Gym/Exercise Thread

[steelhammer]

You don't need to change exercises. You just need to change rep/set/rest schemes. You can't just progressively load forever. Look into periodization. Olympic lifters do the same exercises all the time and they are among the strongest people in the world. Same with people who compete in powerlifting and strongman events.


Edit: of course that assumes you are doing quality exercises. If you are doing cable crossovers and 5 different bicep curl exercises then you'll get very little out of it.

Periodization......?

No, my split:

Bench Day
-Bench Press (3 sets) of 5 or 3 or 5-3-1 reps
-Incline Press (5 sets)
-Close Grip Pull-ups (5 sets)
-Seated DB Tricep Ext (5 sets)

Squat Day
-Squats (3 sets) of 5 or 3 or 5-3-1 reps
-Back Hyperext (5 sets)
-Leg Press (5 sets)
-Abs (5 sets) *If I feel like it

MP Day
-Military Press (3 sets) of 5 or 3 or 5-3-1 reps
-Dips (5 sets)
-DB Rows (5 sets)
-BB Shrugs (5 sets)

Deadlift Day
-Deadlift (3 sets) or 5 or 3 or 5-3-1 reps
-Lying Leg Curl (5 sets)
-Wide Grip Chins (5 sets)
-Abs* (same deal)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_periodization It's not specific to just lifting weights.

Your exercises seem fine. No need to always do 1-5 reps though. Looking into backing off for a week and going really really light. Spend some time (4-6 weeks or more) doing some higher reps stuff (12, 15 or even 20 reps). Look into conjugate training and plyometrics to develop explosive power. Hill sprints. Bike sprints. Swimming. Etc. Can't just lift extremely heavy all the time. It will cause your CNS to burn out.

[crokin]

The program calls for a de-load week every 4 weeks.

Here's the thing, like I said, the 1st 3 weeks on this program were amazing, but the last two have sucked.
So you think maybe rotating in a few new exercises, and going heavier on the compounds, may do the trick, and just rotate back and fourth month to month?

Amazing.

[Staggy]

As long as you're making gains on your current program, there's no need to change it up. Only change when your gains stall or you are just too bored with the program. Sometimes a deload week can do wonders.

[crokin]

As long as you're making gains on your current program, there's no need to change it up. Only change when your gains stall or you are just too bored with the program. Sometimes a deload week can do wonders.

Well, I am hitting all my reps with increasing weight (good).
But I am getting absolutely no pump, I definitely look a lot worse than when I was on the 1st cycle.

Makes me wonder if it's time to simply change all non-compound exercises, or change everything and go back to 8-12 reps across the board for a few weeks.

[Staggy]

As long as you're making gains on your current program, there's no need to change it up. Only change when your gains stall or you are just too bored with the program. Sometimes a deload week can do wonders.

Well, I am hitting all my reps with increasing weight (good).
But I am getting absolutely no pump, I definitely look a lot worse than when I was on the 1st cycle.

Makes me wonder if it's time to simply change all non-compound exercises, or change everything and go back to 8-12 reps across the board for a few weeks.

As long as you're increasing the weight I'd say you should stay on it. Pump doesn't do anything except give you a confidence boost as you leave the gym.

[crokin]

As long as you're making gains on your current program, there's no need to change it up. Only change when your gains stall or you are just too bored with the program. Sometimes a deload week can do wonders.

Well, I am hitting all my reps with increasing weight (good).
But I am getting absolutely no pump, I definitely look a lot worse than when I was on the 1st cycle.

Makes me wonder if it's time to simply change all non-compound exercises, or change everything and go back to 8-12 reps across the board for a few weeks.

As long as you're increasing the weight I'd say you should stay on it. Pump doesn't do anything except give you a confidence boost as you leave the gym.

I live for that

[Staggy]

Haha alright, then maybe at the end of your workout throw in a couple sets of bicep curls with a light weight and just do as many as you can.

[tluke53]

Do youns pay any particular attention to balance when it comes to lifting? For example is there such a thing as a Curl to Bench Press ratio or something like that? I am struggling through three sets Bench Pressing at 150lbs but curling 40 lb dumbells with ease. (did 45 last night). It feels like me Chest should be developing faster.

[Staggy]

No that doesn't really matter. Just make sure you're benching before you curl during your workouts. You always want to start with your core lifts and then do some isolation movements.

[steelhammer]

Do youns pay any particular attention to balance when it comes to lifting? For example is there such a thing as a Curl to Bench Press ratio or something like that? I am struggling through three sets Bench Pressing at 150lbs but curling 40 lb dumbells with ease. (did 45 last night). It feels like me Chest should be developing faster.

Balance is certainly important, but not so much between different muscle groups and compound vs isolation lifts. Ratio's that would be important (depending on how serious you are):

1. Bench press to overhead press ratio;
2. Squat to deadlift ratio;
3. Squat, deadlift and bench press to bodyweight ratio;
4. Powerclean to bodyweight ratio;
5. Snatch (the lift) to bodyweight ratio;
6. Vertical to broad jump ratio;
7. Maybe triceps to bicep strength ratio? Your triceps should be much much stronger;
8. A valid Wingate test;
9. Front squat to overhead squat ratio.

[Staggy]

I just almost threw up after a big set of deadlifts. It was great.

[Idoit40fans]

So that should be the end of anyone listening to your bs advise

[Staggy]

Lol uh no, it's normal to get nauseous or dizzy after doing heavy sets of squats or deadlifts to failure. It's not like I was leaning over the toilet gagging. My body was just physically spent.

[crokin]

So I took your advice, last two workouts, my main lift was the same structure (5-3-1 3 sets).
But my supplementary exercises I switched things up.
They have been better.
Just surprised at how I can get results doing the one split for 4 weeks, but by week 5/6 my body completely does not respond.

[Staggy]

So I took your advice, last two workouts, my main lift was the same structure (5-3-1 3 sets).
But my supplementary exercises I switched things up.
They have been better.
Just surprised at how I can get results doing the one split for 4 weeks, but by week 5/6 my body completely does not respond.

That sounds like a good idea. I've always structured my workouts where as long as my core lifts (squats, deads, and bench) are progressing, I'll keep them the same. I'll change my supplementary lifts every 8 weeks or so to prevent boredom and stagnation. Once my core lifts stall and a deload doesn't help them, I'll overhaul my program with something new to shock my body into hopefully some new growth.

[no name]

I alt. between a full body workout and a superset workout. Using different exercises for each muscle depending on the routine. This didn't get me real big but i got defined and toned and did make enough gains that you could see a difference in my size. If you are serious about lifting and getting big its all about eating and protein and lifting heavy weights.

I just wanted to be inshape and gain a little size so my simple basic routine did it for me.

[crokin]

I alt. between a full body workout and a superset workout. Using different exercises for each muscle depending on the routine. This didn't get me real big but i got defined and toned and did make enough gains that you could see a difference in my size. If you are serious about lifting and getting big its all about eating and protein and lifting heavy weights.

I just wanted to be inshape and gain a little size so my simple basic routine did it for me.

At first, I wanted to get massive (Ronnie from Jersey Shore ).
But really, I just want to look well toned, and in shape.

I'm amzed at how week 1 of a new workout, I can look just fine.
But doing that same workout, week 5 I can definitely look a lot worse.
I kinda don't get it, I mean it's hard to think you can 'lose' tone/definition that easily (easy come/easy go).
Makes me think, that your appearance week to week isn't anything more than a temporary thing.

[no name]

Its funny you say you actually look worse, when i was 40 pounds over weight (215) and i lost 5 to 10 pounds, my body was just sagging, it felt like i got fatter, sounds weird but my fat got jigglier... it wasn't til i got down to 190 where you could see a hint of tone muscle. Once i hit 175 (my goal weight) then it really showed why i was working out. I had defitnition and good muscle shape. No i didn't look lik e a football player in shape. But i had alopt more than i ever had in my life. My origional diet made me lose tone muscle, so after i lost alot of fat i went on a weight gaining diet while building muscle. Best thing i ever did in my life.

[count2infinity]

started using myfitnesspal to track my caloric intake (ya know, as a part of trying get all healthy and whatnot). It's really nice. It's free and it keeps you accountable as long as you're honest with yourself. I put in that i wanted to lose 1 pound a week for a nice slow loss rather than all at once. Gives me a caloric target for each day. The best part about it is it really shows you how many calories come from certain foods. When i'd go to lunch I'd fill up my soda refill once or twice while I was there. Now seeing how many calories that is i'll just stick to water. It also logs your exercise. It takes how ever many calories you burn from your exercise and adds them to your allowed caloric intake. The other day i was at 50 calories because I ate 2,000 for the day, walked for two hours (while teaching a 4 hour lab I circled the lab continuously, but just put in 2 hours worth) and an hour and a half of racquetball. It saves every food you log so that you can just do a quick find of it, or you can search for foods and with how many people use this thing, pretty much everything you would eat is on there. we'll see how it goes.

[Pen48guins]

I have myfitnesspal too.
username is Pen48guins over there too incase you want to add me.

But, I started the Baltimore City Fire Academy last week.

They do some serious PT. I'm sore everyday and exhausted when I get home. BCFDs academy recently got on this PT kick. In past classes they would play wiffle ball for PT.

Now we do some hardcore crap for at least an hour and have assessments every week.
Getting hired is not only awesome because I get paid to do what I like but I'm also getting paid to get in shape right now.
I have been eating a lot better too. The wife wants to lose weight and with both of us doing it, it has made dinner a lot easier to come up with.

My first weight in was at 229lbs. Our academy class graduates in April.

[tifosi77]

Anyone ever do Tabata protocol cardio?

Pretty intense stuff. Basically a few minutes of steady-state cardio to warm up, then a 4:00 set of exercise that goes :20 of max effort applied to whatever movement you're doing, then :10 of rest (I did 4 rounds for a 16-minute workout), then a few minutes of cool down.*

First time I tried it I did an initial set of air squats (trying to maintain butt-to-heel form), then burpees, then bear crawls, then squats raising a 10 lb weight plate overhead on the downstroke.

Oh. My. God.

If you are curious about your cardio health, this will answer your questions. My throat was burning so badly from the heavy breathing that even when I woke up the next morning it felt like I had swallowed alien blood-acid. Did it again last night but skipped the weighted squats (read online that doing this stuff with resistance is actually no bueno).

Remember, these are max effort movements. For example, you should be doing 1 squat every second and a half or so.

It doesn't sound like much, but holy crikey.........











* That's a vastly simplified version of it, btw.

[steelhammer]

I don't do Tabatas, but I am a huge proponent of interval training. I'm more interested in sprinting abilities (generating the maximum amount of power possible) so I gear my training towards short-sprint interval training. This usually entails 6-12 second intervals of ALL OUT sprints followed by light rest intervals of 2-3 minutes. On my bike trainer I can generate an average of around 1700 watts over a 6-second interval. Goal is to get 2000 someday, but that will be very difficult to achieve. Sometimes I go for longer intervals of up to 5 minutes, but these are nowhere close to max effort. If you truly go to your body's maximum capacity then your intervals become very short. In the Tabata intervals your 'max' becomes an increasingly relative term which is why I have never taken as much of a liking to them. Complexes with dumbbells or barbells are something to look into as well.

[pittsports87]

I don't do Tabatas, but I am a huge proponent of interval training. I'm more interested in sprinting abilities (generating the maximum amount of power possible) so I gear my training towards short-sprint interval training. This usually entails 6-12 second intervals of ALL OUT sprints followed by light rest intervals of 2-3 minutes. On my bike trainer I can generate an average of around 1700 watts over a 6-second interval. Goal is to get 2000 someday, but that will be very difficult to achieve. Sometimes I go for longer intervals of up to 5 minutes, but these are nowhere close to max effort. If you truly go to your body's maximum capacity then your intervals become very short. In the Tabata intervals your 'max' becomes an increasingly relative term which is why I have never taken as much of a liking to them. Complexes with dumbbells or barbells are something to look into as well.

Is Tabatas when you marry a woman much older than you and play baseball?

[tifosi77]

SH, you should look into the Insanity program from Beachbody.com. It takes your interval training and inverts it - several minutes of max effort work, 50 or 60 seconds of rest. It's like Tabata, but for 45 minutes.....

Here's a cool little rundown of Tabata from Livestrong.com

It's not really about increasing your work output as much as it is about drastically increasing your aerobic and anaerobic capacity, as well as supercharging your metabolism (i.e. burn fat).

[the errey i breathe]

I've been going to the gym pretty regularly for the past 18 months and I've found that working in burn sets can really help you over a plateau. If not those, when I was in college I worked out with a guy who swore by a "Buckeye Burn" method he used. Its 8 reps @85% of your max then 6@ like 75% then 4@50% then 4@85%. Definitely need a spotter but after pushing through those last 4 it can really make a difference. Any time i stagnate on bench or deadlifts I'll go to this and it will usually work after a week or two.