I come to you, workout gurus of the internets for your guidance and wisdom

Here is my current situational facts:

- I am 22 years of age
- I weigh 154 pounds
- I am 5'11" tall
- I do not know how to calculate my body fat percentage (safe to assume it sucks ass [i'm really skinny])
- I have never worked out a day in my life
- I am looking to improve on not just my physical appearance, but my general health as well
- I have the means to work out (free weights and bench in the basement, gathering dust - in addition to a bicycle and treadmill)
- I have a semi-bum left wrist that underwent a minor operation, and I am apprehensive of working out with it
- I have a beer gut that needs to go
- I am travelling to israel and other places in the summer, and I want to look good
- My diet sucks, and needs to change

I'm not sure what other information you need to know, but I will be happy to provide it.

Here's my predicament - there is so much information out there, I need help sorting it out. I'm also posting on health and dieting forums to get the same information for other parts of my lifestyle.

I am your guinea pig. Let the groundwork begin!

Edit 1: I have tried lifting with a friend once, but due to my physical makeup I couldn't do it. I was embarrassed in the gym because of this. My entire left side of my body is stronger than my right. I am a waiter, and I lift heavy items with my left hand all day (lefty) this includes lifting with my left leg and my left pectoral muscle. As a result, when I tried to lift the bar I could only do it with my left side. Any way to balance my body out?

there are hundreds of workouts. you'll get mostly 5x5 suggestions here, which are absolutely solid programs. so as to not buck the trend i'll recommend starting off with something like that which is simple and a good regimen to build strength.

as far as your wrist goes: either buy some wrist wraps, expensive weight gloves with wrist support, or do like everyone else and start off easy so your ligaments, joints, bones aren't being overly stressed.

i was always told the key to any successful powerlifting/gradated system is starting light.

KISS is most important. Start simple and easy.

If fitness is your goal, then go here: Discuss CrossFit, Krav Maga, Kenpo and Kickboxing with trainers and students - forum.brandxmartialarts.c om :: View Forum - CrossFit WOD (http://forum.brandxmartialarts.c om/viewforum.php?f=16&sid=74059d7b82f8aa7e7fa9c dcec3157228)

It's a 3 days on, 1 day off schedule. Each day has its own thread, and the workout for that day is scaled to 2 or 3 different levels, depending on your fitness level.

Start with the lowest level and move up to the next level after about a month or two, if everything is seeming easy. Before each work out, do a few rounds of dynamic stretches, pull-ups, dips, sit-ups, and back extensions to get the blood into your muscles. Don't forget to cool down after your workout.

If you'd rather do something even simpler, 3 days a week do a different full-body workout trying to hit the following muscle groups: chest, arms, shoulders, back, and legs. For instance, bench (chest), bent row (arms/back), overhead press (arms/shoulders), lunges (legs). Then do about 20 minutes of running or jump-roping or swimming, or whatever.

Diet can be really easy too. Eat fist-sized portions of meat and veggies/fruit/grains about 4-5 times a day. If you're still too hungry, up the quantities a little bit. Find out how much you can eat while still losing weight and stick with it. Weigh yourself once a week, not daily. Drink plenty of water - 10-16 cups a day.


PS- General rule of thumb with diet: If you feel dazed and sluggish, cut back on the carbs (grains, fruits, veggies). If you feel alert, but without energy, cut back on protein or else up carbs a bit (assuming you aren't eating a shitload of protein). If you're constantly hungry despite fairly large meals, up your fat intake.

KISS is most important. Start simple and easy.

If fitness is your goal, then go here: Discuss CrossFit, Krav Maga, Kenpo and Kickboxing with trainers and students - forum.brandxmartialarts.c om :: View Forum - CrossFit WOD (http://forum.brandxmartialarts.c om/viewforum.php?f=16&sid=74059d7b82f8aa7e7fa9c dcec3157228)

It's a 3 days on, 1 day off schedule. Each day has its own thread, and the workout for that day is scaled to 2 or 3 different levels, depending on your fitness level.

Start with the lowest level and move up to the next level after about a month or two, if everything is seeming easy. Before each work out, do a few rounds of dynamic stretches, pull-ups, dips, sit-ups, and back extensions to get the blood into your muscles. Don't forget to cool down after your workout.

If you'd rather do something even simpler, 3 days a week do a different full-body workout trying to hit the following muscle groups: chest, arms, shoulders, back, and legs. For instance, bench (chest), bent row (arms/back), overhead press (arms/shoulders), lunges (legs). Then do about 20 minutes of running or jump-roping or swimming, or whatever.

Diet can be really easy too. Eat fist-sized portions of meat and veggies/fruit/grains about 4-5 times a day. If you're still too hungry, up the quantities a little bit. Find out how much you can eat while still losing weight and stick with it. Weigh yourself once a week, not daily. Drink plenty of water - 10-16 cups a day.


PS- General rule of thumb with diet: If you feel dazed and sluggish, cut back on the carbs (grains, fruits, veggies). If you feel alert, but without energy, cut back on protein or else up carbs a bit (assuming you aren't eating a shitload of protein). If you're constantly hungry despite fairly large meals, up your fat intake.

Thanks for the info, both of you. The part that caught me off guard was this:

PS- General rule of thumb with diet: If you feel dazed and sluggish, cut back on the carbs (grains, fruits, veggies)

I am so incredibly tired as opposed to a few years ago...could carbohydrates be the culprit?

hard to say... it could also be that you are extremely out of shape

So as a replacement to carbs, what types of snacks or foods should I eat? Basically I'm asking for the direct opposite of that.

So as a replacement to carbs, what types of snacks or foods should I eat? Basically I'm asking for the direct opposite of that.

Water. Drink till you're not hungry works ok. Maybe have a protein shake instead of a snack; helps with recovery in my experience and its got less crap in it than a soda or most snacks.
I hear certain nuts are good, like pistachios.

Ready for edit numma 1:

Edit 1: I have tried lifting with a friend once, but due to my physical makeup I couldn't do it. I was embarrassed in the gym because of this. My entire left side of my body is stronger than my right. I am a waiter, and I lift heavy items with my left hand all day (lefty) this includes lifting with my left leg and my left pectoral muscle. As a result, when I tried to lift the bar I could only do it with my left side. Any way to balance my body out?

It's easy to blame carbs, but it's more likely your fitness level that is a bigger problem. Start exercising and it will make a lot more difference than trying to cut carbs for you I bet.

I recommend the Rippetoe Starting Strength workout in the stickied thread in this forum to beginners. It's very simple and will be effective for 4-6 months while you get situated in the gym.

I recommend you do 30 minutes of cardio 3x a week to start out as well (just some jogging or whatnot is sufficient) because it sounds like you're profoundly out of shape. Your energy levels will increase and you get your body back to using energy again.

Join a gym, start a weight resistance program with a lot of big, compound lifts, get at least 3 x 30 minutes of cardio a week (increase as you go), stay away from processed shit ... that will get you started.

Ready for edit numma 1:

Edit 1: I have tried lifting with a friend once, but due to my physical makeup I couldn't do it. I was embarrassed in the gym because of this. My entire left side of my body is stronger than my right. I am a waiter, and I lift heavy items with my left hand all day (lefty) this includes lifting with my left leg and my left pectoral muscle. As a result, when I tried to lift the bar I could only do it with my left side. Any way to balance my body out?Lower the weight and use dumbells instead of barbells (the ones you hold one in each hand). Only progress based on the weaker muscle. You will even out like this.

Should I try and get a routine to do this before I actually try and work out?

It affected me way more then I thought it would. I couldn't do half of the weight with my right side that I could with my left.

not to be overly contradictory: start off with barbells. if you've never worked out before you're gonna have no strength and awful form with dumbbells. you'll also most likely "miss" your pecs on bench press and end up using more shoulder than anything.

your strength will even out in time.

edit: i started off pretty much in the same boat. didn't start working out until i was around 21 (more info on pg 26ish of the diamond thread). it's embarrassing to begin with, but you'll learn to put blinders on when you're in the gym.

not to be overly contradictory: start off with barbells. if you've never worked out before you're gonna have no strength and awful form with dumbbells. you'll also most likely "miss" your pecs on bench press and end up using more shoulder than anything.


For YEARS I did that, shoulder did everything because my form sucked.

gotta do flies and crossovers to build the mind muscle connection that allows pec isolation on pressing moves

always keep your shoulders back and relaxed, chest up and rib cage expanded, intentionally flex your pecs, and keep your elbows rotated up and out

not to be overly contradictory: start off with barbells. if you've never worked out before you're gonna have no strength and awful form with dumbbells. you'll also most likely "miss" your pecs on bench press and end up using more shoulder than anything.That's a good point, I agree upon further thought. He probably doesn't have the stabilizers to do dumbbells right.

I certainly do not have any stabilizers.

well, just find a weight you can do on the bench and do it, then increase it (you are aiming for 2.5% a week minimum as a beginner, will be hard at very low weights though)

I think my first 3x5 set was 95 lbs when I started on the barbell bench, and I could barely keep it steady. man, I will never let myself get like that again.

well, just find a weight you can do on the bench and do it, then increase it (you are aiming for 2.5% a week minimum as a beginner, will be hard at very low weights though)

Rayn I think you give a lot of beginners unrealistic expectations of the gains they can expect. This is dangerous as they will increase their weight too quickly. I have heard you say on numerous threads that a beginner will add "5lbs a week". this 2.5% growth is not quite as ridiculous as that but some quick math reveals that a beginner starting at 120lbs at this growth rate would after 12 weeks bench 161.3lbs (a 34.4% increase in strength in only 12 weeks!), after 24 weeks bench 217lbs (an astonishing 80% increase in strength) and after a year (yes I realize they wouldn't be a beginner anymore) they would bench 433lbs.

I don't mean to take what I think is an estimate overly seriously but realize this 2.5% figure is even smaller than the "5 lbs a week" I've heard you claim on numerous occasions. Better not get these noobs hopes up or they will feel they are lagging behind where they should be, increasing the likelihood that they quit or sustain an injury.

why are 5x5s for instance better then like

135x8
205x8
255x6
285x6

on the bench press?

I've always done all my exercises pretty much in that fashion

I don't mean to take what I think is an estimate overly seriously but realize this 2.5% figure is even smaller than the "5 lbs a week" I've heard you claim on numerous occasionsThose increases are only meant for a week to a month, sorry I should be more clear on that.