Exercise Recomendations

[Jake431]

I know this is a general titled thread but it is (as you'll see) accurate. I'm 5'11'', about 195 lbs, and I exercise. It makes me feel better, less stress and all that. I've put aside Monday night, Wednesday night and Saturday, to get my workout in - if I feel like working out more I do, but if not, at least I've worked out three days. I do some pushups (two sets - one incline), and crunches (1 set of thirty, 1 set of 20 reverse and a set of 20 fishhook crunches per side) on and a few other bodyweight exercises (thing whose name I forgot for my lower back). And then I hit the treadmill for 30 minutes. I've seen some growth in my arms, but I'd like to get leaner - not bigger as I'm not a skinny dude. I don't want a 6 pack (it would be nice but I'll settle for relatively gut free - I like food) but actual pecs would be nice as well as good arms (which I'm on my way to already). I'm looking into getting a bench and some weights for curls etc, but what else can I do to get into the condition I'd like? Any recommendations are appreciated, thanks for your time folks!

-Jake

 

[Renault78law]

the only thing consistent in a workout routine should be change. follow a routine for a month or so, rest, then try something different. you won't see good results unless you find new ways to shock your body...

 

[Jake431]

Originally Posted by Renault78law

the only thing consistent in a workout routine should be change. follow a routine for a month or so, rest, then try something different. you won't see good results unless you find new ways to shock your body...

Can you give me some specific recommendations?

-Jake

 

[Spencer Young]

I've found that Men's Health has good ideas on different workout routines for varying levels of intensity/dedication/equipment. Worth a shot. http://www.menshealth.com

 

[Renault78law]

here's 3 no-nonsense routines:
http://www.wannabebig.com/category.php?cat=4

 

[Bradford]

Originally Posted by Renault78law

here's 3 no-nonsense routines:
http://www.wannabebig.com/category.php?cat=4

Cool link - thanks!

 

[jumpman69]

You should get some dumbbells and a bench. Look up exercises at bodybuilding.com

 

[kever]

Hey, I've probably said this before, but check out the Book of Muscle by Ian King and Lou Schuler. It has 18 months worth of workouts from beginner to advanced lifters. Even if you don't have the equipment for the routines, it will give you a good idea of how your body works and some exercises you could try.
just my $.02..

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157...Fencoding=UTF8
(heres the site if the above link doesn't work.)

 

[Jake431]

Originally Posted by kever

Hey, I've probably said this before, but check out the Book of Muscle by Ian King and Lou Schuler. It has 18 months worth of workouts from beginner to advanced lifters. Even if you don't have the equipment for the routines, it will give you a good idea of how your body works and some exercises you could try.
just my $.02..

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157...Fencoding=UTF8
(heres the site if the above link doesn't work.)

I've added it to my Amazon wishlist - sounds like something that would help me. Thanks for the recommendation.

-Jake

 

[Defacto]

http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow...nts_thread.htm

All you will ever need. Learn the exercises, start conservative, don't start with big weight to boost ego, your form will take the hit for doing that, which will compromise your progress and make you more injury prone. 5x5 gives you real strength, perfect proportions, increased resistance to injury of joints when exercises are properly performed due to the nature of compound lifts. Nothing out there is time tested and proven like 5x5.

 

[Goblin]

I agree that 5x5 is a solid, time-tested program, but doesn't it tend to induce hypertrophy? My impression is that the OP is not looking to increase his muscle mass, but to get stronger and more "defined," i.e., cut bodyfat without losing much muscle. My impression may be entirely incorrect.

Pavel Tsatsouline's "Power to the People" program is an extremely abbreviated program that focuses more on CNS adaptation than on hypertrophy, i.e., "strength without hypertrophy." It requires only an Olympic barbell set, and emphasizes (relatively) heavy weights, frequent training, low reps, and not training to failure.

Pavel is something of a huckster, and his books are a bit overpriced and filled with dippy sloganeering, but I have had good results with this program for building a good base strength level when I didn't have a bench or squat rack. Here's what I consider to be a good review of the "Power to the People" book:

http://sfuk.tripod.com/reviews/pavel_pttp.html

Pavel recommends using the deadlift and bent press as the basic lifts; I used the military press instead of the bent press, as the bent press is a bit of a novelty lift and I wasn't confident in my technique.

So you might at least look into it. I think for "strength without hypertrophy" and cutting bodyfat, you could do worse than this program in the evening, cycled with calisthenics every now and then when you get bored or your nervous system gets frazzled, and interval cardio first thing in the morning.

 

[Tck13]

I am sure people are sick of me posting this but it's a great book and the excercises are great (and killer). Plus, no equipment needed. I get more out of this than just lifting.

One can get some excercises off the website (granted the site is kinda hokey) or order the book from amazon.

 

[Goblin]

If you like the Matt Furey stuff, but don't want to pay a ridiculous amount of money for what amounts to photocopies in a binder, or read his spiels about the ghost of Farmer Burns or sexual Kung Fu, you might check out the workouts at http://www.trainforstrength.com/workouts.shtml ... they're free, and very effective. I do "Scrapper's Workout #1" for a few weeks whenever I'm sick of whatever weight routine I'm doing, or when I want to work on my endurance.