New member... advise needed please

Hey there guys (and ladies)

I need a little advise about my daily deal.

About me:
Im 24, been weight lifting for close to 2 years aggressively (sp?), and about the last year or so using creatine. I have always been a slightly thicker person. Not like, people look at me and think im fat or something, not at all. But, I just dont have six pack abs, and I have the classic luv handles.

However, I have really concentrated on my chest and arms in the last 2 years and have gone from about 175-180 lbs (before lifting, and im 5'10" btw) to about 215 lbs. I have really increased my strength greatly, as my freeweight bench went from 125 to about 235 (?) max in that time. My chest and arms are good sized now for sure... but I need to lose my mid section weight. I do sit ups at the max incline 20 X 3 and 2 of the 3 sets I 'twist' to strengthen my side stomach muscles. (obliques?) Ive tried to run on the machines... but its tough because I havnt ran in a long time. 10 minutes at 5 mph really takes the wind out of my sail.

Any advise is greatly appreciated, I know this forum will benefit me and motivate me. Im glad I found it.

[QUOTE=lllateralus]Hey there guys (and ladies)

I need a little advise about my daily deal.

About me:
Im 24, been weight lifting for close to 2 years aggressively (sp?), and about the last year or so using creatine. I have always been a slightly thicker person. Not like, people look at me and think im fat or something, not at all. But, I just dont have six pack abs, and I have the classic luv handles.

However, I have really concentrated on my chest and arms in the last 2 years and have gone from about 175-180 lbs (before lifting, and im 5'10" btw) to about 215 lbs. I have really increased my strength greatly, as my freeweight bench went from 125 to about 235 (?) max in that time. My chest and arms are good sized now for sure... but I need to lose my mid section weight. I do sit ups at the max incline 20 X 3 and 2 of the 3 sets I 'twist' to strengthen my side stomach muscles. (obliques?) Ive tried to run on the machines... but its tough because I havnt ran in a long time. 10 minutes at 5 mph really takes the wind out of my sail.

Any advise is greatly appreciated, I know this forum will benefit me and motivate me. Im glad I found it.[/QUOTE]


Please tell me that you aren't one of those guys who works nothing but chest/arms/abs while ignoring the two most important muscles for maximum growth, back and legs.

Also, I get the feeling from your post that you have been brainwashed by the spot reduction myth.

We have a lot to teach you my young friend.

Well, I guess I should be ashamed to say yes... but, reason being is that I use the small gym at our condo complex and my machines are limited.
Please give me some insight on what I can do to work my back muscles.

I regularly do pull downs of 120 lbs behind neck, and 140-150 lbs of weight pulling down in front. This might be the closest thing to a back workout I have done.

Please tell me some good leg strength workouts, as well as any other advise you can give me.

I have been on my own doing this ever since my start. Ive had no guidance whatsoever, so forgive me If I seem ignorant.

seems like would even take longer to search bb.com for a good article and post a link than to write some... so **** it, here it goes.

it's derived from what i can recall from the best magazine workout article ever written. don't know what BBer was supposed to have written it (or what guy actually wrote it :D), anywy:

PUSH GROUP:
BB bench
DB bench
BB incline
DB incline
db shoulder press
military press
upright row
weighted dips
JM press
close grip bench

PULL GROUP:
chins
close grip parallel pull-up
wide grip pull-up to chest
wide grip pull-up to neck
BB row
t-bar row
BB biceps curl

LEG GROUP:
BB calve raise
donkey calve raise
squat
front squat
powerlifting squat
DL
romanian DL
stiff deads
sumo DL

now this is only a pool of exercises to choose from! you do a circuit and perform one set of one PUSH, PULL and LEG exercise in a row, then you repeat the circuit 2 times.

every set is taken to the last rep possible, try not to hit failure until maybe the last round. reps are 6-10.

this is done 3 days a week, what sums up to 27 heavy sets a week.

Can someone please give me a good start on lowering my body fat %?

Any tips, pointers? What is the best way to lose mid section fat?
(luv handles and such)

get "mid section fat" outta your mind. it's just fat, cause you can just lose it or keep it overall, no way to target a specific area.

maybe you just cruise BB.com articles about fat-loss nutrition??

Ok, thanks for the replys.