We have a family membership to the YMCA but I’m too lazy to go and feel akward in the gyms and aerobic machine rooms. Also, I find it fun and refreshing to go outside and work out.I guess I should just go and lift some weights 
When I start, do you have any tips for beginning weight training?
Let’s see…for a beginner…first of all, don’t be too intimidated by all the different machines. I didn’t know what most of them did when I started lifting weights. Secondly, don’t worry about how much weight your lifting when you’re starting out. Pick weights that you are comfortable with and that allow you to do around 10 reps with good form. Good form is VERY IMPORTANT…I think it’s funny when I see guys at the gym bouncing the bench press bar off their chest or really swinging their whole body to do an arm curl. Focus on having good form (try to eliminate momentum from movements).
For your workout, I would say do a total body workout 2-3 times a week for the first 6 weeks to 3 months. Learn what all the different exercises are, how to do them, and how much weight you can use with them. After you get the basics down pat (on machines and free weights), you may want to start splitting up the muscle groups you work. This might be what my lifting schedule looks like for a week.
Monday: Chest and Triceps
Tuesday: Cardio and Abs
Wednesday: Hamstrings and Biceps
Thursday: Off
Friday: Shoulders and Calves
Saturday: Back and Quadriceps
Sunday: Cardio and Abs
If you’re serious about this, then I would suggest getting a subscription to Muscle and Fitness or some other muscle mag. They have lots of great info, workouts, and motivational stories.
If you have anymore questions let me know and I’ll do my best to answer them.
-teet
P.S. Don’t worry too much about that akward feeling in the gym…it will go away really quickly.
*Originally posted by reverendflash *
**amputation…
Rev **
well you could do what the actors/actresses do and jog in a plastic suit.
the way i stay fit is through excercises everyday:
50 normal pushups in the morning, then run for an indeterminate distance, then come back and do 25 pullups: 10 hands forward, 10 hands back, 5 on parallel bars. then at night i do about 50 cobras (sorta like sit-ups, but your legs move too), and 50-75 chinese push-ups. i gained about 7 lbs doing it in a month. seeing as you want to lose weight, this sort of routine will get you fit, but not fat.
it’s also about nutrition, try to have a salad as a meal. also have lots of water.
Turn back the dial by 50 pounds before you step on next time to check…[threadspam]
hey teet,
you seem to know what youa re talking about…you work out a lot?? You should think about a subscritption to Flex it is geared more towards muscle adn body building then muscle anf fitness, Fester gets Flex adn I get Muscle and Fitness Hers, so I read botha ll the time and if I was a guy (depending on your goals!) I would suggest Flex. Questions for you, how come a six day workout week??? Are you just starting or have you been doing it for a while???
Grab a copy of Men’s Health - pretty sure you have that in America… if not then my mistake. I have had a subscription to it for just about a year now and it really motivates you to excercise all the time. Although I don’t hehehe… I’m too busy during uni but I’m going to try change that next semester
*Originally posted by teet *
**
Monday: Chest and Triceps
Tuesday: Cardio and Abs
Wednesday: Hamstrings and Biceps
Thursday: Off
Friday: Shoulders and Calves
Saturday: Back and Quadriceps
Sunday: Cardio and Abs
**
Teet,
This is one odd workout regiment bro 
If your are working out 6 days a week you are seriously over tranining. 5 days it pushing it.
Plus what I have read and learned on my own is not to mix upper and lower body routines on the same day. Your reducing the integrity of your workout.
Your legs are built as such that working, hamstrings, quads, glutes and calves on the same day are more effective in the longrun. For instance when you do hack squats on a plate loaded machine your working your quads and your glutes as a secondary.
Your legs can naturally endure much more than your upper body because of the amout you use them.
I guess everyone has routines that they are comfortable with but the best routine for solid lean muscle growth and definaition would be something like:
Monday - Chest
Tuesday - Back
Wed - Rest (or Legs) ( I dont work legs because mine are already too big to get into pants that fit my waist)
Thurs - Shoulders
Fri - Biceps and Triceps
A ten minute cardio warm up on a treadmil or trainer to maximize blood flow before the work out to ensure a sick pump.
Cardio can also be done at the end of your routine for added calorie consumption.
I am with you, but you know that cuz we have worked out at the same gym for many years!!!
I tend to focus on certain body parts on certain days as well, so that I dont over load areas that dont need it, such as legs!!!
I am a girl though! So, I have a bigger focus on cardio and weight loss and weight balance, I tend to throw abdominals in almost everyday- The rectus abdominus is the only muscle in the body that is ALMOST impossible to overtrain! You can do it by tearing the msucle wall, but usually the only way to do that is if you are working out and pregnant!!!
Which, I am sure you guys dont have to worry about!!
ha ha…
you said rectus…
I knew when I wrote that, that those would be your exact words—frigin dork!
hahaha - I think it’s love
Personally, when I work out I do cardio and abs every time. I usually go 4 times a week but only do weight training 3 of the days. But then again, I am trying to loose weight so cardio everyday is a good thing
yea sir!!!
i also get in some amount of cardio and I always do abs, even if I have to do it at home or outside
I also do abs daily.
I do upper abs one day then do lower abs the next.
how many times do i have to tell you!!! There is no such thing!!
It is one big muscle, you just isolate upper on one day and the lower part on the other!!!
Dummy!!!
*Originally posted by rere420 *
**how many times do i have to tell you!!! There is no such thing!!
It is one big muscle, you just isolate upper on one day and the lower part on the other!!!
Dummy!!! **
Im well aware of that you boob.
But I work the upper portion one day and the lower the next
::FLEX::
hahahaha - Did you want us to leave you two alone… or what?
hehehe
I think I have had enough of Fester, to last me a life time!!!
:love:
Yup it’s true love 
how do you go about isolating the upper/lower abs?
Well, to isolate the upper abs, you can do basic crunches, cable crunches are nice for them as well. Most men dont like them but stability blass, also called ab balss are amazing for your core muscles (ab and back). You great resistance and many exercise options, I love them.
reverse curl crunches for lower abs
back extensions work your lower abs as well, but I usually only do them when i am working back!
A great exercise is a double crunch–Your legs are extend for a reverse crunch (only your butt comes off the ground, lifted only by the muscles in the lower portion of your ab muscles) and you also do a normal crunch at the same time.
