Chest/Triceps..
…here I go, changing my "new routine" already…I figured that the high reps–12-15 that the exercises called for were more for conditioning and giving me muscle endurance, rather than building more muscle, which is what I want….whoa I really felt like I TORE up my chest and tri’s today…it was quite challenging, I lifted as heavy as I could to not be able to get more than 6 reps or so out with each set…at one point I thought I was gonna drop a 45 lb bb on my head while doing skull crushers…I was able to get to muscle failure after each set too, which I am not always consistent in doing…so I felt pretty good about today’s workout and the change in strategy..
…in addition to the weight lifting I am still doing a lot of cardio…I am trying to drop more lbs (about 18 to go)while maintaining and building muscle…a tough job for someone who doesn’t know really what they are doing yet…I wonder if I am doing too much cardio at times…but then if I cut back on the cardio I would need to also cut back on calories, which won’t help me build muscle…I currently do cardio 5-6 x a week, and 3 days a week I do it 2x a day…I have been doing it for a while so my endurance is up there, I can do a lot of cardio…but my body is "used to it" so it isn’t nearly as effective as it was before…so my question is, now that I am basically on another plateau, should I do even MORE cardio, longer sessions, or what…I do mix up what machines I use, and I do HIIT during the week…I think my body is extra efficient at storing fat due to the "yo-yo dieting" in the past I have done: I have gained and lost 10-20 lbs many times…got any ideas for me??…and oh yeah, I haven’t used fat burners at all…I’m a little afraid they would take my appetite away too much and I wouldn’t be hungry enough to eat enough of what I need to eat?…so I’m a little confused/stalled at this point in my transformation..
today’s workout AM
bench press 65lb..hey I don’t normally do these, so I know it’s low..lol..the bar does weigh 45 lb right?
incline chest press #55lb
lying db press #30 db’s
assisted dips
skullcrushers #45 bb
overhead tricep ext w rope #35lb
PM
bb curls #45lb
preacher curls #45lb
incline db curls #20lb
cardio…4 mi run, 30 mins stairmaster
April 9, 2009 at 10:00 am
I feel your pain as I really struggle with dropping these last 15-20 lbs myself! It is hell!
As for cardio- I was going to suggest HIIT but you said you are already doing that…. if I were you I would only do intervals and nothing long or steady state. When you run do you do intervals? I saw this suggestion on bodyspace once that said for 30 minutes you should run like this. Each minute increase your speed for 4 minutes and then drop down and do it again and continue to cycle through for the whole 30 minutes:
Warm up 5 minutes
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
4.5
5.5
6.5
7.5
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
5.5
6.5
7.5
8.5
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
cool down
I tried that and it kicked my butt like nothing I have ever ever done in my life!! And I can do a lot of cardio too! It was starting to work for me and then I decided I needed to go on a bulk and stopped doing all cardio. I’m getting back into it again because it’s time to cut some so I think I’m going to start that up again (I was told not to run if I want to bodybuild because you lose muscle in your legs but right now all I care about it losing my fat belly).
I also think that cardio twice a day while trying to build muscle probably isn’t going to work so well. Usually when people are trying to cut for a competition they do cardio twice a day- but at that point they are just trying ot maintain muscle, not build. You are going to end up overtraining very quickly is my guess. You can’t lift super heavy and do super tough cardio twice a day for very long.
Just focus on doing cardio as intensely as you possibly can in the morning and lifting later in the day and see how that works. Are you logging your food? I know that for me, when I don’t track my food I don’t lose weight. Period. Make sure you are eating as clean as you possibly can, and that you are keeping your carbs in check. Eat lots of protein!
Good luck! I know this isn’t supposed to be rocket science but man it sure feels like it is sometimes!!
May 29, 2009 at 4:39 pm
no woman no cry !!!!!! how very true , i realised the error of my ways and were back on track , so is my diet , kinda ,
take care x