Some advice from those that know please.... Some background.... I used to play a lot of Rugby and at one time did some weights to augment my training, but i never really knew if I was doing the right thing. I used to (any exercise), start off on a low weight, do 10 reps, ad another weight, ten reps, add another weight...etc etc until I couldn't lift any more, then I went in reverse - 10 reps but removing weight until I reached the bottom weight again. It felt good, but I don't know if it was right. As I'm getting older, I feel that I could benefit from some proper weight training rather than just relying on natural strength and youthful energy( :cry: ). Don't know if this matters, but I'm 6ft and tipping 17 stone (I am a little bit overweight - not awfully... I am a big guy with a powerful build - so BMI is not a good indication of how overweight - I was good at Rugby for a reason !) I acknowledge I do need to shift maybe two stone to be back at my ideal "fighting weight" and I know weight training ups the metabolic rate. I mainly want to add strength and also some tone (secondary to strength as a motive). I know the sorts of exercises I should be doing, but do not know what weights, reps or frequency I should be using to achieve these goals. Any advice please. Thanks
Have a read of the 'Critique my workout/routine' threads There is emphasis among those who know (not me really) on compound movements - i.e movments that involve more than one joint. So whatever programme you are doing, you'll need these or their variants Squat Deadlift Bench press Some kind of row Some kind of overhead press Chins Dips To gas up your metabolism needs real intensity. Most significant weight loss comes from dietary changes, not exercise. Personally, I like Crossfit as a really excellent, if somewhat brutal, general physical preparedness programme (see the bodies from 300 for what you get if you add good nutrition and a crossfit-style programme for 9 months). But you might not.
http://www.higher-faster-sports.com/GettingStronger.html Thats a low rep routine that will increase your strength and it will raise your metabolism a lot. But I would still recomend you do some light cardio twice a week if your sedentary most of the time.
Flaming - thanks for the article - will take a good look at that - I'm reasonably active - train BJJ twice a week (minimum) and cycle to and from work 3 days per week (minimum) - 10 miles per day, so I'm OK but must do better - may add in some runs. Nick K - the crossfit stuff looks good - I've been following some of the stuff on bodyweightculture.com, which is really good with a few parks nearby, and yeah - I hear what you say about diet... I am looking at the whole picture and not just for weights to fix everything...hopefully everything combined will give some good results.
