Confused about what to do..

**tgreaves** · 10-25-2005, 12:01 PM

I am a 26 year old male who is 229 pounds and 5'8" tall..

I have lost ALOT of fat doing 1 hour cardio and 45 minutes of weights 3 days a week..

Im not sure if I should keep on this path or try lifting more weights to build muscle and since muscle mass will help me burn fat..

Any ideas of what to do here.. I am eating very well now, about 2000-2500 calories per day or so and I feel as if im getting stronger but im not getting much bigger but am loosing tons of fat doing what im doing right now..

Should I get down to a certant weight and then bulk up or start doing it right now?

Basically should I switch my focus from weight loss(cardio) to strength trainning(lifting more)????

**benverner** · 10-25-2005, 12:28 PM

I'm more inclined to tell you to keep cutting since you are having success now. You should be lifting as well for the reasons you mentioned, but also so that you are ready to pack on some muscle when the time comes. You will be comfortable with the exercises etc.

what does your weight training routine look like now?

**lnvanry** · 10-25-2005, 12:31 PM

get your body fat to about 10% before you bulk up..unless you want to look like a fat powerlifter.

**TJ Cline** · 10-25-2005, 12:47 PM

If it ain't broke don't fix it....

**tgreaves** · 10-25-2005, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by benverner

I'm more inclined to tell you to keep cutting since you are having success now. You should be lifting as well for the reasons you mentioned, but also so that you are ready to pack on some muscle when the time comes. You will be comfortable with the exercises etc.

what does your weight training routine look like now?

Im not sure of all the names.. I do the arm curl maching 70-80-90 pounds in 12-10-8 reps

Butterflys are 105-120-135 in 12-10-8 reps..
Sholder press is 90-100-110 in 12-10-8 reps..
incline press and chest press same as sholder press..

Lat pulldowns are 110-125-140 in 12-10-8 reps..

Tricep push is 90-100-110 in 12-10-8 reps..

Another machine which I dont know the name of (Its like butterflys but your arms are almost straight out, it can be done in forward or reverse)
100-110-120 in 12-10-8 reps in forward and reverse..

I also do 1 hour of Eliptical cardio at a 75-80% MHR..

**tgreaves** · 10-25-2005, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by lnvanry

get your body fat to about 10% before you bulk up..unless you want to look like a fat powerlifter.

Dont want to look like a fat powerlifter but dont want to be a toothpick either.. Since im sure fat burns before muscle does will I still keep majority of the mass that I have now if I try and maintain with the workout listed above and still keep loosing fat???

**TJ Cline** · 10-25-2005, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by tgreaves

Im not sure of all the names.. I do the arm curl maching 70-80-90 pounds in 12-10-8 reps

Butterflys are 105-120-135 in 12-10-8 reps..Bench and Incline
Sholder press is 90-100-110 in 12-10-8 reps..
incline press and chest press same as sholder press..

Lat pulldowns are 110-125-140 in 12-10-8 reps..

Tricep push is 90-100-110 in 12-10-8 reps..

Another machine which I dont know the name of (Its like butterflys but your arms are almost straight out, it can be done in forward or reverse)
100-110-120 in 12-10-8 reps in forward and reverse..

I also do 1 hour of Eliptical cardio at a 75-80% MHR..

Drop most of the crappy machine work and use free weights...

**tgreaves** · 10-25-2005, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

Drop most of the crappy machine work and use free weights...

I dont know very much at all about free weights but I want to learn more..
Will the machines work for maintaining while im burning fat?

**Squaggleboggin** · 10-25-2005, 01:26 PM

Machines are fine for bodybuilding purposes. However, if you want a strong, balanced physique, free weights are far superior. Basically, free weights force you to work harder and use more muscles. Machines force you to learn unnatural motor patterns and create imbalances with respect to the relative strength of many muscles.

**tgreaves** · 10-25-2005, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Squaggleboggin

Machines are fine for bodybuilding purposes. However, if you want a strong, balanced physique, free weights are far superior. Basically, free weights force you to work harder and use more muscles. Machines force you to learn unnatural motor patterns and create imbalances with respect to the relative strength of many muscles.

Thats what I have heard.. Where is a good place to start learning about using free weights?

**benverner** · 10-25-2005, 01:54 PM

Because you are new I'd pick as many compound movements as possible and learn those well, stick to them for a couple months learn how to do them properly and when you are ready to bulk you will have the knowledge and the base to begin loading up the weight to put on some size and strength.

You can probably build muscle while losing weight since you are relatively new but you will have more success cutting first without regard to keeping or building muscle. Worry about learning to lift correctly and IMO you will blow up when you start to train for size after a cut like that...that is of course if you are doing compound movements and your body can handle the weight.

**cluemein** · 10-25-2005, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by tgreaves

I dont know very much at all about free weights but I want to learn more..
Will the machines work for maintaining while im burning fat?

Machines work fine.. keep it up! For maintaining and advancing. Eventually you should get more aquainted with free weights, but no rush..in-my-humble-opinion. You're still healther at the end of the day regardless of what you do.

You're getting advice from a board full of lifters..so free weights are the entree of choice. They are right..free weights are better..for lots of reasons you can read elsewhere.

**tgreaves** · 10-25-2005, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by cluemein

Machines work fine.. keep it up! For maintaining and advancing. Eventually you should get more aquainted with free weights, but no rush..in-my-humble-opinion. You're still healther at the end of the day regardless of what you do.

You're getting advice from a board full of lifters..so free weights are the entree of choice. They are right..free weights are better..for lots of reasons you can read elsewhere.

I definitely feel MUCH MUCH healthier since I started doing all this against what I did(or didnt do) before..

**Squaggleboggin** · 10-25-2005, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by tgreaves

Thats what I have heard.. Where is a good place to start learning about using free weights?

If you're looking for exercise form, try exrx.net and stumptuous.com. I find both of those to be excellent sources. If you're looking for reasons to use free weights instead of machines, simply type 'free weights vs machines' into Google and you'll find tons of info. If you have any specific questions about an exercise or free weights in general, feel free to PM me.

**LAM** · 10-25-2005, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

If it ain't broke don't fix it....

**BigDyl** · 10-25-2005, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Squaggleboggin

Machines are fine for bodybuilding purposes.

WRONG!

**TJ Cline** · 10-25-2005, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by BigDyl

WRONG!

Thank you

**Tough Old Man** · 10-25-2005, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

If it ain't broke don't fix it....

Agree with the doctor here. Also as he said on his next reply, throw the machine exercises out the window and replace with compound exercises.

squats, deadlifts, bench presses, military presses. Also add in bend over rows, bar dips, chins....ECT

**Squaggleboggin** · 10-25-2005, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by BigDyl

WRONG!

Please elaborate.

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Confused about what to do..

don't feel u need to lose the machines...

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