Joined the gym - updated with a couple of pics

ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
edited December 2011 in Fitness
I have a local gym near me, so have joined it tonight. It's 5 minutes from my house and so I am going to there before work :)

Any tips on how to start off simple? :)
«134

Comments

  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    What are your goals?
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Tone up my tummy and general body.. and improve my general fitness :)
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Join the aerobics class to start.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Was in there at 6.30am this morning. Did 15 minutes on the crosstrainer and 10 minutes on the running machine. Very tough and reminded me it's been a while since I have probably exercised in that kind of fashion (I do walk a lot and I am an active person).

    Got my first person trainer appointment on Monday night to walk through my goals and help build a plan :)

    6.30am tomorrow morning, here we go :)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited February 2008
    Update (for anyone who cares) :)

    Have a daily exercise routine for the gym. Mon, Wed, Fri is Cardio, resistance. Tues and Thurs is weights. I am also doing Krav Maga self defence on a Tuesday night.

    A litte over 3 weeks and I can feel a mainly mental benefit. Feel a lot more energetic and alert. Also considerably calmer.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited February 2008
    Definitely a good thing to hear!
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited February 2008
    I know it's a slow process and I won't see instant progress but I have also changed my diet too. Dropped off the bacon sandwiches for breakfast and that's definitely helping!
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited February 2008
    Keep at it man. It's not an overnight thing but if you put in the time and effort then it will pay off.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited February 2008
    Shorty wrote:
    A litte over 3 weeks and I can feel a mainly mental benefit. Feel a lot more energetic and alert. Also considerably calmer.


    I've been running/working our for almost a year now (running's dropped off with the cool weather, I don't have a gym or treadmill to run in) and that's one of the best benefits. Other than the eventual body progression, the extra energy and boost to mood is astounding. Keep at it, it's very worth it.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited April 2008
    A few more months down the line now. Making a more noticable difference. I have muscles developed in places that I didn't know I could get them and now clothes I bought last year are too big for me ;D

    Feeling a whole stack healthier. Diet has totally changed, no more running out of breath and just generally got a lot more drive & enthuiasm. Still going pretty much every day and time to start setting some new goals!
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited April 2008
    Awesome progress, Dan! Keep it up, and I lol'd when I read your clothes were too big! ;)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited April 2008
    I intend to! I had a "refocus" session with a trainer today. I have not hit a brick wall because I have increased my cardio routine and upped the weights as they started to get too easy. But it was useful to get a fresh perspective. I am off machines and onto free weights now. Definitely going to be a whole new challenge there as well as a tougher rowing routine.

    I am serious, I saw some snaps of me from my works xmas party last year, I looked terrible and those snaps of me at the last LAN, same again. Never want to look like that again!!!
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited May 2008
    Nearly a month since my last update and definitely getting into free weights well :)

    Can now do 4 pullups with no supporting weight (just lifting my body weight) and the same in dips
    22LB per arm bicep curls
    66LB bench press
    26LB per arm shoulder press
    44LB squats
    55LB leg extension

    I know thats not huge weights but I am only 5ft 2 and have never lifted weights before. I have always been scrawny so have some serious work to do! I am still doing 20-30 minutes cardio per session (10 minute warmup plus another 10-20 post weights), so fat is coming off. I also have a set of body core exercises as well which alternate on days to allow muscle sets to rebuild and allow me to go to the gym 6 days a week :)
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited May 2008
    Your progress is great. Don't ever be ashamed of the amount you can lift. You're working and improving and that's the key. Pretty soon you'll be lifting more than sedentary guys twice your size.
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited May 2008
    Try to get your squat up more, it should begin to increase over your bench and then go far beyond it. Being that you're shorter, you're at a mechanical advantage in your squats.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited May 2008
    Nomad wrote:
    Try to get your squat up more, it should begin to increase over your bench and then go far beyond it. Being that you're shorter, you're at a mechanical advantage in your squats.

    My trainer commented on that as well so I am assuming that's an important goal to reach?
    GHoosdum wrote:
    Your progress is great. Don't ever be ashamed of the amount you can lift. You're working and improving and that's the key. Pretty soon you'll be lifting more than sedentary guys twice your size.

    I am not ashamed at all. I am only short after all and have never lifted before. I consider my progress to be pretty good. It will come in good time :)
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited May 2008
    Shorty wrote:
    My trainer commented on that as well so I am assuming that's an important goal to reach?

    I would say it's a good goal, balanced fitness is important. Your legs are stronger than your upper body, they always will be, you just need to think about utilizing them in a different way.

    Consider some mental imagery next time you go for squats, think about trying to push through the floor with your feet, or driving with your heels. Also, don't keep the bar so high that it's right where you neck meets your shoulders, have it slightly lower on your traps and shoulders. It might take a few times to get adjusted to.

    Other simple positioning can help too. Try keeping your feet a bit wider than shoulder width apart--which is wider than you might think. Toes pointed slightly outward. Make sure your knees are pointing out when you're coming up on the lift. Knees have a tendency to go inward and that doesn't help.
  • BubblemanBubbleman A Desert
    edited June 2008
    I lost 60 pounds on my bow flex with some good cardio on the side in 4 months, now for some body building!

    Yeah I summarized a essay into a sentence, but if you want the bigger scoop you can PM me...
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    I haven't updated in a while, so I will post my update later on, I am on a 3 day split + 1 day rest and made some great progress. Still hitting the gym almost everyday and working hard :)
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited September 2008
    Awesome! Good to hear you are still sticking it out, I love going to the Gym, and after a good workout, I feel so good.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2008
    Day 1:

    Deadlift - 90lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Incline Bench Press - 90lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Back Squat - 90lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Decline Dumbell - 90lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
    Dips - body weight (121lbs) - 4 sets x 10 reps

    Day 2:

    Neutral chinups - body weight (121lbs) - 4 sets of 10 reps
    Dumbell push press - 35lbs (each DB) - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Neutral pull downs - 98lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Side Raise - 14lbs (each DB) - 4 sets of 8 reps
    Single arm row - 40lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps
    Plate front raise - 22lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps

    Day 3:

    EZ scott curl - 26lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
    EZ reverse curl - 11lbs - 5 sets of 8 reps
    Flies (cable) - 5lbs (per cable) - 4 sets of 10 reps
    EZ french press (decline) - 34lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
    Close neutral press - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Pullups - body weight (121lbs) - 4 sets of 8-10 reps

    Day 4:

    Rev crunch - 4 x 10
    Medicine ball situps - 4 x 10
    Woodchop - 78lbs
    Plank - 2 x 60 seconds

    ... I also do between 3 to 4 sets of 15 pressups in the morning or evening (depending on which part of the day I attend the gym). None of these days actually include the 10-15 minute cardio warmup or the post workout cardio. I also drum on average 12-15 hours a week in band practice/gigs.

    I also rest after day 4 for a day (or two depending on how I am feeling and life stuff) :)

    How is it?? Bloody hard work!!!
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2008
    Things are progressing well. I can now squat, deadlift, pulldown, pullup, chinup and dip my own body weight over 4/5 sets of a minimum of 5 reps :D

    Day 1:

    Deadlift - 120lbs (my body weight!) - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Incline Bench Press - 95lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Back Squat - 120lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Decline Dumbell press - 90lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
    Dips - body weight (120lbs) - 4 sets x 10 reps

    Deadlift, squat have gone up massively. Small improvement in chest exercises, need to focus on those as they have no moved so quick. Will add weight belt for dips from next week.

    Day 2:

    Neutral chinups - body weight (120lbs) - 4 sets of 10 reps
    Dumbell push press - 40lbs (each DB) - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Neutral pull downs - 120lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Side Raise - 18lbs (each DB) - 4 sets of 8 reps
    Single arm row - 48lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps
    Plate front raise - 33lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps

    Chinups are still horribly tough! Neutral pulldowns are now body weight. Everything else continues to go up nicely.

    Day 3:

    EZ scott curl - 50lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
    EZ reverse curl - 24lbs - 5 sets of 8 reps
    Flies (cable) - 16lbs (per cable) - 4 sets of 10 reps
    EZ french press (decline) - 38lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
    Close neutral press -40lbs (each DB) - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Pullups - body weight (120lbs) - 4 sets of 5 reps

    Massive increases in biceps and triceps in general. Last sets of pulls are still very tough.

    Day 4:

    Rev crunch - 4 x 10
    Medicine ball situps - 4 x 10
    Woodchop - 77lbs
    Plank - 2 x 60 seconds
  • CrazyJoeCrazyJoe Winter Springs, FL Icrontian
    edited October 2008
    Shorty wrote:
    Things are progressing well. I can now squat, deadlift, pulldown, pullup, chinup and dip my own body weight over 4/5 sets of a minimum of 5 reps :D

    That's what, like 75 lbs? ;D Just messing with ya Shorty, congrats!!:rockon:
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2008
    Yesterday - Day 1:

    Deadlift - 130lbs (+10lbs) - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Incline Bench Press - 95lbs - 5 sets (+1 set) of 5 reps
    Back Squat - 130lbs (+10lbs) - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Decline Dumbell press - 90lbs - 5 sets (+1 set) of 6 reps
    Dips - body weight (120lbs) - 5 sets (+1 set) x 10 reps

    Deadlifts and squats are up again, now past body weight (RESULT!).

    Haven't increased chest weights yet, just gone to another set to 5 sets (which is really hard at the end of the decline sets). Weight up on Friday for those. Time to add weight to the dips :)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    Refresh time :)

    Time to move all the weights up. My trainer is dropping to 3 x 5 sets but going to start really packing on the weights. First run through will my day 3 routine tonight :)
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    You're going to be like a miniature Arnold when this is all over!
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    EZ scott curl - 60lbs - 4 sets of 5 reps
    EZ reverse curl - 37lbs - 4 sets of 5 reps
    Flies (cable) - 22lbs (per cable) - 3 sets of 8 reps
    EZ french press (decline) - 44lbs - 3 sets of 5 reps
    Close neutral press -48.5lbs (each DB) - 4 sets of 6 reps
    Pullups - body weight (125lbs) - 4 sets of 5 reps
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    Deadlift - 145lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
    Incline Bench Press - 110lbs - 3 sets of 5 reps
    Back Squat - 145lbs - 4 sets of 5 reps
    Decline Dumbell press - 96lbs - 3 sets of 5 reps
    Dips - body weight (123lbs) - 5 sets x 10 reps

    I can almost... ALMOST bench press my body weight. I WILL get to that goal... Mr Robert Hallock .. I am coming for YOU. :D
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    Bring it, diminutive one. ;)
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited November 2008
    I will own the both of you when I bench MY body weight :rockon:
Sign In or Register to comment.