First reality shock

[Bible_Belt]

Boxing teaches you to do a lot of stupid stuff, like leave your thumb hanging out in space, hit with the little fingers, and disregard the lower body, except as a platform to get you within reach with your hands.

I never trained in boxing by itself, just as part of mma training, and we were often discouraged from doing the gimmicky things that can work in point-sparring boxing, like leaning backwards to avoid punches, but which only work if you don't care about giving up an easy takedown or kick to the legs.


He suggested to get boxing gloves

You want 16 ounce training gloves:
http://www.amazon.com/Everlast-Styl...6LUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339428412&sr=8-1

Get in the habit of hanging them up when you are done training so that the sweat doesn't rot them.

I would recommend getting a big striking pad like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Everlast-7330...=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1339428891&sr=1-2

Every has seen the smaller, hand-held mitts, but the big one takes a lot less skill to hold. It's also easier to hit and safer for both you and your PT.

After you get a brief lesson in how to stand, move, and punch, your trainer holds the pad for you as he calls out a number between 1 and 4, which is the number of times you punch the pad. Stick to straight punches, jabs and crosses. Hold your hands up next to your eyes and keep them there as much as you can. Your trainer moves around like a sparring partner with you, continuing to call out numbers. Get a round timer and start with 1 minute rounds and 1 minute of rest between them, then work your way to longer rounds. It sounds easier than it is, and most new people last about 45 seconds. Those 1-pound gloves make your arms tire quickly.

Important disclaimer to anyone reading this who actually does want to fight: Don't do this drill without a competent fight trainer to critique and correct your form as you train, or else you will develop bad habits in punching form that are almost impossible to get rid of later. Even great fighters still use trainers; they lend a valuable perspective.

 

[yungpadawan]

So much broscience to the max. 16 lambchops and shrimp ****tails? Dude you have to count how much you are eating. Get a food scale and use a website like myfitnesspal or something. Just because 1 thing is good for you doesn't mean you have it 15 more times. Calories in and calories out. Eating enough protein and lifting at least 3 times a week is to make sure you don't lose the muscle you do have. Restricting your calories is what will help you lose the weight. Your initial weight loss should be noticeable because we all carry so much water weight. Need proof? Drink a **** load of water every day and your body won't hold onto that water weight as much.

 

[Groovy]

Did u go to to the TCM website? News please! We were all trying to help so give us some updates. If u want to of course.

 

[incognito42]

Prime example why I despise PTs. They are crooks

Other people here are complicating things I think...

There's certain key things to watch. Calorie intake #1. Protein, fat, and carbs are the obvious things people focus on, but keeping sugar and sodium intake low is KEY. Don't believe anything that says low cal, low fat, blah blah. Make sure you always look at sodium and sugar content and do your best to eliminate those things

If you hold sugar and sodium to a minimum, and focus on keeping calories and fats/ sat fats down you will absolutely see huge results

I lost 50 lbs in 4 months, and have lost 65 in 15 months and maintained my weight and steadily lost more and more. With little to no cardio activity, eating plenty of carbs, spending a whoping $35 per month on a gym membership and having nothing more than the weight training knowledge I gained playing high school football

PTs are worthless unless you REALLY need motivation, and even then I can't be convinced someone else kicking you in the azz is worth that much money. And the "knowledge" it takes to lift weights and eat right can be obtained VERY easily and at no cost or next to no cost

I really feel bad for you for experiencing this.

 

[Quiksilver]

A) Keep your activity levels the same and eat less.

B) Raise your activity levels and eat the same.




^ Pick whichever works for you. If you do neither A or B, you'll stay the same or even gain weight.

 

[Quiksilver]

Prime example why I despise PTs. They are crooks

Other people here are complicating things I think...

There's certain key things to watch. Calorie intake #1. Protein, fat, and carbs are the obvious things people focus on, but keeping sugar and sodium intake low is KEY. Don't believe anything that says low cal, low fat, blah blah. Make sure you always look at sodium and sugar content and do your best to eliminate those things

If you hold sugar and sodium to a minimum, and focus on keeping calories and fats/ sat fats down you will absolutely see huge results

I lost 50 lbs in 4 months, and have lost 65 in 15 months and maintained my weight and steadily lost more and more. With little to no cardio activity, eating plenty of carbs, spending a whoping $35 per month on a gym membership and having nothing more than the weight training knowledge I gained playing high school football

PTs are worthless unless you REALLY need motivation, and even then I can't be convinced someone else kicking you in the azz is worth that much money. And the "knowledge" it takes to lift weights and eat right can be obtained VERY easily and at no cost or next to no cost

I really feel bad for you for experiencing this.

Correlation =/= Causation

Cutting sodium intake is good (although you need sodium esp if you sweat alot).

Cutting sugar intake is good for health and bone density.

But just because you lost 50lbs in 4 months has nothing to do with sodium intake (unless we're talking about water weight) or sugar.

Its just calories in to calories out. ( CI:CO ). If number is greater than 1, then you'll gain weight. If number is less than 1, you'll lose weight.

ie. in calories

3000:2800 = >1 = weight gain

1900:2400 = <1 = weight loss

Macronutrient ratios (protein, carbs, fats) affects body composition and training performance, not overall weight.

- The one note I should make is that some people can digest more of different macronutrients than others.

For instance, you may be able to digest 3,000 calories of protein without gaining weight.

But only 2,000 calories of carbohydrates, till you start to gain weight.

That can be assessed through diet experimentation. Low fat diets vs Low carb diets. Some people do better on carbs, others better on fats.

The less fat you have in your diet, the greater the ratio of omega 3 polyunsaturates to saturated to monounsaturated it will be.

If I was aiming for a low fat diet, I'd cut it down to just 1 tbsp of coconut oil and 1 tbsp (or tsp) of fish oil daily. I wouldn't go any lower and first thing I'd add is 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil if i was raising fats intake.

Lots of stuff to add but the main response was the first few lines.

 

[Mr.Positive]

http://bicycling.about.com/od/trainingandfitness/a/better_body.htm

Here is an article about biking. During the summer to fall, once my bike is really fixed up, it's easy to commit to ride for about a few hours every day. I could probably lose 1 lb or more per week.

If you enjoy biking, then go for it! I think that's a great idea.

Also, ditch your trainer.

My recommendation is to do Rippetoe's starting strength program. Do both workouts A and B, in one week. That's 2 weightlifting gym sessions.

In between those sessions, go biking, in 2 days. That's 4 days of good exercise.

Eat a clean diet, then have one cheat day.

The compound lifts, deads, squats, bench... in Rippetoe's program, you will gain strength. I guarantee it. I'm doing this, my squat jumped from 205 to 265. Deadlift is now 285 for 5 reps. That's pretty good for me at least.

Eat natural foods, eat more protein for sure. Eggs. Do not eat anything with high fructose corn syrup (hard to do it's in a lot of foods).

Take all the advise from this thread, and find out what works for YOU. We are all different, and finding what works is often an individual thing.

 

[incognito42]

Correlation =/= Causation

Cutting sodium intake is good (although you need sodium esp if you sweat alot)

Good point. Sodium really won't keep you from losing weight, but it will make you look bloated

Watch yOur calories, fats, and sugars and you will see big changes. Like I said I did no cardio, lifted weight4-5 days a week and lived on turkey and mustard sandwiches on wheat bread, protein bars and protein shakes with a little fruit at night if I got the munchies

 

[metoo]

make some sort of at least 1 hour long, violent physical activity a fun event for you. For me, it's practicing assault courses with pistol and rifle. You are timed as you run thru them, shooting man targets, it's a blast, literally.

 

[corrector]

Did u go to to the TCM website? News please! We were all trying to help so give us some updates. If u want to of course.

Well, I'm still "outsourcing" myself. You suggested Chinese Herbs, I find that I have this "low-energy melancholic" vibe that may look like I'm depressed or sad about something (when I'm not really), where it's even difficult to maintain any non-verbal connection and want to play with that a bit. This is one of the first recommendations I've heard so it's worth a shot.

Have not quit the PT. My mom keeps telling me my muscles look like they have improved. This guy is using drop-sets and doing all sorts of crazy stuff now so I really don't know. Have not really got the attention of the ladies in an obvious way yet. Unfortunately, I don't have a before and after comparison of having a toned, ripped, muscular body and how women connect with me so I'm sort of going blind with this....and that's assuming I get there with this PT.

I'm not sure if I can really do this by myself since I'll likely get discouraged at some point and lose momentum. I may say stuff like, I ain't seeing any changes in my body fast enough, or feel discouraged simply by other issues in life that this goes on the back-burner.

Either way I'm still looking into quitting the gym/PT thing...but it's hard to do without a before and after scenario. I can't say that after I'll be a playboy with women chasing me, or after I'll feel like I wasted my time, money, etc... have a great body and still can't attract a hot girl into my life to save my life or at least use me for sex, I don't know.

 

[Bible_Belt]

It's not just you. 90% of people who join a gym quit within the first year. That's why they want as much money up front as possible. Gold's Gym wants a 2-year minimum contract. I'd guess that in any given month, 2/3 of the people paying them don't actually use their services. What a great business!

Martial arts gyms are not any different. There are companies who train dojo owners in how to be more profitable, and they stress the same thing - get the money up front before the student quits.

My advice is to follow my advice Buy some gloves and make him hold a pad for you. You can give up on his advice, but you're already paid him for his time, so use it. Even if you just lift weights and he spots you, at least you are getting something in return for what you paid, which won't happen if you just quit.

 

[corrector]

My advice is to follow my advice Buy some gloves and make him hold a pad for you. You can give up on his advice, but you're already paid him for his time, so use it. Even if you just lift weights and he spots you, at least you are getting something in return for what you paid, which won't happen if you just quit.

No I can cancel the contract at any time.

I am entertaining thoughts of quitting because I think I'm really introvert and it is sort of painful when I have this low-energy energy about me that I can't sort of let loose and be myself or have a social side and I'm just stiff and formal all of the time.

Going to the gym with a trainer is "structure". I'm thinking the issues I have may be more mental / energy level now than physical and think even if my body is improved it won't make much of a difference. I start "failing" being social because that is "unstructured" and there is no role or format that I can relate to on social settings and feel overwhelmed and lost. My body is improved now compared to when I started and it hasn't really translated in anything for me for the ladies. 0 times xyz is 0. If I continue with 24+ more sessions then that I'd probably still be upsold near the end of them anyway (i.e. may need yet 10 more sessions at the end of the day).

Again, maybe Chinese Herbs are a solution, or perhaps I should throw in the towel. If I'm not meeting women, or if I have "walls" about me where even my dad, who is out of shape and older than I am, seems to have an easier social vibe and readily connects with women out there, while I have more of a melancholic "lawyer" like vibe and feel disconnected most of the time, except for business, then I think perhaps I should just quit and the unused portion of the contract returned.

For now, I may give the Chinese Herbs the benefit of doubt as groovy said and continue with the gym. If that doesn't work, I'd probably dismiss a body transformation as being helpful to meet women. Even if my physique is improved, if I look "unsure" of myself, and am just totally schizoid then that would cancel out any physical improvement to my body. At this point I'm speculating I just have low testosterone and high estrogen concentration as groovy said. Unless I know for certain there is always going to be a "what if".

 

[Bible_Belt]

I didn't know that you could cancel and get a refund. That's not much of a contract from the PT's perspective.

And no, a great body won't immediately fix all of your problems with women. Neither would a million bucks, by the way, because if your mind isn't right, then physical things won't make any difference.

Out of curiosity, are you considered an ethnic or cultural minority where you live? I'm just wondering if that's why you are so close to your parents. That's going to hurt you with women, unless you target an ethnic group where such behavior is normal. An American girl's 'Momma's Boy' could be simply a good son through the eyes of many other cultures.

 

[corrector]

Okay, I think I will cancel the gym trainer.

1) I tried out groovy's suggestion to get checked out by a Chinese doctor. I did this yesterday. The Chinese doctor said I was fine and Chinese herbs will not help me, or anything because it is genetics.

Therefore, body-building or sculpting myself may not work that well because I have a 'genetic-block' where I'll probably either need way more sessions. Just fat is too stubborn. Don't think I'll ever get ripped - especially by this trainer.

2) I am viewing gym training too much as a "fix-all" when it is not. Unless I implement other things such as learning game, body language, etc... and kill the inner wuss that is afraid to actually deal with rejection, social ackwardness, calibration, etc... then I'm wasting my time. I made a personal commitment since June 2nd and have done nothing.

So, yeah, gym in isolation of other types of improvement is just a waste of money. I've even seen other body-building websites where you have body builders that are STILL socially ackward and can not approach girls.

I've been on fastseduction website where a guy says he had better results when he quit the gym. Where, if he just poises and waits for girls to approach him then it doesn't happen. IN fact, if you look to good, then women think you are a player and you scare away the real good ones who may be good long-term potential.

So I'm beginning to really think this is fantasy...

3) If I can't get girls in real life I will not resort to using an escort. I really can't go there and think even that "world" is rife with it's own problems and issues that you don't really get sex on demand if you have cash. So, there is no threat of using any money directed at gym training to be re-allocated over there at all. Even if I was a billionaire I would not use an escort.

So, I'll process this cancellation ASAP.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Okay, Luke.

 

[ATX1001]

Cancel the PT if you want, but don't stop going to the gym. You sound like you're using the gym to "get girls", which is the wrong way of thinking about training.. You should be using the gym to improve yourself, keep fit and stay healthy.

Are you lifting heavier weights?

Are you running longer or faster?

Then the gym is working. You won't get results overnight, you need to keep at it.

 

[corrector]

Cancel the PT if you want, but don't stop going to the gym. You sound like you're using the gym to "get girls", which is the wrong way of thinking about training.. You should be using the gym to improve yourself, keep fit and stay healthy.

I think I make it obvious that this is why I'm using the gym. Guys who are ripped who have muscles and look confident simply have a better sex appeal. We can get into a whole look vs game argument but on some level we have to acknowledge this. Even if you are fit and healthy then that is showing great genes and you are attractive to women.

When you see a tall guy who is ripped and athletic then you assume he probably has no issues with women. Let's face it, no girl is attracted to a bank account, a job, but how a guy looks, and if you maximize that then there should be no issues at all.

I remember this one lady tell me how a guy bragged about how many homes he owned and how successful he was in life. He was old, had grey hair and she made no bones about how ugly he was to her. She went with a younger guy who was a football player who was probably not economically on the same level. Again, that's one example about how "looks" triumph other issues. So, you can't say that people who go to the gym to "get girls" are thinking about this wrong if a guy's looks has so much value to a woman.

The issue here is whether I'm pursuing this "idea" is a fantasy for me, or if I will really change into a hot guy.

In my studies here I see lots of stuff about male-egotistical stereotypes about girls, about guys gained muscles to be socially awkward WITH muscles, guys who don't see girls approaching them by just poising with their improved physique, etc... So, even on that level I'm not sure that the gym or training can work at the end of the day the way I'm expecting it to work.

Are you lifting heavier weights?

Are you running longer or faster?

Then the gym is working. You won't get results overnight, you need to keep at it.

Obviously the gym is working...but is it getting me to where I want to be with women, that's another story. Can it get me there? I'm not sure about that genetics wise, after taking about 30 sessions I'm not anywhere close to being ripped so it's very discouraging with me.

 

[DanZy]

Quit complaining about genetics and take a look at your workout and diet, I can guarantee that you're doing something wrong.
Looks are a decent bonus and make you hookup material. A bank account will get you relationships. Solid game will get you whatever you want

 

[corrector]

Quit complaining about genetics and take a look at your workout and diet, I can guarantee that you're doing something wrong.

There is nothing wrong with my workout (which is assisted by a paid trainer) where there is a physical improvement, or with my diet. I am more diet conscience then ever before.

There is also the "face", and again, without solid "inner and outer" game and an insecure vibe face especially when dealing with girls, then that would undermine any improvement to a physique.

Looks are a decent bonus and make you hookup material. A bank account will get you relationships. Solid game will get you whatever you want

You seem to know allot for an 18 year old. Let me indulge you.

I do not have "solid game" or a "bank account/portfolio" that matches my age and live at home. Based on what you are telling me, I'm trying to make myself someone who will have an easier time "hooking up" or having friendships but not likely any "relationship" especially if I have to support a woman or if she has to live with me.

At best, maybe I'd have a relationship with a "sugar mommy"... so that would restrict my options to hook-ups, friendships, or having a "sugar mommy" if I really had a great body, at the end of the day, but am not economically stable.

Maybe this is all an egotistical fantasy and if someone is meant for me then that will work out with body/set-up I have now and all of this is really unnecessary.

 

[DanZy]

If there's nothing wrong with your diet or workout, why are you seeing lacklustre results? You're new to lifting properly, noob gains are generally pretty big but you're not seeing them. Therefore something is wrong.