Weights!

By cardio you mean cycling/running/stairs ?
If you train 5 days a week, I must assume each body part you train twice a week(you must be more specific).
I would do cardio only on leg training days, and the day before leg days, not the day after(to allow proper recovery) If you can do cardio the day after leg days, you are not training legs hard or intensely enough.
Training twice a day for me is too much- too tiring and boring. You must stay fresh.
I would do a 2 day split:
Mon: lower body and cardio
Tues: upper body
Wed: cardio etc
Thurs: same as Mon.
Fri: same as Tues
Sunday: outdoor cardio
Still, 5 days per week in a gym is a bit too much to stay motivated.
If so, break Wednesdays.
Do cardio before weights-light 10 minutes, and after-hard-10 to 20 min.
I find 5 min. per cardio machine long enough, then change.
Good luck.

[quote]By cardio you mean cycling/running/stairs ?
If you train 5 days a week, I must assume each body part you train twice a week(you must be more specific).
I would do cardio only on leg training days, and the day before leg days, not the day after(to allow proper recovery) If you can do cardio the day after leg days, you are not training legs hard or intensely enough.
Training twice a day for me is too much- too tiring and boring. You must stay fresh.
I would do a 2 day split:
Mon: lower body and cardio
Tues: upper body
Wed: cardio etc
Thurs: same as Mon.
Fri: same as Tues
Sunday: outdoor cardio [/quote]

Sorry BM, maybe I should have given more information in my original post.

My weights routine doesn’t take that long as I only train one muscle group (or area) per day - chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps. I don’t train legs, which probably isn’t right, but I have done a lot of running in the past and never really liked training legs with weights.

5 times a week is fine for me cos I have the equipment at home. I also have been doing quite a bit of cardio. I ride my bicycle to work and back every day and usually go for a run or long bike ride on the weekend. I also sometimes train hills on the weekends for power instead of a long run.

Going by what you said, I think it would be fine to do some cardio after I train as I only train upper body. Is this assumption correct?

Thanks!

teggs

Having run and cycled for many years(and still do) I find it is not enough for muscle balance,flexibility and strength.
At least do free squats,lunges and calf raises, with as much range of motion as comfortable.Both running and cycling are short range of motion movements, and over time you will lose flexibilty(and complete range of motion) and pick up niggling injuries.
One upper body part per day? I would rather do pushing movements(triceps,chest,shoulders) on one day and one pulling movements(biceps,upper back) another day.
Stomach and lower back s/be included,preferably as a warm up(and also cool down) on both days(and legs on pull day if you do some). The most common and effective routine is working a body part twice a week, to exhaustion, with a rest of 2-3 days in-between.
Cycling to work-usually not far and continuous enough(too stop/start) to be considered a true workout, more of a recovery(easy spin)-much like a long walk.
Me: day 1.Cycle hard.
day 2.Weights(complete body) and running.
day 3.Rest -long walk,easy spin,swim, nothing,etc(you should need it)
day4: repeat day1 etc etc
It is far easier to cycle on continuous days, than to run or do weights, because of muscle damage(eccentric movement).
Over time, working out too much leads to boredom and stagnation.
Your body needs time and rest to recover and grow.
Hope it helps.

Eat bran, and the whole world will fall out your bottom.

That’s exactly why I only do one muscle group per day. I think your advice is sound though and will also work. The main difference is that your weights workout probably takes much longer and I get bored if I spend too much time on that.

What I think I’m gonna try is doing biceps and triceps on the same day and start doing legs on the extra day. I’ll go for a run/cycle after I train on three of the days during the week - not the day I do legs or the day after. Then I can still go on another longer run/cycle on the weekend and have one day when I rest.

Many thanks to bigmoose and beef eater for the input!

teggs

Are there any secondhand shops around selling used weight benches, barbells, and weights? E-bay Taiwan is selling some new stuff, but I haven’t found anything used.

I can spend about NT$10,000.

Like an unpleasantly infected wound, I need to open this thread up again…

Has anyone found a supplier for serious barbells/weights in Taichung? The only place that got close was Valu-sav or whatever it’s called with a set of dumbells that only go up to 7.5kg.

Hmm… I was really after barbells with collared weights for doing squats/curls but beggars can’t be choosers… are you going to make my day? :slight_smile:

[quote=“llary”]Hmm… I was really after barbells with collared weights for doing squats/curls but beggars can’t be choosers… are you going to make my day? :slight_smile:

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]20 - 25 kilo dumbells?[/quote][/quote]llary -
Sorry for the confusion. I am looking for these items.
I had posted previously that I was interested in these and thought this new thread might turn up something.

Bugger… my hopes dashed again! I’m going to try the department stores this weekend - they seem to carry a lot of fitness equipment and surely there must be some call for free weights? I’ll keep you posted.

[quote=“TainanCowboy”][quote=“llary”]Hmm… I was really after barbells with collared weights for doing squats/curls but beggars can’t be choosers… are you going to make my day? :slight_smile:

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]20 - 25 kilo dumbells?[/quote][/quote]llary -
Sorry for the confusion. I am looking for these items.
I had posted previously that I was interested in these and thought this new thread might turn up something.[/quote]

BINGO. If you’re still looking, I finally managed to get my hands on a barbell with collars and 150lbs of weights for NT$1500 incl. delivery through the magical powers of ebay.com.tw - don’t know why I never thought of that before but just search for 重量 in the fitness section and you’re good to go.

[quote=“TainanCowboy”][quote=“llary”]Hmm… I was really after barbells with collared weights for doing squats/curls but beggars can’t be choosers… are you going to make my day? :slight_smile:

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]20 - 25 kilo dumbells?[/quote][/quote]llary -
Sorry for the confusion. I am looking for these items.
I had posted previously that I was interested in these and thought this new thread might turn up something.[/quote]

At about USD50.00 you’re doing well imo. Secondhand or new?[/quote]

llary -
Thanks for the heads up. I managed to snag 2 dumbbell bars and 4 collars along with 8 10lb plates here at a local shop.
Price for all was in the NT$1200 range if I remember right. Good luck to you.

added: Also - Tesco has some very nice 25lb dumbbell with foam grip area. Very comfortable. Priced at around NT$500 each. Some stores only have up to 20 lbs, so you might have to look a bit.

Hey all,

Ok, had to buy a Gym Membership for me and the wife. She just won’t work out at home. I’ve got 1 standard weight bench. 1 Olympic size set up I got for a steal from Costco, but no Olympic weights though it does work with the home style a bit, and about 450lbs of weights.

I’m turning my workout room into something else so need to get rid of it. Located in Taoyuan County, a great offer gets it all. I’ll even deliver if the reward for doing so is nice (beer).

As I’ll be traveling Island wide due to E-Store Business anyone interested let me know.

Out of curiosity, where did you find them? I could do with some more weights and a bench then I’m all set. My friend’s grandmother disapproves severely of my use for the designated ‘ancestory prayer room’ in my house but I suggested that my granddad always did like to keep fit.

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]llary -
Thanks for the heads up. I managed to snag 2 dumbbell bars and 4 collars along with 8 10lb plates here at a local shop.
Price for all was in the NT$1200 range if I remember right. Good luck to you.

added: Also - Tesco has some very nice 25lb dumbbell with foam grip area. Very comfortable. Priced at around NT$500 each. Some stores only have up to 20 lbs, so you might have to look a bit.[/quote]

Does anyone know where I could find a cheap adjustable bench press. Best of all would be one you could fold up after use. Nothing too hard core required.
I would advertise in, ‘Wanted to Buy’, but Forumosa doesn’t seem to have one. Or am I just not seeing it? Thanks for any help/suggestions.

Ah, thank you Maoman.

I think Forumosafieds is a good place to start, but I’m interested in a store that sells weights. I’ve been trying to find one without success. Most exercise places sell treadmills and stationary bikes. Does anyone know a store that sells weight-lifting equipment?

A bit lost at the moment in Taipei, anyone knows where can I find a place to buy gym staff (so far i need some dumbbells)…

Thanks a lot

They have a few very small ones in the fitness sections at some of the large stores like RTMart --suitable for the average person to do some light toning up, but you might be looking for something larger or more professional.

If you go to the Taipei Giant Egg(very large stadium) situated at the corner of Nanjing and Dunhwa intersection, and then cross the road to the North East corner of the intersection, there is a shop situated on Nanjing road itself called Sun-Pro I think. They have weights there as well as lots of other workout equipment. They don’t have benches that will prop over 100kg though, and I haven’t found one yet that does, but they have lots of other stuff.

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