Okay I am getting dedicated to getting lean. Need some advice.

october sky · #1 10-02-2007, 10:21 PM

I have worked out mostly on for the last 10 years and have developed alot of muscle but I am not very cut. Due to work constaints I can only be at the gym for about an hour and a half late in the evening. I am thinking about doing 40 minutes weights, 30 minutes cardio(alternate between elliptical, bike, and treadmill), and 20 minutes in the suana 5 days a week. What do you guys think? I would alternate weights with back and biceps, chest and triceps, and legs and shoulders. I also plan to cut out cokes and fried foods entirely and only drink on Friday and Saturday nights.

Thremp · #2 10-02-2007, 11:18 PM

Skip sauna.

Do HIIT sessions when not at gym. Drinks are brutal, but you can likely drop a decent amount of weight cutting just soda (assuming you are in balance currently).

kyleb · #3 10-03-2007, 01:32 AM

The public sauna rooms are for gays and, uh, yeah I dunno who else really. You can skip that unless it's your cup of tea.

Don't drink anything with calories in it. That includes alcohol, which is really terrible for you. Since cutting out alcohol is probably impossible for most social people (unlike myself), cutting back some would be a good start.

Skip the structured workout schedule of back/biceps, chest/triceps, blah blah. Compound lifts 3 times a week. Squats, deadlifts, cleans/push-ups/bench press. [censored] all that other stuff. Machines are for prehab/rehab.

HIIT is good if you can swing it.

BTW 1.5 hours in the gym is way more than enough. Bang out a set of compound lifts in 40 minutes and then do your HIIT or run 2 miles on the treadmill. Shouldn't take more than an hour.

bwana devil · #4 10-03-2007, 09:47 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Skip the structured workout schedule of back/biceps, chest/triceps, blah blah. Compound lifts 3 times a week. Squats, deadlifts, cleans/push-ups/bench press. [censored] all that other stuff. Machines are for prehab/rehab.

[/ QUOTE ]

functionally, what is the difference between a squat and a deadlift? the movements seems almost identical.

i just started working out again and am so sore from doing squats the first week there is no way i can do both squats AND deadlifts during the same workout right now. suggestions?

Wolfram · #5 10-03-2007, 10:00 AM

If your squat and your deadlift movement is nearly identical you must be doing something wrong.

There's a ton of stuff about squat and deadlift form in the FAQ (e.g. in Rippetoe's Starting Strength faq).

Also, if you're too sore to do deadlifts after doing squats, i'd suggest using less weight. Especially if you're just starting out and the movement is new to you.

slickpoppa · #6 10-03-2007, 11:30 AM

[ QUOTE ]

HIIT is good if you can swing it.

[/ QUOTE ]

If getting lean is his goal, HIIT should be his #1 priority. Here's a good HIIT running program:

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=251run2

And definitely skip the sauna. That just dehydrates you, it doesn't help you burn fat.

cbloom · #7 10-03-2007, 11:46 AM

everyone's right but here's another way:

Do 10 minutes of hard full-body tabatas every day. Make sure your diet is clean and your carb timing is geared to giving you energy for your workouts. If you really want to cut do it twice a day.

slickpoppa · #8 10-03-2007, 12:01 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Skip the structured workout schedule of back/biceps, chest/triceps, blah blah. Compound lifts 3 times a week. Squats, deadlifts, cleans/push-ups/bench press. [censored] all that other stuff. Machines are for prehab/rehab.

[/ QUOTE ]

functionally, what is the difference between a squat and a deadlift? the movements seems almost identical.

i just started working out again and am so sore from doing squats the first week there is no way i can do both squats AND deadlifts during the same workout right now. suggestions?

[/ QUOTE ]

The deadlift places more emphasis on your hamstrings, glutes and lower back, whereas the squat places more emphasis on your quads.

You shouldn't be doing heavy squats and deadlifts during the same workout, but you can do them during the same week. I squat on Mondays and do deadlifts on Fridays. The soreness from working out should go away after a couple of weeks.

Ponies · #9 10-03-2007, 03:50 PM

Lift 3 days a week, ride the bike or run the other 4 days.
75% max heart rate for 30-45 mins... maybe start out 30 mins for the first 2 weeks up it to 45 mins for the next 2 weeks then possibly start mixing in HIIT if youre not a hardgainer.

Also you obviously need to adjust your calories to be much lower, enough to keep your current muscle but still burn fat is the what your goal is.

bwana devil · #10 10-03-2007, 03:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If your squat and your deadlift movement is nearly identical you must be doing something wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

in the big scheme of working out theyre pretty damn close. bend the knees, keep my back straight, up and down. there's a lot of overlap between the two.

and i think i did do too much weight on squats at least the first couple of times. i'm an (out of shape) runner and after my first day of weights i went for a run. i went about two blocks and thought my legs were on fire. i mostly walked a mile and havent tried going for a run since. didnt want to over do it and injure myself.