*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

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Should I work out until all my muscles that I've worked on are completely tired and sore? Today was my second time at the gym and I worked out for a hour and my body was (and still is) pretty damn sore but that's a good sign right or have I overworked my body?

The gym has machines like; shoulder press, chest press, lat pull down, ab deck, peck deck leg press, leg extension, calf raises, preacher arm curl, a pull up bar, multiple dumbbells, rowing machine.

I can't remember what else so if anyone could help me create a workout plan based on what's in my gym that would be awesome as I'm a complete begginner at this. I've tried looking on the internet but cannot find any workout plans that suite my gym/me since the machines are different to those on the workout plans I've looked at.

I basically do 45 minutes - 60 minutes of workout (I rotate with leg/chest/arm exercises). Then I go swimming for about 30 minutes, then I do 10 minutes in the jet tub, then 15 minutes in the steam room and finally 10 minutes in the sauna.
 
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Rossuk89 said:
Should I work out until all my muscles that I've worked on are completely tired and sore? Today was my second time at the gym and I worked out for a hour and my body was (and still is) pretty damn sore but that's a good sign right or have I overworked my body?

The gym has machines like; shoulder press, chest press, lat pull down, ab deck, peck deck leg press, leg extension, calf raises, preacher arm curl, a pull up bar, multiple dumbbells, rowing machine.

I can't remember what else so if anyone could help me create a workout plan based on what's in my gym that would be awesome as I'm a complete begginner at this. I've tried looking on the internet but cannot find any workout plans that suite my gym/me since the machines are different to those on the workout plans I've looked at.

I basically do 45 minutes - 60 minutes of workout (I rotate with leg/chest/arm exercises). Then I go swimming for about 30 minutes, then I do 10 minutes in the jet tub, then 15 minutes in the steam room and finally 10 minutes in the sauna.
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Read the sticky, that will be a good start :)
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17401146

With regards to working your body...I'd say work your alotted time, others will say work till you cry! You should be reasonably knackered yes, but if it starts affecting your form, then no.
 
it was leg day for me today and i can feel the proper form and movement repairing my knee as soon as i finished (more details later).

just to give you some facts on some real science here, take this information as you so wish, not trying to be controversial or anything, just adding some info to look at. this is going to go against an article which was posted about form doesnt really matter when you want to get big by Morba a while back taken from some website, just to add some real information from specialists into the mix.

when i started squatting my knee had already been injured for 2 years, within 2 months i could squat 180kg for 5x5. now i have always had HUGE legs (i struggle to drive most cars or sit in the back seats). i thought this was helping me and my knee and i feel i could have easily done 200kg, but i stopped squatting when i was getting all my tests/treatment done. after getting x-rays and mri (had to fight with GP in order to be referred to a specialist, went to them several times and was fobbed off). they said that my ACL and everything looked fine, but my bio mechanical tests showed i was hyper mobile (extremely flexible) but my injured knee was extreme hyper mobile (definite problem). they also noticed i was flat footed (collapsed arches more so in the foot my injured knee is on) and that my stance and movement was incorrect. this information came from a orthopaedic surgeon.

i was then referred to do physio in order to stabilise the knee more and to stop the pain and my patella from dislocating (popping). this physio also did a bio mechanical test and asked the hospital to pass on MRI's and scans to take a look at. Now the physio whilst doing the bio mechanical test said that i had muscle wastage in the knee that was injured which was why my patella was loose. This muscle wastage was on the inner knee opposite from quadricep.

now tell me this, how is it possible for me to have had muscle wastage on that knee, yet i was squatting 180kg like it was nothing. I'll tell you how, incorrect form. the physio taught me correct form (my form was ever so slightly off, knee was moving inwards slightly as i went down instead of keeping straight), told me to use specific shoes (to help with arch support) and now with help from icecold and that nightmare i think its is ( guy from ireland) i now understand a bit better what the physio has taught me.

now as i have been doing 100% correct form for squats, correct foot position, correct knee position (where i was going wrong), correct arch supporting shoes (i have flat feet, which means collapsed arches and this problem is specific to me only, unless you too are flat footed), the muscle which had wasted away has started to strengthen and actually causes pain after i finish a workout (DOMS). the inner part of my injured knee (where the physio told me i had muscle wastage) was sore today, very sore i can tell i worked it out good and proper.

now my problem is inter related to several things, flat feet, incorrect form and the actual injury (tackle from behind in football), all of these things either helped cause it or make it worse.

now with correct form i am repairing the damage and strengthening my wasted muscle. now i can agree that form may not matter as much when your doing some movements such as bicep curls, etc. but this is real science here and information from specialists, incorrect form especially when squatting can create problems or make pre existing ones worse, obviously some of the information above may not apply to you. but i can safely say that correct form is now helping me get back to 100%. incorrect form my legs were getting bigger but at the expense of my knee and some supporting muscles, how else do you explain me going from 60kg to 180kg within 2 months yet having muscle wastage in my knee? surely if anything it should have been getting stronger.

so the moral of the above story is, make sure you get form bang on, i thought i was doing correct form, but my knees were bending slightly inwards as i moved down, i have been told to push against this natural movement (resistance) and push them the opposite way so they are straight.

i dont know if i have explained it all properly, but just thought i would share some real science here. incorrect form caused my pre existing problem to get worse and possibly even led to my knee dislocations, the injury from football just made my knee even more flexible (unstable if your muscles are not strong enough).

take the above information as you wish, this is what i have deciphered from everyone i have talked to on the subject.

correct form = good for you
incorrect form = potential problems
flat footed = get the correct shoes or else you will cause more pain, etc.
knee injury (extreme hyper mobility) = strengthen that knee

rant over
 
I have been invited to a Microsoft Chairty Cross-Fit event; which i am seriously thinking about. WHY!!!! i know im not fit enough for :(

1. Run 1 mile
2. 100 Pull Ups
3. 200 Press Ups
4. 300 Squats (Pull Ups, Press Ups and Squats may be broken up as you see fit)
5. Run 1 mile

I am due to work from the MS office in Reading tomorrow and i have been firmly told i will get slated if my name is not down :(

They all know how serious i take my diet, gym, workouts but this not the sort training i do; im physically fit, but this looks insane intensity these guys are BRUTE force strength
 
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Cross fit is all about the cult like status with the yank style hollering and whooping :p give it a go you may surprise yourself.
 
Nice little ran Psycho, most of the people here now form needs to be 100%.

There are different squat stances though, a Powerlifting stance is much wider then an olympic one for instance and focus on driving different muscles.

The best way like yourself is to meet someone that knows what's going on and to show and train you into the correct stance for your needs.

Although on both, your knees should never start folding in, knees always have to get pushed out.

Footwear is important, considering both my doctors went on and on about me not wearing proper shoes. Flat footed or not correct shoes are always important. You don't go running in shoes for a tux and you don't go doing cleans or squats in soft runners.

Speaking of the shoes, got a knock on the door this morning from the mail, ran down stairs expecting my new shoes...was just a letter from college about grades. BORING!
 
N19h7m4r3 said:
Nice little ran Psycho, most of the people here now form needs to be 100%.

There are different squat stances though, a Powerlifting stance is much wider then an olympic one for instance and focus on driving different muscles.

The best way like yourself is to meet someone that knows what's going on and to show and train you into the correct stance for your needs.

Although on both, your knees should never start folding in, knees always have to get pushed out.

Footwear is important, considering both my doctors went on and on about me not wearing proper shoes. Flat footed or not correct shoes are always important. You don't go running in shoes for a tux and you don't go doing cleans or squats in soft runners.

Speaking of the shoes, got a knock on the door this morning from the mail, ran down stairs expecting my new shoes...was just a letter from college about grades. BORING!
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yeah the physio taught me to push knees out, when i push them out as i go down, i get resistance from my muscles, i have to push against this resistance. basically doing it wrong (it was only slightly inwards) has made the natural movement change and my muscles are used to this new wrong movement and move along that path as if it were natural.

with the help of correct form and pushing against this resistance im hoping to correct my natural path of movement.

the amount you push your knee's out depends on your stance. if your feet are pointing at 11 o clock and 1 o clock you dont need to push out as much as if they were pointing at 10 o clock and 2 o clock. if you know what i mean.
 
Yup I know, your knees usually want to travel along the same direction of your feet, if they're pointing in more then usuall the knees will come in more.

Although most people's knees buckle and come in when the weight is too heavy.
In your case you had that underlying problem where the body naturally wanted them to come in and take the load off your knees.
 
Cristian said:
yep, this also happens when their feet are way to close together. I'm no advocate of the powerlifter stance, but some people have their heels 2 inches apart. :(
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So true, I see it all the time.

I'll be swapping to a narrower stance myself to take better advantage of my weightlifting shoes as they're for olympic lifts and their stances. Also because My back needs to remain more upright, so I'll be doing high back squats more.

Also body type plays a big roll, some people's PL stance is super wide, other people can't funtion like that. It's similar to people that sumo deadlift compared to those that do the conventional stance.

What works for one doesn't always work for the other.
 
Speaking of squatting, I was at this particular gym where I've only seen one person using the squat rack for errrm... squatting. :D
So I was quite surprised to see a rather big fella yesterday coming towards me and asking if he could jump in after I did my first 60kg set.

So he goes straight in and slaps another 20kg plate a side on giving me a really smug look like "here's some real weight, son". If He then grabs a huge foam ad an rolls it up to use it as a sissy pad. :D
Does his 8 reps about 2 inches short of parallel - he looked quite surprised that I did 10 all the way down. whacks another 2 15 plates on and even though it was his turn, he says that he'll go spot his mate (doing bicep curls of course) so I should go ahead and go first.
So I do my actual working set of 130kgx10 (I'm doing HST so not much volume daily), then he comes back, rolls his foam pad again and proceeds to do 3 spotted half reps with 130kg. :D
 
well i stopped squatting whilst i was getting looked at, etc, thank god i did or i could have ended up with more damage done.

now with correct stance, i cannot lift as much, due to stopping for 3 months and also using my weakened muscle more. i managed 120kg for 5 sets of 10 no problem.

the weakened muscle (where muscle wastage was) was throbbing afterwards.

im going to get those shoes as well, i probably really need them with my injury, etc. not going to buy right now, spent too much in the past month. hopefully soon though, i expect some sort of review from you first :p
 
You'll get that little review as soon as they arrive. Sadly Sugarrays haven't sent me an email saying they've posted my order yet. It seems to happen with quite a few UK companies when I order to Ireland.

With MyProtein I tend to get the shipment email about a week After my items have arrived haha.

I'm just hoping it arrives by tomorrow so I have it for my squats.
I'm rather annoyed how any form of weight training is kind of shunned in Ireland when it comes to having items for sale. The same for gyms involving it, most of them being centralized around Dublin.

Ah well I want my shoes, I just wish I could have been in a store and tried the different ones on. So here's hoping they arrive tomorrow and they fit hahaha!
 
Psycho Sonny said:
Snip snip snippidy snip
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Hello

Thanks for that, it actually helps me a fair bit, I have issues with my knee/s and the info you posted makes sense.

Would you be able to email me / post on here some info? ie what shoes he's recommending, the stance, as much as you want to offer really :)

Squatting made my knees much better (even though I was only doing 35kg at the time) and since I've stopped my knee has just become worse. I've been wearing flat soled shoes my whole life and from what I have read and seen on here, they too can cause issues with knees / ankles, both of which I have problems with.

Thank you :)
 
Skillmister said:
September just cant come fast enough so i can get back into a regular routine :mad:
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Agreed!
My college tore down the old gym and are building a brand new student centre there for us all.

I just hope it stays at about €45 a year for it all!

I'm so bored of a 5foot bar and a max of 145kg on it!

Was even looking into 20kg strong man chains before I got injured for it haha.
 
N19h7m4r3 said:
You'll get that little review as soon as they arrive. Sadly Sugarrays haven't sent me an email saying they've posted my order yet. It seems to happen with quite a few UK companies when I order to Ireland.

With MyProtein I tend to get the shipment email about a week After my items have arrived haha.

I'm just hoping it arrives by tomorrow so I have it for my squats.
I'm rather annoyed how any form of weight training is kind of shunned in Ireland when it comes to having items for sale. The same for gyms involving it, most of them being centralized around Dublin.

Ah well I want my shoes, I just wish I could have been in a store and tried the different ones on. So here's hoping they arrive tomorrow and they fit hahaha!
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Sugarrays are dead slow with getting stuff out to people, I waited 2 weeks for a punch bag. Hope your stuff comes faster.
 
Nightmare what foam roller did you get and where from?

I finished HST last week. My body really needs rest but I've been training everyday working to my 1RM on cleans and presses.

I caught 90KG on my collar bone, I need mental help :o
 
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