Curiosity questions about athletic/personal training

[Kenny from MD]

I am headed back to Brazil this summer, and I've gotten out of shape... I want to be back in good shape before I go, but I am a lazy, unmotivated person and hate working out outside of training. Instead of figuring things out for myself, I've decided to just pay for a strength and conditioning program at an athletic center because if someone else is telling me what to do, and planning for me, and telling me what to eat I'll actually do it.

I've emailed the guy (he has a lot of experience working with MMA and BJJ fighters) and am waiting to hear back, but in the meantime I am just curious and want to get a rough idea about things since some of you might be trainers or have personal experience. I know this information can vary a good deal, but I am just getting a rough idea.

1. I weigh about 174 right now and want to be somewhere between 150 and 160. What is a realistic timetable for losing that amount of weight without cutting the weight?

2. How many sessions a week would be recommended for someone like me, whose goal is primarily to just lose a little weight and up their cardio?

3. I sprained my knee two weeks ago. Is it better to just get started and work around that, or should I wait until I can go at it 100%? (I am not talking about just toughing it out, my knee is too stiff for squatting and stuff)

4. About how much should I expect to pay for a s/c program? Just a ballpark

 

[Bloodhy]

1. Losing 1 to 2lbs a week is the a realistic and efficient approach.

2. Depending on your mma/bjj schedule, 2 S&C sessions a week might be a great addition to your current workload.

3. I'm no knee expert, but heal it as much as you can before getting into S&C. Give it rest, massage it, etc.

4. I'd say a custom program/diet without coaching would be anywhere from $100 to $350

 

[ripskater]

A good diet is your biggest factor in losing this weight.

 

[Kenny from MD]

is 100-350 per week or per month?

I was afraid of diet being the biggest part

 

[ssdd]

Bend your knee as far as possible (look up heal slides), and cycle or jog on it. Don't let it stiffen up and lose range of motion. Cycling and jogging will help the fluid move in and out of the cartilage in your knee since there is no blood supply to circulate nutrients and healing factors and stuff.

 

[dannysmith]

If you wont spend the time to read 531, read a few pages about losing weight and hitting your macro intakes, I guarantee you wont hit the gym and eat right because some trainer makes you a program for money.

Its not rocket science. Eat less, train more.


Do you want my paypal?

 

[ripskater]

is 100-350 per week or per month?

I was afraid of diet being the biggest part

You can lose weight by just eating healthy. If you can walk 30 min/day too. Hopefully you can do that with your knee. Eat right, sleep right and get a little exercise and you can lose weight. Prepare meals ahead of time. Have healthy snacks available so you don't just go for the junk when you're starving.

"Mastering the Zone diet" is a good book for athletes.

 

[Kenny from MD]

If you wont spend the time to read 531, read a few pages about losing weight and hitting your macro intakes, I guarantee you wont hit the gym and eat right because some trainer makes you a program for money.

Its not rocket science. Eat less, train more.


Do you want my paypal?

Save the snark. I'm already at a gym most nights out of the week training. I've done 531 in the past. Im not clueless, I just prefer coaching from a professional for reassurance and motivation. I seriously dislike working out when it's not training so is prefer to try it this way and see how I like it.

Also I really wanna push that sled thing.

 

[Kenny from MD]

You can lose weight by just eating healthy. If you can walk 30 min/day too. Hopefully you can do that with your knee. Eat right, sleep right and get a little exercise and you can lose weight. Prepare meals ahead of time. Have healthy snacks available so you don't just go for the junk when you're starving.

"Mastering the Zone diet" is a good book for athletes.

Yeah Im meal prepping meow so I'll have healthy stuff.
My knee is healing fast and I can run and walk on it fine, just can't fold my leg under my butt or cut side to side quite yet. I'll check out that book, thanks

 

[selfcritical]

Save the snark. I'm already at a gym most nights out of the week training. I've done 531 in the past. Im not clueless, I just prefer coaching from a professional for reassurance and motivation. I seriously dislike working out when it's not training so is prefer to try it this way and see how I like it.

Also I really wanna push that sled thing.

The sled things are cool .

 

[selfcritical]

is 100-350 per week or per month?

I was afraid of diet being the biggest part

Per month, at least in ATX. I don't know how baller DC gets. Around that much would get you something like Atomic Athlete, Outright performance and Sprint Training, or getting robbed senseless at a crossfit box.

So make sure you aren't getting robbed senseless on a crossfit box.

 

[selfcritical]

Damnit I meant to put links in.

 

[Parzival]

I am headed back to Brazil this summer, and I've gotten out of shape... I want to be back in good shape before I go, but I am a lazy, unmotivated person and hate working out outside of training. Instead of figuring things out for myself, I've decided to just pay for a strength and conditioning program at an athletic center because if someone else is telling me what to do, and planning for me, and telling me what to eat I'll actually do it.

I've emailed the guy (he has a lot of experience working with MMA and BJJ fighters) and am waiting to hear back, but in the meantime I am just curious and want to get a rough idea about things since some of you might be trainers or have personal experience. I know this information can vary a good deal, but I am just getting a rough idea.

1. I weigh about 174 right now and want to be somewhere between 150 and 160. What is a realistic timetable for losing that amount of weight without cutting the weight?

2. How many sessions a week would be recommended for someone like me, whose goal is primarily to just lose a little weight and up their cardio?

3. I sprained my knee two weeks ago. Is it better to just get started and work around that, or should I wait until I can go at it 100%? (I am not talking about just toughing it out, my knee is too stiff for squatting and stuff)

4. About how much should I expect to pay for a s/c program? Just a ballpark

You and I are currently the same weight with roughly the same goals. However, I've come down from 194lbs since september (was doing starting strength and eating everything in sight before). I'm still continuing to lose weight, roughly 1lb/week... but my regimen is very structured.

1. you're talking about losing 15-20lbs and not losing lean body mass? Gonna be a slow ride, between 3-4 months. Probably longer depending on how disciplined you are and how effective your coach is.

2. Did you say how much you're currently training? I don't see it anywhere. If you're not training at all, I'd start with 3 sessions and then migrate one of those sessions into a lifting session eventually. If you're already doing a lot of training in another sport then this is moot.

3. I have no experience with rehabilitating an injury other than anecdotal (in which case I favour using the injured limb over resting).

4. Personal training in my neck of the woods is expensive. Like $600/month.

Honestly though, on a calorie deficit, it's tough to do this over the span of a few months - the deficit starts to catch up with you and really challenges your adherence (ie. you get cranky and want to binge, etc). If you have a very structured plan, the resources to enact it, and the discipline to adhere to it, you'll be good.

 

[Kenny from MD]

You and I are currently the same weight with roughly the same goals. However, I've come down from 194lbs since september (was doing starting strength and eating everything in sight before). I'm still continuing to lose weight, roughly 1lb/week... but my regimen is very structured.

1. you're talking about losing 15-20lbs and not losing lean body mass? Gonna be a slow ride, between 3-4 months. Probably longer depending on how disciplined you are and how effective your coach is.

2. Did you say how much you're currently training? I don't see it anywhere. If you're not training at all, I'd start with 3 sessions and then migrate one of those sessions into a lifting session eventually. If you're already doing a lot of training in another sport then this is moot.

3. I have no experience with rehabilitating an injury other than anecdotal (in which case I favour using the injured limb over resting).

4. Personal training in my neck of the woods is expensive. Like $600/month.

Honestly though, on a calorie deficit, it's tough to do this over the span of a few months - the deficit starts to catch up with you and really challenges your adherence (ie. you get cranky and want to binge, etc). If you have a very structured plan, the resources to enact it, and the discipline to adhere to it, you'll be good.

I don't care if I lose body mass, I fight better at feather than light or middle weight.
I train BJJ about 4-5 times a week. I stopped lifting weights about 3 months ago.
I just found out my knee has a small meniscus tear, so the injury is not a big deal. I'll give it a few more days for swelling to subside and then just pace how I train.

What I've decided to do, mainly to save money, is to just box a little more, especially while my knee is still stiff, because it is a much tougher, calorie burning workout than BJJ. I've tightened my diet up, and will see how it goes from here. If I get lazy and start skipping days, I will go the trainer route because I'll be god damned if I pay for something that I don't use. Plus, I really want to push that sled. At least the boxing gym has those rope things. I like shaking the ropes.

 

[DrBdan]

If your goal is to lose weight and you have money to spend you would be better off taking some cooking lessons. Seriously, becoming a better cook will allow you to create healthier, tastier meals in less time and it's something you will use your entire life.

 

[RafailNadull]

What are your S&C related goals? This is dangerously close to training for aesthetics which is highly frowned upon

 

[Kenny from MD]

What are your S&C related goals? This is dangerously close to training for aesthetics which is highly frowned upon

#1 Move from a chubby middleweight to a lean lightweight
#2 Improve cardio for competition
#3 (If all goes well) Move from a lean lightweight to an in shape featherweight

 

[Kenny from MD]

Just an update: I started around 183 or 184 on a bad day, and just upped my BJJ training and cleaned my diet up a lot. I am purely vegetarian now, which I know isn't the optimal diet for weight loss, but like I said before, I have some serious weaknesses in discipline and I find it easier to eat extremely clean as a vegetarian, where as bad food tempts me when I eat meat (I was vegan for 8 years so eating shitty veg food isn't really a big deal for me). So far I've lost about 10 pounds in the 4.5 weeks I've been at it, and am between 173-175 depending on the day I wake up, which is down from Middle Heavy to Middleweight. I've been competing up weight and doing well. In 10 more lbs. Recently, I've been adding in a little bit of weight training and a good deal of swimming the last few days too. I feel better so far, and am somewhat encouraged to keep going.

The athletic trainer didn't work out. He was flakey and didn't respond to my attempts to contact him.

 

[ThinkGreen]

Nice job on the progress....despite that vegetarian crap ^_^