lift for strength. i break mine up like this... mon thurs = legs tues fri = chest, shoulders, tris (push) wed sat = back, bis, neck (pull) cardio at least a half hr in the AM and then about three times a week at least another half hr in PM best advice i'd give to you is watch other people in the gym and try out the equip for yourself. most are set up in rows that are close to other equip that works the same muscle goups. after you get "used" to a certain machine switch. BEST way is to have a workout buddy but sounds like you're rollin solo. not to fear, especially with machines you'll be fine. the most inshape people i know are the ones most creative with thier workouts. no offense Hook i just dont like the crossfit stuff. diff strokes for diff folks one last thing buckeye. NEVER leave the gym unless your t shirt is wet! PM me if you want to talk more, good luck and congratz! best investment you'll ever make!
Good on you, Scott. Keep in mind you are going to get 87159157157915 different opinions, most claiming their opinion is best. Hopefully you find one that works for you.
My husband is noticeably older than you are. He works out three days a week. He says if you lifted in high school, the same rules still apply. The same routines work the same muscles. Heavy weights and low reps to bulk up, lighter weights and higher reps for definition. Three sets of each exercise will get you there. I work out three days a week at the same gym. I do lots of reps because I just want to keep my legs, tummy, tail, etc., firm. Being a girl, I don't want to bulk up, nor do I want definition. I just want to be trim and firm. Set a schedule and stick to it. Don't skip days. Go even if you only do a quick one set of your workout. It has to be a habit.
Buckeye, I am going to go off the beaten path here and suggest something. Make 0 "goals". Walk into the gym for the next few months and workout in a manner that is fun. Don't worry about anything else besides just walking in and picking some exercises to do for the day. If you feel like doing legs two days in a row, go for it. If you feel like running one day, lifting the next, taking off 3 days in a row, then doing a complete body workout.....JUST DO IT. Your body will ease into this whole process and your mind will feel free which makes exercising fun. At your age and with everything going on in your life with your family, just get in the gym and have fun. After you set up a decent base in a few months, then reassess (if needed).
Scott, I'm in the same situation as you. Sure I'm not as "old", haha!, but still. I'm 23 now, used to lift every day in highschool for basketball, and haven't been to the gym since the day my senior year ended. I always did alot of low weight/high rep kind of stuff. And like you, I'm 6' and 165. I'm in good shape, and I do get alot of exercise. I work 13-14 hour days, and walk almost the entire time, but I'm not where I was. To be honest, I've lost the muscle mass (Don't even know if you could call it mass, maybe more like definition or tone.) that I once had, and I can tell in my day-to-day life that I'm not near as strong as I was 5 years ago. That's what eats at me. I don't want to lose weight, I want to gain if anything. Although not alot, just enough to fill back out and get my strength back. For you guys, my question is this: My work doesn't allow for alot of "gym time". I work 3 on 3 off. -My 3 on I wake up at 530am and leave home at 615am. I usually get home around 930-945pm. I dont think I could try to find the time in there to lift any. But my 3 off, I could lift every day. Do you guys think I would see plenty of gains working out on my 3 off, or would it be a waste of money? I was thinking I could go to the gym on my 3 off and then do a quick dumb bell set once I get home on my work days or something. Any input? Not trying to hijack Scott, but was thinking, maybe we could go at this together, kind of keep each other in check if you know what I mean.
