PARS defect. The right side of one of my vertebrae never calcified into bone, so it's just cartilage. Doesn't make for a stable spine all the time.

I have back and knee problems and can't deadlift or squat because of it. Have you tried doing wheelbarrow lifts? (Dumbells on the floor either side of you, shoulder width apart and lined up with your feet - just stand up with a dumbell in each hand) It's the only thing I can manage for lower back/butt

You would have more functional strength and a better physique if you DL'd. :evil:

The trap bar is diamond shaped and you stand in the middle with handles to the side. You may like that, lets you load it up more than dumbells allow.

Yeah I've tried it. You can go heavier as you said but having a dumbell in each hand works the core a bit more I find. DBs at my gym go up to 130lb, which is more than enough for me!

Dropped another 4lbs last week since turning it up a notch and following Silock's advice for the most part.

Very excited for hockey season come August.

I'm looking to begin a weightlifting regimen with the goal of building muscle and eventually leaning up a little - I'm a broad 6'2", 220 lbs. I have a few questions:

1. Nutritionally, what should I be looking to do at the start? I've read that I should consume a gram of protein per lean pound of body mass while seriously lifting, but beyond that I'm not sure whether I should begin at a deficit or go straight into bulking. Also, is there a brand of protein powder that works best? Should I stay away from soy protein, what with the estrogen scare?
2. How do I find the correct weights/reps to work with? I hear that three sets of 6-8 reps is what I should be aiming for, buy I have relatively little weightlifting experience.
3. I am looking to use machines as much as possible (if not exclusively), since I don't have anybody to spot me and my once-injured shoulder has a tendency to flare back up at inopportune times. Is there a resource that I can use to help me hash out a good workout regimen?

I wouldn't recommend machines - they don't work the smaller stabilizing muscles around joints. I would go for free weights but start very sloooowly and not try to be Arnie to show off in the gym by piling on big weight. Concentrate of proper form and technique on low weight before moving up. You will find if you do that your joints become much stronger and stable - could even fix your gimp shoulder (depends on the injury). If you need a spot, just ask someone in the gym to help out for a heavy set.

To start I would focus on a good all round work out 2-3 times a week, doing compound exercises but as I said before, not going all out Arnie until you are ready. A typical simple work out would look like:

Bench Press
Bent over Row
Shoulder press/military press
Squat/deadlift (whichever you prefer)
Incline chest fly ***May hurt your shoulder so be careful!***
Lateral raise
Pull ups
Dips
Some core/ab work - whatever work for you

Start with around 8 reps, 3 or 4 sets. Make sure you do a warm up on each exercise before adding the weight.

A couple of months doing this work out a couple of times a week would give you a good solid grounding in lifting and then you can start mixing it up a bit.

(*All the above is IMHO)

Damn. I think I drank my weight in beer this weekend. I feel like a fat mess. Time to start over.

Weighed in under 170 yesterday! Of course, I then went to a cookout with fried fish, desserts, etc. I even allowed myself one soda. I probably weigh more than 170 today, but I'll work it off this week. :)

That would be nearly 88 lbs down!

1. dont worry about counting calories right now, just establish good eating habits focusing on quality whole foods, maybe a shake or two if you don't have time to eat. At your height/weight, aim for 3-4 meals a day with 50g protein each meal/shake. 200g is fine for you. Dont be scared of carbs either, just make smart choices. Once you get a grasp on nutrition and finish off the 'newbie' gains, you can worry about counting macros. I've linked this eating plan many times before, and has good overall nutritional concepts. http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...he_simple_diet


2. If you want to train on machines - thats fine. Run a split like legs/push/pull/off/repeat. 3-4 sets, aim for 8-10 reps. If you get 10, add a little weight. If you get under 6, take some off.

Consistency is king in this game, with both nutrition and training. You could probably hit the gym 6 days a week at your level. When you start moving some serious weight, you will need to take additional rest days.

You're better educated in lifting than I am, but I thought I would throw in some advice based on my experience with the deadlift. I, too, have a wonky lower back. On some days I can deadlift with no problem; other days?- moderate weight can hobble me. One contributing factor that I have isolated is how fatigued my back is when I get to deadlifts. It is much more difficult to maintain proper form when my back is fatigued. It is also difficult to maintain form when doing high reps on the deadlift (even if my back was not fatigued when I started the exercise).

It's stuff I'm sure you already know, but maybe worth looking at.

1. Were deadlifts the first exercise or the last exercise of the day?
2. Were you doing high reps or low reps?

Maybe an adjustment in the routine can alleviate the problem.

I appreciate the advice, thanks! I'm going to Costco after work to grab a Vitamix and some protein and shake materials. I was "going to start" lifting for too long now; time to get going!

I'll keep up with this thread now - any extra advice I can get is appreciated!

Was as fresh as can be. First exercise, plenty of dynamic warmup and only three reps.

Just not in the cards for me, I think.

Are you saying you feel too fat Omaha?