Gym/Exercise Thread

[JS©]

Hmm...I want to do it, but I don't know if I can make it 12 miles of straight jogging, much less 12 of one of those courses.

I thought I read that there's some stand around and wait time while you're waiting for obstacles.

[PensFanInDC]

Hmm...I want to do it, but I don't know if I can make it 12 miles of straight jogging, much less 12 of one of those courses.

Soldierfit has a team of over 135 doing it this year. They train weekly, usually in Frederick at Monocacy Battlefield. It's only open to those in the group but if you joined I'm sure they would let you participate in the training. From what I understand, as long as you can run 4 miles without stopping you should have no problem finishing.

[count2infinity]

Has anyone done a tough mudder? My friends are trying to get me to do one with them.

my younger brother has done it before. he enjoyed it.

[IanMoran]

So I've been eating healthy / hitting the gym (but pretty aimlessly). O... I'll try this machine, how about this one.. Type of mentality. I really want to start to get some structure into what I'm doing

I came across this while using the google machine (was on bodybuilding.com)

I'm curious if you guys approve of it for someone starting out?

A Simple beginner's Routine
You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.

Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:
The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps.
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and

repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.
Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.

[Staggy]

^^^ That seems like a hell of a lot of volume for a beginner. Depending on your goals, I'd recommend Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It gives you a great base for size and strength, and you can milk the gains for many months.

Here's a link which will give you some info on the program. You can also just google "starting strength rippetoe reviews" and see what other people have to say about it. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/startin ... bible.html

[TheHammer24]

Hey everyone!

I finally got fed up with my muscle atrophy, so I got off my ass and started P90x. I'm definitely more interested in eventually working on body mass (I'm 5'8" a hair under 150), but I feel like I've gotten so weak from not working out for a year, I could use this program for some lean muscle and endurance. Plus, it mixes in some good cardio and plyo stuff that is generally healthy.

I'm in week 2, and I can already feel a difference. Not only do I feel better, but I've already improved what I've done from the last week. Woot to health.

Just need cardio to finish week 2. I joined the gym across the street so I could do the shoulder-arm workout there.

I cannot tell you how good i feel right now. So much energy, happy, just a great feeling. I have to keep this up!

[steelhammer]

^^^ That seems like a hell of a lot of volume for a beginner. Depending on your goals, I'd recommend Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It gives you a great base for size and strength, and you can milk the gains for many months.

Here's a link which will give you some info on the program. You can also just google "starting strength rippetoe reviews" and see what other people have to say about it. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/startin ... bible.html

I 2nd that. 'Stronglifts' is good too. It's kind of a joke that they put calf raises and bicep curls alongside those other lifts. Scratch those two and do shrugs and pull ups instead. Better yet, just do the Stronglifts routine: http://stronglifts.com/

[steelhammer]

I'm doing the Smolov program right now for my front squat. Very tough already and I still have 11 weeks to go http://stronglifts.com/how-to-add-100-p ... at-smolov/

[TheHammer24]

^^^ That seems like a hell of a lot of volume for a beginner. Depending on your goals, I'd recommend Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It gives you a great base for size and strength, and you can milk the gains for many months.

Here's a link which will give you some info on the program. You can also just google "starting strength rippetoe reviews" and see what other people have to say about it. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/startin ... bible.html

I 2nd that. 'Stronglifts' is good too. It's kind of a joke that they put calf raises and bicep curls alongside those other lifts. Scratch those two and do shrugs and pull ups instead. Better yet, just do the Stronglifts routine: http://stronglifts.com/

Does strong lifts really work? 3 5x5 exercises 3 days a week? That would shock me. I'm tempted to try it, but I must admit, the barbell lifts like squat and deadlifts intimidate me. I generally get big time gym anxiety already.

I'm thinking about finishing a cycle of P90X (I'm still not nearly good enough at Pull Ups and Pushups, for instance), then working to build mass through a stronglifts routine.

[steelhammer]

^^^ That seems like a hell of a lot of volume for a beginner. Depending on your goals, I'd recommend Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It gives you a great base for size and strength, and you can milk the gains for many months.

Here's a link which will give you some info on the program. You can also just google "starting strength rippetoe reviews" and see what other people have to say about it. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/startin ... bible.html

I 2nd that. 'Stronglifts' is good too. It's kind of a joke that they put calf raises and bicep curls alongside those other lifts. Scratch those two and do shrugs and pull ups instead. Better yet, just do the Stronglifts routine: http://stronglifts.com/

Does strong lifts really work? 3 5x5 exercises 3 days a week? That would shock me. I'm tempted to try it, but I must admit, the barbell lifts like squat and deadlifts intimidate me. I generally get big time gym anxiety already.

I'm thinking about finishing a cycle of P90X (I'm still not nearly good enough at Pull Ups and Pushups, for instance), then working to build mass through a stronglifts routine.

Yeah, it really works. I WISH I had a routine this simple and effective when I was starting out. I spent countless and wasteful hours trying to do 5 different exercises for my chest and back while totally ignoring my lower body. It works because you use compound movements with moderate volume and continue to make progress. Best to download the spreadsheet and see how it actually looks in schedule format.

Nothing wrong with finishing P90x first. Really though, there is NOTHING to be intimidated about regarding free weights (other than using bad technique and injuring yourself). Nobody cares if you can bench 300 lbs or 100 lbs. Everybody has to start somewhere and everybody wants to make progress. You'll actually probably be surprised how helpful people are if you join a good gym.

Additionally, there is such a wealth of information now on the web you can spend plenty of time researching the lifts while you finish p90x. That site is such a great resource because they have articles that go into good detail on how to execute the lifts properly. There are videos as well. The good thing about the program is that you start light (yes, even lighter than you may want to) and really nail the technique down. Just be patient. Hard work pays off and good things take time. The general rule of exercise is that people overestimate how much progress they will make in 2-3 months and underestimate how much they will make in 1-2 years. As a beginner though with this program, you will make a lot of progress in the first two months and continue to progress well after that. Once you plateau, there are already 2 or 3 other programs you can start after that. Good luck.

[Rylan]

TRX my friends. Give it a try if you can. I consider it to be greater than free weights and p90x.

[DudeMan2766]

I just put my P90X set up on craigslist today for $80 and got someone meeting me tmw for it. I bought it just about a year ago and never stuck with it past 3 weeks. It was nice that it gave me a lot of new movements and exercises , but I feel weird if I dont get to the gym every day, so I always by passed the living room work out to go to the gym. Plus, I did the Pylo a lot last summer and I think it really messed up my knees.

[pittsoccer33]

my new exercise thing has been running home from work. ive done it six times in the last two weeks so far.

take the bus in and run 4.2 miles from downtown straight up liberty avenue into shadyside.

right around the church brew works it turns into a real barn burner. the best part of the whole workout is how much more energy i have in the evenings to get stuff done. whether going to the store or cleaning or finally finishing decorating, i am much more willing to do things (and less hungry too).

[Troy Loney]

That is a good idea. How do you handle the multiple outfits needed to pull that off?

[pittsoccer33]

i stopped at dunhams the other night looking for a backpack that wouldnt bounce much but didnt find what I was looking for. maybe a new balance store would have it?

i drove in one day and took them home with me then. today im just going to carry a gym bag i brought in on the bus ride home.

[Troy Loney]

i stopped at dunhams the other night looking for a backpack that wouldnt bounce much but didnt find what I was looking for. maybe a new balance store would have it?

i drove in one day and took them home with me then. today im just going to carry a gym bag i brought in on the bus ride home.

So you left your work clothes in the office?

I'm not sure where your going to get that kind of backpack...you might need to hit a runners message board for advice on that.

[Malkamaniac]

my new exercise thing has been running home from work. ive done it six times in the last two weeks so far.

take the bus in and run 4.2 miles from downtown straight up liberty avenue into shadyside.

right around the church brew works it turns into a real barn burner. the best part of the whole workout is how much more energy i have in the evenings to get stuff done. whether going to the store or cleaning or finally finishing decorating, i am much more willing to do things (and less hungry too).

That hill has to suck.

[pittsoccer33]

So you left your work clothes in the office?

Yea I just folded them and stashed them in my desk drawer.

The company is running all of these initiatives to walk/bike/jog to work, but they have no plan to deal with the actual logistics of it.

[Troy Loney]

my new exercise thing has been running home from work. ive done it six times in the last two weeks so far.

take the bus in and run 4.2 miles from downtown straight up liberty avenue into shadyside.

right around the church brew works it turns into a real barn burner. the best part of the whole workout is how much more energy i have in the evenings to get stuff done. whether going to the store or cleaning or finally finishing decorating, i am much more willing to do things (and less hungry too).

That hill has to suck.

it does. You should go up penn instead. it's a little steeper but not as prolonged as liberty.

I used to do a run from my gym on 28th street to the cathedral through bloomfield and shadyside to run the cathedral stairs. we'd go up penn to get to bloomfield.

[TheHammer24]

That's cool PittSoccer. Good on you. I bet it's particularly nice doing that because you don't have to spend that much time working out, as running four miles isn't likely that much longer than the commute!

[pittsoccer33]

That's cool PittSoccer. Good on you. I bet it's particularly nice doing that because you don't have to spend that much time working out, as running four miles isn't likely that much longer than the commute!

Early in the morning its easy to be gung ho about working out later that day. So I jump on the bus with my shorts, shoes, and tshirt. If I didn't do it, I'd be much more likely not to do anything when I got home.

Even if I don't feel like it come 5pm, I have three options - run anyway (be home in 35ish minutes), take the bus (be home in 45ish minutes and have to stand and pay more money), or walk (75ish minutes). So it forces you into it and like you said I'm able to kill my commute time exercising.

When I lived on the south side I walked to and from work nearly every day. So at least I can still do this.

[TheHammer24]

More people should bike to and from work. Biking is so liberating. I started doing it here (Chicago), which is remarkably flat and super remarkably flat by Pittsburgh's terms. That being said, I bet biking to work in many instances is quicker than driving or commuting depending on where you live, it's a lot of fun, and it's great exercise.

[pittsoccer33]

More people should bike to and from work. Biking is so liberating. I started doing it here (Chicago), which is remarkably flat and super remarkably flat by Pittsburgh's terms. That being said, I bet biking to work in many instances is quicker than driving or commuting depending on where you live, it's a lot of fun, and it's great exercise.

I would do that in a heartbeat, but even though my ride in would essentially be straight down hill, I still imagine being all sweaty when I got in and I wouldn't have a way to get nice slacks and what not into work without being wrinkled.

[no name]

So I've been eating healthy / hitting the gym (but pretty aimlessly). O... I'll try this machine, how about this one.. Type of mentality. I really want to start to get some structure into what I'm doing

I came across this while using the google machine (was on bodybuilding.com)

I'm curious if you guys approve of it for someone starting out?

A Simple beginner's Routine
You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.

Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:
The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps.
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and

repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.
Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.

Yes for a beginner workout its perfect, But i don't see a tricep exercise in there?? Get one.
3 day a week is perfect for a beginner
You should heve enough weight that your last rep on the last set is really hard to do. don't worry about that til the 3 week though
This is the same full bod workout i did when i started and had nice gains, but i had no experience so you always have nice gains when first starting.
Get a clock, you will want to make sure you rest 45 seconds between sets, if i don't have a clock i used to wait to long.
I am not a big guy and never went much futher in lifting that geting a bit bigger, but it was well worth it, the extra strenght and definition (looks from the ladies) made it all worth while.

[steelhammer]

I just put my P90X set up on craigslist today for $80 and got someone meeting me tmw for it. I bought it just about a year ago and never stuck with it past 3 weeks. It was nice that it gave me a lot of new movements and exercises , but I feel weird if I dont get to the gym every day, so I always by passed the living room work out to go to the gym. Plus, I did the Pylo a lot last summer and I think it really messed up my knees.

The plyo in p90x isn't real plyometrics. At least not in the sense one would use for serious athletic training. That being said, people shouldn't engage in any plyometrics unless they can perform a back squat with a bar loaded at A MINIMUM of 1.5x their body weight. Otherwise it can lead to injuries as your leg muscles simply aren't strong enough. Here is what real plyometrics look like (as part of complex training):

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