Any experienced weight lifters willing to help a complete novice?

So heres my issue, ive been a fat piece of crap for my whole life, in March i topped out at 260lbs, and i finally had enough, since then ive been dieting, and playing hockey and have gotten my weight down to 209 (as of this morning).  My goal is to hit about 175, but one thing has become pretty apparent as ive been losing the weight....I have very little muscle.  I suppose this is a biproduct of a sedintary life.

 

Anyway, ive had this home gym:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem &Item=190214544794

(apologies for the link, but i cant find a decent picture anywhere else, and no, that is not my item for sale).

 

And i tried using it a few years ago when we first bought it, but there was a problem, i guess i didnt know what the hell i was doing, and i hurt my shoulder BADLY doing the butterfly type thing (not sure what its called, but its the 2 bars facing down that you have to push inwards towards the center of your body, it seems to put a lot of stress on the shoulders.

 

So once i hurt my shoulder i stayed away from the machine.  But now that ive noticed how weak i am, and how my mass is/was almost all fat, im ready to do something about it.

 

Anyway, here is my problem, i really need someone to sort of spell out what exercises i should do, on what days, and how many reps and sets of each i should do and at waht suggested weight (i know you cant know how much i lift, but you can be like...do x sets of y reps at a weight that is just at your limit, or do W sets of Z reps at a comfortable weight...etc)

 

Basically i need to know what to do, when to do it, how often to do it, and i will stick to it.  Im a very disciplined person (despite what my weight might hint at) and i can get on a routine and stick with it, the problem is knowing exactly what i should be doing and when to do it.  I want to stay safe and healthy, and i dont need another shoulder incident that keeps me away from the machine for another 2 years...

 

Any help would be appreciated!!!

I helped out my husband, as I was a body builder when I was in my teens through twenties.  Wish I took my own advice these days.

I highly recommend Arnold Swatzenegger's book "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding.  It outlines each exercise and provided reps and routines.  I bought it for my hubby a couple of years ago used off of Amazon and he loves it and has made good use of it.

It's not about being a body builder.  It is about doint the exercises right and reaching your own goals. My husband doesn't want to be a body builder, but he wanted to know what to do with weights.

First, you know you are a beginner, so start out with light resistanse for the first month.  This will condition your muscles for more and help you avoid injury.  Most people make the mistake of starting out too heavy and causing themselves setbacks.

I suspece that the flys you did back then were too heavy on a range of motion (stretch).  Neither of which you are used to.  Lighter weight allows you to acheive a better stretch on flys, for full range of motion and effect.

My husband is now totally buff, in two years and he is 45, 6'1", and 195 lbs.  Not a body builder by far, but very fit and at his ideal weight.  I call him buff-man.  He just has a nice Y-shape.  Reminds me of a swimmer's body.

BEST WISHES!!

Well there are a lot of things you can do, and all of them will get you results, but it depends what you want?  Do you want to look good?  Do you want to be stronger? Run faster? Just lose weight?

 

All of those questions must be answered before you can think about a training program.  Also, could you post your height, weight, age, sex, body fat %, etc?  That would help with a recommendation.

 

It sounds to me like you want to lose weight and tone up.  I'll give you a few guiding principles, but I reccomend going onto www.bodybuilding.com.  Don't be intimidated because it is a site for bodybuilders, because they have a TON of great information about getting in shape for the average person, and they can give you a ton of workout plans, plus help you with nutrition, which is a MUST.

 

First, USE FREE WEIGHTS.  If you want to get in shape, machines are fine, but they are not nearly as good as free weights.  Why?  Free weights exercise your core better.  So if you bench press using a machine, you will exercise your chest.  If you bench press using a free weight, you will exercise your chest, arms, abs, back, everything.  

Second, do 12-15 reps per set.  This will maximize weight loss and tone.

Third, and this is perhaps the most important, go to failure on every set.  Lift until you can't lift anymore.  So after the first couple of days, you will be able to know what weight you can lift 15 times before you can't lift anymore.  And if you go up to 17 or 18 one day, increase the weight till you are back into the 12-15 range next time.  That is why people who go into the gym and lift weights dont see results-- they don't lift until they fail.

Beware of over-training.  I did that once and lost muscle mass and became weaker.  Give yourself a lot of time to repair, and a lot of time off.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/james1.htm

That site is great for basic weightlifting principles and explanations , but you might want to look around to find what is best for you, as it might be a little advanced.  In your case I would try that routine but instead of 4-6 reps, do 12-15.  You will be tired every day, but it will be worth it.  Fat will pour off you and be replaced with muscle.  

 

Good luck- and use bodybuilding.com.  I love it- it's a great resource. 

Go to bodybuilding.com.  There are tons of articles neatly arranged by your goal (to gain muscle and loose fat).  That site has helped more than anything.  I'm eating so much better (cleaner) than before, am gaining some muscle and now sporting a real 6-pack...and I'm 50!  Never too late to get a handle on your health.  And, don't call yourself a piece of crap...you might be fat, but your really not a piece of crap...you're "fearfully and wonderfully made" so change your attitude...see yourself the way you want to look and feel and you will get there.   Good luck!

thanks for the advice fellas, ill check out that site right now!

Y'all need to go read Testosterone Nation - b-building.com has a lot of interesting stuff from some decent coaches, but T-nation has better coaches, higher standards of writing and more science-based information. There's room for both I suppose, but T-nation lists the president of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists as one of their contributors ;)
 

I second the T-Nation recommendation.  You aren't a body-builder so why would you want to train like one?  People who try to do body-buiding routines and don't 'supplement' like body-builders either burn themselves out, get injured, or don't see any results.

A good place to start, in my opinion, would be a professionally designed, pre-made routine.  There are several good one's in the stickies at the top of this forum as well as on T-Nation.  Routines I'd recommend include:

Home Grown Muscle

Total Body Training

New Rules of Lifting (it's a book that's definitley worth the money)

You've had some good advice from folks here, but beware. Bodybuilding.com is full of good info, but also full +*&%$ at other times. Depends on who you're listening to or reading, especially in the Forum.

I recently read (the late) Mike Mentzer's book "High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way", and after reading tons of material and trying lots of different workouts in the past, I'm absolutely certain his philosophy is the best and most based on true science.

To make any muscle grow, you have to expose it to stress it hasn't handled before, i.e. taking your set to muscular failure. This initiates the General Adaptation Syndrome in your body, which will grow new muscle to be able to handle that amount of stress the next time it comes up.

Where most people go wrong is assuming more is better, that lifting all the time will make you stronger and stronger.. so they work out 4 to 5 days a week doing set after exhausting set.  This is both wrong and counterproductive. The body needs rest to recover its energy stores and grow new muscle. If you don't allow it to do that, you short-circuit the process.

Mike's program is simple to follow, NOT EASY, but short and intense and you will be working out only once every 4 to 7 days, and you will make huge gains in strength and muscle size. You will have to start out slowly, of course, and build up to the intensity that is necessary to make continued progress.

Buy the book, read it and you'll see what I mean. Good luck.

Hi Im not a body builder in fact im just a out of condition farmers wife stuck in the middle of nowhere. I bought a treadmill and started using it. In the beginning 10 mins was a VERY long time but now 3 mts on I can walk 30 mins at a stiff pace for 30 mins. To this I have added some free weights. I use the womens health web site for core exercises to get ideas. I am still at beginner level but do ten 3 times a week.It is realy helping.I am not at all disiplined but I try.If you live near a gym it would realy help if  you went there and got hands on advice of if you have a friend who could advise you. Dont be put off by your size.At least you are doing something about it.

Good luck