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Question: I want to lose weight, I've lost about 25 pounds and have another 50 or so to lose, but recently have stalled. I do about an hour of cardio a day, split between the treadmill, elliptical, stairmaster, then move to a mix of crunches/lunges/etc. What do you recommend?----------------
Steve: My first instinct (without knowing you at all - so this is really just general) is to start weight training. Here's the deal. When you do stead-state cardio, you burn calories, but basically, only while you're currently doing it. When you build a pound of muscle - that pound will burn an additional 50 calories a day with out doing anything extra. A pound of muscle is actually very small, and no danger of bulking up!
Building muscle is the fastest way to lose FAT - not just weight!
There are about 9 billion good weight training plans out there - but the key is, lift like a man! Lift as heavy as you can (with good form) and aim for failure around rep 8-10. You won't bulk - I promise. Unless you're taking a HUGE surplus of food and supplements meant for female bodybuilders, you wont bulk up. It's HARD to bulk!
The old rule of super high reps and super low weight has been shown over and over to not be based on anything but dumb old wives tales! Your muscle is made of the exact same thing as mine. If you want to build it, get off the dumb machines, hit the free weights and build muscle - then watch the fat burn off.
You'll probably have a hard time getting in all the extra protein at first - lean heavily on Fish/Chicken/Turkey/Lean Meat/Tuna/and lastly Whey Protein Supplements - they help during a workout to build your muscle while working out.
While in the weight room, try to keep your breaks to 30 seconds between sets, which, if you're lifting heavy, will seem like about 2 seconds break! It will keep you breathing hard and your heart rate up high, thus counting as cardio and building muscle at the same time! It's amazing!
Steve
Question: I need a lifting schedule, I have no idea what I'm doing in the gym! *(paraphrasing)
Steve: In general - I would do a full body circuit. The worst use of time is to target really specific muscles. For example, instead of doing tricep kickbacks, do close grip push-ups. It works your tri's but also your chest/anterior delts, forearms, and core.
I'm running out the door - here's a quick quick plan to get you started:
Wide Grip Push-Ups
Narrow Grip Lat-Pull-Down (until you can do pull-ups, then do that!)
Deep Squats on a Smith Machine (get away from the stabilizer machines!) - get your butt down as low or lower than your knees - you probably won't need much weight here!
Narrow Grip Push-Ups - (touch your thumbs together on the ground)
Wide Grip Lat Pull-Down (work up in weight every time so you can move to real pull-ups soon!)
Heavy Heavy Heavy Step Forward Lunges (think 40 pound dumbbells in each hand - make sure your front step-forward knee is bent to a 90 degree angle - don't cheat - I know it's hard!)
Hold Plank for 1 minute, take 15 seconds break, and do it again - 5 times in a row. Don't let your butt come up, keep your body totally straight, like a....... plank!
After the first minute, you can raise one leg up in the air for 30 seconds then switch, it will target your glutes a little more.
Do each set 2 or 3 times, go for max reps, don't stop at 8 if you can do 9. Don't stop at 15 if you can do 16. Do this 3 times a week, with no breaks between moves. Don't be surprised if you want to throw up during this workout - its hard, but effective. If it's not hard for you - then quite simply, you're not pushing yourself. This is bodyweight stuff - go as hard as you can.
Write back and tell me how it went.
also, friend me on facebook if you want, it's easier to talk there - gotta run - training a class in 17 minuets!
Steve
facebook.com/stevemcknighttpt
very helpful about the weight training. thanks for sharing!
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