Great thread. I finally caught up on it--something I'd been meaning to do for a while.
I want throw a slightly different color on the conversation.
My goals are a different type of physique that a lot of the guys that have spoken up so far. I strive for
a lean, athletic, balanced build with
not a lot of bulk. I don't want to eat six chicken breasts or drink a gallon of milk every day (which, to me, is inconvenient, expensive, and probably carries some health consequences down the road). I want to be strong,
have great posture, and look healthy to the bitches, while living a relatively normal life.
I accomplish this in a two-part routine:
1. Playing a Competitive Sport: I find that there's no substitute for an actual sport to achieve real,
practical strength and fitness. Sports force you to use to your body and muscles for
actual performance, in real-life scenarios. They also help you ID weaknesses in your physique, like a weak back or legs (common problems in amateur body builders). There's nothing like competing with other guys to get you to push harder and get in that extra 10 minutes that make all the difference. Plus, there are invisible, psychological, inner-game gains from indulging our innate competitive spirit and drive for winning.
I rotate between a few different sports I enjoy, but try to make sure that I get more than
just a cardio workout from whatever I do. In other words, running alone is something I rarely do. And, since a sport
alone isn't going to get you ideal results, I pair it with:
2. An Exercise Program: this is an area where I need a little variety. I've been doing the same shit (which is still very good stuff) for way too long. I used to bang a girl that was a certified personal trainer, and she taught me a lot of sound, simple exercises that work better for me than half of the programs I see out there. Having said that, I want to incorporate some newer stuff to plug in some holes and push things to the next level. I'll definitely look into some of the programs you guys have dropped in this thread. Regardless of what I do, I focus--almost to the point of obsession--on learning and practicing
good form. This is one thing I learned from this personal-trainer chick and several of the semi-pro athletes I met through her. I can't over-emphasize the importance of this over the long-term and for achieving good, lasting muscle balance.
2b. Keep an Inexpensive, Simplified Home Gym with a Few Essentials: a high-quality jump rope; three pairs of free weights, in ascending weight; a mat; a medicine ball; a Swedish exercise ball (instead of a bench); and a pull-up bar. This virtually eliminates the need (and expense) for an actual gym for executing my exercise program. I know some guys hate on the ball (mostly because they don't know how to use it properly), but it's a very efficient way to compound classic free-weight exercises,
force you into good form on certain lifts, make old lifts more challenging, and get in some
extra core strength while doing your normal routine. Plus, I find that it's a nice prop to keep in your bachelor pad. When they see it, girls tend to migrate to it like a moth to a light bulb, at which point, "you can teach them some exercises."
I've found that
this book is one of the simplest and best guides on good, effective ball workouts.
This shit alone made me into a stronger, leaner MFer, improved my posture, and eliminated my "forward head."