Question For a Personal Trainer?

[sleepyguy]

What is the most efficient basic training routine?

ie. split, full ; 2 days on 1 day off; 3 days on 1 day off; upper body, lower body rotate; cardio 2x a week, weight train 1 day a week... etc etc.

Also is canfit pro a bunch of bs or worth while?

[Triad]

If you can't afford gatorade, I'd just do dextrose + lemon + a lil salt + baking soda. Who actually has the cash to fort up for gatorade anyways...

[Rocklobster]

What is the most efficient basic training routine?

ie. split, full ; 2 days on 1 day off; 3 days on 1 day off; upper body, lower body rotate; cardio 2x a week, weight train 1 day a week... etc etc.

Also is canfit pro a bunch of bs or worth while?

It really depends on your fitness level.

I would personally do a three day split (total body workout) starting with upper body working to the lower body. Also adding 1-2 cardio days in there, or even importing cardio days within the total body workouts.

As for Canfit Pro - there are advantages and disadvantages. Some personal trainers obtain their Canfit Pro to LEGALLY train their clients. They may not have enough money to re-do their certification so they go for the cheapest certification. Other trainers just obtain thieir Canfit-Pro with no knowledge about the fitness field and randomly train clients.

If you're looking for a personal trainer, ask them for experience and education. If they only have their CanFit-Pro with minimal experience, chances are they're not worth it.

[torlou]

If they only have their CanFit-Pro with minimal experience, chances are they're not worth it.

Totally agree. The cheapest and easiest to attain certification available in Canada. It is basically an in-house certification created by/affiliated with/run by Goodlife Fitness.

I worked for them many moons ago. Back then $300 would buy you a certificate.

[angekfire]

You want a burn in your thighs? Get a copy of P90x Plyometrics. Burn guaranteed

Or the legs & back. Or hell, even the yoga.

[Converged]

What is the best way of gaining muscle mass? I'm not so much interested in strength training, but just adding visible, bulk muscle. I work out usually 3-4 times a week (Day1: Chest/Tri, Day2: Bicep/Shoulders, Day3: Legs,Back all followed by about 20 minutes of ~75-80% cardio). My reps are generally in the range of 6-10 and I usually go until failure. I take in around 2500 calories per day and try to eat fairly clean. Anything I'm doing wrong? I've seen to have hit a plateau and not seeing anymore results. I don't want to excessively take in calories as I put weight on pretty easy...I'm 200lbs and around 17-18% body fat.

[Rocklobster]

What is the best way of gaining muscle mass? I'm not so much interested in strength training, but just adding visible, bulk muscle. I work out usually 3-4 times a week (Day1: Chest/Tri, Day2: Bicep/Shoulders, Day3: Legs,Back all followed by about 20 minutes of ~75-80% cardio). My reps are generally in the range of 6-10 and I usually go until failure. I take in around 2500 calories per day and try to eat fairly clean. Anything I'm doing wrong? I've seen to have hit a plateau and not seeing anymore results. I don't want to excessively take in calories as I put weight on pretty easy...I'm 200lbs and around 17-18% body fat.

Everything seems to be into place!

If you're main goal is a clean bulk (putting on as much muscle, with minimal fat) then I would recommend getting rid of your cardio. Instead of performing cardio @ 75-70% of your max effort - replace it with a LONG duration LOW intensity cardio session (preferably on rest days).

Your repetition range seems to be okay - if it isn't working for you then change it up a little bit. The basic guideline for hypertrophy (muscle growth) is 8-12, but it isn't a problem performing 6-10. Remember that hypertrophy is VOLUME training oppose to INTENSITY training. That means you need to keep your sets high (but not too high!).

As to your caloric intake - I would say bump it up to 3,000 - 3,500kcals. You said you put weight on pretty easy? You're probably just real sensitive to something (most likely simple sugars). Limit your simple sugars (fruit juice, white bread/rice, etc) and replace them with complex carbohydrates. I'm sure you've heard this before - but I find the biggest problem about adding weight is that people consume way too much simple sugars. Instead of white rice, replace it with brown rice. Do a 40% (carb), 40% (protein), 30% (fat) ratio and if anything, bump up the carbohydrates a little higher.

If everything is into place, then you should be adding on muscle mass 0.5-2lbs/week with minimal fat gains. Always listen to your body, and if you see you're not achieving your results, it's your diet - not your training!

[Converged]

Wow, thanks for the quick and well-thought out response. I appreciate it very much! I will work on this starting today.

Thanks again!

[Rocklobster]

Wow, thanks for the quick and well-thought out response. I appreciate it very much! I will work on this starting today.

Thanks again!

Keep the questions coming!

[Converged]

Should I be increasing the weight I use, or reps, each week? The first few months I started working out my gains were huge, both physically and strength. But for quite some time, I feel like I have been using the same weight and having trouble increasing it. Is this normal? To keep packing on muscle, do I need to increase the weight?

[untaka]

Hey!

I've been working out now since summer, I went from 165 pounds to about 125 pounds, this was just from low calorie diet and running. Once I hit 125 pounds I found myself to be way too skinny (mostly bone) so I felt it was time to start building muscle. It is coming along ok, slowly as its only been 2 months or so but I've seen some changes however I'm building a gut. I don't know why I intake on average no more then 15 grams of simple sugars during the day. I have maintained a simple diet and I'm up to about 2000 calories now (135 pounds).

My diet:
breakfast - bowl of cereal (I know this is bad but its the only thing I feel I can eat early in the morning but always healthy low sugar no salt cereal)
snack - dry natural almonds + banana
lunch - peanut butter (natural 100%) with whole wheat bread (or plain oatmeal)
snack - apple
dinner - usually I eat this after my workouts (example: 3 eggs, chicken breaks, brown rice, veggie)

I again come close to consuming 2000 calories and my BMR is suppose to be 1600 which is really hard to do.

Anyways I'm just a little lost and frustrated because the last thing I want is for all this hard work and to get a gut (also mind you I had a gut in the very start of this, even when I lost some weight the gut was gone but the belly fat was still there)

edit: I forgot to mention my workout routine is currently doing p90x I'm now in my 4th week. Although I havn't followed it perfectly as I only do 30 min of the Yoga and don't do KenpoX which is suppose to be a cardio workout so.

Saturday = Resistance 45 min
Sunday = Good Cardio/Leg Training = 45 Min
Monday = Resitance 45 min
Tuesday = Yoga =\ 30-45 min
Wed = Resistance 45 min
Thursday = 20 cardio
Friday = nothing

I'm thinking or trying to find a good intense cardio workout to fill in Thursday since

[angekfire]

For an intense cardio workout Thursdays, maybe look into the Insanity program? I've heard it's intense.

Although if you're trying to bulk, you shouldn't need a ton of cardio, you should need more resistance training.

[Converged]

Try Kashi's GoLean cereal in the mornings if cereal is your choice. It has tons of protein and fibre. Very healthy!

[litebrite]

Hope you can offer advice to a girl.

I love doing strength training at the gym.. hate cardio. That worked out well when I was 90 lbs (I'm 5'1") and was looking to get stronger/put some muscle on.

Now I'm around 104 lb and feeling a bit pudgy around the waist. I was off the gym for a while but am now getting back into it 3x/week. Doing a full body routine w/ one exercise per body part. What would you recommend for cardio? I'm not looking to drop weight, just want to get rid of a bit of fat. I can't stand doing the treadmill or eliptical for even 20 minutes. Soo boring to me.

I don't really want to spend more than an hour at the gym each time, so I'm looking for ways to be able to do a full repetoire of strength training and cardio... is that possible to do that in under an hour?? Or would I have to go the gym 5 days a week...

[Rocklobster]

Should I be increasing the weight I use, or reps, each week? The first few months I started working out my gains were huge, both physically and strength. But for quite some time, I feel like I have been using the same weight and having trouble increasing it. Is this normal? To keep packing on muscle, do I need to increase the weight?

Very common question.

It really depends on your main goal. If it's muscle building, and you've been doing that specific workout for a long duration (4 weeks+) then you'll find it hard to increase weight (especially for compound exercises). It's perfectly normal - but you always want to challenge your body by increasing the weight, but keeping the repetition range according to your goal.

If it's muscle you're looking for - stick to the 8-12 repetition range. Hypertrophy (muscle growth) is a VOLUME overload, meaning the repetitions aren't too high, or too low (hence the 8-12 range). Keeping the sets around 2-4 (depending on your fitness level). For example - if you're stuck on your Bench Press - stick to 8-12 repetitions, but always try to add weight. A lot of strength coaches try to add 2.5% of the total weight each week.

Repetition range is VERY VERY VERY crucial to your goal. Your muscles COULD adapt to that specific workload and intensity, and convert to different muscle fibers. If you were on an endurance phase (12-15 repetitions, possibly even 20) and you dropped the repetitions to 6-8 - you'll find it REALLY hard because it's totally different muscle fibers.

To sum it up - Yes! You need to increase the weight to keep the VOLUME high to promote hypertrophy. Remember to eat high-quality nutrients! Muscles are made in the kitchen, not the gym!