coleman

G'day All,

This is my first post, so if I like mess up with lingo or anything like that, sorry.

I'm 17, 6 foot 1 inch tall , and around 230 pounds (I am Australian, so that is my rough estimate at the transfer from kilograms). I have been doing heavy weights (I have built up to three sets of ten repeatitions at 245 pounds on the bench press) for about 5 months now, but while I have built up muscle, it isn't defined. I have taken up boxing to try and lose the fat around the muscle, it has worked a bit but not fast enough!

Do any of you know what sort of weight schedules I should be doing to tone rather than just to build muscle???

Cheers.

DWB

G'day, Coleman. I'm an Aussie too, so your not alone.

You've done real well to build up an impressive bench press, at such a young age. This obvious strength level will help you achieve some mighty things in this sport.

As for a training set-up to help you loose weight, well, it really depends on what your doing now. (Tell me your doing more than bench presses)
So, for best results post up your current training split and everyone here will chip in, pull it apart and put it back together for you, so that you get the most out of it.

The main thing you'll want to look at, if your keen to become defined is your diet. This is the key to achieving the look.

So, post your current eating habits in the Nutritional forum and once again everyone will make up something workable for you.

Keep up that hard work on the bench.

~DWB~

coleman

Thanx DWB

I don't know the technical names or anything. I have just been shown how to do it, without actually being told what it is I am doing.

I do 3 sets of 10 with 110 kilos (245 pounds) for bench press.

I do 4 sets of 20 reps, first on a 30 degree decline then 30 degree incline, of 20 kilo (45 pounds) on each arm..i know this is huge decrease from bench weights but my arms are so much stronger than my chest, so my "pecs", if they can be called that, give out earlier.

Then 3 sets of 10 reps of what I think are called flyes with 15 kilo (35 pounds) dumbells on each arm...lying down on the bench press with arms starting just below horizontal to above my chest without bending elbows.

Then I do 4 sets of 10 pulling down 50 kilos (110 pounds) with my arms out on a 45 degree angle...this is on a pulley so I don't know how that affects the actual weight I am moving. Then I move my arms to pretty much vertical and do the same sets and reps but with 60 kilos (130 pounds).

Then I do 3 sets of 10 reps just lifting 40 kilos (90 pounds) from shoulders to above head. The finish off with flyes, but standing up...like lifting them from round waist straight out and up to my shoulders...do 3 sets of 10 reps with 15 kilos (35 pound) dumbells on each arm for those...I do 100 crunchs in between each exercise.

I am expecting heaps of critism for how amateur I am, but don't hold back...I need to learn!

Cheers.

DWB

Hey, Coleman, no need for any criticism, you obviously have the heart to bust it in the gym. And that is a great thing.

It appears your doing Flat Bench Presses with a Barbell.
Decline bench presses, with Dumbells
Incline bench presses, with Dumbells
Flat flyes, again with Dumbells
Which is your Chest work MORE than covered.

Next, it seems your doing, from the sound of it, Lat pulldowns, which target the large muscles in your upper back (Just sort of the muscles under and to the rear of your armpits).

Following that, it appears your doing Millitary Presses, which primarily work your shoulder or Deltoid muscles.
Finally, finishing off with Lat raises which also train your sholulders (Delts).

The gazillion crunches your doing is a tad excessive.

Right now, you need to go to a newsagent and buy a couple of muscle type magazines, that are targeted towards beginers.
These mags will have a detailed list of most of the more common exercises and how to do them and what part they help to grow.

Also, the mags will give you a couple of basic training splits, outlining the importance of NOT training the same muscles everyday. And also fill you in on how important lower body training is, so that you can develop a balanced physique.

That'll do for now. And as I'm fairly new to this site myself, I'm not sure if it has a section with exercises and training suggestions. So, we'll have to wait for someone else to point us in the right direction.

~DWB~

DWB

Actually, the site does have an exercise section, I just found it.

It's on the front page, top left hand side. There are 3 little sections you can click on.

Exercise
Nutritional stuff
calorie counter

Give that a go, some great info in there.

~DWB~

frostyballz

Here is a great site to help you. http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html
It lists all the body parts and what exercises target them.

J'Bo

If you want to spend some extra cash, Arny's BB encyclopedia is the best book around. The book tells you everything you will ever need to know about training and shows you how to properly do all exercises and what muscles they target. You will be able to use it for years to come.

You lift some heavy weight for such a young chicken.
Excited to hear about your progress, this site is so helpful.

....and thats my $.02

sandwich

if ya want definition...ya gotta loose fat. theres no muscle training that specifies in just toning. imo, hows youre diet?....that is the thing to concentrate on.

coleman

Thanx sanwich, I will check out the diet section now, cause i know that needs work!

KryptoAllez

Right on. It's ALL in the diet!

I don't know how many times when people have asked how I got my abs, I tell them it is my DIET! And somehow it seems like they still don't believe me. They'd rather assume I do hundreds of ab reps everyday. Just like when women ask me if I do aerobics classes everyday cause they say I'm so toned. I tell them NO, it's my DIET, DIET, DIET! I'm determined to rid other women of the myths that if they do lots of cardio, and high reps, low weight, that they will get toned. Been there done that, it DOESN'T work! Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now, hehe.

Bodybuilding isn't everything, it's just that being small, weak, and puny REALLY sucks!!

Speed Skater - Last Lap, Tight Pack, Absolutely, Positively, Most Definitely Without a Doubt, NO FEAR (not even a little bit).

TriZZle305

cardio and weights work for me... i guess it depends but i think cardio and diet are a little more equal on the scale.... as long as your diet isnt out of hand the cardio should burn the fat down... as for abs you wont get the washboard ab without resistance training.. youll just have those flat toned abs ..which are still nice but it depends on what u want

My "Quest for Strength" Journal

The Cheapest Supplement is knowledge!

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sandwich

well Tizz...as for training yer abs specifically...you dont need much at all. i think training your abs is more for the strengthening of them...i dont train my abs at all..(i know i should), but jus thru lifting ya use yer abs for support...and mine show pretty well. its also genetics...some people jus cant get that wash board look.....

TriZZle305

true... but you never know if you have those genetics until you throw a plate on your chest and do sum situps for a few weeks

My "Quest for Strength" Journal

The Cheapest Supplement is knowledge!

Improve BACK to improve BENCH