The Gym Thread...

[Bionic Balls]

no offence mate...you'll get there!

record is 10,507...which is f**king awesome

[Fishy]

The guy who held it before broke his spine didn't he?

[Peperami]

Seriously, on the squats 5 reps and a higher weight and do them 3 times a week.

Really bad idea for a beginner mate. Bad idea for most people! Keep at 15 reps, high reps can be brilliant on legs.

G4vyn - Triathalon sounds wicked mate, have always fancied doing one but never got round to entering. Which part of uksf were you thinking of training for before the change of heart?

a little tame for some of you i reckon...but i want to get a chin up bar in the house.....

anyone recommend one that doesn't need fixings?

cheers..

Not tame at all, chin-ups are brilliant mate.

If you cant get one in the house improvise... are there any doorways sturdy enough to use? Trees with low branches? Garden gate have a bar over it when open? football pitches nearby (goal posts are good)? kids playgrounds (i used to do mine off the swings, lol, and re-route a run so it went over a railway footbridge i could swing off)

Sorry to be an arsehole and post this up for the second time in 2 days, but I didn't get any feedback cos you were all too busy talking about bloody sit ups So...feedback on my work-in-progress routine?

Can i run my new routine through with you geeks...

Sunday:

Chest - flat bench press. 3 sets, rep to failure

dumbbell flys 1 set, 12 reps (straight after bench, no rest to give muscle a good stretch)

Shoulders - dumbbell shoulder press 3 sets, 8 reps

Triceps - dumbbell extensions 3 sets, 8 reps.

Tuesday:

Back - deadlifts 3 sets 8 reps

bent over rows 3 sets 10reps

Biceps - standing alternate dumbbell curls 3 sets 8 reps

Standing barbell curls 3 sets 8 reps (lower weight)

Abs - toe touches 3 sets 20 reps

Thursday:

Legs - squats 3 sets 15 reps (medium weight)

Abs - usual

Back - deadlifts 3 sets 8 reps

bent over rows 3 sets 10 reps

Also a bit of cardio here and there. How does that routine sound? Quite new to weight training so im going to find out what weight (kg) is best to use for each exercise as I start my first few weeks.

p.s I don't have room for a bench so im substituting it with an exercise ball, rock on.

Looks alright fella. To be honest, you'll get told any exercise plan is wrong by 100 different 'armchair experts' or fitness instructors that think they know best, but you're the only one that knows if its working.

If you get pumped up, can push yourself on the exercises and feel yourself getting sore the day after, without being really uncomfortable after you've worked out, as a beginners circuit it'll help you to grow.

How long have you been training for, and what are you aiming to achieve?

One thing id do is to try get yourself a decent bench, worth its weight in gold over a fitness ball... its very hard to push yourself on benched exercises without a sturdy bench below you, without causing yourself an injury. Worth investing in, and most will fold up pretty small too when not in use.

Edited April 26, 2008 by Peperami

[manxrider]

Hold on? have you ever heard of mark rippetoe?

[Peperami]

Why?

[manxrider]

Because the wrote Starting Strength, possibly the most renound begginer workout ever.

which looks like this:

Workout A

3x5 Squat

3x5 Bench Press

1x5 Deadlift

Workout B

3x5 Squat

3x5 Standing military press

3x5 Power cleans

You train on 3 nonconsecutive days per week.

So week 1 might look like:

Monday - Workout A

Wednesday - Workout B

Friday - Workout A

Week 2:

Monday - Workout B

Wednesday - Workout A

Friday - Workout B

And he says to squat 3 times a week, and he knows his shit.

[Peperami]

Why would a beginner squat heavy 3 times a week? Once a week is more than enough mate.

If i squat properly it takes me 3 days until i can walk properly again, and at least 5 before i want to squat again! (without risking damaging my knees etc)

[I'm hungry]

Sorry to be an arsehole and post this up for the second time in 2 days, but I didn't get any feedback cos you were all too busy talking about bloody sit ups So...feedback on my work-in-progress routine?

Can i run my new routine through with you geeks...

Sunday:

Chest - flat bench press. 3 sets, rep to failure

dumbbell flys 1 set, 12 reps (straight after bench, no rest to give muscle a good stretch)

Shoulders - dumbbell shoulder press 3 sets, 8 reps

Triceps - dumbbell extensions 3 sets, 8 reps.

Tuesday:

Back - deadlifts 3 sets 8 reps

bent over rows 3 sets 10reps

Biceps - standing alternate dumbbell curls 3 sets 8 reps

Standing barbell curls 3 sets 8 reps (lower weight)

Abs - toe touches 3 sets 20 reps

Thursday:

Legs - squats 3 sets 15 reps (medium weight)

Abs - usual

Back - deadlifts 3 sets 8 reps

bent over rows 3 sets 10 reps

Also a bit of cardio here and there. How does that routine sound? Quite new to weight training so im going to find out what weight (kg) is best to use for each exercise as I start my first few weeks.

p.s I don't have room for a bench so im substituting it with an exercise ball, rock on.

In my oppinion, i would never work chest and tris or back and bis together.

Chest takes alot out of your triceps so by the time you'll be done with chest your triceps will be 50% gone. Same if you twist it around and do triceps first, it will affect your chest workout in a big way.

Back takes alot out of biceps, pulldowns, pullups, rows and stuff like that involve biceps quite abit.

I always work chest and biceps and back and triceps, always get a good 100% workout and they always feel "fresh" and strong before the workout.

Its up to you though, if it works for you do it, but try it my way aswell, might find it better.

Try to do 5 sets instead of 3, will work wonders if your used to always doing 3 sets.

Reps sound about right, on legs id keep reps between 14 - 18 never lower. Works so well, and they need a little extra because they are so adapted to exercise.

Same with calves, if your gona do them 20 reps and above. I can never get my calves to grow, hate that muscle, soooooo bloody stubborn!

Otherwise, just go in the gym do what you feel like doing, change around and keep your muscles "suprised". Dont keep the same exercise, same time, same order or your body will get used to it and stop growing.

SHOCK YOUR MUSCLES! is the best thing you can do.

Eat like a f**king tank too and you'll get where you want with a bit of hard work and dedication.

[manxrider]

Im only quoting whats from the book, if you want to ask why ask on bodybuilding.com or s&p on sherdog.com.

Mark rippetoe knows his stuff, So he's not going to say squat 3 times a week if you shouldn't.

[Peperami]

In my oppinion, i would never work chest and tris or back and bis together.

Chest takes alot out of your triceps so by the time you'll be done with chest your triceps will be 50% gone. Same if you twist it around and do triceps first, it will affect your chest workout in a big way.

Back takes alot out of biceps, pulldowns, pullups, rows and stuff like that involve biceps quite abit.

I always work chest and biceps and back and triceps, always get a good 100% workout and they always feel "fresh" and strong before the workout.

Its up to you though, if it works for you do it, but try it my way aswell, might find it better.

Try to do 5 sets instead of 3, will work wonders if your used to always doing 3 sets.

Reps sound about right, on legs id keep reps between 14 - 18 never lower. Works so well, and they need a little extra because they are so adapted to exercise.

Same with calves, if your gona do them 20 reps and above. I can never get my calves to grow, hate that muscle, soooooo bloody stubborn!

Otherwise, just go in the gym do what you feel like doing, change around and keep your muscles "suprised". Dont keep the same exercise, same time, same order or your body will get used to it and stop growing.

SHOCK YOUR MUSCLES! is the best thing you can do.

Eat like a f**king tank too and you'll get where you want with a bit of hard work and dedication.

At the same time fella, if you work either arms seperately, or work chest and bis or back and tris, you're effectively working those parts twice a week (biceps will get worked on youe chest and bis day, and then be fried when you come to do back a few days later), so cutting down on your recovery time... lots of people debate which is better, but it really makes no odds.

[I'm hungry]

its all about getting used to it. to people that squat once a week 3 times a week wll sound mad and the other way around.

2 months of squatting 3 times a week, and your body will be used to it. IT will hurt and be so shit for the month and a bit but you get into a habit.

i personally dont see it, i f**king hate squats, hate working legs and havent done legs in the gym for about 2 good months?! maybe a little longer.

if you want to be a phsyco then squat 3 times a week, you'll get nothing but respect from me because i cant even bring myself to do it once a week, nt even once a month.

and when i do come around and do legs.... dear lord, it takes me a good week and a half two weeks to recover fully.

hate legs!

ps. to the post above, i always make sure i train when muscle is fully recovered. if it comes to the day where i have to do bis like you said and im still a little sore, ill do shoulders (which never get sore for me).

yeh its down to what you like, was just saying my oppinion on things

Edited April 26, 2008 by I'm hungry

[Peperami]

Im only quoting whats from the book, if you want to ask why ask on bodybuilding.com or s&p on sherdog.com.

Mark rippetoe knows his stuff, So he's not going to say squat 3 times a week if you shouldn't.

So you've never tried it, and you're quoting what you've read in a workout book... hmmmmm.

[manxrider]

ermm, did I say I've never tried it? I do squat 3 times a week, and I have seen results.

"Mark Rippetoe, CSCS is the owner and general manager of Wichita Falls Athletic Club, CrossFit Wichita Falls and Performance Sports Conditioning. He has 25 years experience in the fitness industry and 10 years personal experience as a competitive powerlifter. He has coached athletes in barbell and strength sports since 1980. He was in the very first group to sit for the NCSA's Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam in 1985, and has been continuously certified since then. He was certified by USA Weightlifting as a Level III Coach in 1988, and currently holds the Senior Coach certification. He has coached numerous national level competitors, and many thousands of people interested in improving their health and strength."

If you can match that, I'll squat once a week at 15 reps.

[Peperami]

Lol, you obviously know best...

Ive sent you a pm rather than have silly arguments on the forum.

[angrybeaver23]

Talkabout squats...I always atart my workout with squats no matter what day it is!! quads are the biggest muscle in the body so stimulating it kicks out tones of test and adrenalin!!! Just do more and heavier on leg day!!

Squats amount of reps depends on body type a short person can get away with doing lower reps whereas a person with long legs like me has to pile on the weight and do more reps..

Also the guy who posted the workout i would change the days you work bi's and back to the next workout to give your arms an extra few days rest since you hit ye triceps.. just thats what i did and it worked much better.. as 48 hours was not eknough recovery time i didnt think... But then again itd doen to personal preference...

Start slowly and build up i been working out naturally nor for 3 years and in that time gone from a pipe cleaner thin 10st to 14 and a bit stone just takes time and effort and sticking with it as its a lot easier to loose than to gain in the first place...

And abs and forearms and calfs are different generally as they are in use almost constantly every day so they can be trained hard anytime you feel. i work them every day.

anyway enough of my half drunken rant hope it helps though!!

[Gavyn.]

G4vyn - Triathalon sounds wicked mate, have always fancied doing one but never got round to entering. Which part of uksf were you thinking of training for before the change of heart?

well I was really undecided I love both planes and boats so it was a tough one but the sbs would have been my first choice. I'd only really started my training if I'm honest I'm only about 2-3 months into it and I expected to train for 3 years before actually applying. I still think although it's something I'd love to do I don't think I would get in. I'm not sure I would have the mindset for it. Still that might change yet and I've got until I'm 32 to make my mind up.

[Peperami]

well I was really undecided I love both planes and boats so it was a tough one but the sbs would have been my first choice. I'd only really started my training if I'm honest I'm only about 2-3 months into it and I expected to train for 3 years before actually applying. I still think although it's something I'd love to do I don't think I would get in. I'm not sure I would have the mindset for it. Still that might change yet and I've got until I'm 32 to make my mind up.

The mindset will develop over time, all you need to do is never quit! Judging by your training sounds like you have the ability to get and maintin fitness fella. How were you planning to get there, progress through marines and see what happened?

[jeff-jeff]

well i thought i might post up my traning routine:

start with 20 pull ups or 15 pull-ups with 10kg weight in legs

then 20 dips 15 dips with 10kg some times 12kg weight in legs

then 10 lat-pull downs one weight of my body weight

then on to a peck machine which i do 10 (on weight 50 wich means nothing to some one who hasnt used it)

i repeat this 5 times so its

100/75 pull-ups

100/75 dips

50 lats

50 pecks

That normally takes 30-45mins

I then do sit-ups for the remaning 30-15 mins. I try to do 3 sets of:

20 crunch

20 alternates

20 V-sits

and 25 where you put a weight to each side while in crunch position.

[Peperami]

well i thought i might post up my traning routine:

start with 20 pull ups or 15 pull-ups with 10kg weight in legs

then 20 dips 15 dips with 10kg some times 12kg weight in legs

then 10 lat-pull downs one weight of my body weight

then on to a peck machine which i do 10 (on weight 50 wich means nothing to some one who hasnt used it)

i repeat this 5 times so its

100/75 pull-ups

100/75 dips

50 lats

50 pecks

That normally takes 30-45mins

I then do sit-ups for the remaning 30-15 mins. I try to do 3 sets of:

20 crunch

20 alternates

20 V-sits

and 25 where you put a weight to each side while in crunch position.

So its abs, two back exercises, some triceps exercises, and chest stretching. Does the gym have a bench press/ chest press machine?

[Ash-Kennard]

had an immense sesh today, f**k me i ache. lots of lateral pull down, pretty heavy ones too to be honest, benched, biceps, tricep dips, pec fly, rear doleriods

[munkee]

Squats are epic. However their place within your routine is simplisticly based on...... the routine.

Split body work outs .. squats will be done once a week imo. However like i said its based on the programme you are doing. For instance most of the stuff i have seen been posted by members in this thread contain a "weekly workout". Who says it should last a week? im currently doing a split body programme which last for 10 days before being repeated. In such a programme squats come up on two leg days as fronts and back squats. Works really good, supplement them with deadlift and your quads/hamstrings are f**ked.

Then theres the full body work out. For me this type of workout has given me the best gains, hypertrophy wise. Split programmes have given me good strength but nothing to show aesthetically. The full body works out i have done have consisted of a simple weekly routine with your whole body being hit every day as the name suggests, all major muscle groups (e.g. incline bench, wide grip pull ups, shoulder press, sumo deadlift, front squats, bicep curls, french press). They have consisted of 4 compound movements with 2 isolations per workout with different exercises filling these on different days.. e.g. first day u wud do decline bench, next day flat bench etc.. same muscle areas but different exercises. The compounds have come from bench/deadlifts/pulls ups/dips/squats etc, with isolations of smaller groups such as biceps/triceps etc. In a work out such as this squats once again have been done twice, front and backs however over a much smaller time scale of a week instead of the 10 days as mentioned. On the single off day of no squats the legs are moved to isolation such as calves/hamstrings. So they do still get a work out.

So now my point..i see no problem with people doing squats regular.. or infact not quite so regular..however they should be done. Even if you do them once a week you should keep on training your legs through isolation of hamstrings/quads/calves. Also whilst on the topic front squats are the most disgusting exercise ever.. and for those people who want to be adventurous. I did some german volume full body workout last year (the best programme i have ever tried) and that had 3reps x 10sets of squats. EPIC BRUTAL... but work amazing for pushing through the plateau that you inevitably hit after a while of trianing. I remember doing them on 110kg and not being able to walk to the next exercise (which happened to be straight leg deadlift... zomg... for 6reps x 4 sets hurt so bad after squats). My legs got huge from that and with a 30 rep volume on such a heavy weight (for someone my size) it worked wonders... just thought i would add that since people have mentioned volume. You dont need to do 15 reps and 2 sets.. you can switch it round to do low reps but big sets.. and infact for me they worked a lot better i felt fresh everytime i went to lift the weight and you sort of hit a zone where you want more and more.. soon as you stop for 10 mins your epic f**ked though lol

Edited April 28, 2008 by Spacemunkee

[jeff-jeff]

So its abs, two back exercises, some triceps exercises, and chest stretching. Does the gym have a bench press/ chest press machine?

well there is an olympic bench but loads of people use it and i dont like it much. pull-ups also do bicep. i dont do any leg work because i do alot of long distance runing.

sorry for spelling on psp.

[Peperami]

Be a good idea to integrate some push-ups into it too fella, could do them before your pec-decs to give the chest more of a workout.

Im the same with legs, my work can involve running/ being on your feet for long hours. Not something i can do after a leg workout where i can barely walk the day after! So back to running/ xc/ stair climbing for legs now, with the occasional weights workout thrown in.

[Fishy]

Bumped all my weights up now, feels soooooo good.

[Ash-Kennard]

this is the first time ive ached like this in a long time