***The 2021 Gym Rats Thread*** ᕦ( ͠°◞ °)ᕥ

[LiE]

Joining a gym makes sense but they're quite expensive aren't they?

£15pm for a standard 24/7 gym.

I'm not saying you cannot make progress at home, but you'll certainly do much better in a gym with a wide variety of equipment. Just doing some at home dumbbell workouts will at first be OK but as you progress it can be quite restrictive.

 

[Merlin5]

£15pm for a standard 24/7 gym.

I'm not saying you cannot make progress at home, but you'll certainly do much better in a gym with a wide variety of equipment. Just doing some at home dumbbell workouts will at first be OK but as you progress it can be quite restrictive.

£15 a month? That's much better than I expected, I was thinking it would be more like £50 a month, particularly as I'm in London. I'll need to find out if there are gyms near me for around £15. Would I need a personal trainer at the gym for a couple of sessions to help me and give me a routine?

 

[LiE]

£15 a month? That's much better than I expected, I was thinking it would be more like £50 a month, particularly as I'm in London. I'll need to find out if there are gyms near me for around £15. Would I need a personal trainer at the gym for a couple of sessions to help me and give me a routine?

A good PT can really help you get started. Even a gym at £30pm, it's still pretty reasonable. You'll be looking at a fair outlay for adjustable DBs so it's not like that's a cheap route.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

That's good to hear. I've really had my doubts about running for my needs. What weight training did you do, was it at home with a pair of dumbbells? I need some simple routine to follow that I can do at home for however long I need to do it each day or every other day, whatever is recommended. And if it's dumbbells, I guess I'll need a pair where I can change the weights.

I started with mostly upper body, although I really got in shape once I started squats/deadlifts. I was pretty unfit when I started, but I've stuck with it. I probably do it to unhealthy levels these days though.

 

[Merlin5]

I started with mostly upper body, although I really got in shape once I started squats/deadlifts. I was pretty unfit when I started, but I've stuck with it. I probably do it to unhealthy levels these days though.

I did a bit of weights many years ago. I must say, I did enjoy it but wasn't prepared for all the eating needed. I'm happier to do that now.

A good PT can really help you get started. Even a gym at £30pm, it's still pretty reasonable. You'll be looking at a fair outlay for adjustable DBs so it's not like that's a cheap route.

Honestly, the cheapest I can find in my area is £47 a month. Others are £60 and £75 pm.

 

[LiE]

Honestly, the cheapest I can find in my area is £47 a month.

See if they do a trial when they open again? They may have some new member incentives as well when they reopen. I don’t think £47pm is terrible for London and not to mention the benefits you get.

 

[Merlin5]

See if they do a trial when they open again? They may have some new member incentives as well when they reopen. I don’t think £47pm is terrible for London and not to mention the benefits you get.

My nephew just told me about the local Barnet Copthall council leisure centre which is well equipped and seems to be about £32.50 pm, so that'll be my best option.

 

[B&W]

I will definitely going in on the weekends when they re open. But as ive got enough stuff at work I probably won't go in the weekdays, just the amount of time available.

 

[B&W]

It would be nice to have a spotter for the bench on heavy sets, plus I miss some heavy DB's and a few machines.

 

[B&W]

Need some advice on my diet. Have been in a calorific deficit since January. And before that was at maintenance for a few months. Only bulked last April to August when I started working out at home 3 times a week pre joining the gym.

I have lost around 1 stone and 6 pounds. My lift's are around the same, so haven't really lost any strength nor have I gained strength tho..

Do I keep the deficit until I lose another 6 pounds or start upping the calories so I gain some strength/muscle? BW 99KG. Height 6 ft 3.

Goal is to lift heavy **** and get that belly down. (kinda opposite of each other..)

 

[tbyeah]

I'm going through the same dilemma; I think you just have to pick one and roll with it, at least in the short term. I'm leaning more towards getting chunkier but continuing to add weight on the bar

 

[Somnambulist]

Need some advice on my diet. Have been in a calorific deficit since January. And before that was at maintenance for a few months. Only bulked last April to August when I started working out at home 3 times a week pre joining the gym.

I have lost around 1 stone and 6 pounds. My lift's are around the same, so haven't really lost any strength nor have I gained strength tho..

Do I keep the deficit until I lose another 6 pounds or start upping the calories so I gain some strength/muscle? BW 99KG. Height 6 ft 3.

Goal is to lift heavy **** and get that belly down. (kinda opposite of each other..)

Ultimately it depends on how much you want to see the fruits of your labour as far as having low enough body fat to see your musculature properly. If you value that then it's better to get to the low teens % wise and then bulk until the high teens, rinse repeat since it saves you ever having to do prolonged dieting.

If you just care about getting stronger above all else, go do that for 6-12 months and then you'll either have to diet back down to where you are now, or spend longer dieting down to a lower % to see what you've gained. Either way it's ultimately something you have to decide for yourself and think about from a birds-eye view rather than next week/month etc.

 

[Dominic-Toretto]

Need some advice on my diet. Have been in a calorific deficit since January. And before that was at maintenance for a few months. Only bulked last April to August when I started working out at home 3 times a week pre joining the gym.

I have lost around 1 stone and 6 pounds. My lift's are around the same, so haven't really lost any strength nor have I gained strength tho..

Do I keep the deficit until I lose another 6 pounds or start upping the calories so I gain some strength/muscle? BW 99KG. Height 6 ft 3.

Goal is to lift heavy **** and get that belly down. (kinda opposite of each other..)

Pick one, it's inefficient to try and do both at the same time although it is possible (recomp).
What's your body fat % at the moment? I personally would recommend getting down to 10- 12 % and then slowly start adding mass again.

 

[B&W]

Mid 20s I reckon, need to keep cutting...

 

[Somnambulist]

If you’re in the 20’s it’s more viable to be aggressive deficit wise - at least for periods during the diet - in order to get it over with quicker, aiming for around 1% of total body weight loss per week.

Not everyone has the discipline for it but it means you can spend more time over the course of your trainer life trying to get bigger/stronger.

 

[B&W]

Yeah makes sense I guess. I am going to add @reiyushin bench/deadlift/squat program to my workout routine.

I do like my current split (PPLUL) so don't want to change that. But need to make some more gains...

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Whatsup fellas?

I normally do the progress pics in here but i whacked it in the weight loss thread because i tagged on my sop success story.

Not long left for the gyms

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/forums/posts/34646127

 

[B&W]

Nice progress.

 

[Deception]

Not gonna lie, been lazy during lockdown (been working 12hrs a day and homeschooling). So, looking forward to the gyms re-opening! Gonna start up a log and track progress, although probably wont get nowhere near the numbers I used to have, but gonna focus on losing weight, to not look like the guy who ate the beached whale .

Gonna be brutal going on the prowler sled again and puking up the first few times haha. Don't know why, but I love that thing!

 

[MikeTheNative]

I was super lazy in lockdown last year. literally did nothing for 2/3 months. This time though I have bought some resistance bands and been doing quick 25 full body workouts at least 5 times a week just to keep up a bit of strength so it's not too much of a shock when allowed back. I haven't done any legs though....... I've also really started enjoying running for the first time ever and probably fitter than I have been for 5/6 years.
Not sure what's like for England but gyms in Wales aren't till 22nd of April at least.