Help creating exercise routines

ChloeCat2
ChloeCat2 Posts: 10 Member
edited February 19 in Fitness and Exercise
I apologize because this topic has probably been posted a million times. I tried to google but I couldn't find any useful sites (if anyone knows one, link it!) and most stuff seemed geared towards men and people who are more advanced.

I just started going to the gym and I don't know what to do there... I'm 5'6 and I weight 190 (size range 12-16) and I'd like to drop somewhere between 20-40 pounds. I've been reading a lot, so I'm trying to incorporate strength training and cardio. But I feel like I need guidance in the exact exercises I do. I don't really feel comfortable using free weights yet, mostly because when I went to the gym last time the lowest ones I could find were 25 and they were too heavy for me, hahaa.

When I go this is what I do:
10 minutes on the stair climber to warm up
A bit of stretching
Day 1/3: Should Press, Chest Press, and Pec Fly each at 10 pounds 5 reps, 10 sets.
Day 4: Ab Crunch and Leg Press each at 10 pounds 5 reps, 10 sets.
30 minutes on the spin bike, slowly lowering intensity on the bike so that I cool down.

Day 2 and 5 are my off days and I don't do anything except for walking to work (I do that almost every day though), which is about 20 minutes each way.

Am I doing enough? Too much? I've never been to the gym before this and I don't know what is like "normal" to do.

Replies

  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    I'd separate cardio and weight training. I'd keep the 2 days off and alternate between the two. (cardio, weights, rest, cardio, weights....) I'd also do upper body weights and lower body weights on different days to start.

    There are different weight training routines available in book form to follow. I recommend you choose one and stick with it for a year.

    It looks to me, and I so could be wrong, that you're not adding enough resistance to your large muscle groups such as your legs. I'd go a bit heavier/less reps. if you want to tone up some.

    Meanwhile, it's great that you're getting in shape!
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    If you have to ask questions about program design then you aren't ready to design a program. A great program for nearly everyone is starting strength+cardio on 3 of your off days. Once you have a little more experience under the bar then you can swap to 5/3/1 North of Vag. For most people, these 2 programs are sufficient to take them throughout the entirety of their training career; especially if you're not planning on competing in anything, you just want to lose some fat and build some strength.
  • ChloeCat2
    ChloeCat2 Posts: 10 Member
    I'd separate cardio and weight training. I'd keep the 2 days off and alternate between the two. (cardio, weights, rest, cardio, weights....) I'd also do upper body weights and lower body weights on different days to start.

    There are different weight training routines available in book form to follow. I recommend you choose one and stick with it for a year.

    It looks to me, and I so could be wrong, that you're not adding enough resistance to your large muscle groups such as your legs. I'd go a bit heavier/less reps. if you want to tone up some.

    Meanwhile, it's great that you're getting in shape!

    Thanks for the reply!

    Is there any benefit for having cardio and weights on different days or is that just a personal preference? I do all my weights before my cardio so that I am not too tired. If I just do weights then I feel like I went to the gym to do so little! But maybe that is just me being silly!

    I may have laid my post out a bit confusing too, but I actually do my upper and lower body on alternating days. I've literally just started so I have only done leg day once and you are right, I might need to up the weigh a little. That was just what the trainer put it on when he was showing me how to use the machines.
  • ChloeCat2
    ChloeCat2 Posts: 10 Member
    If you have to ask questions about program design then you aren't ready to design a program. A great program for nearly everyone is starting strength+cardio on 3 of your off days. Once you have a little more experience under the bar then you can swap to 5/3/1 North of Vag. For most people, these 2 programs are sufficient to take them throughout the entirety of their training career; especially if you're not planning on competing in anything, you just want to lose some fat and build some strength.

    It isn't really so much that I want to design my own program. I just can't really find a program to suit my needs and I'm unsure what even constitutes a good program. There are a ton out there on the internet that were really confusing and hard to follow. And it was especially hard to try to find a good one for beginners. The 5/3/1 you mention is something that I did see in my search and looks great but it is way too advanced for me. Do you have a link to the strength+cardio program? When I google it a ton of very general links pop up.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    Go to startingstrength.com you will find all the information you need there. Good luck.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    read New Rules of Lifting and do Starting Strength. The End.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories