Getting in shape over the summer...

[Stinkweed]

Well, I'm overweight, and would like to both lower my body fat % and gain muscle. I'd especially like to sculpt my deltoids, latissimus dorsi, teres major, teres minor, Serratus Anterior muscle, biceps, chest... Well, the upper body in general and I'd like to maintain my calves the way they are (Does running a lot help? I dunno why, but they're already big. Some people have even asked me if I'm a soccer player... But I'm not). Ok, I know weights would help, but I don't like to use weights too much the reason being that I'd like to gain agility and not loose speed. You know, that's why marines and some martial artists don't use weights very often... So, I think boxing would be the workout I'm looking for, but I never seem to be able to find any places in which I can train close to the area I live in, or maybe it's just that I'm not good at searching. Isn't there a site or something in which I can look? Does anyone have any advice?

[donefor79]

U have to use weights, martials arts is good because u use a lot of ur body weight and throw punches. That will get u lean but to burn fat even better get a good weight traing program. Man, u are falling for the girl myth too, if u lifth u will bulk up. That is a misnomer to say the least. Every athlete lifts weights these days, its part of playing sports. What sport are u playing, look it up online and u will im sure find a good weight program to accompany it...even martial arts might have one....check it out ....if not steriods work well....jk

[Stinkweed]

lol, steroids. No, I do use weights for strength, and I know there's tons of athletes that use weights. But, I think boxing would help me a lot. Wouldn't it? I mean, it's great for the upper body and also helps you build cardiovascular endurance (something weights don't do...). It's great for working all the muscles I want to work on at once + it teaches you how to fight (not that I need that, because I never really get into fights...). Also, when you do weights, your muscles maily work on by bursts, unlike when you do martial arts and other workouts that involving cardio. So, I think weights don't do everything for me (I already lift, but, like I said, I'd like to find something extra...). Besides, I think it would be cool to look like a marine (I think I'll even get the haircut), or like Bruce Lee (pretty hard to get there, huh?). Also, does anybody know if drinking raw eggs (like Rocky) is a good idea for getting plenty of protein, even if you already like to eat protein by nature? I really find it almost impossible to eat if there's not protein (like chicken, fish, red meat...). So, would I need that extra assitance? Can anyone give me advice, or a site in which I can find boxing gyms, clubs, whatever?

[CarterJonas]

hello Dead Eyes

 

What you need to do is to split the activities into two.

 

1. To loose weight you have to use up more energy that you consume

 

2. To tone up you have to use some kind of a resistance programme, probably best is weights

 

Anyway what you must do to loose the weight is, if you dont already, is eat more healthily, more fruit and protein and less fat. Also if you consume a lot of food, then it is worthwile trying to cut down on the amount you eat. If you combine this with a regular excercise program, boxing, running, cycling or something else that you enjoy, then the weight will come off.

 

Running doesn't make your calves big, just look at the marathon runners!

 

To tone your upper body, then the best excercise is to use some kind of weight training program. I'm not saying that you should train at the gym every day for 2 or more hours. Just use the weight training sessions on alternative days with your aerobic excercise.

 

this should work

[Stinkweed]

Oh, also, I try to just eat carbs on breakfast. Well, I know running is probably not the best thing to at least maintain calves big, but what do soccer player do? Many of them have huge calves. I'll definitively will keep lifting. But I'd definitively want to do the boxing too... Does anyone have anything to say? Maybe some advice or an idea on where I shold start looking?

[donefor79]

Boxing awesome, the only problem is if ur not training hard enough u might not elevate ur heart in the prolonged amount of time u need to keep it there to burn fat. Also, as stated in the previous response its all about diet.

I would just start simple if u are out of shape, extra weight is not good on the ol' joints especially the knees. A simple weight training program with cardio 3 to 4 times a week will get u in shape, and most important ur diet.

Try a low carb diet to loes the intial pounds they will shed quickly!!

good luck

[Stinkweed]

Alright, I can do that. But, I'd like to start looking for the boxing, though. Any suggestions?

[CarterJonas]

Without knowing where you are/live it is difficult to give you advice about where to join a boxing club. If you live in quite a large town or definitely a city there are usually boxing clubs in these.

 

Could you search through your local phone book directory?

[donefor79]

I was assuming u were not in soccer shape as right now?? Soccer players are pretty much never over weight. They have some tough conditioning. I dont think u need more than that for now, box for fun dont supplement it for cardio....my only suggestion. Again the maintaining that substained heart rate is what u need to lose weight. Also keep it simple to start with, free weights have worked for yrs. y get all complex and use an elpictical machine, u will burn jsut as many calories but less impact on the knees. Precor machines are fun tooo not as boring as a treadmill!! good luck!!

[sandra052785]

Well I know one thing, do not eat raw eggs. Eating raw eggs will give you salmonella poisoning, something that you do not want. But being so sick from the poisoning will definitely cause you to drop weight, lol, so maybe you do want it.

 

But honestly, you just have to figure out your own metabolic rates in order to find out how much or how little you should be eating of certain food groups.

 

Good luck finding the boxing club. If my friend could find one in our small almonst non-existent town, then I imagine you can find one out where you are, wherever that may be.

[Stinkweed]

Well, I recently moved, so I don't really know much about my new area. But it's similar to the area I used to live in (a pretty small town, you know, a suburb...). And in my old area I had no luck finding a boxing gym, even though I looked over the internet and in the yellow pages. No, I'm not in a soccer player shape... It's just my calves that are big... Well, the muscles in my thighs are big too, but are also covered with a little bit of fat... My arms, though, are not so big, which is why I started lifting... Well, about the area I now live in, it's in Florida, like an hour apart from Miami (where all cool places + boxing gyms/clubs are). I don't worry so much about diet, because I think I'm on one that works for me (Well, I have lost some weight since I started my current eating habits...). I will follow the advice you have given me, because it's good one.

[sutton]

travel the hour to a gym that offers kickboxing and boxing - i have been doing it for 8 years and it by far the BEST form of exercise, and you'll learn how to kick ass if you have to.

 

add a weight training program, but make sure you burn MORE energy (calories) than you take in.

 

good luck

[donefor79]

Miami should have a boxing gym in the area....i am sure. I think again martial arts is great in to do for cardio but training takes a while and again ur target heart rate u want to maintain. Ur calories should not exceed more than the avg. 2000 calorie diet and u have to realize a calorie is not a calorie, for instance a calorie of protein is burned off diff. than a calorie of carbs....all doing with how the body stores energy. Proteins are stored as muscle for long term energy and carbs are used for short term, but convert to fat if not burned. Hence the atkins diet.....i dont recommend a prolong no or even low carb diet the suggestion on carbing up in the morning is the way i would go to lose weight!! The main thing is consistency and diet.....let us know how ur doing with it!!!

[Stinkweed]

Well, I eat a normal amount of proteins in every meal, and I eat tons of green vegetables, especially at night and in the afternoon if I'm not full. In the moring I do eat some carbs. I'm just 100% sure that I eat less than 2000 calories a day. I have lost some weight, but very slowly, because I stopped working out like 2 months ago (except lifting which I still have done but a little less...). So, I'll go back to working out and lifting + I'll try to travel the hour to the gym. The problem with the gym being to far is that when school starts, I'll only be able to go during weekends and fridays (is that ok?). And I do want to learn to kick *beep*, even though I think I'll never need to do that because I never get into fights... I'll just do my best... Thanks for your advice, everyone.

[donefor79]

U only need to get to the gym to lift!! U can run around the blcok or neighborhood!! Cardio should be done 3 to 4 times a week min. and in the first thing in the a.m. to gain the most results...on an empty stomach, also dont eat after lets say 7 pm, this will help u not store unused calories while sleeping!!!! And leave u with a nice empty stomach to burn a ton of calories in the am cardio session!!! Its hard to do, but u will get good results from that if u stick with it!!! I think that was about as much as I know about excersice nutritton or at least enough for the day!! I hope it helps!!!

[Stinkweed]

U only need to get to the gym to lift!!

 

I know, but I meant the boxing/kickboxing gym. For now, I will lift and do some cardio (running).