*** The 2018 Gym Rats Thread ***

Man of Honour
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21 Nov 2004
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Did my first squat session last night! Almost forgot what it was like to be properly sore after a workout. Could barely walk this morning xD

When it hurts to sit on the loo, you know it has been a decent squat session :D

Tried to front squat with a cracked rib on Saturday, don't do it.

Strangely enough that's the only exercise that seems to cause me issues.

Or deadlifts - I remember trying that, unsuccessfully!
 
Soldato
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You know you've had a bit too much to drink over Christmas and Boxing day when you've actually lost weight :o

Starting to think how to supplement the 5x5 programme now that I'm finding it relatively comfortable in terms of recovery. I already hike 6 miles 2-3 times a week and not fond of cardio in the gym. Do daily planks and little kettlebell workout in the morning but thinking of adding a day of serious core work and maybe another for shoulders (my weakpoint) to bump up the gym schedule to 5 days a week?
 
Permabanned
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Any of you guys take pre workout stuff?

Can only really fit my strength training into evenings after work and I'm generally pretty pooped as soon as it hits 5. Could really do with something I could just throw back to give me that little bit of an extra boost.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
21 Nov 2004
Posts
44,880
Any of you guys take pre workout stuff?

Can only really fit my strength training into evenings after work and I'm generally pretty pooped as soon as it hits 5. Could really do with something I could just throw back to give me that little bit of an extra boost.

Only thing that gets me through my workouts after work. MyPre 2.0 for me - fruit punch is the only flavour I can stomach. In order to maximise it’s effectiveness I have cut out all other caffeine sources.

You know you've had a bit too much to drink over Christmas and Boxing day when you've actually lost weight :o

Starting to think how to supplement the 5x5 programme now that I'm finding it relatively comfortable in terms of recovery. I already hike 6 miles 2-3 times a week and not fond of cardio in the gym. Do daily planks and little kettlebell workout in the morning but thinking of adding a day of serious core work and maybe another for shoulders (my weakpoint) to bump up the gym schedule to 5 days a week?

This is why I now train 6 days a week.

Busy on the gym today, lots of people seem to be off until next week.
 
Soldato
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I normally train between 9-11pm so avoid the pre-made workout stuff as most contains caffeine. I just take beta-alanine and half dose of citrulline malate (take first half in the morning) and throw in one of those dispersible vitamin C tablets, although mostly do it for taste as I get cheap ones from Aldi.
 
Man of Honour
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5 Jun 2003
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Falling...

Oh hai.

I have no time to train these days and I really cannot be bothered any more and I've lost the love for it.

Don't get me wrong I still train "at" the gym, but maybe 2x a week (sometimes 3 on rare weeks). I don't push myself and just go through the motions rather than just try to do stuff. I don't really enjoy it all that much, and it's hard, and it feels difficult and I've lost the love. Not having a training partner doesn't help either.

I leave the house at 545am every day and don't get home till close to 7pm. I feel drained of energy - but the weekends I just want to spend time as a family, and not worry about training.

I've lost all motivation for it basically. I'm active, and walk 4+ miles a day, walk up escalators, take the stairs, eat a good diet - but I'm 1/2 the man I was. I've become lazy basically, and I'm not driven to go to the gym anymore. I don't have a goal. Also my back constantly hurts (nothing actually wrong, just nerve issues and tight muscles (gloots mainly)).

That's my yearly post out of the way.

Hope you're all well and having a good christmas break - lots of love to you all, and may 2019 bring you the gainz you want.
 
Caporegime
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7 Nov 2004
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Buckinghamshire
Oh hai.

I have no time to train these days and I really cannot be bothered any more and I've lost the love for it.

Don't get me wrong I still train "at" the gym, but maybe 2x a week (sometimes 3 on rare weeks). I don't push myself and just go through the motions rather than just try to do stuff. I don't really enjoy it all that much, and it's hard, and it feels difficult and I've lost the love. Not having a training partner doesn't help either.

I leave the house at 545am every day and don't get home till close to 7pm. I feel drained of energy - but the weekends I just want to spend time as a family, and not worry about training.

I've lost all motivation for it basically. I'm active, and walk 4+ miles a day, walk up escalators, take the stairs, eat a good diet - but I'm 1/2 the man I was. I've become lazy basically, and I'm not driven to go to the gym anymore. I don't have a goal. Also my back constantly hurts (nothing actually wrong, just nerve issues and tight muscles (gloots mainly)).

That's my yearly post out of the way.

Hope you're all well and having a good christmas break - lots of love to you all, and may 2019 bring you the gainz you want.

That's a shame, you was a full on beast. Can see why you'd do it with a family etc and if you have other things keeping you healthy per se. I drive to work, step ten steps then sit down for 8 hours, so the gyms the only thing keeping me moving!

Glad to have met you either way Mr.Freefaller!
 
Man of Honour
Joined
3 Apr 2003
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15,618
Location
Cambridge
Oh hai.

I have no time to train these days and I really cannot be bothered any more and I've lost the love for it.

Don't get me wrong I still train "at" the gym, but maybe 2x a week (sometimes 3 on rare weeks). I don't push myself and just go through the motions rather than just try to do stuff. I don't really enjoy it all that much, and it's hard, and it feels difficult and I've lost the love. Not having a training partner doesn't help either.

I leave the house at 545am every day and don't get home till close to 7pm. I feel drained of energy - but the weekends I just want to spend time as a family, and not worry about training.

I've lost all motivation for it basically. I'm active, and walk 4+ miles a day, walk up escalators, take the stairs, eat a good diet - but I'm 1/2 the man I was. I've become lazy basically, and I'm not driven to go to the gym anymore. I don't have a goal. Also my back constantly hurts (nothing actually wrong, just nerve issues and tight muscles (gloots mainly)).

That's my yearly post out of the way.

Hope you're all well and having a good christmas break - lots of love to you all, and may 2019 bring you the gainz you want.

Totally get that: splitting time between everything I want to do more than the gym relegated it pretty low. But I found not training (after my shoulder injury) actually wound up hurting more...

Hope you're well and hope to catch up with you all at some point...
 
Permabanned
Joined
25 Jan 2013
Posts
4,277
I normally train between 9-11pm so avoid the pre-made workout stuff as most contains caffeine. I just take beta-alanine and half dose of citrulline malate (take first half in the morning) and throw in one of those dispersible vitamin C tablets, although mostly do it for taste as I get cheap ones from Aldi.

Only thing that gets me through my workouts after work. MyPre 2.0 for me - fruit punch is the only flavour I can stomach. In order to maximise it’s effectiveness I have cut out all other caffeine sources.

CHeers for the advise guys. I don't think I've any issue taking anything with caffeine in. As Captain Rave said, I'd probably cut out any other caffeine sources throughout the day just to justify taking it. Guess I'll just buy a few and experiment :)
 
Man of Honour
Joined
26 Dec 2003
Posts
30,837
Location
Shropshire
Oh hai.

I have no time to train these days and I really cannot be bothered any more and I've lost the love for it.

Don't get me wrong I still train "at" the gym, but maybe 2x a week (sometimes 3 on rare weeks). I don't push myself and just go through the motions rather than just try to do stuff. I don't really enjoy it all that much, and it's hard, and it feels difficult and I've lost the love. Not having a training partner doesn't help either.

I leave the house at 545am every day and don't get home till close to 7pm. I feel drained of energy - but the weekends I just want to spend time as a family, and not worry about training.

I've lost all motivation for it basically. I'm active, and walk 4+ miles a day, walk up escalators, take the stairs, eat a good diet - but I'm 1/2 the man I was. I've become lazy basically, and I'm not driven to go to the gym anymore. I don't have a goal. Also my back constantly hurts (nothing actually wrong, just nerve issues and tight muscles (gloots mainly)).

That's my yearly post out of the way.

Hope you're all well and having a good christmas break - lots of love to you all, and may 2019 bring you the gainz you want.

Bro...you got old. :D

Would still love tenderly
 
Man of Honour
Joined
21 Nov 2004
Posts
44,880
CHeers for the advise guys. I don't think I've any issue taking anything with caffeine in. As Captain Rave said, I'd probably cut out any other caffeine sources throughout the day just to justify taking it. Guess I'll just buy a few and experiment :)

Just build up the quantity that you take slowly. I took only 1/2 a scoop for the first couple of years of using it. Have never had any side effects, but they can happen. Prepare to enter turbo mode :)
 
Man of Honour
Joined
26 Dec 2003
Posts
30,837
Location
Shropshire
I've gone the other way and tried to ditch stim pre workouts as they're getting daft now with some of the stuff they're loading into them.

Currently I'm using Vascumax from Strom Sports, brilliant non stim pre workout gives good pumps, endurance and focus without buzzing your face off.
If it helps me get to the gym around 2030 after working all day and smash an hour of legs then it's got to be good.

Strom in general do some great products, Richard Foster the guy that runs it is all about being totally open with what is in his blends and providing proper research behind each ingredient.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
28 Nov 2007
Posts
12,736
For last few months I have been doing stronglifts early in morning. Usually around 6 or 7am. Yesterday I ended up doing it at the end of the day and what a different deal it was for me. Found everything harder and grim. Struggled on the overhead press even more than normal and found the deadlift which I have been breezing through to be a killer. I guess much less energy having done dog walks and stuff during the day. Amazing the difference.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
21 Nov 2004
Posts
44,880
For last few months I have been doing stronglifts early in morning. Usually around 6 or 7am. Yesterday I ended up doing it at the end of the day and what a different deal it was for me. Found everything harder and grim. Struggled on the overhead press even more than normal and found the deadlift which I have been breezing through to be a killer. I guess much less energy having done dog walks and stuff during the day. Amazing the difference.

Funny, I am the complete opposite. Really struggle in the morning. Really powerful afternoon/evening.
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Mar 2004
Posts
13,474
Location
UK
I actually got to go around noon today and did feel a difference in energy from doing the gym session last thing in the evening. My lifestyle doesn't really allow to go early though and I most definitely couldn't hack it at 7am or anything silly like that.
 
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