Hey, I need some help with my current workout plan....?!
Question: As of right now, I am training with cardio workouts. These include running 2 miles, 50-60 pushups, 50-60 situps, and 20-30 pull-ups. After this I tend to bike around my yard for an additional 10 minutes. Well with this new workout routine, I decided to try something else new, a protein powder. I am using Body Fortress' 100% Whey Protein. I didn't really understand the concept of using this powder but, I did 'some' researching. As of this morning I attempted to drink 1 scoop (23grams) of protein with water, completed this cardio workout, and drank the protein (23grams) 2 hours later with soy milk. Is this okay, is my workout routine 'alright', or am I over-doing everything? Thanks ahead of time for the info....
Answers: As of right now, I am training with cardio workouts. These include running 2 miles, 50-60 pushups, 50-60 situps, and 20-30 pull-ups. After this I tend to bike around my yard for an additional 10 minutes. Well with this new workout routine, I decided to try something else new, a protein powder. I am using Body Fortress' 100% Whey Protein. I didn't really understand the concept of using this powder but, I did 'some' researching. As of this morning I attempted to drink 1 scoop (23grams) of protein with water, completed this cardio workout, and drank the protein (23grams) 2 hours later with soy milk. Is this okay, is my workout routine 'alright', or am I over-doing everything? Thanks ahead of time for the info....
I would mix it up a little. Depending upon age, you could be heading for knee or tendon injuries by running / stress training the same joints every day. This is a real b1tch, and early training mistakes have dogged me for years.
All the stuff you are doing is great, but doing the same thing every day does not allow you to really work individual muscle systems and then - as important - really rest them.
By working your whole body continuously as you are you are you do not isolate and then train individual muscle groups. A two mile run does not keep your heart rate high enough for long enough to get the most out of the work you are doing.
The overall level of exercise is good, and should give you good results but I have done very much the same thing in the past and been disappointed with the results.
I would do two - three cardio & 1 - 2 weights per week. Each has different functions.
Weights builds muscle mass which not only looks good but will burn excess calories at rest and also protects your heart from blood sugar fluctuation. Weight training is emerging as important for long term heart health for this reason, and also helps maintain bone density.
You do not need a gym membership to do weights - hand weights will do. I would do one session concentrating on upper back & shoulders and one on chest & arms (See the muscle fitness website for great training tips.) with "core training" and 5 - 10 minutes of yoga & stretches at the end of each one.
The sit ups could be mixed up with some pilates moves to really get some core training in. These look pretty girlie (some are absolutely ridiculous), but you can really feel them bite.
With your cardio, I would do one long, slow run (5 miles) per week and maybe one or two shorter, more intense runs followed (or interspersed) by your high repetition aerobic training such as push ups & etc. I see a lot of trainers in local parks running clients in intensive bursts then doing pull ups, sit ups and push ups in 20 rep groups, another run then another set of exercises.
One common problem with cardio training is that by staying in 60% - 70% of maximum heart rate band is that you are doing enough to lead to injury but not enough to really drive cardio fitness improvement. You are better staying below this for protracted periods and then really push hard during interval training.
The protein is good for three things. Firstly, it controls appetite. Just a tablespoon in skim milk really takes the edge off the munchies.
Secondly, about twice that much after weights is supposed to help build lean muscle and assist recovery time. I do not think the evidence is great for this, but I do not know a single body builder that does not do it.
Thirdly, it is great for giving you really toxic deadly farts, so watch it.
BTW - I think 100% whey protein is a waste. I use a blend of Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate and high protein dietary sources such as egg white powder (available in bulk from health food shops). Mix is 30% of each. This gives you a good, well rounded protein profile (not all proteins are the same) and is more economical. If you dont need it, your body wont absorb it and you will just excrete it - so just treat this as a supplement, not a food goup !
Consider a heart rate monitor to get your heart rate over 85% of maximum for at least 5-10 minutes of your run.
Good luck.
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In the light of your further info, definately divide your training into cardio and weights. Particularly at your age building some muscle/bone mass is important and is something your average boot camp is not set up to do. It takes time and is hard to do if you are doing cardio all of the time.
DO NOT IGNORE THE YOGA. Flexibility and connective tissue health is an important aspect of fitness and one that is often overlooked - particularly by young guys. It is not until you start to rack up some injuries that you really appreciate how fragile some of our joints really are.
Walking on course fit is essential. The military will train you hard but if you are coming from behind you will have a much harder time than everyone else. Persevere & good luck.
There's no need for the 1-scoop of protein. It is a common mistake. Extra protein in the body becomes waste in the end. excessive amounts can be harmful.
It depends on what your working out for. If your just working out to be in shape you dont need the Protein powder. I say keep it up man! Good for you.
alright, your first quesitons should be: What is my goal?
are you trying to lose body fat, or are you trying to gain muscle? because you cant do both.
Your workout seems great and well rounded, but this is just for being healthy. If you want to make actual muscle gains out of your workout from your pushups, situps and chinups, you are going to have to seperate the two. What happens is that when you run extensively, you burn the nutrients you recently digested, then the fat, and then the muscle. However, you are then moving onto strength training excersizes which will result in overtraining. The reason behind this is that your body is already worn from the running and then during the pushups, you will have burn your own muscle to provide energy for the activity because there is not much else to burn. So in turn, you wont get much out of it... See where im going? So you are going ot have to figure out to choose 1 main activity per day or you can equally divide the time you do for each activity by 1/2.
and for the protein powder, if you want to get the best out of it, you should be consuming about 1 gram of protein per gram of bodyweight. So if you weigh 150 lb, then 150 g of protein. Kapish? It may seem like a lot at first, but you would get used to it, I know i have.
I think that you are very much over doing it.Remember to get the right amount of excersize.On average, an adult should only be active one half hour a day, but you can get in extra with no more then an hour most days.Remember, too much of it is UNhealthy.Also, remember to eat by the rules of the food pyramid.Heres the new updated one: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nat... . Good luck!
Honestly you do not need to do any of that (diet, and power bars) all you need to do is eat one meal a day (of course you will be hungry at first because you body is used to eating 3 meals0, but once you start you will get used to it and you are not starving yourself it is very healthy. My father eats one meal a day since he was 20 something and now he is in his early forties and looks like he is in his mid or early twenties (everyone tells him that) literally, but anyways if you do want something to eat in the meantime of course but if you can't help yourseslf then eat some fruit, ceareal, or a granola bar w/ orange juice or water. Then once you do that you work out at the same time, time you don't want to over work so start small then add more (instead or power walking, a light jog) and keep going and when you get to where you want to be then you keep doing what you are doing. DON'T STOP! (Those diets that are advertised on TV when they say you can eat or take a pill and do nothing they LIE you have to work you can't just sit there and eat and not do nothing because that is what you were doing before) GOOD LUCK! HOPE THIS HELPS!