*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

Nix said:
I've popped my knee a couple of times in the past myself, so I really need to get around to strengthening the area.

Can you recommend any good exercises to help?

Currently I run, do leg-extensions and the odd leg-press.
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Not sure how good lunges might be for your knee but are a good exercise for balance and a bit of core work.

If I were you I'd be doing leg presses (ideally squats) and then the odd bit of extensions. Not the way round you're currently doing them as I've heard extensions aren't brilliant for knee health. Target your legs as a whole, not just the knees :)
 
BennyC said:
I've recently discovered this. I think it's quite possibly the best snack ever.

Yeah I thought those flyes looked a little heavy in comparison to your pressing. Long as you're getting a good R.O.M and keeping your arms stiff. Might find you benefit more from less weight with elbows just slightly bent. I'm personally not a fan of DB flyes and much prefer flye exercises on cables.
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We recently got a cable machine.

I might try some cable flye's next week and see how that goes.
 
N19h7m4r3 said:
We recently got a cable machine.

I might try some cable flye's next week and see how that goes.
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You might be in for a shock!

Nix said:
So, squats and presses then?
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Yeah. Well it just doesn't seem very practical to base a leg workout around extensions. Running and sports aren't a resistance workout.

Only working your quads on extensions is neglecting glute, hamstring, calf and hip involvement. All of which could help make running even easier. You'll also end up with imbalances and this may well already be causing your knee problems.

Thumbs up for working legs though in the first place. Just base your workout around compounds as opposed to isolations. For example if you wan't big arms you'd be mistaken to stand there isolating biceps for hours on end. Yes they are a part of the arm and it will need to be done within reason but the tricep & deltoids and also the forearm make up larger portions of the arm than the biceps. The quads are a big group don't get me wrong. Just get some glute and hamstring work in there too.

Deadlifts, Stiff Legged Deadlifts, Squats, Front Squats, Hack Squats, Glute Ham Raises, Lunges to name a few :)
 
BennyC said:
All sounded good until the '8AM on Friday morning' was mentioned! Only time the equipment is guarenteed to be free. Getting up isn't an issue it's just I've never been one for resistance training in the morning. Let alone 1RM's, let alone squat 1RM's!:eek: Going to have to do a thorough warm up and mobilisation!
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Ouch, that's a bit of an unnatural hour to be up and trying for 1RMs. I think if I was in that situation I'd be getting up at 5ish or thereabouts just to give my body time to wake up as it were.
 
Got a few questions as a gym beginner!

First i've just started, I can quite easily manage to burn 500 calories in an hour on a treadmill/cycling machine if I keep my heart rate at around 160, which according to the machine is in the 'cardio' area for a 20 year old weighing about 70kg but no idea what I actually weigh.

I walk to uni and back every day, which is 30 mins at 4ish MPH in total.
I then walk to the gym for another 30 mins at 4MPH again.
So before I even get to the gym I'm doing an hours walking!

Now I was planning to go to the gym on Sunday-Friday with a minimum of half an hour on a Cardio machine and then a few weight sets.

My target is to do sub 7 minute 2km row, which at my first attempt a week ago was 8 mins dead at level '4' and a rubbish movement (fixed now!). Overall its general stamina/strength and a touch of fat loss (beer belly!). I have no idea what my calorie intake but a quick whip up of what I ate today gives about 2000...

Is this too much exercise for my body?

I feel fine at the moment (only been going a week!) so I don't know if I will burn out or not?

Thanks for any tips!

Cheers
 
Concorde Rules said:
Got a few questions as a gym beginner!

First i've just started, I can quite easily manage to burn 500 calories in an hour on a treadmill/cycling machine if I keep my heart rate at around 160, which according to the machine is in the 'cardio' area for a 20 year old weighing about 70kg but no idea what I actually weigh.

I walk to uni and back every day, which is 30 mins at 4ish MPH in total.
I then walk to the gym for another 30 mins at 4MPH again.
So before I even get to the gym I'm doing an hours walking!

Now I was planning to go to the gym on Sunday-Friday with a minimum of half an hour on a Cardio machine and then a few weight sets.

My target is to do sub 7 minute 2km row, which at my first attempt a week ago was 8 mins dead at level '4' and a rubbish movement (fixed now!). Overall its general stamina/strength and a touch of fat loss (beer belly!). I have no idea what my calorie intake but a quick whip up of what I ate today gives about 2000...

Is this too much exercise for my body?

I feel fine at the moment (only been going a week!) so I don't know if I will burn out or not?

Thanks for any tips!

Cheers
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Overal thats a lot less intensity compared to a good weights program like sheiko/5.3.1 so Id say you should be fine :)
 
Yeah maka those squats look good to me. Beginner gains rule, no? :D

Also you squat 60 but DL 150? odd but beastly! Good to see you've got over the losing weight philosophy ;)
 
georges said:
Also you squat 60 but DL 150? odd but beastly! Good to see you've got over the losing weight philosophy ;)
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Did I say I DL 150kg? If I did it was a total mistype sorry, I was doing them today and managed 110, but my main problem is my grip failing, I tend to do DL after pullups/chins and my forearms are always really pumped and I lose all my grip strength. Also I don't like using a mixed grip as for some reason it seems to make me want to round my back.
I'm thinking of swapping them around next time.

I think the getting over being ultra-lean thing has probably helped more than anything else so far.
 
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Ah fair do's, it's a shame!
I have the same problem with grip failing, but doing high reps at say 90-100kg after working sets of 120 has meant I'm finding it easier since that helps you hammer your forearm a bit more if you try crush the bar in your hands at the same time.

Definitely do chins/pulls after DL imo as it affects your DLs negatively. I too only use double overhand grip which makes higher weights a massive challenge. My max is 140 and it was literally tips of fingers holding on!
Conversely, using straps for the chins/pulls afterwards is fine, as you know you can hold your own bodyweight fine, which leaves your grip primarily for the larger loads of deads.

I got some "heavy grips" too which are grippers similar to captains of crush but cheaper and I think they're helping.
 
Try adopting a 'false grip' for a couple of weeks on your pulls/chins & B.O.R's.

Basically removing the thumb and wrapping over the same direction as the fingers. I find it more comfortable to 'pull' like this. Could/should see some improvements in grip strength, as your false grip fails revert to a regular grip.
 
Concorde Rules said:
Got a few questions as a gym beginner!

First i've just started, I can quite easily manage to burn 500 calories in an hour on a treadmill/cycling machine if I keep my heart rate at around 160, which according to the machine is in the 'cardio' area for a 20 year old weighing about 70kg but no idea what I actually weigh.

I walk to uni and back every day, which is 30 mins at 4ish MPH in total.
I then walk to the gym for another 30 mins at 4MPH again.
So before I even get to the gym I'm doing an hours walking!

Now I was planning to go to the gym on Sunday-Friday with a minimum of half an hour on a Cardio machine and then a few weight sets.

My target is to do sub 7 minute 2km row, which at my first attempt a week ago was 8 mins dead at level '4' and a rubbish movement (fixed now!). Overall its general stamina/strength and a touch of fat loss (beer belly!). I have no idea what my calorie intake but a quick whip up of what I ate today gives about 2000...

Is this too much exercise for my body?

I feel fine at the moment (only been going a week!) so I don't know if I will burn out or not?

Thanks for any tips!

Cheers
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I'd definitely start off with the weights first, then move over to cardio after. That way you are using up your energy to perform your lifts where you really need it. This should help you progress with your lifts a lot more. Then you should be starting you cardio with a lot less energy, which would help you to get into a fat burning state quicker.

You don't seem to be doing to much. But it's worth noting that you can burn just as much fat performing a weight program, with the added bonus of increasing muscle mass (additional muscle mass will also mean your body uses more calories in everything you do, therefore it's easier to keep the fat off). Some professional bodybuilder do not even do cardio, many do very little. the muscle mass they carry means it's easier for them to lose body fat. Also there diets are spot on, which is just as important.

If you are a beginner i suppect you're weight program revolves around machines and isolation movements. This is fine to begin with to get your body ready. Next step after this would be to learn compound moves, ie squat, deadlift, bench press, etc.

Barbell complexes are great for burning fat if you are ready for them too, they comprise are several movements put together, so for example you'd do 10 squats, 10 good mornings, 10 overhead presses, 10 bent over rows, 10 hang cleans. That is all done as 1 set with no pauses. very tough when you start upping the weights.
 
Makunouchi said:
Did I say I DL 150kg? If I did it was a total mistype sorry, I was doing them today and managed 110, but my main problem is my grip failing, I tend to do DL after pullups/chins and my forearms are always really pumped and I lose all my grip strength. Also I don't like using a mixed grip as for some reason it seems to make me want to round my back.
I'm thinking of swapping them around next time.

I think the getting over being ultra-lean thing has probably helped more than anything else so far.
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Try getting some wraps for your heavier sets. This way your back doesn't have to stop progressing because your grip is holding you back.

Sometimes it also helps to engage the back muscle more if you don't have to worry about the grip too. This is probably more so when doing rows though.
 
Darryl_1983 said:
Sometimes it also helps to engage the back muscle more if you don't have to worry about the grip too. This is probably more so when doing rows though.
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I second this. Though advise using natural grip until failure first to make strength as functional as possible.

OT:

First session of my 'Push' full body split.

Flat Bench
Squats
OH Press
Inc DB Press
Leg Extensions
Single Arm DB OH Press
GCBP
Dips
1 Tricep Isolation

Was on the cards today. 90 seconds rest with minimal rest between exercises. Aimed for 3 sets of 10 for most lifts but was finding my working weights today.

Being on a low carb diet made fatigue creep up quite quick and having worked the same areas, delts & tri's, quite a bit this accelerated it some more.

Was a good quick session taking just over an hour. HIIT & Conditioning tomorrow and then the 'Pull' split on Friday. Which I also need to help that lad out with a wired up 1RM squat at 8AM, siggggggh.
 
Can any of you legends offer some cheap alternatives for protein/fats?

So far i've started buying some tinned mackeral from recent posts but need more ideas!!
Money is quite an issue atm, my friends manage to get a voucher that gives me 58% off my gym membership :eek: so thats a huge help!

Currently eating nuts as well as their quite cheap.
 
ben90 said:
Can any of you legends offer some cheap alternatives for protein/fats?

So far i've started buying some tinned mackeral from recent posts but need more ideas!!
Money is quite an issue atm, my friends manage to get a voucher that gives me 58% off my gym membership :eek: so thats a huge help!

Currently eating nuts as well as their quite cheap.
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Olive Oil
Full Fat Milk
Butter

Obviously it helps when things are on special offer but you can get 'cheap' olive oil if you're strapped for cash.

A courner shop near me does 2l itres of milk for 99p, any top, always. Which is great when bulking.

Grabbed a few packs of Anchor butter when it was on offer for £1 at morrisons. I generally try to stock up when I see a good deal. John West tuna was £1.80 for 4 last weekend too.

Minced Turkey/Beef can be had for around £2.50-£2.70 per KG. Has almost 20grams of protein per 100grams.

Any help?
 
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