male only Advice needed from weight lifters

[scarecrow 4]

lovin the shotgun so far B-Man, not bad at all

[mrboswell 0]

379(34.5% bf)/245(17.5% bf)/240(15% bf)

Hey Ceredad,

How do you measure your body fat? I bought a body fat scale but it says I'm at 46.2%. I weigh 316 as of this morning. If your percentages are correct (379/34.5%) mine can't be. I tend to think yours might be low just due to some charts I found on line, which put you at almost athlete status at 240, but then again you may have converted all that fat to muscle! I don't know how accurate these body fat scales are, I guess that's what I'm trying to determine.

Thanks,

[plain 12]

379(34.5% bf)/245(17.5% bf)/240(15% bf)

Hey Ceredad,

How do you measure your body fat? I bought a body fat scale but it says I'm at 46.2%. I weigh 316 as of this morning. If your percentages are correct (379/34.5%) mine can't be. I tend to think yours might be low just due to some charts I found on line, which put you at almost athlete status at 240, but then again you may have converted all that fat to muscle! I don't know how accurate these body fat scales are, I guess that's what I'm trying to determine.

Thanks,

Hey Boswell, if the scale you have measures bodyfat according to the electrical conductivity theory, then it's probably not super accurate. At it's best, readings can fluctuate wildly based on how hydrated you are.

You'd probably be better off getting somebody (who knows what they're doing) to measure you with the "pincer" things. The gold standard is the Water tank. I would love to get a water submersion reading to see what my fat% is.

[mrboswell 0]

Ya Plain,

Your right. I found this article.

Body fat scales use a technique called Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis... or BIA for short. Very simply...

A small and completely harmless electrical current is passed through your body. The electrical current passes more quickly through fat free tissue like muscle than it does through fat or bone tissue. So...

The amount of resistance to the electrical current relates to how much fat-free mass a person has and their body density. Here's the first challenge...

Like all body fat tests, body fat scales don't actually measure your body fat percentage. They determine your body density. The examiner (or the scales) then uses a formula to calculate body fat percentage based on body density. Here's the key...

These formulas just predict your body fat. Unfortunately there is no one formula that accurately predicts body fat for the whole population. Differences in age, gender, ethnicity, body size, and fitness level all have a significant affect on the results.

Most scales can account for some of the basic differences such as age and gender, but take the actual body fat percentage they give you with a pinch of salt. What does this all mean for you?

Well, whether body fat scales measure your "true" body fat percentage or not doesn't matter! As long as they can accurately monitor changes in your body composition over time, that's all you need.

Your body position, the amount of Water in your body, your food intake, skin temperature and recent physical activity can all adversely affect the results of body fat scales. So...

To achieve accurate, consistent results, you must standardise the way you perform each test. That simply means making each test with your scales as similar as possible.

[Ceradad 10]

Sorry mrboswell, off last week. Hope your first week went well. Like mike said, listen to your body and let it get accustomed to working out again.

[mrboswell 0]

Thanks Ceredad,

The first week went great! I got really sore but I love that. If i remember correctly it doesn't take long before you can't get really sore anymore and you kind of miss it! So I'll enjoy it while I can!!

[Ceradad 10]

Thanks Ceredad,

The first week went great! I got really sore but I love that. If i remember correctly it doesn't take long before you can't get really sore anymore and you kind of miss it! So I'll enjoy it while I can!!

True mrboswell. And remember, when you start to rationalize not going in to work out (and we all know we hit that point) make sure to push through it. I've decided to give myself 1 week off after every 6 wk cycle. Makes it alot easier to keep at it.

[plain 12]

Thanks Ceredad,

The first week went great! I got really sore but I love that. If i remember correctly it doesn't take long before you can't get really sore anymore and you kind of miss it! So I'll enjoy it while I can!!

Oh man, I love that burn. That's how I know the exercises are working.

[plain 12]

Ok, I went in for a fill today and had a long conversation with my doc. He basically said that he's changed his mind on supplemental Protein (Before, he kinda waffled.....he was more "Unless you're in a competitive power lifting workout, you can probably get what you need through careful menu planning". Now he's estimating that I need between 80 - 100 grams protein / day (we did the electrical bodyfat thingy again), which is about a 30 - 40 gram / day increase. There's no way that I can get that much protein without supplementation, and he acknowledged that. So I thought about Ceradad's protein struggle / journey.....Maybe Ceradad has a future as a consultant, LOL.

[xtightend 0]

I have been doing cardio all week at the gym. One more week and I can start weights again the doc says. Cardio gets boring when you can't find your ipod :wink:

[Ceradad 10]

Ok, I went in for a fill today and had a long conversation with my doc. He basically said that he's changed his mind on supplemental Protein (Before, he kinda waffled.....he was more "Unless you're in a competitive power lifting workout, you can probably get what you need through careful menu planning". Now he's estimating that I need between 80 - 100 grams Protein / day (we did the electrical bodyfat thingy again), which is about a 30 - 40 gram / day increase. There's no way that I can get that much protein without supplementation, and he acknowledged that. So I thought about Ceradad's protein struggle / journey.....Maybe Ceradad has a future as a consultant, LOL.

No need for thanks, I'll just take a cash payment.:wink2:

I have been doing cardio all week at the gym. One more week and I can start weights again the doc says. Cardio gets boring when you can't find your ipod :sleep:

Yes, it does. I have to have something to distract me. Otherwise, I just concentrate on how much longer I have to go.:crying:

[hordak1223 0]

Ceradad,

Hey man, can you list some of your excercises? I'm trying to build an exercise plan. I went to FREE Exercise Programs - Workout Routines & Weight Loss Diet Plans, but I like how you do a fitness plan for six weeks take of a week then switch up the program with a new circuit.

That's COOL!

[Ceradad 10]

379(34.5% bf)/245(17.5% bf)/240(15% bf)

Hey Ceredad,

How do you measure your body fat? I bought a body fat scale but it says I'm at 46.2%. I weigh 316 as of this morning. If your percentages are correct (379/34.5%) mine can't be. I tend to think yours might be low just due to some charts I found on line, which put you at almost athlete status at 240, but then again you may have converted all that fat to muscle! I don't know how accurate these body fat scales are, I guess that's what I'm trying to determine.

Thanks,

This one got lost in the shuffle, sorry again. One of the personal trainers at Golds has done it for me. They used electronic calipers for each of them.

As for the level, according to the charts I've seen, I'm just inside the "normal" range (15-18%). I'll take that.

Ceradad,

Hey man, can you list some of your excercises? I'm trying to build an exercise plan. I went to FREE Exercise Programs - Workout Routines & Weight Loss Diet Plans, but I like how you do a fitness plan for six weeks take of a week then switch up the program with a new circuit.

That's COOL!

Here's what I do for both upper body and legs:

Upper body:

Chest exercise-almost always bench just because I love to that exercise. I'll throw in db presses every couple of cycles.

Back exercise-Lat pulldowns or assisted chin ups. Once in awhile I'll throw in deadlifts.

Chest exercise-flyes or pec deck usually. Every now and then, either incline or decline bench.

Biceps-Whatever works for you. I mix it up btwn barbell and dumbbells for each cycle.

Triceps-I LOVE skull crushers here but throw in cable pushdowns as well.

Ab-HATE these, but have to have them.

Shoulders-Usually military press or dumbbell press. Sometimes lat raises.

Lower back-Either back extensions or roman chair.

Delts-Barbell shrugs. I use the same bar/weight as my bench.

Legs:

Quads-I switch btwn leg press, hack squats and squats each cycle.

Calf raises-Whatever your preferrence is. On leg press, I just use the same weight.

Hamstrings-Either straight leg deadlifts or leg curls.

Quads-Leg extensions

Abductor-Abductor machine.

Adductor-Adductor machine.

Obliques-Cable chops or ab swings using cables.

Lots of cardio in the a.m. and some after lifting.

[xtightend 0]

Well I am back lifting weights. I lifted as part of work outs almost continuously since HS football but then had to stop a year ago for health reasons. I am now cleared to go back to weight training and have been for one week.

Two observations:

1. I have lost 30 lbs and its amazing what a difference that little bit of weight makes you knees, feet, legs etc. i am now back to running on the treadmill instead of just stairmasters and eliptical for cardio.

2. It takes months and years of work to create muscle fibers but they will swell up very quickly after resuming work outs....(hence "getting pumped"). I have found over the years that I gain weight when this happens because the muscles retain Water. Do not be discouraged the diet is still working.

Instead of lifting heavy I know wear a heart rate montior on my chest that displays heart rate on the wristwatch. I am lifting hi rep low weights right now keeping my heart rate where i want it. I will switch it up and go heavy or go for super slow reps or supersets in a few weeks.

[Ceradad 10]

Ok, this is week 6 of my 6 week cycle which means 3 circuits of 12 reps. I had my first of two upper body workouts this morning, went GREAT. I was able to do all reps for all exercises. Only problem was on 3rd circuit of bench, I had to stop at 10, rack it for about 10 seconds and kick out the last 2. If I had had a spotter, I would have pushed it, but it was a little light this morning for others in the free weights area.

To give you all an idea of where I am at, here is my current upper body workout with the weights used:

Bench- 225 x 12 reps x 3 circuits (as mentioned, last circuit was 10 + 2)

Lat pulldowns- 150 x 12 x 3

Pec Deck- 120 x 12 x 3

DB bicep curls- 35 x 12 x 3

Skull crushers- 90 x 12 x 3

Incline DB situps- 35 x 12 x 3

DB front lat raise- 20 x 12 x 3

Roman Chair w/DB- 75 x 12 x 3

BB shrug- 225 x 12 x 3

Felt great all the way through. Thanks for reminding me of the need for extra Protein when lifting gentlemen. Sometimes I just need a kick in the head.:biggrin: