Best way to make use of the gym for 2014?
 

So the new place I moved to has a 24 hour gym. It has dumbells from 10lbs to 55lbs, Pull down machine, incline/decline bench, pullup bar, elliptical, and treadmill. I didn't see if there were any bar&plates. I'll try to get a more detailed list or photos soon

What would be a good workout organization for the week to maximize what I have available?

I was thinking m-w-f Legs day - Push day - Pull Day
and on tues-thurs do cardio/calisthenics/recover

My current weight is 184, with a 33 waist, during my fitter days I was a 29 waist weighing 170. When you are 5'4" that is not very comfortable especially around the midsection.

My diet has improved eating 3-4 times a day with no soda, minimal fried foods, a healthy large breakfast and light meals following.

I am stuck between the choices of focusing on cardio, focusing on muscle endurance through light weight/bodyweight reps, or heavy lifting to get my body used to consuming more calories.

I appreciate any and all input

You'll need to figure out what you want to do first. Cut weight, bulk up, gain muscle mass, lose fat, etc.

Well isn't cutting fat and losing weight the same?

I figure best bet is some cardio with high reps, to really change my calorie burn vs intake

No cutting and losing are different... u can cut but u don't want to lose muscle mass. I'm 138 if I lose weight I'm also losing muscle.. my body fat% is under 10 though.

I think u want to drop body fat%.

Cardio Is a great way to start. Rember u eat like shit u look like shit. So start with ur diet seriosuly.

Good luck man.

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Yea definitely want to drop the %
I'm so excited to be back in a routine. I have good muscle memory I think

No.. That is not true... At all.. Just because you lose "weight" doesn't mean you MUST be losing muscle.

Joe, being you aren't a bum, why not just pay a lil dough and join a real gym? You are severely limieted with only DB's, and machines.

The push/pull/legs day isn't a bad plan in the meantime.

Golds gym $16 a month and you can bring your woman for free Everytime and its 24hrs

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Yea that sounds good, but for now I like walking across the parking lot without having to drive or pay, plus I dislike crowded gyms.

That is pretty much what I expected it to look like. I mean you certainly can go in there and dick around, but you are severely handicapped.

I hear you on the crowded place thing. I am about as anti-social as they come. That is why I go to a gym where there are rarely more than 2-3 people there while I am there. It just so happens to be bad ass as well..lol I drive 25-30 miles, each way, 4 x a week, to get there, and feel it is worth it.

So in between the push day, pull day, and leg day, I can do cardio and still burn calories?

There's less then 15 people at my gym when I go, and its pretty damn big but I go at around midnightish. But to each there own, if you are trying to slim down and lean out and all that then your little gym should be just fine with the proper diet

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That's what I was thinking Jon, until I actually needed more equipment.

Meh looks alright. Good for you at the moment.

Once u start seeing results u get hooked. Then u can always move up to a nice gym.



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You don't need more equipment, you need more important equipment. In fact you would be better off with 1/3 of the essentials. You don't even have the basics there.

If there was at least a barbell and squat/power rack I'd feel differently.

Yea I'm bummed there's no bar or rack, but the dumbells go to 65 or 75

Bra,.. you got all you need there. I would do different types of lifts than you always do, get good contractions- heavy enough to not do more than 12 reps. Try kettle bell type full body movements, do a little cardio every day, and after the workout have the lady give you some neck cardio ahhoooo-

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Is it ideal to do like a 15 min warmup before lifting, then cardio after lifting? Or do I have it backwards

I always do a run/jog on the treadmill first get my blood pumping. But I have no clue on which is better works better for me.

U taking any supplements?
Or just focusing on getting in shape

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Me personally, I like doing some mobility work before and after lifting. If you wanna add some cardio after, that is fine.

mobility meaning stretches and calisthenics?

I take my multi vitamins and I have been using muscle milk with fruit for breakfast, (got it stupid cheap) other than that I am staying away from supplements

I'm the same here.
I'll stretch and do some foam roller stuff before lifting, then I'll hop on the stationary bike for 15 minutes to wind down after my hour or so of lifting.

A lot of people don't realize that you'll "burn" more fat/cals doing weight/strength training than you will just doing cardio.

I lifted yesterday for 1.5 hours, I'd do varying sets changing around the equipment, taking about 60-90 second rests with lots of water consumption.

good idea?

That's about as max as I would go time-wise. I do about 60 seconds between sets, and I'm done right at about an hour.
BUT, when I first started I would take longer because I would take time setting up my next exercise, or I would not go as intense as I needed on one exercise, so I would supplement by adding in an extra exercise I might not have needed to do had I just upped my intensity/volume on the previous exercise.

As for the water, I went through about 80oz. yesterday (filled up my 20oz. bottle 4 times)...so you're fine there.

breakfast: eggs, muscle milk, fruit, yogurt

lunch: fish/ steamed veggies

snack: fruit

dinner: steak/chicken, salad, rice+ veggies

that's pretty much the eating routine now too. No soda or beer

My only suggestion is to ditch Muscle Milk and get a quality protein powder like ON, Muscle Pharm, or BSN Syntha-6.

i got a 14oz 12 pack for like 20 bucks though.

Thanks for showing me some numbers

I assumed the actual consumption of meats and stuff for dinner after a workout would be better than the powder. The muscle milk I'd combine with fruits to start me off for the days I work out and just have usual breakfast on my off days? I walk a lot at work and take 30-50 flights of stairs.

maybe I am just overthinking it all from the physiologic aspect