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Official Fitness Thread of Whipping Your Butt into Shape
- Thread starter Captain Glanton
- Start date
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This sucks.JB1981 said:
Do you use a belt?
I would personally consider fitting cleans and weighted dips in your routine, but it generally looks solid.hectorse said:
Also, what do you do for cardio in your new program?
As for your diet, nothing terribly wrong with it, but if you want to lose weight you may want to cut on the sugars you get through fruits.
But those minor comments aside, all around it looks good to me, I'm sure that if you keep it up you're going to see good results.
I don't use a belt but perhaps I should consider it in the future? I thought using a belt was more of a crutch than anything else and prevented lifters from learning the proper lumbar spine form and all that ....Chichikov said:
what do you think would be the best approach to recovery? stay off the back til I start feeling better than slowly work back into my routine with lowered weight? I'm going to lose a lot of the progress I"ve made ... damn I was on such a good run too. Oh well, if it happens to the world's best athletes it's gonna happen to an average lifter like myself I guess ..... gonna stay positive .. keep eating good and look toward recovering.
BronzeWolf
Banned
Chichikov said:
For cardio I would do jogging as I've been doing, I thought the HiIT would suffice...
I have to remember you that I am WEAK, I think I can't do bodyweight dips!!! I fail so much lol
And I don't know what fitting cleans are and can't find them in the youtube'webs
Well, if you can work safely without a belt, it's better not to use one, but in my mind, when it comes to the lower back, when there is a doubt, there is no doubt -JB1981 said:
If you have lower back issues, use a belt.
You should still probably do you warm up and burn/drop sets without one if possible.
Personally I found out that when I go back to training while there's still a bit of pain (as opposed to waiting for zero tenderness) I get the best results.JB1981 said:
BUT, this is the lower back, DON'T FUCK WITH YOUR LOWER BACK.
Also, this happened today, it might not be as bad as you think it is, ice it like a mother fucker, take some ibuprofens and if you have an access to a jetted hot tub spend some quality time there.
Hope you get better soon.
What days and distance are you doing them?hectorse said:
If you can do pull-ups you probably can do dips.hectorse said:
For progression use the same rule you use for pull/chin ups - when you get to around 15 it's time to put on some weight (eventually you may want to consider to do that for as low as 8 reps, but that can wait).
I meant fitting into your routine the exercise known as 'cleans'hectorse said:
.And the proper full name is Power Cleans, there are quite a few videos of that on youtube and I think we've discussed it in this thread few times already.
It's more complicated movement than the other lifts, I'll look for some good information on the web, but if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.
hectorse said:
3x5 seems a bit too easy. I personally try to hit the magic number of ~25, be it 3x8, 4x6 or 5x5 (depending on weight).
Yeah, if you are lifting with intensity, I don't think you can do squats 3 times a week with HIIT on your off days if you're a beginner. Hell, when I first started squatting, it took ~4-5 days to recover.
buckfutter
Member
That sucks JB, sounds similar to what I did to my lower back with martial arts back in the day. Whatever you do, DO NOT STRESS IT AT ALL. I was tender for weeks, kept training a little here and there because I felt guilty about missing sessions, and then one day I was just doing some light roundhouse kicks in my living room and suddenly collapsed to the floor like a sack of shit. Didn't move from that spot for 4 hours. Was literally walking around the house bent at a right-angle for about a week. That was the end of my exercise career for about a year, seriously. Sciatica is the opposite of fun.
It's cleared up now, but my deadlift weight is considerably lighter than my squatting weight, and I can feel it really, really working my lower back. I might actually look into a belt myself, just to be safe. What I'm lifting is still very light, but could potentially be a problem (about 165lbs).
It's cleared up now, but my deadlift weight is considerably lighter than my squatting weight, and I can feel it really, really working my lower back. I might actually look into a belt myself, just to be safe. What I'm lifting is still very light, but could potentially be a problem (about 165lbs).
How hard it is depends on how much weight your trying to lift.aznpxdd said:
For a beginner doing the big movements, fatigue would usually mean that 5x5 will be around 20% lighter than what he can do on 3x5 (or worse, do 3 nice sets and 2 sloppy ones).
Once you improve your muscle recovery you can start getting into more reps.
I like 3x5 a lot for a beginner, especially on squats.
Get a belt.buckfutter said:
The confidence factor alone is worth it.
Once you get back in the groove of things you can consider losing it.
Hectorse, I think you will be over training. Squatting three times a week is hard, adding HIIT to your off days (you have off days for a reason) will be extremely hard. I think you would be better off doing HIIT on only Saturday. Now if your really set on loosing weight you could lift twice a week and fit in more HIIT sessions. Also do power cleans!!!
BronzeWolf
Banned
Chichikov said:
I was thinking... maybe TUE and THU instead of HiIT, I usually run 12 laps in 25:00 or 8 laps in 16:00 or 5 in 9:00 or less. I like to spice it up so it doesn't get boring
OK! I could add them no problem I think
I meant fitting into your routine the exercise known as 'cleans'
And the proper full name is Power Cleans, there are quite a few videos of that on youtube and I think we've discussed it in this thread few times already.
It's more complicated movement than the other lifts, I'll look for some good information on the web, but if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Oh I've heard of them, and they seem very technical,specially the "keep the bar in contact with your body at all times" part. I could do them on Friday, do them weightless just to get a hang on them
aznpxdd said:
This is kind of just a warming up routine.
I think I will adjust it as I get more comfortable with the workouts, probably resetting the weights and adding another set to each workout after I feel that adding more weight is not as convenient as just doing more reps with less weight
BronzeWolf
Banned
Ace 8095 said:
I am seriously thinking about this and I have not yet found a satisfying conclusion.
I'll just wing it I think...
Also consider that I haven't done Squats or Power Cleans before so there is the whole learning the form thing... at least for the first days.
Also I don't seem to find a "press" video... is it just with dumbbells?
I don't know if I agree, for a beginner squatting 3 times a week is usually fine, it will probably be a while before he get into really heavy weights that require more than 2 days of recovery.Ace 8095 said:
Look for standing military press.hectorse said:
And generally, be careful about learning how to lift from youtube, there's a lot of people doing weird shit there.
As for learning the lifts, many people (Free Mr. Snurb!) swear by Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength, while I'm not super familiar with this book, from a what I've seen it contains very detailed explanations of the major lifts.
If you have no access to an experienced lifter I would consider purchasing it - form is very important.
thanks, dude. this shit isn't even funny ... i can't even bend down to take a piss .... i am rolling out of my bed and holding onto the stairs to walk .... fuuuuck... i just took 4 ibuprofen ...Chichikov said:
i should have known better going heavy on deadlifts with a tender lower back ... fucking stupid ass
hectorse said:
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Video#Deadlift -- this is a great resource for all the major exercises - great press videos too
BronzeWolf
Banned
Chichikov said:
What I am looking is for the general form so I know how to describe it to the people that are going to spotting me.
Which kind of brings me to my next point... I need to find a good gym.
I've gone to two in the past and they pretty much sucked (heh back in the day I thought they were cool because they had machines and different classes, they were complete lol) and I am still searching.
If I find no place that satisfies me in terms of the people that train in it, I will choose the closer to home that is kind of complete. If I find one where people squat like it's supposed to be done I'll stay there.
I've been thinking about getting that book, seriously
BronzeWolf
Banned
Chichikov said:
Yup, that's good stuff... already read it, and it answered lots of questions I had.
Thanks for the help!
natethegreat409
Member
Don't fuck around with this man. I had the same problem and waited months before seeing a doctor. A few weeks later I was in surgery for a herniated disc. Lower backs are very fragile and can easily be damaged. If you do have a herniated disc, it can slowly deteriorate and just become worse. The longer you wait, the more surgery that might be needed. I'd advise seeing how you feel after a few days and then having a MRI scheduled if the pain has not went away.JB1981 said:
Please, don't delay treatment in your lower back. I've seen many people do this and they all regret it. I'm lucky my mother had a herniated disc as well, because I was able to identify my symptoms with hers and get myself to a doctor.
Buy the book. I wish I had it when I first started lifting. All my lifts were wrong.hectorse said:
The man you were replying to is simply wrong. 3x5 is all you need; it's what allows your lifts to increase so quickly. Also, convenience should never be one of your priorities in lifting.hectorse said:
Yes that's the reason I got them, getting 45lb bumper plates would have been a complete waste of money since I needed them for the size only, and not the weight. I needed them for barbell rows (the bar is lifted off the ground for every rep, the proper way to do them I think?), I can't row 135lbs for now. I don't think they're bigger than my 45lb olympic metal plates, but I'll check.Chichikov said:Bumper plates are easier to work with because they're bigger than regular 45s, thus allowing you to rack on the floor.
Plus, for many people, 135lbs is too heavy to warm up on an exercises like power cleans that require a floor starting position.
Also, not breaking the floor is a good thing
The store I got them at is independent and fairly well known within the local weightlifting community I think so I don't think I got ripped off.
BronzeWolf
Banned
I am pumped!!!
If I didn't have enough shit going on tomorrow I would start right away!
At least I'll go jogging and put some miles on those asics
If I didn't have enough shit going on tomorrow I would start right away!
At least I'll go jogging and put some miles on those asics
joeblackisback
Member
Quick question: When you guys are talking about doing pullups, do you generally use a wide grip a la lat pulldowns, or do you just basically flip your chin-up grip?
I generally use the wide grip (no weights) and all this talk of weighted pullups makes me wonder what kind of beasts we actually have on this board!
I generally use the wide grip (no weights) and all this talk of weighted pullups makes me wonder what kind of beasts we actually have on this board!
I'm pissed. My traps won't grow for shit. Any tips? I've grown pretty much everywhere else, including my back, but my traps hardly look different from a couple years ago. And I could really use some nice traps as my neck is naturally skinny, which I don't like. Every time I try shrugs I hate them. Behind-my-back shrugs seem to target them better, but my ass always gets in the way of the bar.
BronzeWolf
Banned
Ok, somebody tell me what's the purpose of the swiss ball in this workout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5cVgEbxpdg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5cVgEbxpdg
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
hectorse said:
Tricep pulldowns are pretty intense. The Swill Ball is there to save you if you collapse from overexerting yourself.
Mgoblue201
Won't stop picking the right nation
So squats should be limited? I remember the severe pain I was under when I first began lifting. It must have taken at least a week for my arms to fully recover. Now I can work out every other day with only minor tightness in between. I have the sense that I just had to work off rust so that my arms could get used to so much lifting. It's like trying to start a car after ten years. Something is probably broken. But it seems like squats take a much heavier toil on my body. My legs are well conditioned, and I'm still getting a reasonable amount of lingering pain. It seems to be incrementally building too. I've already done squats twice this week, and I knew that more would be a bad idea. So I actually planned on spacing them out to Monday and Friday, and seeing a few comments in this thread strengthens this resolve. Does that sound like a good idea?
Hmm, what type of pains were you feeling? Squats def beats your body up in a good way. I squat 3 days a week no more no less. But you should not be feeling pains in your joints etc. How is your form? Are you warming up correctly?
To: JB1981
Bro get yourself to the dr and get that shit checked out. Something is borked, and like previous poster mention it will only get worse. Hopefully it is just a pulled muscle that will take care of it self but the pain you are describing, go now...
To: JB1981
Bro get yourself to the dr and get that shit checked out. Something is borked, and like previous poster mention it will only get worse. Hopefully it is just a pulled muscle that will take care of it self but the pain you are describing, go now...
The Lamonster
Member
Why was the OP edited and deleted? There was a lot of good info there...
RumblingRosco
Member
Mgoblue201 said:
Squats twice a week, Monday and Friday, is not bad at all. I'd say, stick to that and see what you can do about adding it in one more time during the week, possibly Wednesday. Maybe do M/F for two weeks, then a M/W/F for a single week, then two weeks of M/F, and repeat for a while. Slowly move it to one week of M/F and two of M/W/F, and eventually every week being M/W/F. Your body will adjust to the additional load and you'll probably be able to handle it just fine, it just might take longer than you'd expect.
If the tightness/soreness is too severe though, M/F will probably still lead to growth.
A good friend of mine was recently hospitalized, and my girlfriend was having trouble sleeping at night because she was so focused on our friend, so I was spending a lot of late nights at her place until she'd fall asleep. This took a toll on my energy, since I was losing some sleep, so I went looking for some short term solutions.
Fucking. Awesome. I've never tried this stuff before, but it made a huge difference in my mornings after being up late. I only ever drank a half-bottle at a time, but it made me feel awake. I wasn't energetic in a bouncing off the walls kind of way, but I just felt more cognitively aware, you could say.
I had a half bottle left after our friend was out of the hospital, and got the idea to try it before a recent lifting session, and fuck did I feel pumped. I did my entire routine in a solid 15 minutes less than normal, while adding on a bit more weight to several lifts, and felt great afterward. Woke up the next morning barely able to move, but hey you can't win 'em all. :lol Anyway, if people are having trouble finding motivation or focus to go lifting or complete their lifting routine, maybe trying the occasional 5-Hour Energy will help them out. I'm not planning on using them anymore, as I like to just get enough sleep at night to avoid situations like this, but it is a fun thing to try out once.
A good Q&A about them can be found at their website: http://www.5hourenergy.com/QandA.asp
I also found some pretty good bread wraps recently, was wondering what the GymGAF thought of them, or maybe hoped people here would find them enticing.
It's some pretty solid stuff from what I can tell, tastes great too. Couple of nutrition labels from them + ingredients:
FlatOut Traditional Italian:
Ingredients: http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/trad_ital.html
FlatOut Light Italian Herb:
Ingredients: http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/lt_ital.html
Homepage is at http://www.flatoutbread.com/movie.html (go to "What's New" to get to the product list with ingredients/nutritional info).
They're a little high on sodium, but make up for it in other areas + tastiness.
TheLamonster said:
Glanton got in an internet-fight with Amirox and left GAF because of it, taking his post with him. He was eventually banned too, which I'm sure is related.
demon said:
my traps respond pretty well to training so i've never had this problem
but what i do usually for them is
normal front barbell shrugs
135, 225, 275, 315, 315, 225, 135 x 12, 60 second rest between sets
i'm not a fan of the behind my back shrugs, my butt gets in the way
i would suggest getting some straps as well, it will allow you to handle more weight, i know ppl might be against them on the forum but they can fuk off, if your grip strength is a limiting factor to training your traps, might as well use them, i have small hands and grip becomes an issue for me at a certain weight, and i am not a fan of using an overhand/underhand mix grip to handle the weight, so i just use straps, i think they are the best solution
some days i might do a few sets of dumbell shrugs, it can't hurt because i think traps respond pretty well to high volume
and if you deadlift regularly i would think u should have a nice set of traps after doing some direct trap work
satori said:
The good news is I feel considerably better after taking ibuprofen every 5 hours, icing and getting some rest. I took the day off work today.
The bad news is I have to wait til Thursday to see an orthopedic .... everyone's booked solid and the only place I can go to early doesn't accept Horizon HMO (I work for them too! lol). I am going to see a chiropractor at 2pm (she's a friend of my mother's) ... I'm going to ask her to do x-rays before touching me. I really wanted to see an orthopedic first because a.) it will be less out of pocket for me ... my chiro benefits are shit ...50% of the allowance for the first 6 visits, 25% of the allowance for the last 6 w/ a $25.00 copay.
If I went to a PAR specialist I probably would have had a $25.00 copay and that would have been the end of it. I was a lot more concerned about my situation late last night (I woke up and honestly thought I did something SEVERE to my back) but I am already feeling less tight and have more mobility/less pain. I am still in shitty shape but hopefully the chiro will alleviate some pain and shed some light on my situation. Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll keep you posted.
BronzeWolf
Banned
I just want to say that after my running day off yesterday I woke up to find that I NO LONGER HAVE A BELLY
It's awesome lol, I still have some love handles and kind of fat that is in front of my abdominal area but it's not much and at the rate my fat is burning, should take no time in disappearing.
Today is LSD day because I enjoy it damn it, and come Monday time to hit the Iron.
I started going running and changing my diet on June the 2nd, today, 8 weeks later, I am fitter than ever XD
It's awesome lol, I still have some love handles and kind of fat that is in front of my abdominal area but it's not much and at the rate my fat is burning, should take no time in disappearing.
Today is LSD day because I enjoy it damn it, and come Monday time to hit the Iron.
I started going running and changing my diet on June the 2nd, today, 8 weeks later, I am fitter than ever XD
The beauty of pull ups (and most bar exercises) is that you have grip width options, and they'll all work a different part of the target muscle. It's a good way to do the same movement with a little variation.joeblackisback said:
Today, during my workout, I did 5 pull ups between every set of everything I did... so it was about 18-20 sets of pull ups. I varied my grip every 3 times.
edit: correction
Short answer: mostly pointless.hectorse said:
Longer answer:
The idea is to add instability to your position and therefore engage more muscle groups as stabilizers.
The thing is, it's ridiculously ineffective.
5 one legged skips engage your core more than sitting on a ball will do in a week, and the instability can fuck your form (or it would have, if you were doing a real exercise).
So yeah, it's a way to take bad exercise (the triceps pulldown) and making it worse.
If you see anyone doing this in a gym, feel free to point and laugh, unless it's the girl in this video, in this case, point, laugh and ask for her phone number.
:lolBlueTsunami said:
Awesome.
I'll second that opinion, if you want bigger traps, nothing get results faster than shrugs, so suck it up demon.yacobod said:my traps respond pretty well to training so i've never had this problem
but what i do usually for them is
normal front barbell shrugs
135, 225, 275, 315, 315, 225, 135 x 12, 60 second rest between sets
i'm not a fan of the behind my back shrugs, my butt gets in the way
i would suggest getting some straps as well, it will allow you to handle more weight, i know ppl might be against them on the forum but they can fuk off, if your grip strength is a limiting factor to training your traps, might as well use them, i have small hands and grip becomes an issue for me at a certain weight, and i am not a fan of using an overhand/underhand mix grip to handle the weight, so i just use straps, i think they are the best solution
some days i might do a few sets of dumbell shrugs, it can't hurt because i think traps respond pretty well to high volume
and if you deadlift regularly i would think u should have a nice set of traps after doing some direct trap work
I would recommend higher weight and lower reps however, 5x8 probably.
And there's nothing wrong with straps, most people will need them to effectively shrug heavy weights.
Mgoblue201
Won't stop picking the right nation
It's not joint pain. It's pain in the actual thigh muscles. I mean it's like any other pain you'd expect to get from heavy lifting, though for some reason the intensity of it has been much worse lately. I took several days off late last week to allow myself to rest, did some squats Monday, felt tight but fine Tuesday, and did more squats on Wednesday. Thursday my muscles were pretty sensitive when I put pressure on them. It's not the kind of incapacitating pain where I know something's wrong. It's more of the inconvenient I can do stuff but it's still pretty annoying pain. I did add ten more pounds recently, but I've added weight before.satori said:
Anyway, I paid a good deal attention to my form (there's nothing that's hurting that shouldn't be hurting). I'm more worried about the recovery time in between. I do a lot of cardio, and I just started squats in the past several weeks, so I don't want to over exert myself too much. Thanks for the response. Same for Soka. I might have to follow that plan once I grow more accostumed to squats.
perryfarrell
Member
During today's squatting, my right quad all of a sudden 'stretched.' I was descending, getting ready to engage the glutes & hamstrings, when I felt something shift in my right quad. I finished my set and quit squatting. No pain, no bumps, no lack of power, but something shifted. As if it stretched beyond its limits. Currently I'm icing it, getting ready for a mild stretch.
The exact same thing happened roughly 3 months ago. It was worse that time: my right quad felt like it was electrocuted for about 30 secs--no pain or problems after. I just took a break from squatting and didn't have any problems after.
I'm still curious what it is, tho.
Some other random comments:
* I tried rack lockouts the other day (partial bench presses where you only do the top part of the movement). I was expecting to be able to lift more than with regular bench presses, but I actually lifted less (I guess that has to do with starting in a 'dead zone'). Fun exercise, tho.
* People who do barbell rows: do you put the weight back on the floor after every rep?
The exact same thing happened roughly 3 months ago. It was worse that time: my right quad felt like it was electrocuted for about 30 secs--no pain or problems after. I just took a break from squatting and didn't have any problems after.
I'm still curious what it is, tho.
Some other random comments:
* I tried rack lockouts the other day (partial bench presses where you only do the top part of the movement). I was expecting to be able to lift more than with regular bench presses, but I actually lifted less (I guess that has to do with starting in a 'dead zone'). Fun exercise, tho.
* People who do barbell rows: do you put the weight back on the floor after every rep?
Random question: For a couple of months now I've had this click in my left elbow whenever I straighten my arm in e.g. a push up or bench press or shoulder press (any time my arm has some pressure on it). It doesn't hurt at all and doesn't seem to cause any trouble with my lifting, but why is there a click? I don't really remember when it started either though I'm guessing it was during training. Any reasons why I could have this?
so i went to the chiropractor and got some x-rays done. basically she's assuming it's a disk injury but she says she treats these types of injuries the same as any other chiropractic injury ... i am going again tomorrow morning to get adjusted .... i actually did feel a little better after she adjusted my lower back .. it was like equal parts pain and pleasure after all the cracking ..... after looking at the-xrays, she told me that my spine is actually too straight .. i don't have a good, naturally curved spine and what's happening is that the weight is not being dispersed properly throughout the spine. seemed like it made sense ... she said she's also seeing the pre-cursor to bone spurs in the middle of my spine and she really wants me to take care of my back.
a little OT, but this lady's son is 18 is 6'2, 225lb and cleans over 500lbs, benches over 400lbs. She said he's a beast and has extraordinary strength .. I was like WTF?
I'm seeing Batman tonight .... gonna take some Aleve, put on some icy hot gel and fight through the pain.
a little OT, but this lady's son is 18 is 6'2, 225lb and cleans over 500lbs, benches over 400lbs. She said he's a beast and has extraordinary strength .. I was like WTF?
I'm seeing Batman tonight .... gonna take some Aleve, put on some icy hot gel and fight through the pain.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
Heres a couple of tips that works with me when it comes to squats (and dropping your ass below parallel).
1) Obviously, USE A LIGHTER WEIGHT. If you go to heavy, your body seems to naturally want to stop you from dropping your hips lower than your knees.
2) Flare your knees out a little. Don't try to point your knees straight and squat down.
3) Keep your head lined with your spine but when your dropping down, look up. Not all the way up but at a 45 degree angle. For some reason doing this allows you to keep your balance and your ass will just naturally drop down. Feel your ass drop below parallel then bring it back up.
My ass cheeks are sore as a motha' after 2 days of recovery. Feels good to do squats right.
1) Obviously, USE A LIGHTER WEIGHT. If you go to heavy, your body seems to naturally want to stop you from dropping your hips lower than your knees.
2) Flare your knees out a little. Don't try to point your knees straight and squat down.
3) Keep your head lined with your spine but when your dropping down, look up. Not all the way up but at a 45 degree angle. For some reason doing this allows you to keep your balance and your ass will just naturally drop down. Feel your ass drop below parallel then bring it back up.
My ass cheeks are sore as a motha' after 2 days of recovery. Feels good to do squats right.
BronzeWolf
Banned
All right, I'm off to do some HiIT hope I end up puking... >_<
"God's Beard!"
Member
I've been wondering why I've been gaining weight even though I've been excersizing every day, then I mathed out the amount of calories in my daily protein milkshake: 1165 :lol
I have a question. When I wake up sore and sluggish from the previous days workout. Should I just make that a rest day or just fight through and workout anyway, because yesterday, I was extremely sore and just couldn't motivate myself to workout or anything. I just want to know what the best course of action to take is when this happens.
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