Help me get in shape

[Urza]

Ok I'm completely new to all of this. I just moved to a new apartment and have unlimited access to the gym. I want to get in shape. I intend to work out 5 days a week Monday - Friday. Now here is my problem I'm 6'3 and 350#. I have no idea how to work out. And by this I mean what weight exercises I should do. But I do know what I want. I don't want to be huge I just want to slim and tighten up. I would like to get a nice 6 pack, a decent ass lol, cut pecs and then nice arms and legs. I need so much help and advice. I would really appreciate it if anyone out there can help me. If you tell me what I need to do I can do it lol. What exerices should I do, how many reps and what should be my starting weight. Like I said I don't want to be hug with muscle, although some friends have told me that the potential exists because it's easier to turn existing mass into muscle than it is to take mass builder and turn it into muscle. But again I just want to slim up and get in good a shape as possible. So once again, if you have any information you can help me with please let me know. I will check this thread daily or you can e-mail me at [email protected]. When I start to work out I'll post updates so all of those that are trying to help me can see how I'm progressing as time goes on. Once again thank you for reading this and please let me know if you can help me out in any way. Thanx again.

[The Magus]

Hey,

The bad news is that it's going to take a lot of effort and you might have some false starts here and there...but don't give up, because the good news is that in your position just about anything will help you lose fat at build muscle, and the progress will be really fast once you get going.

I don't think the particulars of your workout are that important, the main things you want to do are to get to the gym regularly, eat right, and think positive.

When I started working out, I had read somewhere that the best way to get started is to make a commitment to yourself that you will get to the gym a certain number of days a week for twelve weeks, without fail. Even if you're sick and don't feel like it, try to get to the gym: you don;t have to work out if you still feel bad when you get there, but by going regularly, you're training yourself so that you can get over the first hurtle in the motivation game.

Eating right is often the most neglected area, and I suspect that it's because there's so much information out there and a lot of it contradicts itself. It shouldn't be that hard, though, because a lot of the stuff that was true a hundred years ago is still true today: eat your veggies, get lots of protein, try to eat foods that are fresh rather than canned or boxed. When you go grocery shopping, try to get most of your foods from the perimeter of the store (which usually includes the produce, fresh meats, dairy etc areas...mostly foods that have gone through a minimum of processing). Get used to reading labels, even if you don;t get crazy about it...you'll be surprised at how many things you eat that have more calories or more fat than you thought they had.

And Brent just posted in the "First Family, now you" thread about how he likes to stay positive, and I agree with him completely: we all go through periods where we aren't seeing the progress we like. What's important is that we don't give up. Focus on what's positive rather than the negative, try to imagine what the new you will look like in a year or two. Stop by these forums a lot for encouragement.

I think that with those three things in place, and with the helpful advice I can guarantee you'll get from others here, you'll be wowing your friends in no time.

[brent]

Originally Posted by The Magus

...<good stuff>...
I don't think the particulars of your workout are that important, the main things you want to do are to get to the gym regularly, eat right, and think positive.
...<more good stuf>...

I can't agree more with this advice. The first thing you need to do, is go to the gym regularly. Just make the habit, even if you just go there and say, "I made it in" to the person at the desk... It's better if you stay and workout, but if you just go to the hot tub, you are building the habit. Never join a gym that is more than 20 minutes from your house, or you won't go. At first, just getting there is most of the battle. Then make yourself use the aerobics equipment, any trainer on staff will quickly show you how to use a piece of equipment. Check to see if you can get a free training session with your gym membership, this is a good way to get a first routine designed for you. Also, never be embarrassed, we are all there to get bigger muscles, and some people can't say they want big muscles in public. Why else would you be there? Don't get intimidated by the bigger/more muscular guys at the gym, we all started at point one.

Take care, Brent.

[Wynfrith]

"Why else would you be there? Don't get intimidated by the bigger/more muscular guys at the gym, we all started at point one."

Being brand new myself, I think this is an important statement. I always slink into the gym when there is just about no one there, being that I don't want someone to look over at the weight I am working with and think "my baby sister could lift that...." I shouldn't care, but I do. Hopefully time will get rid of that, and when I see someone else new, I will give them more credit for being there than I suspect I am being given.

[ethernet_jock]

wynfrith,

Just to offer a little positive enforcement... when I see some kid at my gym who is maybe 5'8" and all of 130lbs (and there are a couple).... they tend to be very respectful of the equipment and other lifters, probably more so than the "buff club"... all I can think is "man, that's great. I really hope he sticks with it cuz I'd love to watch that kid grow."

[brent]

Originally Posted by ethernet_jock

wynfrith,
... when I see some kid at my gym who is ...all of 130lbs... they tend to be very respectful of the equipment and other lifters, probably more so than the "buff club"... all I can think is "man, that's great. I really hope he sticks with it cuz I'd love to watch that kid grow."

I agree whole heartedly. The kids that are new tend to be very respectful, wipe the equipment off, and re-rack their weights. Unfortunately, they tend to stop soon, and I wish that wasn't the case. Don't let your inhibitions keep you from working towards your dreams. That's just silly to do. If you do stick with it, you will get over it, and you will become one of the intimidating people. Then you will realize how silly it was that you ever felt like that... Trust me, people that have been going for a while aren't watching how much you are lifting (unless it looks too heavy for you, and it's aimed at me), or what routine you are doing, or what pills you are taking, or any other paranoid idea you may have; they are thinking about getting their routine done.

One detail we all overlooked (including myself) is that the original poster was talking about a condo workout facility. He won't have the big guys walking around, but he also won't have very many free-weights I'd imagine. My best advice to him is lots of aerobics, until you get down to about 250. Keep some bulk, but drop the unhealthy bit first. Then start mixing in weights. Do what you have available at your facility, until you outgrow what is there.

[buffdoc]

You have a start somewhere. Most of us began either really skinny (like me) or had to drop a lot of weight as in your case. Either way, in terms of bulking up or getting ripped, nutrition and therefore diet is critical. You can do all the weights and cardio in the world but if you are not feeding your body right it will not amount to much.

[glammaman2000]

...begin...

Originally Posted by Urza

Ok I'm completely new to all of this... I want to get in shape.... Now here is my problem I'm 6'3 and 350#. I have no idea how to work out. And by this I mean what weight exercises I should do...

Going back and re-reading the original post I'm not sure we're giving what was asked for. I've read each post as it came in and there is lots of good general information but no specifics.

The request was "what weight exercises I should do". Does anybody have recommendations for a routine or a book or a web site that gives specifics. I think we sometimes forget how confusing this whole scene can be for people who are "completely new to all of this". Can we boil our expertise down into something digestable?

[Urza]

I know dieting is huge and i have no idea how to eat, I was hoping someone would be able to teach me how to eat also. If anyone can think of some information or a place i can get recipes i would appreciate it

[brent]

Not that I ever cook (my house was built in 1927, before they had a strong belief in countertops...) but I found a lot of recipes at recipe source , fat free , and of course peta . It's easy to find whatever you need on Google.

[massingUP]

Originally Posted by LeatherGryphon

The request was "what weight exercises I should do". Does anybody have recommendations for a routine or a book or a web site that gives specifics. I think we sometimes forget how confusing this whole scene can be for people who are "completely new to all of this". Can we boil our expertise down into something digestable?

Hey there,

One book that I would heartily recommend for the absolute beginner is "Weight Training for Dummies" by Liz Neporent and Suzanne Schlosberg. It's very basic, but definitely a good place to start. I bought it a few years ago for my mom, who was a real jock back in her college days, but whose Phys Ed degree didn't include any instruction in resistance training -- it seems that women phys ed teachers didn't need to know about lifting weights back in the 1960s. (Thank god that's changed now).... You can find more details on amazon.com.

Also, I'd suggest the website http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html . It has an "Exercise and Muscle Directory" which tells you which exercises train which bodyparts -- and each exercise has a little animated gif which shows you the basics of how to perform it. It has some detailed info on periodized trainng, etc for more advanced lifters, but also has basic "getting started" info and guidelines on "Developing a Workout" etc.

And just for the record, I began my own foray into lifting, WAY back when, by buying a book on the subject: "Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men" . It's a bit cheesy to look at now, but still has some good basic info. And the shots of 80s-vintage Arnie helping younger guys get big had some motivating influences on me... *chuckle*

Hope that helps.

-- J.