GordyR's Beginners Guide to Bodybuilding

Further to my posts about using a Smith Machine for calf raises, the plates under the toes do seem to make a bit of a difference so thanks for the suggestion. I still don't feel that I've got quite the same level of pressure exerted as I used to on the seated machine but I suspect it just requires practice to get better technique. Incidentally, roughly how much does the bar on a Smith Machine weigh normally so that I have a vague idea of where I am in relation to before. I'm guessing about 12.5kg to 15kg since it doesn't seem as wide as the Olympic bar or am I way off?

Oh and I did squats for the first time, I wish I'd started doing them months ago, nice welcome pain again and I'm going jogging tomorrow. :D
 
are you sure?

im pretty sure my smith bar weighs more or less nothing, it definately feels like it when you lift it up, can use your little finger
 
i think they are like 7-10kg
not heavy at all.

SPW - does your gym have step boxes? might be worth grabbing one of those (especially the ones which you can add height to) so you can get more depth
 
Morba said:
SPW - does your gym have step boxes? might be worth grabbing one of those (especially the ones which you can add height to) so you can get more depth
Click to expand...

Unfortunately not or at least not in part that I have access to, there is another bits for sports science students though. I just stuck two 20kg plates on top of each other which probably gives me about 3" extra motion, not much but better than nothing.
 
For fat burning on the treadmill at fast walking speed what heart rate should I aim for? or does it depend on age + weight etc?
 
semi-pro waster said:
Incidentally, roughly how much does the bar on a Smith Machine weigh normally so that I have a vague idea of where I am in relation to before. I'm guessing about 12.5kg to 15kg since it doesn't seem as wide as the Olympic bar or am I way off?
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As already said they all vary. The one at my gym weighs 18kg, I know because I weighed it on the scales :)
 
The one I used weighs practically nothing, I don't meant 5KG, I mean more like 1KG or less.

I get a funny problem in my calfs when doing calf raises, it's like cramp. I think they might be too inflexible or something.
 
Bodyfat down from 20.6% to 18.9% now. Weight on scales hasn't dropped anything really, could be a sign of no muscle loss. Happy :).
 
SK07 said:
For fat burning on the treadmill at fast walking speed what heart rate should I aim for? or does it depend on age + weight etc?
Click to expand...

Don't you have 'optimum' target zones printed on the treadmill face? Every one I've ever seen in a gym has but just in case you haven't the max heartrate they suggest is 220-your age so for me that would be in the region of 190-200 and then you need to work at around 70-80% of that apparantly so I should be aiming somewhere in the region of 140-150bpm probably. This is all taken from memory because I don't bother with looking, not requiring any weightloss at present but I think it is roughly correct.
 
I was away from my desk earlier, sadly for the period in which my big box of myprotein goodies arrived. Everyone in the office finds this hilarious - they won't be laughing when I pound them to dust with my mighty guns!!!

Why do they have to emblazon the box with the site address? I feel like I've been caught buying porn.
 
Current PBs at the moment...

Bodyweight: 62KG

Bench: 7x67KG
Squat: 5x88KG
Deadlift: 5x88KG

Not great I know this :(
 
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Volcs said:
I was away from my desk earlier, sadly for the period in which my big box of myprotein goodies arrived. Everyone in the office finds this hilarious - they won't be laughing when I pound them to dust with my mighty guns!!!

Why do they have to emblazon the box with the site address? I feel like I've been caught buying porn.
Click to expand...

what exactly are they laughing at?
 
Well, their loss eh!

Some of my current stats...

Incline bench = 80kg x 3
Deadlift = 120kg x 4
Not squatting atm so leg press = 180kg x 8

At 80kg

Day 1 - max upper
In/decline barbell bench - work up to max set 3-5
lat dumbbell bench press - 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps
Bent-over dumbbell rows - 4 sets of 10-15 reps
Face Pulls - 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps
Hanging leg raises - 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps

Day 2 - max lower
Squats/deadlift -Work up to a max set of 5 reps
unilateral leg press/rack pulls - 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps
grip training - 3 sets of timed sets

Day 3 - rep upper
Bodyweight dips - Work up to 3 sets of max reps
Rope pushdowns - 3-4 sets of 5-10 reps
Chin-ups - 4 sets of 8-12 reps
barbell shrugs - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
EZ bar curls - 3 sets of 10-15 reps


I quite like this program so far, its really forcing my weights up. We'll see how it goes.
 
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