*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

N19h7m4r3 said:
Freefaller you got your lady friend into the weights rooms yet?

My friend was barely able to walk after legs today, she said she's never had so much pain in her quads before. :)

She's loving that burn on squats and leg extentions. MWAHAHA!
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Once I establish myself in the new gym then I may drag her in. Weights really aren't her thing at all. It's all a bit too much and daunting to her so it's not really fair to impose it on her until she's ready. Once I feel I can bring her in I will. However, I'm reticent to train her as it would be a bit difficult and a bit of a clash in some ways. I'm quite a focused gym rat and she's not, in fact she doesn't do the gym, swimming and other things yes, but lifting weights aren't her thing. I may get her to try a few movements, like squats, and deadlifts but we'll see. I don't want to force her to do anything she doesn't want to do. Maybe Chris might generously offer to do a session with her - we'll see. I'd love to get her to do some simple lifting though.

DuncanK said:
Its certainly a gym i will bear in mind when i eventually get a job up that way, but i'm not looking to do that until next year at the earliest. Finishing off a part time degree atm that my company are paying for:)

Before i moved up that way back in April i was looking to move gyms but i never found one for what i was willing to pay, most about £80 it seemed:(

I think you might have missed my question in the previous post but do you know much about that Nuffield/Cannons gym?
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Sorry I missed the question before - no I'm afraid I don't really know much about it - is that an alternative for you?

So you live in Earlsfield but study in Guildford? Heck of a commute! :D

£40 a month for Physical Culture is a cracking tbh and can't wait to spend my life in there! :D

Dj_Jestar said:
I'm curious about what others do when they hit bench plateau too. Do you just go for an extra 5-10kg and give it guts and glory, or do you do something else? I'm not sure I'd be too confident given that the weight only has my chest to break its fall...
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What I do, is just do a couple of warm up sets, then increase the weight dramatically. eg when I did my 160 - I did, 100x5, 120x2, 140x1, 150x1, 155x1 then 160. You can do even less volume than that before it so you're fresh.

You can overload and just get the negative portion to at least get used to the weight. And do as many neg reps as you can go. Doing lots of big heavy 1RMs or heavy sets will fry your cNS so don't go overboard and give yourself time to recover. Do light medium volume for a good week or more afterwards. Then go for an overload again. Keep doing that and in a few weeks you'll find 2 extra reps on your current 80% and the rest comes with that.
 
Skillmister said:
Definately going to start doing this more! Went to the gym on saturday and had to take it easy as my wrists are pretty sore after bashing rocks with a spade all week :o
Got some light weights on triceps and shoulders with slowwwwww negatives and oh my i was in such pain afterwards, so glad i had a bus ticket and didnt have to cycle home!

Hopefully that will be a great way to improve my bench when i get going again properly, another week of work though :(:D
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Go heavy though - that's the key.

However strength comes from the concentric movement - but the negative movement recruits muscle fibres, so whilst being spotted make sure you really push even though it'll be too heavy. Don't do this often though - it'll fry you!
 
DuncanK said:
Good to hear that its decent Freefaller. Where did you move to btw, far from Southfields?
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About 5 mins from the tube and 10-15mins from Earlsfield. :)

tom_e said:
I thought there had been a distinct lack of massive frenchmen round here in the last few days :p glad to hear your enjoying the new place, how long before they get to experience the anabolic wonders of the eye patch?
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haha! Well whenever I can get my anabolic partner there with me! ;)
 
Somehow I've managed to drop down to 15st dead without even realising! That's from just over 16st! Oops! Ah well, I don't feel too bad for it and besides holiday is coming up so probably for the best. I of course did realise, I have just trimmed my diet a lot since for the last 2-3 weeks I've had shoulder issues and haven't been able to train as much as I wanted to. So there is method to my madness! However, whilst I like looking very defined, I miss my bulk :( Not much I can do about it now though it'll have to wait till after my hols and just maintain some form of training. It's not like me to be nonplussed about this, but a break will do me some good.
 
I've still been going to the gym, just adding some HIIT and addressing my diet - not lost any strength, still squatting 180kg for reps, and deadlifting 230+ regularly. It's been easier than I expected. I can shoot back up to 16st in a few weeks when I get my body into a high hormone state through my diet - but it does require a lot of effort! I guess I used the move as an excuse just to trim down a little. When I'm back at work it'll help get my focus back! :)
 
reiyushin said:
Or be whatever guy makes you happy...
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It's a fair comment by you - but I'm afraid amongst my circle someone that concentrates on arms and spends little times on the big lifts carries very little respect from me and other lifters that take this seriously.

If it makes you happy, do it, but don't expect to get admired or supported by others.
 
I guess that's why I'm different. I don't go to the gym for vanity, I'm not a bodybuilder, I'm a weight trainer, developing strength, power and size. I don't build myself up for others, I'm very happily settled with my gf. Even before I started in the gym, I didn't have to do much effort to get a girl interested in me, so for me it wasn't for the allure of women or men (if you're a strange one). I do it for me, no one else. I don't care if I don't have big biceps, I know I can outlift 90% of people in most gyms, but don't need to show it. My training has helped me in my day to day life, just doing anything is rendered easier as a result.

Whilst people who train biceps excessively doesn't bother per se, I just have no time for such people. As they just clearly have a different take on training, they may end up having impressive arms, but it's all show and no go as far as I'm concerned.

Train as you wish/like it's a free world. However, if people think training bis for an hour several times a week is a sensible use of time you're hugely mistaken.
 
Psycho Sonny said:
its not several times a week - its once every 10 days.

also you may be into the whole macho brigade with how much you can lift but others are into aesthetically pleasing bodies. near enough every woman wants a guy with a 6 pack and big biceps, they dont care if he can squat 200 kg or not, so if someone wants big biceps and a 6 pack are they not allowed to have them?

treat others as you yourself would like to be treated, not everyones goal is to be able to bench 150 kg, some people just want a body which looks good to themselves and others. big arms and a 6 pack are appealing to women, brock lesnar on the other hand isnt.
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That's fine you go back to your bicep curls, it's fine :) I'm just trying to share a parallel. Also to advise you that if you want big arms and a ripped midriff, doing curls and crunches won't help as much as doing the big movements... then again, what do I know ;) Was merely stating some facts to help you mate - if you don't want it, you don't have to listen. That's fine. I apologise.

And LOL @ the comment re: women, bicep and abs! :D Made my morning thanks! :D

Good thing I have nearly 19" arms and deep visible abs else I'd never be able to score with women!! :o :D :D
 
burtieb1 said:
I was having a read of the bodybuilding forum and a read something about Testosterone Boosters for 35+ anyone explain what they are and are they just another gimmick?
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Boost endogenous test is a trick we'd all love to be able to achieve, fact is, there's a finite amount our body will produce. Exogenous test goes down a dark road which I'm not willing to entertain here.

There are a lot of supps around that are supposed to help "boost" natural test. They don't, however, what they may do is help the levels from dipping too low and maintain a more steady level within your body. These famously being Zinc, Trib off the top of my head. Zinc is actually a very useful mineral and men should make sure they have that in their diet. A lot of easter medicines are huge on their herbal remedies to improve virility. Some people have a lot of time for eastern medicine, others don't. It's up to you to try it and make up your own mind.

So how do we minimise test crashes?

Reduce alcohol intake. A big night will wipe your test levels, and I really do mean wipe them for a good 24-48hrs. I read a research paper oiut there that a big binge can actually lower your test level so much you actually have as much as a woman in menopause. Not good.

Big exercises. These will temporarily increase test production, but your body will level out again, homeostasis, don't you just love it! ;) However, these can take longer ther bigger the compound exercises and the harder you train. Going to the gym doing 3 sets of arm curls and a few crunches will do nothing. Doing a big hard leg, back and chest session with a decent amount of volume and difficulty will result in this increased test release.

All of the above with the right diet and monopolising your body's insulin, igf1 and GH releases will maximise your gains.

Diet, crucial. Eat good food, more regularly. This keeps your metabolism ticking over and prevents the peak and troughs which are detrimental to test levels - this has to do with insulin response too - however I've gone over this in detail recently so please feel free to read up on it. However beware that too many bad fats are also not condjucive to test boosting!

Good fats. Absolutely crucila. Lots of mono (and some poly) fats. Some sat fats in sensible quantities also help.

Green veggies. Absolutely crucial, not only for their antioxidant properties, and the fact they are delicious and vital for your health, but they also help lower oestrogen within the body.

Most of these tricks help lower oestrogen rather than boost test - though you do get a momentary boost from exercise.

Lower stress. Cortisol is catabolic, and helps develop fat storage within the body. The more fat you have the lower your LBM %age is and ergo the less test is produced, the most fat you have the higher the oestrogen levels become etc... vicious circle. I have, again, gone over this in fine detail recently.

Sleep! Very important to sleep well and deeply. This is where your body is at it's most productive in terms of building muscle and recovery.

You can do all of this with the herbal boosts (nothing wrong with herbal medicine, it's just that not all people respond to them and as such may be wasting your time and money). Stress relief can come in many ways, but I quite like rhodiola rosea (take it for about a month at a time with a good break in between) - for me it really does have a good effect on me. It's up to you to read up on different herbs and supplements out there and see how they merge with your lifestyle.

You won't boost test or make you a walking anabolic factory, but you can certainly give your body the best chance it has to utilise what it gives you.

I was at the BNBF central region, this weekend, and the over 40s category was mind blowing. Seeing as this is a tested federation (7 years, urine and polygraph tested) some of the 40s were in fantastic shape, and their test is hugely diminished vs that of a young 20 something person. It just goes to show that with good diet, good training, and some dedication you can achieve some remarkable results. :)
 
Delvis said:
Nothing wrong with doing 5 day splits though surely? If you're getting the correct advice and help from a trainer or fellow gym friend for example?

I did / do 3 day splits purely because it's what I've read and I've based it on that for now, that and I like a days rest otherwise you just end up lifting incorrectly, especially if you're new to it like myself really
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It depends on how familiar you are with working out. 5 day splits are easy and not a problem if you don't over do the volume, and your body is used to such trauma, as well as making sure your diet is bang on, and you don't drink or smoke. Too much volume to an untrained/novice lifter will fry the CNS, and you'll end up being run down, ill, and actually cause your body to turn catabolic rather than anabolic if you#re not careful.

Modest volume for a 5 day split is absolutely fine. But I'd be spending 45 mins max for that sort of work out. That's why I prefer 4 day as I can do some HIIT in between, have a day off, and do a 90min session without too much problem.
 
Breakfast is not good enough really. You need a lot more, and have less refined cereals and more wholesome foods.

What are your goals/stats etc... ?
I',m concerned with the amount you're eating. What you've listed I would have eaten by midday! :p

Try and keep most of your carbs before dinner - dinner should be relatively light, high protein meal.
 
burtieb1 said:
Thanks for the post Freefaller, I'm managing quite well or as well as I can afford with my diet and getting loads of sleep and training well so I think that's all I need.

I've managed to work my diet out without supplements and I'm spending the cash on real food. So I think I'll leave the Testosterone Boosters for now, I'm not over the hill yet lol.
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Glad it's going well for you - it's good to see you a bit more positive than you were. :)
 
lemonkettaz said:
I'm not fat at all, I just have no "definition" around my middle, just a tad of flab.

Sorry to use the D word lol
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Problem is, if you don't eat enough your body holds onto fat, if you eat too much, you increase your fat! It's a tough call. That's why you need to work out or have a rough idea of what your metabolism is doing. Then workout if you're roughly in the right ball park for what you're eating. I'd hit your calorie requirements and leave them as they are and add some HIIT to your routine - give it a month or two and as long as you're still eating the right foods and not compensating by eating more, you should shred up a bit.
 
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