Thread: Weight Training Newbie, Cardio Vet, Needing Advice

Hello everyone.

I played soccer from age 4 to 14 very seriously for club/travel teams, but as I got through highschool, other things began to peak my interest, and my fitness level dropped. I am now left with approximately 20lbs of unwanted fat around my torso (very very little on my legs). And doing anything but lazing about in college.. hahha.. yeah.. didn't happen. Also, my upper body strength is lacking. From talking with friends and getting advice from other sources, I've attempted to develop a routine for going to the gym.

Unfortunately, I am on deployment right now in the Middle East, but have an adequate gym facility at my disposal for the next 6 months, and I can think of no better time to get serious about this, and come home to my wife with some serious results.

What I really need to know is whether what I am doing is detrimental or productive in acheiving my goal of overall increased muscle mass and strength (especially waist-up) and losing that ugly fat hanging on to my torso.

Current Schedule:

Tuesday & Friday: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps:
- Flat Bench, Inclined Bench, Declined Bench, Pec Fly, Delt Fly, Lateral Extensions, Overhead Press, Forward Dumbell Press, Bent Arm Pullover, EZ bar Skullcrusher, 20-30 Minutes of 70-80% HR on the Elliptical.

Wednesday & Saturday: Biceps, Back, and Traps:
- Bicep Curls, Narrow Bi Curls, Wide Bi Curls, 21 curls, Compound Row, Lateral Pulldown, Sternum Chinups, Back Extension, Cable Pulldown, Hyperextension, Upright Row, Shrugs, Reverse Bicep Curls, Wrist Curls, Row 20-30 Minutes @ 70-80% HR.

Thursday: Cardio: Run 8 miles

Sunday: Abs and Legs:
- Lunges, Inclined Situps, Side to Side Situps, Oblique Extensions, Russian Twists, Ab Curls, Torso Twist, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Calf Press, Hip Aduction, Leg Press, Bicycles, Exer/Aerobic Bike 20-30 min @ 70-80% HR.

*Note: Each Exercise is 3 sets of 4-8 reps, except for calisthenics, which are done at varying counts and reps. Also, Diet is comprised of whatever the galley serves at that particular meal, and my constant work on the flightline makes it very difficult for me to go choose my food carefully. Therefore, I rely on our SK and the cooks to give me something at least partially nutritious.*

Am I anywhere close to moving the right way or am I doing way too much and just going to either hurt myself or burn myself out and get no results?

Any advice anyone could give would be more than appreciated.

The tendons will adapt. I had constant knee pain until i started to train legs, after 4-5 months there was rarely pain.

Heavy bench also helped quell the arthritis in my wrist which ive had since I was 14.

On my first rep of heavy squats or deads, theres an assortment of cracking and popping sounds coming from most of my old injury sites. They settle down after 2-3 reps and Im fine for the rest of the workout.