*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***
- Thread starter Freefaller
- Start date
Thanks, I'll start training again at the weekend. I think once I start again I'll hopefully stick to it.
How are you finding the stronglifts program?
I started on the stronglifts beginners and got up to 70KG on the squat within 3 months but I stalled at that weight until I got the flu and gave up.
I think the reason why I stalled was because my diet slacked.
What kind of foods are you eating?
Good man on starting again, I'd start stronglifts again if I were you get the strength back up. Diet wise just don't eat any rubbish and stick to whole foods
loads of chicken and fish and a massive amount of veg and eggs.
Don't forget to warm up a bit more if It's really cold.
I'll lift to within a few seconds of dropping the weight wether it be shrugging/ deadlifting etc as you can tell when you're going to drop it.
You should 'in theory' be resting the weight down after each rep giving you a chance to re-adjust and secure your grip.
I don't like the idea of suddenly loosing a 150-180KG load from one hand but then standing with it all on the other with a core braced for a diferent activity. Unless your grips slipping equally however my left hand seems to be stronger.
I agree about triceps, triceps are what make you arms look big - however, it's about synergy and symmetry, training 1 without the other is equally pointless as you end up with an imbalance. My arm work outs tend to be bias on the tricep as I do enough back work to stimulate bicep development. I never do full on arms sessions, they're always a subsidiary exercise.
Gain 20 lbs and finally start seeing some gains in mass and muscle.
20lbs is a tremendous amount of weight! You must be chuffed! How much of that is fat/water do you reckon? Either way it's good work - do you think you've increased your BF significantly as a result? What have you moved from, to, in terms of weight? How long have you been training?
Well done! And keep it up - it gets harder - I'm currently happy to gain 4-5lbs a year!
What can I do to motivate myself during these horrible winter months?
I haven't been lifting for 6 weeks now and I'm feeling really down. I started in September last year and initially made good progress but in December I got the flu and I haven't been since.
I workout in a barn with no heating and it's absolutely freezing. Unfortunately I don't live near any gyms and I don't even know of any with decent free weight equipment around here.
I *need* the gym to keep me in check. IT takes a lot of motivation to go there, but as I drive past it on the way home it makes it a little easier. However, I look in the mirror, and I look at those that inspire me and see the progress I've made and just want to carry on and get bigger stronger, leaner and healthier.
To warm yourself up do some decent warm ups and if you cool down too much between sets, again do some warm ups.
If I had the chance to work out in my own area I'd be out there every day!
Once you're training you'll get back into it - the hardest step is to get yourself there.
If I was at the top of the rep, I'd have enough grip to let it back down to the ground anyway, and since you unload the bar at the bottom it doesn't matter. If I'm on the lift, i.e. coming off the ground, and it starts to fail, I know my grip levels well enough as to whether or not I should drop it and retry or carry on.
Caporegime
Cardio
Hi guys
What are your views on the value of cardio in tandem with weight lifting, if cardiovascular performance itself is not high on the agenda?
I've recently been wondering if a lack of stamina has been hampering my lifting sessions as I get very tired on the final set of some lifts, and as a result have introduced 20 mins of HIIT on the Concept2 rower after weights every other day.
It goes: 2 mins warmup, 30 seconds sprint then 1 minute low intensity, and 1 minute cool down at the end. Highest difficulty setting to maximise intensity. Last night I hit 3918m and this is my current PB on interval rowing.
What do you think of this tactic? Goal is simply overall improvement of physique.
Hi guys
What are your views on the value of cardio in tandem with weight lifting, if cardiovascular performance itself is not high on the agenda?
I've recently been wondering if a lack of stamina has been hampering my lifting sessions as I get very tired on the final set of some lifts, and as a result have introduced 20 mins of HIIT on the Concept2 rower after weights every other day.
It goes: 2 mins warmup, 30 seconds sprint then 1 minute low intensity, and 1 minute cool down at the end. Highest difficulty setting to maximise intensity. Last night I hit 3918m and this is my current PB on interval rowing.
What do you think of this tactic? Goal is simply overall improvement of physique.
Firstly 'difficulty' setting is actually the 'catch' setting theres no difference in resistance.
I've done very similar H.I.I.T on the rower and really enjoyed it. I'm currently on an upper/lower split followed by 40 minutes random hills on the x-trainer.
You're currently trying to bulk so you want to burn as little calories as possible but as much fat so H.I.I.T is deffinatley the way foward. Try skipping and intervals on the punch bag if you begin to get bored of rowing. It's deffinatley wise to do cardio at least once a week even if it's only a short session just to keep your heart upto speed with your mass gains.
I've done very similar H.I.I.T on the rower and really enjoyed it. I'm currently on an upper/lower split followed by 40 minutes random hills on the x-trainer.
You're currently trying to bulk so you want to burn as little calories as possible but as much fat so H.I.I.T is deffinatley the way foward. Try skipping and intervals on the punch bag if you begin to get bored of rowing. It's deffinatley wise to do cardio at least once a week even if it's only a short session just to keep your heart upto speed with your mass gains.
Cardio is important. Without decent CV health, you hindering your performance end of. Even the mass monsters who I dont' find particularly inspiring, do cardio. However, I'd keep away from long bouts of steady state cardio (which is rubbish anyway 
), and up the HIIT at least 3x per week for a good intense 30mins. Look at rugby players, they're big heavy strong dudes, yet are pretty fit and can run up and down a rugby pitch for 80mins. Sure they probably won't do a marathon in 4hrs, but then they don't look like an emaciated albino-like skeletal bag of skin and bones either. I'd be of the opinion (that other than the beer ) rugby players are probably in better state of health (bar the bone breaks too) than all out long distance runners.
You can keep good CV health and keep lifting big heavy weights and gain mass - they are not mutually exclusive. anyone that says you can't do both needs to be shot.
), and up the HIIT at least 3x per week for a good intense 30mins. Look at rugby players, they're big heavy strong dudes, yet are pretty fit and can run up and down a rugby pitch for 80mins. Sure they probably won't do a marathon in 4hrs, but then they don't look like an emaciated albino-like skeletal bag of skin and bones either. I'd be of the opinion (that other than the beer ) rugby players are probably in better state of health (bar the bone breaks too) than all out long distance runners. You can keep good CV health and keep lifting big heavy weights and gain mass - they are not mutually exclusive. anyone that says you can't do both needs to be shot.
What can I do to motivate myself during these horrible winter months?
I haven't been lifting for 6 weeks now and I'm feeling really down. I started in September last year and initially made good progress but in December I got the flu and I haven't been since.
I workout in a barn with no heating and it's absolutely freezing. Unfortunately I don't live near any gyms and I don't even know of any with decent free weight equipment around here.
same here i motivated myself to get out to garage once a week, too bloody cold
I've never done cardio
Well lucky you! to be that lean and not have to try!
Have a go at some H.I.I.T and then report back if it doesn't kill you
OT: PB today 4th set of B.O.R's @ 90KG for 7 reps, after some Flat Bench, Pull ups and Inc DB press.
Well lucky you! to be that lean and not have to try!
Have a go at some H.I.I.T and then report back if it doesn't kill you
Not sure if it's a good thing though, I'd like to have all round fitness.
Thing is, I only get to the gym say 3 times a week, I like to make the most of my hour with lifting.
Sprints up and down your road would be a good way to get in some H.I.I.T and doesn't involve going anywhere except out the front door.
Do HIIT and conditioning exercises on the days you don't go to the gym. That's what I do. 
Ugh 3 days in Germany on business drinking beer and eating bratwurst...felt good
Meant that I hadn't trained since last Saturday until tonight and I think the break did me good. Haven't had more than 3 days off in about 60 weeks.
Gonna have to rethink my training days if I keep up the american football though, the body just takes too much of a hit to get in the gym the day after.
Meant that I hadn't trained since last Saturday until tonight and I think the break did me good. Haven't had more than 3 days off in about 60 weeks.
Gonna have to rethink my training days if I keep up the american football though, the body just takes too much of a hit to get in the gym the day after.
Man of Honour
How's your knee holding up? Taking time off is probably a good plan though, reminds you that you miss being in the gym as well.
Soldato
If you don't have to do cardio why bother? If you are lifting heavy weight hard your heart rate will be elevated for the duration of your workout (which for me is 5 days a week) anyway. Young lad burning fast I wouldn't worry if you are having no problems.
I got on fine for a year with 0 cardio eating more than ever and lean as always. But since I injured my shoulder and had to take it easy for a while I have noticed a lack of cardio fitness, and even more so since just before Christmas, so I'm going to work in some steady state a couple of times a week see what affect it has. But some people definitely don't need to do cardio
I got on fine for a year with 0 cardio eating more than ever and lean as always. But since I injured my shoulder and had to take it easy for a while I have noticed a lack of cardio fitness, and even more so since just before Christmas, so I'm going to work in some steady state a couple of times a week see what affect it has. But some people definitely don't need to do cardio
Soldato
Echo Duns comments . Get all my cardio from lifting heavy and hard at the moment: seems to work for me.