Hi all,

I have a couple of questions that I hope you can answer. Just to restate my goals: I would like to build muscle mass for calorie-burning purposes, and I would like it if my arms were 'toned' and lightly defined for tank tops this summer. (I still need to lose a little fat from my arms, but it would be nice if there were strong muscles waiting underneath ) My secondary purpose with weights is to be able to set myself concrete goals that keep me going to the gym even after I've reached my goal weight. (I find the calories burned through cardio to be very motivating, but I am lazy, and my pattern is to stop working out once I've lost the weight I want to lose. I'm hoping that weight-training goals will keep me going to the gym and doing my cardio so I don't regain any weight.)

Firstly, in another thread someone (I think it was Ennay) suggested that I use the counter-weighted dip/pull up machine to work large groups of muscles instead of doing a few bicep curls and tricep pulldowns. This seems like a reasonably good idea (particularly since my pecs are *still* sore from my first use of that dip machine the other day!), but I'm wondering whether I should be doing the more specific exercises (like flys, curls, etc etc) with dumbbells as well. What do you think? Would it be optimum to work the big groups with the dip machine on day 1, individual muscles with dumbbells on day 3, and then back to the dip machine on day 5? Or doing all of them all the time, or only the big muscles, or only the individual muscles, or does it not matter? Suggestions?

Secondly, while I was discovering squats on the web, I also discovered deadlifts. This looks like a nice exercise also, but I'm a bit nervous about my lower back. It's quite weak and I have no abdominal strength I've been using that 'hyperextension bench' to work my lower back and I find it very taxing. I can usually manage about 10 before I feel a very deep ache, and I cannot run after doing those exercises because of the tension/ache in my lower back. Should I stay away from the deadlifts until I've spent a couple of months strengthening my lower back on the hyperextension thing, or is the deadlift an entirely different sort of exercise? (And do I really need to start doing sit-ups and building some abdominal strength? I *hate* sit-ups and it always feels pointless because I'm never going to have low enough body fat for a six-pack to show through. What do you think?)

Thanks for all your help demystifiying the universe of weights! I really appreciate all the advice. (I apologise, once again, for being so long-winded. I just want to give complete information for maximally useful advice )

I'll try tackling some of your questions...

The assisted pullup machine is great definitely and a good starting point. Dips are good as well.

Sooo, if I understand you correctly, you're doing pullups for back and dips for chest on one day. That's fine, however you may want to choose a couple of other exercises to do as well. There are many other exercises which will help...for instance deadlift for back and legs which you mentioned. It will effect your body in completely different ways than the back hyperextensions so don't be afraid to start learning them.

The volume of exercise you do with one particular body part will determine pretty much how often you want to work it. You can do your entire body in one day by doing like one or two exercises for each body part. And then you can do the whole thing 3 times a week. OR you can pick a way of isolating body parts and break the week down that way, doing more exercises to increase volume since they won't be done again for several days.

The way you isolate parts doesn't matter so much, it's a matter of what you're comfortable with...you can do for instance chest / back then bis/tris then shoulder/legs and put abs at the end of a couple of cardio workouts.

Here's how I am working it lately.
Shoulders/abs
Legs
Chest / tris
Back / bis

I do three exercises for each, except for legs and abs really, those are like a free for all.

Today was chest and triceps so I did - bench press, decline bench and flies, then skull crushers, tricep extensions and kickbacks and then narrow grip dips.

There are many many ab exercises -- lots more than sit ups...and they're really imperative actually because your core muscles help with *everything* you do -- running, squats, walking, tricep pushdowns...just standing even.

Your core work should be more than sit-ups, which does make it much more fun IMO and one day you'll like the feeling of being completely battered in your midsection. Do it the same as any other muscle group, don't do them everyday and just pick like three or so exercises to do in one day. One thing you may find helpful is to pick up a Pilates DVD, you'll get great ideas and they're generally tough.

If your goal involves overall muscle gain to burn calories, then you are much better off sticking with mainly compound movements. You can throw in some isolation work for variety or if you feel that a particular muscle group is lacking, but for overall muscle gain and calorie burn, the more muscles you can work with one movement, the better. Not to mention that the compound movements will also work your core much more.

As for the deadlifts, they are very complex and a movement that can really cause injury if not done with good form. You should definitely see if one of the trainers at your gym can show you proper form and observe you before trying these. Also, I would suggest practicing with a piece of PVC pipe or broomstick to perfect form before adding weight. Then you might want to also try some simpler variations such sumo deadlifts starting with a light dumbell.

Here is the best video that I have seen for learning the deadlift. I recommend hitting the pause button and using the drag method to play the video, so you can see it frame for frame. Notice, particularly on the side view, where the initial movement that drives the lift comes from. This is where, IMO, many people put too much strain on their back.

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/me...ise.php?id=263