Need a cardio/weight training plan

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15 Nov 2007
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Hi All,

My first post here! :cool:

I'm 21 years old and I'm 5'7 and weight is roughly 10.5 stone. I've have been going gym for 2 months now doing weight training and have not seen much difference apart from some definition and a little bit of size.

I need some advice on a routine for my weights and cardio. I've read Gordy's guide already a few times and diet wise it's not bad at all.

I've put on quite a bit of fat around my stomach area, which I have always had. At first I was training for size but now I am having second thoughts about my routine which was normally 3 sets of 5 reps. I'm not 100% sure of my exact body fat but I am pretty lean everywhere else it's just my stomach. Should I be trying to lose weight first by doing more cardio/HIIT, and if so at what heartrate do I need to be training at? (160)?

Then should I be training for size once my bodyfat is lower?

Any advice is very much appreciated.

Thanks guys!
 
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2 Apr 2007
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Don't do cardio on it's own. Best results imo is from a mix of both, depending on how often you can go to the gym do a split say 3 day split of weights with 20 mins of low int cardio afterwards + do cardio on it's own on days you have free that your not doing weight training. Along with a healthy diet with a high protein intake you will attain muscle and maybe even build up some and you will lose body fat. Don't just do cardio on it's own you will just lose muscle and fat and probly end up skinny or skinny fat.
 
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15 Nov 2007
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Don't do cardio on it's own. Best results imo is from a mix of both, depending on how often you can go to the gym do a split say 3 day split of weights with 20 mins of low int cardio afterwards + do cardio on it's own on days you have free that your not doing weight training. Along with a healthy diet with a high protein intake you will attain muscle and maybe even build up some and you will lose body fat. Don't just do cardio on it's own you will just lose muscle and fat and probly end up skinny or skinny fat.

What sort of 3 day split do you recommend and how many sets/reps am I meant to do?

I was thinking of doing 20 minutes intense cardio (bike/rower/running) where my heartrate would be between 145-160. Then after the cardio work I was planning on doing intense weights (for about 35 mins) based around a 3 day split (3 sets of 8-10 reps).

Which routine would provide the best results in your experiences when training/bodybuilding?
 
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OP
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15 Nov 2007
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what exactly is your goal?

lose fat or gain muscle?

Well my overall aim is to gain muscle but I also need to lose weight especially around my stomach (looking like a beer belly soon). I know I can either gain muscle or lose fat.

So one of the questions i'm asking is whether it is better to reduce my overall bodyfat first and then build muscle after? Is this the best way to do it?
 
Soldato
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The best way is by gaining muscle first, then losing body fat. When you build muscle, you are bound to gain body fat, which makes the losing bit seem like a waste of time.
 
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OP
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15 Nov 2007
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The best way is by gaining muscle first, then losing body fat. When you build muscle, you are bound to gain body fat, which makes the losing bit seem like a waste of time.

The only thing is that my endurance is not the best so I sometimes feel i'm not doing the exercises properly for the last set. So would it be best to work on my cardio and become more lean first and then build up the muscle? Is it not easier to build up muscle when your more lean than when your fat?
 
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