How should I improve on my current situation?

[Jude]

Hello, anyone who sees this.

I've peeked in here a bit from time to time and just recently joined. I'm coming out of the shadows because I'd like some advice on new directions for my training.

For most of my adult years (I'm 50 now) I was largely inactive; however, I used the Nordic Track on and off for a number of years, have done walking with my wife, and perhaps the occasional pushups and situps.

For about the past five years, I have been following pretty much the same routine as follows.

Monday & Friday: Cybex circuit, followed by treadmill program for 15-20 minutes

Wednesday: Concept II rower for 20 min - half hour

Weekend: A 3 mile run.

My biggest motivation has been largely to not get too fat and stay somewhat healthy and fit. I push myself somewhat hard in what I do.

I've gathered that there is value to moving over to a weight training routine that uses free weights. Also, I don't think that I've progressed a whole lot in terms of strength on the Cybex circuit.

During some Amazon searching, I came upon the book Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It was well reviewed and sounded intriguing. I subsequently found it was also well received by a number of online commentators. I ordered it.

Having reviewed it a bit, I find it would most definitely be very different than what I am doing.

However, as I am getting older, I find myself somewhat intrigued with the notion of getting stronger. Exchanging boxes of Christmas items for boxes of books in the attic these past holidays might have been a key inspiration. I am also getting somewhat bored with what I am doing, and also have wondered if I am making the best use of my time. Also, due to work and schedule considerations, I might prefer to begin exercising at home, so I would be purchasing what I need to follow any particular program.

Thank you for any comments or suggestions you have!

[stingo]

I think any intelligently designed program, like those from Alwyn Cosgrove (The New Rules of Lifting, aka NROL), Chad Waterbury (Muscle Revolution), Craig Ballantyne (Turbulence Training), Leigh Peele (HELL) and other authors mentioned around this site, would get you to where you want to be. Intensity, I feel is what will prove to be the determining factor in progress in a program.

Speaking of getting stronger as you get older and training with intensity, you should read Mahler's training log. He's always posting incredible numbers, and follows some interesting programs, including NROL.

[jvernacchio]

Starting Strength from Mark Rippetoe is an excellent place to start if you want to get stronger. His ideas are basically some of the soundest in the industry and if you follow his philosophy and programming over the next year you will be much stronger then you are right now. You picked up one of my top 5 favorite Health/Lifting books in my library.

[StuWard]

I hang out more at T-nation and there are several guys who have kept logs there of their training experiences with "Starting Strength". You may find that after several weeks on the program that you may not recover quite as fast as most beginners. I'm 51 and I know I need a little longer break with the heavy exercises. You should do this program for as long as you can though, and when you need a break, consider one of several good intermediate programs that are set up in a heavy/light/medium pattern. I believe Rippetoe refers to this in his book. He certainly goes into this in great depth in "Practical Programming".

Stu

[Cynic]

I'm not familiar with Rippetoe's work, but I don't recall hearing anyone bash it. Like in working life, if you don't hear negatives being flung toward it, it must be doing good.

You have access to one of the best cardio machines I've ever worked on. The concept II rower. Do you know which model? I think my work has the model C. I'd get one for home, if I had a home.

[rem1956]

Welcome to the forum. As another person who is 52 and a daddy of a 10 year old, I too am struggling to get fit, keep fit and making the best use of my workout times. I don't have much more to say than the others have already said, so I'll just say hi and welcome!

[Jude]

Thank you for the welcome!

I spent a fair amount of time this weekend reading through the book (Starting Strength). I jotted down the major points for the different lifts to use as a checklist this week.

Rather than doing my usual Cybex circuit today, I used an empty bar and a a couple of 10 pound plates and went through the various lifts, trying my best to follow the major guidelines presented by the authors. The center at which I train does not have Olympic equipment, but I simply used a regular empty bar that probably weighs about 20 pounds, so the additional weight made it about 40 pounds.

On Friday, I'll start to work through the movements with a bit more weight and see how comfortable I am. I want to get used to the mechanics and keep true to form, per the book's instruction. I imagine that next week, I'll start to add more weight and see how it goes. I'm curious to see how any strength I've gained from the Cybex training carries over to barbell movements.

Thank you all again for the well wishes and encouragement.

[MuscleMom23]

Hi and welcome.

I switched over from Cybex training to Alwyn Cosgrove. No comparison. It was as if I was standing still before. I am 46 1/2 unfit female. If I can do it, you can do it!

My strength has gone through the roof and I quit going to my cybex gym with no free weights and a smith machine only and workout at home now. The smith machine was tough on my knees and I thought I was getting somewhere with 285lb leg presses but couldn't do 100lb squats or bodyweight step ups well. That told me something. Machines did not help me one bit except to get me started and in the habit.

[smoddelm]

Your prior workouts seem fairly short. I am 52 so I understand the "not get too fat" thing. Obviously, longer workouts burn more calories, unless you give up the intensity. How long was your workout today?