Strength / Weight Training

Coincidentally I started my winter gyming today, a month later than planned due to injury.
There isn't really a plan, but just to do something whilst the weather is poor (I am captain fairweather) and to put on a little bit of size I lost over the summer/autumn

So I'll be doing body weight exercises in the mornings and 2-3 times a week some TRX stuff, kettles, squats and dumbbells.
Squats felt comfortable today pyramid 25x30kg up to 10x60kg and back, aiming to work back up to 100kg over the next couple of months.
Arms and shoulders are weak as, but then I've hardly done anything with them since spring.

I've got about 1kg of reflex microwhey left over, nearly full tub of reflex instant whey, half a tub of bsn amino x, nearly full tub of scimx bcaa intra and a small stockpile of phd zma.
Just need to stock up on some cottage cheese for casein.

Tx ^=^

It seems to be more technique if that makes sense? Don't think my last are perse much stronger after 3 weeks, but I engage them more.

Tensing my little finger hard gripping bar works too, I find the "pull bar apart" cue doesn't work for me.

Well, so far it's been 3 weeks:
My arms have some kind of shape to them again, my legs are filling my shorts again (no more baggy seam!) and I've pulled in a stop on the belt comfortably.
I've lost just over 3kg though?! That wasn't expected.
I wasn't aiming to loose weight as such, but since it's coming off...
Weight loss thread >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Eat more protein

Eating about 100g-120g a day. Maybe I just had more fat on board to shift than I thought and a sudden shock of increasing exercise has seen that shift faster than I anticipated.

I am 132 lbs and eat 130 grams (thereabouts).

You could probably eat a little more, though more than over 1 gram per lbs is usually a waste of moniez.

Cut calories, strength holding, but fat/weight also holding after initial fat loss. Need to re-evaluate, what's the point if I don't go down a weight class perhaps better to bulk a tiny bit, and then go down again.

Toward the end of last year I started going to the gym (I had resisted for years, but Berlin winter riding finally got to me). At first I was doing the exercises prescribed to me in the initial training thing that they did.

I started going to the more old school weight section of the gym recently. It smells a little too intense in there and there are definitely some 'types'. It is pretty intimidating for a beta shrimp such as myself, once I got over the fact that other dudes were doing curls with the same weight as I was deadlifting it was cool.

I am having fun using the squat rack, doing deadlifts, presses, bench presses etc. The only problem is that my gym is they have so many machines and trx things etc that the weight section is crowded.

I tried to read up on the right way to do stuff (I had zero experience and no gym bros, hate classes, too skint for a trainer). I liked these articles:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/03/03/strength-training-101-how-to-squat-properly/
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/05/28/strength-training-101-the-overhead-press/
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/10/07/strength-training-101-the-deadlift/

I read somewhere (probably bodybuilding.com or some shit) that a regimin of almost only compound excersizes wasn't that great for building a body. I don't care about that really though, I feel stronger etc and it is pretty fun. Also, with my newfound strength, I can once again do more than 1 pull up so that is cool too.

It may have been a cool story, bro, but at least I supplied some helpful links to any other new---s.

Pop into your local fitness equipment / supps dealer and ask if they have any free gym trials in your area.
Quite a few PTs visit them and leave free session vouchers for the staff in exchange for their business promoting them (fliers, posters, word of mouth etc) Might be worth asking if they have any spare that you could use. I keep meaning to use one to get my squat form checked... Just find it a bit intimidating though.

Thanks for the tip. I have one free training at the gym. I will practice what I think is good form and then get them to check it after a few more weeks. Squats and deadlifts in particular really are fun and make you feel good.

It's too bad that none of this really translates to cycling form I don't think. I went for a lirtle 50km loop in this hell-winter over the weekend. I wasn't exactly tearing up the road.

It's too bad that none of this really translates to cycling form

Better than doing nothing all winter, though.

indoor spinning machine. Just saying

Indoor cardio makes me want to eat my own face in boredom unfortunately. I can't figure out a way to make it interesting. There are dudes in spd shoes and full team kit going into the spinning classes, maybe I should try that. A dude yelling at me while the sweet musics of Steve Aoki blast me in the face doesn't really sound like my deal, but I guess I shouldn't judge until I have tried it.

Arrowplum: I read somewhere (probably bodybuilding.com or some shit) that a regimen of almost only compound excersizes wasn't that great for building a body

That depends. If you want mega striation perhaps not...but if you just want to pack on some muscle/get stronger it will work. Do you need looks, or do you need strength/function?

Bodybuilders do exercises that may not necessarily make them stronger, or help weak points just for the looks. But they also train 4-5 times a week, eat mega strict, do lots of reps...totally different ballgame than somebody who wants to be strong and fit. Of course there's an overlap, but sports functionality is not the main aim of bodybuilding.

Someone give me a body weight only, no crazy exercises or equipment needed, 3x a week programming to bring my upper body back to adult proportions.

Please.thanks.

I read somewhere (probably bodybuilding.com or some shit) that a regimin of almost only compound excersizes wasn't that great for building a body.

Deep squats are core to any serious strength building routine. Stresses your whole body, boosts the gains from other lifts, demands more flexibility and balance than most.

Do, do you have body weight only equipment? Ie pull up bar? Dip bar?

Then push ups and pull up and planks and leg raises and dips and air squats ...

If not. Delete all exercises that require equipment.

http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/15-best-bodyweight-exercises-men/slide/11

Personally it would help if you had at least some dumbbells. Not heavy. I'm having good results out of a pair of 8kgs.
Max out reps on a superset
Bicep curls, tri overhead extentions, front side and bent over delt raises, pushups and upright rows. I try to do the same reps for all so as to keep a balance. I'm also doing it to stabilise my joints and strengthen the Ligaments.

I really like kettlebells + a chin up bar for the home stuff.

They do everything you can do with weights + a lot of cardio/endurance like swings/cleans etc. are possible.

I have dumbbells upto 20kg. I suppose I could use my daughter (17 kg) as a single mass to lift around.

@ChainBreaker
I also have one of these:

So. I was thinking, step up, step down, rows etc.
And practising for a pistol squat.

Anyway. Best way to build a 30 minute program?

Me? What would i do?
Starting off - i'd break down exercises into bodyparts. make sure you have opposing muscle groups. Give supersetting a go. i'd pick a weight and stick with that weight until i can do a large number of reps (20-30). This will build up your endurance and strengthen tendons and joints.
Chest/Back
Bis/Tris
Shoulders*/Traps
*made up of Front / side/ rear
Abs/obliques/lower back**
**vital yet most people ignore it. Esp for cycling.

• i havent included legs as you said you only interested in upper.
  
  

Chest/back are stronger than arms/shoulders - work them harder. But everything evenly. If you want a burn do it quickly but always keep good form.

If youve got the time and a way to get it, perhaps think of doing the P90x program. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P90X

Later
you can do splits or alternate days.

(simply what i would do... ...what i am doing)

I love kettlebells.

Very good for core.
@Chalfie if you want to work your core at the same time, you could also use standard dumbbells.
Core work is done or enphisized when you create a miss balance and your body has to correct it.
you can use a clean a press movement to lift a single DB off the floor to above your head.
If you do a single arm DB press is also good for core.

20kg? thats plenty!!!

good for bent over row.

I found another source of good advice for novice shrimps: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224&pagenumber=

It is pretty detailed, but I was stoked to see that it focused on the main things I have been doing (deadlifts, squats, press, bench press, rows). They show a basic plan for 3 days a week training, gradually increasing weight each day (as much as possible). Anyway, seems good.

Somebody made a handy 143 page pdf of it.

1 Attachment

• Rippetoe FAQ.pdf

I don't want to "bulk up". I'm a cyclist.