Well gee, I could sure use some help

[Gidi]

Hey guys, I've been gone from BS.net for a while.
I broke my foot in judo, and work has been hell, but anyway I'm trying to get back to training. I've stopped doing judo (still doing bjj), and joined a gym. I haven't lifted weights in years, and I'm in terrible shape for me, so I want to get back in shape.

But not just back in shape, I want to do it better this time, train for strength and properly. The thing is I've always done some random isolationist stuff at the gym, and that was years ago, so while I've been doing lots of research, I'm stumped by all the options out there, Stronglifts, Starting Strength and so on...

As for me, I'm 1'80m (around 5'10-5'11) and 72kg (159lbs), so not fat, but not big either. I do bjj twice a week (work permitting), and I go dancing with the missus once a week. I want to start going to the gym twice a week in the mornings before work and lift.

I've never squatted, deadlifted or any of those exercises in my life, but I'm quite serious about getting bigger and stronger. Also, I'm probably gonna have to start eating better, I'll have to see about that.

Help me Obi-Wan-Kenobi, you're my only hope.

[Hiro Protagonist]

Questions:

What are the weak spots and limits you yourself see in your body complexion/physical abilities?

What sort of equipment does the gym offer?

Do your injuries in any way inhibit any specific exercises? (Like, putting pressure on the foot.)

[Hiro Protagonist]

...And if you haven't yet become a member of a gym, don't get me wrong, pal, but why don't you talk to a qualified trainer there first? :) That's how I did it, and THEN went to the internet.

[Gidi]

(In Patrick Swayze voice) "Foot don't hurt"
Anyway, I've registered to a very nice gym, that offers everything, 3 pools, lots of machines and weights, squat racks (yes plural...), TRX, kettlebells and so on, but the trainers there seem pretty uninterested in anyone that isn't a young attractive girl. So yes I'm gonna talk to them, but I want to be informed when I do.

As for, I'm sort of a weakling... It's true, I have good endurance and decent cardio historically, but I'm pretty weak, could never lift much...

[Hiro Protagonist]

What I would recommend you, being another fellow practitioner, but not a trainer, by any means:

• Begin to change your diet.
• Begin to periodically educate yourself on your training. Subscribe to a forum, a blog, or get a good book on training, preferrably one that the bullies here recommend you. Ross Emanait for example is a well-respected author.
• Train complementary to your BJJ - which means, if you work your core a lot, train your legs, and your arms at the gym.
• Keep your training intensity moderate. Yould should feel WELL after training, not broken.
• Buy some weights for home, or place some you own in sight. ;) Always be tense, always be ready to do some pushups or crunches when you have a few seconds.

[erezb]

How did you break your leg? Judo is just too demanding...no time to tap.
Well if you want to gain size, the classic 3,4 sets with 8-12 reps is your friend.
A more power oriented regime is 5x5 with a lot of weight.
What ever you do, your first set shouldn't be more than 75% of your max to avoid injuries. The rest of them you should reach your max in every set. In the last set i like to do a drop set, which means that when i reach muscle failure, i drop some of the weight and continue, till the second muscle failure, drop some more weight and do a couple more reps till im spent.
You can set extra weights in descending order before you start, and if you work on a machine than you just take less plates (easier). I'll give you a nice drill Randy Couture recommends and calls the grappler's circuit.

This won't be ideal for balk, but it sure as hell will strengthen you. You can splice those drills into twos and ones even, add 1 minute breaks between some of them and you can add weight and get a more size/strength benefit while still strengthening yourself for fighting.