Pumping Iron: the workout thread

[chera]

I surprisingly haven't seen a general thread for working out or bodybuilding.  So here goes!

A few weeks ago, I started working out regularly.  I try to do cardio every day, and weight training every other day.  The goal isn't to turn myself into an Arnold Swarzenegger, but to get rid of my belly, grow a six pack, tone up the man boobs, and get rid of some of the flab on my butt. 

Too much fat:


Too much muscle:


Just about right:


The results have been good so far: my shoulders are broader and the six pack isn't quite there yet, but I can see the beginnings.  Also, being around the mirrors so much helps me be more aware of my horrible posture.  Lots of latinas in my gym, so there's no shortage of nice ass candy to keep me motivated

I start out my workout by stretching for about 15 minutes.  It seems that a rigorous stretching routine helps me get more out of the strength training and it helps prevent aches and pains the next morning.  I stretch to the point where the muscle starts to hurt just a bit, and then maintain that for about 10 seconds.

Then I work on my cardio: 25 minutes (20 + 5 cool down) on the eliptical, for a plateau target heart rate of 160-170.  By the machine's estimate, I burn 220 calories in 20 minutes and 300 in 25.  If I can get my heart rate to go down over time, I might increase the resistance.

My weight training routine is 2 sets of 15 reps each, weighted so that at the end of 15, that set of mucles is completely exhausted.  Before each machine, I stretch the intended body part for 10 seconds, then breath in and out very deeply 10 times.  I try to breath in and out with every repitition.  I then move to the next body part, and when the entire series is finished, start over again with the 2nd set.  Right now, each set is:

UPPER BODY
Fly delt: 50lb (rear delts)
Overhead press: 50lb (front delts)
Chest press: 50
Bicep curl: 60
Lat pulldown: level 6
Neck pullup: level 5 (not sure if this is what it's called.  With arms extended and pointed downwards, I pull up on a weight with both arms using the muscles of my shoulders)
Tricep pushdown: level 4
Multi-press machine: level 5 at chest press level

CORE
Back extension: 125
Ab crunch: 90
Captain's chair: 5 mini-sets of 10 reps each
Back on the hyperextension bench: 5 mini-sets of 10 reps each, with a medicine ball held up to my chest
Obliques on the hyperextension bench: 3 mini-sets of 10 reps each

LOWER BODY
Vertical hack squat: 70 (quads, butt)
Eagle glute: 50 on each leg (butt)

I don't use lifting belt.  The flab on my butt just doesn't seem to be going away.  It's real easy to "cheat" on the Eagle glute and work the quads rather than the butt.  I've been eating less and drinking more milk, and my weight is 63kg - the lowest its been since I stopped growing.  Tips and tricks from the rest of the HiPsters would be appreciated!

[daigong]

HEY! This is interesting since I wanted to start working off this beer gut myself. I been noticing belly button lint and I'm like WTF? I had gained like 10-15 lbs. in the past few months. Cardio and weights is what I got in mind!! Nothing liek getting out of breath walking up a flight of stairs. July is a new month!!

I'm a follow some sorta wokrout plan but yeah chera, lemme know how it goes.