*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

[ethan]

Doesn't it differ massively machine to machine

Yes it does quite dramatically. Obviously a 45 degree will differ to a "standard" leg press etc

Flat bench has jumped from 60kg to 70-75kg in a month, I recon 80 easily so I'll give that a go when my mate comes with me next.
> Incline bench up to 75kg from 50kg.
> Shoulder press up to 75kg from 50kg.
> Leg press up to 470kg, looking to hit the 500 mark.

No disrespect but two years or so of training for up to 80K on bench ? and then a 470k leg press doesn't make sense unless it's a typo: maybe 470 lb seems a bit more reasonable in connection to your other lifts

 

[Dynix]

Naw it's the truth. We've got the Technogym leg press (very new, only got it over Easter), but had the "slidey" one previous - click the links for pics

Not sure on the difference to be honest, but I've certainly gotten benefits from the new one a lot faster than the old.

As for the weight, I've got 11 * 20KG, 1 * 10KG and 1 * 5KG on each side which took it to 470KG today. Sets today were 450 (10*2), 460 (2*10) then 470 (2*8).

Regarding the disproportion and what ethan mentions above, I've done cardio (rowing/running) for the two years and only recently (~February onwards) taken an interest in the weight training (my post did say that! ). Only in the past month have I been properly doing it, the stats I said are what I started on and what I'm on now.

The only sort of weights I did before moving to the free-weights bit were the resistant machines which were pretty pap to be honest and I didn't progress on them very much.

Hope that clears it up a bit!

 

[N19h7m4r3]

Blimey that thing can takes a lot of plates!

 

[Dynix]

I wouldn't say it looks like a lot, but I manage to get 13 on each side, you can probably get one more on with someone holding it in place.

EDIT: Sorry, deads/squats aren't something I've ventured to yet. Bad excuses perhaps, but there's almost always someone in the rack and I'm worried I'm going to break something without the proper technique. Hopefully have them stats soon as I'm missing out heavily by not doing them.

 

[BennyC]

Decided to go for a quick swim this evening with a friend. She used to do triathalons in her childhood so is a pritty good swimmer.

I had lessons when I was younger but more or less forgot everything I was taught.

Front crawl I can do but when it comes to breathing I'm completely screwed. I seem to be in the wrong position with my chest proud/back almost arched so my diaphragm is already stretched out and as such can't take a deep breath when I turn my head to the side! So I'll keep my head out the water and sort of end up wiggling my mid section Don't get me wrong I haven't a problem moving through the water just managing to breathe whilst doing so seems to be an issue!

Breast stroke I'm alright with but am quite sure where I'm putting my limbs isn't right!

Back stroke, with just the legs I'm alright with, until I got cramp in my left gastrocnemius (which I now need to foam roll!). I don't have the shoulder health/mobility to incorpirate the arms.

So it becomes more of an anaerobic exercise for me! might just do some intervals across the lanes without breathing! lol

Having trained Chest yesterday and Back a few hours before can't have helped.

 

[ethan]

Naw it's the truth. We've got the Technogym leg press (very new, only got it over Easter), but had the "slidey" one previous - click the links for pics

Not sure on the difference to be honest, but I've certainly gotten benefits from the new one a lot faster than the old.

As for the weight, I've got 11 * 20KG, 1 * 10KG and 1 * 5KG on each side which took it to 470KG today. Sets today were 450 (10*2), 460 (2*10) then 470 (2*8).

Regarding the disproportion and what ethan mentions above, I've done cardio (rowing/running) for the two years and only recently (~February onwards) taken an interest in the weight training (my post did say that! ). Only in the past month have I been properly doing it, the stats I said are what I started on and what I'm on now.

The only sort of weights I did before moving to the free-weights bit were the resistant machines which were pretty pap to be honest and I didn't progress on them very much.

Hope that clears it up a bit!

Yeah I know the one by techno gym as I have quite often used it. 400K+ on that is still pretty good going as I have seen quite a few guys knees almost pop on it with using too much weight.It is also a lot more confortable to use: Saying that, the 45 degree leg press is vastly more difficult: this is the slidy one to which you refer and because of this i am at a loss as to how you have made greater progress on the technogym? I use the 45 degree press also There is also a safety on it-the techno-gym press to prevent the plate from pushing your kness too far back towards your kneck. There is no safety on the 45 degree leg press. just out of interest DW fitness use quite a lot of Techno-gym stuff.

 

[Freefaller]

I've repped out over 450kg but it's haaaaard work! Especially with a large ROM. So much respect for 470kg over 1000lbs which is pretty hardcore.

 

[DarkShadow]

3 choices:

- typo
- mistake
- fib

I beg to differ.

Last year, I just started squatting I was at circa 100KG and 150KG DL. I hit 440KG for 5 reps on the sledge.

Now I can squat at 180KG weighing less. Go figure.

 

[Dynix]

Yeah I know the one by techno gym as I have quite often used it. 400K+ on that is still pretty good going as I have seen quite a few guys knees almost pop on it with using too much weight.It is also a lot more confortable to use: Saying that, the 45 degree leg press is vastly more difficult: this is the slidy one to which you refer and because of this i am at a loss as to how you have made greater progress on the technogym? I use the 45 degree press also There is also a safety on it-the techno-gym press to prevent the plate from pushing your kness too far back towards your kneck. There is no safety on the 45 degree leg press. just out of interest DW fitness use quite a lot of Techno-gym stuff.

I did find the 45 deg one more difficult, I remember struggling with around 270 a few months back and I've managed to bump it up to 470. It's a shame they got rid of it else I could've compared. I do like the new TG one though, a lot more comfortable to use. My only gripe is I'm running out of plate space

 

[N19h7m4r3]

I beg to differ.

Last year, I just started squatting I was at circa 100KG and 150KG DL. I hit 440KG for 5 reps on the sledge.

Now I can squat at 180KG weighing less. Go figure.

Shadow, how's your deadlifting going? Broke that 180 yet?

Also I really love your 180kg squat! If only we didn't have a smiths.

 

[ethan]

I did find the 45 deg one more difficult, I remember struggling with around 270 a few months back and I've managed to bump it up to 470. It's a shame they got rid of it else I could've compared. I do like the new TG one though, a lot more comfortable to use. My only gripe is I'm running out of plate space

Are you only able to use 20kg plates?

 

[semi-pro waster]

Doesn't it differ massively machine to machine :S ?
For example the one in my council gym I can max out at 200kg, whereas one in uni I'll load up at ~140kg for a good few reps same with another plate loaded one I tried in LA fitness when I was trying it out the other day.

It does differ quite significantly depending on what the machines mechanical path is and how well it has been maintained. I found that using a similar one to the machine Xtrm2Matt uses I could do more as the ROM didn't seem as much as the sled type but whatever way you look at it 470kg is huge.

 

[Dynix]

Are you only able to use 20kg plates?

Yeah. We used to have 25's but when they revamped the gym over Easter they got rid!

 

[ethan]

Yeah. We used to have 25's but when they revamped the gym over Easter they got rid!

Pre-exhaust your legs with squats etc prior to using the leg press

Edit: All you need to do now is join the rest of us in attempting to match what you can do with your lower body to that of your upper body

 

[Freefaller]

If your knees aren't touching your chest, you're not going deep enough!

 

[N19h7m4r3]

If your knees aren't touching your chest, you're not going deep enough!

Haha damn right! I get the odd looks from the Bicep boys when I do that, or go very deep on squats.

Although I've noticed significantly lesser DOMs in this gym then my college one, even though I do more volume.

I'm too use to my heavy deadlifts and squats. Getting use to a max of 145 on bar is weird.

 

[Freefaller]

I don't get that much DOMs from leg press which is weird. But I see so many people that do partial reps on the leg press - it vexes me. JUST DO IT PROPERLY DAMMIT!

 

[oddjob62]

I don't get that much DOMs from leg press which is weird. But I see so many people that do partial reps on the leg press - it vexes me. JUST DO IT PROPERLY DAMMIT!

Doesn't bother me. Big lad at the gym last night was doing what i wouldn't even describe as half squats. I just leave them to it (unless they ask for advice or are a mate). However if he comes up to me and says he squats more than I do, I WILL laugh in his face.

 

[J.T]

Partial reps can come in handy if you are doing them correctly, like after failure.

The thing that really gets on my nerves is bad form, e.g. so many guys in my Gym do Bench press wrong, they only bring the bar down half way then go back up again and they think they are so cool because they have so much weight on the bar but hey guess what the only reason you can even bench it is because you are not doing the full motion!!!

 

[UltimateBadger]

Ha ha. Very true J.T.