your routine at the gym

exercise more

"shift the flab"

whats your goal? To get "cut" or to gain muscle?

My routine is that I biked 40 miles this weekend to get to events I was going to anyway, and scrubbed the entire shower, floor to ceiling, in a "wax on, wax off"-style with Bon Ami. I got stuff done while exercising! And had fun! It's amazing!

Then I ate three chocolate chip cookies. You should probably cut those out, too.

what do you eat, s?

Five times per week, currently alternating chest/triceps and back/biceps, with abs and legs/glutes thrown in randomly.

If you eat loads at night and very little in the morning, reverse it. Also, get more protein and lettuce. Lettuce reduces hunger. Blueberries and yoghurt are good too.

i've heard that doing weights/machines while a bit podgy isn't really so helpful and i should spend most of my time doing cardiovascular stuff (riding, rowing, running) to shift the flab and THEN start doing machine stuff to tone up. is this right?

1. bicycle over there in gym wear.
2. exercise bike for 15 mins.
3. sit ups, 3 x 20.
4. Various machines, chest and stomach stuff mostly.
2. A proper weight-lifting program.
5. exercise bike for 10 mins.
3. ride home, stinking.
4. have nice shower in comfort.

Use the time saved above for morning walks (which is to say, before-breakfast walks lasting at least an hour), and try cutting down on whatever it was that made you gain weight in the first place.

1. take one of the following:
...a. a nitric oxide supplement
...b. fast-acting protein + glucose powder
2. fast walk to gym (10 min)
3. gradual warm-up to heavy weights by doing sets of 12, 10, 6, 3 and 1 (!)
4. knock out all sorts of insane weightery (4-6 reps per set) (~40 mins)
5. fast walk home (10 min)
6. fast-acting protein

7. eat lettuce, it reduces hunger!

I have to eat more, not less. Trainer wants me having five meals every day. Gahhh.

wow does your trainer post to here?

Bahahaha. Nahh. It's only temporary anyway, as far as I can see, until I bulk up.

Its ALL about the GAINS! Cant see myself back on the heavy weights, they made me HUGE but sluggish and slow. I will need to adopt a regime bordering on self loathing if I am ever to get back into shape.

I don't want to be like that, ugh. Just more size than I have now.

1) walk towards gym
2) continue walking

1. Ice
2. Tonic
3. Slice of lime

Autumn Almanac: MAX OT?

Yes! How did you know?

#3 gave it away. I found an outline of the routine on the web and did it for a while, it really works!

It does, doesn't it? I've been doing it for a month and was just about to change routine, but my trainer wants me on hypertrophy suddenly.

jeb absolutely OTM above: a proper cardio-and-weights routine is vital, whatever your fitness goals are, otherwise you're going to end up bored, frustrated and seeing no real difference at all.

and, er, that's it.

mind, i can talk: i'm working on a programme i cobbled together myself because my trainer's disappeared off the face of the planet. time to find another one, i guess.

1. take one of the following:
...a. a nitric oxide supplement
...b. fast-acting protein + glucose powder
2. fast walk to gym (10 min)
3. gradual warm-up to heavy weights by doing sets of 12, 10, 6, 3 and 1 (!)
4. knock out all sorts of insane weightery (4-6 reps per set) (~40 mins)
5. fast walk home (10 min)
6. fast-acting protein

what are the supplements and proteins for? there is so much of that stuff on the market, it seems impossible to know....

my routine:

1. drive to gym
2. stretch
3. 30 min. of cardio (usually elliptical)
4. 15 min of machines (usually upper body stuff)
5. maybe some sit-ups, stretch, go home, eat

it's not based on anything but seems to work for me.

i work out in my apt.

1. do some press-up type thing (triceps) on a couple chairs 10x
2. crunches with my legs up at 45 degrees, 15x, try to hold the last one as long as i can
3. pushups with my arms pretty wide apart, up on fists for a little extra distance, 12x

repeat these until i get tired or bored. try to do it every other day.

no idea if it's doing anything!

Noodle - we should work out sometime.

i drive to the gym since its not that close.

- weights for 30 minutes
- treadmill for 40 minutes

want to switch to a cross trainer for cardio since walking briskly for 40 minutes only burns 193 CALORIES. i was kind of pissed off last time i went to the gym because i was all huffing on the treadmill only to burn 193 wimpy calories while my sis reported she burned over 400 on the cross trainer.

oh and i go approx 4 days a week. i have a recumbant (sic?) bicycle at home that i use when I am too lazy to leave the house, usually pedal on that thang for 40 minutes while lifting 8 pound dumb bells every 5 minutes.

Apparently you should do weights and cardio on separate days. Something about optimum effectiveness.

M@tt: The nitric oxide is for extra pump, like that berserk power-up in Doom. Protein is to feed the muscle, and glucose powder aids that in some way.

30 minutes of elliptical (on level 18)
30 minutes of free weights and machines

4-5 days a week. Most important thing is having a gym 2 blocks away.

10 mins bike
10 mins running machine
10 mins that bouncy walky thing
various exercises on the core ball
15 reps upper back machine
15 reps chest press
15 reps leg press
15 reps on some free weights
repeat machines and weights
swim a bit to cool down

i try to do this as often as poss but it tends to average about two-three times a week. I find that the whole gym experience seems to take SO LONG. It's only supposed to be 50 mins, but by the time I've got there, changed, stretched, waited for some old cunt to get off the machine I want to use while she jabbers away at her mate completely oblivious, swum, showered, changed - well, that's 2 hours a pop at least, which is quite a long time when you have a life to lead after work.

It's only supposed to be 50 mins, but by the time I've got there, changed

I go in my gym clothes.

stretched

I stretch after.

waited for some old cunt to get off the machine I want to use while she jabbers away at her mate completely oblivious

This precisely is why I changed gyms in December.

well, that's 2 hours a pop at least, which is quite a long time when you have a life to lead after work.

I go before 6am. The whole thing, including the walk there and back, takes just over an hour. It's morning so I'd have to shower anyway, so no time lost there.

i don't think they open till 6 at least. and hang on just one minute - you're expecting me to get up in the morning??! (i start work at 8:30 and I have trouble getting there on time as it is).

haha. Mine usually opens before 6. It just works for me; I'm useless in the evenings.

i would have trouble getting to work at 8:30 too!

mine is more similar to jordan's now. update:

1. ride over in gym wear, takes about 3 minutes.

2. exercise bike for 25 mins, burns 230 cals.

3. weights for approx 15 mins, mostly upper body:
i) pushy forward one, 3 sets of 15-20 reps. then use different handles and do another 3 sets of 15-20 reps.
ii) stomach crunch, 3 sets of 20 reps.
iii) pully down one, 3 sets of 20 reps.
iv) leg machine that works on back of thighs, 3 sets of 20.
v) im trying to put the bicep curl machine into my routine but i find it insanely hard, even on a really low setting. i guess i'll have hide my pride and do it on the very lowest setting, 3 sets of 15-20.

4. 15 mins on the bikes again, burns 160 cals.

5. cycle home, shower at home.

whole thing takes about an hour and 10 mins. i do this 3 times a week, mon/wed/fri. if im in the mood i may go more days, rarely do less.

currently quite pleased with this as i've increased it from the past few years of half-arsedly turning up and not doing very much, but i think i have a long way to go before i have a routine that is really right for me. the next big step i want to make is to have my own home mini-gym with weights, bench and bike.

1. do some press-up type thing

10 mins that bouncy walky thing

i) pushy forward one

iii) pully down one

I love this thread.

The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling.

does anyone here actually train *for* anything? or is it just for general health improvement?

my routine is just run three miles (after warming up)

thats it. i guess sometimes i do situps too

mine is just bike around all day

That's a pretty good set, s.rose. I recommend using free weights (dumbbells) to do your bicep curls, so you can go lighter and work on stability.

This is mine:

Day 1
Squats 3x4-6
Leg press 3x4-6
Stiff leg deadlift 2x20 (this is anomalous)
Standing machine calf raise 3x6-8
Seated calf raise 2x6-8

Day 2
Incline barbell bench press 3x4-6
Flat barbell bench press 3x4-6
Decline barbell bench press 1x4-6
Barbell wrist curls 2x6-8
Dumbbell wrist curls 2x6-8

Day 3
Barbell rows 2x4-6
V bar pull-downs 2x4-6
Pull-ups + weight 2x4-6
Seated cable rows 2x4-6
Barbell shrugs 2x4-6

Day 4
Seated dumbbell press 3x4-6
Military barbell press 2x4-6
Standing side lateral raise 2x4-6
Lying tricep extension 2x4-6
Cable push-downs 2x4-6
One arm dumbbell overhead extension 1x4-6 <-- I am crap at this one

Day 5
Straight bar curls 2x4-6
Hammer curls 2x4-6
Curl bar curls 1x4-6
Prone jackknifes 2x20
Bench sit-ups (1 + 1/3) 2xfatigue
Leg raises 2x10

My workout is online ... http://www.orgs.ttu.edu/techrugby/Rugby/strength_and_condition.htm

who are you people?

My gym is close by so I walk only a few blocks.

1) 5-15 minute walking warmup on treadmill
2) 1.5 - 3 miles of jogging/running
3) another 10-15 minutes of steep incline walking
4) stretching
5) 30 crunches
6) 20 crunches to each side
7) some sort of lower-ab exercise (either using the upright support thingy or doing what I guess are called jackknifes with someone pushing my legs)
8) 20 pushups
9) 3 sets 15 curls (relatively light weight)
10) 3 sets 15 shoulder presses
11) various other freeweight/machine upper body stuff depending on day

I don't always hit all of these in a day but I try to do most. I might do less running if I plan to do more weights. I also try to vary to avoid boredom.

tonight was my first time after a few weeks off and I was pretty rusty, so I did more walking/less running, added some eliptical and then did a pretty light abs/weights routine

1. do some press-up type thing

10 mins that bouncy walky thing

i) pushy forward one

iii) pully down one

I love this thread.

-- Autumn Almanac, Thursday, February 7, 2008 8:24 PM (2 hours ago)

hey bro i knew 'tricep' cmon

now i know how you guys feel on my gtd thread

(xp) I wasn't having a go, I genuinely love the terms being used.

This is the routine I started when I was trying to get in shape for my wedding and I've kept it up ever since. Not sure I should reveal this because frankly I think it might make seem weird/obsessive/both.

Every weekday get up and bike to gym (I go early before work):
MWF Ellipticals/Bike/Treadmill (depending on mood) 30-45 Mins (depending on time) then crunches, sidecrunches, leglifts, more crunches, more sidecrunches then if I have time I'll do machines generally for upper body work (not currently doing much though since I appear to have tweaked my shoulder. . . falling off my bike. . . on the way home from the gym. . . haha)
TTH Pilates for 50 minutes in the morning, often at night I'll do a one hour spin class and if I do usually get there slightly early (it gets full quick) and do my ab routine and some machine work.

Weekends I generally walk to the gym and do the following:
SAT Morning spin class (also gets full so again early ab/machines/etc). This is my favorite class and I usually try not to miss it.
SUN Midday yoga (not currently doing this because of shoulder tweak so substitute MWF routine only lengthen cardio workout.)

Occasionally will substitute a long bike ride for SAT/SUN routine or if it's raining I'll do pilates and ab stuff at home rather than go to the gym at all.

haha no it's cool AA

and honestly i don't know if what i'm doing has any effect

after a workout do you feel worked out?

Here's my routine:

Monday: Go to the climbing gym.
Thursday: Go to the climbing gym.
Saturday: Sometimes go to the climbing gym.
Every workday: Run to catch the train because I always wait until the last second.

xpost you don't need to feel completely dead after a workout, but honestly if you're not even sure whether it's having an effect you need to push yourself a little more

yeah i'm a little worn out, i could probably do more but eh.

i mean, i don't know if the actions i'm doing are the best for the energy i'm putting out.

The climbing gym is about 1 and 1/2 times as much a month per person as we pay for both of us at my current gym. That said I love visiting the climbing gym.

gff: You're certainly achieving something, but you could probably achieve loads more in the same amount of time with the right guidance. This is where I am now.

NEW NEW NEW

2 weeks of hypertrophy comprising:

- straight arm pull down + close grip lat pulldown
- incline dumbbell fly + seated row
- dumbbell hammer curl + standing curl bar curl
- leg extension + incline static lunge
- wood chopper
- double leg lift
- m/b oblique
- decline dumbbell fly + flat bench press
- incline chest press + bench dip
- military press + lateral raise
- overhead tricep extension + tricep rope extension

If anyone can tell me wtf 'm/b' is I would be much obliged.

My local climbing gym (Vertical Endeavors, St. Paul) has a once-a-year bargain basement membership sale that's a fraction of the cost of even a half-year pass. It's about $270 for the whole year.

I think I'm going to change trainers again. This one keeps missing and cancelling appointments. Today he dumped my new programme on my desk with a note saying 'call me.' I've called him fucking 20 times and he won't call back.

AA that sucks but i don't think you want to be calling up somebody 20 times, or even three, in the same day!

I kept getting voicemail, so it's not like I was stalking him or anything.

What exercises are good for arm-wrestling?

what's with these people who show up to the gym for 20 minutes and leave?

What's with these people who have a personal trainer show them how to use a nautilus machine? Can they not read simple diagrams?

what's with these people who show up to the gym for 20 minutes and leave?

-- cutty, Tuesday, 12 February 2008 12:45 (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Are they the ones who do their hair and/or make-up before going to the gym? My previous gym was full of these posers.

take two Es, dance 'til dawn, repeat

I gave up and chased another trainer. That hypertrophy programme is split over two days, and is to be done twice a week for two weeks. m/b is medicine ball.

i go to williamsburg gym--so many stories

there was a big bearish dude with a Blackwater tee-shirt at my gym yesterday

I'll bet you don't have THAT at Williamsburg Gym

I wish I had the money to join a gym. Even the council gym is too expensive at the moment (£350 a year).

I joined a gym for the first time ever about a month ago. What's more shocking is that I've actually been going and enjoying it! So far I've only done the treadmill but at increasing speeds and for longer amounts of time. When I'm comfortable with that I'll get into some of the fancy stuff you lot are descrbing.

Monday: Go to the climbing gym.
Thursday: Go to the climbing gym.
Saturday: Sometimes go to the climbing gym.
Every workday: Run to catch the train because I always wait until the last second.

-- Eric H., Friday, 8 February 2008 05:25 (4 days ago) Link

i wish i could afford climbing gym membership right now :-/
and/or lived someplace that would obviate the need for a gym

-Walk to gym when it opens at 6 from office.

-Twenty minutes on elliptical in the interval mode. If I'm feeling lazy and want to read I'll do the recumbent bike but I know it's not as effective.

-Then a round of machines, alternating per day. Usually a choice of the following: arms, hip thing, shoulders, side twist machine, also the sit-up board doing front, back and sides. (not using weights with this one because I'm still a bit of a weakling.)

-I plan on doing a yoga class starting next month and would love to find the time for pilates.

-I try to go every morning but increasingly 8am meetings are making this hard. (It takes me far too long to get work-ready at the gym.) I'm also not good at going after work so lately it's been an average of three times per week.

who here among us knows the pleasure of the post-gym cigarette?

it's the part of my routine i look forward to most

i have definitely had a post work-out shower-beer before

xpost

Is it the decadent canceling-out that you enjoy?

what is this "climbing gym" concept, and has it reached NYC? besides that strange mall-like atrium just south of Lincoln Center? (altho I don't know that I've seen climbing there in the past 2 years)

chelsea pier has a massive one, morbs

i went bouldering in central park on super bowl sunday!

OK, you ppl are just making up fitness verbs now.

no

I would like to make some up. Hmm. I'm coming up dry. My true reason for hitting the gym is for anorexic-watching. It's horrifying yet fascinating.

bonita no it just tastes and feels awesome

I find an ice-cold soda walking back from the gym to provide the same satisfaction. Counter-productive as well, but at least the calories can be burnt off again.

The post-gym cigarette is wonderful. I can't lie. And with that - I'm off to the gym!

i always enjoy a post gym wank the most.

last night - post-gym hot dog, fries, & beer.

That sounds lovely

I'm feeling low today. And writing contracts is not a good lift for the spirits. So I might go get a hot dog and fries at lunch. Unfortunately there will be no beer.

Obviously a workout would probably help my mood more but I am more than muscularly weak.

"who here among us knows the pleasure of the post-gym cigarette?"

I definitely know that pleasure.

I was back at the gym yesterday for the first time since I broke my ankle three months ago. My exercise routine, prescribed by a trainer, is hilariously feeble:

- either walk on treadmill or cycle for 20 minutes at a steady pace, aiming for a heart rate of 120
- foot-wiggling using a wobble board, medicine ball and stability disc

I keep getting stared at, especially when I'm toddling along on the treadmill :(

Screw them. Maybe they'll break an ankle during their x-treme workouts and then sympathize.

haha tracer i totally smoke after going to the gym. it's so satisfying!

for the past two years or so my routine has been:

30 min elliptical/rowing/treadmill (whichever feels less boring that day)
3 sets of 10 chest presses
3 sets of 20 curls
3 sets of 10 shoulder presses
3 sets of 20 situps
15 pull-ups
some fly machine shit
something that's like i'm starting a lawnmower
finally whatever cool/fun-looking shit i see trainers doing

i started going to the gym last august for the first time ever, 3 times a week. weights/cardio, about 1.5 hrs per session. until january, didn't go for 2 weeks with xmas/nye etc. and now i absolutely don't feel like going anymore!

i'm getting lazy again, i only go once a week now. at least i'm still going every week but i feel like such a slacker. will I overcome this?

i lost 7 kgs by the way. not bad, and they haven't come back yet so i'll just hope my spirit will lift again soon

or something

no hot girls at my gym also doesn't really help

15 pull-ups in a row yance?? dude you're a MACHINE!

something that's like i'm starting a lawnmower

cuet!

what is "fly machine", sounds dangerous and potentially could change the way we organize cities

that's 15 pull-ups over the course of seven years, or something

One scoop of Xpand did nothing. Perhaps it needs a few days.

I've been a member for two years, started a bit more seriously during my unemployment in the latter half of 2007 and now I'm trying to go as regularly as I can since I now work and live round the corner from the gym. However I feel that although I'm definitely building muscle in my arms, my posture's improving slightly, and my moobs are starting to harden up a bit, I'm not really losing any flab. In fact since I became a member I've put on quite a lot of weight, and not necessarily muscle weight. I do a good 30 minutes cardio + a few lengths swimming and weight machines. I'm not eating any more than I have before and am trying hard to watch what I eat (without being on a strict diet, but y'know being more sensible). So what gives?

I'm trying a new regime of earlier bedtimes. I've always been nocturnal and generally get an average of 5 hours sleep a night. Is this likely to blame? Or is it just called "approaching 30"? Hell, I used to be really really slim, but that couldn't be said today by any stretch.

Also my bloody knee's been playing up since Christmas on and off - would a physiotherapist be able to cure this?

Are you talking about total weight or fat content? If your weight alone has increased, it could simply be muscle density.

See an osteopath for the knee.

im still losing a steady 2 pounds per week at the moment. in 4 weeks ive dropped 8 1/4 pounds, chest has toned up, stomach slimmed down, bit more muscle all over. and my bmi is now 24.9 right at the very top limit of 'normal' but hurrah anyway! very very pleased with it and now i know more about what i should be doing at the gym, and what im capable of, im enjoying going there more. which is great (i used to just turn up do some stuff half-heartedly then shoot off and eat pastry)

what does Xpand do?

autumn - yeah i feel as flabby as ever. Idon't really weigh myself.

Can you get someone at the gym to look at your eating habits? I had that last year, and it's amazing what you learn about food.

s.rose, that's excellent. Great too that you're enjoying it, because you'll keep at it.

Xpand is a nitric oxide supplement that gives you some crazy boost. They call it 'pump.' After one day it doesn't really do anything, but within a week you feel a bit rabid/berserk and charge through stuff. Xpand has creatine and glucosey stuff as well. Last time I was on nitric oxide (January) I blazed through sessions.

I just ordered this book Starting Strength, as my plan for not ever fucking up my ankles/legs again involves squatting and such until my legs are like the mighty oak.

Woah, Madchen I'm recovering from a broken ankle too! Happened about 9 weeks ago. I've heard that wobble boards are great; I'm going to get one of those for sure.

Should I be doing some kind of leg routine to strengthen my legs for runs? Right now I just do treadmill running and incline walking on various angles and no squats/weight stuff to supplement it.

- 20 minutes elliptical, which i generally loathe, then:

Day 1 & 3
Bench Press 3 x 12
Shoulder Press 3 x 12
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Front Raise 3 x 12
Weighted Crunch 3 x 30
Seated Dip 3 x 12
Seated Bicep Machine 3 x 12
Close-Grip Pulldown (Machine) 3 x 12
Pushdown (Machine) 3 x 12
Iso-Lateral Row (Machine) 3 x 12

Day 2 & 4
Bicep 3 x 12
Reverse Bicep 3 x 12
Weighted Row 3 x 12
Fly 3 x 12
One Arm Row 3 x 12
Pulldown (Machine) 3 x 12
Weighted Crunch 3 x 30
Iso-Lateral High Row (Machine) 3 x 12
Pulley Curl (Machine) 3 x 12
Iso-Lateral Bench Press (Machine) 3 x 12

The lack of lower-body attention is embarrassing.

I'll start doing lower body exercises when there's one that makes my junk bigger, amirite?

i just run 4 miles every other morning

Dan, how's the ankle? If I could give you one bit of advice, it's to be religious about your exercises from the day the cast comes off. I met so many people who said stuff like "I broke my ankle four years ago and it's never been the same ... never bothered with the exercises though". You really have to do them properly. I got almost-full flexibility back in three months, though the strength is still not good. Aiming for "mighty oak" is a good tactic!

It's slowly getting better. I'm about ready to ditch the last crutch, although I'll wear a walking boot for at least another week. I've heard the same thing about sticking to the exercises! it's good to hear you've got your flexibility back since the ROM I have right now is frighteningly small

One scoop of Xpand did nothing. Perhaps it needs a few days.

-- Autumn Almanac, Thursday, 21 February 2008 09:14 (3 days ago) Bookmark Link

WOAH, I think it kicked in this morning. Triceps felt like rocks at the end.

Should I be doing some kind of leg routine to strengthen my legs for runs? Right now I just do treadmill running and incline walking on various angles and no squats/weight stuff to supplement it.
and
The lack of lower-body attention is embarrassing.

yes do squats. they are greatest lower-body compound exercise AND they keep your back & even abs strong. you don't need to use a squat cage unless you're going big - just use dumbbells and make sure your technique is right - lots of places online to tell you that, but a good trainer should know. once you've got that down, you're gold. squats can be brutal but they really do the job in one exercise.

i'm all about the compound exercises though. also good: lunges & deadlifts

but hey, i stopped going to the gym in the late summer b/c i was so freakin busy and also didn't like the atmosphere anymore. still busy. just want a gym at home. (wld need a bigger home.) really need to work out again though. and/or do tougher yoga classes, i don't know.

tho tbh i like doing squats in the squat cage with the heavy barbell & (not so heavy) weights - mostly b/c it somehow makes me line my body up more correctly

One scoop of Xpand did nothing. Perhaps it needs a few days.

-- Autumn Almanac, Thursday, 21 February 2008 09:14 (3 days ago) Bookmark Link

WOAH, I think it kicked in this morning. Triceps felt like rocks at the end.

-- Autumn Almanac, Sunday, 24 February 2008 09:12 (5 days ago) Bookmark Link

Everything goes rock hard. It's so weird.

Also I think I'm growing.

Three weeks on hypertrophy and hardly any change. Chest slightly bigger, arse slightly bigger, everything else the same or SMALLER. I do not understand this. Next week they do an electronic mass measurement so hopefully something good comes out of that.

Xpand seems to be doing the trial though.

doing the trick even

I have a prepaid card for Maxim in Wburg with like 8 visits I am never going to use. Email me anyone who wants it.

i go to the climbing gym! messengererering has withered my upper body

Do you want the Maxim card? They have yoga and Hasids on treadmills and they play indie rock.

i'll take it, f, if you want to get rid of it.

run 3 miles 4/5 days a week

that's my routine. holler!

woot

Highland dance for 2-3 hrs once a week, plus performances. Avoid walking as much as possible. Occasional bike transpo. :)

AA, how come you want to get big? just curious as to the thought process behind it. at the moment i just want to get lean and cut, but that may change in the future.

what exercises are best to get lean? not interested in building muscle yet, but im lifting weights etc to build muscle to help increase my basal metabolic rate. is cardio the main way forward in this?

ive lost almost a stone in the past cpl of months, but ive still got a small paunch and love handles that are shifting very slowly. are there any exercises that i can use to focus on those areas? as my fat % has reduced and muscle has gone up, are there any specific changes i should be making to my routine other than just increasing it all in all ways?

Free weights, light sustained. cardio, small meals/snacks to keep the metabolism burning through the day. Crunches.

AA, how come you want to get big? just curious as to the thought process behind it. at the moment i just want to get lean and cut, but that may change in the future.

Not big, just bigger than I am now. Not a lot though.

what exercises are best to get lean? not interested in building muscle yet, but im lifting weights etc to build muscle to help increase my basal metabolic rate. is cardio the main way forward in this?

I really don't know. I'd say a combination of cardio and strength training.

ive lost almost a stone in the past cpl of months, but ive still got a small paunch and love handles that are shifting very slowly. are there any exercises that i can use to focus on those areas?

Nope. You can't spot reduce.

*shakes fist at sky* the human body's inability to spot reduce is sooo annoying. apart from the spodge of jiggly chub round my middle things are getting much better, toned arms & chest & legs, more energy, better posture, leaner face - it's just my damn stomach that's stopping me wearing t-shirts i used to wear 5 years ago. hopefully another 3 months will fix it.

changed my routine slightly after reading yet more of the bodybuilding site linked to above: with the weights im now doing two sets of 15 reps that are fairly hard, then one set of 8 reps which is reeally hard. doing this on all the machines and its really making me sweat and pant so i guess that means its working (previously i was doing three sets of 30 reps on a fairly low, easy weight but it seems that won't have been doing much good).

my one major flaw is changing my cardio routine, i'm still doing the same static cycling routine, though i do break it up with sometimes doing 15 mins with the resistance set high, then next time back to 35 mins of avg resistance. also only been going to the gym twice a week these past two weeks due to workload, but i'll be back to 3x next week. still losing the 1.5-2 lbs per week so i'm happy with it but man it's a slow process, esp re: belly.

I just swim 1 to 2 miles 3/4 times a week.

I'd like to try gym stuff tho' i'd need someone to show me what to do.

My trainer is referring me to a dietician because I am not getting any bigger. If this doesn't work I am rooted.

Fuck damn it.

just juice bro. who needs hair?

He did say something about steroids. No freaking way.

when fresh, I've slowly inched from 10 pullups to 12 over the last two weeks. shooting for 15 by the end of the month. this seems doable.

I feel like I'm about strong enough to go back to judo, and the doctor said my ankle should be okay for it.

I do something really similar to the "5x5" plan at stronglifts.com:

Squat every time (and sure enough, my legs are en route to oakenness)
bench press / overhead press on alternating days
deadlift / bentover barbell rows on alternating days
alternating pullups/chinups/dips

I do this just to be strong enough to safely participate in the sport that I enjoy, but I've definitely found that weightlifting is a lot of fun in itself. It's an easy thing to make fun of, but I guess I'm not so obsessed with being cool that I care.

oh yeah, I do all those 5 sets of 5 repetitions each, except for the bodyweight exercises which I do 3 sets to failure.

<i>but I guess I'm not so obsessed with being cool that I care.</i>

didn't mean for this to sound as incredibly douchey as it does!

when fresh, I've slowly inched from 10 pullups to 12 over the last two weeks. shooting for 15 by the end of the month. this seems doable.

-- gbx, Wednesday, 2 April 2008 04:25 (9 hours ago) Link

yeah, i've gone 7 to 10.

since i injured my toe i stopped doing the elliptical dingus and started stationary bike instead. doesn't feel like as much of a workout but it's way easier to read a book while doing it.

damn right the bike is way easier than the crosstrainer for reading but i *have* to read at the gym (and listen to music) - it's vital for me to be bombarded with stuff to take my mind off what i'm doing.

AA, after much soul-searching i took your advice and i'm currently doing about 20 mins per trip on the cross trainer, a damn sight less than the 35 mins i was doing on the stationary bike but not a huge difference in calories. will stick with this for a cpl of weeks then back to bike for a month or before returning to cross-trainer. will this pattern be ok for avoiding the dreaded 'body becomes used to same exercise' problem?

i've lost about 20 pounds in total since i sorted out my whole eating and exercise situation in january, so i'm delighted about that. even went shopping yesterday and bought awesome new clothes.

only thing is i was at 11st 5lbs yesterday morning but woke up today and i was 11st 8.5kbs. big shock as i don't usually fluctuate quite so much from day-to-day. my offical weight-day is monday am so i'll wait til then but it doesnt look like i'll be losing my regular one or two pounds this week, which is annoying.

still working on losing the roll of tubbiness from my middle. it's shrunk but it's still there - the aim is for it to be gone by june by hook or by crook or by sensible eating and regular exercise. my bmi is 23 now but i want to lose another stone at least, perhaps 20 pounds if i can push it that far.

my current routine is:
20 mins on cross trainer.
2 sets of 15 reps on various weight machines, all set at a relatively high resistance level (around 50kg i think, except the bicep curl which is just a bastard).
home.

total gym time: 50 mins. i think i should be doing a bit longer. might aim to be going back on the cross-trainer for another 10 mins at the end. is this advised for weight loss or shall i aim to do more with the weights?

AA, after much soul-searching i took your advice and i'm currently doing about 20 mins per trip on the cross trainer, a damn sight less than the 35 mins i was doing on the stationary bike but not a huge difference in calories. will stick with this for a cpl of weeks then back to bike for a month or before returning to cross-trainer. will this pattern be ok for avoiding the dreaded 'body becomes used to same exercise' problem?

Probably. Any cardio is better than no cardio, but shaking it up means you get better results for your time, basically.

i've lost about 20 pounds in total since i sorted out my whole eating and exercise situation in january, so i'm delighted about that. even went shopping yesterday and bought awesome new clothes.

How brilliant is that?

only thing is i was at 11st 5lbs yesterday morning but woke up today and i was 11st 8.5kbs. big shock as i don't usually fluctuate quite so much from day-to-day.

I think you fluctuate more as your weight drops, simply because overall you've less to lose, and what's left is more difficult to shake. Don't be disheartened by it; in 2-3 weeks you'll probably lose more than you expect.

still working on losing the roll of tubbiness from my middle. it's shrunk but it's still there - the aim is for it to be gone by june by hook or by crook or by sensible eating and regular exercise.

If your body type is like mine, it'll be the last thing to go, but it will go.

Because I'm trying to bulk now (it's not working but we can come to that later), my gut has grown a bit. Everything else is normal. Weird, that.

Some women have a shape that means they'll always have a small pot, even if they're megafit and carrying well-below-average fat.

total gym time: 50 mins. i think i should be doing a bit longer. might aim to be going back on the cross-trainer for another 10 mins at the end. is this advised for weight loss or shall i aim to do more with the weights?

50 mins is good. If you want more of a challenge, switch to free weights. On the whole, machines guide you too much and don't give you enough stabilising strength.

This is my current thingo, all 10->15 reps (I'm at home sick and cbf lying down anymore):

DAY 1
Flat bench press 75-65lb
Incline bench press 70-55lb
Dumbbell flies 30-20lb
Lying curlbar tricep extension 40-30lb
Close grip curlbar bench press 60-50lb
Weighted dips 25-15lb

DAY 2
Bent over row 70-55lb
Wide grip seated row 120-80lb
Close grip (V) lat pulldown 120-80lb
Hammer curl 30-20lb
Bicep curlbar curl 80-60lb

DAY 3
Squat 150-130lb
Leg extension 80-70lb
Leg press 350-300lb
Deadlift 80-65lb
Arnold press 30-20lb
Lateral raise 10-8lb
Front raise 12-10lb

Abs every day, to fatigue (when I have time):
- Decline bench sit-ups
- Lying straight leg raises
- Medicine ball obliques
- That woodchopper thing

I've been told to eat even more. So by my reckoning I have to get through one (1) fucking horse every day.

New programme but cbf typing it up now. Four-day split; 6-6-8-10-12 reps; on Sunday I was in utter, utter agony.

I've been told to eat even more. So by my reckoning I have to get through one (1) fucking horse every day.

OH MY OMG THIS IS WORKING

You are crazy strong. I doubt I could most of what you list at half those weights.

Wow, I thought it was all a bit soft so thanks.

My strength seems to have increased around 10 percent from eating six whales every day.

HI DERE (okay, you too Adam), I want an exercise to work my triceps, which are still puny. I hate all the machines that work them and I am FAR too self-consciously unco to do free weights in front of anyone at the gym.

I have a small dumbbell at home. WHAT DO I DO!

push-ups?

Yep have been doing those, until recently I couldn't do more than about 2-3 in a row, so getting slightly better. Want to do a few things for variety, though. This is inspired by my bloody arms feeling like death during squash yesterday - I could barely serve two sets in :(

sit on the edge of a chair, put your hands behind you, right next to your butt, gripping the edge of the chair. lift yourself off the edge and lower your butt down below the seat of the chair to the point that your upper arms are parallel with the floor, then push yourself back up. repeat this like however long it takes til you can't do it any more, rest, then do it all again. you can also do this with another chair in front on you, with your legs straight out and resting your heels on the seat of that chair. does that make sense?

sorry should have mentioned that in the first exercise your legs are also straight, angled down towards the floor, with just your heels toucing the floor. if that makes sense. it's super easy just dumb to try to explain in words.

will give it a go later, I'm dressed up a bit much to try it right this instant!

I think what Tracer Hand described is dips.

Do a gis for weighted dips and you should get some decent pictures.

Today I supersetted bench and incline, 3 sets. one set=bench 225 x 12, incline 185 x 10. As of two weeks ago I couldn't get 8 on the last set of incline, but today I got the 10. So that's progress. Then I tried the stairmaster which was a disaster, so I switched to the bike.

hey guys,

do you know any good websites that give you a good beginning weight lifting routine (with handheld dumbell free weights)?

i've not had luck googling....basically i want to build some muscle, lose some fat....AA has posted some good stuff but that seems like some Arnold level shit, way over my head right now.

i am naturally skinny, so i'd like to build some muscle.

i am currently running about 20 minutes in the AM about 3-4 times a week....

I bought a flexi-bar, they have them on the shopping channel. It's actually quite good, coz I think my posture has improved. Plus, I put on weight, but that's probably coz I started eating much more. Crumpets for tea!

M@tt: Gran any old hypertrophy programme and drop the weights to a level that you can manage. Then change programmes monthly.

What I'm doing now isn't very different from what I did when I started. Weights change but the body's requirements stay much the same.

m@tt: i've said it before and i'll say it again, but you can't whack having a session -- just the one -- with a personal trainer, if only so someone can give you a couple of pointers on technique. i'm hardly he-man but fuck me, i watch dudes in the gym all the time fucking shit up so hard ... there was a guy in the gym today who was making such an arse of himself with a barbell that i feared for his back.

i feel i've been slacking a bit recently: been so busy that i've been lucky to get to the gym once a week. still: had a mighty session today. really do need to sort myself out with a new programme, though. which means either another futile attempt to track down john the invisible trainer before i give up and just ask one of the gym staff.

you can't whack having a session -- just the one -- with a personal trainer, if only so someone can give you a couple of pointers on technique.

otm. If your technique's fucked, you're wasting your time AND at serious risk of doing damage.

A girl at work just asked me if I've gained weight, because my face looks fatter. WHO THE FUCK SAYS THINGS LIKE THIS

(I've gained 3 percent body fat in four weeks because it's part of my bulking plan but she didn't know this, I may have had a serious weight problem)

WHY THE FUCK CAN I NOT DO A SINGLE CHIN-UP

AARGH I AM SO ANGRY

Nor I :(

Triceps still not getting better, though i'm finding push-ups easier and I have a great chair for that exercise metioned above.

Do you have one trainer?

I have two people who visit me and advise, who are trainers. They're outrageously happy with how i'm doing!

Excellent.

I don't work with mine in actual training, but they do my programmes and give me advice. Not good enough, really.

my trainer is great, but…

holding steady @ 168, can't drop the last 10 lbs, the belly fat will not disperse, but i am beginning to see a rad six-pack behind it.

How long have you been on 168?

3 weeks, before holding steady at 172 for 3 weeks

Do you know what your body fat % is?

I'm completely steady at 158lb/72kg for the last two weeks. I am now going to eat SO MUCH it's going to be both ridiculous but highly pleasurable.

my main problem right now is that my upper body is getting a bit too bulky - my shoulders are becoming quite broad and my chest is more defined, plus my upper arms are bulking out a bit musclewise. nothing major but i don't want this to get any worse than it is now, i want to just tone up all over rather than get that 'triangle torso' shape (this combined with the clothes i wear can make me look kinda big but in a fat guy way, not a good thing!).

i guess it's because of the routine i follow, which is:
gym 3 times a week
30 mins cardio (cross trainer or bike)
30 mins on weights (3 x 15 reps at v high settings, really straining while doing them)

the weights i do are, in my most technical parlance:
pushy outy thing (chest)
pully down from above thing (chest & arms)
push up thing (shoulders)
leg pully up thing (legs)
leg pushy down thing (legs)
arm curls (upper arms)
stomach crunch (stomach)
arm pully down things (upper arms)

this is because these are all the machines in the room i like to use, there are a bunch more machines in the other room - this other room is mostly used by the huge roaring knucklehead guys so i've never been keen to go in there, but if im likely to find machines that tone up rather than bulk up then i'll do them.

can anyone point me toward the basic rules about bulking up vs toning? shall i be doing more reps of lighter weights? (i think i recall people on a similar thread saying that this method was useless?) or more sets of shorters reps? would it help to cut down on the weights and aim to do more cardio? i was thinking i might try for 25 mins crosstrainer then 10-15 mins of non-torso weights, then 25 mins on the bike. i do still have some belly podge to shift so would focusing on cardio be best all round for what i want? im wary of cutting out the weights so completely because of the whole weight-loss-continues-for-days-after-using-weights thing.

gonna speak to some level 2 trainer guy at the gym this week about the above, will relay the £20 worth of knowledge on this here thread!

just don't do the weights so often!

i am at 6x weekly:

25 minutes on rowing machine,
free weights for 10 minutes (mostly triceps/biceps)
captain's chair until i can't do any more (usually 20x3)
whole slew of pullups/dips @ 110 lbs
10 minutes random machines
5 minutes cooldown

and i like my routine. i am actually beginning to eat more and more protein, and feeling a lot better for it and beginning to see results. i weigh in 1x weekly, but it is at the scale at the gym, which i think is very inaccurate.

pretty sure you're not supposed to do weights on consecutive days?

my routine is to open the door connecting the garage and the house, open the actual garage rollerdoor thingy, walk down the steps and around the minivan, plug in the treadmill, put the key in, put the chip, turn the treadmill fan on, start walking slow then faster and steeper etc on the treadmill while being bossed around by a condescending personal trainer robot bitch named rhonda for the next 30 minutes, turn off the treadmill fan, pull out the chip, take out the key, unplug the treadmill, walk around the minivan and up the steps, close the actual garage rollerdoor thingy, open the door connecting the garage and the house. complicated.

i vary the weights / never exercise the same body parts 2x days consecutively

except for the captain's chair

remy, out of all the people on this thread it really sounds like you've thrown yourself into it the most. have you been taking pics of your progress along the way? would be interesting to see

tracer you're prob right, i guess i just need to up the cardio and reduce the weights a bit. thing is though, i *like* doing the weights!

has an ilxor done a triathlon? i'd like to start training for one.

ha thanks to adrenaline I swam 3 miles in the pool the other day.

also started back on the bike 10 miles to work, now just to combine the two and start running ;)

Like Remy, I never do the same body part more than twice a day, except abs sometimes as they suck. I'd love to see photos!

I took some photos when I started, and I promise that when my 6-month membership runs out (I will renew!) I will show BEFORE AND AFTER.

I'm going 5 times a week, I don't go Wednesday or Saturday as those are my squash days and I figure those are for cardio and I don't mix cardio and weight gain on the same day.

I'm doing a 10km run in August so I'm trying to get in good shape for that too.

gbx, friend of ours was a triathlete. He quit because he was at the point where he either had to go professional or... well.. quit, I guess. He still does sports but less than before. I am envious at people who do this: they can SWIM, they can RUN and they can cycle. Man, three things I'd love to do. Once I get my car license, I'll probably go swimming again. Maybe take a few lessons again cause my technique is shitty. :-(

They're outrageously happy with how i'm doing!

Anyone else think they are just laughing AT him?

I don't go to the gym, but I do play tennis twice a week. It's fun cause you run a heck of a lot without realizing it. My body has changed quite a bit, especially my legs are much more toned. I don't do it to lose weight though. To lose weight I tend to focus on food intake. My weight isn't near the goal, but my BMI is perfect however: I'm 63 which means I'm at about 22,5. HURRAH. I do want to get back at 58/59 kilos (which is about 21/22 BMI wise).

Oh yeah: I can't do any pushups. I'm not talking about one or two pushups. I am saying: I AM INCAPABLE of doing'em. :-((((

can anyone point me toward the basic rules about bulking up vs toning? shall i be doing more reps of lighter weights? (i think i recall people on a similar thread saying that this method was useless?) or more sets of shorters reps? would it help to cut down on the weights and aim to do more cardio? i was thinking i might try for 25 mins crosstrainer then 10-15 mins of non-torso weights, then 25 mins on the bike. i do still have some belly podge to shift so would focusing on cardio be best all round for what i want?

more reps + lighter weights = size
fewer reps + heavier weight = strength

More cardio and fewer weights sessions will knock some size off you, but slowly. Depends on whether your cardio is in the cardio zone or the fat-burning zone. If you want to lose podge, do fat-burning.

btw I planned to be at the gym RIGHT NOW but haven't slept in 23 hours so fuck it.

All I've been doing lately is >500c. of eliptical 5x a week.

It's been brought up here before, but if bulking up is your goal, you could do worse than the Max OT routines. There are lots of free resources explaining it if you google around a bit.

1. go for a long walk
2. do not stop at the gym

lol i am now so fat that my shirts are gaping at tit level and everyone at work is laughing at me.

What's a good way to minimize the ole man boobs? I'm pretty skinny, but they're left over from winter weight. Any work out tips? I've just been doing push ups, sit ups, and running.

You can't spot reduce. Have to do fat-burning exercises.

Dammit. What are fat burning exercises?

wind sprints in the sauna

<img src="http://www.mnae.org/collection/jiggler2.jpg";>

FUCK

im changing my routine to doing 1000 calories / 1 hour of cardio 3 times a week, and ditching the weights. what effect will this have?

i understand that as your body gets used to a certain amount of cardio you need to do more to achieve the same results, but if im burning off 1000 calories a session then surely that goes toward fat loss? or is that calories-burned indicator on the cross-trainer just an approximation?

also ive noticed that on the cross-trainer my heart rate in the cardio range rather than the fat-burning range (if i reduce it to the fat burning level i feel like im barely doing anything), am i still reducing fat by doing it like this?

AA, you're not getting properly fat are you? do you mean just bulking up? what are you doing it for?

today is a good day:

i weighed-in at 168 and 12% body fat

i am aiming for 161, which will put me @ 8.5% body fat (on a lean body mass of +/- 134). my goal is pretty-much in sight. one month to go -- i think i can do it?

S.rose, this might have some answers (yes the title is stupid but there is good information within)

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Six-Pack-Abs

I will reply to yu0se later but 15.2% BODY FAT OMG. Average 1kg of muscle gained per month! Cannot wait to start cutting the shit through this whale blubber.

im changing my routine to doing 1000 calories / 1 hour of cardio 3 times a week, and ditching the weights. what effect will this have?

Increased cardio fitness and no change (and probably loss) in muscle size.

i understand that as your body gets used to a certain amount of cardio you need to do more to achieve the same results, but if im burning off 1000 calories a session then surely that goes toward fat loss? or is that calories-burned indicator on the cross-trainer just an approximation?

It's always an approximation.

also ive noticed that on the cross-trainer my heart rate in the cardio range rather than the fat-burning range (if i reduce it to the fat burning level i feel like im barely doing anything), am i still reducing fat by doing it like this?

Probably, just not as effectivly as you might.

AA, you're not getting properly fat are you? do you mean just bulking up?

Yep. Carbs convert to muscle, and without carbs I won't get very far in a great hurry.

Turns out my ongoing insomnia is caused by creatine. So I'm totally off it for the time being and possibly forever.

last time i'll do this, cauz fuck, it's annoying even to me:

march 2008:

weight: 176
body fat percentage: 22 (38.72 lbs)
lean body mass: 130 lbs

july 2008:

weight: 160
body fat percentage 12 (19.2 lbs)
lean body mass: 140 lbs

weekly average:

100 miles on bike and run about 20 miles.

http://thegrandnarrative.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/old-fat-jiggling-machine.jpg

Jesus remy, that's excellent.

disastrous year

My trainers are shit. They do my measurements and reliably LOSE them, so I've little idea how I've progressed this year; they promise me programmes and don't follow through (but not without a barrage of excuses); I've been trying to get one of them on the phone for paid PT sessions for two weeks and he just doesn't ever get back to me. Fuck. Them.

Meanwhile I'm withering away wicked-witch-out-of-Wizard-of-Oz style.

Back on the cardio. Didn't realise how cardiovascularly (?) unfit I am. Vague pedalling for a few minutes chucks my heart rate up to 130 bpm ffs.

your trainers sound awful. mine let me down on our very first appointment so i sacked them off - no point dealing with someone who has no pride in their work.

im having the problem (again!) where im feeling & looking too bulky, esp on my arms. i did a lot of weights initially because of the whole 'muscles constantly burn calories' thing but it has led to chunky arms and a broad chest. so now my plan is to completely stop doing all weights that develop my arms and chest and just do ab crunches and leg ones and mostly cardio. how long does it take for muscles to waste away? i won't be left with flappy weirdy skin will i?

what's the best way of keeping toned and lithe rather than building up muscle?

1. Walk in
2. Walk out and go to Hardees and have a Monster burger

You won't have flappy weirdy skin, unless you were quite large for quite a long time (q.v. The Biggest Loser).

Staying toned? Probably just stick to cardio. I really don't know, to be honest.

i have been cranking the heart rate lately: today i got to 183 bpm on the rowing machine and kept it there for a good ten minutes.

I was all ready to go for a run/cycle this morning and woke up with a cold.

183 is a bit risky, isn't it?

i've been working up to it. i like to go as heavy as i can for five or ten minutes once or twice / week. if i start to feel faint / dizzy, i back waaay down. but 185ish feels great, so far.

Wow, okay.

quoth my EMT manual:

"In the normal adult, the heartbeat may range from 50 to 180 beats/min, depending on the level of activity. [...] During vigorous activity, the heart rate may rise normally to as fast as 180 beats/min."

...in other words, i wouldn't worry about it.

Fair enough.

Anyone familiar with CrossFit? http://www.crossfit.com

cf http://www.gymjones.com and http://mtnathlete.com

...these sorts of programs are appealing to me, lately, but I've no experience with weights. But all my climbing buddies that have made the jump (from just climbing/running) have reported incredible results. I just need to figure out (a) how to do all the exercises and (b) where to fit such a program into my schedule.

been starting to use the erg when i go to the gym. awesome!

My new trainer is awesome.

My roommate gave me a 12-day pass to her gym that ended tonight.

This was my routine.

M: work late/no gym
T: yoga class
W: pilates class
Th: yoga class
F: rest
S: rest
Su: yoga class

If I arrive to class early I will ride the bike/do the elliptical/ or that thing that's sort of like a stairmaster. I played around with the weight machines at the beginning, but I didn't know what I was doing and got bored.

Does Pilates really work? I enjoy yoga much more, but the Wednesday pilates class fits in my schedule.

So what is a good thing to do for LOWER abs? I pretty much am okay with my upper/mid ones, and have sort of a "4-pack," but it's the stubborn lower ones that are hard to carve out. I basically just do the normal sit-ups/push-ups/crunches/leg lift type things at home. I'm not trying to get "big" but "cut" like the 4th post on this thread differetiated

I also don't really have an appetite and am 5'7" and weigh like under 130 pounds, and I'm a late 20s male. So yeah, maybe advice for me is individualized. I'm glad I don't really like food and eating just naturally!

differeNtiated

Gawd, lower abs. I had one and I've forgotten it. There are a couple of great ones. I'll go through my notes in the next couple of weeks.

My new trainer is smashing me the fuck to pieces. We just started a cardio programme to lose the fat the other guy said I should put on in order to gain muscle mass. I still don't know if that worked because of all the fat (currently just below 15%).

Before I got this FUCKING VIRUS that has me sleeping 17 hours a day I was doing so well on my abs :( they still looked rub but they felt a lot harder.

My body fat's at 11% and apparently that's "low" given that I'm trying to get a bit more muscular. Eh, who knows..

Yeah. In order to bulk you have to develop a doughnut.

What are good ladies' gym shoes? I got Adidas Duramo on the advice of the saleslady, but I'm not sure I made the right decision.

She said they were cross-trainers, but I think they are actually running shoes. Does it make a difference? Maybe they'll get me on the treadmill.

http://www.onlineshoes.com/productpage.asp?gen=w&pcid=110842

Running is adequate for gym. Cross-trainers are for some specific thing which I can't remember at the moment.

Completely out the fucking window.

I hate the gym :(

Why?

I have reached the point where I know I'm getting better but I'm not seeing any visible signs of it which is demotivating.

What should I be doing if I weigh like 132 and want to get better at basketball? I do like, squats and stuff atm - it's not very directed. I sort of want to bulk up for general vanity reasons but weight really doesn't stay on - I went through a phase of drinking protein shakes and juggling with specially made weight-lifting balls, which 100% worked and was fun and gave me really bulgy biceps but they sort of melted away when I forgot for a month.

"What should I be doing if I weigh like 132 and want to get better at basketball?"

You should probably play more basketball. Preferably with Junior High kids if you want a sense of accomplishment and a fair physical matchup.

Assuming 132 lbs, what he said. Assuming 132 kg, lose some weight then do what he said.

edwardo, you will probably change in a few weeks. I meanwhile am disappearing.

-20 min interval cardio on whatever machine I haven't used that week

-Crunches
-Oblique Lifts
-Bridge
-Push ups
-Squats
-Upright row
-Triceps pushdown
-Bicep curl-to-military press

Repeat circuit for second set

Had a big plan to be low in body fat and moderately buffed this summer, and here it is late January and I'm still 14% fat. Soooooooo upset.

I'm gonna change my program. Gah,I am a LOT fitter than I was a year ago and I'm still very active, jogging in the morning, playing squash twice a week... is it SO WRONG to ask for a program that will work the... er.. vanity areas? Chest, shoulder, arms and maybe also thighs.

DOO EET

My plan is summat like this:

1. lose all this bloody fat
2. bulk like fuck

My current trainer is torturing me and I'm getting in with this nutritionist bloke soon, so it all should happen this year. Too late for summer though obv.

Nutritionist is unreal so far. I showed him photos of what I'm aiming for and he said 'oh right okay well you need to do this and this and this and this.' He's going to speak to my trainer, too. Unbelievably excited.

Fourth day of the new diet and I'm about to pass out. Prrrrrobably needs fine-tuning.

the gym at my work is about to start a 'biggest loser' boot camp styles thing. I don't really need to lose weight (although maybe 1 or 2 kg would be nice) but i would love to ramp up my fitness. I'm vacillating between yay or nay. I don't want some hyped up trainer screaming at me and humiliating me in a group environment, i think that's my biggest fear.

just got this in the mail

http://www.velogear.com/images/vp_tri3.jpg

now we'll see about actually using it :-/

tbh dunno if you can you fit a triathalon in with all the farting and being crazy

respect tho: that dude looks pretty crazy, and i am having mad lolz imagining him farting in that getup

"I don't want some hyped up trainer screaming at me and humiliating me in a group environment, i think that's my biggest fear."

I doubt there'll be much screaming and humiliating. They don't want to stop you from coming after all.

muscleman dude at work gave me his program:

(3 sets of 10 reps for everything, much weight as i can lift)

day one:

bench press
incline press
decline press
flys
cable pulldown
sitting row
bench row
dead lifts
reverse flys

day 2:

preacher curl
incline curls
hammer curls
"21s" (basically a bar, doing 7 full curls, 7 from the bottom to halfway, and 7 from halfway to the top)

cable pushdown
"skullcrushers" (lol name, but laying on the bench with a bar held above your head and lower it to your forhead by bending elbows)
dips on bench (can't do full dips yet)
underhand pulldown (one arm)
overhand pull down (one arm)

day three:

lunges
squat machine
leg curls
calf raises

sitting shoulder press
front raises
side raises
shrugs with dumbells

in between days:
fast walking/alternating running on treadmill

rest days:

qui gong

there's also these guys: crossfit.com

I read about them in Men's Fitness. Crazy ass stuff.

ow btw

gem: I've never had a trainer yell at me, ever. If you're unsure, ask the trainer beforehand to not yell at you.

They are working for you after all so

Okay, so it turns out that training so hard that I lose my eyesight makes me faint the next day. I have to mitigate this by adding glucose to my special training formula.

my new vanity program!

Day 1:
Cross-trainer to warm up
90' leg press
Barbell squat
Prone leg curl
Pin calf raise
Dumbbell overhead pres
Dumbbell lateral raise
Bosu ball curl

Day 2:
Rowing machine to warm up
Smith bench
Pec deck
Assisted chins
Supported row
Assisted dip
Dumbbell biceps curl
Bosu Push up

The names are kinda hard to follow.

Anyway, I've done both days and I LOVE IT.

Nice mix there.

My new one comes tonight! Sooo excited.

question about cardio. after doing weights i do 50 mins of cross trainer 3x a week. the machine says it burns off about 700 cals but after a cpl of months of this i noticed that after 30-40 mins im not really sweating all that much. so taking into account what AA said about switching up routines every this week i switched to do my 50 mins on the exercise bikes and im drenched in sweat after like 10 minutes, but after the full 50 mins the counter says ive only burnt off around 400 calories.

what is more accurate here? is the machine right and ive not burnt off many calories and the sweat thing is irrelevant? or is sweating a surefire sign that calories are being burnt off?

Machines are a dodgy guide to calories burned. 80% of fat loss is down to food anyway.

How are you going btw? Where are you now in terms of your goals?

autumn - does that routine i'm doing sound good to you? you seem like yr all pumped up and stuff so any advice would be welcome.

lol @ 'pumped up', if only you could see me now ;_;

Looks like a magic routine to me. Just be sure to get a new one after 4-5 weeks.

Just be sure to get a new one after 4-5 weeks.

?? why?

also how would you recommending changing it up?

really a newbie to working out seriously.

Our bodies acclimatise really really quickly, so we need to change food, exercise, etc. every few weeks.

Does your gym offer personalised programmes? Get a new one every month. Be clear on what you're aiming for, too: only this month I realised there are specific ways to train in order to get specific results (I don't know any more about this yet, though).

Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands

My plan is summat like this:

1. lose all this bloody fat
2. bulk like fuck

My current trainer is torturing me and I'm getting in with this nutritionist bloke soon, so it all should happen this year. Too late for summer though obv.

― torn between two borads, feelin' like a stan (Autumn Almanac), Tuesday, January 27, 2009 9:46 PM (3 weeks ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Hoooooly fuck, the body fat is FALLING off me atm. I've not been on the new eating programme two weeks yet,

As in, I'm noticing a significant difference EVERY DAY. Today I found my ribs.

what r u eatin

Ribs!

Breakfast: alternating between omelette (four egg whites + one yolk, red + green capsicum, zucchini, mushroom, tomato) and smoothie (yoghurt + protein powder + frozen berries)
Morning snack: 30g nuts (almonds + cashews + walnuts) + low GI fruit
Lunch: sour dough sandwich (150g chicken/tuna/salmon/steak + avocado spread + cucumber + tomato + carrot + etc etc)
Afternoon snack: Norganic Crunchola bar + low GI fruit
Dinner: Low-carb selections (150-200g chicken/steak/etc/etc) + dish of veg-rich salad/vegetables (around 7-8 varieties of veg in total)
Supper: Yoghurt + protein powder + lol flaxseed oil

Supps:
Nature's Own multivit - 1 x day
Chromium picolinate - 3 x day

This lasts for three weeks and is designed to (a) reset my metabolism and (b) iron out my blood/sugar levels. Will change significantly in a few days.

Tipped the scales at 75.2kg today!

That's... good?

also

Nature's Own multivit - 1 x day

Keep reading this as "Nature's Own multivomit"

it is good! I felt stuck between 71-73 for about 5 months.

Oh, so it's muscle increase! Eeeeexcellent.

I'm working on that assumption! Unless I'm getting fat.

This week's routine:

M-yoga
W-pilates
Sa-elliptical + weights
Su-yoga

I'm so proud of myself that I actually go to this gym.

In six weeks I have lost 7 cm off my waist and 8 cm off my hips. That is some fucking ridiculous speed of fat loss for a skinny bloke like me.

Next week we kick into the new BUILDING programme. No more fat loss focus in my weights training, thank christ.

If we get a fitness borad and you people care enough I might post my goal pics for reference and for ethan et al to o_O over.

I was gonna post some before and after pics but I felt that I would probably get butt-hurt at having my torso animated and whiteness laughed at.

I care enough anyway! Skipping gym tonight as feel a bit fluey.

Adam, say I get up to my new goal weight (80kg - was 75 but now I've reached it I"m gonna continue) should I then do cardio and fat loss to try to get really lean-looking?

I'd go with a diet change at that point, seriously. This nutritionist is telling me 80 % of fat loss is diet and 20 % is exercise.

btw my goal pics are of other people, not me obv

I saw my goal body in the gym the other day, and quite apart from not being able to stop drooling, I thought it looked quite achievable.

Not that I'm really very fatty (13.5%) in the grand scheme of things but I don't _look_ toned at all even though I've gained 12kg in the last 12 months, most of it presumably muscle.

I saw my goal body in the gym the other day, and quite apart from not being able to stop drooling

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ x 329847429387429834720938472098740239845239847

Today I confirmed with my trainer that definitions increases rapidly when yr body fat drops to around 10-11 %. I am so hanging out for that moment btw.

definitions definition

When I started my body fat was 10.5%! (6.5kg) Now it's 13.5% (10kg), so I guess I've gained 9.5kg of muscle and 3.5kg of fat.

So when I get to 82 I'm probably gonna hit the cardio and all that like CRAZY, try to lose maybe 2kg and hopefully look amazingly lean and buff at 80kg/10.5%BF.

and then we can have sex

btw get help with that cardio and eating so you don't burn away all your muscle with the fat.

Oh and my body fat was 14.3 % six weeks ago. I don't know what it is now because they left the scales in the wrong studio ffs but I reckon about 13.5 % like you ^_^

I propose we DO have a b oard for this and it be called I Love Fitness And Lezzing Up.

or at the very least the description text should be "and also lezzing up".

yeah where is this fitness board, what am i paying my money for

How are you going btw? Where are you now in terms of your goals?

― "chinese coke prank" (Autumn Almanac),

thank you for asking! it was all going quite well, 6 weeks after being strict on 3x week gym sessions and 1500 cal days i'd dropped about 5 pounds (reaching 10st 7) but the day after i posted above i checked my weight and i was back up to 10st 11 which was a big shock. maybe it was muscle and the time of day i weighed myself but hey. just gonna plod on with it, stick to a restricted diet and much cardio and inc weights and hope by summer i'll have reached my target of 10st.

just to clear up what you said above, if im sweating heavily by the end of a cardio session on the bikes then is it right to say that i'll have burned off many more cals than if i'd done the same time on the cross trainer and not ending up sweating?

]btw get help with that cardio and eating so you don't burn away all your muscle with the fat.

I fear I might be doing this to some extent. I have the littlest bit of pudge over my abs that I'm trying to get rid of--it's nothing really, but it's just enough to get in the way. So I do some intense cardio 2-3 times a week (20-30 minutes on the treadmill, sprinting every other minute). Meanwhile I'm doing lots of weight training. I do wonder sometimes if the cardio is canceling out some of my progress building muscle. Seems like maybe I should focus on one or the other, but I like to run on my days off from lifting.

I usually do cardio before i lift weights

and then i do cardio (longer) on off days

am i killing my muscles???? i didn't know that? shit i might be doing this all wrong.

we have to change diet every month to fool our metabolism? bye bye ever gettin in shape...

my routine is often dictated by the time availbale on my lunch hour (gym is a block away) and I try to do the push/pull thing, often on the same day.

2-3 days/week:
either swim laps 10-12 min. or stationary bike 7-10 min.

leg presses or squats (sometimes on balance trainer)
toe raises w/ resistance
leg extensions// leg curls

crunches// back extensions
hanging leg lifts

pushups or chest press machine// row machine or lat pulldown
preacher bar curls// triceps (cable pulldown or overhead extension)
chest dips// underhand grip pullups
----------------------------------------------------------------
other 2-3 days/ week:
swim laps for about 30 minutes

I usually do cardio before i lift weights
and then i do cardio (longer) on off days
am i killing my muscles???? i didn't know that? shit i might be doing this all wrong.

It think you're supposed to do weights first if you are going to do both on the same day, but this is a good question re: over training. I've never really gotten a straight answer.

I haven't gone to the gym in 1.5 weeks.

I need to remedy that shit tonight.

just to clear up what you said above, if im sweating heavily by the end of a cardio session on the bikes then is it right to say that i'll have burned off many more cals than if i'd done the same time on the cross trainer and not ending up sweating?

― s.rose, Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:08 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Probably, but losing carbs is not a logical process, in that 30 mins of cardio != xx number of carbs.

I do wonder sometimes if the cardio is canceling out some of my progress building muscle.

Nah. I used to think that too, but my current nutritionist is telling me to do 40 mins of weights then 20 mins of cardio, and he knows what he's talking about.

I usually do cardio before i lift weights

and then i do cardio (longer) on off days

am i killing my muscles???? i didn't know that? shit i might be doing this all wrong.

― The Notorious B.Y.O.B. (M@tt He1ges0n), Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:50 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

As will said, yeah, do weights first. If you start with cardio your energy for weights is reduced.

I have been doing this:

http://www.simplefit.org

Lost 4 kg in three weeks! 81.2 to 77.0. That is just insane.

In 3 weeks, I'm gonna weigh more than you, Adam!

GAME ON MOLE

PECTORALS AT DAWN

Five weeks ago body fat was 14.7 %. Today: 11.4 %.

SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK.

how is that measured? do you have to pinch yourself all over with some sort of caliper device??

http://www.gadgets-weblog.com/imgname--tanita_bc558_an_advanced_scale---50226711--images--184549503_l.png.jpg

Apparently those things aren't perfectly accurate so maybe your earlier reading was a little high and the new one is a little low. But you definitely have lost some fat, so.. yay. How tall are you, btw?

Yeah, they're not accurate at all, but a 4 % relative drop is still significant. I'm about 178 cm.

Oh sorry, thought you wanted my cock size. I am 5'11" in height.

Okay, so you're a smidge shorter than me. Looked at some "before" photos of myself from Feb last year. Truly shocking! I look so rub.

PICS NOW

Only if they are drunkenly animated in about 15 minutes.

ILX POSEDOWN

SHIT I CANT USE HYDROXYCUT ANYMORE?

• play bball

new bedroom has mad space for stretchin and shit so

s.rose, how is it going? I just read this entire thread and I want to know how the story ends!

updates

I HAVE A BIG POT BELLY AND CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE GYM LOOK LIKE

i have been doing cardio cardio cardio, because I can just hop on a machine and just go. have trouble motivating myself through multiple-exercise routines because the end of every set feels like an opportunity to quit. ugh.

basically using the pullup bar for everything now. throw a towel over it and its like i've got one of them $200 resistance training navy SEAL dealies.

i am live bloggin from the gym('s lobby area)!

gonna go swimming

it's summer so i'm pretty much done with the gym until fall, i'm just running and biking. i feel like i've lost all my arm muscle but who cares, it's nice out. too nice to go to the gym.

Joined a gym last week plus signed up for four trainer sessions/month - if I get down to 180 (from ~230 @ 6') or 10-12% BF (whichever comes first) I'm buying a motorcycle.

Heading up now for rowing/elliptical/swim/sauna. Meet with trainer for the first time tomorrow to figure out a weight plan, as I haven't worked with actual weights since I quit football.

After doing much research (and getting sidetracked by the joy of reading about supplements - some people are funny. My 85-year old grandpa doesn't take as many pills in a month as some Internet strongmen do in a day), I ordered Starting Strength - technique and workouts based around simple barbell lifts (deadlift, squats, etc.).

Until I get that and finish reading it, I've decided to focus on assisted dips and pullups (can't do one on my own :( ), bodyweight exercises and interval cardio.

1st hour - read
2nd hour - talk on the phone and read internet
3rd hour - do stuff for my other job

Prisoner Squats 30
Pushups 30
Hanging Leg Lifts 30
Hanging Trunk Twist 10 each side
Pullups to Failure (this week its 12)
Jumps 10
Close Grip Pushups 20

Repeat.

Lots of milk and egg and a daily dose of protein powder and frozen raspberries & blueberries & chicken & the occassional fish etc

hoos u crossfittin'?

Looks like it? I'm getting on the crossfit train officially starting this week. Finals were not good for my fitness.

Not on purpose? idk I just read a bunch of Men's Health articles and cobbled that together.

i. get swole
ii. repeat

Yeah Hoos that really does look like a crossfit routine, except you'd do that one day and then not again for like a year and a half. The whole concept is really appealing but the shit looks really, REALLY hard.

For example, from Saturday:

Two rounds of:
Right arm barbell push-press 12 reps
Left arm deadlift 12 reps
Run 800 meters
Left arm barbell push-press 12 reps
Right arm deadlift 12 reps
Run 800 meter

all of this is for time btw

I'm still doing simplefit as I linked above, just about to level up again. Shit's awesome! I am feeling better than I have in like 10 years.

The posted workouts for crossfit are always intended for the hardcore. I think you're supposed to pare them to suit your fitness level.

gbx i might actually join this crossfit place in st louis park, its a husband and wife, total DIY gym but decent price and they said they can help you work up and do assist on some of the hardcore shit until you can handle it...

lately though cobbled together something from crossfit type shit:

5 minutes fast rowing machine
20 push-ups (regular until fail, then to 20 on knees)
15 pullup (YWCA has one of those machines that offsets weight for you so i'm not doing my full weight)
15 dips (on same machine)
10 squats (w/45 lb bar)
20 situps

^repeat 3X

The posted workouts for crossfit are always intended for the hardcore. I think you're supposed to pare them to suit your fitness level.

That would make sense. I know that the free weight stuff is supposed to be tailored to your ability, but some of the gymnastic craziness is terrifying.

I've always sort of thought that by the time I get to a higher level of what I'm doing right now, I'd start trying some of the simpler crossfit routines. There's no fucking way I could do even one hand-stand pushup at the moment!

btw - rowing machine was not something i was hip to...daaaaamn...crazy kicks my ass compared to treadmill, eliptical, or exercise bike

The posted workouts for crossfit are always intended for the hardcore. I think you're supposed to pare them to suit your fitness level.

there's a lot of good info in the crossfit FAQ about how to modify moves for beginners and also in the forums under the routine of the day thread they give different reps for beginners

Yeah rowing machines are super dope and I want a better way to approximate one than propping my feet on a chair while I hang from the pullup bar.

just checkin in to find i've never heard "crossfit" before.

info here:

http://www.crossfit.com/

the site is kinda messy but there's lot of good info if you dig through it all

Working like a mad bastard. Gaining weight like a mad bastard. Still on ~10% body fat afaik. Awes shape slowly developing in shoulders and chest.

I started doing VibroGym a couple of weeks ago and my thighs are well smooth now. Also, it only takes 20 minutes, which is my kind of workout. And it feels vaguely pervy.

And it *only* feels vaguely pervy, I mean.

s.rose, how is it going? I just read this entire thread and I want to know how the story ends!

thanks! still going strong. from the start: in the first 6 months i lost about 2.5 stone and looked much better, felt great too. since then i've dropped about another half a stone, and that's without being so strict on the eating front.

i've not reached my goal of 10st yet but i'm slowly working towards it - a big problem has been putting on muscle from the weights, and obv muscle weighs quite a bit. i took a break of a couple of weeks recently and just started again regularly and it's good to remind myself how good i feel physically and mentally after 3x gym a week. was also good to drop some of the muscle, esp from my chest - starting again has helped my posture though.

thing is, my main goal from the start has been to lose weight - not to get muscly or toned, so all these health and fitness benefits are a nice bonus. i think almanac says above that the key to losing weight is 90% about the diet, so i'm not gonna kill myself by doing an hours cardio and expecting miracles, i prefer to do weights & cardio i feel ok with and just eat better overall. main lifestyle change has been eating much healthier, which again has worked wonders for physical and mental well-being. still have the odd blowout once a month or so, for kicks but they don't do any real damage.

my basic routine at the moment is:
cycle to gym
35 mins on various weights, 3 sets of 15 reps on each
cross-trainer, varies from 35mins to 50mins depending on how keen i am / how engrossed i am in the magazine im reading
cycle home

my goal now is to move from my current weight of 10st 6 to 10st by xmas (at which point i'll undoubtedly put on a few pounds then just have to work on them in the new year). if it happens, great, if not i'm not gonna beat myself up about it as i'm still getting the 'wow you've lost weight, you look great' comments even now, a year after the main hump. a lot of the credit for this has to go to people on this thread and the other diet one, esp almanac, for some top-notch advice, thanks guys!

basically using the pullup bar for everything now. throw a towel over it and its like i've got one of them $200 resistance training navy SEAL dealies.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, June 15, 2009 6:23 PM (1 month ago) Bookmark

I spent http://kbatoday.com/homemade-equipment/trx-straps5 at Home Depot and made myself one of them one of them $200 resistance training Navy SEAL dealies.00 resistance training Navy SEAL dealies.

I felt like I was spinning my wheels with the routine I posted upthread so I started this today. Sore as all hell and totally looking forward to the variety this thing promises. Plus the rows give me an excuse to use my suspension thing. Shit is fun!

Finally decided to give the rowing machine a try, but I don't think I'm doing it right- it hardly felt like I needed to put forth any effort with my arms and legs, but my lower back is sore as hell.

http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=cardio.activities&conitem=ca7a148caed56110VgnVCM10000013281eac____

^^^ proved v helpful to me when i first started fuckin w/rowing machines

I bought a 16KG kettlebell and Enter The Kettlebell (book by the Russian guy who's done a lot to repopularize them in the US). I'm thinking about taking a month off doing anything else and challenging myself with x-thousand (3k? 5k?) kettlebell swings if I can get the form down.

I wish I could afford a few more of these (this one was $100 w/ shipping, about normal). I'm trying to clean it and do five overhead presses with each arm every time I walk by - it would be fun to have one stashed in the office, in my truck, another part of my apt..

I don't get why they're so fuckin expensive. I mean I guess they're basically cannonballs with handles, right?

Shipping is the worst part - I don't have anyone local selling KBs (except for a few GoFit lightweight ones) and that was $35 of the cost.

They come out about $2/pound, about the same as nicer dumbbells (the ones with knurled handles and coated ends) even though they're just painted iron, which I guess is a manufacturing cost thing - low demand, etc..

i got a foam roller

Can I just like--I really aint mean to be all braggin 09 style or w/e w/e but I was scrolling through some photos this evening and stumbled on Exhibit A taken at xmas 08 and Exhibit B immediately afterward which was taken a few days ago. V v pleasantly surprised and kinda proud of my progress.

ps can we all lol together at how ~~v serious~~ i am in exhibit B cause that's the only way i can forgive myself for showing it to ppl.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3790931503_3bfae6477c.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/3791632624_33aa4d0977.jpg

shirt off plz (j/k)

good goin! kiu

altho the 1st pic kinda makes comparison difficult, looks like ur face has def thinned out

lol did u cut your ex out of every pic?

every pic there has ever been

I'm so glad I found this thread, there's some really inspiring stuff on here.

Just over a month ago I started a routine because I'm in my mid-thirties and
really want/need to lose a ahit-ton of weight before life gets complicated.

Looking upthread I guess my aims are similar to S.Rose's initial aims.

Routine at the moment.

1. Stretching - 5 Mins (Calves, Upper Arms)
2. Bike - 20 Mins (Machine set to 'Hill', + 4 Min cooldown)
3. Cross Trainer - 25 Mins (Machine set to 'Hill' and upping the 'Level' setting for the last 4 Min or so)
4. More Stretching & Upper Body/Arms Pully-in thing (newly added)
5. Treadmill - Fast Walking 20 Mins + 6 Min Really Fast Power Walking (again set to 'Hill')

4 Days a week, combined with cutting out sugary shit and eating from a few healthy cookbooks.

So far I'm pretty happy, I have a long way to go but I've lost 28 pounds in one month. Obviously
the rate will slow down quite a bit, and I already have the fear that I will get in a rut, even
though I've been slowly tweaking up the level settings/durations on the machines. Also I've been
avoiding weights machines because it's all centred on cardio and weight-loss at the mo.

Any advice greatly welcomed.

28 lbs in a months is huge! Not to discourage you but that's really rapid loss, far beyond the normal rate -- careful as you go!

Add in weight training of some kind (even bodyweight stuff - pull-ups, pushups, squats) if you stop losing fat or get bored.

Thanks Elmo, I know it's a lot, I have a lot to get rid of. Someone mentioned that
you lose a lot of water weight in the first few weeks, then plateau for a bit before
a proper parity emerges. Also, even though I am a big framed guy and I'm quite
overweight, but it still bugs me that I weigh a such tremendous amount, really a
whole lot.
There are people who look like the arse end of a bus with legs attached on The
Biggest Loser who weight less, and I know I'm not quite as overweight as those
peeps. At least I hope not :)

Asked the doc about it and she couldn't really give me a clear answer, she just
talked about muscle weight etc: Got a dietician appointment tomorrow (ref from
my doctor), I have lots of questions.

Also, be interested to find out what peeps listen to at the gym, it's really pathetic
in a way, but agressive teenager music actually helps.

I don't listen to anything, wearing headphones bothers me too much when I'm working out. So I hear whatever Top 40 tunes are piped in by LA Fitness.

i am considering buying a new (smaller) ipod so i don't have to listen to anymore auto-tune garbage anymore.

when i saw this thread updated i was worried someone had posted a routine about the gym shooting or something!

xp I wouldn't go to a gym without a usable iPod (I won't go to a gym period now, but I definitely wouldn't even consider it without being able to drown out the crap music that gets played.)

I got the newest shuffle, it's super nice, almost lol zoolander-phone-level small though, like any smaller would be ridiculous, but i actually love it...nice thing is it will actually tell you the song title and artist in a robot voice if you hold down the remote button on your headphones...

I decided I didn't want to pay to go to a crossfit gym so I am going to do this Men's Fitness Yearlong Workout

http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/workout_routines/312

yeah, there's no way i'd go to a gym without music. it drowns out the noise of other people which is far more crucial than drowning out the gym music imo. i've got a little hip pouch for my ipod and earbuds and they never get in the way. if i'm running, i'll just run the headphone cord under my shirt.

joined a small local gym several months ago. it's never crowded, cheap, no contract, close, etc. i lift in the mornings, muscle group a day for five days, about 15-18 sets each time. evenings i'll do intervals on the treadmill for fifteen minutes (short but fairly intense) or hike up this awesome trail for thirty minutes, better than climbing stairs and a lot more fun. since i've been doing that + adjusting my diet i've dropped ten pounds and feel great.

x-post i need to get a shuffle. i'm taking my big hd-based ipod along with me when i work out which i've heard is a bad idea...

ha, as far as music goes i have been blasting girl talk almost every time i get on a cardio machine -- frenetic pace helps me really crank it out & i only have to wait 30 seconds before the next psych-up hook -- it's helped but i've just about played out on it now

it's funny, i've been jogging consistently to 43-whatever by lcd soundsystem for like over a year, and i still haven't really burned out on it! drums entering at around 15 mins is sooooo croosh.

morbs! didn't see your comment at first. i am pleased to see u and flattered lol

i start doing a little air drumming while i'm on the treadmill and look a little freakish but i don't care, it's the perfect re-up x-post

Well done Hoos! And thanks for the rowing machine link; was able to go 20 minutes yesterday (resistance at 4) without feeling like I was never going to bend at the waist again.

As for music- almost exclusively mixes. Having the whole thing set out keeps me from constantly fiddling with the ipod, and it's great to have something with a lot of variety that stays uptempo with no interruptions or ddowntime. Aside from podcasts, lately it's been the Justine D cd for RVNG, Prins Thomas at Robert Johnson, the Murphy/Mahoney Fabric cd, and the Glimmers mix for Eskimo. Been listening on a full-size current gen ipod touch, which is fine for treadmill and elliptical but kind of a pain in the ass when rowing.

i have been known to seriously groove out like a nerd while on cardio equipment, yeah. i have trouble listening to music if i can't match my own rhythm to the beat tbh.

ladyhawke is great for dancing on the elliptical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaj0fzuRpaA

Since I'm still doing exclusively bodyweight stuff at home I have the pleasure of putting on whatever I want. I've gotten tired of the ~exercise~ playlist (lots of metal & wu-tang etc) and today just put on an old Rinse FM mix.

Hey, sit ups are boring. Can we all agree on that?

I like leg lifts.

Hanging leg lifts, I mean.

btw dudes: i got kinda amped that i now have the ability to do a full set of pullups (been rockin the chinups for a while now but pullups had proved too much for me), and i think i overdid it on saturday. i felt something tear and i was like hey that's the sensation of muscle fiber tearing to rebuild but now i just think i pulled something cause the left shoulder still hurts. bursitis.

chinups still fine! but i'm gonna hold off on the overenthusiastic pullups for a while til the pain rolls off.

What's the longest duration you kept up with your routine without stopping? Mine is six months, and that was ten years ago, lol. Now I can't seem to last more than a month or two without a long break in-between.

wait hoos, what's the difference between pull-ups and chin-ups?

overhand v underhand i think?

yeah chinups being
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~cline/exer/ChinUps.gif

and pullups being
http://www.mensfitness.com/images/mf/209065/9482.jpg

the latter being the one that fucked up my left shoulder

chinups being an arm thing, pullups being a whole shoulder/back thing

ah gotcha

Chinups activate more of your back muscle, that's why they're easier.

I thought it was because chin-ups use yr biceps too, instead of only back like pull-ups. Whatevs. Everything I have read involving bodyweight training suggests changing your grips around frequently to hit all the different groups in your back/shoulders/arms.

Know what's really fucking brutal? Muscle-ups.

it's kinda weird...but like okay i'm usually like a "normal" person in terms of sweating...but lately when i work out (been about 5-6 weeks into serious working out again) i seriously start POURING sweat after about 10 minutes of hard working out...when i'm done my shirt is like sly stallone's in some old rocky movie...is that normal???

it's kinda gross. :/

(thankfully though it only seems to be when i'm working out)

that is a good thing, matt

4 weeks in uganda has made me soft soft soft. i need to start back into a routine of rigorous self-improvement, bigtime.

and yeah, grooving out on the cardio equipment (which for me is only ever my bike) is the best. i was swerving and bobbing my head like a dork this morning on the way across town, feelies live, so crucial

apparently a friend of a friend is building a home climbing gym in his garage only a few blocks from me, which is fantastic news. i really want to get strong again for the fall climbing season

Chinups activate more of your back muscle, that's why they're easier.

You have that backwards. Chinups activate your biceps more, pullups activate your back more.

that seems intuitively correct to me, but pullups are usually much more difficult for most people initially. which would suggest that they don't recruit your back muscles (which are lol hueg compared to your arms) as much

why do i suck at this so bad :(

gbx unless you are me, i.e. the backless wonder

i've been at a long plateau in my weight loss over the past year plus and i definitely need to supplement the cardio training with some resistance work to continue progress but my functional strength, especially in my upper body, is so minimal that it's completely discouraging. i know i need to start somewhere but it's hard to psych myself up for it when i feel so goddamn weak every time i try.

i need a trainer, or at least a peer helper or something. :(

o mann my knee has been all fucked up w/tendinitis the last week or so - starting to get a lil better but gaaaaaah

i'm eating like a billion meals a day for calorie intake

the gf is pushing food at me in order to "eat vicariously"

this is the last week of the "gold medal workout" i posted upthread and i stupidly haven't been tracking my results at all, but i start this scary fucker next week.

who am i

gf brought me back a couple barbells & weights from her house so i can start doing weighted pullups and shit, so i'm amped about that.

i'm doing the math and eating ridic and still seem to be coming up like 600-1000 cals short of the recommended #s for the muscle weight i want to gain and its like goddamn

lol @ creatine btw

If you can stomach it, you can drink a gallon of milk a day to build mass. It's recommendedby a lot of 3x5 and 5x5 lifting routines. (specifically Mark Rippetoe, who wrote Starting Strength). Google GOMAD.

gallon of milk per day
@_@

gag

I can't even drink a cup of milk without feeling sick, but people who are desperate to build muscle seem to believe it works.

But, they're doing low-rep/progressive weight barbell routines. For bodyweight exercises it's probably overkill anyway, though you could just cut down on the amount of milk (a gallon has like 2500 calories, yes?).

i started working with a trainer for the first time in my life and i lovvve it (though i'm only a few weeks in, ask me if i'm still drinking the kool-aid when it's time to pay for more sessions). it's nothing too insane, just one 30 min session a week, but basically he adds another component to my workout each session and then i alternate different parts on the days i work out alone. his big thing is developing muscle memory so you're using the right muscles with each motion (which i now realize i wasn't doing before!), so each set is pretty slow for now. reps continue until you reach failure, or start to do the motion incorrectly. i think that helps because it's less focused on 'i need to do 20 reps of this 4 times' and i already feel like i'm making progress in terms of being able to lift more correctly for longer sets, etc. once i am doing things consistently correctly, the reps will become faster and more explosive. then i do cardio on my own, based on his prescribed time/heart rate targets (which has also changed the way i approach cardio!).

overall it's been pretty motivational and he's got me doing calorie monitoring with fat/protein/carb breakdown and eating 5 times a day (this was really hard at first!), which i think has really changed my consumption a lot in a small period of time.

man this ankle is really starting to wear on me. i don't want to stop working out but it won't quite heal....

is the only solution for ankles just rest?

i ran with my dog today and he LOVED IT, though it was a little awkward when he pooped and i had to run/walk with a bag of poop in my hand :-/

That's a bit of a bummer. I've actually trained my dog to poop at a particular spot and there is a garbage can right there thankfully.

i didn't have to carry it far, but still. athletic endeavors should not include a bag of poop that needs to be ferried about.

re: pull-up/chin-up, I realized something today: for a proper pull-up, you pull your shoulder blades down and together, ja? When you do this (even just making the motion in the air), you can feel how your back muscles work. Now put your arms in a chin-up position without consciously doing anything in your shoulders/back, and make the motion, you can feel the same thing.

So I think that's why chin-ups are easier for most people, they bring your back muscles into play without conscious effort.

ayo I had a progress/measurements check today and I am -12 lb fat +1.5 muscle for net loss of 10.5 lbs and down 4% body fat which puts me ahead of schedule and I am so scared about how much harder it's going to be to keep losing in the next few months but I also feel really proud and I guess I am still drinking the kool-aid after all lol!

~pound, lady

H'okay so I'm now in my 11th Week and have started paying a guy to do CT, Boxing, General Ass-Kicking type stuff once a week to break up the relentless cardio routine, I go four days a week and so-far it's been general cardio malarkey until now, the PT guy has also given me an upper body and lower body routine to incorporate into the loop and damnit if I'm not *really scared* of the free-weights area, all these pumped up dudes all standing around while I struggle with the Hammer Strength machine!

So-far (as mucho weight loss is my aim) I'm down 4st 2Lbs, my short term goal is 6st by the first week in Dec and I'm slightly ahead of schedule and feeling a little less fearfull that my willpower is going to go to shit.

Btw 'Atlas' is a kick arse gym playlist track!

well done! don't be scared of the dudes. of course, no one goes to my gym and the people that do are mostly yuppy white guys so they're not too intimidating. there is one silly azn bodybuilderish looking dude though that i see and i just have to bite my tongue not to laugh and laugh and laugh.

also thank you for rec. my playlist needs refreshing in a major way.

Thanks Theresa, great news about the 10lbs!

I'm not ready for it yet (would vomit) but has anyone ever tried the tabata protocol?

Didn't know it was called that but yes, I do something like this whenever I want to drop a few pounds. It works very well for me, especially if I do it in the morning. Make sure you warm up for a few minutes first.

i'd done a bit of reading on tabata training, and have been intrigued by it, even though it sounds awful.

this, though:

When you create an Oxygen Debt (read: heavy panting) your body has burned off all of the blood sugar (glycogen) it has and needs to replace all of that energy. It does this by burning fat. You don't want to try and burn fat WHILE you are exercising. You want to burn off CARBS as fuel when you are exercising.

Your body has 2 fuel systems, so to speak. There is Aerobic and Anaerobic.

Now, the Aerobic system uses oxygen to burn fuel, and the Anaerobic system doesn't. But one does not replace the other! What happens is you start out by burning fuel with your Aerobic energy system, and once you go past the point where there is enough oxygen in your system to provide Aerobic energy to your muscles, your Anaerobic system kicks in. Think of this as your SUPRA-AEROBIC zone.

is just sorta

To clarify my last post, I don't really know that the time of the day matters except that I personally can only work out in the early morning or late at night and the former seems to be much more effective.

presumably because you're increasing your metabolic rate/enjoying the effects of the 'afterburn' throughout the day?

Sounds right. Also, I know you're supposed to eat a proper meal after you finish and I can't always do that if I get to the gym too late.

been hitting the pool 3-4 times/week over my lunch break. feels great

"afterburn" is a myth, i heard

cycle over (12mins)
thigh pushy-in thing (3x12)
thigh pushy-out (3x12)
20 mins on tread mill
push-with-calves rest-on-shin thing (3x12)
full leg pushy thing (3x12)
some other leg things

then next day at gym alternate onto upper body/arms sets 3x12. I'm just winging it tbf. I normally nearly fail on the last rep of a set but I don't feel tired after the gym but I do feel mildly sore the day after, like I have a light all over bruise

perhaps we shd consult the NNs, elmo

do more cardio

I ride my bike 100 miles a week and play an hours worth of fives on fridays. I don't need more cardio

last week i learned this awesome way to do chest presses while holding an ab curl on a stability ball. it makes me feel super strong and amazing.

what's up with older dudes that work out in like jeans and a belt?

oh man, you're kidding me! that is NOT happening!

i am gonna do a lesson of STEP fitness. haha i'm oldskool. i'm doing it with my friend who plays tennis w me. it's a week off (no tennis) and she does step (and other fitness, for free cause she worked at the place). so i'm joining her for this one lesson. HURRAH. fat old bitch is doing some FITNESS.

i felt all superior last week when i saw this dude goin to town with some crazy heavy weights and a weight belt on and all that. he was muscular but his form SUCKED and i wanted to be like 'yo you gotta decrease that weight and isolate yo muscles - fuck the kinetic chain doing all that work. also hips up when you're on the stability ball, you cheat!' but i didn't because he was scary.

i have been thinking of finding a dance class.

lol matt i have no idea, i see that sometimes too

also have been steadily increasing weights to try to break through plateau. moving into shorter, more intense sets now and it makes me feel super strong but also sore! building character, though, right?

i saw this dude wearing cargo shorts and like, an abercrombie type shirt or something and i thought, 'oh maybe he's just doing a trial day or something' but now i've seen him a few more times and he's always wearing that stuff. seems like it'd get in the way!

tza yeah i see guys superstacking the plates on the lat pulldown machine and i think "enjoy your debilitating back injury, tough guy"

hahahah we will show them all with our sculpted shoulders!

i am still pretty much a weakling in the upper body dept but i'm not at the gym to impress anybody tbh. also, i enjoy having intact rotator cuffs.

Why does heavy weight on lat pulldown = back injury? If you can do a pull-up, you can do a lat pulldown at body weight. (And there are a lot of folks who can do pull-ups with extra weight attached). Kinda pointless to use the machine at all, though, when you could just be doing pull-ups (or assisted pull-ups if you don't have the strength).

I think 'form' can be overstated as to injury - sure, if you're doing overhead shoulder presses badly and putting all the force on your shoulder (alternately, squatting on your toes so your knees get it) you're in trouble. But If you round your back or have your arms out of position on other exercises, it's more a question of wasting energy for the movement. Like, say, deadlifting - in the real world, that movement is going to be done with a rounded back (think picking up a TV - so the absolute importance of keeping the proper arch in your back is more a question of your goals.

milo I'm referring to the ppl who lean way back and yank the bar down and don't lower the weight at all, they just let the weight drop. i see this a lot!

milo, i think, at least for me, the point is to NOT overdo the weight and focus on isolating the muscle group you're trying to strengthen with that particular exercise. for example, if i use too much weight or have bad form, my arms are gonna start kicking in and helping me cheat, which means the back muscles i want to strengthen won't really strengthen at all even though i think i'm doing mad awesome back work. same thing for pull-ups - your kinetic chain kicks in and helps you cheat and kind of defeats the purpose of working the muscles, imo. i don't know maybe you guys are a lot stronger than i am, but i feel like if i was doing pullups i'd be worried about 30000 other things and not focusing on form. so... if someone is not focused on form and uses heavy weight, you can imagine how they might screw up a movement and injure themselves pretty easily.

ive been swimming a lot l8ly because im scared of getting injured running and also its cold and getting colder but anyway i swim in like regular dude board short type swimming trunks but the other dudes all have speedo type bathing suits and i feel like an amateur theyre probably on sum board loling @ dudes swimming in a long neon stussy suit right now huh

eh whatever! when i go to public pool there are lots of dudes like that and they get all "IN THE FAST LANE" and i'm like whatever dudes have fun being silly i'm just gonna swim some laps now. but it's a little nice when you feel like you can use it to challenge yourself. i guess it's like the super intense gym dudes. i just laugh and laugh and laugh. have you ever laughed under water? it's fun!

yeah functional strength is fine, i just don't get why anyone would prefer to move a lot of weight inefficiently and risk injury instead of using proper form to strengthen a specific muscle group. functional strength is fine but that's not what weight machines are built for.

has anyone ever done SPIN CLASS? I've signed up for my first time tomorrow morning; been hitting the gym 3 times a week on the reg, upped my cardio to 35 mins on the cross-trainer, and a 25 min combo of weights

The best way to get stronger (and lose weight, for people who want to), though, is through exercises that recruit multiple large muscle groups - squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, push-ups, even the various presses (bench, overhead, etc.), among others. I'm not sure what you mean by the kinetic chain helping you cheat, but you want your arms to work in concert with your lats on a pull-up - that's how you build functional strength.

Basically, on a pull-up, the only form you need to worry about is keeping your shoulders down and back, and controlling your descent. Everything else, the body takes care of.

xp - FWIW, "strengthening a specific muscle group" doesn't really work. That's why things like curls are silly - you can't move enough weight isolating the bicep to matter to your body (until you're in body-builder range). Large-muscle movements will build those muscles just as well.

I'm not saying "move a lot of weight" is an inherent good - traditional weight programs start you off at very low weight (bar only, or bar+a plate) in order to focus on form. But moving a lot of weight is not inherently bad. A person who can squat their body weight or deadlift 1.5x is in far better shape than someone who can't.

i've had some pretty great results with focusing on isolating muscle groups leading to overall more general strength. and yes, i also do sqauts, deadlifts, push-ups, presses, and lots of cardio. that does not mean that i'm not benefiting from isolating groups and understanding how the different parts of the body work while strengthening them. it's like... when i played piano - if i tried to play from my upper arms, my playing was stiff. if i try to do a pull down using more arm than back, i'm not really strengthening my back, or my arm, or getting anything out of it.

also, the idea of starting at low weight and focusing on form before moving to a higher weight is what elmo and i were talking about iirc. the people i see moving super heavy weight aren't doing it with the right form, which will probably eventually lead to injury.

how do you learn form? personal trainer?

yes. or a friend who knows what they're doing? read up on stuff, too. and take it slow.

Best for learning form on traditional barbell movements, aside from a good trainer, is Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength book and DVD. Or stronglifts.com for a free site that has good info (but less in-depth than a 200-page book).

Best for kettlebells is probably Pavel Tsatsouline's books.

Kettlebells are awesome and a great way for a low-budget person to get started - one $100 KB and you can do a lot of strength and metabolic/cardio training.

xp - I guess I just fundamentally disagree with the idea of isolating muscles (unless/until you're in bodybuilder range) when other movements accomplish the same task in a more effective manner. And I don't know what kind of injury the lat pulldown dude is chancing - it doesn't place stress on any of his joints, and he's not going to rip a tricep or something.

i learned most form when i trained some in highschool and have worked with a few trainers, but not intensively. trainers are a good resource provided they are certified & knowledgable & willing to accommodate yr goals rather than their own. had a trainer who pretty much only knew bodybuilding so that's the kind of program he had me doing. didn't work out.

I am wicked distrustful of trainers at big gyms. My freebie at this gym had me do standing push-ups holding a swiss ball, hooked me up to a machine that strapped to my ankle and I moved weight by moving my leg to the side, and then had me do prisoner squats but side step after each one. Which basically just made it hard to maintain good form because I was resetting my feet every rep.

by isolating and learning the correct way to exercise that muscle, you then create a more efficient/effective exercise when you bring the other muscles in. and you develop muscle memory. for someone like me, who never knew the 'correct' way to lift, i get a lot more out of lifting now that i understand how it all works (before if i did something like a lat pull down i'd probably barely even work my back muscles, now i work out my back and get a little arm strengthening in, too. how is that bad?). a dude who pulls down too much weight might end up releasing improperly and ripping something in his shoulder.

Mostly I'm distrustful because we're doing things that our bodies have been designed to do for millennia - run, lift heavy things, jump, etc. - and trainers rarely focus on those. (Also, going back - doing those things our bodies are designed to do will rarely lead to injuries.)

Crossfit people are insane and misguidedly elitist, but at least they're big on pull-ups and box jumps and what have you.

ONE trainer on ONE freebie session didn't completely conform to your needs so you write them all off?

milo i get you but thing is i can't really execute a successful pull up, even the assisted pull up machine doesn't really fix that! as stated, my upper body sucks. pull-ups are a *goal* for me tbh, how else to get there unless i start by doing lat pulldowns?

^^^this! learning form (including learning how each muscle group works) is part of the progression to the types of things you think we should all just DO with no groundwork.

I think I'm just not visualizing what you're talking about, tehresa. Can you give me an example or two of what you mean by isolating exercises and muscles?

To give an example of an exercise I enjoy (and think is incredibly useful), the farmer's walk. Pick up (deadlift stylee) two dumbbells as heavy as you can hold, walk for as long as you can hold them, drop them. Rest, pick up, and return to spot A. (Alternately, pick a weight you can carry for X distance and do the same.) You're going to be lifting 'heavy,' and your back might not be ramrod straight, but your risk of injury is almost nil, because when your body gets overstressed, the weight is dropped. (Most likely, your grip strength will give first.) This is a simple exercise that works your grip strength, forearms, upper arms and back (and a bit of cardio to boot),

also do rowing-type shit, i mean i usually try to work each muscle group a couple ways even if i am isolating them

i'm talking like, chest presses. i focus on relaxing my arms and centering the weight in my pecs so that when i lift, i'm strengthening the pecs and not using my arms to push the weight up. or, with a pulldown, i make sure everything is in the right position (posture, arms, etc.) so that i can pull down from my back and squeeze the muscles as i do and not just pull from the arms and ignore the back muscle altogether.

and yes, when i do the chest press the arm muscles do assist somewhat, but the point is to do the chest press primarily from the chest.

have debated trying a kettlebell before, in part because i'm not keen to learn all the weight maneuvers.

and the verdict on spin class?

i've never done it. parents love it.

i know bikers that do it

That one trainer and seeing so many others - modern gyms are filled with a lot of expensive, useless equipment, tbh.

re: successful pull-up.
Use the assisted machine to build a base of strength, if one is available to you. Step up weight on a regular basis - find the assisted weight at which you can complete ten straight reps. Do it every visit to the gym (assuming you're lifting every other day or what have you). Next week, take away five pounds from the assist, or if that's too easy, ten. Get the assisted weight way down.

As a rule, the problem with those machines is that they isolate way more than a real pull-up - you're not having to use smaller muscles to stabilize your body, the machine takes care of that.

Good options after the assisted machine, or if it won't get you to a full pull-up:
negatives - find a box or bench that will get your chin above the bar, hang on, get off the bench and control your descent. Aim for 20-30 seconds of lowering yourself.
pull-up bands - the problem with assisted machines is that you're resting your knees on a platform, so your body is rigid (and you can cheat by raising or lowering knees). Pull-up bands loop around the bar, you put your feet in and then do a pull-up with a full body boost from the ground. The problem is that they're less precise than the weighted machine, so you can't really do a progression through smaller weights.

yeah the rents do it as supplement to their normal outside cycling.
xpost

i view spinning classes with suspicion. plus the music is always always terrible.

http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/fitness-bands.php - Iron Woody assisted pull-up bands
get these and one of those door-frame pull-up bars and you'd have a more than decent home gym, really. Pull-ups, push-ups and other bodyweight moves plus running.

xxxxxxpost

yeah i swear to god this dude comes in and lifts in a generic polo type shirt, jeans, and a dress belt and i swear to got like business casual type dress shoes

i think spinning makes a lot of sense (it's similar to the interval training a cyclist might do on a trainer/rollers, right?), but i wouldn't want to do it in a class like that because yeah, the music

exercise bikes all hurt my taint. :(

http://www.bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/dz-nuts-front.jpg

milo dude i do appreciate the feedback and advice but pardon me for getting a bit defensive -- i'm starting at a pretty basic level and am just glad that I'm moving my happy ass around as opposed to just sitting on it. :)

wtf is that lube xpost

yeah. tbh, in the past 3 months i have made like, light years of progress compared to the old me and i am pretty well satisfied with what i'm doing and how i'm progressing. and just to prove my point about not using 1 bad trainer as damning to all of them - there is another trainer at my gym that i probably would have fired after 2 sessions bc he's so hyper and annoying. you just have to figure out what works for you, and maybe for you, training is not the option, but for me, it's done wonders.

home pull-up bar is not really an option -- it would probably be an easy way to ruin a doorframe in my (historic, victorian) apt

I am a mum. The biggest exercise is running behind my kid (=jog), carrying my kid (=lifting weights), joining swimming class (uh sort of = swimming),... :-) I guess I do quite a bit of sports. Until they do all this shit on their own and I get fat. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

i am considering investing in a bosu ball for home, though!
xpost

My problem with trainers is philosophical - I've never encountered one who didn't have clients doing, say, crunches on a swiss ball or something (crunches have their place, but you had better have your diet in order and be able to lift some weight before they are). There are really great weight coaches out there (and not necessarily expensive), but they don't tend to work at big gyms (which, of course, have relatively small weight areas).

elmo, I didn't think you were being defensive at all. I've always been relatively strong due to my job (which involves carrying heavy material and swinging a sledge-hammer and such), but my gym experiences have always been fruitless until lately because I was doing the machines and things. It was when I started researching more and getting away from the trainer/Men's Health new-lift-of-the-week thing that I started to 'get' it.

loooool at dznuts. will report back about the spinning, looking forward to it either way

Historic apartment, maybe, because of the doorframe construction. But home pull-up bars generally will not leave a mark at all - your weight isn't resting on the trim.

dude, nothing wrong with ab (core) strengthening combined with weight training!
i give up on u.

also, many xposts, but FWIW I don't consider the chest press an isolating movement at all. You're recruiting large groups of muscles at once - the only thing missing compared to a bench press are some smaller groups used to steady the bar.

My attitude toward machines is that they should be treated like free-weights - low-reps for as much weight as you can properly do (three sets of five reps, for instance), increase weight weekly.

Crunches are a relatively ineffectual ab workout anyway (planks and others make them work harder). You need a low bodyfat percentage for anyone to see them (all the crunches in the world won't be visible when you've got 20% BF for a dude) and aren't being worked in a way to increase their strength and make them useful.

They aren't harmful, but a waste of energy that could be used for doing more squats (which are a fantastic ab workout, along with helping the rest of your body). Crunches just don't really do anything positive for you IMO.

dude, i do most of my work with dumbells, not machines, anyway.

but you're pretty stuck in your head and obv not listening to anything (like i believe i mentioned upthread that, AFTER WORKING AT CORRECT FORM, i now do fewer reps of more weight, just like you say). i'm gonna go run.

i have been meaning to look into more bodyweight exercises, though -- i'm sure i can find some stuff to strengthen back that i can start with.

Still weak as a kitten in the upper-body, but feeling like I'm slowly turning a corner, hard not to get obsessed with machines/weights when I'm still concentrating on fat-burning cardio shenanigans.

But it's going good so far, 5 1/2 stone loss since July, at the moment I'm trying to work in the Summit Trainer instead of the Treadmill (not ready for all out running just yet) and as the ST is a torture device supreme, I reckon it's better than power walking.

oh squats are great, it's true

tehresa, I'm not sure why you think I was commenting directly on you. Other than asking what you meant specifically, I don't think I commented on your routines at all, actually.

elmo, I haven't read this, but it might be good for you - http://www.dragondoor.com/b28.html - all bodyweight training.

found this: http://www.bodyweightculture.com/

suggests horizontal pull-ups / hangs from a low bar -- might give it a shot

Sounds like what are usually called "inverted rows" - they're definitely a good workout.

squats are great but they don't half fkn kill

do a lot of them

then they'd kill more!! insanity

(I do do squats now, but that initial set laid out my legs for 4 days)

or do them w/ dumbell. imo

oh lol i thought you meant "half" to be "not enough"

not doing squat

love some squat burn tbh

BUN SPIN CLASS

^^to clarify: it ws 50% good, 50% bad. a great workout but I cd hardly hear what exercises were being called out because the room's acoustics were so bad. 5 mins pedalling out of the seat no handed was very difficult and the seat was very uncomfortable. if I go back, I'll def. wear my bibs

the music wasn't all tht bad except for one section of quality glaswegian happy hardcore

so, this is pretty much how i break it down when i work out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeMJOPlK-0E

my current sked = run 5 times a week, do blackburns every other day

http://www.google.com/search?q=blackburn%27s+exercise

(it is for my rotator cuffs)

Thinking maybe of dropping all weights except for pull-ups/push-ups to do all cardio for a while.

Too many cigarettes + childhood asthmas, I know my endurance is horrible. Thinking I can work my way up from elliptical+stair climber (the one that looks like an escalator) to actually being able to run on a treadmill without losing my balance and hurting myself.

does fat tend to come off certain areas (arms & legs?) first?

for the first time in my adult life, i can do a dip on parallel bars! this is huge.

does anyone here have a lot of experience w/protein powder supplements...i got some WHEYBOLIC XXXTREME MUSCLE XXXPLODER ULTRA AMINO BODY BLAST type shit at GNC and have been taking it...

can't really tell how much it's help, though i do think i've put on some fat :\

what are you trying to achieve with the protein?

i like whey protein powder because it's a low calorie, low fat source of a lot of protein.

yah i will rep for whey def

basically i don't put on muscle super easy and i heard drinking it post-workout will help put on muscle?

im getting strong as shit, when i dont necessarily want to. Im trying just to tone up, and do high reps and cardio, but I seem to be getting bigger in the shoulders and chest, which i dont want. We had a contest at the gym to do benching like the NFL combine, how many reps of 225 lbs you can do on bench. I did 28 which is pretty unnecessary. I think I need to hire a trainer.

I'm 39. Are significant strength gains normal at that age?

Whey is just protein derived from dairy. If you drink it you're taking in extra calories/protein, but it's not much different from having a chicken breast. Easier, of course.

Whey and similar stuff are what's used in SlimFast/meal replacement shakes.

I WENT TO A GYM. In Seattle, with Theresa.

buns of steel:

http://titianknitter.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/chinese-bun.jpg

lols

<3 laurel!!!

bill, longer duration of lifting with lower weights and good form will help you burn fat rather than build muscle (at least this is my trainer protip - i focused on building a lot of strength and am now in the 'trying to tone everything forever' realm and not trying to build up any more muscle). maybe drop the amount you're lifting a bit and do slower, longer sets?

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Ive been lifting for 25 years, I played college fb, so i think my brain is hard-wired to do the kind of stuff I have always done, which was geared toward strength and muscle building. I have to totally change my workout philosophy. I'll be honest, ego sometimes gets in the way, which is really stupid.

np! i was just trying to find some info on the internet but it seems as if no 2 people agree on anything. if milo shows up he will probably have a differing approach than mine, hah. but anyway, that was my latest direction from trainer, so i'm working on that now. i know at least in the past few weeks, when i've really focused on form in slower reps i have felt wayyy more burn.

I'd join a gym just for the spa aspect if the ones in NYC were that nice...and then get suckered in to actually working out.

Thanks tehresa!

hah i have never even used the hot tub or sauna (i think there is a sauna?) or pool there!

when I actually get a gym membership (instead of paying as I go) I will def be all about the sauna

yeah i should probably check that out.

my membership is so cheap! and now i'm getting it free bc of trainer! hah.

i am starting to become annoyed at the idea that i won't be able to go on my timetable since i'm picking up a short contract that will require 8-5 office work. i hate going post-work and feel like it makes me rush things so i can get home to dinner in a timely fashion. any tips on evening workouts??

oh man sauna/steam room is crucial to my gym time

Broadly speaking, there are two primary rep schemes for lighting weights - low weight/high rep, high weight/low rep. These are not absolute weights but relative - the weight you can do for multiple 12-rep sets vs. fewer 5-rep sets. (as examples)

High repetition weightlifting tends to induce sarcoplasmic hypertrophy - your muscles physically expand. You will gain strength, but less than with low-rep schemes that induce myofibrillar hypertrophy (growth inside the cells). You'll gain some size with the latter, but much less. Bodybuilders use high-rep sets and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, powerlifters low-rep and myofibrillar (for example, again).

I'm not sure what you mean by getting stronger but not wanting to - do you mean actual size or strength? You could switch to a low-rep style (something like Madcow's 5x5 or even Rippetoe's Starting Strength program) and gain physical strength without as much size. If you're happy with your physical size and actual strength, maybe bodyweight concentration? Or something like Crossfit, where weights are used as metabolic conditioning (their fancy name for cardio).

Being 'toned' is mostly about body fat (and water retention), not muscle. If that's your goal, it's time to diet (calorie restriction + lots of protein to protect lean mass - become a nutrition nazi) and run more (or row or whatever cardio you're into), or look at (again) Crossfit for examples of how to combine weights and cardio. MMA fighters/wannabes are a good source of info about how to eat/work out to be strong but lean.

My gym has a dry sauna. It sucks.

re: lifting fast/slow - there are pluses and minuses to both, as well as the amount of time you rest between sets. Low rest - higher heart rate, high rest - muscles recover to lift more. Slow negatives is one of the ways ppl learn to do pull-ups and is good for building strength, but lifting fast is good for people who want to be flexible or participate in sports/activities that encourage muscle speed (ie most sports).

great info!

can you recommend a book to read about all this stuff? i am so tired to trying to scour the internet for things that are not someone trying to sell a program or just not very well-informed/researched.

oh man sauna/steam room is crucial to my gym time
i could do without the ancient buck naked russians, but hey we take what we can get

yeah, they're kinda fixtures

tehresa, i got the "man" version of this book, but here's the version for women, i think the one i have has been super helpful

http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/

thanks!

Milo, thank you for your post above. I need to change some things up. I am totally happy with my strength, but I am definitely too big chest and shoulder muscularity-wise, and would be willing to sacrifice strength in order to get more definition. I am a 39 year old office type, who works out like he is still 22 and playing sports, which is not really what i want to do.

New Rules is very good, that was the first book I picked up when I wanted to start working out.

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe - even if you don't follow his plans, it's got a ton of information on how to correctly do the major lifts

http://board.crossfit.com - if you ignore the Zone/Paleo/Crossfit kool-aid, there's good info to be found there. Also, the Crossfit Journal for $25 a year has a ton of downloadable seminars and articles.

Pavel Tsatsouline has books on bodyweight exercise & kettlebells. He's kind of Yakov Smirnoff goofy in tone, but good info. (Power to the People is the bodyweight one, I believe)

http://www.rosstraining.com/products.html - I've heard really good things about Never Gymless & Infinite Intensity, going to purchase soon.

Yeah, as you get older, I think there's a very good argument for not lifting heavy weights - high-intensity cardio, some weights (just squats and deadlift, or something like that), intensive bodyweight (pull-ups, push-ups, squat-thrusts, air squats, etc.). You're moving and maintaining muscle, but limiting wear and tear on joints.

My fitness goal: compete in the PEAK Death Race 2011. http://www.youmaydie.com

Meeting the fitness requirements for the Marines is my old goal, but I have no interest in joining, it was just a benchmark - whereas I could do some adventuring things - long hike/climb, skydive, compete in the above.

ha, milo that looks awesome!

wonder if any Dm0uth dudes have done this

my friend fr3ddy would probably owne

how does one work back into gym routine after illness?

i've been laid up for the better part of a week but i think tomorrow or monday i need to force myself back into working out. guessing it will help me regain some energy. but i'm feeling mad weak. what's the best way to tiptoe back into working out? the thought of running right now makes me want to pass out.

cross trainer?

good lord i've been totally wiped out by the gym this week. still not 100% back from the flu and it's really limiting what i've been able to do in my workouts :(

anyway, progress report day :)
-27lbs total, 21 of them fat
-6% body fat

i've felt really frustrated in the past little bit but it turns out that of the 7 lbs i lost since my last check-in, most of it was fat loss and not water/muscle, which makes me happy :) i am ahead of the timeline i originally worked out with my trainer by about 1lb/wk, averaged out over the past 4 months. dude gave me something to read about glycogen levels that recommends more carbs in the evening which seems weird to me but i will read up on it.

Nice work. You will probably find that your muscle strength comes back much more quickly that your cardiovascular capacity after significant time off, but i wouldnt worry too much about it. if you are still not feeling well, i would ease myself back into the gym.

I have hit a weight plateau (not helped by horrendous weather thru november keeping me off my bike) - need to re-focus and start to push through it, aim for that 154lbs :D

i was really stuck a while ago. i started incorporating interval training into my cardio, and focused on increased time under lighter load in the strength training and tweaked diet a little.

Does anyone have any pro tips for doing cardio on the rowing machine? I have done 150+ spin classes and have become too acclimated, plus I read that spin isn't the best if you sit at a desk all day and have tight hip flexors. I do the power yoga and the poses with the stretched hip flexors are always FAIL.

Do you go for watts output, strokes per minute or what? What do the pro rowing machine cross-trainers set the resistance at? My gym is lame on instructors for rowing but I am trying to get back to basics with more rowing and pushups and less specialized weightlifting.

i used to be a rower (shhhh)
use the "split" setting, which tells you how long it would take to finish 500 m. def not strokes per minute, which you can manipulate by going really fast down the slide. you probably need someone to show you how to do the motion properly, unfortunately. most people move their back and arms too much on it.

^^^i knew it!!

Thanks and I will get w/the program ASAP. I googled the Concept 2 rower and got some new good ideas as well.

Go try the rowing machine, everybody. No one at your gym is using it because they don't know how, they are all leaning on their Stairmasters and upright machines.

You will get awesome cardio + nice-looking shoulders and arms.

The resistance settings are the amount of drag on the flywheel - lower settings are like rowing something that doesn't drag the water much, higher ones are like trying to row a deep-keeled boat. Somewhere in the middle is probably in the right range - you just want it challenging enough to give you a good workout without tiring you out too quickly.

i don't remember ever touching the resistance lever but yeah i guess the middle would be right
my parents still have our machine in the basement, i should move it down here even though i haven't wanted to touch it for a while. it's sooooo boring and hard.
this looks helpful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqVmMd7FdAA
you can really do it forever w/o risk of injury if you do it properly. meaning not too much reaching with your back and not going too far up the slide so your knees are stressed. it's helpful to concentrate on going slowly up the slide and faster on the way back.

A++ educational vid on this arcane subject and love the eastern-euro serious-training vibe. (I was doing it wrong,ow my knees.) I had already looked at like 6 inadequate vids on the web. Did this today for 30 mins, then different difficult ab stuff alternating w/ pushups, then delts tri and yoga stretches and jumps. Good workout. Can't believe I watched the whole thing but now I have got it. Looking forward to soft-ball sized delts and 50 bpm resting heartrate.

So one of my co-workers just got a PT gig as a personal trainer. Yesterday we agreed that starting 1st week in January I'm going to hire him. He's going to kick my ass and promises to get me into the best shape I've ever been in. Dude is tough and I'm scared but that's really the kind of trainer I need. I see him all the time too so there won't be any cheating or hiding shit from this dude. Ahhhhhhh!

I am in love with the "cross" trainer, it is like an elliptical but it is really a ramp. You can turn the level up to 20 and get a killer thigh and butt workout. I found it easy to drop pounds that way, 20-30 minutes three or four times a week, thirty to forty minutes of weight machines.

woo hoo erica!
let me know if you need moral support.
my trainer isn't actually intimidating but still manages to give me intense workouts with great results.

yeah cross trainer is the best

woo hoo erica!
let me know if you need moral support.
my trainer isn't actually intimidating but still manages to give me intense workouts with great results.

― tehresa, Thursday, December 17, 2009 4:29 PM (5 hours ago) Bookmark

Will do and thank you! :D I was doing outreach with him today and he called one of this gym clients to check on him and see what he was eating. I was like, "Oh shit I'm really in for it aren't I?" There's sorta no turning back now. Oh well!

oh wow that's like verging on stalking

hey e that's awesome, good luck! i wld like someone telling me what to do--trying to develop some routine workouts but it's hardly scientific

i am way too routiney at the gym these days. i feel strong and efficient! but bored. halp!

also hooray for being under my goal for 1/26/10 when i weighed myself at gym today. but that still represents like, very little loss for the past 2 months (like 4 lb since i posted on 12/3). plateau much? but i think i my muscles are much more toned and shape is a little different than 2 months ago. still frustrating.

how is this guy real!?
http://www.youtube.com/user/ridgelinefitness

i swear i thought he was computer generated for a while!

what the hell

oops try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdJS6T4-RnY

btw when i do this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czf-1snzG2c

i am always sore on a delay... like i'm fine when i get up the next day, and then the NEXT morning i wake up w/ sore hamstrings. is that weird?

I just did a photo/video shoot earlier with a pair of Swiss Balls.

LOOOL

nah tza, I always feel sore on the day after a workout xp

i mean.. i am not sore the day after. it is the day after the day after. but only for hamstrings.

ie yesterday i did chest/quads/glutes and i am sore today.

err I mean, the day-day after a workout

i am always sore the second day after i do something too

recently started a new programme, the weights part of which is based on this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Huge-Hurry-Stronger/dp/1605299340

horrendous macho bullshit title and publisher notwithstanding, the method seems really effective - based on heavier weights, faster lifts, generally lower reps (although working towards a total number of reps rather than per set). anyone tried this? pros? cons?

in truth, it's always hard to tell how truly effective a new routine is, as switching programmes/introducing new elements invariably seems to accelerate results, possibly because the novelty concentrates the mind, reduces complacency, etc.

my bro in law is doing that one, and he says he's had really good results...upped his maxes on every lift...lost some weight at first then put on weigh in muscle...

so far, so good. it's only been a couple of weeks, but I'm certainly noticing a difference, strength-wise.