Hi,

After a bit of a point on the right direction.

Having been a member of a gym for the past year I have rarely used it and am starting up properly this week.

I have my meal plan more or less sorted but need advice on how I should approach the weights.

Some info:

I'm 31, 6ft and weigh 77Kg.
Body type is Ecto/Meso, but more Ecto (very fast metabolism).
Calorie intake will be 3000 @ 15/65/20 (I had a kidney transplant three years ago and my consultant has told me that 15% protein is the maximum I can go to).

My lower body strength is, and always has been, quite good compared to my upper body and my back, which are poor.

My plan is to do:

GYM

Sunday - 1 hour legs
Monday - 1 hour back
Tuesday - 1 hour arms
Wednesday - 1 hour chest
Thursday - 1 hour shoulders

HOME

Friday/Saturday - 1 hour abs

I am after some advice/direction as to which the best exercises would be to work each of these muscle groups for, essentially, a beginner.

I have tried doing searches, but there are so many different ones and I need to know which the best would be to begin with which will fit into a 1 hour session.

Thanks.

As a side question - how is your 100% lift weight calculated?

Great forum BTW :tu:

I think the consensus on these boards is that most beginners should start off with a fullbody routine as opposed to a split specific one. I personally don't mind either and think that both will work great as long as you are incorporating some staple compound exercises and staying consistent.

You could look into a 3 day fullbody routine or a 4 day upper/lower split, or you could keep your 5 day split (I personally don't think you need an entire hour on abs alone).

Whatever you choose to do, try to build the program around the following compounds: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, overhead presses, chin/pullups, rows, dips and their variations. Those should be the bread and butter of your routine. You can then tack on a couple of isolation movements if you like.

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=508031

Here's a link to Waterbury's Total Body Training program. I think as a beginner if you did this for 8-16 weeks you'd have good results. Waterbury says you can do this forever if you just keep varying the lifts, but most of us try out different routines and change things around over time, to keep it effective and interesting. I just think this is a good way to get started.:)

This is a 3-day a week program. If you really want to be in the gym everyday, you could do some LISS cardio on the other days, but maybe as an ecto that's not what you want. But don't be fooled into thinking that you should be weight training every day of the week, especially as a beginner.

Don't neglect your legs in the effort to catch your upper body up. Leg training will help in that goal.:tucool:

Cheers guys, just a couple of things though.

If I'm only doing three days in the gym, do I still need to be getting 3000 cal daily?

Also, in regards to cardio, I've got a bit of a beer belly but no excess fat on arms or legs. Should I still doing cardio, or will I lose the stomach weight with just healthier eating?

Cheers again.

Cheers guys, just a couple of things though.

If I'm only doing three days in the gym, do I still need to be getting 3000 cal daily?

Also, in regards to cardio, I've got a bit of a beer belly but no excess fat on arms or legs. Should I still doing cardio, or will I lose the stomach weight with just healthier eating?

Cheers again.

Only if you are planning on gaining about 2 ponds a week. Beer belly is fat that where you store yours. You sure don't want to put on fat, you want muscle.

Only if you are planning on gaining about 2 ponds a week. Beer belly is fat that where you store yours. You sure don't want to put on fat, you want muscle.

So I only need to keep the calorie intake upto 3000 for the days I'm training, then drop it back down to 2000 for the days I'm not?

So I only need to keep the calorie intake upto 3000 for the days I'm training, then drop it back down to 2000 for the days I'm not?

See I am unsure what you are trying to do. lose fat or gain weight. 3000 is high calories the way I see things you are trying to gain weight.

You have a beer belly and you don't lose fat with just healthy eating, you need to reduce calories not increase them.

I wouldn't spend 5 hours working out on weights. either. I would have quit long ago if I faced that. I think you can get job done in 90 minutes a week. Trying to fill up an hour with one body part is beyond me. So I am not sure where to start or help. But I am sure others will.:gl:

See I am unsure what you are trying to do. lose fat or gain weight. 3000 is high calories the way I see things you are trying to gain weight.

You have a beer belly and you don't lose fat with just healthy eating, you need to reduce calories not increase them.

I wouldn't spend 5 hours working out on weights. either. I would have quit long ago if I faced that. I think you can get job done in 90 minutes a week. Trying to fill up an hour with one body part is beyond me. So I am not sure where to start or help. But I am sure others will.:gl:

OK, I don't think I explained myself too well.

The 3000 calorie target was worked out after reading several other threads in this forum, but maybe that's not what I need.

I weigh 77kg and am 6ft.

I need to put weight on enabling me to bulk up my upper-body (which is slim), but I want to lose the beer belly also...my legs are probably normal in size.

I can devote an hour per day, five days a week, to the gym, and need some advice on how best to fill the time available to me - I want to bulk up and get toned all over (having done little to no exercise in the past).

The hour per muscle group idea was once again based on trying to pick things up from other peoples threads.

I just need an idea on what to start doing, as I've obviously picked up the wrong information for my needs up until now.

I worked out that my calorie intake is probably around 2000 a day, and assumed that 3000 would bring me up to enough to bulk up.

Any advice from anyone appreciated.:tu:

OK, The 3000 calorie target was worked out after reading several other threads in this forum, but maybe that's not what I need. I weigh 77kg and am 6ft. I need to put weight on enabling me to bulk up my upper-body (which is slim), but I want to lose the beer belly also...my legs are probably normal in size.

I can devote an hour per day, five days a week, to the gym, and need some advice on how best to fill the time available to me - I want to bulk up and get toned all over (having done little to no exercise in the past).

The hour per muscle group idea was once again based on trying to pick things up from other peoples threads.

I just need an idea on what to start doing, as I've obviously picked up the wrong information for my needs up until now.

I worked out that my calorie intake is probably around 2000 a day, and assumed that 3000 would bring me up to enough to bulk up.

Any advice from anyone appreciated.:tu:

First lesson, When you put fat on, it goes to cetain parts of your body more then it does to others. When we were born, our genes had already decided where it wanted the fat to go. On most men, it starts going to the belly. Yours did mainly but there is some all over. You can't spot reduce. Doing situps don't take fat off your belly. To take it off, you have to reduce calories by a diet.

I am going to cut this short. Drop your calories to 2700. Forget about your belly for time being, it didn't pop up. Lets get you muscles. suggest you review a full body exercise plan. 3 times a week , MWF or TTS. You want to get in and get out. You want to use the heaviest weights you can for your plan. You want to conserve energy and not do extra sets and exercises.

BB Squats or leg extension machine
BB or Machine Calf raise
BB Stiff legged deadlift or leg curl (machine)
lat pulldown
BB bent arm row
DB Lateral raise
BB military or shoulder press
DB flies
BB bench press
BB curl
tricep push down (cable) or two hand single DB extension
Crunch

one set per exercise. Do as many reps as possible in good form. When you can't complete a rep in good form quit! That should be momentary muscular failure. If you can't complete at least 8 reps, remove 5-10% weight next workout. If you can complete 12 or more reps, increase weight next workout by 5-10%. You do each rep 3sec up and 3 sec down except ab exercises which is 10 sec up and 5 sec down. This makes each rep slow, controlled and focused . You will rest no more than 30-60 sec before next set.

Go to exrx.net for instructions on exercise or ask. These are basic exercises. Within the first few workouts, you will be using as much weight as you can, this will build muscle and size with minimum , if any fat gain.

Cardio burns calories, it does build calories. You are taking in extra calories to gain weight. You aren't trying to burn any calories.

I suggest you give it a 10 week trial. Your choice.:bb:

First lesson, When you put fat on, it goes to cetain parts of your body more then it does to others. When we were born, our genes had already decided where it wanted the fat to go. On most men, it starts going to the belly. Yours did mainly but there is some all over. You can't spot reduce. Doing situps don't take fat off your belly. To take it off, you have to reduce calories by a diet.

I am going to cut this short. Drop your calories to 2700. Forget about your belly for time being, it didn't pop up. Lets get you muscles. suggest you review a full body exercise plan. 3 times a week , MWF or TTS. You want to get in and get out. You want to use the heaviest weights you can for your plan. You want to conserve energy and not do extra sets and exercises.

BB Squats or leg extension machine
BB or Machine Calf raise
BB Stiff legged deadlift or leg curl (machine)
lat pulldown
BB bent arm row
DB Lateral raise
BB military or shoulder press
DB flies
BB bench press
BB curl
tricep push down (cable) or two hand single DB extension
Crunch

one set per exercise. Do as many reps as possible in good form. When you can't complete a rep in good form quit! That should be momentary muscular failure. If you can't complete at least 8 reps, remove 5-10% weight next workout. If you can complete 12 or more reps, increase weight next workout by 5-10%. You do each rep 3sec up or 3 sec down except ab exercises which is 10 sec up and 5 sec down. This makes each rep slow, controlled and focused . You will rest no more than 30-60 sec before next set.

Go to exrx.net for instructions on exercise or ask. These are basic exercises. Within the first few workouts, you will be using as much weight as you can, this will build muscle and size with minimum , if any fat gain.

Cardio burns calories, it does build calories. You are taking in extra calories to gain weight. You aren't trying to burn any calories.

I suggest you give it a 10 week trial. Your choice.:bb:

Your a gent mate. That's just what I needed to get me going, cheers. :tu:

One last thing though.

Is a 15/65/20 diet plan fine for my needs, and (as before), do I only need to stick to this for my training days? (But as you suggest I will drop it down to 2700 from 3000).

Your a gent mate. That's just what I needed to get me going, cheers. :tu:

One last thing though.

Is a 15/65/20 diet plan fine for my needs, and (as before), do I only need to stick to this for my training days? (But as you suggest I will drop it down to 2700 from 3000).

Certainly it is, stick with it throughout the week. You repair your muscles often 40 hours after your workout. Another thing to remember 45-65% of your calories are burned at rest. So get 8 hours restful sleep. Drink plenty of water, muscle is 72% water. You can PM questions you might have.:bb:

You can PM questions you might have.:bb:

I might just hold you to that, cheers again.:tu: