*.* 2012 General Fitness Thread *.*

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by memyselfI

I am reading a shit ton about cardio and weights. Not much about stretching. Hopefully you guys are integrating a good stretching program into your regimens. It may not be of utmost importance in your 20 or early 30s but as you age it become huge.

Warmup is important. Stretching, not so much. Now doing specific exercises to promote and enhance flexibility (not the same thing as bending down and touching your toes to supposedly prevent an injury during workout) is worthwhile. Most people, though, waste their time with their stretching, imo.

[Start Croyle]

I am about 6 feet and 160 pounds, down from 195 about a year and a half ago! All I did was just eat better and infrequently do cardio exercise. I am not overweight anymore according to the 'body mass index', however, I have a high amount of body fat and not much muscle! I am a skinny fat person!

I have heard that what serious bodybuilders and lifters will do is 'cut down' to around 10% body fat, then eat a ton of (healthy) calories every day while performing intense strength training. The calorie excess ensures the most muscle growth possible! After doing this 'bulk up', they cut back again and try to lose a lot of the fat they gained.

My plan is to follow something like what I just described! I will try to stay at approximately the same weight or lose maybe 10 more pounds while doing moderate strength training until I am more lean. Then, when I reach that goal I will eat like a crazy person while hitting the gym every day!

My problem right now though is my left shoulder. I feel a sharp spike of pain in my shoulder when I use it for almost any kind of gym activity. I also sometimes feel it when I reach or carry something in daily life! In fact, my whole left arm is weaker than my right, maybe because I have been favoring the other arm.

A doctor told me that my rotator cuff has some inflammation and told me to take Aleve every day for two weeks. It's been almost two weeks and I haven't done anything with that shoulder, except sometimes move my arm around to see how it feels. It doesn't feel much different!

Should I go back to the doctor? Try some kind of rehabilitation exercise? Just pretend I only have one arm?

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Start Croyle

After doing this 'bulk up', they cut back again and try to lose a lot of the fat they gained.

Scientific studies show that they do not gain a ton of muscle while doing this. Some muscle, absolutely. But for advanced lifters, it's not any more than they could build while following a diet that provides enough energy to build muscle but not so much that they store fat. It eliminates the need to yo yo in weight all the time.

My plan is to follow something like what I just described! I will try to stay at approximately the same weight or lose maybe 10 more pounds while doing moderate strength training until I am more lean. Then, when I reach that goal I will eat like a crazy person while hitting the gym every day!

Don't do that. Start your serious strength training NOW. You WILL lose weight. Get about 120g of protein, 1800-2000 cals per day, and you'll lose fat and build muscle. After you have done that, THEN you can start eating like a horse and trying to build a lot more muscle. Start your Starting Strength program immediately. No need to hit the gym every day, either. 3 times per week is optimal on a good program like the 5x5.

Should I go back to the doctor?

YES.