Neo Deist
Th.D. & D.Div. h.c.
If anyone has any questions about diet/exercise, specific workout programs, nutrition, injury recovery, etc. please feel free to ask me. I have been lifting weights and doing martial arts for decades and will gladly share my knowledge. My original major in college was sports medicine but I switched that in my early 20s.
Exercise, nutrition and whole body healing is a hobby of mine. If I don't know the answer to something, I will research until I find the answer you seek or refer you to someone who can help. It is important to understand that everyone is different, has different needs, different goals, and what works for one will fail for another.
The floor is open...
Edit: Addendum added below...
I can probably answer several questions in this section without having multiple people ask/post the same thing. Read this first and if your question is not answered, then by all means ask away.
Part 1:
1. Losing weight is accomplished by burning more calories than you consume on a daily basis. The best way to achieve this is by proper nutrition and cardio exercise. There is an old saying of "garbage in, garbage out" and your body is a perfect example of that. If you eat garbage, drink sodas, eat sugars, chug a case of beer every night and live on the couch, there's not much hope for you.
2. If you want to build muscle while losing weight, it can be done BUT, understand that when you start working out your weight may stay the same for a while or even go up. That is because muscle weighs more than fat. Don't pay attention to the scale; pay attention to how your clothes fit. If they are getting loose, you're doing it right.
3. If you want to combine weight training and cardio, do your weights first. Lifting weights will require more energy from your body, so knock that out of the way then jump on your favorite bike/stepper/treadmill.
4. When doing a weight training program, make sure that you stretch before and after every workout, as well as do a few light weight, warm up sets. This will help prevent injury and soreness.
5. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Avoid sugary drinks like Gatorade or Powerade. If you use bottled water, skip the Vitamin Water or its counterparts. Just use good, clean water. I prefer the Deer Park brand because it has the same pH as your blood (7.4). You don't want acidosis.
6. Ignore how much the person next to you is lifting. Leave your ego at home. Just because they are throwing 3 plates a side on a bar does not mean that you can do the same. Besides, they might be using bad form which will only lead to injury.
7. Use a 3-1-3 count for your reps if you are lifting weights for strength or hypertrophy (size). In other words count to 3 for the lift, hold for 1 second, and then count to 3 for the negative or down phase. Do this for every single rep. It will maximize your gains. Slow and steady.
8. If you are lifting for strength gains, use 5 or fewer reps. Push yourself to go heavier, but make sure you use proper form and any safety measures. Rest no more than 3 minutes.
9. If you are lifting for muscle size, then aim for the 8-12 rep range with a moderate weight around 70% of your max. Rest no more than 2 minutes.
10. If you are wanting to tone or boost muscle endurance, shoot for 15 reps with a light weight that is under 50% of your max. Rest no more than 1 minute.
Part 2:
Science has shown that the best muscle growth occurs when each muscle is hit twice per week for most people. Ignore the routines by the steroid or growth hormone users. They are cheaters and are certainly not natural.
1. Large muscles (chest, back, upper legs, glutes) make the most gains with 120 reps per week. Small muscles (arms, shoulders, traps, rotator cuff) make the most gains with 60 reps per week. Some muscles can be hit every other day (calves, stomach).
2. Compound moves such as the bench press, squat, dead lift and military press will work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which is why smaller muscles only need 60 reps of isolation work per week.
3. If you are going to hit each muscle twice per week, and you follow the 60 or 120 rep rule, divide that number in half and that will be your rep goal for the day. I use the following schedule:
Monday- chest (60), shoulders (30), triceps (30)
Tuesday- lats (60), rhomboids (60), traps (30), biceps (30)
Wednesday- quads (60), hams (60), calves (30)
Thursday- same as Monday but use different exercises, each at 3 sets of 10
Friday- same as Tuesday but use different exercises, each at 3 sets of 10
Saturday- same as Wednesday but use different exercises
Sunday- off
Mondays and Tuesdays are heavy days for chest/back, so my first 2 exercises will be 3 sets of 5. My final exercise will be 3 sets of 10.
Wednesday (leg day) can be done another way if you prefer. You can blast your legs with 120 reps all in one day, but make sure you are conditioned for this. That way you can take Saturday and Sunday off. Besides, a lot of people will walk, jog or climb stairs at work which hit the legs.
Abs and calves can be done 3x per week, just skip a day in between.
4. Use the full range of motion. Don't cheat yourself.
5. Embrace the dumbbells over a barbell bench press. DBs give you a better stretch. BB can only drop as far as your chest. If you have a Matrix or Hammer machine, use that for your heavy chest day. Best of both worlds!
6. Don't flare your arms straight out to the sides on any bench press exercise. Doing so puts unnecessary strain on your shoulders and can lead to injury. Tuck your elbows in 30-45 degrees to prevent this.
7. Don't do some crazy back bend while trying to bench press. Keep a slight arch in your back, your shoulder blades pinned to the bench and try to pinch your shoulder blades together during the lift. That will give you the proper form.
8. Squats work wonders, but they also destroy your lower back with sheering forces (weight opposite end of the hip pivot). If available, use a trap bar or hex bar instead. Not only is it MUCH safer, but you can lift more. Win-Win!
9. Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
10. Eat right...which means lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy snacks and plenty of water.
For more tips, check out this guy's Youtube channel. He is one of the best, non-BS trainers out there:
Watch his videos...all of them.
Exercise, nutrition and whole body healing is a hobby of mine. If I don't know the answer to something, I will research until I find the answer you seek or refer you to someone who can help. It is important to understand that everyone is different, has different needs, different goals, and what works for one will fail for another.
The floor is open...
Edit: Addendum added below...
I can probably answer several questions in this section without having multiple people ask/post the same thing. Read this first and if your question is not answered, then by all means ask away.
Part 1:
1. Losing weight is accomplished by burning more calories than you consume on a daily basis. The best way to achieve this is by proper nutrition and cardio exercise. There is an old saying of "garbage in, garbage out" and your body is a perfect example of that. If you eat garbage, drink sodas, eat sugars, chug a case of beer every night and live on the couch, there's not much hope for you.
2. If you want to build muscle while losing weight, it can be done BUT, understand that when you start working out your weight may stay the same for a while or even go up. That is because muscle weighs more than fat. Don't pay attention to the scale; pay attention to how your clothes fit. If they are getting loose, you're doing it right.
3. If you want to combine weight training and cardio, do your weights first. Lifting weights will require more energy from your body, so knock that out of the way then jump on your favorite bike/stepper/treadmill.
4. When doing a weight training program, make sure that you stretch before and after every workout, as well as do a few light weight, warm up sets. This will help prevent injury and soreness.
5. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Avoid sugary drinks like Gatorade or Powerade. If you use bottled water, skip the Vitamin Water or its counterparts. Just use good, clean water. I prefer the Deer Park brand because it has the same pH as your blood (7.4). You don't want acidosis.
6. Ignore how much the person next to you is lifting. Leave your ego at home. Just because they are throwing 3 plates a side on a bar does not mean that you can do the same. Besides, they might be using bad form which will only lead to injury.
7. Use a 3-1-3 count for your reps if you are lifting weights for strength or hypertrophy (size). In other words count to 3 for the lift, hold for 1 second, and then count to 3 for the negative or down phase. Do this for every single rep. It will maximize your gains. Slow and steady.
8. If you are lifting for strength gains, use 5 or fewer reps. Push yourself to go heavier, but make sure you use proper form and any safety measures. Rest no more than 3 minutes.
9. If you are lifting for muscle size, then aim for the 8-12 rep range with a moderate weight around 70% of your max. Rest no more than 2 minutes.
10. If you are wanting to tone or boost muscle endurance, shoot for 15 reps with a light weight that is under 50% of your max. Rest no more than 1 minute.
Part 2:
Science has shown that the best muscle growth occurs when each muscle is hit twice per week for most people. Ignore the routines by the steroid or growth hormone users. They are cheaters and are certainly not natural.
1. Large muscles (chest, back, upper legs, glutes) make the most gains with 120 reps per week. Small muscles (arms, shoulders, traps, rotator cuff) make the most gains with 60 reps per week. Some muscles can be hit every other day (calves, stomach).
2. Compound moves such as the bench press, squat, dead lift and military press will work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which is why smaller muscles only need 60 reps of isolation work per week.
3. If you are going to hit each muscle twice per week, and you follow the 60 or 120 rep rule, divide that number in half and that will be your rep goal for the day. I use the following schedule:
Monday- chest (60), shoulders (30), triceps (30)
Tuesday- lats (60), rhomboids (60), traps (30), biceps (30)
Wednesday- quads (60), hams (60), calves (30)
Thursday- same as Monday but use different exercises, each at 3 sets of 10
Friday- same as Tuesday but use different exercises, each at 3 sets of 10
Saturday- same as Wednesday but use different exercises
Sunday- off
Mondays and Tuesdays are heavy days for chest/back, so my first 2 exercises will be 3 sets of 5. My final exercise will be 3 sets of 10.
Wednesday (leg day) can be done another way if you prefer. You can blast your legs with 120 reps all in one day, but make sure you are conditioned for this. That way you can take Saturday and Sunday off. Besides, a lot of people will walk, jog or climb stairs at work which hit the legs.
Abs and calves can be done 3x per week, just skip a day in between.
4. Use the full range of motion. Don't cheat yourself.
5. Embrace the dumbbells over a barbell bench press. DBs give you a better stretch. BB can only drop as far as your chest. If you have a Matrix or Hammer machine, use that for your heavy chest day. Best of both worlds!
6. Don't flare your arms straight out to the sides on any bench press exercise. Doing so puts unnecessary strain on your shoulders and can lead to injury. Tuck your elbows in 30-45 degrees to prevent this.
7. Don't do some crazy back bend while trying to bench press. Keep a slight arch in your back, your shoulder blades pinned to the bench and try to pinch your shoulder blades together during the lift. That will give you the proper form.
8. Squats work wonders, but they also destroy your lower back with sheering forces (weight opposite end of the hip pivot). If available, use a trap bar or hex bar instead. Not only is it MUCH safer, but you can lift more. Win-Win!
9. Check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
10. Eat right...which means lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy snacks and plenty of water.
For more tips, check out this guy's Youtube channel. He is one of the best, non-BS trainers out there:
Watch his videos...all of them.
Last edited:
