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[Natan]

I'm 31 years-old, I have been going to the gym for nearly two years but to be honest I never really new that the whole dinamyc was so complex and is only been a few months since I started to read and try to organise my workouts propperly.

My goal is to keep building lean muscle but to finally get rid off that fat around my midsection which hides my abs. this is my biggest fustration since i quickly lost most of that nasty body fat and I'm happy with the way i look except for my abs which are nowhere to be seen yet.

my weight lifting routine is about 45 - 60 mins long. I ussually only do 5 or 10 mins tread mill before weigh lifting. (just to warm up). Should I increasse my cardio?...is a good idea to do my 3 weekly workouts (1 muscle group per week) and maybe one day go to the gym for some intense cardio?,..or shoud i increase my cardio during my workouts?

thanks a lot

[swanso5]

if not already, perform full body workouts x 3/week...if you can get to the gym another 2 days a week than 2 days of interval training (1min hard / 1min easy x 10 - 15mins) or do 10mins worth after workouts...also as you've improved your diet you need to improve it AGAIN to get even lower bodyfat wise

[Natan]

Thanks a lot for the advice.

Just to be sure- did you mean to hit each muscle group 3 times a week?... won't that make recovery time too short? (even if u have a day off rest in between)?.

I have always done isolation, should I now do compound instead?

I'm going to reorganize my eating habits again as you advised me.

I stopped drinking two years ago when I decided to get fit but I still smoke weed, (been doing it all my life) ... is that affecting my workout?...I do feel ok training while high but I wonder about that.

Thanks a lot again

[swanso5]

ah, yes on the weed obviously...your better off drinking instead

yeah definately use compounds only

day 1
squats
row
bench
stiff leg deadlifts
curls


day 2
deadlifts
pull up
shoulder press
close grip bench press
lunges

[Natan]

Thanks a lot

I was doing Day 1 = arms, Day 2= chest and back, Day 3 =shoulders + legs...5 minutes abs each day

I will start learning my compound exercises and organise my workouts as you suggested. I wonder what should I do on day 3?..why is compound better than isolation?... will I still be building muscle?

Gracias

[swanso5]

just alternate through the 2 days so one week you'll do day 1 twice and the next week you'll do it once

compounds use more muscles and allows for heavier wts to be used thus leading to bigger and better strength and mass gains

[Natan]

It makes a lot of sense.

I will start training that way.


Gracias

[Natan]

By the way .... should I be doing short 30 secs rest between sets?..or rather 90 secs?...,does it really matter?...I'm confused with so many different opinions on that.

Gracias again

[swanso5]

maybe start with 90 for a bit until you can increase the wt used some and then decrease gradually to 60secs and you'll be set

[Natan]

Gracias Swanso5

I'll do that

[Natan]

with this compound exercises u advised me, should I continue to do 3 sets of 8-12 (to possitive failure) ?

[swanso5]

yeah stay the same...same wt for all sets after warm ups if not already

[Natan]

Gracias Swanson5

[Natan]

Yesterday i started the new workout you gave me and I can already tell you that the psichological effects are tremendous, having reorganised my workout has given me a new found motivation and that can only be good.

I'm looking forward to the other benefits but I'm patient, i know it wont be overnight.

I do have a query about the stiff legged deadlift., I'm very stiff on ym lower back and can never reach the floor with nor without weights,,,,doesnt matter what i try since i was a child I was never able to touch the floor with my hands unless i bend my kneees...

I grew used to it and I always bend my knees for everything. The stif leg is the first time I do an exercise which marks my problem so conspicuosly. I carried 25 kgs yesterday (4 x 6) and it wasnt difficult to be honest, only that i couldnt reach the floor of course. I was nervous that 25kgs was too much but today I have no pain whatsoever which suggests that i didnt injure myself and the weight is probably ok.

You told me on another forum no to worry soo much if I cant reach the floor with the stiff leg deadlift, but I still wanna adress the issue of flexibility... what should i do? ... how do i approach this problem?..should I do more streches?...what kind of stretches?...should i put more weight ( I felt that the weight was actually helping me flex a bit more)...perhaps more reps?..or maybe more back exercises?.... any suggestion in particular anyone?

Gracias

[swanso5]

- w/ the stiff leegged deadlift it's actually a "semi" stiff legged deadlift so you'll start with the slightest knee bend and you keep that bend through out the whole set otherwise you risk damaging the back of the knee

- range of motion improve as yuo go don't worry about reaching the floor as long as you get a hamstring stretch on the way down, that's what matters

- also keep shoulders blades squeezed tgether, shoulders down a,d back straight w/ no rounding for range of motion

- probably go heavier...it's probabvly more hip mobility or lack there of...your also probably quad dominant (tight/strong) which puts you in anterior tilt which alwyas puts the hamstrings in a lengthened position which will rid them of flexibility...does your arse point up to roof?? if so than that's your problem