Best way to improve stamina?

To be fair, goblet squats would be a great addition.

I think there are a few videos (of LiE and Dom??) in the exercise guide thread.
 
Got a olympic bar but no rack.

Power cleans and snatches ftw in that case. :D :eek:

J/K - do NOT attempt either unless somebody that knows what they're talking about can take you through it.

EDIT: Lunges and single leg DLs are women's exercises when the 500g kettlebells they use are pink or lilac. Go through a couple of sets with good form and a 10kg dumbell in each hand and truthfullly post here saying that they didn't hurt... ;)
 
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^yep, don't attempt cleans on your own just yet. That's why I didn't suggest squats.
Got a olympic bar but no rack.

Single leg db romanian deadlift, looks difficult. Plus the others look like womens exercises lol

Goblet squats look good, do i need a belt for that?
You don't need a belt for anything. Seriously. You do need to make sure your back is straight, but a belt won't help with that.

Come back and say they're women's exercises after they've sat you on your arse a few times :p

I do all of them, they're awesome.
 
Ill give it a go, not something id do in the gym though once i join or ill be called gay :)

So ive got

Goblet squats
DB leg workout:
Reverse lunges
Step ups

3 x 10 of what ever weight im comfortable doing a maximum of 10 reps?
 
Ill give it a go, not something id do in the gym though once i join or ill be called gay :)

So ive got

Goblet squats
DB leg workout:
Reverse lunges
Step ups

3 x 10 of what ever weight im comfortable doing a maximum of 10 reps?

Rep ranges are probably going to be at the higher end (2x16/2x12/3x10 whatever) as the weights are low.

And don't do stuff you're comfortable with: this is meant to be stressing the muscles. ;) If you find you're completing the 3 sets without issue, then the weight is nowhere near high enough.

Seriously, reverse lunges are an epic exercise (never done single leg DLs): I really look forward to them in my programme because they are BRUTAL and will murder your glutes and - to a lesser extent - your quads.

Leave your ego at the door when working out. As long as your not doing clamshells, you'll be fine.
 
Cheers, i guess this first leg session will be bar setter for the amount of weight i need.

You know how it is though, you want to be doing the manly things everyone else is doing, like squatting. I might just do some without any weight :) And get a tutorial at the gym when i join.

Are dead lifts not for legs? and i forgot ive also got the thing that attaches to the front end of the bench so you can do "leg raises"?
 
Cheers, i guess this first leg session will be bar setter for the amount of weight i need.

You know how it is though, you want to be doing the manly things everyone else is doing, like squatting. I might just do some without any weight :) And get a tutorial at the gym when i join.

Are dead lifts not for legs? and i forgot ive also got the thing that attaches to the front end of the bench so you can do "leg raises"?

Full bar deadlifts will do over pretty much every part of your body, with what should be a lot of glute drive and back stability. Depending on how low you go, you'll get quad in there to a greater/lesser degree, too.
 
Yeah, I mean look how gay this is:
The guy who won his weight class at the British Classic Powerlifting Championships does these with DBs in the appropriate training block.

Just do them, they will light up your hamstrings. Otherwise you are kind of neglecting them with the rest of what you're doing.
 
Yeah, I mean look how gay this is:
The guy who won his weight class at the British Classic Powerlifting Championships does these with DBs in the appropriate training block.

Just do them, they will light up your hamstrings. Otherwise you are kind of neglecting them with the rest of what you're doing.

LOL - epic video. :D
 
Blimey, there's some pretty hefty exercises being advised the poor guy considering his novice state.

Whlst i've no wish to muddy the waters with too many more options, personally i'd be doing a pretty light(ish) resistance circuit with med-high reps, intermixed with small spurts of cardio to keep the heart rate up.
And i'd be sticking with compounds for now.
Free squats with no weights - 4 x 20
Light deadlifts (more for flexibility)
shoulder press
bench press (or press ups)
Pull downs or assisted pull ups.
All with med-high reps to build up muscle endurance.
I'd do this 3 times per week, with maybe a run or cycle on the non-resistance training days, but nothing excessive.

THEN after a few weeks start to increase the resistance and lower your reps.

I'd say not to split your routine for at least 3 months. Your body needs to adapt at an acceptable and practical rate.
 
I think ill just incorparate what i feel capable of doing, theres no rush.

A couple of quick questions.

Is it best to do cardio before or after weights? Im trying to do treadmil everyday to improve cardio and lose weight.

And is it best to have a seperate day for arms or do biceps when doing back and do triceps along side chest day?
 
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I think ill just incorparate what i feel capable of doing, theres no rush.

A couple of quick questions.

Is it best to do cardio before or after weights? Im trying to do treadmil everyday to improve cardio and lose weight.

And is it best to have a seperate day for arms or do biceps when doing back and do triceps along side chest day?

Don't both with biceps as an isolation exercise: chinups/pullups, yes... bro-curlz, no. Unless you have a specific requirement for big biceps without proper shoulders, back and chest...

And my personal perspective is to nail the weights and then do cardio: using up all your freely available glucose doing weights will mean your cardio has to look elsewhere...
 
Apologies for calling reverse lunges gay, well they still look gay :p but dam do they do some damage!

Today on legs did

Squats - 3 x 20 No Weights
Reverse Lunges - 3 x 10 No Weights
Step Ups - 3 x 10 10KG
Dead Lifts - 3 x 10 20KG

In that order

Didn’t bother with the Romanian single leg dead lift as i think its beyond my capabilities yet. And also didn’t do the Goblet squats as i was struggling doing just normal squats, so will have to build up to these.

After the lunges my legs were like jelly, unless i was doing them wrong its the stationary front leg that hurts most right?

Also when doing the step ups i was getting lower back pain, any ideas why?

Just used a little stool about 40cm tall, bench felt like it was too high to use and 2 x dumbbels with 5KG on each.

Deadlifts, are you suppose to get into almost a squat position with these?

I tried to keep my back straight and head up, toes just past the bar and on lift bar scraping along shins. For some reason i was getting out of breath doing these, by 9th rep was gasping for air.

Never sweated like this in a workout, feels like i just got off the treadmil and considering i did so little :(, cant imagine what ill be like once im doing it all properly!
 
Congratulations on a proper workout. ;)

YEs, the front leg is supposed to hurt with reverse lunges. :) Goblet squats are less hip dominant, but will give your core stability a good test, too.

Lower back pain from step ups is probably an artifact of weak core muscles and lack of glute engagement. More planks and hip mobility work, methinks.

Deadlifts are a bar steward exercise: if you think of all the muscles you're activating, you'lll get an idea for why you get breathless. As an example, anyway.

Good work - keep it up!
 
Congratulations on a proper workout. ;)

YEs, the front leg is supposed to hurt with reverse lunges. :) Goblet squats are less hip dominant, but will give your core stability a good test, too.

Lower back pain from step ups is probably an artifact of weak core muscles and lack of glute engagement. More planks and hip mobility work, methinks.

Deadlifts are a bar steward exercise: if you think of all the muscles you're activating, you'lll get an idea for why you get breathless. As an example, anyway.

Good work - keep it up!

i'd echo this, well done fella.
If it came easy we'd all be uber fit adonis's.
I'm struggling right now too, but i'm content that i know enough to get into the shape i want to be in.....motivation however, well that's a different kettle of fish! :rolleyes:

Glad you left out one legged deadlifts, reckon someone was having a laugh with that.
You need core stability first (especially if you're a little overweight), and as mrthingyx said, plank, even goblet squats (which will open your hips out for better 'proper' squats) will help develop your core well.
Your lower back pain from step-ups may be as mrthingyx said, but also from poor technique. Are you sure that when you're struggling your technique isn't faltering too much resulting in you flat-footing on the ground and impacting on your lower spine?
With the general weightless squats, deads and luinges, i'd be tempted to just do weightless step-ups as purely a stamina exercise, quickly and lightly touching your feet on the step and back down again without the deliberate and slower 'stamping' of the foot down when holding weights.
just a though.
 
Glad you left out one legged deadlifts, reckon someone was having a laugh with that.
:confused:

Why would that have been a joke? It wasn't, they are an excellent fundamental exercise. If you can't do them, you have strength and balance deficits that need addressing. How? By doing them.

Pain in the lower back is due to torque around the spine. So either you're bending your lower back at some point or you're hitting the floor badly. Alternatively, your QL (a muscle that stabilises your hips) could just be really weak.
 
i'd echo this, well done fella.
If it came easy we'd all be uber fit adonis's.
I'm struggling right now too, but i'm content that i know enough to get into the shape i want to be in.....motivation however, well that's a different kettle of fish! :rolleyes:

Glad you left out one legged deadlifts, reckon someone was having a laugh with that.
You need core stability first (especially if you're a little overweight), and as mrthingyx said, plank, even goblet squats (which will open your hips out for better 'proper' squats) will help develop your core well.
Your lower back pain from step-ups may be as mrthingyx said, but also from poor technique. Are you sure that when you're struggling your technique isn't faltering too much resulting in you flat-footing on the ground and impacting on your lower spine?
With the general weightless squats, deads and luinges, i'd be tempted to just do weightless step-ups as purely a stamina exercise, quickly and lightly touching your feet on the step and back down again without the deliberate and slower 'stamping' of the foot down when holding weights.
just a though.

Cheers guys

Your probably right, when doing the step up i was wobling a bit around the 5th rep, so maybe no weight may be better for now.

I was doing the ones when you keep the leading foot stationary on the stool. I was trying to do these, but looking at the video now i wasnt reaching back with my non lead leg. Just up and down, not reaching back with it.

 
:confused:

Why would that have been a joke? It wasn't, they are an excellent fundamental exercise. If you can't do them, you have strength and balance deficits that need addressing. How? By doing them.
I agree with you, but I said it because its still a pretty advanced technique to try when the op is clearly inexperienced and generally unfit.

I'd happily suggest doing them once he'd been training for a few months and he figures out where he thinks his own imbalances lie, but at the start, nu-urr!
Can you imagine him being given a program by a gym instructor (not all of them are bad btw, and no, i'm not one, lol) on his first day and that being included? He needs to understand and feel the balance on both legs first imho, then address imbalances with individual legs exercises if need be.
Again, I don't think its a bad exercise, i just don't think it would be appropriate at this time in his training.
 
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