How much do I need to work a day out to get stronger?

[iCroissant]

I'm 145 pounds and 5'7". The only thing I can think to do to make up for this and be able to protect my girl is to work out... A LOT. I'm already done with insecurities and sh*t people give me and I'm pretty damn confident but realistically I know I'd get pounded in a fist fight, which kinda goes against my goal to be the best boyfriend ever.

So, I'm looking to fully commit myself to the gym. So, what exercises for how long for how many days should I do. I'm looking for something routine every week that doesn't involve knowing a ton of info about exercise.

[dpg91]

3 or 4 times per week for an hour at a time is enough. Start slowly, know your limits and gradually build it up. Whatever motivates you is fine but make sure you do it for yourself first and foremost and learn to enjoy it - there's little point otherwise. As for knowing a ton of info, it's important to know you're doing an exercise correctly or else could be dangerous.

As an example, my typical routine looks like this. In brackets are the key exercises I build that workout around:

Sunday - legs (squats, leg press, lunges)
Monday - chest/triceps (bench & dumbbell press, dips)
Wednesday - back (deadlifts, rows, pullups/chinups)
Friday - shoulders/biceps/abs (shoulder press, curls, hanging leg raises)

All with some short cardio at the end. That's the base, it's important to throw in some variations each time to keep your body guessing. If for some reason I have to drop a day (it happens, we all have lives), it's the last one. The other 3 contain the more important compound exercises that get the biggest results.

Of course then there's diet which is a whole topic on its own, but in a nutshell to gain lean muscle you need a clean, high protein diet in calorie surplus. Good luck.

[iCroissant]

Ok nice nice. I'll Google how to do those.
And do you usually do it in the morning? Before or after breakfast? How long after breakfast?

[dpg91]

YouTube is a decent resource for learning exercises in fairness, I remember doing it myself.

I have a 9-5 office job so during the week I go to the gym straight after work. At the weekend I would go mid-afternoon. That's just what fits in with my life but I'd say any time of day you can work out is fine, except late at night I don't like.

[Xfitchick]

Why does your girl doesn't learn martial arts so she can protect herself? A lot more efficient.

[iCroissant]

I don't know. Because it's at least 120$ a month, plus I shouldn't expect anything uncommon out of a future girlfriend or I'm setting myself up for dissapointment. Like martial arts? No girl I've ever met knows martial arts.