Advice for a newbie

I am 40, never 'really' worked out before. Have always been in ideal weight range - never weight issues. Matter of face, as a young adult, I was too skinny, finally filling out around 30, and then earlier this year dropped 15-20 pounds and am not sure how or why (ok, wife out of town and we were eating my cooking all the time... maybe that's it). Anyway, am now committing to getting fit and building some muscle.

I travel 4 days a week, so I have the hotel gym (and a pretty nice one). I have just started trying to find dumbell workouts to begin building and I'm on week 2. I've also experimented with some of the machines (there are 4-5 machines).

Can someone recommend a workout that I should be doing to define and build some muscle? Should I focus on dumbells only? machines only? In my very little bit of experience, I am seeing more results from the dumbells than I am from the machines. I started with lighter weights to try to make sure I have good form, etc - and am concerned that maybe I am using too little weight. I'd like to get into a routine that I can do in a 4 day period (including rest periods). Thanks in advance for any help/insight.

i'd suggest bodyweight before external load (wts) to condition your joints and more specifically your core so when you do start up with wts, you don't need to use those small pink one's that grandma uses and says are too easy

split squats, reverse lunges, step ups, push ups, prone plank, side plank, chin ups, pull ups, inverted rows, burpees, mountain climbers ansd various low level jumps are all great exercises

www.uponlinetraining.com

I agree wtih Swanso - I started working out first time back in Dec 08, and while I did some BW exercises, I really should've focused more on them buidling core strength - now I find I'm going back a bit to catch up! As Swanso once said, if you can't lift your own weight, you have no business lifting weights - I can lift 150 lbs (dead Lifts) but can't do 1 regular push up - not good!

Doing anything is better than nothing. If you are going to work out 4 days a week back to back maybe an upper/lower body split might be best for you. Its going to hurt at first until your body gets use to the movements.

If you are looking to get some size back on then you are going to have to eat lots to get back up there. Diet is the main thing. There is lots to learn just stick with it whatever you do.

The TV hucksters like to have you buy their equipment and then they say, "Give us 20 minutes a day; 3 days a week, and in 6 weeks we'll get you in shap."

Six weeks is a bit short, but the rest of the equation is solid. You need to set aside at least 20 minutes (45 minutes is better) three times per week--and that has to be a reliable thing, and in 12 to 18 weeks you will see some solid results.

You will be better served if you vary the workouts each time. Keep to more compound movements like bench press rather than flys and do a split routine if you are doing 4 days a week. Personally I would recommend 3 days of full body circuits done in a high intensity format (less rest, more effort, less time.) Thirty minutes would be ideal. On the other day try building into a sprint training routine, this can be done running, cycling or swimming. Again keep it short and intense; 5 minute warm-up, 20 minutes of interval (e.g. walk/run) 5 minutes cool down. Mix up the intervals lengths on different days and work yourself faster gradually.

Hollywood Personal Trainer

Great job for getting into fitness! body exercises are great, they will def get you into the habit of proper form and technique. Stay away from the machines, they're a waste of time becasue the work isolated small muscle groups and with the set range of motion you don't get to work your stabilizer muscles like you do with bw and free weight moves. The top exercises i recommend are: push-ups, lunge walks, reverse lunges, step-ups, pull-ups (reverse rows if can't do pull ups yet), and bench press. To help with endurance and overall fitness I would also recommend adding a plyo move or 2 to the end of the workout... squat jumps, box jumps, etc. Good luck!

Since you've never 'really' worked out I would suggest you to go for resistance bands instead of using weights. I've been using resistance bands for pasts 6 months and my body looks much better. I follow cardio, ab exercises and squats for legs. These bands are portable so you can keep a routine no matter where you are.