Please review my daily workout routine

[tenn23]

Hi,

My goal right now is to lose the flab around and on my stomach, thighs, and other places to firm up my body as well as increase my tennis endurance. I am 5'11" and 150 pounds. Would losing 10 pounds do the trick? I am not looking to build muscle or anything just endurance, plus I just don't want any jiggling (it's not that bad, but I would still like to get rid of it and have a firm body. Also, I want to accomplish something over my summer break, and including work and volunteering, I thought this goal would be a good one as well). So here is my workout routine.

15 minutes of jump rope at 2 jumps per second (when I started back yesterday after a long break, I got only 2 minutes at that pace, but I am increasing the time by 1 minute a day till I reach 15 minutes).

110 crunches (able to do 50 right now).

40 push ups (able to do 20 right now).

10 underarm flab targeting push ups.

Oblique stretches.

25 times running up (not counting running back down) a flight of 15 stairs.

So will doing this daily for 2 months be enough for my desired results of flab removal, firmness, and tennis endurance?

Thanks and feedback is greatly appreciated.

[ewmetz]

5'11", 150? I don't know how you could have much flab. I'm 5'8" and 150 and I don't have too much flab and consider myself to be pretty skinny, borderline tiny. I do understand where you're coming from though. Jumping rope is an excellent idea but I would incorporate some circuit training with the jump roping, whether it be jumping jope for two minutes and then doing 20 pushups and 20 situps, something along those lines. Also, instead of doing just normal situps, I would highly recommend purchasing an ab crunch ball. As far as the cardio goes you should be pretty well off especially with the stair running. Also try incorporating some whey protein shakes, perhaps maybe 40-60 grams total throughout the day. It will help you build the muscles you're targeting. You shouldn't gain any excess weight contray to popular belief because you're doing some much cardio. Cardio also depletes any protein and muscle you've built throughout your workout so a shake before and after your workout and one in the morning should help you keep any gains. Hope this helps somewhat.

[tenn23]

Thanks it does help a lot.

[tenn23]

Ok I went to this site: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/

And I put in my info 150 pounds 36 inches waist and selected male. It gave me a body fat percentage reading of 28% percent and I looked at the chart am way over the range for obese (which is 25% +). Is this accurate?

[The Watchman]

Originally Posted by tenn23

Hi,

My goal right now is to lose the flab around and on my stomach, thighs, and other places to firm up my body as well as increase my tennis endurance. I am 5'11" and 150 pounds. Would losing 10 pounds do the trick? I am not looking to build muscle or anything just endurance, plus I just don't want any jiggling (it's not that bad, but I would still like to get rid of it and have a firm body. Also, I want to accomplish something over my summer break, and including work and volunteering, I thought this goal would be a good one as well). So here is my workout routine.

15 minutes of jump rope at 2 jumps per second (when I started back yesterday after a long break, I got only 2 minutes at that pace, but I am increasing the time by 1 minute a day till I reach 15 minutes).

110 crunches (able to do 50 right now).

40 push ups (able to do 20 right now).

10 underarm flab targeting push ups.

Oblique stretches.

25 times running up (not counting running back down) a flight of 15 stairs.

So will doing this daily for 2 months be enough for my desired results of flab removal, firmness, and tennis endurance?

Thanks and feedback is greatly appreciated.

I don't think 'losing 10 pounds' is necessarily the same as 'losing flab'.

I take it that what you want to do is improve body composition (less proportion of your weight as body fat) - as you note, 150 pounds with 36 inch waist *may* be indicative of a high bodyfat percentage despite being light (the formula is only a model, and can only give a estimate).

If that's the case, you'll want to gain or at least maintain muscle mass.

At the same time, to burn fat and increase tennis endurance, you'll want to undertake high intensity interval training (HIIT).

Search Ano's posts to see how to achieve this.

Along these lines (and similar to ewmetz's comments), I'd do a few things to your workout:

(1) add a stopwatch. Make a race of it and see how fast you can do it (ie do it 'for time').

(2) Divide up the skips, the crunches, pushups and stair runs and turn it into a circuit: eg 2 stair sprints, 20 crunches, 3 min skip, 10 push ups, 3 stair sprints. Rest 1 minute. Repeat 4 more times. Do it for time.

(3) Vary the exercises to ensure the whole body is covered (eg there's no chin ups in your work out to work the back of the upper body) and to vary load/intensity (eg push ups can be made more difficult by replacing them with divebomber pushups or even burpees).

(4) If your face doesn't look like that of some kind of disturbed red puffer fish, go a little faster.

[tenn23]

Thanks for the reply. Also, to burn more fat, should I run up and down the stairs for 30-35 minutes every morning (not part of my regular workout in the evening)? Also, is it bad that I suck at this because I can barely workout (considering I am just beginning)? I was exhausted after 15 minutes of running up and down the stairs on the first day, which was today.

Edit: I looked at Ano's post on HIIT and basically I think he's saying steady state cardio workout (like my stair case running) doesn't do much for fat loss like HIIT does. How can I use the stairs as part of an HIIT workout instead of a steady state cardio workout? Also, I have a treadmill.

[Ano]

tenn23, read all the posts on this thread.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=194892

I gave a sample of HIIT program that you can do on a treadmill.

[tenn23]

Originally Posted by Ano

tenn23, read all the posts on this thread.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=194892

I gave a sample of HIIT program that you can do on a treadmill.

Thanks. Will HIIT everyday give me the desired firm body with no blubber like movements/hanging/sagging ? Also, what should I do if I don't have access to weights?

[Ano]

Do NOT do HIIT everyday.

Have you read post number 50 on the link that I gave you ?

If you don't have access to weights, you can perform bodyweight exercises such as : push ups, lunges, reverse push ups (inverted rows), one leg stiff leg deadlift, plank etc.

[obnoxious2]

Fastest way to lose fat is CARDIO. The exercises you're doing is just helping you to build muscle mass. Try running 2-3 miles a day or swimming.

[tenn23]

Ok I read post 50 and I will start following it, along with the other circuit workout recommended above. Thanks. Obnoxious2 I don't know swimming, but I will be jumping rope twice or thrice a week for steady state cardio. Ano is there a way to compress the 16 week plan to 12 weeks?

[Cyclone]

Originally Posted by tenn23

Ok I went to this site: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/

And I put in my info 150 pounds 36 inches waist and selected male. It gave me a body fat percentage reading of 28% percent and I looked at the chart am way over the range for obese (which is 25% +). Is this accurate?

there's really no way to measure your bodyfat % using a BMI calculator, the best way is to use calipers and such, or a float test or something, not quite sure about the details.

the BMI calculator is just a general sort of thing used to see if you're overweight, but since muscle weighs more than fat, if you are muscular your relative weight will be a little higher, and the BMI calculator will say you're closer to being overweight. so don't put too much stock in that.

[xtremerunnerars]

Originally Posted by tenn23

Hi,

110 crunches (able to do 50 right now).

40 push ups (able to do 20 right now).

10 underarm flab targeting push ups.


Thanks and feedback is greatly appreciated.

You can't spot reduce. You could do crunches and other ab work all day and never see any results. Get your metabolism going by eating clean and healthy foods as well as a breakfast. A good breakfast starts the fire early and every meal keeps it going.

I can't see those pushups doing anything either...especially at ten a day and EVERY day. You should do more than 10 and do other lifts too if you want to have something there whenever you cut all of that fat.

Your abs are muscles just like your other ones: they need rest! Do more than just crunches since you'll probably do them inefficiently or incorrectly anyways. Do leg raises, 6 inch drill, and bridges too. Don't do the ab work and the muscle exercises every day..I suppose you could(?) do the cardio every day though.

BMI is garbage...don't even worry about it.

[Ano]

Originally Posted by tenn23

Ok I read post 50 and I will start following it, along with the other circuit workout recommended above. Thanks. Obnoxious2 I don't know swimming, but I will be jumping rope twice or thrice a week for steady state cardio. Ano is there a way to compress the 16 week plan to 12 weeks?

Yes, perform the HIIT for weeks 1-4, 5-8 and 9-12.

[Rafael_Nadal_6257]

Originally Posted by tenn23

Hi,

My goal right now is to lose the flab around and on my stomach, thighs, and other places to firm up my body as well as increase my tennis endurance. I am 5'11" and 150 pounds. Would losing 10 pounds do the trick? I am not looking to build muscle or anything just endurance, plus I just don't want any jiggling (it's not that bad, but I would still like to get rid of it and have a firm body. Also, I want to accomplish something over my summer break, and including work and volunteering, I thought this goal would be a good one as well). So here is my workout routine.

15 minutes of jump rope at 2 jumps per second (when I started back yesterday after a long break, I got only 2 minutes at that pace, but I am increasing the time by 1 minute a day till I reach 15 minutes).

110 crunches (able to do 50 right now).

40 push ups (able to do 20 right now).

10 underarm flab targeting push ups.

Oblique stretches.

25 times running up (not counting running back down) a flight of 15 stairs.

So will doing this daily for 2 months be enough for my desired results of flab removal, firmness, and tennis endurance?

Thanks and feedback is greatly appreciated.

First, you can't just remove "underarm flab" by doing a specific kind of push-up. Please read Ano's posts explaining that cardio and weights is the best solution to losing not just weight, but fat.

Secondly, you being 5-11 and 150 pounds is by no means fat, unless you have a relatively high body fat composition. EDIT: Saw that you had a 36-inch waist...that's not good to say the least.

Originally Posted by obnoxious2

Fastest way to lose fat is CARDIO. The exercises you're doing is just helping you to build muscle mass. Try running 2-3 miles a day or swimming.

Um...NO! This has been discussed many times, and other posters have conclusively shown that a routine such as Ano's or other routines, which include both intense (not just jogging slowly for half an hour) cardio and a weight-lifting workout, do much more for fat loss, than just slow, steady cardio, which most overweight people do; like jogging for 10-15 minutes.

Weight-lifting will greatly assist you in losing some fat and lowering your body-fat composition. Don't worry about gaining too much muscle mass; this is much harder said, than done.

Originally Posted by xtremerunnerars

You can't spot reduce. You could do crunches and other ab work all day and never see any results. Get your metabolism going by eating clean and healthy foods as well as a breakfast. A good breakfast starts the fire early and every meal keeps it going.

I can't see those pushups doing anything either...especially at ten a day and EVERY day. You should do more than 10 and do other lifts too if you want to have something there whenever you cut all of that fat.

Your abs are muscles just like your other ones: they need rest! Do more than just crunches since you'll probably do them inefficiently or incorrectly anyways. Do leg raises, 6 inch drill, and bridges too. Don't do the ab work and the muscle exercises every day..I suppose you could(?) do the cardio every day though.

BMI is garbage...don't even worry about it.

Mostly agree with this...However, OP, keep in mind that abs do not need as much rest as your other muscles.

As said, sit-ups are not even close to being the best exercise for your abs and core. Bicycles are good, so are variations of the standard crunch, and exercises utilizing an exercise ball.

http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm

If you need help with the lower abs, lying leg lifts are your best bet.

[tenn23]

Ok thanks for the replies again. So the consensus is that I should do something intense like HIIT as well as weights? Also, since I don't have access to weights, will the muscle exercises such as crunches (not situps) and push ups substitute for it?

[cncretecwbo]

you are underweight first of all. you think you have flab because you have little muscle.

you need to GAIN weight or youll just look anorexic. go to a gym, or make one in your house. and do full body workouts (using compound lifts like squat, bench, pullup, row, deadlift) 2-3x a week.

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT DO THESE LIFTS IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW, GET SOMEONE TO SHOW YOU HOW FIRST

anyway, you should not lose weight and you dont have a very good plan.

google WESTSIDE FOR SKINNY B@STARDS (WSFSB) or get starting strength by mark rippetoe and youll get better wprkout plans.

[The Watchman]

To quote Ano:

Originally Posted by Ano

If you don't have access to weights, you can perform bodyweight exercises such as : push ups, lunges, reverse push ups (inverted rows), one leg stiff leg deadlift, plank etc.

I'd also add that push ups and crunches won't cut it in the long run: (1) you're not training all of the body, and (2) there's little progression in load (after a while, a push up will be relatively easy and become more a strength endurance exercise than a strength exercise. I met a lady who could do 30 push ups with ease, but couldn't get close to doing one clap push up).

Instead, choose exercises that cover *at least* the following movements: upper body push, upper body pull, hips/legs and core (several varieties). And then think of ways to make them harder.

For example:

* upper body push: push ups -> push ups on chairs/blocks (for more depth) -> push ups with greater emphasis on one arm -> one arm push ups.

* upper body pull: 'reverse push ups' as Ano calls them -> jumping chin ups -> chin ups -> one arm emphasis chin ups -> one arm chin ups.

* hips/legs: bodyweight squat -> bodyweight lunge -> one legged squat standing on a chair -> pistol (one legged squat with leg in front of you)

* core: *do a variety* - plank hold, 'bicycles' as Rapha6257 calls them (aka chinnies), side crunch, supermans etc.

You do not need weights to get stronger, but you will need more imagination.

However, if you're both limited in terms of imagination and funds, I suggest that you make an adjustable sandbag (http://www.rosstraining.com/sandbagconstructionkit.pdf) and a chin-up/pull-up bar (http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenand...odyweight.html).

$40 bucks tops and you'll have the tools to do almost any exercise that can be done with weights (and some that can't - eg you can throw a sandbag).

[tenn23]

Thanks for the replies again. I have been doing HIIT for 3 days today was the third. I am not seeing any results. What should be done?

[Ano]

That means HIIT is NOT for you.

You should have a six-pack after 3 days of doing HIIT.

Okay, this is my last post in Health & Fitness Forum.

Enough is enough.