*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***
- Thread starter Morba
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Even with just bodyweight squats, tabata can leave you dry heaving if you do it right.
When i was doing the last workout the gym was pretty quiet, so i managed to get straight from station to station with only a few seconds break in between. At one point i was actually hoping that someone would be on one of them so i could have an excuse for a break hehe.
Soldato
Really getting frustrated about my new gym.
I joined up because it's got a pool, is more convenient (right below my flat!) and £10/month cheaper than my current gym. The problem is, the weights area is rubbish. There's a couple of cable cross-over things, a few benches, loads of dumbells, but the only place to do squats/deadlifts is this stupid jones smith machine.
At the moment i've still got my other gym membership because it's pretty much impossible to do the stronglifts routine with such equipment, but this isn't a very sensible solution long term. My question is - would I be able to substitute the leg excercises for ones using -shudder- machines, and use dumbells to substitute for barbell shoulder press?
I joined up because it's got a pool, is more convenient (right below my flat!) and £10/month cheaper than my current gym. The problem is, the weights area is rubbish. There's a couple of cable cross-over things, a few benches, loads of dumbells, but the only place to do squats/deadlifts is this stupid jones smith machine.
At the moment i've still got my other gym membership because it's pretty much impossible to do the stronglifts routine with such equipment, but this isn't a very sensible solution long term. My question is - would I be able to substitute the leg excercises for ones using -shudder- machines, and use dumbells to substitute for barbell shoulder press?
Is that one of the no frills gyms in the city centre? there seems to be loads of them now for around £15~20 a month.
You could try these to work legs:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBSingleLegSplitSquat.html
Soldato
No, it's just a ponsy type one for people who just want to look in the mirror and do bicep curls
. I've sent them feedback and told them to get a power rack in, but they haven't done anything about it yet and I'd be surprised if it happens. The stupid thing is that the jones smith machine probably cost double what a power rack does!They won't get a rack as it's just an opportunity for people to hurt themselves.
Machines are fine for leg work if they're all you have. Make do with what you have for the moment.
Smiths aren't ideal but they give you the opportunity to be a bit more creative with your squats and try things that aren't possible with freeweights.
Machines are fine for leg work if they're all you have. Make do with what you have for the moment.
Smiths aren't ideal but they give you the opportunity to be a bit more creative with your squats and try things that aren't possible with freeweights.
Soldato
Yeah I probably am worrying too much - My upper body needs more work anyway, I just love to squat!!
Is there any point in doing HIIT after a weights session during a cutting phase? Or is it best to keep an alternate weights/cardio day regime?
Also, I noticed in the sticky Gordy mentions pre-breakfast early morning cardio is effective for fat loss. I'm sure I've read elsewhere that research has shown this may not be the case due to cortisol spikes. Also, surely it would be extremely difficult to hit your full potential for HIIT having not eaten? Running at speeds above 20kph for 30-60 seconds at a time must shift huge quantities of energy.
Also, I noticed in the sticky Gordy mentions pre-breakfast early morning cardio is effective for fat loss. I'm sure I've read elsewhere that research has shown this may not be the case due to cortisol spikes. Also, surely it would be extremely difficult to hit your full potential for HIIT having not eaten? Running at speeds above 20kph for 30-60 seconds at a time must shift huge quantities of energy.
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I've done both. Short intervals after training and then days with just intervals & circuits.
HIIT is draining on glycogen stores so you may find you have reduced performance or have to have my frequent carb reloads.
However if you're HIIT is involving 30-60 max effort then that isn't your max effort. Max effort is maintainable for 10-20 seconds tops with a 40 second recovery. Any more than that and you're not pushing hard enough.
Soldato
Doing my legs tomorrow, I'm thinking of the following:
5x5 Squats
5x5 SLDL
5x5 Donkey Calf Raise (Seated)
30 mins Cardio on Rowing Machine
Purely as a strength-building Routine, my Legs could be stronger (I have issues with Squats, they make me nervous when I do them, which is definitely affecting my results).
I'm hoping this will instill a bit more confidence.
Also going to get my Mackeral Fillets and Cottage Cheese tonight, I intentionally stopped eating them whilst I was ill with my Cold as I wasn't doing the work in the Gym, so couldn't justify the extra Protein.
But even though I'm not quite over it, a week and a half is way too long for my liking for a Cold; and frankly, I'm pretty fed up of it, so I'm going to go to the Gym anyway before I really start losing all my hard work.
5x5 Squats
5x5 SLDL
5x5 Donkey Calf Raise (Seated)
30 mins Cardio on Rowing Machine
Purely as a strength-building Routine, my Legs could be stronger (I have issues with Squats, they make me nervous when I do them, which is definitely affecting my results).
I'm hoping this will instill a bit more confidence.
Also going to get my Mackeral Fillets and Cottage Cheese tonight, I intentionally stopped eating them whilst I was ill with my Cold as I wasn't doing the work in the Gym, so couldn't justify the extra Protein.
But even though I'm not quite over it, a week and a half is way too long for my liking for a Cold; and frankly, I'm pretty fed up of it, so I'm going to go to the Gym anyway before I really start losing all my hard work.
Caporegime
I'm planning my next leg routine which looks like this.
Also plan to do calf raises and calf presses again later in the week on back day. Hope that helps in some way.
Also plan to do calf raises and calf presses again later in the week on back day. Hope that helps in some way.
Soldato
Thank you LiE - that looks good - strangely enough the hack-squat (based upon a quick google search) looks like the Leg Press Machine at my Gym...would that be a correct assumption to make?
Caporegime
You can substitute hack squat machine for leg press machine, but I prefer the former.
Joe DeFranco (guy who wrote the w4sb routine) is a BIG advocate of it
Caporegime
Squat is coming along nicely for me. Today saw me do 110kg x 10, 120kg x 8 x 2.
Should be interesting to test my max on squat as previously it was 130kg x 4.
Should be interesting to test my max on squat as previously it was 130kg x 4.
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