Advice for an uneducated beginner
jhenryrenfrow
Posts: 3
Please forgive me my ignorance, as I am new to fitness routines. I will just include as much info as I can.
I am a 38 year old male. I lost over 70 pounds in the last year or so through dieting alone. After dropping the weight, I felt like more confident about joining a workout program.
My goal here is to tone my body, and to just get more fit overall. Though I have lost a lot of weight, I still have a pretty flabby midsection.
I found a new place where my son can take martial arts training, and afterwards the instructor has a circuit training class. I have been doing this for around three weeks. Even in such a short time, I have noticed that my endurance and energy levels have improved greatly. I have also gained more muscle in my arms, chest, and shoulders. It seems to be going well so far.
The instructor has 15 stations set up. We do each one for 40 seconds, with 20 seconds in between each. We go through all of the stations twice.
He changes all of the stations every week, and I have been going three times a week but may add a fourth day. Examples of stations are:
Resistance bands ( it varies what we do with them)
Dumbells ( curls, bench press, etc. )
Kettle bells
Planking
Bicycle kicks? ( laying down with shoulders raised )
Burpees / lunges / mountain climbers
Usually some unorthodox type workout, like tire flipping, battle ropes, sled, swinging a sledgehammer.
There are others, andI know this isn't the most descriptive list. He basically just tries to hit us with workouts for all different muscle groups every session. If there are more specifics I need to provide, let me know.
My question is, what do you guys who are more experienced with fitness routines think of this kind of workout?
What kind of results should I expect? My biggest goal right now is to tone up my midsection.
What kind of things should I do at home on the days when I don't go there?
Do you have any advice on other things I should be doing? I haven't worked out much at all since my high school days, so I have a lot of learning to do.
Sorry for the long post, just looking for some good advice from people who know this better than I do.
I am a 38 year old male. I lost over 70 pounds in the last year or so through dieting alone. After dropping the weight, I felt like more confident about joining a workout program.
My goal here is to tone my body, and to just get more fit overall. Though I have lost a lot of weight, I still have a pretty flabby midsection.
I found a new place where my son can take martial arts training, and afterwards the instructor has a circuit training class. I have been doing this for around three weeks. Even in such a short time, I have noticed that my endurance and energy levels have improved greatly. I have also gained more muscle in my arms, chest, and shoulders. It seems to be going well so far.
The instructor has 15 stations set up. We do each one for 40 seconds, with 20 seconds in between each. We go through all of the stations twice.
He changes all of the stations every week, and I have been going three times a week but may add a fourth day. Examples of stations are:
Resistance bands ( it varies what we do with them)
Dumbells ( curls, bench press, etc. )
Kettle bells
Planking
Bicycle kicks? ( laying down with shoulders raised )
Burpees / lunges / mountain climbers
Usually some unorthodox type workout, like tire flipping, battle ropes, sled, swinging a sledgehammer.
There are others, andI know this isn't the most descriptive list. He basically just tries to hit us with workouts for all different muscle groups every session. If there are more specifics I need to provide, let me know.
My question is, what do you guys who are more experienced with fitness routines think of this kind of workout?
What kind of results should I expect? My biggest goal right now is to tone up my midsection.
What kind of things should I do at home on the days when I don't go there?
Do you have any advice on other things I should be doing? I haven't worked out much at all since my high school days, so I have a lot of learning to do.
Sorry for the long post, just looking for some good advice from people who know this better than I do.
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Replies
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It sounds great especially if you're enjoying it. I don't honestly know what results you'll get as I don't do this type of workout but if you're seeing results already it must be doing something right.
Just remember to fuel your workouts and especially get enough protein.
You'll probably get tired of hearing this but if you want to do more then maybe consider adding heavy lifting but if you're happy with what you're doing then that's the main thing.
Congrats on the amazing weight loss btw.0 -
u won't be able to pack much muscles by circuit training.. because our own bodyweight doesn't provide us much resistance to build some serious muscles.. better join a gym and start lifting!0
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True.u won't be able to pack much muscles by circuit training..
Horse****.because our own bodyweight doesn't provide us much resistance to build some serious muscles..0 -
What is the goal? Build muscles? Stamina? Be in general fit?0
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If you're enjoying it and progressing, then I'm not sure why you need anyone else's advice.
Sounds fun and challenging - hope it stays that way for you!
I know this is not a popular view nowadays, but not everyone's perfect training programme is powerlifting-like in it's make-up.0 -
General fitness, tone midsection. I'm not looking to put on a ton of muscle at this point. Just trying to improve overall physical shape.0
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General fitness, tone midsection. I'm not looking to put on a ton of muscle at this point. Just trying to improve overall physical shape.
Getting your midsection into shape is more diet than anything else. You need to lower bf% by being in a modest calorie deficit and getting enough protein.
Circuit training has a high metabolic hit though and nailing your diet and showing up and doing your workouts consistently and with best effort will get you results (both in reduced bf% and improved conditioning). Remember though: nail your diet for results!0 -
u won't be able to pack much muscles by circuit training.. because our own bodyweight doesn't provide us much resistance to build some serious muscles.. better join a gym and start lifting!
Well, there were a variety of non-bodyweight methods listed too: kettlebells, dumbbells, resistance bands, tire-flipping, sledge-hammering, etc in the original post. Guess you missed that?
But, anyway, you can bulk with bodyweight exercises alone. In the bulking section of the forum see a user named Waldo's pictures...
Again, it's more about diet and how you tweak the progression rather than the specific tools used.
Finally, there are a variety of bulking-compatible routines which use tools as diverse as kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, machines, bodyweight, etc.0 -
How about the days I don't go to the training? What are some good things I can do at home to help this along? I'm assuming I shouldn't just be doing nothing on those days.
I have resistance bands, jump rope, and medicine ball at home.0 -
u won't be able to pack much muscles by circuit training.. because our own bodyweight doesn't provide us much resistance to build some serious muscles.. better join a gym and start lifting!
Oh yea? How's your one arm pull up? Your front lever? your planche push ups?
If you can't do any of these things, maybe you should reconsider your previous statement
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How about the days I don't go to the training? What are some good things I can do at home to help this along? I'm assuming I shouldn't just be doing nothing on those days.
I have resistance bands, jump rope, and medicine ball at home.
Doing too much is almost worse than not doing anything, IMHO.
Rome wasn't built in a day. If what you're doing (along with keeping the diet in check) is getting you the results you want - stick with it. Adding more isn't going to make you look better more quickly (although that's a common pitfall that beginners often fall into) and could potentially make you backslide (or leave you worn out/with injuries). Work capacity needs to be built up, soft tissue takes time to strengthen and adapt (certainly longer than muscles). Don't be in a rush - you've got the rest of your life to do it right and (hopefully) injury-free.
Like I said: you're making positive changes, you're noticing positive effects, keep going until either a) you get bored; b) it stops working; or c) your goals change significantly.0 -
ive never been to gym and I do calisthenics brah! I know what it takes to reach that level.u won't be able to pack much muscles by circuit training.. because our own bodyweight doesn't provide us much resistance to build some serious muscles.. better join a gym and start lifting!
Oh yea? How's your one arm pull up? Your front lever? your planche push ups?
If you can't do any of these things, maybe you should reconsider your previous statement 0
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