*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

Bands will give you an ever increasing tension the further through the rep you get. They'll actually be pulling back down as opposed to chains increasing the weight.

After reading CT's articles about muscle activation I did some plyo pressups before my chest workout today. Not sure if it was a placebo effect or the result of changing my exercises slightly and not training each set to near failure/failure but I deffinatley felt more powerful and it showed across my whole workout. I could also feel it more too.

Would deffers recommend people try plyometric pressups, inverted rows, jump squats or some other muscle relevant activation exercise on the day of or at least included in your pre workout warm up.

OT: Had a total screamer in the gym today. Totally out of shape and clueless in regards to training. Banging weights around, sounded like he was climaxing with every rep. and saying things like '**** it yeah, lets go for one more with the 50's' 'kwwwworrr, that was a good one, I feel good!'. I clocked him lying on a bench with the 50KG dumbell held with both hands at one end pushing it away from his chest, about a whole half inch for eighty, yes 80 reps.

My friend I had invited to train with me was struggling to contain his laughter and finish his sets because of it. Was actually quite tempted to go and tell him to shut up at one point.

Make all the noise you want if you're training properly and pushing weight thats difficult/maximal for you but stop screaming your head off for your kick backs and curls.
 
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haha - sounds a bit like my gym. There are some very strange goings on there I can tell you. "Exercises" I cannot even begin to describe, mainly of the isolation variety. As well as the shouty blokes who are hardly lifting anything.
The bicep boys are the funniest - they spend an entire hour training their biceps. How many different machines can you do curls on?
What I don't get is the people, who obviously enjoy training (they are there pretty much every day) who just seem to have no clue. I mean if you're that into it, why not read up about it?!
I can count on one hand the people who squat in the gym, 2 of them are me and my training partner. No-one deadlifts apart from me and my training partner.
It's madness I tells ya! :p

Anyway, DL PB today 100KG (I did grunt a little when it came up, sorry ;)) Very pleased. :)
 
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Has anyone ever used chains with your training, they do the same kind of thing as using bands but they are supposed to be safer because they aren't elastic obviously.

They are basically as they sound, they're chains, but at one end the links are really small and so light and as you go along the chain the links get bigger and heavier. The idea is you have a pile of chains on the floor with the small link end attached to the bar so as you raise the bar up the heavier links rise making the lift harder as you go higher.

A guy at my gym knows a lot more than me about this stuff and he rates them really highly but I was just wondering if you guys could shed any light into it for me
 
Yeah I mean part of my interest is that he said he might be able to get me a set for cheao/free and I was wondering if there was any point, or should I just get bands for a similar cost?
 
Chains or bands are good - I personally like big heavy chains (more Rocky style :D)
But the idea is that you are limited to your weakest part of the entire movement, bench for instance at the bottom part closest to your chest. As you push the bar back up the weight (with the chains) gradually increases a further 20-40lbs to your more stronger part of the lift.
It helps with explosive strength, it's a way to train stronger areas of the body without limitations.
 
Djdom56 said:
Has anyone ever used chains with your training, they do the same kind of thing as using bands but they are supposed to be safer because they aren't elastic obviously.

They are basically as they sound, they're chains, but at one end the links are really small and so light and as you go along the chain the links get bigger and heavier. The idea is you have a pile of chains on the floor with the small link end attached to the bar so as you raise the bar up the heavier links rise making the lift harder as you go higher.

A guy at my gym knows a lot more than me about this stuff and he rates them really highly but I was just wondering if you guys could shed any light into it for me
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I don't think the chains are smaller at one end just the further through the lift you get the more links come off the floor and thus the bar weight increases. You can just drape any old chain over them.

http://www.gymratz.co.uk/gymratz-chains-set-club-pack

Funky chain collars & chains, overpriced as obviously. can just tie them in a slip knot and slide them on.
 
e36Adz said:
Please recommend me a protein shake. I need it to gain mass and I intend to have it twice a day. Is PhD Pharma Whey any good? Thanks.
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Dj_Jestar said:
You do not gain mass by drinking protein shakes. You gain mass by lifting weights. You only need shakes if you cannot get enough nutrients from your diet.
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Protein shakes will not give you mass a calorie surplus and resistance training will.

If your diet is pants drinking shakes is a waste of money you might as well burn it or throw it down the toilet.

Start a new thread asking for c&c on your current diet. Then once your diet is on track consider supplementing it if you need to.
 
Interesting session . Tried a controlled negative 220KG squat and it went down better than expected. I'm convinced that unracking 250KG from the rack has made me shorter. I've never seen so many veins across my face.
 
BennyC said:
Yeah, pop some skull crushers, alternating shoulder press, DB row, DB clean better than nothing. Could get away with some flyes using your swiss ball if you have something to anchor yourself with on the opposing side, same with some press.
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I decided to bite the bullet and pick up a 50KG Barbell/Dumbell set for £30. Add another 20KG to that and it should be something decent to work with for the month. Thanks again for the advice.
 
scott212 said:
I decided to bite the bullet and pick up a 50KG Barbell/Dumbell set for £30. Add another 20KG to that and it should be something decent to work with for the month. Thanks again for the advice.
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Sounds good. Will always come in handy if you ever don't have the time to get to the gym or it's closed for whatever reason.

Also means you can do some barbell complexes at home too :cool:

Nice deadlifts Craig :)

Hoping to see some improvement with my RAW grip on Sunday for my back workout and deadlifts. Done some static holds on a 2.5" bar not particulary heavy 60-80KG but holding a thick bar ain't easy! My friend couldn't managed to get his hands around it even for only 30KG, he does have small hands though.
 
I'm on the verge of giving in and building my own gym in the garage - I've had like 4 gym memberships in 2-3yrs and always changing due to life etc. I realize it will be pricey to start with but in the long run, save me some cash/petrol/time etc - plus the other half will use it @ weekends.
So what do you guys think of this:
p5348988dt.jpg

The uprights move in and out, so good for bench, squats, pulls/chins, deads and dips etc and for $299 brand new I think it's not too bad.

Or this:
p6935090dt.jpg

Probably a bit more sturdy etc but same exercises and $449 brand new.

Will be getting plates, bars and what not second hand and some DB's, and then slowly keep adding to it :)
 
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