Help me develop an exercise regimen?

[thatguymattin]

Well, I was wondering if you guys could help me out on developing an exercise regimen in order to lose weight, become more healthy, and to be able to play tennis better.

A little about myself: I'm currently 19 years old, 5'11", and I weigh around 230lbs. I gained around 45lbs after high school due to diet, lack of exercise, and lifestyle.

I came in weighing 210lbs during freshman year of highschool. At the time, I wasn't very active, and had not started playing tennis yet. After a month on the elliptical machine, along with a diet, I had lost 30lbs within a month, and weighed around 175lbs (169lbs being the lightest I became probably due to waterweight). During that year, I think I grew 3 inches, being 5'8" originally.

I was introduced to tennis during sophomore year. By that time, I started lifting weights like every other teenager that age, and had gained a lot of muscle, causing me to plateau at 180lbs. I was built but still had some chunkiness lol I think my bmi was at 21-24%.

I left highschool weighing 185lbs. Due to a knee injury, I stopped playing tennis regularly, as well as exercising regularly. I stopped cycling when I got a car, and I stopped using the elliptical machine because the electronics broke. I lost a lot of muscle mass, as well as strength? I can hardly do one pull-up now, and it's difficult to ride my bicycle at the lowest err highest gear? (Gear with most teeth). It's hard for me to play sets now because I can't sprint back and forth without losing my breath.

I'm wondering if you guys can help me form a training regimen that will help me lose weight. I enjoy weight lifting, as well as using the elliptical machine because it's easy on my knee. I can run, but would like to stay away from it because of it's impact on my knee. I can do plyometrics as well, but don't think I'd be able to do things that have high impact on my knee, such as squats or lunges. What kinds of things would you put together for me?

I might be able to get myself another elliptical machine, so I can do low impact cardio with that one day, and then plyometrics another day. Perhaps an upper body day, and lower body day? And I'd mix in core workouts with the upper body and lower body day? I know diet is the most important thing when wanting to lose weight, so I'll change my diet as well.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

You might want to add some low-impact, but high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to your regimen. Something like this one:
http://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/low-impact-hiit-cardio-workout-the-4-best-low-impact-cardio-exercises-for-fat-loss-and-toning

Weight training to regain your lost muscle mass is a very good idea as a means to boost your BMR/metabolism. Squats might be tough on the knees if not performed correctly. However, a number of sources indicate the squats have unjustly gotten a bad rap. Performed correctly they may very well protect your knees rather than damage them.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/why-squatting-hurts-your-knees-and-how-make-it-stop
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-rippetoe/squats-lifting-knees_b_4490749.html

http://www.verticaljumping.com/how_deep_should_you_squat.html
http://functionalanatomyblog.com/2010/07/08/proper-squat-technique-knee-injuries-and-safety-issues/

 

[thatguymattin]

You might want to add some low-impact, but high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to your regimen. Something like this one:
http://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/low-impact-hiit-cardio-workout-the-4-best-low-impact-cardio-exercises-for-fat-loss-and-toning

Weight training to regain your lost muscle mass is a very good idea as a means to boost your BMR/metabolism. Squats might be tough on the knees if not performed correctly. However, a number of sources indicate the squats have unjustly gotten a bad rap. Performed correctly they may very well protect your knees rather than damage them.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/why-squatting-hurts-your-knees-and-how-make-it-stop
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-rippetoe/squats-lifting-knees_b_4490749.html

http://www.verticaljumping.com/how_deep_should_you_squat.html
http://functionalanatomyblog.com/2010/07/08/proper-squat-technique-knee-injuries-and-safety-issues/

Ah yes, the low impact high cardio was apart of conditioning for tennis. After high school, I couldn't keep up with the rest of the people during tennis try-outs because I wouldn't be able to breath. Well I could do them, but not at everyone else's paces'.

Can you help me by categorizing which workouts on specific week days?

I am thinking that I should workout 5 days a week, with perhaps Sunday and Wednesday being days off.

 

[scotus]

You might want to join a swim club. Many clubs have a lane designated for slow swimmers and you can start there if you have not swum in a long time.

Your knee will thank you, and you will develop cardio.

 

[thatguymattin]

You might want to join a swim club. Many clubs have a lane designated for slow swimmers and you can start there if you have not swum in a long time.

Your knee will thank you, and you will develop cardio.

Hmm, I used to enjoy swimming when I was younger, but never really got into it because I'm not too good at it, and because it is not as fun as cycling is to me.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

... Can you help me by categorizing which workouts on specific week days?

I am thinking that I should workout 5 days a week, with perhaps Sunday and Wednesday being days off.

I can present some general ideas about training but I don't feel qualified to provide you with a specific detailed program. Best to look to someone with some experience as a physical trainer for that sort of thing. Your 5 day routine sounds like a good idea. Perhaps these links can give you some ideas for developing your own program.

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/6-week-fat-blast-workout-routine

http://www.superskinnyme.com/weight-loss-exercise-plan.html
http://www.superskinnyme.com/weight-loss-exercise-plan.html/2


Strength Training and Conditioning for Tennis:
http://www.usta.com/Improve-Your-Game/Sport-Science/249182_Strength_Training_and_Conditioning_for_Tennis/

 

[T1000]

Monday - hiit
Tues - full body with LISS or hiit (if hiit go lighter with lifting)
Wed - off
Thursday - full body wih liss
Friday - hiit
Saturday - full body with LISS or hiit again (if choose hiit go lighter on the lifting)
Sunday - off

Or

Monday - light upper with hiit
Tuesday - light lower with hiit
Wed - off
Thursday - upper with LISS
Friday - lower with LISS
Saturday - hiit
Sunday - off

Or

Monday - upper pressing with LISS
Tuesday - light lower with hiit
Wed - off
Thursday - upper pulls with LISS
Friday - lower with LISS
Saturday - hiit
Sunday - off

Couple different ways you could do it. Other ways too but dont feel like typing them all out

 

[thatguymattin]

Monday - hiit
Tues - full body with LISS or hiit (if hiit go lighter with lifting)
Wed - off
Thursday - full body wih liss
Friday - hiit
Saturday - full body with LISS or hiit again (if choose hiit go lighter on the lifting)
Sunday - off

Or

Monday - light upper with hiit
Tuesday - light lower with hiit
Wed - off
Thursday - upper with LISS
Friday - lower with LISS
Saturday - hiit
Sunday - off

Or

Monday - upper pressing with LISS
Tuesday - light lower with hiit
Wed - off
Thursday - upper pulls with LISS
Friday - lower with LISS
Saturday - hiit
Sunday - off

Couple different ways you could do it. Other ways too but dont feel like typing them all out

I like the second method.

But for LISS, I'd only like to use an elliptical machine, and I think that would take care of my lower for the most part. I was thinking that it would only work my quads, but I can use to to train my calves as well. So something like

Mo: HIIT with light upper
Tu: LISS (elliptical)
We: HIIT
Th: LISS (elliptical)
Fr: HIIT with light upper
Sa: Rest or go play tennis
Su: Rest or go play tennis

Would that work?

 

[eaglesburg]

Make sure you take AT LEAST one day off from EVERYTHING!

 

[T1000]

I like the second method.

But for LISS, I'd only like to use an elliptical machine, and I think that would take care of my lower for the most part. I was thinking that it would only work my quads, but I can use to to train my calves as well. So something like

Mo: HIIT with light upper
Tu: LISS (elliptical)
We: HIIT
Th: LISS (elliptical)
Fr: HIIT with light upper
Sa: Rest or go play tennis
Su: Rest or go play tennis

Would that work?

i mean i'd still do leg work and not substitute it with LISS. You don't even have to do a lot of volume something like

squat 3x5
romanian/stiff leg dead - 3x6-8
leg extension - 3x15-20 (very light just to get blood into the muscle)
leg curl - 3x15-20 (same as leg ext)
calf raises 4x12-20

so really only 6 working sets. LISS isn't really going to do that much for legs. I'd personally do at least one lower day of weights and skip LISS if doing both is too much. also trying to combine hiit with upper twice is going to be too much. i'd do one day of just weights. as you get more in shape then lower the lifting volume/frequency and increase cardio or tennis. i think spreading out the off days is more effective. I've done back to back off days and also done like a mon/thurs or tues/sat or sun/wed off split before and felt i recovered better when the off days were spread out.

 

[thatguymattin]

i mean i'd still do leg work and not substitute it with LISS. You don't even have to do a lot of volume something like

squat 3x5
romanian/stiff leg dead - 3x6-8
leg extension - 3x15-20 (very light just to get blood into the muscle)
leg curl - 3x15-20 (same as leg ext)
calf raises 4x12-20

so really only 6 working sets. LISS isn't really going to do that much for legs. I'd personally do at least one lower day of weights and skip LISS if doing both is too much. also trying to combine hiit with upper twice is going to be too much. i'd do one day of just weights. as you get more in shape then lower the lifting volume/frequency and increase cardio or tennis. i think spreading out the off days is more effective. I've done back to back off days and also done like a mon/thurs or tues/sat or sun/wed off split before and felt i recovered better when the off days were spread out.

Okay, that sounds good. I did the P90x program in high school for a month, then stopped after that because it started to feel repetitive and boring. The only reason why I was able to do elliptical day after day, was because I enjoyed it lol

So I'm trying to find something that's enjoyable at the same time. I know that hiit will be hard for me, but it can be enjoyable.

 

[heninfan99]

 

[LGQ7]

Time for a lesson I learned from watching movies, Rocy IV. You don't need anybody to tell you what to do.

"You know what you have to do . . . Do it."

 

[Ramon]

Make sure you include squats. I mean legal competition squats to just below parallel NOT half squats. Yes, I know you have bad knees. I had bad knees too, and they were so bad I couldn't even run on grass. I had to warm up with leg extensions, then wrap my knees with supportive wraps and start with the empty bar and move up from there. After a few weeks, no more wraps. Believe me, it'll be worth it! You'll suffer for a couple of weeks but you'll thank me later.