Muscle Mass, Soccer & Losing Weight

[craigymack]

Hello!!

I got great advice here recently on my calorie intake and training goals. I've had to review these a bit after getting a fitness report so I'm hoping for some more of that great advice.

So, as of now I stand at 5 foot 6 inches, 218 pounds, 22% body fat and muscle mass of 74.8kg. I have lower back pain and some joint pains, this is from being far too heavy for my size. I'm a bulky guy but I think the muscle mass I have is probably too much. I want to return to playing soccer for my club but I find myself in some pain when I train and I'm also very unfit.

Should I stop doing the weight training I'm doing and focus on diet and cardio to get fit and lose weight/body fat? If I should, what is the best advised way for going about this? If I should NOT why? I have a kid and another own due so right now it is very hard to find time to train weights and cardio, so I've focused on weights and gone down 15% body fat, up 20kg of muscle mass and down about 16 pound in weight. I'm okay with losing muscle mass because I honestly think it is too much for my body and for my goals of playing soccer again, but I don't want to lose all my strength either.

Any advice whether positive or negative is welcome. I would need both to come to a reasonable conclusion anyway.

Thank in advance,
Craig

[shmern]

Hey Craig, to be honest, how serious are you about playing soccer? If its more important to you than lifting, I'd focus on soccer and add in weights once or twice a week max. Do 12-15 reps of most exercises, and do lots of functional fitness (sprints, plyos, etc.). Weights are slightly important, but not really. Realistically you don't need much strength in the sense of weights unless you're playing at a high level. For normal recreational soccer, agility, quick feet, and endurance are the winners. Also, focus on your footwork and touch--I know a bunch of big guys who can ball.