVELS ON THE FLOOR FOR A CRUMB FEE FIE FO FUM!
What do you mean by locking? Like locking out, as in completely straightening your arms in the bench or legs and hips on the squat? If so, no. Your bones can take a MUCH heavier load than your muscles can, and exposing them to weights will actually strengthen them as well as improving the supporting ligaments. Plus it's psychologically helpful to unrack weights that are heavier than your maximum and just hold them on the bench and the squat (usually called walk outs, static holds or lockouts) It's hyperextension that you need to be worried about - don't force yourself beyond a normal range of motion.
Well I've gone to the gym every day for 6 years, taking a week off here and there. I do notice that after a good week of rest I come back stronger. Is lifting everyday inhibiting maximum gains? I don't know, it keeps my muscular endurance up, and that makes me happy. I can do an all out bench set to failure and be good to go after a short break, unlike most. Before every workout, every day, no matter the muscle group, I do 4 sets pull-ups to near failure 4 sets weighted dips to near failure 4 sets push-ups to failure with a plate on my back (feet on something so my back is straight) I do a heavy chest day, which consists of benchpress (4 x 10-15) incline benchpress (4 x 10-15) decline benchpress (4 x 10-15) dumbbell flys (4 x 10-15) machine flys (4 x 10-15) machine incline benchpress (4 x 15-20) I do a heavy back day, which consists of... lat pulldowns (close grip, pulley) (4 x 10-15) rows (close grip, pulley) (4 x 10-15) reverse pushups (pulling up to the bar with feet elevated) (4 x 8-10) exercise band pulls (take a resistance band and pull it apart) (4 x 15) one arm dumbbell rows (4 x 10-15) 2 lat pull machines (1 works upper back [you pull more upwards], one works lower back [you pull more downwards]) (4 x 10-15) (4 x 10-15) T-bar pulls (4 x 10-15) I do a heavy arm day, which consists of... dumbbell bicep curls (4 x 10per arm) EZ bar preacher curls (4 x 10-15) machine bicep curls (4 x 15-20) flat bar bicep curls (4 x 10-15) rope curls (pulley on cable tower set to the floor, curl up) (4 x 15-20) tricep extensions rope (2 exercises, 1 over the head, one in front of you) (4 x 15-20) (4 x 15-20) skull crushers (4 x 10-15) machine tricep extensions (4 x 20-25) close grip pushups (4 x 15) weighted tricep dips (feet out in front of you on a bench, your hands on a bench) (4 x 15-20) I do a heavy shoulder day, which consists of... military press (4 x 8-12) machine shoulder press (4 x 10-15) smith machine shoulder press (4 x 8-12) isolated cable deltoid raises (4 x 20) machine deltoid raises (4 x 15) plate raises (plate held out in front of you, arms straight) (4 x 15) dumbbell deltoid raises (4 x 15) I'll pick 2 leg exercises after every workout to do (4 x failure) squat straight leg dead lift lunges with weight hamstring curl machine quadricep extension machine Now I'll do heavy workouts for a a week or so, and then I'll do a lighter workout for a week with more or less the same exercises with a ton more reps and some of them with drop sets. So I'll do all the exercises in the format (4 x 15,12,10,8) on a light day. I am a skinny guy. I notice myself losing muscle quickly, especially when I run. I am consistently around 10% body fat. I have a relatively fast metabolism, it eats away at me quickly. I hate running on the treadmill so much...there's not much that can motivate me to do that. That and the cold is literally the only reason I don't run in the winter. It's uncomfortable. I also like to put on some muscle in the winters, maybe I should just stop running so much in the summer.. lol
A few questions Swag, do you perform the exercises in that particular order? What is your day cycle? And, is your goal to be strong and stay skinny or do u want to grow? Spoiler: Side note...
YOU MUST EAT LIKE A VIKING LAD IF YOU WANT TO GET BIG AND STRONG ENOUGH TO FONDLE THE BOSOMS OF 99 VALKYRIES IN VALHALLA!
I always do pull-ups, dips, and push-ups before every workout. Then I'll pick one of the main workouts, and those exercises are in no particular order, I switch it up a lot. I'd like to stay above 185 and still be able to run 5-6miles a day. I don't have a leg day because I don't like being sore running once a week. 2 good leg exercises a day keeps my legs where I need them.
