Exercise/Weights and etc...

Lifestyle Relationships
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I could not find the appropriate section to post this in so apologies in advance. I would like to share my experiences in bodybuilding and weight training with other desis. Hopefully it can help these desis who struggle to put on weight despite months of training. Please note that I am not a professional or expert and all the following is from my own personal experiences.

As you know desis do not have the best genetics in the world- we have a small bone structure and thin builds compared to americans, germans and australians. Our typical build is narrow shoulders, thin forearms and thin legs with a very bad tendency to gain a pot belly without even trying too hard. But to say desis are born to be small is going too far…

Muscle gain is hard - not impossible but hard - even harder when u are not blessed genetically. The two most important things for muscle gain are

  1. the total calories you consume
  2. the amount of weight you are lifting

Both of these factors are important but unlike most people might believe I think 2) is more important.. it certainly has been in my case. In our society too much empahsis is placed on eating right - the right calories, the right macronutrients and so on… eating is easy - measuring calories is not much pain - you just have to sit on your behind and eat - the exercise part is harder.

The quantity of weight is perhaps the only factor which will put muscle on you. You MUST push yourself - lifting a new higher range of weights everytime you do weight training. This is essential I believe more than anything else. Say you benched 150 lbs in the last week - try to bench 155 lbs - even if it is one rep or a half/partial rep. I have seen to many guys just lifting the same weight months after months - no wonder they dont look any different.

I dont believe one can ever ever overtrain while weight training. People are so afraid of over-training they dont push themselves hard enough. The average desi guy works out 3-4 time a week. Although good but its not good enough. I personally workout everyday - sometimes twice a day on weekends. People must stop believing stuff like “you will suffer from over-training…” and all other common over-training phobia.

Yes there comes a point where it will feel you are just beating against the bush - eg. you start with 200 lbs on the bench, do 1 set, then do 1 with 190 lbs and so on…as you keep decrementing the weight there might be a weight where the exercise will be of no effect - it will not contribute to muscle growth. Its not fixed for anyone and you have to go with your gut feeling on this one. A good estimate would be (1RM - 40%)

No need to do 3 different exercises for each body part - eg. for chest pick one u like the most and just stick to it. (my favourite is flat bench press). However when I step into a gym Im like a spoiled brat - I want to do everything. bench press, barbell rows, and all other auxillary exericses like rear delt raise, forearm curls etc…

As far as eating is concerned I find eating the same things day in day out makes my life a lot easier. I make all my food myself - the only cooked food I eat is broasted chicken and meat which I make myself. Believe it or not I have eaten the same things for the last one year everyday and the changes in my body are amazing. Developing such eating habits took a lot of time and patience. I failed many many times "cheating on my diet :frowning: :frowning: " before this last one year. There is a certain sense of satisfaction associated with sticking to your diet and you cant really feel it until you have done it. I dont eat any of the usual desi stuff like salan, or rice, biryani etc. - it took massive patience to get over these things.

Eating the same things will allow you to very accurately judge how you are progressing - but remember eating is the easy part - exercise is the hard part - for me anyway.

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc...

ok Mr. Olympia.Gotcha!

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc…

First let me say

Welcome to Gupshup :slight_smile:

Yes this is, right forum to discuss this topic :k:

It may look odd, Like taking off your shirt in presence of some 20 girls here and 4 guys :smiley: but don’t be shy.

Ok back to topic, eating quality food is very important, Like you said its easy part but conscious effort is required.

Well it is not a phobia, rather biological requirement of our body. In wieght training, you increase your muscle matabolism. cells die and new cells take their place. So the body needs proper relaxing time for this cycle to complete. Please check with other sources :slight_smile:

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc...

Mr viper. Boht sari ghalat batein bata rahai ho. I am not into body building yet I can tell you - you will hurt yourself in the long run. Let me try to point out somefins.

1 - Calories intake is more imporatnt if you trying to loose weight / belly etc.

2 - Weight lifting is important if you want to tone your muscles (or increase the size of it)

Increase endurance. Increase Power. Increase speed. Loose weight. They all have different types of excercise associated with them. Just doing one type will not let you accomplish your goal. (you can have more than 1 goal).

I agree you MUST push yourself. But to an extent. You can actually damage your muscles if you push yourself (usually don't have to worry about this with most desiz hehehe). Don't worry it will heal itself with time.

As code_red said. You break down your muscles when you workout. They need to recover (build new cells), therefore you should wait a day to let them build. Therefore not working out everyday on the same muscles! Alternate your muscle group. work on chest 1 day. Work on your legs or somfin the other day. Do cardio only the third day. Give your body rest. Even if you somehow keep up working out everyday - you will get bored of xcercise sooner than the guy who alternates (phsycological effect).

If you are keep increasing the weights (which you should do weekly at most - not daily). You are going to increase the size of your target muscles. If you are going to increase the reps of excercise you will tone it more. so it all comes down to what are you aiming for.

You do need to do different type of excercises for the same "body part". Why? If you keep doing same excercise then your body get accustom to it. Its adapting to that excercise and it will stop having less and less effect on you (although u maybe increasing weight / reps). Also, same excercise doesn't effect all parts of the target muscles. Therefore, you biseps may have increased in size - but there are muscles around it that may not be developed. Bad in many way - which I will not get into - as post is getting long as it is.

Didn't your mom told you 4 food groups? (for girls its dark choclate / white choclate / normal chocalte / any other choclate thats left)...hehehe. My mom didn't tell me either. I found out off my own.
Point being: You body needs more than just protein or specific type of meat all the time. Vegetables / cheese / butter / ... all the things you should be careful with not eliminate altogether. Only thing you can't have enf is water.

I will leave it at that for now. Hopefully you will consider my suggestions.

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc...

You damage your muscles everytime you hit the weights - small microtears which cause soreness/DOMS and contrary to popular belief not an indicator of muscle growth. Ofcourse pushing yourself means doing it in small increments and not attempting to bench a truck on your first go...

As for boredom associated with doing the same exercise and - depends on the individual. Im my experience doing different exercises had no effect and sticking to one exercise works very well for me.

I dont believe cardio is necessary. My sole purpose when it comes to bodybuilding is to look good. My bodyfat is currently at 5% and can only attribute this to consistent eating and making working out a religion. Any health benefit like low body fat, endurance and power etc etc... is a bonus and I wont mind taking that.

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc…

^ So what advice you got for girls? Cardio (plus diet) = lose fat right?

Is there any way possible to lose weight just from one area of the body, without seriously affecting other body parts? I’m satisfied iwth my body, but I just wish my stomach were a lil smaller and waist a little thinner. But I dont’ want to shrink my mid-section without shrinking everything else, coz then I’ll look the way I do now but smaller :bummer: …

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc…

As I said before Im not an expert so Ill go with something that has worked for me and it should work for you.

There is no way you can lose from just one area of your body. I wish there was but then everybody guy would be a stallone and girl umm… heidi klum??

You must keep a very accurate count of how much you are eating - I mean number of calories. Observe yourself in the mirror everyday and make a honest judgement of how you look. Record every calorie, write it down and make it a rule not to eat extra under any circumstances. This is of paramount importance

I find it easier if I eat the same things everyday - I often eat exactly the same meal 4-5 times a day and I eat a lot over 3000 calories - all whole food. My usual consists of fruits, vegetables, meat, skim milk and boiled brown rice.

I would suggest you start with 11-12 calories / pound of body weight and observe yourself daily in the mirror. If you think you are losing weight too fast (more than a pound a week) increase calories by whatever your bodyweight is , vice-versa. Also make sure you get most(preferably all ur calories from fresh whole foods). As for the macronutrient breakdown :

" Never go looking for fat in foods " – Robert Thoburn

Even in the leanest of foods there is fat and thats more than enough. Conventional experts would probably smirk at this but my personal experiences suggest otherwise.

Find and stick to a clean source of protein eg low fat meat, chicken, fish. If you decide to use a protein powder look for one with minimal carbohydrates added - check the labels - it should not have more than 2g of carbs for every 22-25 grams of protein powder. Protein powder is just a food source - its not better than whole food and its not worse - its just a very clean and I might add a very good source of protein. If you dont like protein powders - forget about them. Consume at least one protein source with every meal and the rest of the calories can be comprised of fruits or whatever you like as long it is low in fat.

I dont know what kind of exercise you prefer - your post suggested cardio which I am not very fond of. Rowing machines and treadmills are good for this purpose - the former is better as it involves some resistance exercise too.

Alternatively try this:

Pick a light weight and switch between different exercises with little or no rest - do one exercise - switch - do another - switch and so on with very little or not rest in between(preferably no rest). The weight should be enough to get your heart pumping without exhausting you too quickly. You could go through 10-12 exercises (pick from www.exrx.net ) , rest (get your breath back), and then do the whole thing again. It would be best if you could combine this on days you use the treadmill or rowing machines.

Keep increasing the weight (when you feel its comfortable to do so) and the number of rounds. Make sure you hit the largest muscle groups like chest, back, quads, shoulders, arms almost everytime. Ill be very surprised if you are not sweating like crazy after this. Dont worry about soreness here - the weight is too light but if u do get sore do this routine everyother day. As for the concern “I might bulk up” well you wont - so forget it.

hope this helps.

Thankx for listening

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc…

hey Sara, to have a smaller stomach you need to eat the food you can digest easily (no jounk food! apart from it, well, it depends on the people and I hope you know your body) and to tone your abs!
So you need to do regular workouts, ok prince MS said no daily workouts…but that’s what I do and it’s really efficient on me (dunno for you). And if you worry about “shrinking” the other parts of your body, tone them too! I mean replacing some fat with muscle is no harm to a girl as we tend to have more of the first than of the latter! (bloody hormones:mad: )

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc...

i did yoga exercises for sometime in ma life.

but , yoga is tough. n i left it.

i want to know that after i left it can i start doing it again , as i learnt that doing it after gaps damages ur muscles.or tissues.

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc…

I think one exercise/diet doesnt suit all body types..

Sara, maybe read up on a few and see what suits you.. or what you think you can stick to. Plus, it takes a bit of time to notice the changes..

For me, I’ve tried gyming, body combat, walking and jogging… gyming was great to get fit, as goes for jogging… but walking has made the most impact, also maintaining a steady diet.. :k: oh and a bit of pilates is great too..

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc…

If you start exercice again after a gap, you need to do a little only, not everyday, at first, then increase steadily and slowly the amount, and frequency, of exercice to reach the level you had in the past (it can take 2-3 months). Don’t forget to drink plenty of water during training, eat enough proteins (to repare and build more muscles) and get enough sleep (damaged muscle tissue is repaired during sleep, especially good sleep).

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^ thx. :hug:

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc...

This was posted on msn today...for those who feel weak and dizzy while working out.

Eat Smart Before Exercising

A sports nutritionist explains why food is so important to having good workouts.
by Liz Applegate

Like many people, you may think that eating before exercise is self-defeating. After all, if you work out to lose weight, why would you want to counteract all of those burned calories by filling your body with food?

Well, there are plenty of reasons. Here are the most important ones:

You'll actually burn more calories by eating before you run, swim, walk, or lift weights.

When you don't eat before your workout, many of the reasons for exercising—conditioning, fitness, building muscle mass and strength, losing weight—go out the window. That's because your body turns to muscle protein for fuel when it doesn't have enough carbohydrate to burn. If you start your workout well-fueled, your body will burn a combination of the carbohydrate stored in your muscles and the fat stored in your fat cells.

You'll be motivated to get out the door.

If you work out during your lunch break or after work, you're probably all too familiar with the excuses "I'm too hungry" and "I'm too tired." A healthy snack will eliminate those excuses.

You'll have the endurance to lengthen your workout.

How many times have you stopped exercising because you felt dizzy, shaky, or just plain pooped? That's because you didn't have enough fuel to go the distance.

You'll perform better.

Stocking up on food delays that burning feeling in your muscles, which will help you run, cycle, walk, or swim faster and for longer periods of time. Test subjects who ate before exercising also reported feeling better and rated their efforts as less rigorous than those who had fasted beforehand.

Your body needs fuel to keep your heart pumping and your brain buzzing even when you're not pounding the pavement.

Have you ever felt light-headed when you haven't eaten for several hours? That's a sign that your brain is suffering from less-than-ideal fueling conditions. The bottom line is that you need to eat every three to five hours to maintain basic body functions.

Eating smart before a workout—particularly food that supplies loads of carbohydrate—provides a whole host of benefits. Your muscles receive an infusion of energy to help maximize the results of your workout, and your entire body (especially your brain) gets the fuel and nutrients it needs for daily living.

What, when, and how much

Here's a look at specific eating guidelines for preworkout fueling:

Eat two to four hours before a workout.

This may mean planning your meals at different times to accommodate your workout schedule. For example, you may eat lunch at 2:00 p.m. so you can work out at 6:00 p.m.

Eat 400 to 800 calories at your pre-exercise meal.

This amount should fuel your workout without making you feel sluggish or full.

Choose high-carb foods that are low in fat and have a moderate amount of protein.

A whole grain bagel topped with tomato slices and low-fat cheese, or breakfast cereal and fruit with 2% milk or soy milk, are both excellent choices.

Drink at least 10 ounces of water or sports drink two hours before you exercise. This helps offset sweat loss during your workout. The two hours gives your kidneys time to rid your body of any excess fluid.

Liz Appletgate, Ph.D., a Runner's World magazine columnist and author, is on the Nutrition Department faculty at the University of California, Davis.

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Good article, thanks!`

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My advice to all the fat/overweight people is.....Stop freaking eatin......

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Re: Exercise/Weights and etc...

In my case, I've noticed greater gains after training one body part per week. I think it's crucial to rest between workouts unless your goal is to win a triathlon. If your goal is to gain muscle bulk than it's all weights, rest and enough protein.

I dont train more than two or three times a week and I've gained a max of 4 pounds in an ideal week. My ultimate goal was to be a lean 180 lbs on a 5'9" frame. I came pretty close but I'm not disciplined enough to keep it up. In an ideal week, I would work out 3 times a week about 2 hrs duration, take in about 150-160 grams of protein, low carb. It worked amazingly well for me.