AboutKen Alan Expertise To build a strong body, build a strong body of knowledge.
Exercise workouts, training programs, classes, program design, workout music, motivation. Cardio, strength, flexibility.
Experience AeroBeat.com, the first fitness music company. Program design/choreography, 7 Richard Simmons videos. Co-star, 4 Time-Life Medical exercise videos. Chapter author: "Physical Activity Instruction of Older Adults" (Human Kinetics), "Fitness Theory and Practice" (AFAA), "Fitness for Travelers" (ACE). Author, "Older Adult Exercise Solutions" (Human Kinetics, 2009). Lecturer, California State University, Fullerton California, Department of Kinesiology. Certifications: ACE, ACSM, AFAA.
Expert: Ken Alan Date: 3/18/2007 Subject: Workout info
Question Ken, I recently asked a ? about over working out. I am 43 have been working out 7yrs. lost 40 pds. starting to put some back on i am 5'11 210pds.would like to be under 200. I am weak in diet knowledge. My routine is about 1 1/2 hrs daily not weekends. 45-60 min cardo elliptical or exercise bike for 30-40 mins very intense mostly hill work, then 15-20 min stair stepper on a weight lose program at fairly intense effort for total time 46-60 min. after which i will alternate with weight training usely upper body work biceps, triceps, chest, back each day after my cardo workout I will do M-W-Fdays flat bench, inclined dumbbell bench, flys, etc. T-Tdays triceps, biceps and shoulder workouts. as i said my nutrition knowledge is weak. I find my self becoming weak during my workouts, but i never quit. my friends have told me that i am over doing it and just breaking down my body. is there any truth in this? could you recommend any nutrition/workout info.
Answer Hi,
Glad you're working out. I'm not sure what your friends mean by "you're breaking down your body". But feeling weak during your workouts does mean something. Because you are doing high intensity cardio training 5 days a week, and strength training 5 days a week, you are using a lot of your immediate sources of energy, which are muscle glycogen and blood glucose. Because you're training hard every day, you are likely becoming glycogen-depleted. That is probably why you are feeling weak. It could also be other things too, like insufficient hydration, rest, exercise intensity... Although your motivation and never-quit attitude is great, you need to tweak your regimen so you feel half-way human at least, and hopefully more, at the end of your workouts.
Without knowing your dietary habits, I can't (or anyone else) offer specific suggestions. Generally, for the kind of workouts you are doing, you need to sustain a very high carbohydrate intake in order to fuel your muscles for that kind of training. Most athletes don't train on the schedule you're training. If you want to do cardio 5 days a week, make MWF your high intensity cardio days. Tues and Thurs, lower the intensity, but go longer in time. This will help to utilize a little more fat that is used for fuel during the cardio, instead of using primarily carbohydrates (glycogen), thus, sparing you from "bonking out". Often, when you are feeling weak during long training sessions, it is due to slowly using up the stored glycogen in the muscle. That's why you need to re-fuel carefully with your kind of training program.
As a note, I'm not sure if your weight training program is optimal. You stated that on MWF you do flat bench, incline dumbbell bench, flys, etc, and on T-Th you do triceps and shoulders. Because bench press and dumbbell press involve triceps and shoulders, you should do your triceps and shoulder work on the same days as your chest work. Otherwise, your shoulders and triceps are getting zapped 5 days a week. They should be hit every other day, maximum. They are not getting sufficient recovery time to grow stronger.
To make it simple for upper body training, do all pushing exercises on the same day...those exercises are the ones that target chest, shoulders, triceps (chest press, shoulder press, triceps extension/push-down/kick-back, push-ups, etc.) On the alternative days, do all pulling exercises...those exercises are the ones that target biceps and back (pull-ups, chin-ups, back row, one-arm dumbbell row, upright row, etc.)
If you're serious about this, get together with a registered dietician (R.D. after their name), or a well-qualified personal trainer in your area to get you set up on a food plan / exercise program. It's worth the investment if you want to get the best results.
