A few questions

[strick16]

Hi. I'm 17 and been working out pretty continuously since last year around January.. Lost a good 25 lbs that i've kept off and got a lot stronger, for sure. I did P90X for a while, and after that started going to the gym (which in opinion is a load more fun).

So after a year at the gym (which im aware isn't long at all, haha). i've been maintaining 183-187, but typically being 185 until last week, which I started running 1 mile every night around the neighborhood, and 2 1/2 or 3 miles every tuesday and thursdays.. and I added a 1800 calorie diet on the week and a 2600 calorie diet on the weekends. And now im at 180, varying between 178-182. Which leads me to first question.. theory was, if I intake 2600 calories in the weekend then it should get used to taking in that much, so when monday comes around and im getting 1800 calories, that's just that much bigger of a deficit and should increase a little fat loss. Think that'll work?

The reason im only putting in 1800 calories is because I can't find enough healthy foods to eat to get calories up high enough without being so freaking full I don't wanna go to the gym.. Haha. And on the weekends, I just throw in a footlong turkey breast sub on wheat from subway to get a good 600+ calories. Unfortunately, I do drink.. and I lose count of that, so I may put in a bunch of unhealthy calories on the weekends as well. Oh and I also play football (no pads, tackle) with some friends every weekend, as well as ultimate frisbee for excercise on the weekend. No lifting.

So, from what I've said, does it sound like it should work? keep in mind, im looking for a lifestyle change, not a miracle 30 lbs in a month. (speaking of which, goal weight is 165).

Okay so heres a list of questions I have to add to that:

On bench press, I dont hit chest. It hurts like hell after I get up to 160, and I feel like im not getting a good workout cause it seems like it drops too fast and pops up two inches afterwards, so instead I go down a little slower and try to stop 2 inches before chest. Tonight, a friend of mine said that thats not good.. but im getting a better workout it seems like, im not hurting myself, and he's no arnald. So whats yalls opinion on that?

Secondly, on dumbell shoulder press, Im going just a taste under parallel arms, and pressing up. I've also heard that this is wrong, however if I try to tap the dumbell on shoulder, I feel a sharp pain in back, and I mean real sharp. I dropped a dumbell last week trying that. What should I do as far as thats concerned? Just rough through the back pains, or keep form slightly past parallel?

Running; treadmill for 30 minutes, or 3 miles on foot? I ran 3 miles in 22 minutes on foot around the neigborhood and three miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill.. Which works gonna do better for fat burning?

Last form question: Standing behind the head military presses/ Shoulder fly supersets. (Honestly, im not sure if thats what the first excercise is called or not, haha, but thats the motion).. On the first one, i've been stopping about to the bottom of hairline on the back of neck, should I just go all the way and touch shoulders? Its definitely harder to touch shoulders, but it feels like its working out traps a lot more than delts, and I generally do shrugs and... ahh I forget the name of it.. haha, when you take a bar or dumbell and lift it up over your chest from a standing position.. for traps.

general goal is 2 lbs a week of fatloss.. and hopefully by christmas Ill be in the 160s..

Any suggestions or answers to questions are most welcome.

Thanks,
Zach.

[Boss Man]

if I intake 2600 calories in the weekend then it should get used to taking in that much, so when monday comes around and im getting 1800 calories, that's just that much bigger of a deficit and should increase a little fat loss. Think that'll work?

(Depends on the lost calories. you'd probably lose more fat having a minor increase of Fats and a minor decrease of Carbs every meal, so you end up having the same calories, but create a small energy deficeit from Carbs that Fats will supply.)

On bench press, I dont hit chest. It hurts like hell after I get up to 160, and I feel like im not getting a good workout cause it seems like it drops too fast and pops up two inches afterwards, so instead I go down a little slower and try to stop 2 inches before chest. Tonight, a friend of mine said that thats not good.. but im getting a better workout it seems like, im not hurting myself, and he's no arnald. So whats yalls opinion on that?

(Some go down and just touch the Chest, some stay around 2" above, the lower down you go, the less weight you'll be able to move, as you're getting more "time under tension", so unless you then increased rep speed, which might be a good idea, unless you're using a slower than necessary speed or cadence, you'd have to cut back on the weight a bit, to allow for the time under tension factor.)

Secondly, on dumbell shoulder press, Im going just a taste under parallel arms, and pressing up. I've also heard that this is wrong, however if I try to tap the dumbell on shoulder, I feel a sharp pain in back, and I mean real sharp. I dropped a dumbell last week trying that. What should I do as far as thats concerned? Just rough through the back pains, or keep form slightly past parallel?

(Keep the Triceps parallel on Shoulder Presses, when finishing a rep. If you're feeling pain, you may be extending the Arms past 180 degrees, which is not cool. Some people do that when doing things like Behind the Neck Presses and behind the Neck Pull-downs and Pull-ups. This could increase the risk of Rotator Cuff and Scapulae injuries.

I would suggest your pain issues stem fron extending the Arms too far back. If you can't keep them at 180 degrees, then I suggest being about a centimetre or two in front of where they normally would be. This should correct pain issues hopefully.)

Running; treadmill for 30 minutes, or 3 miles on foot? I ran 3 miles in 22 minutes on foot around the neigborhood and three miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill.. Which works gonna do better for fat burning?

(It depends. If the terrain you run on is uneven in places, you'll not get a fairly static heartrate, so you won't end up a few weeks down the line, possibly getting cardiovascular adaption and reduced efficacy of the cardio. However the same could be said of treadmills. Steady state settings mimic flat continuous terrain and create a fairly static heartrate as well.

The only difference between an undulating outdoor setting and something like an Interval setting on a treadmill, is the treadmill is less likely to result in things like shin splints or possible Knee issues, although obvious risks from traffic and certain types of weather, should be apparent anyway for the outdoor runner anyway.

So basically, neither of the two is better than the other for Fat burning in opinion, it's about how you do them, not which one you do.)

Last form question: Standing behind the head military presses/ Shoulder fly supersets. (Honestly, im not sure if thats what the first excercise is called or not, haha, but thats the motion).. On the first one, i've been stopping about to the bottom of hairline on the back of neck, should I just go all the way and touch shoulders? Its definitely harder to touch shoulders, but it feels like its working out traps a lot more than delts, and I generally do shrugs and... ahh I forget the name of it.. haha, when you take a bar or dumbell and lift it up over your chest from a standing position.. for traps.

(You're talking about Behind the Neck Presses. Military Presses are in front on the Neck and work Chest. As described earlier about "behind the neck" movements, avoid them.

You can substitute that exercise for things like Pull-ups in from of the face, Bent over Barbell Rows, Cable Rows, (level or inclined), Cleans, T-Bar Rows etc as examples.)

[strick16]

Thanks man. You really broke it down to me good and easily understandable. I appreciate it a lot bud.

[Boss Man]

No worries mate. Keep it real or whatever you teenage dudes say these days

[Fygle]

Don't be trippin', Boss Mizzle.

[Boss Man]

Yeah, word homie