Working Out question.

[ISONSX]

...I am trying for a solid #200 (my current weight) with ~4% fat. Good luck to me, I'm going to need it.

Juice,
Are you serious? 200 lbs at 4% bodyfat? Do you realize how hard that would be to do? I have worked out for over 15 years and at one time did some competitive bodybuilding and I can tell you 4% is very, very lean -something most professional bodybuilders achieve at contest time if they are lucky. I typically carry around 13% bodyfat at 5'9 and 195 lbs (and 40 next month!) and would have to drop to a minimum of 165 pounds to even think about that level of bodyfat percentage.

I agree with what NetViper says - "Personally I would say do weights 3x per week(M,W,F) and then do cardio 3x (T, TH, Sat). Personally I like the oliptical machines because they are low impact. Remember, if you are running too hard, you are not burning fat. I would do 30-45 mins cardio."

That's almost exactly the schedule I now follow. Great advice.

I have two small children and a job that requires a 10-11 hour day but you can always find time to work out if you are committed to it. I work out at 5:45 AM for about an hour nearly each day. I would strongly suggest that you train in the evening as opposed to the morning since it is better for your biological clock - something about lifting heavy weights at 6 AM is much tougher than doing so at 6-7 PM. However, for me with two children, that is the only time that I can do it without cutting into family time.

I still enjoy working out after all of the years but cross-training is the best way I have found to avoid burn-out. For example, I went from "old-school" heavy lifting most every day to boxing three days a week and lifting three days a week for a few years. If you really want to get a great cardio workout, try some full-contact boxing ( I used to spar with a guy that was a professional middleweight that fought to a split decision for the world championship about 10 years ago - yes, he could hit very hard and was faster than lightning!). The boxing gym that I trained at was a typical hole without air conditioning. I was boxing one summer in July in there and looked at the thermometer and it said 122 degrees inside. Heck, it was cooler outside at 102 than inside. Other times try swimming or biking - other low impact cardio options.

I would suggest that on your lifting days, you hit the treadmill, bike, etc for about 5-10 minutes to get the heart rate going. Then do 2-3 two minute high speed bursts on one of the cardio machines during your weight lifting days to keep the heart rate up in the right zone.

Distance Runner is right - you can do sit-ups and crunches until the cows come home and you will still have a gut. For men, the first thing on and the last thing to come off is the bodyfat around the midsection so be patient.

Good luck.

 

[95NSXT]

I agree ~4% bf would be hard work and not healthy to remain there. I was 5.34% a few months ago and I was pretty skinny.

Sleep and your diet are just as important to your workout as your workout itself. Put junk in your body, have bad sleep patterns, and your results will suffer. Don't forget to change up your workout too. Don't do the same thing day in and day out because your muscles will get used to it

 

[Stunner]

Distance Runner is right - you can do sit-ups and crunches until the cows come home and you will still have a gut. For men, the first thing on and the last thing to come off is the bodyfat around the midsection so be patient.

Good luck.[/QUOTE]

Ok I am a 22 year old diabetic and exercise is key to me staying healthy. I exercise all the time and with insulin injections three times a day my muscle development is pretty rapid and instantaneous. I'm 5'9" 170lbs and I cannot for the life of me develop my abs. I do so many stinking crunches everyday it's ridiculous and I have the muscle there but I can't get that layer of fat off. I have been working on this particular issue for a year and a half assuming that by now this many crunches and sit ups would have to do the trick... Apparently not. Any special advice from the pros out there because this is killing me with frustration

 

[NetViper]

Distance Runner is right - you can do sit-ups and crunches until the cows come home and you will still have a gut. For men, the first thing on and the last thing to come off is the bodyfat around the midsection so be patient.

Good luck.

Ok I am a 22 year old diabetic and exercise is key to me staying healthy. I exercise all the time and with insulin injections three times a day my muscle development is pretty rapid and instantaneous. I'm 5'9" 170lbs and I cannot for the life of me develop my abs. I do so many stinking crunches everyday it's ridiculous and I have the muscle there but I can't get that layer of fat off. I have been working on this particular issue for a year and a half assuming that by now this many crunches and sit ups would have to do the trick... Apparently not. Any special advice from the pros out there because this is killing me with frustration [/QUOTE]

I think for you it is all about diet to get those abs through. But that is just a guess.

 

[95NSXT]

Stunner, How much of that 170lbs do you think is fat? I don't know squat about insulin so I don't know if that would cause you to retain any more water than normal or anything as that would hinder your results(just shooting in the dark). Are you only doing crunches? Do you ever just concentrate on certain areas like the "upper" abs, "lower" abs, obliques, etc? How's your diet? If you want I can give you a write up of what I do. I've managed to get these in a year and a half...
(Estimated % bf is somewhere around 6-7)

 

[Juice]

Juice,
Are you serious? 200 lbs at 4% bodyfat? Do you realize how hard that would be to do?

Sorry for being clear as mud. This is on top of the necessary organ fat for a realistic life. This puts it into the 9 - 12 lb total range. Still a tough standard to shoot for. When I refer to fat I ignore organ fat as it is never really part of the equation unless you are studying medical deficiancies.

 

[Ponyboy]

Hahaha...at my "prime" I was a 4% body fat. Playing basketball, tennis, and football. I ate everything I could. Now I'm at 15% and watching my diet. Jeez, I hate getting old sometimes.

 

[serialNSXer]

When the body blows through its glycogen stores (fast usage blood sugar during strength training), it switches over to the next source of fuel --- body fat. So, blow through your lifting, exhausting your blood sugar, then do your cardio, keep drinking water, wait 45 minutes before eating. The best way to drop a few pounds of body fat without also losing muscle.

 

[nuccaJB]

You will always loose muscle as you lean down. It is just a matter of minimizing. You may want to look into body for life type of routine from the sounds of your needs. It works well and they simplify things for you, just remember the diet is really a sales pitch to buy supplements. You may also want to think of a slightly higher intensity weight program and less cardio. Spend less time between sets and this will help to keep your heart rate up the whole time.

I personally would try to use machines as little as you can until the end of your workout. Stick to dumbbells and use machines to "finish off" the muscle and fatigue it. Also try to vary up the workout as often as possible and remember to throw in unilateral days. Even do dumbbell bench press with only one weight and press one arm at a time. This will hit your core super hard and you will feel abs you did not know existed! It will also create much more joint stability, always a plus.

I would personally stay away from bowflex, I just don't like the progressive feeling. I much rather have a linear lift, it is more even on the muscle. You would be surprised how great of a workout you can start out getting with some dumbbells and a flat bench. Be creative and research proper form, it is an absolute for proper imporvements!

PS - 4% is virtually impossible for you body to be stable at. Your skin will look like saranwrap over the muscle. When a lot of people talk about being 4% they are usually closer to 7%. I knew a guy while in School who trained for Mr. MO a couple years back and was something like 2nd runner up. He is 6'2" and was 240 and was about 4-5%, you could see muscle striations with his muscles flacid.

 

[W]

I got back into the gym.....trying to shed some pounds here.

But, is it better to run before you lift weights or after?

So lets say, I'm doing chest...should I run first? or after doing my chest?

Do whatever makes you happy. It's more important that you actually do the exercise, not plan to do it.

 

[Jin1976]

After watching Lost DVD last week, I had to get those six packs. As part of my supplement to reduce fats under the skin I bought Hydoxycut. Any comment on the product. I aslo do some cardio before working out the abs.

 

[ISONSX]

Ok I am a 22 year old diabetic and exercise is key to me staying healthy. I exercise all the time and with insulin injections three times a day my muscle development is pretty rapid and instantaneous. I'm 5'9" 170lbs and I cannot for the life of me develop my abs. I do so many stinking crunches everyday it's ridiculous and I have the muscle there but I can't get that layer of fat off. I have been working on this particular issue for a year and a half assuming that by now this many crunches and sit ups would have to do the trick... Apparently not. Any special advice from the pros out there because this is killing me with frustration

As others have indicated, you need to hit each component of your abs to get the complete effect. Try some core fitness ab work, along with leg lifts, incline sit-ups holding a 10-15 pound medicine ball, roman chair, front rope crunches off the universal machines, side rope crunches (this will do wonders for your obliques), etc. In the end though, it's the diet that will show the abs, not the number of crunches or leglifts you do. I can't stess enough how important the diet is. For example, my cheat meal once a week when I was on a strict diet was a plain 6" ham sub (no dressing, no cheese) from subway. Other than that, it was 6-7 scrammbled egg whites (no oil, just enougn Pam to keep them from sticking in the pan)with oatmeal for breakfast (which is still what I eat 6 days a week), a protien drink, two plain rice cakes with natural peanut butter, oa a can of white tuna in water with a cup of steamed rice at 10 AM and 3:30 PM, two skinless grilled chicken breasts (no salt, no butter), 1 cup of steamed white rice, and 1 cup of a green veggie for lunch, and the same for dinner.

Also try some thermogenics to speed up your metobolism.

Here's a link to Clarence Bass's website - this is the best looking ab shot ever IMO! And this gentlemen (the fourth picture) is what 4% bodyfat looks like, so unless you are this cut you are kidding yourself that you have 4, 5, or even 6 percent bodyfat. This picture was taken when he was over 40 so yes there is hope for most of us here. And nuccaJB is right about the elusive 4% bodyfat. I assure you that if you get to 8% bodyfat, you will look very lean and your abs will show. I have good definition on my "6 pack" but as I stated earlier I am probably at about 13% bodyfat. This thread had re-engerized me. Stunner, stick to your workout program and make sure to clean up your diet.


http://www.cbass.com/CONSULTA.HTM#Peak

 

[Stunner]

Yeah sounds like mixing it up is the key to abs. The diet part is kind of a mystery to me since I'm diabetic and I have to really watch my diet as it is. Anything really sweet or loaded with sugar is a real turn off to me and I treat it like it's the plague. Carbs are the other problem since I need some carb intake or I will suffer from insulin shock without it. I've heard a lot of bodybuilders actually take insulin injections to help promote muscle growth, although not a safe idea I'm sure it works. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes and put on injections I gained 40 pounds in a little over 2 weeks. I was about 105 pounds when I was in the hospital and in a month I had a 6 pack like you wouldn't believe without working out a single day, that quickly changed though once the fat started to build. Now I'm up to 170 and I haven't been able to go lower than 160 since.

 

[nuccaJB]

Ahuge component of getting the abs in that many forget is sodium intake! You can get down in body fat %, but if are short on H2O and high on salt you will look fatter then you are. Egg whites and tuna have a lot of sodium in them. You would be surprised at how sodium you consum from only eating your veggies! I personally recommend stay low on dairy, no soda(no diet especially, artifical sweeteners will make you crave carbs). ISONSX's diet is perfect, but not easy to follow. The hardest thing to do is maintain your willpower. Make your diet changes slow so you can stick to it easier.

 

[Ko-nsx]

Man some good workout info. You can get anything on prime!!!!! The search is better than goggle!! Is the Tahititan Noni juice any good? A lady at work swears by it!!!!

 

[Jin1976]

I hurt my back today from abs workout. My advise...do not over do it. :redface:

 

[nuccaJB]

Most low back pain come from weak low back erectors not weak abs( inkow this is not what you said). Try doing some core workouts that will hit your abs better then traditional ab training, ie situps, crunches. One ay people hurt their backs doing abs is because they overwork the muscle and the psoas muscle in the low back (a hip flexor) starts to help and that causes strain. Remember abs are the same type of muscle as the bicep, ever heard of someone doing 1000 curls? Train abs once or twice max per week, do sets not one huge set. If you want to see your abs they need to be bigger, do more resistance so it has more weight to move. I work my abs like a bench press or curls. I have weighted resistance and only do 12-15 reps with 3-5 sets. Then change angle or muscle group. There are some great core exercises that will kill your abs and bring them in hard that don't resemble any sort of classic torsoe curl ab exercise. I will try to locate some pics or diagrams. :smile:

 

[Jin1976]

Thanks for the info. Yes I did overwork my abs and I think I injured my back by doing the side crunch for obliques. I forgot to work on my back. :redface:

Most low back pain come from weak low back erectors not weak abs( inkow this is not what you said). Try doing some core workouts that will hit your abs better then traditional ab training, ie situps, crunches. One ay people hurt their backs doing abs is because they overwork the muscle and the psoas muscle in the low back (a hip flexor) starts to help and that causes strain. Remember abs are the same type of muscle as the bicep, ever heard of someone doing 1000 curls? Train abs once or twice max per week, do sets not one huge set. If you want to see your abs they need to be bigger, do more resistance so it has more weight to move. I work my abs like a bench press or curls. I have weighted resistance and only do 12-15 reps with 3-5 sets. Then change angle or muscle group. There are some great core exercises that will kill your abs and bring them in hard that don't resemble any sort of classic torsoe curl ab exercise. I will try to locate some pics or diagrams. :smile:

 

[nuccaJB]

Ice should be your new best friend, 10-15 mins on 30 off. Good luck!