# Basic "getting in shape" questions



## amishman (Jun 19, 2007)

I am starting my first class this Friday.  It has been 20+ years since I did any martial arts.  I am now 41, out of shape, high cholesterol, and a big old tummy.  That is one of the reasons I am getting back into Martial Arts.  I enjoyed learning self defense back in the late 80s and hope by joining a weekly class, I can get more physically fit also.  I have already in the last 2 to 3 weeks changed my eating lifestyle (cut out many of the fats to lower my cholesterol) and lost about 7 pounds or so already.  186 down to 179.  Goal #1 is to get to 175.  Then down to 165 and see how I feel and all that.  I am only 5' 6" so I may need to be between 150 to 160 range.  Not sure.  Anyway I have 40 years of fatness to get rid of <grin>.  I purchased some used exercise equipment and use it daily.  A Tony Little Gazelle and a Weight Lifting set.  I am trying to ride the Gazelle at least 10 to 15 minutes per day and also do weight lifting for 20 minutes or so.  

I just wonder what everyone else does to tone up the body.  I am doing two sets of all the lifts and sit-ups I do.  Sets of 20 x 2 bascially.  So, preacher curls, sit ups, leg lifts, chest pulls, punching style lifts,  arm pulling to my face style lifts, and stuff like that.  I don't have the actual names of this stuff other than preacher curls <grin>.  The weight lifting takes me maybe 20 minutes or so daily.

So, basically between the Gazelle and Weights, 1/2 hour daily.  Once I start my classes, I will do that every Friday night for 2 hours training.  During the week I plan on practicing whatever I learn daily also.  Do it as long as I need to.

Thanks

tj

Do I need to do more sets more often every day or is this a good start.


----------



## Emptyhand (Jun 19, 2007)

Amishman,

It sounds like you are doing pretty good and you have set goals.

I am in my early 40's and just started taking lessons in American Kenpo myself. I have trained with weights for over 20+ years. 

From what you listed, it sounds like you are doing the right things. Everything should be done in moderation and let your body talk to you. 

I would say make sure to cut out your fats and reduce your food consumption after 6pm. If you can perhaps go for a brisk walk or jog walk if your joints and body is comfortable doing so. If you can do this in the morning after waking up it will help to cut down on your stored fats and perhaps a hour after your last meal (time permitting).

For your weight training I would say add another set in there for 3 sets while keeping your rep range high between 15 to 20 reps. Honestly, if you are feeling good and dropping weight continue doing what you are doing. Obviously your body is responding. It is when people plateau that things get frustrating because your body gets used to the same routines. If that happens change up your exercises, and the order that you do them.

For me, I jog at a track where I can monitor my progress times. For weights I tend to keep my rep range in the 8-12 reps and I work one to two body parts at a session depending upon how I feel. Often I will do high reps, little rest between sets and a lot of exercises one week and the next do lower reps, heavier weights and only hit the individual bodyparts each once in the week to get adequate rest. That is it generally speaking. Sometimes I will hit the eliptical or bike for 30 mins after a workout. 

Eating, I eat a ton of chicken, fish and raw vegetables. I do indulge on my weekends however but not too crazy. I take in a lot of water too. I try to cut out fats a lot when eating any sweets. I go for the sugar free/fat free stuff as often as I can. I am human however and yes, I sometimes need that real sugar taste or the pizza. Overall I am not a strict eater as it sounds as I wrote this but where I have a choice I try to eat smart. Instead of a chicken sandwich with the bread for example, instead I will get just the chicken, no bread. 

Hope that gives you some idea. As I stated earlier though, it appears you are doing good with what you are doing and making the weight loss that you are looking for and that is great!

Enjoy your new lifestyle or return to your healthy lifestyle whichever may apply.

All the best.


----------



## tellner (Jun 19, 2007)

What emptyhand said. You're making slow steady progress. That's exactly what you want when you're starting up something like this. And you were twenty in the early eighties. You are forty now. Your body will not be nearly as forgiving. Once you've got a better sense of your limits and your body's healing capacity you can amp it up. Until then slow and steady. Stretch. Allow plenty of time for rest. Don't do fine motor work after strength or heavy aerobic. Work on the cardio and eat right.


----------



## Hawke (Jun 19, 2007)

Hey TJ,

This book might be helpful:

Amazon: Getting Back in Shape

Maybe your local library will have it.

Cheers.


----------



## dani416 (Jun 21, 2007)

I am new to martial arts but i did take boxing for a while, i am 17 and took boxing for conditioning to help my cardio primarily to help with me during hockey, jump rope/skipping same thing... is an amazing cardio workout out and i have read many great things on it.. jogging or brisk walking is very good also and keeps you in that fat burning zone for a maximul amount of time.. i will also reccomed swimming i am not sure if finding good water ie. pool, lake is easy for you or not but it is also highly talked about. 

I am not sure on your body but jump rope i found was a little hard on my legs for a while untill i developed a little spring/light feet. 

i am a regualar jogger and jump rope 3-4 times weekly.. it is working for me 


i am also taking xyience xelerate, it is a fat burner supplement that increases the bodies tempeture a few degrees gives you the energy to go and i find helps me workout longer.. it has been working for me. i am not sure on your views concerning supplements but i am happy with it so i thought i should mention...... 

http://www.xyience.com/pc-1137-4-xelerate-xtreme-energy-formula.aspx

the exact link to the product page a little costly but its your call. 

good luck and have fun​


----------



## Joe Divola (Jun 23, 2007)

I too am in the situation that you are in, I am just a little younger but not by much.  I think another thing to remember is not to do to much to soon so that you dont get burned out and stop with everything compeletly.  I am not saying that you will, but just something to keep in mind.  Happened to me once, guilty as charged hehe


----------



## Ninjamom (Jun 23, 2007)

Hi, A-man, and welcome to MT!  Please don't forget to post in the "Meet and Greet" section, to tell us all a little bit more about yourself.

I firmly believe that any exercise is better than no exercise.  Kudos to you for choosing to start an exercise program, and daring to do something to change you situation!  As you get training and start reading on these forums and getting advice from your Instructor, you'll be able to 'tweak' your exercise routine more and more, until you have exactly what works for you (I think you'll find it helpful to change the routine a little now and then, anyway, just for variety).

I also recommend you include stretching in your training mix - at our age, it will go a long way towards helping you get back to where you feel comfortable doing these exercises.  I also recommend that you do a Yahoo search on 'core exercises' - these are exercises that strengthen the main muscle groups you will use for any martial arts activity, in any style (abdomen, lower back, hips/glutes, upper thighs).  For these areas, I recommend you add squats and/or deadlifts to your mix, as well as anything that builds rotational strength (Russian twists, full contact twists) and something called a 'Turkish Get-up'.  Here's a link to a website that has video and slide shows showing 'how-to' for most of these exercises (you can save a lot of time and injury by checking your form on whatever exercise you are doing). Just don't be intimidated by the amount of weigth the guys in the demos use - START SMALL and work up.


----------



## Drac (Jun 23, 2007)

I lift 3 days a week, 2 body parts per workout 3x10..Cardio and abs are EVERYDAY..I spend no more than one hr pumping iron and then at least 30 min cardio...


----------



## Skip Cooper (Jun 23, 2007)

All excellent responses, I don't think I can add anything but...

:asian: Welcome to MT!


----------



## Drac (Jun 23, 2007)

I purchased a book by *Robert Kennedy Jr* the editor of *MuscleMag International*..It was excellent and there were routines in the back that some of the more famous lifters used..It really helped..


----------



## Budo_NJ (Jun 28, 2007)

Joe Divola said:


> I too am in the situation that you are in, I am just a little younger but not by much.  I think another thing to remember is not to do to much to soon so that you dont get burned out and stop with everything compeletly.  I am not saying that you will, but just something to keep in mind.  Happened to me once, guilty as charged hehe



This is an excellent suggestion!

Three years ago when I started to get back in shape I started lifting heavy weights. The result was a herniated disk that took 6 months to recover. Don't make my mistake.

Good luck.


----------



## Blotan Hunka (Jun 28, 2007)

"Cardio" but dont leave out weight training. Muscle mass eats up fat all day long. That run only burns it for a matter of minutes/hours.

I keep pushing them so much I should get a sponsorship but look at:

http://www.crossfit.com

Their main emphasis is "anerobic exercise, done a specific way, has most of the benefits of pure areobics plus the added benefit of strength and power that areobics lacks". Their mantra is to produce atheletes with a broad base of conditioning who are capable of a wide range of physical activity. You wont be as aerobically fit as a runner or as strong as a powerlifter, but you will span a wide enough range of fitness to handle anything a combat environment can throw at you. It has definiately boosted my general physical conditioning. But be careful and "scale" their workouts. They have literally hospitalized people who tried to take the program to the max. I now crossfit 3-4 days a week and run once a week, but my endurance and run times have improved compared to when I ran 3-4 times a week.


----------



## Blotan Hunka (Jun 30, 2007)

Part of the Crossfit philosophy is incorporating gymnastic style training and movements. I recently purchased a set of training rings from:

http://www.ringtraining.com/index.php

Try doing a few sets of dips, chins or push-ups on these babies. Its a whole new experience.


----------



## searcher (Jul 1, 2007)

You did not put it on overnight so don't try to take it off over night.   How is your deitary?    That will make a huge difference.   I suggest that you try Weight Watchers, it is great.


----------

