Workout gurus.... I need some input

PortlandCardFan · June 2nd, 2005, 12:44 PM

I am in a slump. I got a head cold a little over a week ago and I haven't had the push in my workouts since. I'm not sure what it is..... my diet consists of 6 meals at 350-400 calories each (40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat if any). 80+ oz. of water.

My caloric intake according to various formulas should be between 2500-3000 calories for gaining strength and loosing fat.

My workout currently is similar to the Body for Life workout with a minor adjustment.

Monday - Lower body (quads, hammies, calves, and abdominal)
Tuesday- Upper body (chest, shoulders, back, triceps, biceps)
Wednesday- 20 min cardio
Thursday- Lower
Friday- Upper
Saturday- 20 min cardio
Sunday- off!!!

I do not consider this fatigue because I still want to workout I just do not have that extra push when I need.

Any clues would be helpful!!

Oh yeah.... I entered the Body for Life Challenge so any help may have a little kick back!!!

Brian · June 2nd, 2005, 01:02 PM

I work out alot, my routine is somewhat similar to yours, I just see things that you posted that I don't like. But that's a different story.

At any rate, I can't answer without knowing how long you've been doing this routine, how many reps and sets, what kind of exercises, etc. If it's been awhile, what you may be experiencing is a plateau, or "hitting a wall" which is normal. I also don't know where you are not getting the "push". Cardio or muscular?

After so many weeks of doing the same routine (reps, sets and exercises) you have to change it up to stimulate the muscle fibers a different way. i.e different exercises for the same target muscle with differing weights than normal and different reps. After 2 to 3 weeks you should be able to get back to the "normal" routine and feel stronger.

BTW- 20 mins of cardio generally isn't enough to burn fat, or lose weight. I can probably find a chart somewhere to show you how at 30 minutes after reaching your target heart rate, fat burn increases drastically, not before. But that's another story.

Hope this helps.

SouthNZoneFan · June 2nd, 2005, 01:02 PM

Increase your cardio.

Look at my back profile. That is with the same diet but no Cardio. When I say same diet, I mean same amount of meals...

PortlandCardFan · June 2nd, 2005, 01:22 PM

My cardio is 20 minutes with peaks and valleys. It basically boils down to intensity levels for ever minute.

Looks something like this-

Minute- 1 Intensity -5
Minute- 2 Intensity -5
Minute- 3 Intensity -6
Minute- 4 Intensity -7
Minute- 5 Intensity -8
Minute- 6 Intensity -9
Minute- 7 Intensity -6
Minute- 8 Intensity -7
Minute- 9 Intensity -8
Minute- 10 Intensity -9
Minute- 11 Intensity -6
Minute- 12 Intensity -7
Minute- 13 Intensity -8
Minute- 14 Intensity -9
Minute- 15 Intensity -6
Minute- 16 Intensity -7
Minute- 17 Intensity -8
Minute- 18 Intensity -9
Minute- 19 Intensity -10
Minute- 20 Intensity -5

Intensity level 5 is a jog (5mph on the tredmill) and my intensity lvl 10 is just shy of a slow sprint (8 to 8.5 mph depending on how much I can push myself).

I am not to worried about the burning fat part. I have lost 5 pounds in less than a month. My body fat should be down as well (was at 17.8%)... at least it looks as if it has gone down.

My lifting consist of the following-

Chest for example

Dumbbell Bench Press

12 reps at 75lbs
10 reps at 80lbs
8 reps at 85lbs
6 reps at 90lbs
12 reps or failure at 85lbs followed immediately with dumbbell fly @ 25lbs

Chest workout complete now on to Shoulders and so on.

I may have hit a plateau and this happened to me around 3 months ago as well but it doesn't quite feel the same.

Thanks for the input!!

BigRedVol · June 3rd, 2005, 10:18 PM

Portland- I don't know what kind of vitamin supplement you're taking, but if it is sub-par, or you aren't taking one at all, that could be where your problem is. Vitamin and mineral supplementation is just as vital as protein supplementation in stamina, muscle recovery, and growth. And make sure you're getting 7hrs of sleep at the minumum.

But I just started taking this vitamin supplement and it is freaking intense!! Its called Universal Animal Pack. It is far superior to any other vitamin packs you can find on the market today. I love it!! I take it 2x/day, and one of those times is 30 minutes prior to workouts. It gets the blood pumping, heart rate accelerates, massive amounts of sweat. Check out the link.

Universal Animal Pack

I bought it in a package deal at a discount with this new product to the market called Jak's Animal Stak Pack. I have not yet begun to take this yet, but maybe you might want to look into it as well. I am about to go into my mass stage, so I will cycle this stuff in with it. I can give you an update in a month or so on how good it works. But you can review it now and decide if you want to try it.

Jak's Animal Stak 2

As far as my protein shake. I use that optimum nutrition pure whey. I drop 8oz of milk in a blender, some ice cubes, 1 scoop of optimum, 2 raw eggs, 3 tbsp of flax seeds, 1 oz of wheat bran, 1 pill of omega 3 fish oil, and 1 pill of flaxseed oil (yes there are difference in what you get from pure flaxseeds and the oil, I use both). I blend all that together, and it actually tastes pretty good suprisingly. I drink 3 of those per day, 1 first thing in the morning, 1 immediately post-workout, and 1 in between other meals. So that's 3 shakes/day and 3 meals/day for a total of 6.

edit- I forgot to say that I do eat 1 fruit with those shakes being either an orange, apple, or banana.

Hope this helps you some.

Brian · June 3rd, 2005, 10:29 PM

I take the Animal Pak, Optimum 100% pure whey, flaxseed oil, Xenadrine EFX, and MHP TRAC (nitro loading creatine). I'm not sure but I think I need to stay away from anything that has "Stack or Stak" on the label. I'm afraid some of the anabolic compounds will make me piss positive.

In about 3 weeks my bench went from 295 to 325 ( I weigh 190 ). Bottom line is supplementation works. I'm still guessing he has either hit a plateau that is either workout (repetition) induced or nutritionally induced. I know mine is coming, at which point I'll change things up.

BigRedVol · June 3rd, 2005, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarleyRider

I take the Animal Pak, Optimum 100% pure whey, flaxseed oil, Xenadrine EFX, and MHP TRAC (nitro loading creatine). I'm not sure but I think I need to stay away from anything that has "Stack or Stak" on the label. I'm afraid some of the anabolic compounds will make me piss positive.

In about 3 weeks my bench went from 295 to 325 ( I weigh 190 ). Bottom line is supplementation works. I'm still guessing he has either hit a plateau that is either workout (repetition) induced or nutritionally induced. I know mine is coming, at which point I'll change things up.

Yes, I forgot to say that. My bad. If you are subject to any kind of performance enhanced testing, the stak will show up positive. It is loaded with prohormones to send your testoserone thru the roof. It is good for people like me who are not in any kind of organized athletics subject to testing, but for those who do get tested, it is not a good idea LOL.

I am not a fan of the Xenadrine EFX. I like the old stuff with ephadrine, but since they took that out, I don't like it anymore. I do not use any fat-burners at the moment. And it is not a good idea to take fat-burners in combination with any creatine or glutamine products. They work in contradiction to one another. Since they both require cycling to have the maximum effect, it is a good idea to take these fat-burners in a cut stage, and clycle off them for a mass stage. Then in this mass stage, cycle on with creatine. Then clyce off, and repeat the cut stage.

As far as any fancy creatine products, I have never taken any of the new nitro loading products. In the past, I used some of the sugar-loading products like cell-tech and phosphagen, but I was not a fan of those either. I think you pay more for what you really get out of it. I like the old-fashioned pure creatine with grape juice. But be careful with creatine. It breaks down the glutamine and aminos you get out of your protein. So dont take them together. Take your creatine pre-workout, and take your protein post-workout. At the moment I am not taking any creatine, but I am in a cut stage, I will cycle on to that and the Stak when I go into my mass stage.

Brian · June 4th, 2005, 12:22 AM

I had no idea that the Xenadrine and creatine contradict one another. Thanks for the info. I did alot of research and heard that since the ephedrine was taken out, the EFX works just as well.

I do take the creatine and protein just like you said for the reasons you said, i.e pre and post workout.

40yearfan · June 4th, 2005, 07:33 AM

Work outside construction, drink 10 - 12 beers a day and have sex once or twice a day and party until it's time to go to work. It won't give you a pretty body, but it'll make you one tough SOB.

Brian · June 4th, 2005, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40yearfan

Work outside construction, drink 10 - 12 beers a day and have sex once or twice a day and party until it's time to go to work. It won't give you a pretty body, but it'll make you one tough SOB.

Are you guys hiring? I want out of the Army anyway.

40yearfan · June 4th, 2005, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarleyRider

Are you guys hiring? I want out of the Army anyway.

If you're interested, I can get you into the electrical apprenticeship program or interred as an intermediate journeyman (if you have electrical experience). I belong to the "Helmets to Hardhats" program which helps returning servicemen/women get civilian construction jobs.

LoyaltyisaCurse · June 4th, 2005, 11:13 AM

You definately still need to get your cardio up to at least 30 minutes regardless of intesity to get a true aerobic benefit.

BigRedVol · June 4th, 2005, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoyaltyisaCurse

You definately still need to get your cardio up to at least 30 minutes regardless of intesity to get a true aerobic benefit.

I am not so sure if I believe that. I am not saying you're wrong. I am just not sure if I believe that.

You burn more fat AFTER the workout is over. It works the same as building muscle. Your muscle grows AFTER your workout, not in the gym. That is why lots of sleep is imperative for muscle growth.

But back to cardio here. Higher intensity cardio for shorter periods, i.e. 20 minutes, works better for KEEPING your metabolism much higher AFTER the workout is over. Lower intensity cardio for longer periods, i.e. 30-45 minutes or whatever, does not have such as high effect on your metabolism post-workout.

For the same reason, it is better to do your cardio in the morning, so your metabolism stays high throughout the day. It is better to do your strength training in the evening when your testoserone is at its peak, then followed by good rest. But many do not have the luxury to split their workouts as such. So it is best to do your cardio AFTER strength training. The idea is to burn up all your carbs your body has available while you're lifting, then hit your cardio, and the fat-burning stage starts much quicker.

But again, that is why you want higher-intensity, lower times on your cardio. Because any more than 20 minutes, then your body goes from fat-burning stage, and into muscle-breakdown stage to fuel the rest of the workout. Muscle breakdown is bad. We don't want that.

BigRedVol · June 4th, 2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarleyRider

I had no idea that the Xenadrine and creatine contradict one another. Thanks for the info. I did alot of research and heard that since the ephedrine was taken out, the EFX works just as well.

I do take the creatine and protein just like you said for the reasons you said, i.e pre and post workout.

Here is you a fat-burner to research, and IMO, is much more effective than xenadrine. Click below.

Nutrex Lipo 6

PortlandCardFan · June 6th, 2005, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedVol

I am not so sure if I believe that. I am not saying you're wrong. I am just not sure if I believe that.

You burn more fat AFTER the workout is over. It works the same as building muscle. Your muscle grows AFTER your workout, not in the gym. That is why lots of sleep is imperative for muscle growth.

But back to cardio here. Higher intensity cardio for shorter periods, i.e. 20 minutes, works better for KEEPING your metabolism much higher AFTER the workout is over. Lower intensity cardio for longer periods, i.e. 30-45 minutes or whatever, does not have such as high effect on your metabolism post-workout.

For the same reason, it is better to do your cardio in the morning, so your metabolism stays high throughout the day. It is better to do your strength training in the evening when your testoserone is at its peak, then followed by good rest. But many do not have the luxury to split their workouts as such. So it is best to do your cardio AFTER strength training. The idea is to burn up all your carbs your body has available while you're lifting, then hit your cardio, and the fat-burning stage starts much quicker.

But again, that is why you want higher-intensity, lower times on your cardio. Because any more than 20 minutes, then your body goes from fat-burning stage, and into muscle-breakdown stage to fuel the rest of the workout. Muscle breakdown is bad. We don't want that.

Have you read Bill Phillips "Body for Life"? He pretty much says what you just said but he gives a great example.

:FromMemory: "If all you do is cardio and you start out looking like a big pear. After a few months of cardio you will just look like a smaller pear."

I got a kick out of that one!!

From the rest of the posts. I do need to add a multi-vitamin and my morning meal needs to be a bigger portion of protein (HATE waking up in the morning!!

).

Harley..... Benching 325!!! Nice.

Thanks for the input gents..... I took three days of and I am ready to get back into it!!!