Fitness Goals Support Group

This community is dedicated to group support around achieving fitness goals, whatever they may be, through personal training, athletic activites, or other strenuous activity. Whether you are trying to get fit to treat a health problem, boost your mood, relieve stress, or tone your body, this group is a great place to meet other like-minded people who have similar goals.

2,592 Members
2,272 Posts
0 Online
Personal Challenges
/ Fitness Goals Support Group

Fitness routine?

bigguy3
bigguy3
I am 40 years old, 6'-7" tall and have been thin my entire life. I have recently started to get a bit of a spare tire around the midsection and I would like to "redistribute" the weight primarily to my upper body and arms but I am looking for overall fitness. I feel like I am at the weight I want to maintain (around 215 lbs) and I am looking for a good weight lifting routine that I can utilize 3 days a week to gain muscle mass and help eliminate the fat being deposited around my middle. I am doing some cardio (walking, bicycling, and swimming).

I have also had a long history of lower back pain and would like to incorporate exercises to strengthen my core so I can get out and play basketball again. Any suggestions?
deleted_user
deleted_user
Bikram yoga is calling your name. It's a series of yoga poses that will definitely build your core, improve your flexibility, and make your performance in other physical sports better. Plus, it burns a ton of calories because it's done in a hot room. You sweat buckets--seriously.
Fiddler
Fiddler
The bikram yoga might help you with core strength, certainly flexibility. Personally I hate yoga because I"m so stiff - which means I really NEED it! Bikram, done in the hot room, almost made me like yoga - something about the heat and the slower pace made me feel like I actually had a shot at approximating the poses... and that I was really getting the stretches I needed. A good instructor will know how to modify poses to accomodate any back issues you have.

While it does require strength, what it won't do is help you build muscle, for that you need weight training. I think you would be wise to consult a professional trainer, if only for a couple of sessions, to come up with a routine that works for you. I think your height and correspondingly longer limbs are somewhat of a factor, what works for a shorter person (I'm nearly a foot shorter than you) might not get you all the results you are looking for.
Fiddler
Fiddler
let me qualify that a bit: lifting is lifting. Lifting will work regardless of size! However, when working on changing appearance I think it is more difficult for the longer limbed to achieve the muscular look - more muscle needed. On the plus side, you're a lot stronger!