2 Programs.. which one?

[mood87]

Hey guys,

This is my first post, and i really like a better advice from the ones im currently receiving.

I weight 68-69 kg (~150-152lbs) and 168-170 (5.5-5.6') tall [different scales give me different readings.. these are the ranges i got].

I pretty fat (% wise) sitting at 25%. I started weight lifting about a month ago and included long cardio sessions.

For the first few weeks i used to train my entire body rather than splitting muscle groups. My program used to be:

Weight lifting:
Bench press 3x10 adding weight with each set
Iinclined bench press: 3x10 adding weight
bicep curls 3x10 adding weight (barbells + bar)
triceps 3x10 addign weight (cable, barbell lying extensions)
Back and Lats exercising 3x10 each adding weights.

Cardio:
burn 500 calories a session, sometimes more.

Monday - Weights
Tuesday - Cardio
Wednesday - Weights
Thursday - Cardio
Friday - Weights


Now a friend of mine who's much more lean and cut and has been working out for a while now gave me a new program to follow:

Monday - Chest & Biceps
Wednesday - Lats & Back & Triceps
Friday - Shoulders & Legs

Each muscle group has at least 3 different exercises. Some exercises include adding weights and pushing myself, while some require concentration and more repetitions.

Ive added cardio to the schedule he gave me, but this time im mixing it up, one long cardio and one HITT.

Im not following any strict diet, but have cut down the junk food and the sugars a lot. Once a week sounds about right.


So which program do you guys think makes more sense or i should stick to. As usual, my goals are leaner & ABS.

Thanks,
M

[NJtoWI]

The food is the foundation man. Cutting down junk food and sugars is a start but you have to take it further than just slightly improving on a bad diet (if it was a bad one before). This is the most part important of your routine if your goal is cutting BF% and getting abs.

[semperloco]

You have just been doing this for a month - I would recommend you stick with the whole body workout for another 3 to 4 to get your muscles used to the work. If you are still more interested in splitting it up and working sections, I recommend big multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and military press. There is a neat program in Men's Fitness, the April issue called the 5/3/1 program that will help you increase power without plateaus. I am using it. I would definitely recommend it.

[kziwarrior]

For your needs you should definitely stick with the full body workouts. I would however suggest some small changes to it by adding more compound exercises and getting rid of the isolation exercises. Try something like StrongLifts (http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5...ining-program/) or Starting Strength (http://startingstrength.wikia.com/).

Isolation exercises are great for building specific muscles (or getting a certain muscle "ripped") but are will not build the muscle/strength needed for fat loss.

Also consider changing your cardio to HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training, NO RUNNING, stick to the low-impact exercises). It's FAR better at burning fat and shedding pounds than standard cardio (i.e. treadmills, elliptical trainers ect.) and it's far more fun/interesting.

Stick with the full-body routine (compound lifts) until you have significant strength and get your BF down (would say at least 6 mounts) before you consider going to splits.

IMHO - I'm one of the minority on this site that stick with the compound lifts. I'm a martial artists so my main concern is functional strength (and minimal time) not aesthetics. After you get strong enough you will make your own opinion.

[mood87]

I just got out of GNC, needed a new protein shake. Got one with 30g of fat and less than 1 g of Fat and Carbs. The GNC dude also told me to get some L-Carnitine and use it with Hydroxycut. They hydroxycut wasnt really working, he said L-Carnitine should help.

The food is the foundation man. Cutting down junk food and sugars is a start but you have to take it further than just slightly improving on a bad diet (if it was a bad one before). This is the most part important of your routine if your goal is cutting BF% and getting abs.

Diet is always a killer for me. I cant trust the online Basal Metabolic rate calculators because its been a while since ive started 'dieting' and i think that number has changed. For example, yesterday i just had one meal thats almost 550 calories. Before eating that meal, i had my cardio session and burnt more than 550 calories. Sometimes i eat just one meal, sometimes a lot. I just cant get used to a routine. Im hoping for the best i guess..

You have just been doing this for a month - I would recommend you stick with the whole body workout for another 3 to 4 to get your muscles used to the work. If you are still more interested in splitting it up and working sections, I recommend big multi-joint exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press, and military press. There is a neat program in Men's Fitness, the April issue called the 5/3/1 program that will help you increase power without plateaus. I am using it. I would definitely recommend it.

How does this sound:
Chest:
Bench Press - 3x12 50kg (15kg each side)
Incline Bench Press - 3x12 ~40kg (maybe more)

Lats:
Lats Pull Down - 3x12 35kg (7 blocks, i think each one weighs 5kg)
Seated Rows - 3x12 35kg

Biceps:
Barbell Curls - 3x12 20kg
Hammer Curls - 3x12 10kg

Triceps:
Skull Crushers - 3x12 20kg(http://exercise.about.com/od/exercis...xercises_3.htm)
Seated Triceps Extension - 3x12 15kg
(http://exercise.about.com/od/exercis...xercises_7.htm)

Shoulders:
Lateral Raises - 3x12 8kg
Front raise - 3x12 8kg

Squats
Deadlifts

All that 3 times a week, with HITT in between 2 times a week.

For your needs you should definitely stick with the full body workouts. I would however suggest some small changes to it by adding more compound exercises and getting rid of the isolation exercises. Try something like StrongLifts (http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5...ining-program/) or Starting Strength (http://startingstrength.wikia.com/).


Also consider changing your cardio to HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training, NO RUNNING, stick to the low-impact exercises). It's FAR better at burning fat and shedding pounds than standard cardio (i.e. treadmills, elliptical trainers ect.) and it's far more fun/interesting.

Take a look at the program i wrote just above. What needs to be changed. and for HIIT i usually do 3 sets on a treadmill. 2 mins at a low pace 3-5, then 1 minute of sprinting at a pace of 16-18. Should i also combine a long cardio to burn some calories, then take a break and do HIIT. Or just stick to 20 mins of HIIT?


Thanks again guys

[kziwarrior]

I just got out of GNC, needed a new protein shake. Got one with 30g of fat and less than 1 g of Fat and Carbs. The GNC dude also told me to get some L-Carnitine and use it with Hydroxycut. They hydroxycut wasnt really working, he said L-Carnitine should help.


Diet is always a killer for me. I cant trust the online Basal Metabolic rate calculators because its been a while since ive started 'dieting' and i think that number has changed. For example, yesterday i just had one meal thats almost 550 calories. Before eating that meal, i had my cardio session and burnt more than 550 calories. Sometimes i eat just one meal, sometimes a lot. I just cant get used to a routine. Im hoping for the best i guess..


How does this sound:
Chest:
Bench Press - 3x12 50kg (15kg each side)
Incline Bench Press - 3x12 ~40kg (maybe more)

Lats:
Lats Pull Down - 3x12 35kg (7 blocks, i think each one weighs 5kg)
Seated Rows - 3x12 35kg

Biceps:
Barbell Curls - 3x12 20kg
Hammer Curls - 3x12 10kg

Triceps:
Skull Crushers - 3x12 20kg(http://exercise.about.com/od/exercis...xercises_3.htm)
Seated Triceps Extension - 3x12 15kg
(http://exercise.about.com/od/exercis...xercises_7.htm)

Shoulders:
Lateral Raises - 3x12 8kg
Front raise - 3x12 8kg

Squats
Deadlifts

All that 3 times a week, with HITT in between 2 times a week.

Take a look at the program i wrote just above. What needs to be changed. and for HIIT i usually do 3 sets on a treadmill. 2 mins at a low pace 3-5, then 1 minute of sprinting at a pace of 16-18. Should i also combine a long cardio to burn some calories, then take a break and do HIIT. Or just stick to 20 mins of HIIT?

Thanks again guys

As always theses are my opinions. You'll learn soon enough there are no set "proven" methods, programs, diets or ANYTHING else. With that said....

As for the Hydroxycut, if you really think you need to use something like that (which I REALLY DON"T think you need, you're not overweight enough to risk the effects). But if you insist than at least do yourself a favor and read the research (which leans towards its a waste of many).
http://www.mens-total-fitness.com/ho...ight-loss.html
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popu.../a/hoodia1.htm

As for the diet part, it's far less about how much you eat and far more to do with what and when you eat (of course this is within reason). Pick up the "You on a diet" and/or "the south beach diet" and read them and focus on the what to eat and why info (the recipes and "programs" are good but not necessary if you follow the info.

As for the routine, again IMHO you're wasting to much time with the isolation exercises. Doing biceps and triceps workouts won't do nearly as much for weight-loss or strength as more full body exercises. Check the links I gave you again. If you want more specifics I'd be happy to expand but IMHO you have a lot of wasted lifts/time in that routine.

As for the HIIT a treadmill is NOT the most conducive for HIIT. It will serve if somehow you have no other means but you have several. The reason a treadmill is twofold. First because you are being paced by the machine (i.e. you set the speed instead of running as fast as you can over a set distance). And second treadmills are NOT the same as running on the ground, they don't provide nearly the same resistance and effort required as actually running.

More preferred HIIT exercises are:
Burpies (the #1 HIIT if you can hack it, they are insane, especially if you do the full pushup version).
Jumping rope (weighted once you get good enough)
Push-ups (adjust as needed for added difficulty, i.e. clapping or resistance bands)
Heavy Bag work (if available)

There are several more but those are few of my preferred ones.

Hope you find some of this helpful. Good luck.

[_Ishy]

kziwarrior is right about the routine (and probably everything..I didn't read the entire post) - follow one of those tried and tested routines:

- putting more mass on the entire body by also working legs will increase muscle and therefore BMR
- choice of exercises and reps are done by EXPERTS who know their stuff, sorry but you're not in a position to create your own routine (they use big compound exercises and good rep ranges such as 3*5 and 5*5 along with good volume for beginners).