I stopped weight lifting and am starting over. While I am back on track with cardio 5days a week I am also still actively playing ice hockey 3days a week.
I am working on loose some weight and was thinking about starting the Riptoes program. Is this a good starting point to increase strength/size?
If you are competitive in ice hockey, then your training should be focused re "on" and "off" season, periodized specifically to ensure improvement in your athletic performance.
If you're not competitive in ice hockey, then it doesn't matter what you start training with re fat loss - anything is going to work (as long as your nutrition is targeted at fat loss for you).
I recommend that you choose either fat loss or muscle/strength gains, since both are at OPPOSITE ends of the nutrition spectrum re caloric intake (although strength can be gained when losing bodyfat).
If you want to gain strength and size, then your training should be appropriate for it - as well as your NUTRITION, since if you don't eat enough, you're not going to gain, period.
If you want to recomp (i.e. lose bodyfat, but gain strength and size), then you need to focus more on your NUTRITION than anything else, since the manipulation of your NUTRITION is going to be the PRIMARY determining factor in your success (or lack of it).
You really need to have a training programme and nutrition plan individualized specifically for YOUR goals and needs - if you cannot do this yourself, or start off with something and adapt it as you go along, then I recommend getting a trainer who can and will do this for you.
~Rosie~
