Morning Guys,
Just a little history- I am 54 - 6'2" - got up to 300 lb. and decided to lose the weight. Started one year ago this month and within 6 months lost 100 lb. using the SouthBeach Diet to start. About 3 month in I started to use weight training and cardio (brisk walking) along with the diet and have got down to 186. I have since leveled out at about 190. I flutuate between 192 - 188 (depends on how much water I retain)

As far as the weigh training I think I have overdone it as I have a right shoulder rotator cuff strain (no tear according to my doctor) My routine would last about 2 hours - full body (several exercises for each body part - 4 sets with as much as 15 reps per set) - then 45 min. cardio (walking) every other day with 45 cardio on the off days. (I tend to be compulsive with things - especially if I see results)

I have been reading other posts and see that my volume was way too much (as my wife puts it - you have a life also) so I am scaling back a lot. (very hard to do as I think I will regain the weight) I am very strict with my diet and do not cheat at all.

I think I will scale back to a 30 - 40 minute workout three times a week with emhasis (spelling?) on the compound movements (squat, deadlift, bench press, shoulder press, pullups- chinups - pulls and chins will be hard as I can maybe do one but have to start somewhere) and arms (bicep curls, tricep extenstions) reducing the sets to two and the reps to 5 with a max of 8-10 - try to increase weight or reps each training day. Cardio (walking) on the off days with two days of rest on the weekend. I am also doing shoulder rehab with light (5 lb.) before the workout.

I have a Batca Fusion plate machine and it's ok for some things but I am looking into going to free weights for more of the compound work. (Ironmaster adjustable dumbells) I have a set of dumbells but I am limited to the length of the handle so I can only go up a certain weight - (reached the limit already with bent over one arm dumbell raises) I worry though about not have a spotter as I workout by myself. That's why I am looking at dumbbells instead of barbells. Would the dumbells instead of the barbells be a hinderance to my workout?

As far as the cardio - this is what I was doing:

start 2 3.7 mph - 7.5 degree incline
raise incline .5 degrees every 5 minutes
raise speed .5 every 10 minutes

finish @ 4.1 mph - 10 degrees (max. on my treadmill)
drop back to 3.7 mph for a 5 min. cool down

woudl this be considered LISS? Modified version of HITT? Just curious.

I am thinking of scaling back to 30 minutes but increase the starting decline and speed. I am trying for 2 miles in 30 minutes (increasing the incline as a challenge to myself)

What do you think? I am basically starting over after the shoulder problem. (I know I overdid it - my wife reminds me all the time)

I have the bodylastic bands to take with me to work (I work in the oilfield and gone two weeks out of the month) They are ok for somethings (like the batca) but again I am looking for a more effective workout. Again Ironmaster Dumbells. One problem I run into is the cardio at work. Some rigs have heliports and some do not. Maybe some box stepup exercises for cardio?

David

Hi David, dumbells are great for staying in shape. Personally i never do any BB presses, they irriate my shoulder.

3 fullbody workouts per week for 30-45min are effective to get and stay in shape.

I would shoot for anywhere from 3-8 excercises per workout and a set/rep volume of 24-50 - IE 4x6 or 5x10 - per major bodypart.

I also enjoy upper/lower splits.

You might want to take alook at ttmembers.com the owner of that site focuses on 3 45min workouts per week using minimal equipment. Which is what most everyone should do. Barbells and Dumbells is all you really need.

His training system is alot like i do myself.