how to follow a work out regime?

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matthewsq
matthewsq Posts: 58 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is there anyone out there who have done a program in bodybuilding.com and track their exercises? I'm trying to follow a work out online but I think its too time consuming writing down or printing the documents for each day. Is there a way to make it easier or is this the only way?

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  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
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    It depends where you're lifting really.

    When I was going to the gym I had a notebook with my lifts, and then just wrote the weight amount in the lines. You don't even have to take it in with you, you can leave it in the car and jot down a few notes after.

    So it would look something like this

    Squat: XXX l xxx l XXX l xxx
    Bench; YYY l yyy l YYY l yyy

    Now that I'm lifting at home I have a dry eraser board screwed into the wall. Same concept really, I just use it to track if i should be adjusting the weight from week to week.

    In both methods I would use little symbols next to the weight to say whether I should move up, down, or stay the same (+,-,=).
  • matthewsq
    matthewsq Posts: 58 Member
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    For myself, I'm a beginner at working out so when i try and just writing down the name of the excercise i often forget what im suppose to do and sometimes if I do do it. I'm not too sure if my posture is right. any suggestions?
  • dynamitegalxo
    dynamitegalxo Posts: 299 Member
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    take a deep breath and start with something simple. stronglifts 5x5 is about as simple as it gets, and there are a billion videos on youtube and other places online that talk about and show how to get proper form. check those out and watch until you can make your body do the same movements, then add weights. you're only doing 3 exercises per workout - one day is squats, bench press, and rows; the other day is squats, deadlift, and overhead press. 5 sets of 5 reps = you do the exercise 25 times and move on to the next one. almost nothing to remember once you learn how to do it.

    good luck :)
  • vorgas
    vorgas Posts: 741 Member
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    If you have a smartphone/tablet there a bunch of apps to help you track.

    I personally use jefit at www.jefit.com
  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
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    Yeah when you're starting out it can be kinda tough to tell if you're actually doing things with proper form (and in most cases you're probably not).

    There's actually a LOT of videos out there (youtube, google,etc) that you can look at with basically walkthroughs of the motions. Many of them will also point out where MOST people don't have proper form.

    Benching for example most people flare their elbows, and don't keep their back/shoulders tight.

    If you can manage it, another good way to check your forms is to have someone else video you. Toss up your video, and make threads (in various places) with "form check X exercise". Most people will be pretty helpful in critiquing your technique.

    The videos and whatnot also help to get you familiar with all of the stuff too. When I just started I didn't know what the hell a row or a clean was.
  • craigjmorton
    craigjmorton Posts: 24 Member
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    Yes, I have tried a few and ended up in the gym with folded up pieces of paper and pens, etc. It was ok as long as you plan ahead and get all your paperwork printed in advance.

    But, here is a thought - smartphone/tablet?

    I have a WP phone (Lumia 900) with excel on it and I have all my training plans ready to go on that. There are also a number of apps out there where you can set up your gym work outs and follow them on your phone. So basically it is just a case of setting everything up and just opening the app and inputting figures as you work out.

    I have done Medhi 5 x 5 this way, I am doing Push Up training and 6 week fitness like this as well and I am also doing Indoor Triathlon training with excel logs and my stationary bike training routine. Everything is on the phone and I don't have any issues.

    So, no need for paper, just a smart phone.

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