Let me start off by saying, I'm new and i love this site already. Now i need everyone's help.


I'm in the process of becoming a police officer(Philly) and i need to get myself in shape for a tough fitness test. I'm 6'0, 254lbs. I've gained a gut due to the holiday season. I have to be 225lbs or under by April 17th. I would like to continue lifting but i'm not sure how light i should be lifting. Before I stopped going to the gym, I was benching 275lbs 3 sets of 8. Along with a diet and some cardio, does anyone have any suggestions/workout plans for me to work on. I would like to finally work on shoulders, i mean you name it, i want to work on it. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks everyone

You are going to need to cut (loose weight). To keep as much muscle as possible during this time do lower reps with heavier weight, this should help prevent muscle loss if that is what you want. Watch what you eat and for the shoulders the shoulder press is king.
Good Luck

thanks alot!!!! What about for back and legs? Any suggestions?

Combine legs and back in the same work out. When doing back do lots of pull ups and reverse grip chin ups. Wide grip, close grip, switch grip, cobb pull ups, and standard grip. This provides several different ways of working your back and arms. For legs I like stiff legged dead lifts, heavy dead lifts, weighted lunges, speed squats, hyper extended weighted lunges, steep incline treadmill running in intervals, lawn mowers, back flys, bent over back flys, and kicking in all directions. Start with a back exercise, then let the back rest and do a leg exercise. Keep alternating between the two and it can be a world class legs and back work out.

The squat is generally regarded as the best exercises for your legs (if not best exercise full stop). I would add these to your routine.

Other good leg exercises are lunges, set-ups, split squats etc..

Good back exercises include cable rows, bent over row, pull/chin ups, lat pull-down. There are many more.

Another great exercise you should include is the deadlift which works pretty much the whole body......but will probably fell it it in the lower back, traps/upper back and legs most.

If you want to lose fat and keep the muscle, try a full body workout 3xper week focusing on compound movements. Keeps the weights heavy and do some cardio on the off days.

good luck!