Program assistance

[Rabal]

I did a linear progression program for a while and made some nice gains, but it was doing absolutely nothing for my weight problem. Sitting close to 33% body fat, and need to get down to 26% in a reasonable amount of time. I need to drop it to even consider military service, but i'm in a Fire 1 course that I need good health for once we start practicing working fires so I don't have to worry about having a heart attack inside a burning building. I finally started doing cardio, with this program called the couch to 5k plan. Minimum of 30 mins of cardio per day, every day essentially a walk/jog system to build me up to running 3 miles a day, which i've been doing for almost 4 weeks. I still want to lift to supplement all of this, but i'm not sure what type of program to use now. I love strength training, it's the only thing that kept me coming back to the gym, but in the short-mid term i'm not sure if I should keep pushing my strength gains or switch to some sort of German Volume hybrid. Any advice on this weight situation, or perhaps better ideas for cardio? Given my choice for occupation, and my desire to be above average, I need to have good health, cardio, and strength to do it all.

 

[rckvl]

Have you been lifting consistently? What does your program look like? Where are your lifts at right now? Oh and clean up your diet if you haven't yet.

 

[Indivdude]

Crap.. I had a response written out and I hit back on this tab instead of another one..

Ok. Drop the days per week for strength training to 1-2x to maintain if you're looking to focus on cardio at the moment. It sounds like you want to increase cardio and still try for strength gains though. That could happen but it will be harder to accomplish. You could burn yourself out. It will be easier to just maintain strength and do more cardio.

As for the bf and couch to 5k plan, how is your diet? That is and should be your main focus on losing bf. Cardio will help but diet will make or break you. I have little area of expertise in diet and have a diet leaning towards bad so I'll let someone else work on that. However, congrats on trying out for the couch to 5k plan. I tried to do that but I find cardio lame and I absolutely hate it. I shouldn't but I do. So kudos to you man.

 

[KnightTemplar]

I did a linear progression program for a while and made some nice gains, but it was doing absolutely nothing for my weight problem. Sitting close to 33% body fat, and need to get down to 26% in a reasonable amount of time. I need to drop it to even consider military service, but i'm in a Fire 1 course that I need good health for once we start practicing working fires so I don't have to worry about having a heart attack inside a burning building. I finally started doing cardio, with this program called the couch to 5k plan. Minimum of 30 mins of cardio per day, every day essentially a walk/jog system to build me up to running 3 miles a day, which i've been doing for almost 4 weeks. I still want to lift to supplement all of this, but i'm not sure what type of program to use now. I love strength training, it's the only thing that kept me coming back to the gym, but in the short-mid term i'm not sure if I should keep pushing my strength gains or switch to some sort of German Volume hybrid. Any advice on this weight situation, or perhaps better ideas for cardio? Given my choice for occupation, and my desire to be above average, I need to have good health, cardio, and strength to do it all.

If losing fat is your main aim, you should cut the strength training to twice a week. A basic 2 day split like the one in the FAQ or run SS twice a week.

In the 5/3/1 book, Wendler mentions that one of the hardest things he had to do was accept that his Squat was going to suffer while his legs adjusted to doing Hill Runs.

It's relatively easy to make fast gains in either strength or cardio. Much more difficult to do both at the same time.

Good luck, man.

 

[Rabal]

I took about a month off due to money issues with my membership, but I was just starting a triumvirate 5 3 1 I took off of T-Muscle. Before then I had went through the Bill Starr 5x5. Money is sorted out now, but now i'm a weakling which sucks, it feels like I just went back 3 months. Objectively my diet is stupid bad right now, still living with my parents, and right now I cant quite afford my own groceries. I eat a lot of processed food, like hotdogs, and frozen pizzas because they don't want to cook anymore. I'm eating a lot less than I was before I started getting into it, but when I get paid next i'm considering getting some meal replacement shakes to compensate for a lack of good food and the fact I eat big portions.

 

[Tosa]

I'd suggest the Wendler 5/3/1. It's a flexible program, so depending on how your body responds to the extra cardio and getting less calories (you will have to change how you eat, read the D&S faq, and ask questions there) you can adjust it easily.

As for cardio, I'd suggest including some variety/lower impact exercises, to give your body a break from the impact of running/jogging. Swimming, cycling, dragging a sled, hiking etc. What you do isn't important so much as how you do it (as in time and intensity).

 

[LZD]

I would stay away from the GVT man. Stick with a program where you are just looking to improve your strength and the lifts (like 531, SS, 5x5, etc). It's the cardio that will decrease your body-fat %.


Alternate cardio. Long runs. Short interval training stuff. And diet is the most important thing.

Trust me man you can do it for sure! Best of luck!