Symmetry

  • Thread starter retired_Wannaberipped
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retired_Wannaberipped

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Hello everyone,

I am also new to the site.

I have been weightlifting off and on for approximately 20 years. All of it is in an effort to achieve a ripped mid section.

I normally get 6 months of workouts in any given year then have some sort of injury. This last time, I tore my ACL and medial tendon on my left leg and I am now getting back into lifiting. I walk approximately 3 hours a week or ride a recombent bike for 1.5 hours.

I still want to get ripped and I think I am about 30 lbs overweight, weighing now 213 lbs.

I have noticed that my left side of my body is bigger overall. I am right handed.

I would like advice on how to becoe symmetrical, especially in the pectoral area. My left side is filled out well on the outside of the pec and has a nice ridge on the inside. The right side lacks the ridge on the inside and its outside is not as full.

Biceps are not noticibly out of balance to others than myself.

Legs are the same, the left is just a little bigger than the right.

Here is my standard workout for the moment.
Day 1
Flat Bench Smith Machine (its what is available)
4 set, 15x135, 12x155, 10x185 ,8x205

Incline DB Press
3 Sets 12x35, 12x35, 10x45

Flat DB Flys
3 Sets 12x20, 12x20, 12x 25

Day 2
Military press (machine press, front)
3 Sets 12x50, 10x 80, 8x110

Lateral Raises
2 Sets 12x15, 12x15
Front Raises
2 Sets 12x15, 12x15
Rear Raises
2 Sets 12x15, 12x15

Day 3
Leg press
4 Sets 15x110, 15x176, 15x185, 15x205

Leg Extensions
3 sets 12x45, 12x55, 12x64

Leg Curls
3 Sets 12x35, 12x35, 12x35

Day off

Day 4
Lat pulls (Machine)
4 Sets 15x85, 12x110, 12x115, 12x120

Lat pulldows
3 Sets 15x90, 12x110, 12x110

Precher Curls (Machine)
3 Sets 12x50, 12x55, 12x55

Seated Alt Curls
3 Sets 12x25, 10x35, 8x35 (I am dead by this time)

Crunches twice a week if I think about it.

Any help on getting ripped or symmetry would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim "Wannaberipped"
 
These injuries you are getting, are they from training? If they are, then you are doing something seriously wrong. You should find a trainer to show you proper form for your exercises. It will be tough for you to acheive any goal if you are injured every 6 months.
 
yo man you need serious help, twenty years of training without achieving your goal of a ripped mid section is ridiculous. anyone in normal health could acheive this in 6 months tops. your definety doing something awfully wrong.
 
Crazylegs said:
These injuries you are getting, are they from training? If they are, then you are doing something seriously wrong. You should find a trainer to show you proper form for your exercises. It will be tough for you to acheive any goal if you are injured every 6 months.


My injuries are from other sports. Broken ribs from surfing big waves. Torn ACL from tug of war.

Urchin spines from from cave diving.

The kind of things that take you out of everything.
 
mike100 said:
yo man you need serious help, twenty years of training without achieving your goal of a ripped mid section is ridiculous. anyone in normal health could acheive this in 6 months tops. your definety doing something awfully wrong.


My injuries are not weight lifting related.

Count it as ten years of training with layoffs in between. And in some instances no gym, only body weight.
 
There are two things that I want to achieve. One is to get my body symmetrical and the other is to get as close as possible to having a flat stomach.

In the early 80's I weight lifted and was running 5 miles 5 times a week. I cannot keep that up and even during that time I did not have a flat stomach. I still had a small gut and love handles.

Does anyone have any information to do either without commenting on getting a trainer.

Jim
 
Diet is key.

What are you eating? Diet is more important than working out.

I would recommend eating around 6 meals per day that are high in protein (30-40 gm) and fiber (5gm) and low in carbs/fat. Eat carbs (30 gm) earlier in the morning (1st/3rd meal) and do cardio for 45 - 60 minutes first thing in the morning before eating anything. Get the fiber from low calorie vegetables (ie brocolli).

Work in some more ab work too. 2 - 3 times per week for 15 mins. Crunches, leg raises, decline situps, etc.
 
Any bodybuilder will tell you that diet is just as important as working out. Looking "ripped" comes from having low body fat, so you can see the muscles you've built in the gym. Low body fat comes from a very strict diet and aerobic workouts on top of the weight training. Or just plain genetics which I fortunately am blessed with. If you don't genetically have low body fat, getting there is a lot of hard work. Competitive bodybuilders don't looked ripped all year round. They have to bust their asses prior to a competition to get that way. And for most of them it's their career, so they have the time and the energy and the motivation. Guessing that you don't have great genetics, I'm not surprised that after 20 yrs you're not ripped.................I'm surprised that after 20 yrs you haven't figured out that it's unrealistic to have a body like you see in the magazines without making it your full-time job. For most everyone, keeping weight off becomes harder as you age. Your metabolism slows and more frequent injuries and longer recovery time prevents you from being the animal you once were. Not to bust your bubble, but if you weren't able to get ripped in the first 20 yrs of working out in your prime, it's probably not going to happen. Set some more realistic goals that you will be able to achieve.......or take the chance of forever being frustrated.
 
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