Let's admit it, everyone would like to be in better shape, so I thought I start a thread that I'll update daily for the next couple of months that uses my seven years of Personal Training experience to help anyone that wants to get in fitter for summer.

Here's what you need to do:

1) Read / write down the routine that I write each day.
2) Do it the next day to the letter (so I'll write Wednesday's routine on a Tuesday, and so on).

If you follow my routines exactly, I can guarantee you that in three months time you'll feel a whole new self.

Things to note:

1) You need to be a gym member to do this. If you're not, join one.
2) You choice of weight depends on your current level of fitness. You want to be finding the set tricky by the last couple of reps. For example, on a set of 15 reps, you should really have to push out the last two or three. If you find it easy, start harder next time. If you find it too hard and you fail early, start lighter.
3) Trust me. Fuck what you may read in Men's Health. Most of that thing is shit and well structured adverts. I've done this for more people than exist on this forum.
4) Don't miss a session. It will be a purposefully structured five day, high intensity, split body session. If you miss one then the point is lost.
5) Know the exercises. If you don't know how to do the exercise with proper form, as a trainer in a gym. Don't ask someone who looks like they might know what they're doing, ask a qualified trainer - it's what they're there for.
6) You won't train at weekends. But if you've missed a session, you'll want to do it then. You can go for a jog or something if you want, but it's not necessary.
7) Don't comment on this thread. Try and keep this thread clean with just the routines. If you have a question or want to comment on a certain routine, drop me a PM or (ideally) start a new thread.

Ok. That's that. First routine (for tomorrow) coming in a minute

Chest & Triceps

Today we're concentrating on the push motion exercises, namely the chest and the tricep muscle groups. I'm going to keep the exercises simple to begin with and we'll get more advanced down the line. For now though I just want to get your muscles attuned to exercising.

All sets are incline, which means that with each set you should increase the weight slightly as you reduce the rep count in order to keep in intensity up. The entire routine should take no longer than 25 minutes. Trying to keep your rests between sets and exercises to 30 seconds.

Bench Press - 5 Sets - Reps 15, 12, 10, 8, 5
Tricep Dips - 3 Sets - Reps 12, 10, 8
Dumbbell Press - 2 Sets - Reps 12, 10
Dumbbell Flys - 2 Sets - Reps 12, 10
Overhead Tricep Extensions (Skullcrushers) - 2 Sets - Reps 12, 10
Cable Pullover - 2 Sets - Reps 12, 10
Cable Pulldown - 2 Sets - Reps 12, 10

Stretch out, done.

Remember to keep the weight to an intensity where those last couple of reps are tricky. And don't worry about the fact there's only two sets in a lot of the exercises. Like I said, trust me. If you want me to go into detail on testosterone levels on hypertrophic depletion I can (to prove a point), but I don't want to.

Thanks for the routines, care to share any thoughts on Diet?

A big part of looking good is lowering your bodyfat percentage to maybe around the 10% level?

10% is a good goal, yes. Remember that the only really accurate way to measure is with calipers over 4+ points and done by a professional. Those electric machines are cack. Don't get me started on why, they just are.

And l I have lots of thoughts on diet yes.

The general rule is everything in moderation and regular small meals (5-7 a day) rather than larger irregular meals.

You want to take most of your carbs first thing in the morning (large amount of porridge oats for example) and ideally a dose of protein - I recommend MyProtein Hurricane Evo (Hurricane Evo from Myprotein) to jumpstart the system and keep you energised throughout the day.

Then, for your smaller meals try things mixing a piece of carbs (small potato, half a cup of rice, porridge oats, 50g wholemeal pasta), with a piece of lean protein (tuna, turkey, chicken) and a bit of veg / salad. Add a couple of bits of fruit during the day as snack; drink about 2 litres of water; cut down on tea/coffee and alcohol and you're good to go.

None of the nutritional rules are rocket science, just good general sensible eating.

I was thinking of the following routine:

Swimming every Morning (weekdays)building upto a Mile
also Mondays and thursdays doing the following weights

Deadlift x2 sets 10
bent Over Rows x2 sets 10
Squat x2 sets 10
Shoulder Press x2 sets of 10
Flat Bench x2 sets of 10
Ab Work

What do you think of that--basically doing only whole body compunds twice a week??
advice appreciated

I am also taking T3 and going to run Test at 250mg per week

Diet.. I follow a Paeolithic diet-- Caveman diet-- lots of meat, good fats and fruits/veg -- no carbs


Goal-- drop bodyfat % down to Sub10% (at around 15% now)and develop muscle (not interested in getting large now (been there) )

Right am gonna throw in my 2p for this topic. My advice is to take up a fucking sport!

Lifting weights for the sake of it is the most boring thing known to man. Find a sport you enjoy and do that instead. So long as it raises your heart rate alls good in the hood right?

I used to train weights all the time from 17-20. Id do it for a few months see some results then get bored out my tree and stop til I got fat then hit the weights again. Then I started Brazilian Jiujitsu and Boxing at 20.5 and started MMA at 22. It was the best thing I ever did in my life. It gave me goals, made me focused, I made a ton of new friends and improved my confidence. It also improved my fitness and core strength way beyond lifting any amount of weight could ever do. If you enjoy swimming join a swim team, join a running club if you like that. Or if your super brave try something you never tried before.

I should give back my Masters in Core Stability Training then, I obviously know nothing...

berjesus! you really can get a degree in anything these days

It's not a degree. It's a Masters

And technically it's in "Core Stability and Exercise Rehabilitation" with a thesis in "The Electrostatic Pre-engagement Functions of Deep Core Fibres During Professional Athletic Race Preparation", but I didn't want to appear too fancy

It's true lifting weights is not for everyone, due to each individual's personalities. I know a guy who did a 12 month contract with a very expensive gym yet only went four times.

But where Phenom became unstuck was stating "It also improved my fitness and core strength way beyond lifting any amount of weight could ever do". Be careful with usage of generalizations all, any, every!

I play weekly with a sports team and I also lift weights at local gym. So that gives me the sports team motivation, social side and competitiveness that Phenom talked about.

I also find weight lifting motivating for me, as it leaves u buzzing in a positive state of mind and I see the results, as do the birds when we get naked together.