Mmmmm....interesting thread....here are my 2 dead presidents :
1) First of all, you must make a distinction - that is to say, what are you going to the gym for?- only then can you build your plan appropriately. You say you want to 'grow' chest? - then you're in for "expanding" your body....which in many cases is not THAT fruitful, since it really depends on the person....if you've got a very thin upper body, you could shape it, of course, make a nice traingle, muscles here, muscles there, but dont expect it to expand that much...many have dreamt that, only to be dissapointed. (Bruce Lee, for example, I guess you've seen him shirtless here and there, he's the example of a thin body with lots of muscles....if thats what youre after, then build a program specifically for muscles...or you can combine both "muscles" and "expansion" but you have to make that choice before you make the plan.
2) As DMC mentioned again and again, rest is OBLIGATORY. Theres no need for 72 hours but 48 is a must - that is to say you must work on ALTERNATE days. NEVER 2 days in a row.
That should give you 3-4 days a week to work out. Why must you rest every 2nd day you ask? because if you dont, you might as well skip the entire idea of working out. You want muscles? well muscles do not develop while you're making the exercises. Its while youre RESTING that muscles build themselves. You go to work daily at the gym - you'll achieve less than someone who works on alternate days. That is a fact, not a suggestion I make.
3) Gym is good; however, it is the extra. The most important muscle you should develop is the heart, that is to say- getting in shape should be the first priority, more important than any muscles you work on at the gym. Whats that I hear? TREADMILL??? - avoid that crap as soon as possible...people go on and say "man, im in shape, been running/walking on the treadmill for 2 hours dude, im in such a great shape!" -- well, i've been taking a few of these "athletes" for a little run outside...they barely made 2 miles before they puked their hearts out. Treadmill is good for 1 thing : to warm up before you exercise your muscles....but dont think for a second thats its any replacement for running / swimming/ etc....you must seek fitness outside the gym.
Considering what you wrote about the back problem...I HIGHLY recommend swimming. Swimming is the most profitable sport you get...not only will it get you in good shape, but it will also build your body and expand it, and its the best cure for back problems, better than any belts, exercises, or whatever methods you know of.
4) Nutrition. Fish is great. A good proportion of meat is also good. You must eat fruits and vegetables as well. Do I sound like your mother? maybe because sometimes mothers are right.
Llisten to me : make that a plan of at least 2 fruits & 2 veggis per day. A good one is :
Orange/Kiwi (vitamin C - ESSENTIAL)
carrot/green pepper (iron/b12)
Perhaps the most important food for gym nuts is...potatoes. Yes, potatoes. Eat it, again and again - and I dont mean french fries. You must get the carbo's (carbohydrates) and potatoes will preserve them in your body for quite a while. Other products like spaghetti are also recommended, however, spaghetti's carbo's will burn themselves, so the result is not as satisfactory as potatoes.
Eggs - 1 or 2 per day - and make that HARD-BOILED. I know, I know, you probably prefer the omelette, or the fried egg, sunny and everything, but I must tell you that the best you could get from the egg is by eating it hard-boiled - thats again a fact, and not a suggestion. Yes, I know Rocky swallows his eggs directly from the fridge, and I still say hard-boiled.
Of course, you probably eat sweets and sugars n stuff - my recommendation is to eat them AFTER your work-out session, your body will need the sugar then. If you wonder what to eat before, and before should be at least 2 hours before, I suggest a yoghurt & banana.
