Best ab workout books according to redditors
We found 324 Reddit comments discussing the best ab workout books. We ranked the 47 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 324 Reddit comments discussing the best ab workout books. We ranked the 47 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
27M here (3:00 target for Boston 2020):
Strength training is an effective way to burn off fat. I've been doing it for 6 months along with eating pretty healthy and I've lost 30lbs, though I'm much bigger than you. Look at this book for a good routine.
New Rules of Lifting for Women can give you a template plan for building strength unless you are already beyond that sophistication-wise. That emphasizes a lot of compound movements so the workouts aren't by upper and lower body days.
My wife had similar thoughts at first mention. I had her pick up this book from the library: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320934295&sr=1-1
The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Lift like a man, look like a goddess.
It says toning doesn't exist and women can lift weights with all the benefits just like a man. She's much more receptive to it after reading.
Perinatal personal trainer here, specializing is DR repair.
As mentioned, coning is an indicator. Also an outtie belly button can be an indicator, though not always. In certain clothes, you may even be able to see the linea Alba widening. Avoid the crunch test for now, as it's better for post partum. Basically. There's not much point in stressing about it now. You are either going to get or not, but focus on the following to minimize impact and severity:
Deep diaphragmatic breathing where you hug the baby with your abs on the exhale.
Pelvic tilts, standing or on the ball (my fave)..make sure you feel the core pulling the pelvis on the forward tilt
Avoid bending over to pick things up: SQUAT!!! Putting load on the low back and belly makes it worse
Make sure your posture is as good as can be and avoid shifting from hip to hip (like when carrying a toddler on one hip)
Foam Roll your hips and stretch the hips and psoas as much as you can. These muscles can tighten and possibly pull the gap wider.
If you can still do some side plank lifts without your belly coming or pushing out, do it. Dont do them if you cant control your core anymore.
Minimize twisting as much as possible . (Russian twists are a big no no)
No forward planking, crunching or pullups now - gentle core work only for the time being esp in 3rd trimester.
There are a ton of books on the subject. Here is one of my faves:
Diastasis Recti: The Whole Body Solution to Abdominal Weakness and Separation https://www.amazon.com/dp/098965396X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hZv0Ab2WG2BWT
I found the New Rules of Lifting For Women to be really approachable. The writing's engaging with lots of references to studies and science and the exercises are all well explained (with pictures!).
It's been around long enough that you can find videos of each workout online, as well as excel spreadsheets to track your workouts/calories etc in.
(Caveat - I mostly ignored the nutrition chunk of the book so I can't say much about that part.)
There's a hard limit on human reaction speed which doesn't have anything to do with overcoming the inertia of your arm's mass. It's about 50 milliseconds. Still enough time to throw more than 3 punches in a second, but I can see how that might overall be the high end limit. Who am I to argue with Bruce Lee's instructor?
I recommend the book The Sports Gene by David Epstein if you're interested in the topic. Some of the more interesting bits of the book involve exploring the hard limits of world class athletes. For instance, the fastest reaction time among boxers was Muhammad Ali, who was very, very close to this theoretical 50 millisecond reaction time....something like 56 or so. If there are people with faster reflexes, they have never been tested.
Another interesting fun fact: the physical characteristic that professional baseball players have isn't reaction time. It's eyesight. The theoretical limit on that is something like 20/8 vision, which is found in about 1 in 10,000 normal people, but about 1 in 20 professional baseball players.
Munchkin - $29.99
Apron - $29.71
Lifting for Women - $14.44
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$74.14 - all are highest or high priority from her bomb list. :)
If you want to get her a book, I suggest this:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
New Rules of Lifting for Women
It's got a lot of good information in there about differences between men and women. It also goes pretty well into how women can train and not "bulk up" like a man unless we work really REALLY hard at it.
XX here, Stumptuous has been the absolute best site for me. Krista, who runs the site, has many great things to say and blogs on everything from squats to "feminine problems" to realistic body image and is generally awesome the entire time!
If your girlfriend like to follow books, the new rules of lifting for women isn't bad. I read through it and it mostly tells you that compound exercises are awesome and diet is important. Plus, there are photos of a woman doing all the lifts so your gf can see proper form.
As for myself, I'll say that the 6 weeks I've spent back in the gym after a long hiatus have really made a positive impact on my attitude and body. I've lost noticeable amounts of body fat, gotten stronger and have more energy. Squatting your own body weight is such a trip and being able to bench it... well maybe that'll happen sometime! (hoping to lose a bit more weight along the way so it's a lower number :P)
Good luck!
Actually, lifting heavy won't make girls bulky. Build as much muscle as possible and your arms will still look no where near as built as Cameron Diaz! (unless you're like 5% body fat) Just start out slow and build your way up. This is a great resource, though it's pretty much just an eating plan (which I found useless) and exercises you can find online. But it also explains the science behind girl vs guys and heavy lifting, how our hormones don't really equip us to build huge muscle. Good luck!
A couple people have asked about my routine. I started off doing Stronglifts 5x5 for a few months. After I felt comfortable with the basic compound lifts lifts, I started Michael Matthews's Bigger, Leaner, Stronger, which I fully endorse and would recommend to anyone. The book is excellent, and everyone should read it, but you can take a look at the routines here. I had to take about 3 months off last fall for surgery after developing a hernia, so I lost some progress there.
You might find this book (Brain training for runners) useful/interesting:
http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Training-For-Runners-Revolutionary/dp/0451222326
I had never really thought about the things (poor form) that make me an inefficient runner also make me more prone to injury. He gives tons of useful strength, stretches and drills to improve both running economy and hopefully will make me less likely to get injured.
I have a couple questions:
Am I putting myself at risk lifting in my running shoes?
Did you ladies who used the New Rules do all 7 stages as listed in the book or did you mostly use the book to get you started?
How much cardio do you do? I don't want to give up running, but I also don't want to overdo it.
Skinny-fat is a term for people who are naturally thin so they don't really focus on working out. They aren't overweight, but they have no muscle tone and not much endurance. It's hard because skinny fat people have basically been giving a "pass" from having to watch what they eat or exercise all the time because they don't have physical looks as a motivator. While health and overall enjoyment of life can be a great motivator, they are more abstract and long term benefits rather than the tangible "I lost 5 pounds" goals, so it is difficult to get skinny fat people to start working out.
/u/bungsana, my only advice would be to start complimenting her when she works out, tell her how sexy she looks when she's all sweaty, when she puts on workout clothes tell her how hot she looks in them, etc. Just be positive and supportive and let her know how psyched you are that you guys get to share this together.
Maybe see if there is a female trainer she could go to for a bit. A lot of women can be intimidated by weightlifting, and in the intro to New Rules of Lifting for Women it talks about how women tend to be more focused on proper technique while men are willing to just jump into it. I know I am like that and don't feel comfortable trying a move until I feel like I know exactly how to. Getting her a trainer for a bit might get her comfortable. And sometimes its nice for that person to be a stranger and not your husband who is correcting you.
Find some physical activities that you both like, but also let her explore her own relationship to working out and getting physically fit. She may be more inclined towards classes and things that have a social nature. She may feel like weight lifting will get her "bulky". Start her off on other things and just work on her getting into the mindset that being active and exercising is a necessary part of her schedule. Once that habit is formed, then possibly focus on what type of exercise is best.
good luck! I am a skinny fat myself and it's hard. My increased health and energy definitely help me keep going, but sometimes it's hard when I know I could stop all exercise and still fit into all my clothes no problem.
Brad Hudson's book is pretty good too:
http://www.amazon.com/Run-Faster-5K-Marathon-Coach/dp/0767928229
/u/phrakture is a bit harsh, but he's right. At perfect conditions a male can gain 1-2lbs of muscle mass per month. You gained more than that, and you're a female — considering females don't gain as much muscle mass as males, you simply got a lot fatter. It's a sad truth, but it's the truth.
What you could do is:
Have fun!
Lift heavy things. Starting Strength is good, but if you're a bit intimidated and/or want something geared toward women, I like the New Rules of Lifting for Women. If you're a student, you may have gym access. If you really can not afford a gym (and some offer $20 per month memberships), Convict Conditioning may be the way to go.
The best I ever felt was when I was lifting 3x a week. Now that my schedule has improved I'm going to go back to it. For anyone looking to get started, I highly recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler. He also has a new one called Strong that's supposed to be good as well.
ETA: Just in case anyone is thinking you need a gym membership to lift, if you have a little space and a little cash you can often find used weights cheap on Craigslist.
This sounds very similar to a program I used to follow a few years ago.
There is a book HIT Book That goes through a routine which is 1 set per lift, to absolute muscle failure. 8 exercises. The goal is minimal rest and it can be completed in around 30 minutes. I will say that it is super hard to actually go to true muscle failure, and it is primarily focused on muscle mass.
I was in the military at the time so doing other stuff too, but I think just a program like this on its own would suffer from a serious lack of endurance.
Side note: I just grabbed a link off Amazon, so I hope thats not an issue.
EDIT: I will say that it is incredibly painful as well, but the endorphin rush is awesome.
Ones I have read and recommend:
Jack Daniels
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0X7U2S/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Pfitz
https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Marathoning-2nd-Pete-Pfitzinger/dp/0736074600/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510544635&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Pfitinger
Yessis
https://www.amazon.com/Explosive-Running-Science-Kinesiology-Performance/dp/0809298996/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510544911&sr=1-1&keywords=explosive+running
Noakes
https://www.amazon.com/Lore-Running-4th-Timothy-Noakes/dp/0873229592/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3QK52ZDHZVX4K6QW383Q
Fitzgerald (one of several)
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Training-Runners-Revolutionary-Endurance-ebook/dp/B000VMHHBW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510544985&sr=1-1&keywords=brain+training+for+runners
Ones I have not read but have heard good things about:
Hansons
https://www.amazon.com/Hansons-Marathon-Method-Your-Fastest-ebook/dp/B01C6FBGHW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510544663&sr=1-3&keywords=hansons+running&dpID=51L6b5-M7OL&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Bill Squires
https://www.amazon.com/Speed-Endurance-Bill-Squires/dp/0977250504
Peter Coe
https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Running-Successful-Racing-Training/dp/1852239972/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1510544703&sr=1-1&keywords=peter+coe&dpID=51lmDYFDyLL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
There is also an out of print (I think) book by Arthur Lydiard that is really good. And for that matter, I am not sure I linked the correct Bill Squires book. One is really good, while the other is an awful, watered-down version.
I have a pretty similar background. I ran in high school, then DIII in college, quit running for many years, got back to it as a pre-masters/masters runner. People kept asking me questions, so I started coaching for free. Then on a spare weekend, I got certified as a USATF level 1 coach, which is really fun. I really recommend it, since you're a T&F fan.
Definitely PT. I also found this book useful for the theory of doing more than just simple PT exercises!
Sorry- that day got quite out of hand. (Not) incidentally, I have moderate-severe ADHD, with all the attendant issues with focus and follow-up. Though I don't have A.S., my husband does, so I've got a multi-faceted perspective on this issue.
I am learning to overcome the ADHD with a system I've designed for myself, from a few different things:
I recommend looking into whether any of the above could help with the challenges you're facing. My husband now swears by the Pomodoro technique; it helps him get started on larger projects, and also stops him every 25 minutes, so he's never hyperfocusing so long that he forgets to eat/sleep, etc.
Speaking of body maintenance, the most important thing you can do for your overall well-being is exercise. Strength training is preferable, supplemented by cardio, but no matter what you're thinking right now, check out this book. Sticking to a regular weightlifting routine has improved my productivity far more than anything else ever did (even my Adderall prescription). When you feel physically better, far more things are possible. For further reference, check out these books, too.
Tl,dr; Learn to manage your time & energy; you'll be better equipped to improve your own focus and follow-up. Meanwhile, your former therapist has no excuse.
First: you rock. 200 pounds is INSANE, nice work!
I've been really confused about this "starvation mode" myself. Let me give you all the info that I've found:
What I haven't seen is a scientific study that shows that not enough calories causes your body to somehow lose less weight. What I do know is that many people like the idea that they have to eat a certain number of calories (because they get to eat more!), therefore they are more likely to buy into the "starvation mode" stuff because they want it to be true.
So take all that starvation mode stuff with a grain of salt. The best I've been able to find is that it's all anecdotal EITHER way. Whew.
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At this point, the reason you might be slowing down is because your body is getting used to things. Now this I have seen research on, AND I can confirm with my own anecdotes: Changing things up leads to faster weight loss:
Best of luck! My suggestion? Buy some free weights and read up on weight lifting. This is supposed to be a good book (I just started reading it myself).
Add some cardio, even if it's just some walking. You'll get there. Find a cardio that you enjoy at least a little bit. As others have said, ellipticals are easy on the knee! Test them out first at a local store, you can get decent ones for around $400.
Yes!! I've been lifting for a few years and it all started with the book the New Rules of Lifting for Women: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398
SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE, comes with programs for 6+ months of efficient and effective training that varies depending on your goals. I recommend everyone start with that, or at least have it in their library as a good resource. Once you have a hold of the basics and good form, then it's a lot of fun cruising around bodybuilding.com's complete (and free!) programs and simplyshredded.com's female interviews, which include the interviewee's favorite programs. I would definitely start with the New Rules of Lifting, though, since it will create a solid strength base which will give you the confidence and good form to be able to play around with your programming later.
Also, Mark Rippetoe's book "Starting Strength" (pretty popular, you can probably find at the library) is dense but very very clear as to the proper mechanics of every basic lift and has a good beginner's program outlined towards the end.
FINALLY, while you don't need to look at those programs, you do need A program and to write down what you do every time you go in. This will prevent you from overworking/underworking certain muscle groups, help you keep track of strength progress, and also allow you in a few weeks/months/years to remember what worked for your body and what did not.
Good luck!!
It sounds like you don't do any strength training at all, so I'd say the easiest way to improve your physique is to eat more protein and lift heavy weights. Go to a real gym and do weighted compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, pullups, and bench presses--or if you don't have access to a gym, you could at least start doing pushups and squats at home.
This will help increase your metabolism and therefore decrease your body fat, and it'll also make your waist look narrower in comparison to your shapely ass and shoulders. :)
It's hard to get enough protein as a vegetarian, but try to add more low-fat dairy, tofu, tempeh, and other non-meat protein sources to your diet, and try to reduce your consumption of grains to compensate.
This book really helped set me on a good path toward my fitness goals: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
You can actually buy a number of books written by Arthur Jones and his associates. The general technique is "high intensity training" or "HIT". I used and followed the recent book by Ellington Darden and was getting quite a bit of muscle gain very quickly earlier this year before an unrelated injury took me out of the gym. I'm healthy now and will be returning to HIT techniques later this month once my body is used to working out again. That book covers everything from the history and controversy of the techniques to the implementation of workouts over the full spectrum of beginner to advanced body-building.
Don't expect to turn into a muscle man over such a short schedule. The author of this blog post, Arthur Jones, and all others that advocate HIT acknowledge that genetics and pre-existing musculature have a major impact on your results.
Finally, don't try this stuff unless you are already fairly fit and familiar with strength training and the tools involved. The techniques are very intense and high strain. If you're not already familiar with proper form, you will be injured.
So, be careful. But this training technique does work for building muscle mass in my experience.
Hola! I'm fxpstclvrst, which is not worth pronouncing aloud. I've been here for two rounds. I am a lady that lives in the Dallas area. I've got a smattering of aches and pains, mostly a bad knee and a weak ankle. I did physical therapy last year for my frozen shoulder, and that improved my life so much. My doctor recommended a paleo-like diet to reduce my weight to cut back on my snoring.
Is she pear shaped because that will seriously help? As far as I know (seriously working out for about 6 months so take all of this with a grain of salt), us chicas can do the same workouts as y'all fellas (we can both do StrongLifts 5x5, that's what I do). So you can show her your work out and then just work on lower body (squats and deadlifts and stuff, but I'm sure you already knew this. Squats are a bootyful girl's best friend!). She's not gonna get swole the way you do. She might want to do an abs circuit or something in addition to the DLs and Squats. Ask her what she wants to work on. Flat stomach? Abs/Squats/DLs, Bingo wings? Upper body. Posture, upper body and core, etc.
Get more details as to what she envisions herself like and target those areas, which you will totally know how to do, you athletic bf, you.
Wait also, here is a book you might enjoy: The New Rules of Lifting for Women I haven't read it but it was in the /r/bodyweightfitness sidebar. :)
I'm 5'8" 124 pounds, 37 years old.
Over the last 2 years, I lost 50 pounds and was down to 115 (too skinny!) and ended up looking "skinnyfat" with my extra loose skin. Trying to gain muscle. Not sure how high I will go but willing to keep going until I think I'm looking the way I like, then I can cut.
I feel like I eat a ton and I have gained 9 pounds in the last year, which I guess is good? I've found it more difficult to find resources that help women understand how much we should be trying to gain in a determined amount of time.
I started with the New Rules of Lifting for Women, then moved on to SL 5x5 and now I am doing The Muscle Building Workout Routine - which I am enjoying so far.
I can't recommend the book Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body enough. I have a couple of friends that compete in body building/physique competitions and started with advice from them. They all stand by the information in this book. Unfortunately, if you're a beginner, the internet is full of bro science and nonsense about expensive supplements that do nothing and ridiculous workouts. It's truly the only topic I've ever found difficult to research online. There's simply too much money to be made misleading people that the commercial interests have fully buried the simple facts.
I read through this book in about three days and went from 185 skinny-fat to 165 11% body-fat and actually looking/feeling great, in about four months. Didn't spend a dime on supplements beyond whey protein and a small bottle of creatine that lasts for 4-5 months per bottle. I have no association with the author and that isn't some type of referral link. It just worked really well for me and answered every question I had about diet and exercise with cited research. I hate woo-woo online advice about 'toxins', 'muscle confusion', or any of the abundant obvious pseudo-science blog posts and supplement forums. Check out the book.
If you're a female: there's a female version, too.
Yeah, a great place to start is the book Bigger, Leaner, Stronger by Michael Matthews. As a physician myself, I always try to stick to evidence based approaches. And while the field of exercise physiology is comparatively young, Matthews does an excellent survey of the available literature and synthesizes it into a cogent story with practical advice. I don't necessarily agree with every last thing in the book, but it's the best I've ever seen.
If you don't want to buy a book, his blog is http://muscleforlife.com/ and it's a good place to start as well. But the book is totally worth it.
You could also do bodyweight exercies, in my opinion they are good as lifting! You need only your body and some space (a room, a park, wherever you want) If you are interested, /r/bodyweightfitness is the place for you. Aand I'm currently using a very nice bodyweight book, called "Body by You" (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345528972) (and you can find it for free somewhere...). It's really nicely done and with a good progression :)
Here is most of my library, broken down, with links and some thoughts on each.
Karate Specific
Kobujutsu Specific
Other Martial Arts
Health and Anatomy
EDIT: I can't believe I forgot this one...
https://smile.amazon.com/Karate-Do-Way-Life-Gichin-Funakoshi/dp/1568364989
SS is not the only system for beginners despite what /r/fitness will tell you.
It's one possibility for a beginner but if you can't follow the program for whatever reason it's going to be better to follow whatever program you can.
Other programs that would be ok to start on:
I can not recommend the linked book highly enough. It's written similarly to the male counter part and the differences in the work outs are actually based on physical differences that the author explains and backs up with studies. There is no bullshit "toning" advice or telling women to shy away from heavy weights, just how to lift for what body part and workout plans. I hope that this helps, I promise there's a great community of women athletes working towards fitness goals for whom smoothies are incidental. I'd also check out r/xxfitness for some women-centric advice and experiences.
Good luck, most of the women I know hate how fitness is marketed to us, you're not the only one frustrated, most of us get it.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_4cXizbXKJSYJ3
/r/xxfitness
New Rules of Lifting for Women
go pick this up.
read it. do it.
you will need regular access to a gym, unless you choose to go the bodyweight route instead.
It really depends on your goals. Are you looking to bulk up, slim down, get ripped, or just overall fitness?
Also, what kind of equipment do you have access to? Do you have access to a barbell, a squat rack, etc. or just a set of dumbbells?
I did one round of P90X and got in the best shape of my life. It has weights, cardio, yoga, etc. and it really is great for overall fitness without much equipment (dumbbells and a pull-up bar are all you need). While it won't bulk you up, it will rip you to shreds.
I'm currently trying a few different routines to try to pack on some muscle. I feel like I'm having great results with this book called Scrawny to Brawny. I don't have access to all that fancy equipment so I modify where I need to, but I still enjoy the results it gave.
Keep in mind though you're supposed to switch up your routine every 3-6 weeks so you don't plateau, so there isn't a single best routine.
I'm not sure how much money you are willing to spend on the information (books, programs), but keep in mind this is the internet. :cough:
Lastly, if you know what exercises work what body part you can create your own routine. Here is an Exercise & Muscle Directory that will tell you just that.
Best I have read for cycling - https://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Maximum-Overload-Cyclists-Strength-Based/dp/1623367743/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503885479&sr=8-1&keywords=jacques+devore
They deserve personal attacks for trying to deny their neighbors valuable services though.
I've been practicing various forms of yoga myself since I was in 4th grade when I stumbled onto a book. I was a very frail kid with lots of allergies and severe asthma and zero stamina and I found the exercises in this book - especially the breathing ones - invaluable.
Now, this physical fitness resource so graciously donated by the Jois foundation is to be denied the kids because a bigoted superstitious ignorant couple of bible beaters don't like it (for wholly stupid reasons). And why did they settle in the yoga capital of America again?
They deserve to be ostracized and driven from the community for trying to impoverish our children's lives. They really do. Fuck them. They could choose to simply have their kid not participate - instead they choose to spoil the party for all. I hope they find themselves lonely pariahs and outcasts.
From a previous thread about this:
My Mom had a yoga book from the 70ies. (found it here http://www.amazon.com/Richard-Hittlemans-Yoga-Exercise-Plan/dp/0553277480) I was 14 and found an exercise in it called "Chest expansion" So.... being naive and 14 I did that lots hoping it would expand my 'chest'. Flipping through the pages I found lots of fun things to do like plough and cobra.
When I was 16 I was diagnosed with a lung disease. I was an avid runner, did very well at track & field and suddenly my doctor told me I couldn't run anymore. I was devastated. I explored non-aerobic forms of exercise and rediscovered yoga. I was much more dedicated to it after my diagnosis and continued until I was 28 when I decided I should be a yoga teacher. Been teaching ever since.
Wow! We have almost the same story! I'm slightly older though. Played soccer from 6 until 19 when I had a tib-fib fracture freshman year of college. Then, I could squat more than three times my weight and could run a 4.8 - 40. I've run three marathons now with my best time being 3:35. I'm dead set on a BQ, but I just haven't conquered the distance yet. I've decided, after my last debacle of a marathon, that I won't run another until I have run at least two 5ks under 18 minutes, two 10ks under 40 minutes and two halfs under 1:30. My current times are 5k-20:40, 10k-42, half-1:36. Right now, the hardest part is not having that huge goal race looming over me. I'm still conditioned to run 5 or 6 days a week, but feel a bit lost.
Anyway, I will say that I did the FIRST plan for my first marathon and was extremely ill-prepared. I've read Pfitz and Hansen as well, but Brad Hudson's 'Run Faster: From the 5K to the Marathon' is what has worked best for me. I've recommended it for friends my age and it's been well-received all around. It's more about adaptive training in that you run what you feel and don't have to do certain workouts when your body isn't responding. Best of luck out there!
Maybe you should start with what wikipedia has to offer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate. Further, there are some good books, Funakoshi - My Way, and there are tons of material across the internet.
I had the honor to attend a 6th and 7th dan examination that was quite thorough in terms of letting the senseis explain the art to other attendees - as in where it comes from, how it came about. So while I can relate to your wish to learn from someone who does it, I'd think you should do some due diligence instead of expecting us to type all that out ;-) If you have some more specific questions than those broad general ones... shoot.
Also, may I suggest studying the art by practicing it? it's one thing to read and talk about it, but really another to dive into it.
Oh wow! Awesome links. I'm going to have to look into some of these ideas. I'm starting New Rules of Lifting For Women. The food plans are what I need to tackle next. Thanks for the motivation!
I bought The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess for my GF a while ago. I think it's pretty good for a beginner.
this book has been a god-send for me. my friend and i jokingly refer to it as "the bible." it gives a great starting plan for lifting and also provides a suggested diet plan. i can't go by the diet plan because i'm vegetarian, but i've learned so much about how weightlifting and proper nutrition go hand in hand. i've been lifting since the beginning of the year. (started with really low weights and have been doing more strength training for the past few months). i've seen way better and way faster progress as soon as i started lifting heavier. now i just need to figure out how to get more protein in my diet. i have a hard time with that because i'm (1) too poor to afford protein rich veg foods and (2) i love carbs, so i'm working on balancing all that out.
Most people start off with Starting Strength or Strong Lifts for gaining pure strength. Note that these programs are designed to gain strength, not work on aesthetics. They will definitely help you look better, but that's not their focus. New Rules of Lifting for Women and Strong Curves are more aesthetics-oriented, but they will get you stronger as well, just more slowly.
Personally, I started with Starting Strength, moved into 5/3/1 and am about to start Strong Curves since I would like to focus on aesthetics for a while. I did Erin Stern's program on bodybuilding.com for a couple months, and made some really good progress, both strength-wise and aesthetically, but I couldn't maintain that schedule once classes started up again.
As a beginner to strength training, you should look for a full-body routine since that will take advantage of your "noob gains."
If I, as a man, may make a recommendation:
New Rules of Lifting for Women
Pick up the book Bigger Leaner Stronger (its like $13 on Amazon ) by Mike Matthews. He’s really into the science of building strength and size. Also checkout his 1 year challenge. It’s a tough workout, but that’s what you want 😉
Your questions make it obvious that a brief comment is not going to clue you in on what you're missing and put you on the path to success. You really need to do some reading on the basics of bodybuilding: diet, bulking, cutting, proper training program. I highly recommend downloading Bigger, Leaner, Stronger by Mike Matthews.
It's the #1 natural bodybuilding book on the market and would provide you everything from A-Z on what you need to start this journey. Even has a supplemental cookbook for bulking and cutting.
I'd recommend taking a look at the Body by You book. It's basically the You are Your Own Gym workout, but redesigned specifically for women, with different progressions, etc.
My wife started YAYOG, but didn't make it past the first couple of days due to the difficulty. She's had much better success with Body by You though, and has stuck with it as a result.
Also, if you do end up getting that book, I'd recommend the paper version. It's going to be easier to reference the exercises, plus it has places to log your workouts, etc. And, it's only $.10 more than the Kindle version right now.
I have seen a lot of people over on fitocracy use the book You Are Your Own Gym Seems like a of people like this guys books. Also I have heard good things about the Convict Conditioning.
Linkys
http://amzn.com/0345528581
Also one just for women
http://amzn.com/0345528972
It's not the absolute best way to continue moving forward with yoga once you're doing it regularly, but this is a fantastic way to get started. Plus, if you follow this plan day by day, I noticed am immediate improvement in my balance and stretching the first week.
Amazon
I use the Richard Hittleman book. You can't get much cheaper than that.
You might want to check out Brad Hudson's book. It is pretty straightforward, with 3 main types of training: aerobic, strength, and race-specific. It has pre-made training plans, but it focuses on how to put together your own customized training plan, and how to alter it as you go in order to address your specific needs as they arise.
I thought it was really useful, especially in understanding how to create interval progressions to target specific performance goals.
Brad Hudson / Matt Fitzgerald would not recommend weights at all for strength training / injury prevention. Their key strength component comes from hill work, including sprints, repeats and progressions. As a trail runner who can handle 50k mountain races on the same mileage as you, I can vouch that no cross training is necessary to achieve this level of strength / injury prevention.
Brad Hudson's Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon is all about designing your own training plan, with a big focus on injury prevention.
I wasn't careful enough during my first two pregnancies and didn't even learn about diastasis recti until I realized I had a mild case after baby 2.
The book "Diastasis Recti: The Whole Body Solution to Abdominal Weakness and Separation" by Katy Bowman has a lot of great information and exercises to treat and/or prevent diastasis recti and specifically states that everything recommended is safe and beneficial for pregnancy.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/098965396X?fp=1&pc_redir=T1
I haven't read the whole book yet because I haven't worked on it enough to progress but the transverse abdominus/deep core muscles are the focus as well as stretching to ensure your arms and legs can move freely while your core remains stable (for example - while on your back, bringing your hands over your head without your rib cage moving up). I really think this book has information that will benefit everyone and hopefully it will help my diastasis not to worsen during my current pregnancy.
I'd highly recommend this one
http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/1568364989
The dude who brought Karate to Tokyo and was instrumental in bringing it to the world shares stories and thoughts about karate. I honestly couldn't put it down.
They aren't really uechi-ryu books, but here is a list of my favorite martial arts books:
[Karate-do My Way of Life] (http://www.amazon.com/Karate-Do-Way-Life-Gichin-Funakoshi/dp/1568364989/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368043735&sr=1-1&keywords=Karate-do+my+way+of+life) by Gichin Funakoshi - definitely my favorite martial arts book. This is the autobiography of Gichin Funakoshi. He talks alot about the history and culture of Okinawa and karate in general. His life is clearly a prime example of the spirit of karate-do.
[Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Twenty-Guiding-Principles-Karate/dp/4770027966/ref=pd_sim_b_2) by Gichin Funakoshi.
Basically anything by Gichin Funakoshi
[Beyond The Known] (http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Known-Ultimate-Martial-Classics/dp/0804834652) - More abstract. Presents some wonderful philosophical ideas about the unity of martial arts, the unity of spirit, and the higher purpose of the martial arts. Perhaps a better read for later in your training.
[Zen in the Martial Arts] (http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Martial-Arts-Joe-Hyams/dp/0553275593/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368043973&sr=1-1&keywords=zen+in+the+martial+arts) - Everyone should read this once. It presents basic, but very important spiritual ideas relevant to the martial arts.
[Way of The Peaceful Warrior] (http://www.amazon.com/Way-Peaceful-Warrior-Changes-Lives/dp/1932073205/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368044020&sr=1-1&keywords=Way+of+the+peaceful+warrior) - Absolutely fantastic (and entertaining) spiritual, development novel about a college age student seeking a higher meaning in life. Not exactly about martial arts, but the mindset and spiritual lessons are the same. I highly recommend this book.
[The Weaponless Warriors] (http://www.amazon.com/Way-Peaceful-Warrior-Changes-Lives/dp/1932073205/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368044020&sr=1-1&keywords=Way+of+the+peaceful+warrior) - More of the mythical/legend type stories about many of the famous okinawan karate practitioners. None-the-less an exciting and entertaining read about the many legends of karate.
My top recommendations is "karate-do my way of life" by Gichin Funakoshi. My second recommendation would be "way of the peaceful warrior". Most of the books I recommended are not technique books. Honestly, I don't find technique books very useful. They have their places, but I think the spiritual lessons are better learned from books, and the motivation that can be derived is beneficial as well.
I'd recommend looking up a good trainer in your area, and either paying for a series of sessions (since you're new) if you have the money, or paying for just one session ($50-$100) and getting them to write you up a diet and exercise plan to follow, based on where you currently stand. The best programs are generally ones custom made for you. You can then schedule follow-up sessions once a month, or every few months, to keep you motivated, give you milestones to hit, and allow the trainer to adjust your plan when it's necessary. If you flat out cannot afford a trainer (as I couldn't back when I started my own weight loss), this book is an excellent starting point: http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Hard-Body-Plan/dp/1579542298/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265392807&sr=1-9
Feel free to follow up with me if you need more info.
Re the gym problem, get the book New Rules of Lifting by Lou Shuller and Alwyn Cosgrove and do the beginner workouts. Watch some youtube videos on form and you'll be off to a great start.
Don't be! Now's the perfect time to subscribe to /r/xxfitness and check out some information. Get the book "New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift like a Man, Look like a Goddess" - it introduces you to weightlifting with a great step-by-step guide and inclines your progress as you increase your lifting ability. It also has some tasty recipes and nutritional information.
Pick a program and do it. It doesn't matter what program you pick - you'll gain strength and look better either way. What does matter is that you go to the gym consistently and work hard!
A lot of people on /r/xxfitness like NROLFW as a beginner program.
I agree that the body takes time to gain strength. Don't be doing weights on the same area each day, but only every other day. I do lower body on Mondays and Thursdays, then upper body on Tuesdays and Fridays. The other days I do various forms of cardio like walking uphill on a treadmill, biking, elliptical, etc. I'm female, too, and a book I really like on lifting is The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift like a Man, Look like a Goddess.
Best.
I'm not at post-pregnancy state yet, but honestly, start lifting weights. I picked up the New Rules of Lifting for Women and it totally changed my body composition. ( http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398 )
If you stick to eating a mostly clean diet (Try researching Paleo and attempting to stick to it 80% of the time), do cardio and also strength training, you should see a huge difference in within a few months.
Yoga is also great as it works out your core muscles. If you have access to a gym, use the elliptical instead of the treadmill as it helps to focus on your core as well.
Really great for you for wanting to get into the gym! I'd suggest starting with mobility and stretching exercises for your shoulders--carefully. Especially since you say on is less flexible. Please do be careful and take it slowly. GMB Fitness has a shoulder "causes and solutions for shoulder pain deep dive here that you could maybe use to educate yourself about how your shoulder works (or in your case, doesn't).
While you're working on easing into shoulder work, there are lots of other exercises and ways you can do resistance training. A trainer might be able to help you, but be very careful, as not all know good form. One site that is super useful (but can be hard to find your way around in) is exrx.net. It shows how to do each exercise, as well as what exercise works what muscle. They have a great beginner's page.
Personally, I find it key to have a progressive program or plan, as otherwise I do too much of one thing, or get bored. I started with this book and it was awesome. I like it better than the new edition.
Good luck--we're all rooting for you!
I would advise that you keep doing your bodyweight squats. To make them fun, you can take a big exercise ball from your gym and hold it against the wall with your back, so that you kind of roll it down the wall as you squat down. You can also work on step ups - just take a sturdy box or step and go up down up down. You should also think about adding in push ups - you can start doing these with your knees down on the floor to assist, or if that's a bit too difficult, you can start off leaning against a wall and pushing up and away from the wall.
When you feel like you're ready, I would recommend that you pick up a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm not recommending it because it's the end all be all of lifting programs, but because the content will help you learn more about the science behind lifting, why lifting is beneficial for women, how to feed your body during a lifting program, and why you shouldn't be afraid of weights or bulking or any of that. It will last you about 6 months, so you will definitely get your money's worth. For support, there are forums for this over at jpfitness dot com.
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382360144&sr=8-1&keywords=new+rules+of+lifting+for+women
That will cover your basics and get you started. I would also strongly recommend that you read Starting Strength. I've done the traditional New Rules of Lifting program as well, in addition to the one "for women" (hint - any decent lifting program can work for you once you learn proper form - it doesn't have to be something that says "for women" - you're not limited) and enjoyed it.
That said, I don't know how much you weigh now, just that you want to lose a lot. If you have musculoskeletal issues or pain, I can't emphasize proper form enough. It might be worth it to book some time with a trainer who's well practiced in the basic Olympic lifts (careful, I've seen some crap trainers out there...). If something hurts sharply while you're doing it, then please stop and slow your roll. It's normal to be sore after a good lifting workout, and you might even feel like some of your muscles are really achey and sluggish, but nothing should feel like it's in sharp pain or popping or snapping. I guess I'm trying to say that pain isn't necessarily a bad sign, but that you need to monitor yourself for red flag type pain.
Great job. Congrats
Strength training with provide some serious results. Starting Strength and this book are recommended fairly universally by r/fitness.
Note: I can't speak to it's effectiveness of the latter, I am a guy but SS has been great.
It's generally best to go in with a set plan, and there are a lot of programs out there geared specifically towards beginners. This will give you a sense of purpose in the gym and also a way to track your progress.
Here are links to three of the more popular beginner's programs on this sub: Starting Strength, Strong Lifts, and The New Rules of Lifting for Women.
If money is a factor, and you don't want to buy a book, Strong Lifts is a free program available online.
Seconding the recommendation to check out the FAQs at /r/fitness! Especially check out the "Fixing your diet" section.
For calorie tracking, I'm a big fan of My Fitness Pal and there are a bunch of us xxfitness ladies who would love to be your friend there! (My user name is the same as this one!)
For a fitness plan, check out Starting Strength, The New Rules of Lifting for Women, or Strong Lifts. I use the last one because it's free online, but both of the other books are excellent.
Great job getting started and good luck with your goals!
Actually, no. Take a look at the book The Sports Gene - in sports other than dance/gymnastics/figure skating where people hit their prime at 16-24, the most advantageous background for elite athletes tends to be a generalized fitness/sports routine until they're about 12-16, at which point they start 'their sport'. This gives them the body conditioning they need from a young age, but they're able to learn and incorporate sport-specific technique at an age where they can actually understand it, without a decade of bad habits and burnout.
Seriously, though, read that book if you get the chance. One of the most interesting and well written sports books I've read in a long time.
Losing weight, in a way, is easier, because even if you do nothing your body is going to burn 1500-2000 calories all on its own. (Depending on your lean mass quantity / weight.) So if you control the input and do jack shit... you'll still lose weight.
Gaining muscle, on the other hand, means you have to
So... there's the three things you have to do. I highly recommend this book for a scientifically backed approach to this:
https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1938895304
As far as "small lifestyle change" to get stronger.... body weight exercises like push ups and pull ups... but even there, once you can do 10 or so of those, you build endurance more than size.
Try this: one hour at the gym lifting weights three times a week, and don't waste any time doing cardio while there. Check your video game stats, I'm sure you can find three hours a week. After a year that will be over 150 hours of working out and I can assure you you'll be stronger! 💪
Are you on T? If you aren’t it probably won’t have as much as a dramatic affect, but weight lifting will help build a more masculine shape. Bigger Leaner Stronger is a great beginners guide to weight lifting and building muscle. Planet Fitness is a good gym, they’re cheap and open 24/7. Good luck!
I recently read this book and it was a good place to start for info. He discusses routines, supplements, diet and a few other things. The writing style is a little bro-y, but overall it’s mostly good info.
Before I started the routine described in this book, I did 3 months of lifting with the help of the StrongLifts 5x5 app. It’s great for beginners.
I also utilize Scott Herman’s YouTube channel for help with form and to even find out what an exercise is.
Hope this is helpful. Good luck.
Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body https://www.amazon.com/dp/1938895304/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ktK9AbM55JX16
This is maybe the second question on Advanced Fitness I've felt qualified to answer...
Qualifications: I finished an IM last year, have completed 5+ marathons and natty deadlifted 357.5 lbs (x5) this morning.
you dont have to do ab specific exercises to work out your core. take small steps doing exercises in the 5 main movement categories: horizontal pull/push, vertical pull/push and legs.
use leverage and additional in between steps if any of the exercises are too hard at first.
take a look at this http://www.amazon.com/Body-You-Guide-Womens-Fitness/dp/0345528972/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405364211&sr=8-1&keywords=body+by+you
and this https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2oknZg-EI8xenpWUWFidDc1aDQ/edit?pli=1
This article has 8 weeks of intervals designed to peak you for a 10k race. They are a mix of longer, 1 mile, and shorter, 400m, intervals.
4 sessions of intervals a week is probably going to burn you out rather than build you up. Consider your Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday schedule, you'll have 2 interval workouts bracketing a long run. Depending on your fitness, all 3 of these sessions are going to be taxing and probably require an easy day to recover from.
If you're interested in the physiology of running and training from that perspective there are two books that I would recommend. Daniel's Running Formula explains how mixing intervals, tempo runs, long runs will improve your racing. The second book, Matt Fitzgerald's Brain Training for Runners, has a slightly different point of view. Instead of focusing on the physiologically limiting factors, V02max, lactic threshold, etc., he starts with the premise that it is actually your brain interpreting signals from different systems that limits your running performance and sets of his training accordingly. The main difference in practice is that in the brain training approach all of your intervals are done a realistic race paces instead of paces based off of physiological paces (ie, VO2max).
Are you more focused on the 10k or the marathon? I think a good approach during the 10 training would be to have 3 key workout days a week, 1) long run of 1:45-2hours, 2) VO2max intervals (at 5k or 10k race pace with appropriate rest), 3) Speed workout, alternating short 100m hills, 200m intervals and 400m intervals. On the other days run as many easy miles as you can to recovery from the workouts.
First of all, I would like to say, This is a fantastic idea for a contest! I love that you are using the opportunity to help others reach personal goals!
I'm making this change... I am going to learn Yoga via this book that I already own. It is a daily plan so I will track it by what day I am on and maybe some pictures. I am so out of touch with the physical aspect of my body, I am over weight and way out of shape. I know it will be hard to learn yoga as an obese and un-flexible person, but that will change once I get into it. I would love /u/BunnyLebowski1 to be my first cheerleader as she has already helped me out with helping me improve my health :) And /u/ButteredToast and /u/ReisaD I think would also make some great cheerleaders :)
If I win the prize, the Kindle Paperwhite would be nice so I can spend more time outdoors and more time reading at the same time :)
As for the MP3, I just started a wishlist for that and don't have much on it yet so I don't really have any songs on there yet for this circumstance.
Thanks for the contest, I am happy to accept the challenge even if I don't win the prize!
Going sub-40 requires interval training and solid weekly mileage. There are no shortcuts or secrets. It will take time. You first have to get sub-44, then sub-43, then sub-42, and so on. Pick up one of the major training guides like Pfitzinger ,
Daniels, or Hudson. You can get any of these used for a few dollars, or new for not much more. While there are endless debates about which plan is best, you're just trying to get under 40:00, not qualify for the Olympics, an any of these will help you do that.
Read Katy Bowman's book Diastasis Recti. She is a biomechanist who has thought a lot about muscular imbalances that cause hernias, diastasis recti and pelvic prolapse. Her book has corrective exercises that will help you figure out which muscles are too strong, which are too weak, and which might not be firing at all.
Her books have been translated to other languages- not sure if English is your first, or not.
https://www.amazon.com/Diastasis-Recti-Solution-Abdominal-Separation/dp/098965396X
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Navy-Fitness-Third/dp/1578262666
If those are your goals, then use this book.
Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness 12 Weeks: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Navy-Fitness-Third/dp/1578262666
The SOFLETE program: https://mobellmuscle.com/product/soflete-stew-smith-buds-prep/
Several of your lifts have gone up. You've made progress! If you're not getting the results you're wanting, try switching programs. I've seen some great results using programs out of The New Rules of Lifting . Keep at it, self-improvement is never a waste of money.
New Rules of Lifting has been a HUGE boon in helping me understand the science behind what I'm doing. I've read both this one and the NROL for women as well. Highly recommend.
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Maximum/dp/158333338X
I use The New Rules of Lifting. It includes a variety of different workouts for different purposes, including progressions allowing you to build up to heavier weights without burning out or injuring yourself.
I hurt my shoulder a couple of week ago actually so none at the moment =( But I was doing the bodybuilding routines out of this book. I can't find another similar program on the internet to link unfortunately, but it involves switching up rep ranges every workout. It keeps it interesting if nothing else. At some point in the future I'll try out 5/3/1 and RPT, they both look awesome.
Read a lot. Learn all you can. Learn to use the free weights and how to do exercises correctly.
Here's a great starter for 12 bucks. Alwyn Cosgrove is legit. http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Maximum-Muscle/dp/158333338X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330998969&sr=8-1
Best of luck in reaching your goals! There is a lot to learn, but a ton of resources to help you.
WEIGHT TRAIN. And dude, you'll love it cuz you'll feel soooo powerful and kick-assy.
I follow a routine found in book called "New Rules of Lifting." It's my and my co-workers bible. There's also "New Rules of Lifting for Women," which is okay, but you know, I like the feeling of following a program designed for dudes, who gain muscle a lot quicker than us womens....Almost like I'm fighting the patriarchy one rep at a time.
Have fun! And congrats on losing all dat weight.
Please do not bombard a beginner with information overload! My ex taught me how to lift weights, and we started by going to the gym together and learning barbell movements. That is probably the most incorrectly used equipment in the weight room. I did this for a few months with him, until I felt comfortable enough to go on my own. Teach the basics first! Introduce a little bit of information, slowly over time.
Get her this [book] (https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398) - it changed my life!
Also, you may want to check out [r/XXfitness] (https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/)
Lift heavy things. I recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm just finishing up phase 4 and it really works!
I've heard good things about The New Rules of Lifting for Women.
This article from Nerd Fitness is also pretty inspirational.
If you have a Kindle you can purchase it from Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/1583333398
Nook, I'm assuming Barns & Noble would have it online. Other ebook formats I am unsure of.
Ah I might suggest looking and progressing into the New Rules of Lifting series
http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
or strong from the same author
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583335757/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1583335757&linkCode=as2&tag=louschulercom-20&linkId=FZL7J77SPOMQMBPO
or girls gone strong
https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/strength-training/
The "book" i was referencing was just a confusino I had in the link. http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398. It was right next to starting strength, (book title here). Thought it was one phrase.
Try buying The New Rules of Lifting for Women for her. It says everything that is constantly posted here on reddit, but it's in a book written by a group of professionals, and it's backed up by a bunch of studies. I never had an aversion to lifting heavy (since I don't read much Cosmo or any of the rest of those crap magazines that peddle that low weight/high rep shit), but this book is what convinced me that lifting heavy was pretty much the only way to get the body I want.
As a side note, since I've started a regular lifting routine (in addition to the cardio I was already doing) + the basic diet guidelines listed in this book, I've lost about 7 lbs of fat and I don't know how many inches (I'll be doing measurements next week, so I can report back if you're interested).
Check out /r/xxfitness
I also recomend the book New Rules of Lifting for Women or Strong Curves.
I did NROLFW, and really enjoyed it, and at some point in the future I look forward to trying out Strong Curves.
Strong Curves by Bret Contreras. He has an amazing program that is adaptable for any goal, including muscle gain and he breaks down how to calculate your calories for your goals. Or the book 'The new rules of weightlifting for women.' I love both and have linked them on Amazon for you here: Strong Curves: A Woman's Guide to Building a Better Butt and Body https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936608642/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_o5Dszb8RJXVTA
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_I6DszbVY1A4RJ
New rules of lifting might be more of what you're looking for and it has a great section on optimal protien intake for muscle growth but the strong curves workout is great for the glutes:) good luck!
Have her read the book listed in the sidebar: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
It's a great read for anybody who is a little sensitive or clueless about diet. I honestly bought it more for the lifting stuff, and I hate the voice used in the narrative of this book, but I think it will give her the resources she needs to both understand it AND feel confident about it herself.
this is a really good resource for women to begin lifting
NROLW. Eat big, lift big, feel fantastic.
Also gonna second what m092 said, and then disagree a little bit. In the end, do whichever will make you healthy and happy:
>include someone in your life about what is going on.
If you're the type of person who is going to obsess about diet, that's ok, just make it a good diet. If you can redirect that energy towards a more wholesome end, hopefully you can start behaving as if every time you vomit, you're vomiting all your gains.
Okay, go early, I mean EARLY. If you can, be there when it opens as college gyms tend to get annoying and distracting as the day progresses
SL 5x5 is okay, but I found it narrow in scope and overpriced to expand. However, it tracks progress better than the other apps I've tried. Currently using Perfect Body, but you can't track well in it and you can't modify, just doing it to give a fair finish review.
Admittedly, I have not tried Strong Curves.
My sister swears by this book: https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
She is standard fit/athletic, I'm more of a draft animal.
Also sober 3 years. I'm pretty sure 98% of recovering alcoholics are all or nothing people...we struggle with moderation in so many things.
I hate counting calories. Its just another goddamn thing to frustrate me. A few months ago I decided I'd focus on getting stronger rather than lighter. I spent the first month lifting weights 3 times a week but not eating healthy. Fuck it, pizza? Sounds good. Burgers? Yep!
I followed a plan called StrongLifts 5X5. You start off low weight and add 5lbs per workout. Before I knew it, I had some muscle under my flab. Then I started realizing I wanted to SEE those muscles. At that point I started taking my diet more seriously. I learned a lot about how to train and use my food to support that training. I'm not all the way there, but I like the results so far.
I have gotten numerous compliments from coworkers, women have started flirting with me a little, my girlfriend has been VERY happy with the changes AND I have a ton of energy to play with my kids. I also dropped 25lbs and got some definition in my arms and legs. For me, Lifting weights>losing weight
I also incorporate at least one hot yoga class into my routine. The yoga is great for mindfulness (which has been mentioned in other comments). You are stuck in a hot room, sweating your ass off, standing in strange positions and its hard for anything else to invade your thoughts. Even an hour of clear thought is super beneficial. My girlfriend does 2-3 a week, she loves it.
I know a lot of women think that weight training will make you bulky, but its all about choosing what you want. You can hit the weights and keep a slim female figure. I have read some really great things about [Strong Curves] (https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Curves-Womans-Building-Better/dp/1936608642) and Lift like a Man Look Like a Goddess ( Book Link).
If counting calories doesn't make you happy just try something new. Find a healthy thing that makes you feel good and do THAT thing, then do that and try add another healthy thing. See what sticks and focus on that.
You got this!
Sorry for the wall of text! Sobriety and exercise are 2 VERY important things in my life and I love talking about them.
this book gets some good reviews. I bought it for my wife when she was looking for something similar, the stuff I read out of it seemed pretty good.
I am a few weeks into The New Rules of Lifting for Women and i LOVE IT. I've tried a few other programs, but as a (sort of) beginner, this has worked the best for me. I also read Starting Strength prior to starting/watched a ton of videos to understand how to do the movements. Good luck!!
I'm currently working my way through the workout plan in The New Rules of Lifting for Women. So far it's been working great and I can see visible changes!
David Epstein's book, The Sports Gene, which they mention, has even more of this. (I actually listened to it on audiobook during my long runs, haha). It basically delves into the nature/nurture riddle on what accounts for different aspects of running/athletic success. Fascinating and very well-researched. (It's also especially interesting because Epstein includes stories about his own experience as a DI collegiate runner, comparing himself to others who appeared to be more naturally gifted than him).
Apparently reaction time doesn't differ that much genetically! Read that in The Sports Gene.
Actually MLB players have a genetic predisposition similar to height in the NBA, eyesight.
An anecdote: in the early 90s or thereabouts, the Dodgers' team optometrist began to notice how extraordinarily good the players' vision was and had a bet of sorts with a more traditionally minded person in their organization (I forget all the details). Anyway, the opto went through their minor league roster and chose two players for future success based solely on evaluating their vision. He picked Eric Karros (6th round pick) and Mike Piazza (62nd round pick), both of whom went on to have great careers
I mentioned this in another comment but if you're at all interested in this sort of stuff then I can't recommend The Sports Gene highly enough
http://www.amazon.com/The-Sports-Gene-Extraordinary-Performance/dp/1591845114
I used to be extremely skinny. I gained weight, but it wasn't easy. I was eating double my caloric intake in order to maintain weight.
Certainly there are options. I could have done less cardio but no amount of weight lifting would have turned all of my calories into muscle. I would have had to get a bit chubby first and then turn that fat into muscle.
Read any book that talks about the different regimes for skinny men to gain weight and it's not easy. That's all I was saying.
It can be achieved, but it's not easy.
EDIT: For anyone interested - check out the book 'Scrawny to Brawny'. This book is pretty great when it comes to explaining different body types that require different diets and regimes.
I searched r/gainit for "cookbook" (which you might do too) and came across a ref to this--not just a cookbook but has stuff about nutrition and meals:
http://www.amazon.com/Scrawny-Brawny-Complete-Building-Natural/dp/1594860882
Hah, I also just thought--Southern Living...
Found this, too: http://www.amazon.com/Bulking-Recipes-Stack-Massive-Muscle-ebook/dp/B00MQGNUU8
Strenght will allow you to lift heavier shit, thus allowing you to get more swole.
Quick advice: focus on compound lifts
Read this book, covers everything a novice lifter should know:
http://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1938895274
Progressive overload aka get stronger.
This books breaks down the nutrition and training, and includes a training program
Sorry if that's an unhelpful reply, but this book was extremely helpful for me.
Can you get to a gym? That opens up your options somewhat.
I recommend you buy the book, Bigger, Leaner, Stronger. It goes into a lot of detail about bulking and cutting and lays out a pretty good workout program.
http://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1938895274
Aimlessly lifting weights in an ad-hoc sort of pseudo-isolation sort of way and running a couple of times a week. Had no idea what I was doing.
Then I found a post that linked to this and started following it to a T: Linear Progression PPL for Beginners
Then got the “Bigger Leaner Stronger” book on Amazon and am now following that to the letter : BLS link on Amazon
Thank's for the kind words man. The short answer is I've been following this book. A second book I recommend is Starting Strength which discusses in depth proper form for the key weightlifting workouts (bench press, standing military press, barbell squat, and deadlifts).
Bigger Leaner Stronger taught me everything from managing calories, what to eat, how to manage macros, good vs bad protein powder, supplements, vitamins, work out routines, etc. It is basically my gym bible. But, if you aren't interested in taking the time to read these books (which I HIGHLY recommend), then I'll give you a brief rundown of my workout routine.
Workouts "phases" are broken up into 9 weeks. A typical 9-week phase looks like this:
Weeks 1-3: Regular week lifting at 5 days per week (mon-fri)
Week 4: Strength Week. Only lift mon, wed, and fri, but focus on key workouts (Barbell squat, deadlift, bench press, military press)
Week 5-7: Same as week 1-3
Week 8: Strength week
Week 9: Deload or off week. I either don't work out this week or I do three days at 50% of my working weight (so essentially a light week)
A typical 5 day week looks likes this:
Monday: Chest and Abs. Incline bench press. Incline dumbell bench press. Flat barbell bench press. Face Pull. Three abdominal circuits where one circuit consists of Cable crunch (10 to 12 reps), captains chair leg raise to fail, bicycle crunch to fail
Tuesday: Back and Calves. Deadlift. Bent over barbell Rows. Pull ups. Standing calf raises. Seated calf raises.
Wednesday: Shoulder and Abs. Standing Military Press. Side lateral Raise. Bent over rear delt raise. 3 ab circuits.
Thursday: Legs. Barbell squat. Romanian deadlift. Leg press. Standing calf raise. Seated calf raise.
Friday: Upper body & Abs. Incline bench press. Barbell curl. Close-grip bench press. Alternating dumbell curl. Chest dips. 3 ab circuits.
A typical activity includes 4 warm up sets and three working sets like this:
12 x 50% of my working weight (rest 1 min);
10 x 50% of my working weight (rest 1 min);
4 x 70% of my working weight (rest 1 min);
1 x 90% of my working weight (rest 3 min)
After this warm up is complete, I do 3 working sets. 4-6 reps of my working weight (if i hit 6 reps, I add 10 lbs to a barbell or 5 lbs to a dumbell) Rest 3-4 min. Repeat this 2 more times. A huge key to building strength is progressive overload. If you hit those 6 reps, add more weight. If you hit 6 reps and add more weight but can only do 3 reps with the new weight, drop it back to where you were before. But next week, start with the higher weight.
As far as diet is concerned. Yes. This is the biggest thing. I eat clean. I eat very clean. I don't eat processed foods. I only drink milk and water. I eat vegetables and chicken. Good fats, good protein, and good carbs. I weigh everything I eat to make sure i'm hitting my calories and macros. I track everything in my fitness pal.
A typical meal day for me is protein bar before workout. Protein shake and banana after work out. 2 hardboiled eggs and 175 grams of plain nonfat greek yogurt for breakfast. 4 oz tuna and some triscuit crackers + a carrot for snack. Chicken breast and veges for lunch. Non-sorbate prunes and another banana for a late day snack. Protein shake for dinner. Maybe some more protein and veges.
TLDR
Read bigger leaner stronger. If you don't want to do that then the key items are eat clean and within your calorie limits (you can lose weight by eating in a caloric deficit without even needing to workout). The most important weightlifting exercises are barbell squats, deadlifts, standing military press, and bench press.
As my post title states, I only do cardio 0 to 1 times per week which is hardly anything. It's not necessary for fat loss, but it will help accelerate fat loss and increase cardiovascular health which is important and which is also why I'm going to start adding more cardio.
Best of luck man. That book changed my life. I highly recommend it.
You can run and run and run and the end result will be.... you're a better runner who can run longer faster. Weirdly though, it's a horrible way to try to get stronger, where were talking about the muscles generating more force (and generally getting larger to do that).
Lots of good muscle building science here:
https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1938895304
Get this book: https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1938895304
It will teach you everything you need to know about nutrition and also give you a full year's worth of exercises. Eating healthy is #1 but if you work out alongside proper nutrition, you'll burn many more calories and will lose the weight much faster.
​
I agree with the premise that 13 year olds should focus on sprinting regularly and improving mechanics. I’d like to address a few of the ideas that you expressed past that point.
> I’d be in the top 10 sprinters of all time if I used the most expensive training philosophies
With all due respect, I think this underestimates the significant role of genetics in sprinting performance. Following the methods you described will likely prove difficult for a 13 year old due to financial barriers.
Because I’m not fully familiar with Adarian Barr, Chong Xie, or David Weck, I won’t criticize their philosophies on running. It’s worth noting that none of them have trained or had a significant role in training sub 9.8 sprinters, despite having (at least in Adarian Barr’s case) decades to do so. All three of the mentioned philosophies are linked to businesses that promote to individual athletes the idea that great athleticism stems from learning to move properly. Those who want to learn more will find that the bulk of the information is only accessible through clinics ($100+ not including travel costs), expensive books ($99 in one case), and subscriptions. For comparison, Ralph Mann’s The Mechanics of Sprinting and Hurdling, a full discussion of USATF biomechanist Ralph Mann’s philosophy on sprinting, is available for $25. It’s rather dense and it isn’t free of its own controversy, but the book is full of well accepted conclusions that are solidly grounded in the kinematics of sprinting. The main conclusions are affordable and easily accessible, and athletes can fill their gaps in knowledge (perhaps from the sources you mentioned) or learn to implement (link for example) the ideas for free on the internet.
At the rarefied peak of sprint performance, genetics are extremely important. Of the 10 men (including those thrown off of IAAF record books for doping) to run under 9.8 seconds in the 100 meters, all 10 descend from people brought to the Americas from Africa as slaves, and half are of Jamaican descent. That’s not meant to deny the possibility of people from other parts of the world running sub 9.8 times—I’m confident we will see it this century—but rather to highlight the most plainly seen evidence that certain genetic traits (long legs, for example) that may concentrate in a given population confer a higher likelihood of sprinting success. For a more detailed look at the role of genetic traits in sports performance, check out David Epstein’s The Sports Gene.
While we agree that sprinting performance can be improved far more than many expect, the final ability of any given athlete is severely limited by genetics. Research indicates that the fastest sprinters at adulthood were also the fastest in childhood, and that the recalled times of NCAA sprinters (the highest level of US adult sub elite competition) in their early teens were far faster than those of their peers. Improving biomechanics is a great way to improve speed. However, in light of the evidence, it can’t be concluded that they will form a route for ordinary athletes to run 100 meter times that only a few will ever run.
It's a book by Mark Lauren, there's one for men and women on German Amazon, unfortunately only the male version in the US for some reason:
http://www.amazon.com/90-Day-Bodyweight-Challenge-Men/dp/3868837736/
There's this one however, for women: http://www.amazon.com/Body-You-Guide-Womens-Fitness/dp/0345528972/
I do lots of short slow distance "off" days. It's worked pretty well despite running daily, even during a training program. I've even done sprint-walk and run-walk intervals to take some load off my legs (and stress off my mind if it's a miserable summer day for a run). The feeling is definitely mutual, though, on running everyday. If you decide to cross-train but keep running in mind without having to go to the gym, the dynamic stretches and proprioceptive training cues I found on Brain Training for Runners won me over.
I know how you feel. I pinched a nerve and tore a lower back muscle in 9th grade after trying impress some seniors in the weight room. Even after physical therapy, if I laid down I could feel dull pains in my lower back, and it gav eme issues on long road trips, too.
Most rolled shoulders come from bad posture, over developed chests, weak upper back muscles, and/or tight muscles. The easiest way to fix it would be to start a well-balanced resistance training program. Check out some stretches to get you going here -> http://www.primallyinspired.com/tuesday-training-exercises-to-combat-poor-posture-and-rounded-shoulders/
A 5x5 Strong lifts program (http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/) which is simple and straight forward, utilizes full body movements and builds a lot of core strength which could help your posture. This program stresses form over weight so you build amazing balance and core strength! This is assuming you have access to weights, and three open days a week to do the exercises. Make sure to stretch out and warm-up!
Another option would be one of my faves, Yoga! This pretty much fixed my lower back pangs when I would stretch out or lay down. Yoga utilizes stretching and body position, while also stressing form which helps to build posture and core strength. If you have a local gym/club or maybe are going to college, feel free to join them and follow the instructor. Three times a week is good. I also completed this book -> http://www.amazon.com/dp/0553277480
Which was everyday and pretty amazing. This was maybe my second time doing Yoga, and I could hardly do anything at first. Just make sure to follow exactly what it says and you should be able to complete the movements in a short time!
Following that theme, if you don't have access to a gym (I know I don't) or are too poor to afford any outside source resistance training like dumbbells, you can go for my absolute favorite option which is body resistance training! I've been following this program -> http://bodyweightfitness.routinemorning.com/
coupled with Yoga and Judo twice a week for about 2 1/2 months now and have been seeing great results! You can find the exercises online very easily. All you need is like 45 mins, a floor and your body (And some music playing for enjoyment). I do my pull-ups separately at a nearby park when I go out for runs. You can do negatives of most of these exercises to build up to actually being able to do them, so it's great for beginners. It's totally free! **Also if you need a form check or advice http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness
Last, I would suggest making a note of your posture. Sit-up straight! Stand up straight! Place a sticky note on your monitor that says to do both, in bold letters. Place it on your fridge or bathroom mirror. Soon enough it becomes like muscle memory.
Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Hittlemans-Yoga-Exercise-Plan/dp/0553277480
My dad had this book when I was a kid, and that's how I started learning yoga.
Ok, I don't mind DVs.
Telepathy and levitation and OBEs. I specifically used 'Richard Hittleman's 28 day Yoga program
The key is on ab raises is to expel all the air in your lungs, lift it, hold it, and eventually use the back of your abdominals to massage the inner portion of your spine. When you meditate, go into it with the mindset of fighting a monster. Not concentrating must be treated like it's coming at the expense of your life.
It's an old but great book - I initially learned Yoga using Richard Hittleman's Yoga in 28 Days book.
Check this out on AMZN: Richard Hittleman's Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan http://amzn.com/0553277480
Worth every penny.
As an aside, anyone who's looking to run faster might want to pick up Brad Hudson's book: http://www.amazon.com/Run-Faster-5K-Marathon-Coach/dp/0767928229. I've found it particularly useful for folks who have a decent base and motivation and are looking to improve performance.
As others have said, UV offers pretty good advice, but imho his audience should really be people like amateur club runners and high school athletes rather than the casual masses. Compared to "serious" competitive runners what most of us do would be considered jogging, and the advice for folks at our paces and condition is not the same as runners who are already in great running shape with good running form.
I definitely agree. I look at it more as a base fitness/mobility/injury prevention type of thing. I have a separate cardio program that I base off the book Run Faster which I highly recommend.
Ive also been doing this routine from the "hotshot fitness" website as a little experiment, but it also seems a little lacking so far.
All in all the best thing to do is all of the things.
OK. Thank you. But the conclusions summarized in the piece you link to are extreme, phrased in sensationalistic terms and presented without a shred of evidence.
Etiquette would seem to require that you in some way summarize the data for your readers. As it is, you present us with the choice of accepting all those too-awful-to-be-true assertions at face value or getting the book and reading it for ourselves.
Begging the Colonel's pardon, but that's not usually how these things are done.
So, like, how many people were in the good Dr.'s sample? How were the test subjects chosen? Over how many years was the research conducted?
This one star review of the book from Amazon sums up my personal suspicions about Dr. Gordon's work:
"It gets at least one star for sheer wacky entertainment value. I've read all his books and they are simply too bizarre and wacky for the author to expect a rational person to believe. Add to that various things that are bogus and u cant expect a favorable review. For example the author claimed a black belt in Chi Kung (or Qi Gong) yet there is no such thing. In another book he claims he and his mentors fight aliens telepathically... Enough said OK."
Link to book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Path-Notes-American-Ninja-Master/dp/1556431570/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
I see what you did there... Seriously speaking, though, I got the exercice from a book from Glenn Morris; Path notes of an american ninja master. Its title might imply ninjutsu, but (and?) it's mostly meditation stuff. A hugely inspirational book, it has been. It's also not one of those "woo, ninjas are cool and mysterious!" books, so it has that going for it. :)
May I recommend the Path Notes of an American Ninja Master.
Recommend this book:
Path Notes of an American Ninja Master https://www.amazon.com/dp/1556431570/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_mzUbBb1BZHXXB
Perhaps you've already gotten him a book by now, but here are my recommendations for him and anyone else who reads this thread. I'm a martial arts researcher and a former martial arts teacher. I even wrote my Master's Thesis on martial arts. I've read literally hundreds of books on the subject. There are a lot of terrible books out there on the martial arts but you can't go wrong with any of these.
If he studies Shotokan, the best place to start is with the guy who invented it.
Karate-Do: My Way of Life is written by the founding master of Shotokan, Gichin Funakoshi.
http://www.amazon.com/Karate-Do-Way-Life-Gichin-Funakoshi/dp/1568364989/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411959258&sr=1-10&keywords=shotokan
My number one recommendation is When Buddhists Attack by Jeffery Mann - This is an very well researched book on the history of the relationship between Zen and the Martial arts. It is a fantastic book that will help him deepen his understanding of martial arts instead of intentionally mystifying it more to try to sell more books like most martial arts books do.
http://www.amazon.com/When-Buddhists-Attack-Curious-Relationship/dp/4805312300/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411958781&sr=1-1&keywords=when+buddhists+attack
If he's more into stories, I'd recommend Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa. It's a novelization of one of the most famous samurai to ever live. It's an exaggeration of his life but very entertaining.
http://www.amazon.com/Musashi-Epic-Novel-Samurai-Era/dp/156836427X
If he'd rather learn about the real person I'd recommend The Lone Samurai by William Scott Wilson. Wilson is a famous translator and historian, his work is very well researched and enjoyable to read.
http://www.amazon.com/Lone-Samurai-Life-Miyamoto-Musashi/dp/1590309871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411958941&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lone+samurai
I'll end with a list of books NOT to buy. These are books are really popular but are full of misinformation, outright fabrications, or worse.
Joe Hyams - Zen in the Martial arts
Eugen Herrigel - Zen in the Art of Archery
Inazo - Nitobe - Bushido
Hope this helps! If not, you have gift ideas for next year!
This book will set you on the right path of understanding where the Shotokan style came from.
http://www.amazon.com/Karate-Do-Way-Life-Gichin-Funakoshi/dp/1568364989
I'm going to apply this week or next week (after I get my references sorted out and study up for the CFAT) and was wondering if I could have some advice.
I'm a 19 year old who hasn't done too much with his life aiming for nothing but NCM Regular Infantry and want know what my chances might be at getting in for next year's January BMQ course since I really doubt I'd make it for September this year. I figured if I hand in my application before the very end of this month I should be able to make it for January selection at least. Looking on the army.ca forums I saw that a few people who have applied earlier this year have gotten the September BMQ course for Infantry, so I'm thinking my application should have enough time if things goes well on their end. I've lived in Canada all my life and my parents have resided here for a long time, so I think I should have no problems. The references I'm going to use are my supervisor from work, a supervisor from my old job as a writer for articles on the Internet, a senior from my old job (both old job references are from America, but I read that references from different countries are okay), and a best friend/tutor that has helped me in highschool with graphic design work. I feel like I'll be ready for the interview since I'm always reading about military stuff everyday.
I'm currently following the workout guides from The Complete Guide To Navy SEAL Fitness to get in shape and I'm also taking Adult 1 swimming classes. I'm not too good with the water yet, but I hope to be able to swim decently at least by the time the lessons are over so I'm prepared for basic's swimming portion. As for preparing for the CFAT, I'm using Khan Academy to help me brush up on some much needed mathematical skills.
I pretty much just want to know if I'm on the right path towards preparing and getting everything done for the application and the Canadian Forces. I think about joining the military everyday and want to make sure I don't screw up anything.
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Fitness-Third-Edition/dp/1578262666
You won't be running anywhere near that in basic. But you'll get a good workout with dive motivators. If I were you depending on how much time you have till you ship out, I would recommend pickingTHIS up and going through the program. Great program and will get you in the shape you need to succeed in Coronado. Best of luck.
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Fitness-Edition-Includes/dp/1578262666
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Fitness-Edition-Includes/dp/1578262666 is the book
Navy Seals workout guide. Most of the exercises can be done without equipment or with minimal equipment (like a pull up bar or chairs). And it's very muscle intensive. Of course, you have to start eating a lot more protein, to bulk up, too.
I'm 18 and have been lifting/working out since March of 2011. I used to play soccer and then i changed to Rugby so i decided to bulk up, I worked out from March 2011 to August 2012 before seeing any effects. As soon as i saw the effects I knew it had payed off and I now go to the gym about every other day if not more. I used to be really small about 165 pounds and then since last August I now weigh about 185 pounds very muscular. I think that it worked because I stopped worrying about biceps or any particular muscle and just started working out. THe program I followed over the summer to get me into shape (before August when I saw the results) was thisThe Ultimate guide to Navy seal Fitness
It really helped me (because of that book I can now do upwards of 30 pullups and consider that a warm up. Once I got my confidence I started doing weights getting ready for Rugby season and can squat over 300 and just benched 245 yesterday. and If you want I can tell you my baseline workouts for that.
Edit: I use only whey protein and don't really pay attention to my diet too much (but I am 18)
>My lifts are with a 40 pound bar, started only able to do 6 reps, now I can do 20. The lifts are from [This Men's Health Book[(http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Hard-Body-Plan/dp/1579542298). Also do 1 hour of cardio each day, and usually a 30 minute walk in the evening.
Your "lifts"? ALL of them are just the 40 lb bar? (I'm not checking out the book)
so you do "weight lifting", 3x a week and somehow you are "maxing out" doing only 40 lb lifts 3 times a week? I guess you did count walking as exercise so that all that logic kind of fits together.
>So it looks like I've been maxing out for 7 months... sounds like I'm doing the weight training right, then. And I'm probably about to slow down.
But you are not doing what a bodybuilder does, and wont get where you've convinced yourself you can by doing a fraction of what hard working bodybuilders do. Hopefully you just failed to mention how much weight you're putting on the bars, 40 lbs is a huge joke, especially if you've been doing the same weight for 7 months, that isn't the same as someone being stuck at 300 on bench.
Well, I guess since you bought a book you know better than anyone!
Yup. :) Talk to the people at the front desk. Most gyms will even have a "free introductory session" to set you up for one of those programs. It can be a little expensive though. Alternatively, there's a ton of listings on craigslist.
When I first started going to the gym, I found it really useful to get a book. That's just the one I used, there are plenty of others, but it helped me.
http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Hard-Body-Plan/dp/1579542298
This book helped me out sooo much when I started lifting seriously 15 years ago. I got an extra copy somewhere in the house if you're interested. Pm me.
Let's see...for Tu/Th/Sat you're saying kettlebells and Tabata? (intervals of 20sec/10 secs?) If it's a real Tabata workout where you're doing all out for each 20 secs, you should only do that once a week. Kettlebell training counts as weight training. To fully comment, I'd want to know your whole routine, but I'd maybe do one day for KB as a full body workout (I'd say NOT your tabata day) add in your strength sessions from there. Does that make sense? I love this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Maximum/dp/158333338X for great tips on what exercises you should use. I recently rented the eBook version from my library :) Let me know if you have any other questions. It's hard to do a complete program without doing a consult and all, but I'm happy to give you some quick tips to get you off on the right foot :)
PHAT was the most intense program I've ever done. Loads of volume, x5 a week training, it was just intense and the results were proper. I started ripping shirts, jeans, boxers... it was an unstoppable shredding mania. I didn't increase my lifts that much, but it was marvelous for bodybuilding.
I was a regular at Layne Norton's simply shredded forum and the talk about x2 per week mix of strength and hypertrophy made lots of sense.
Don't do it if you are a newb (read the "The New Rules of Lifting: 6 basic rules for Maximum Muscle" first.)
It's a very dedicated program, so tell yourself you're going to do it for a certain amount of time and go through with it.
Respect the meso cycles.
Eat and sleep well, the gains will be unreal.
Cons: The time it takes, the volume of exercising, and the lack of gains towards your plateau.
Pros: It's super dynamic, you go through everything. You see results really quick aesthetically and in terms of strength -- I was doing 40kg weighted dips weighing 90kg (6'2). You can alternate accessories all you want so it adds any component you want.
I did PHD531, thinking of it... I'm not sure if the meso cycles are mentioned in PHAT. 531 talks about the progression to the strength part of your workout:
Week 1: 5
Week 2: 3
Week 3: 1
Week 4: Deload
And the concept comes from Wendler's 531 strength routine (which is also great).
Ate around 3000 cal/day, 30% Fat, 30% Protein, 40%, Carbs.
Really respected micronutrient intake, water intake, and sleep.
Also didn't drink alcohol for a whopping 6 months.
Sleeping was key. You could really tell when it was lacking during a workout... shit, you could tell if you had sex too recent to the workout too now that I remember.
Overall, PHAT (or PHD531) was by far the best time I ever had at the gym.
Recommend getting a book New Rules On Lifting and Mens Health Big Book Of Exercises.
NROL has a pretty solid program made by Alwyn Cosgrove. The big book is a good reference for movements.
The best book about how to lift in my opinion.
The New Rules
You may be able to borrow it from the library.
Starting lifting:
> The biggest secret? Almost everything you need to know fits into two or three sentences, and a few pages for the implementation. I'll have most of it down before this article is over.
> http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2498453&R=2498453
> http://www.amazon.ca//dp/158333338X
A lot of people suggest running: not (entirely) necessary. Long-term lifting is better, but if you add a 30-60 minute walk almost daily, that's most of moving that you'll need. Add bicycling to work and you're done. Start lifting first, and add running later if you wish. I got better results in 3 months of lifting than 3 months of running (getting to 5K).
For lifting, you may need a trainer for the first little while to make sure your form is okay and get into good habits, but after 2-3 months you can stop using them (or only 1-2 times per month for touch-ups/spot checks). Stronglifts (5x5) or NROL is all you need.
For this:
> I'm not destitute, but I had major job issues that really fucked up my finances for the medium-term.
See /r/PersonalFinanceCanada/
People have already said it, but to lose that kind of weight you are going to have to overhaul your diet more than anything.
That said, I would suggest picking up a weightlifting routine. If you are completely new to it I would suggest picking up The New Rules of Lifting for Women! My roommate and I started with this book, and its a really great place to start! The reason why weightlifting might be the way to go, is that the more muscle you have, the more your body burns at rest. So essentially you are able to raise your metabolism. Plus it makes you feel like a badass.
I used to be on the anti Crossfit train, however I went with my cousin once, and I was sold. I am not obsessed with it, but I do really like the motivation of having an organized challenging workout. I get really lazy when I work out by myself, so its been great for me. However, I would suggest learning proper form, and getting a years worth of lifting experience before trying it out. People get injured because they have poor form, and push themselves too hard.
Fiancè and I joke about Crossfit though and call it Fight Club, because I'm not allowed to talk about it!
Hey, first off, good on you for wanting to help!
I recently started lifting. One thing I found reassuring was having a program to follow. I'm doing Stronglifts 5x5 and here's a more female friendly summary without all the bro-grunting. And here is the /r/xxfitness FAQ on alternative lifts to ease into whatever she ends up doing. Goblet squats and dumbbell benching are less intimidating than that biiiiiiiiiig metal bar!
If she likes reading Starting Strength is an amazing book that explains precisely how to lift. Another good one is New Rules of Lifting for Women.
Knowledge can make people feel powerful. Even if it's just going to the gym and her watching while you explain what you're doing, or youtube videos on form, it may help.
Also as someone else suggested, she may feel uncomfortable doing new things in front of strangers. Practice lifts at home with a broom handle to get the hang of it first, I did. =)
Good luck to both of you!
For girls: you won't get huge. Follow this: http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398 or any other program and you'll start looking like someone in /r/hardbodies, not /r/fbb.
edit not that there is anything wrong with looking like someone in /r/fbb. Plenty of people find that extremely attractive, and regardless of whether anyone does or not, they choose to look like that and I admire the dedication. Girls assume they'll look like an FBB if they pick up a dumbbell, and it's not the case!
Recommendations for strength training programs?
I am doing a 5k Warrior Challenge on September 1st and I really need to do something about my noodle arms. I was going to do the program outlined in The New Rules of Lifting For Women, but the author seems pretty adamant that one should not train for a marathon while doing the program. I want to just go for it but I don't want to negatively impact my running performance because of it.
Running-wise I am slowly increasing my mileage and hoping to complete my first half marathon sometime in the fall. I do some light speed training once a week, a hilly run once a week, three easyish runs and a long run (9 miles this week) for a total of about 18 mpw.
If you really really want something geared towards women instead of Women's Health magazine, get this:
http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324343087&sr=8-1
Is not terrible except for most of the diet advice. It has squats and deadlifts and HIIT and other stuff. It was too scattered for me and SS is much more focused and I'm making way better strength gains with that. But if one is at the level where just getting up and walking can be considered exercise, that's sad, but I suppose you have to start somewhere
This book may be of some interest. I know many people that for years been on the elliptical machines without making progress. What's it said? Keep doing what you've always done and you'll keep getting what you've always got?
I read Gary Taubes' book where he claims that endless aerobic exercise is just about useless for fat loss since it actually stimulates hunger.
Check out this link. I think it's all the encouragement you'll need.
A weight-lifting book I've heard good things about. This one is specifically for women, but they also have a general one, and one for abs.
Biggest Loser Cookbook
A pedometer (and maybe a strap for it, since that one seems to be on sale too?)
A food scale! I love mine.
If you're interested in understanding why your body asks for energy after working out, you could do worse than checking out The New Rules of Lifting. (Don't be put off by the stupid subtitle, or the "for women" part.) You probably don't want to starve yourself after exercise. Your body will shut down and try to conserve energy--guess how?
Here’s two great programs you could check out. They are both books but you could probably buy used or get at library.
New Rules of Lifting for Women
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333398/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_HqX1Bb5M5JZVQ
Strong Curves
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936608642/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_fpX1BbGS3YMP3
I am a huge fan of free weights to machines. Gimmicky lady-gyms (if I'm thinking of the right one) suck and give women the COMPLETELY wrong idea about weight lifting.
GO TO THE OTHER GYM. Let your trainer teach you what's what and don't worry about the bodybuilders. Literally, they don't care you're new and aren't ripped. I've never met a serious bodybuilder who doesn't LOVE talking the ear off someone just starting out. They are probably the most supportive people in that gym, I promise.
I try not to bother other people when I'm at the gym because I think it probably comes across as condescending. But if I could hug and high five every woman that came in and ignored the treadmill and went to the dumbbells, I absolutely would. (I do high five strangers at the gym, I'm not going to lie).
Weightlifting cures what ails you. I'm only doing keto because I really think it'll help me improve in the gym, too.
This is a FANTASTIC book if you really want to get into lifting:
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Rules-Lifting-Women/dp/1583333398
That's actually a pretty low intake for a lot of physical activity. When I was lifting heavy regularly 3x a week I was getting 1900 calories on rest days and 2200 on workout days, and I'm only about an inch taller and 7lbs heavier. It does sound like you'd enjoy the aesthetic of more muscle (from what you said about your body composition changing), so I'd look into doing New Rules of Lifting for Women or a similar program.
I'm pretty familiar with fitness, and I agree with what you said. p90x worked for me initially because I like when I don't have to think about what I'm going to do when I workout. I don't think I'm "beast" but it is pretty cool that I can do pullups now. I managed to find a lifting buddy at my gym who is actually beast and she agreed to teach me how to lift properly, so I imagine we will work on a SS-type workout.
I saw on xxfitness the book the new rules of lifting for women, are you familiar with it? I was thinking about buying to to get more informed. I'm not interested in bulking, I feel I put on muscle easily enough without pushing it, my main interest is in just getting as strong as I can.
many, many people don't use enough weight. that last rep is supposed to be hard. don't force it with bad form, but don't dog it with Mattel weights either.
https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398
We are more than glad to help you, 'for free' to the extent that our knowledge allows us, but there is so much you can learn 'for free.'
You could ask the book for Christmas. And maybe this one too.
The New Rules of Lifting for Women
Excellent. I'll pick it up some time soon. Is this book suitable for women too? Or should I get something specifically written for women like this book? - for my girlfriend, I'm male.
If you are indeed a Miss, I recommend checking out The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I got it from the library and spent a few days flipping through it, learning what different types of weights and techniques were called, and within a week or two I could walk into the weight room of my gym with total confidence. It's a really helpful book.
Also, all of our butts are sweaty. No worries.
This book has been great for me
I was ready, but really needed a little bit of guidance, what you're saying sounds familiar. It's absolutely worth the $15 bucks with 2 day shipping. Took me 2 days to read it, easy to get through and funny.
Now I can walk into a gym and have a plan.
Looks like you've already gotten some good advice, but I have a little more to add on a few of your items.
Sugar Scrub recipes? / How to remove dry skin? / How to eliminate the Red Bump Syndrome after shaving? Just get a Salux cloth and exfoliate with that (plus a little body wash) in the shower. It is MAGIC for exfoliation! I used to get the red bumps pretty bad but now I just exfoliate before shaving and I have no problems. Also, replace the blades in your razor when they start to get dull.
Ways to cure acne? This varies from person to person, but /r/SkincareAddiction is AMAZING. I wash with Cerave foaming cleanser, use their PM moisturizer (plus sunscreen during the day), make sure to wash my face AFTER brushing my teeth, and avoid touching my face much. This prevents a lot of zits for me. The ones I do get are poked with a clean lancet after washing my face and then covered with a hydrocolloid bandage.
How to whiten my smile? / bleach my hair? I saw you mention you have issues with pool chlorine--as a chemist, I feel I should inform you that commercial teeth whitening strips contain carbamate peroxide as the whitening agent and not chlorine bleach (NaClO). Similarly, bleach meant for hair is also peroxide-based. Big difference! Might want to see if they work for you, since they don't contain the chemical that was causing you problems.
Nail Care Tips THESE VITAMINS ARE MAGIC. My nails get pretty long without breaking now, and I'm really rough on my hands. They taste like candy, too. Should also be good for hair and skin!
Exercise routines...? Go learn how to lift heavy things properly. Seriously. New Rules of Lifting for Women is not a bad starting point for a total beginner. Heavy lifting has given me loads of confidence, kickass thighs, an awesome butt, and even visible abs at one point. Lifting will build muscle, which provides a nice frame even if you have extra bodyfat...how much bodyfat you carry also depends on your diet, which /r/xxfitness can help you figure out. Once you figure out what works for you, sustainably, diet and activity-wise, you actually have a great deal of control over how your body looks. (It turns out I like chocolate more than I like seeing my abs most of the time, but if I miss them and I want them visible for a while, I now know that about 1800-2000 cal/day with a high training volume will do that.) Endless cardio is not necessary if you are like me and you hate running...I only do naked cardio :D Do find an activity you love and will stick with, and make sure you get enough sleep. Don't cut calories to 1200/day and run yourself to death, it will screw up your metabolism for years and make it way harder to lean out.
Good ways to stop Cramps, or at least help make them lighter and less painful. If they're debilitating, see your gynecologist--a medical condition could be the problem. As an endometriosis sufferer, I'm on a Pill that's designed to give only four periods a year, but I take it continuously, so I don't have periods at all. That's not for everyone, but it does help a lot to start taking ibuprofen a week before your period and continue taking it (at the recommended interval, something like every 6 hours I think) until the cramping stops. Also, invest in a good heating pad. They work very, very well.
Been planning to read these books, just haven't gotten round to it. They look really promising though!
The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance - David Epstein
Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise - Alex Hutchinson
Not fitness related, but books that changed my outlook on life are Man's Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl) and Down and Out... (George Orwell).
I just read The Sports Gene, which summarizes the research (and gives a lot of interesting anecdotal stories in support) about genetic factors contributing to 3 different areas:
He mentions that the ultra-elite in any sport tend to have all three. There are specific examples of each (limb length, muscle size, above-average vision, etc.), which tend to contribute to both #1 and #2.
Non-genetic factors are discussed as well, such as how much culture plays into whether an individual decides to pick up a sport in the first place (and which sports the individual is likely to choose), and the resources/support and incentives at the individual's disposal. These also contribute heavily to how much #3 actually matters.
But what does that mean for the casual athlete? I'd say not much. We're not trying to break world records here. Perhaps 75% of men have the genetic potential to break the 1000 lb. club, but perhaps only 5% of men can actually do it. I think I'm in that 75% who can achieve it, genetically, but I'm most certainly not (yet) in the elite group that can do it now. Think about what that means if my admittedly made-up numbers are correct — people in the bottom half, with the worse-than-average genes, can actually find themselves in the elite, top 5%. But while I just made those numbers up on the spot, I actually believe they're in the correct ballpark, because the vast majority of people underutilize their strength potential, by a wide margin.
So if anyone needs me, I'll be in the gym.
I lean more towards the exercise science/journalism type reads in regard to health and fitness. Born to run was really good IMO. I also really enjoyed..
When I use Creatine, I just fill up a gallon jug with water, a cup of sugar, and a heaping spoonful of creatine monohydrate. Sip it throughout the day. You need lots of water for training, and in order for the creatine to be absorbed into your body. I got this recipe from Ellington Dardens book http://www.amazon.com/The-High-Intensity-Training-Muscle-Building/dp/1594860009
Try it out for a couple of weeks, if you don't notice results feel free to tell me to go fuck myself haha good luck
Well with lighter weights you'd get more reps in (obviously) so failure would be at a higher number (maybe 20? I don't know). The goal is to increase the intensity of the workout by using heavier weights in each set with perfect form (or as close as you can get since you probably won't know if your form is perfect if you don't have someone to workout with) so that you hit that failure somewhere at 8-12 reps (I prefer 10).
While it might seem to make more sense to use lighter weights for a longer workout, it won't give you the same results. Quicker, more intense full body workouts, that change (my workouts consist of 10-12 different routines and last around 35 minutes total with the only resting time being however long it takes me to unload and load weights) and have longer recovery in between as opposed to doing the same thing for an hour or more everyday (with legs and upper alternating) will keep your muscles from "adapting" or "getting used to" the workout you're doing and with a more intense workout, you'll get quicker results.
Here's a link to the book I used: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1594860009 (Sorry for the long link, or if the link doesn't work. I'm on Alien Blue and I'm not sure how to work it completely yet)
This is all strictly either opinion, or what I read in the book. I'm not an expert, I'm just someone who found a workout he loved and that gave quick results. Hell, I didn't even follow the book all the way. I skipped the getting lean step since I'm already on the lighter side (5' 6", 130 lbs when I started, 137 lbs now), and I didn't realize the book had a sort of "schedule" to follow for what routines to do in each 2 week set, and just did the sample one in the back of the book. I'm sure if you actually followed the routine correctly you'd get more results than what I did.
John Berardi's book Scrawny to Brawny would be a great book. He & his team coach hundreds of people with this program. The site has a lot of additional/supplemental info.
My suggestion for you are these two books: Scrawny to Brawny and Starting Strength Both books will help you gain strength you never knew you had....
go to the library and get the book Scrawny to Brawny. This book is a great guide to bulking up. I read it, followed the eating and exercise guidelines and put on 25 lbs of mostly muscle in the first couple of months. It really comes down to eating a ton (which it seems you have already figured out), I used to feel sick eating as much as the book said, but I eventually got used to it.
One trick, try to eat as much for breakfast as you can. I used to eat two moderate sized meals before leaving the house each morning. It is much easier to get the calories you need when you start your day ahead of the game......good luck it is hard but well worth the effort.
Its based off of when i read so much. Take a look at the book, Scrawny to Brawny. They outline exactly why you need that much. I used that book many years ago and had fantastic results. The meals are quite plain, but i'm sure if youre creative you can find ways to make the food more interesting
https://www.amazon.com/Scrawny-Brawny-Complete-Building-Natural/dp/1594860882
scrawny to brawny
http://www.amazon.com/Scrawny-Brawny-Complete-Building-Natural/dp/1594860882/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405869024&sr=8-1&keywords=scrawny+to+brawny
Has programs, meals etc.. and is pretty complete. It's something like starting strength but has different exercise plans but the basics are the same. Heavy low rep compound exercises like squats, dead lifts and other power lifting moves and eating.
http://www.amazon.com/Scrawny-Brawny-Complete-Building-Natural/dp/1594860882
Nuff said. tells you everything you need to know. Follow it as closely as possible and you should see some pretty amazing results.
I was 6'3" 180 when I started and got up to 215 in three months just from working out and eating well…unfortunately then I hurt my shoulder and recently tore my meniscus so I haven't been able to get back into it for a bit but yeah - that program was amazing for me personally. My deadlift alone went from like…165 starting to 325.
I enjoy action meditation to silent. this is a good starter
http://www.amazon.com/The-Shaolin-Workout-Transforming-Warriors/dp/1594864004/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345835126&sr=8-1&keywords=28+shaolin
Start here, best I can offer.
It's not yoga, it's a Shaolin workout with stretches:
http://www.amazon.com/Shaolin-Workout-Days-Transforming-Warriors/dp/1594864004/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260497684&sr=8-7
I picked up this recently, some interesting ideas, and I'm sold on adding a gym day to improve my endurance for long distance events. Anyone else see this? Here's a shorter article with the core of the workout.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bicycling-Maximum-Overload-Cyclists-Magazine/dp/1623367743
I started out with the plan detailed in Bigger Leaner Stronger by Mike Matthews. He will lay out everything you need to know about diet and exercise as a beginner. In my opinion, this program is better than stronglifts.
buy the book
or you can usually find it with a pdf search.
This book helped me gain 20lbs of muscle in my first half year.
Good Luck!
Cool thanks for this. I lift heavy and do track my calories/weights however. I do 3-4 workouts per muscle group a day, 3 sets and 6 reps per set. I lift usually 85-90% of my 1RM. Once I can do 6 reps, I add 10 more pounds to the next set. It's an ass kicking routine, but it's backed up by research regarding hypertrophy. This is the book I'm using to keep track of my sets and reps and this is the book that I'm reading alongside it.
I'm just a naturally slim guy and I haven't gained a single cm on my arms after 2-3 weeks of training despite eating 145g of protein a day and averaging ~3,000 cals a day. It makes me wonder if something is wrong with my metabolism.
Bigger, Stronger, Leaner has a good chunk of information about diet and nutrition before it goes into strength training. Overall a great read if you want to have a goal of being healthy and looking good.
Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body https://www.amazon.com/dp/1938895274/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_OGcHwbWPS7024
You should read this book, it is really really good when it comes to working out. I read this book will taking a nutritional science class and this book was spot on with what my professor was saying
https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1938895304/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=QAHVEV20HNYQ&keywords=bigger+faster+stronger&qid=1563381126&s=gateway&sprefix=faster+stronger%2Caps%2C306&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
This or This is a great book that covers all the basics very well. I would suggest giving it a read.
Also, ask one of the trainers at your gym for form advice if you ever feel like you need help on something specific.
Strength training anatomy for learning how exercises strengthen certain parts, Bigger, Leaner, Stronger for basics on training for aesthetics and strength, and Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle for good diet advice.
I highly recommend you read Bigger Leaner Stronger, and get your T levels tested. Maximize T with proper diet/sleep/exercise/supplements.
 
 
To summarize, you get big from tearing your muscles with short/heavy sets of explosive lifts. Protein + rest will repair the tears and make you bigger. Strength comes naturally, but size requires constant repair. This is why you can be small and strong, typically these guys are concentrating on long exhaustion sets and haven't optimized their macros.
Have you ever read Bigger Leaner Stronger? I have started reading its women's version because many people online review this book's approach to be orthodox.
This book helped me get a good idea of what I was doing with my diet. He doesn't advocate any fad diets or tell you to buy a ton of supplements. He gives you a plan to calculate your macros for protein, carbs, and fat. From there you get your final calories. Just stay within those each day and meet your macros and you'll do well. He backs up a lot of his claims with actual studies so it's not anecdotal advice.
Have you ever tried distance running, like a 5k? I like those kinds of races - when you start out, you are humbled and have to accept that you are probably not going to get to be fast enough to win, or even be in the first 10 or 25. Once you accept that, the next step is to get your own baseline, which can also be humbling - oh man it took me an hour to run 3 miles, that sucks. Then you say, I KNOW I can do better, you keep moving, and then you are at the stage where your only competition is YOU - you want to beat the personal record, you want to shave a couple minutes off. You forget everything else, it's just about beating your own mental and physical limitations. There's actually a great book I was reading when I first started out Brain Training For Runners it actually breaks down the science of mental limitations and teaches you how to overcome them, I really do recommend it even for non-runners.
There's a book on this nature vs. nurture debate when it comes to athletic performance: The Sports Gene.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AEDDQKE
Here's an interview with the author:
https://www.npr.org/2013/08/05/209160709/talent-or-skill-honing-in-on-the-elusive-sports-gene
Relevant excerpt from the interview:
"...what genetics is teaching us is the more important kind of talent is actually your biological setup to respond well to training, your ability to get more benefit from your one hour of training than your training partner's one hour of training, and that is emerging as the real talent."
If only someone would write a book! One that gives you just a few basic lifts to work on! :D
(really just a gentle ribbing, yes, you may have to resort to a real paper book, instead of a handful of articles.)
I own a copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women, which has a large chapter just on nutrition, recipes and meal plans. However, I have yet to find an entire cookbook dedicated to it.
simply calling it out bas broscience doesn't make it broscience.
lots of science to back up OPs comment.
Check out New Rules of Lifting for Women. Read the reviews, see if you can dispute the science. I think you'll have a tough time.
And I just saw elsewhere you are joinging a gym - they usually include a free personal trainer session where you could ask for some pointers on weight lifting if you are new to it. There are also plenty of books The New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women and probably a lot of youtube videos as well.
He wrote an excellent book called "Leaner, Bigger, Stronger." You can find it in most book stores, but here it is on amazon.http://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate/dp/1938895274/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1458673622&sr=8-3&keywords=michael+Matthews
It's also available in ebook stores.
I have this 10 pound flat tire around my belly, so I've got 30,000 calories right there. Seems massive enough to me.
My lifts are with a 40 pound bar, started only able to do 6 reps, now I can do 20. The lifts are from [This Men's Health Book[(http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Hard-Body-Plan/dp/1579542298). Also do 1 hour of cardio each day, and usually a 30 minute walk in the evening.
Also just saw a personal trainer last week and he gave me some new things to work on.
I don't have any pics, but trying to get to being able to see my abs -- even when I was 4 I had a beer belly (horrible family beach pics). I tried dropping meat, dairy, and processed foods to get rid of my acid reflux a year ago and my weight started dropping (and now I can have a serving of alcohol and not need a 2 Tums chaser, woot!). So now I can eat salads and stick to exercise, so hopefully somewhere in the next 6 months I'll get to see my abs at long last.
I had this problem when I first started lifting too. My advice would be to read up on some different exercises just to get an idea of what you can do at the gym. bodybuilding.com has a good list of exercises, and I've also used some books such as Men's Health Hard Body Plan.
After becoming familiar with some exercises, it becomes a lot easier to design a workout plan that suits your needs.
If you don't want to design your own plan, some of the routines others have suggested here are good for beginners too.