Gym/Exercise Thread

[PensFanInDC]

If you have a bench you can do back extensions. You're doing a lot already.

[Pavel Bure]

Muscles in my butt I didn't know I had hurt right now.

[Eismann]

If you have a bench you can do back extensions. You're doing a lot already.

I do. Small Marcy with adjustable incline and leg extension.

Anything in the plio realm? Own-body?

[PensFanInDC]

If you have access to Med ball you could do overhead throws. That works the lats and posterior delts. Any explosive overhead throwing motion really.

Plyo pull ups are good.

Clean and press. Overhead press.

Back plyo exercises are limited.

As for own weight the classic back extension using the bench is good. You can even hug a plate or dumbell for added resistance.

[dodint]

If I did nothing but flat bench, bicep curls, triceps extensions, and forearm curls for a year what would happen? Would the lack of 'muscle confusion' lead to me plateauing and wasting the last 8 months or so, or would I keep progressing and end up oddly misshapen from not working out anything else?
I ask because I was doing a really short program doing just those four things just to get back into the swing of things and now I need to decide whether to keep screwing around with it or slide into a real routine. I've been very happy with the quickness of the routine. I have no real performance based goals so that isn't driving me. I just want to feel and look better over time, and not gain too much muscle mass as I'd like to play hockey again eventually.

[Eismann]

If you have access to Med ball you could do overhead throws. That works the lats and posterior delts. Any explosive overhead throwing motion really.

Plyo pull ups are good.

Clean and press. Overhead press.

Back plyo exercises are limited.

As for own weight the classic back extension using the bench is good. You can even hug a plate or dumbell for added resistance.

I'll try some of those. I find that I'm also really lacking in lats, missing a pull-down.

[tifosi77]

With the band, I do seated rows with the band wrapped around an elevated leg of an armoir.

I'd be a little cautious using a piece of furniture to anchor a band, even a sturdy piece like an armoir. Would be much more secure using a door anchor. This will also help you with the lats by giving you a pull-down option.

Also, don't neglect low back/core. Swimmers are a good exercise for that; just get into the 'Superman' position on your belly and flutter your arms and legs. Left leg/right arm, right leg/left arm.

If I did nothing but flat bench, bicep curls, triceps extensions, and forearm curls for a year what would happen? Would the lack of 'muscle confusion' lead to me plateauing and wasting the last 8 months or so, or would I keep progressing and end up oddly misshapen from not working out anything else?

Having done 1.5 rounds of P90X (and using workouts from X2 and X3 as part of an irregular program), I am convinced that 'muscle confusion' is a marketing term for 'mixing things up to keep you interested and actively using the program'.

[tifosi77]

Muscles in my butt I didn't know I had hurt right now.

[tifosi77]

New book recommendation:

Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance

I recommended this guy's website, Mobility WOD, several days ago. A neighbor lent his book to me over the weekend, and it's fantastic. Spent about five minutes looking through before I figured I should probably just buy it for myself. Which I just did. Great stuff.

[JS©]

I'm 99% sure I just passed Kurt Angle at the gym.

It's true.... It's possibly true.

[dodint]

[youtube][/youtube]

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Want to so some sort of martial art classes but none of them are cheaper than 100$ a month which is so expensive IMO.

[tifosi77]

About ten years ago I looked into doing Krav Maga. $75 annual membership fee, monthly dues ~$25, each class was like $10 or $20 (altho I think you got like five freebies a month or something), sparring was extra..... I think I figured it would cost about $300 or $400 a month just doing one basic class.

[PensFanInDC]

Annual membership, monthly dues, AND per class costs? That's ridiculous.

[no name]

I am looking to start a lifting program to gain mass. I have been lifting 2 times a week for the past 3 months. Full body workout, one exercise per body part. 4 sets about 8 reps. I have lost 30 pounds so far got 10 more to go befor i start lifting seriousoly. If anyone has any advice or websites that would help me please send it along. ANy personal advice on supplements or what kind of split workout i should go with? I am also doing 3 days of cardio about 3 miles a day.

My only limitation is i workout at home with barbell and dumbells and a weight bench and i am 42 so i think i could handle a decient work load but not as much as a 20 year old.

[PensFanInDC]

Lift 5+ days a week. If you want to gain mass, that is the only way to do it. Focus on one area a day:

Monday: Arms
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Back
Thursday: Chest/Abs
Friday: Lift for max weight*

Make it a circuit. For example:

Arm Day

Curls - 15 reps
Arm Raises - 15 reps (both lateral and linear)
Shoulder Press - 15 reps
Dips - 15 reps

Complete the circuit as fast as possible, take a 3 minute rest, repeat 5 times. Finish workout with 5 minutes of HIIT. Got any cardio equipment? If not, is there a place to run? Go as hard and as fast as you can for 30 seconds and then take a 30 second moving rest (jog or slow bike pedal, etc.). Repeat for 5 minutes.

You can increase the reps to 20, 25, 30, or 50. Whatever you feel comfortable doing. 15 was just an example.

*Try and do each weight exercise you did during the week at your max weight +5lbs (or more, try not to do more than 10lbs) for at least 3 reps. This will help increase your ability to lift higher weight and, in turn, speed up you mass building.

Eismann has some good supplement tips in the Vitamin thread

[tifosi77]

Wow, those rep counts are loco. I had always heard 8-10 reps of a heavier weight for mass, 12-15 of a lighter weight to lean out. Whichever way you go, just make sure the weight is such that the last 2-3 reps are hard, because that's where the gains are.

[PensFanInDC]

Wow, those rep counts are loco. I had always heard 8-10 reps of a heavier weight for mass, 12-15 of a lighter weight to lean out. Whichever way you go, just make sure the weight is such that the last 2-3 reps are hard, because that's where the gains are.

Exactly. I don't know where no name is as far as his weight totals so I gave some examples. Personally, when I was doing olympic lifting, I would only do 8-10 reps total for each exercise but I was specifically training to lift. The weight should be set so that you have 1 or 2 reps left max in the tank when you are done. Lifting lighter weight for more reps will burn more fat and lifting heavier weight for lower reps will build more mass.

[dodint]

I was doing some bench press yesterday and it felt really weird. At first I thought the bar was caught on something, and then maybe that I had really messed something up in one side of my chest because it just wasn't right. After that first set I stopped to look and I had mounted the wrong sized plate to one side of the bar. No bueno.

[GSdrums87]

Lift 5+ days a week. If you want to gain mass, that is the only way to do it. Focus on one area a day:

Monday: Arms
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Back
Thursday: Chest/Abs
Friday: Lift for max weight*

Make it a circuit. For example:

Arm Day

Curls - 15 reps
Arm Raises - 15 reps (both lateral and linear)
Shoulder Press - 15 reps
Dips - 15 reps

Complete the circuit as fast as possible, take a 3 minute rest, repeat 5 times. Finish workout with 5 minutes of HIIT. Got any cardio equipment? If not, is there a place to run? Go as hard and as fast as you can for 30 seconds and then take a 30 second moving rest (jog or slow bike pedal, etc.). Repeat for 5 minutes.

You can increase the reps to 20, 25, 30, or 50. Whatever you feel comfortable doing. 15 was just an example.

*Try and do each weight exercise you did during the week at your max weight +5lbs (or more, try not to do more than 10lbs) for at least 3 reps. This will help increase your ability to lift higher weight and, in turn, speed up you mass building.

Eismann has some good supplement tips in the Vitamin thread

I'd never do arms before back or chest in a week. Needlessly fatiguing the extremities that are already going to get hammered on chest and back days.

[no name]

Thanks PensfaninDC, 5 day split that look intense. The ones i was seeing were 3 day or they had a upper and lower split that you did 2 times a week. I am looking just to get bigger so i guess i would go with the low sets low reps with heavy weights? I was reading that alot of old school lifters do 5 sets at 5 reps going real heavy.

I have done circuts in the past and really like doing things like that.

Thanks for the advice.

[PensFanInDC]

I'd never do arms before back or chest in a week. Needlessly fatiguing the extremities that are already going to get hammered on chest and back days.

Twas an example.

Mix it up any way you want.

[Idoit40fans]

After the pittsburgh toronto trip i finished a week ago, getting back into the gym for the first time today

[no name]

After the pittsburgh toronto trip i finished a week ago, getting back into the gym for the first time today

On this diet for the past 3 months - 30 pounds lost - 10 more to go Now i am going on vacation!!! Pizza, wings, hoagies, beer every night. not looking to bright for weight loss. Torn between trying to keep it going or just let loose.

But comming home and getting back in the rythem of "the diet" i do worry that i won't find "the zone" i found the last couple months. That first weight lifting session, first 3 mile jog might not go so well.

[Idoit40fans]

It has been bad. The quality of food ive been taking in has been awful and thus the weight lifting today was pathetic. Also i havent swam in almost a month now and its looking bad for me getting back into that at all.