*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***

Can anybody explain this to me?
I generally do 20mins of weights, then 40mins of cardio at the gym. So I dont think it can be burning muscle that quickly.



I assume my body fat % increase is wildly inaccurate? It measures this by my gripping handles on the sides of the weighing machine.
 
Those machines work on electrical resistance and are complete crap as they are easily skewed by hydration levels and a whole load of other things.
 
Sure... but if you lost your muscle mass and kept the flab I am reasonably sure you wouldn't be happy.

The important things are hpw you feel and how you look: better on either count?

And as tom_e suggests: ignore that machine bf% reading.
 
Well I'm doing muscle work, so I don't think muscle is burning. In fact I can tell it's growing a little.
 
Ace Modder said:
Well I'm doing muscle work, so I don't think muscle is burning. In fact I can tell it's growing a little.
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This depends quite heavily on your diet and - more specifically - your protein intake.

Also, 20 minutes of resistance training - depending on what you're doing - isn't that much.

However, if you're feeling good/etc. that is what is important. :)
 
Ace, you haven't been working nearly long enough to see any massive results yet anyway. Keep going at it and don't give up. Results will come.
 
Went the total fitness gym near wilmslow with a friend yesterday. First the gym was awesome, never seen running track inside a gym before.

Anyway, he was checking my form on Squats and other things I've been doing on the strong lifts programme. All seemed fine and then we did one of his shoulder sessions... The imbalance between my left and right arms was crazy. I could do double on my stronger arm.

I've only started on weights around 4 weeks ago but it's all been compound bar work. Should I work on dumbells for a couple of weeks to sort this out as it seems my weaker arm is being carried on things like the bench press and OHP with a bar.
 
In a related note since I've been on my cut for about a month it almost feels like I've lost more strength in my left arm than in my right. I am finding it really hard not to lead massively with my right arm on bench and ohp. Any idea why this might be? Possibly just a general loss in strength but as I'm right-handed I'm pushing through it more with that? I'm finding it kind of frustrating to be honest.
 
FrenchTart said:
In a related note since I've been on my cut for about a month it almost feels like I've lost more strength in my left arm than in my right. I am finding it really hard not to lead massively with my right arm on bench and ohp. Any idea why this might be? Possibly just a general loss in strength but as I'm right-handed I'm pushing through it more with that? I'm finding it kind of frustrating to be honest.
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Have you done much single arm work before, I.e. with dumbells? Or has it always been barbell-based?
 
My left is noticeably weaker than my right as well due to a wrist break that never healed correctly and an elbow that always seems to play up when doing heavy dumbell lifts like rows.
 
mrthingyx said:
Have you done much single arm work before, I.e. with dumbells? Or has it always been barbell-based?
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The only time I've done anything serious is doing quite a lot (as in, high volume, reasonable weight, regular) of brocep curls as assistance to my SL 5x5 routine. Now I've changed that routine a little I'm doing curls even less often. I was always pretty careful to maintain form and do the same volume with each arm.

I have had a dodgy right shoulder in the past which affected bench for a bit..but since that seems to have mostly healed (still can't do super-wide pull ups) things seemed balanced/fine. Then I started cutting and my left arm spends most of it's time saying "lol, don't think so" to what were previously relatively easy weights.

I was at 77.5-80 on bench (5x5) with decent form. I'm struggling at 75 atm - my left arm feels like it'd be happier at 70 :/

Suarez7 said:
My left is noticeably weaker than my right as well due to a wrist break that never healed correctly and an elbow that always seems to play up when doing heavy dumbell lifts like rows.
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I've always thought that if one side can't keep up with the other it makes sense to train until they're both at the same level. Maybe that's wrong, though. I guess I've not really had to deal with it that much before aside from when my form was terrible (I think it's okay right now...I think...).
 
mrthingyx said:
Nice. Have you had decent physio?
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Nope I tend to avoid the doctors, physios, dentist and what not unless I'm in crippling pain. I just see it as a waste of money and my experience with doctors = getting fobbed off.

FrenchTart said:
I've always thought that if one side can't keep up with the other it makes sense to train until they're both at the same level. Maybe that's wrong, though. I guess I've not really had to deal with it that much before aside from when my form was terrible (I think it's okay right now...I think...).
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I lift the same with both arms but sometimes my left feels like giving out earlier than my right, I lighten the weight it's fine but I can't stay stuck on the same weight for months or dat dere growth aint happening.
 
Suarez7 said:
I lift the same with both arms but sometimes my left feels like giving out earlier than my right, I lighten the weight it's fine but I can't stay stuck on the same weight for months or dat dere growth aint happening.
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Yeah. I guess what I meant was that I sort of feel I should lower the weights for myself so that my arms are matching up. But I guess if the left arm is lifting into lock-out "eventually" (it's normally only a half second behind...but it's certainly a noticeable lag) it's still doing similar work?
 
Yeah it's only a few exercises I'll get that with and not every time either, usually shoulder press. Just try to make sure my form is still good or I'll probably end up damaging it more.
 
The list of reasons why I need to change to the harder-to-get-to-and-from-even-though-it's-closer-to-where-I-live-gym grows. As a horrible commuter, the lack of buses there and back makes it a **** to get to after work, but I've decided to get a decidely non-bromo Brompton which I can take w/me to work and cycle to the gym and then back home afterwards.

1) 3 squat racks vs the single one I have now
2) bumper plates and fully matted floor vs bare plates, few mats and the gym being above shops
3) lockers vs holes in the wall
4) showers vs watery holes in the wall
5) places to hang rings off vs no thanks jeff currently

New ones
6) an actual GHR machine!!!!1
7) the less nastily designed leg press machine (for single leg press)
8) they sell all the zero calorie Walden Farms stuff
9) on site sports physio / massages (my body is ready)
10)
We have officially affiliated with Nandos in Orpington! Therefore all our members will receive free chicken wings with every order over £6 as long as you show them your Elite Gym membership card and a free half chicken for when you first join.
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 - the Nandos is a 2min walk away

Moving nao.
 
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