*** The 2011 Gym Rats Thread ***

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as for the friends comment, i'm quite lucky on facebook, i've got a few strongmen on there who are all vocal as well as gym owners and fellow trainers. so i can talk silly stuff or have conversations with people who are training :D
 
Morba said:
Tell him to stop being so closed minded. Science changes all the time and NOBODY know everything about the human body or how it can or will react to everything.
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Oh aiye, but you just know some people are the lofty about what they've studied, they refuse to believe it. Even worse, they refuse to actually research in to it :)

My counter argument is just that I go by the many fantastic reviews it's had, I've read the spiel about how it's meant to work - and even if it's just the placebo effect, then I don't care - it makes a different!
 
Squat vids.
I know a lot of good ones out there, but thought I would throw these 2 in the mix.
Will give people a little more thought in what you are doing, from setup to racking the weight.

Part one

part two

Not sure when the rest are coming, but i'll keep my eye out :)
 
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Originally posted by: Freefaller
ScotchEgg:

FFS there was no argument! It's a DISCUSSION forum. If you didn't want to get into a discussion don't post, or don't post about things you don't want people to interact with you about! It's that simple!

It's like when women wear a tight top with writing around their boobs and expect people not too look at them!

Seriously dude, chill out and get over it! If you don't like this forum you don't have to post here. However, why cut your nose to spite your face? You've got a lot of really useful info posted. Do with it as you will, but don't complain about the people or the posters on this forum.
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I looked yesterday to see if anyone else had written anything, coz I expected someone will have liked to say their point of view and with no surprise someone called TANK wrote a sentence, so why freefaller are you ignoring the fact that he wrote that sentence, its like you just look for what you want to see? Am I suppose to sit here whilst people write stuff about me and not respond? Where is the logic in that?

But instead of you understanding why I replied to that TANK guy yesterday you decided to write all that, which I just dont get...

Anyways, here's me trying to leave this behind since other people are obviously too imature to do so...

I was on a bodybuilding website last night reading for hours and one of the articles talked about pushups, I used to do pushups for years but then I stopped coz I thought doing them everyday would be messing up my chest recovery and wanted to just do chest once a week...this website went into detail and explained why the army still use situps to help young recruits and it explained why they're so vital and that they help allot in strength training and building muscle in all parts of your chest. It also said that they recommend everyone incorperates pushups into their chest routine and that it helps stabalize your movement so when you actually do chest on flat/incline/decline your not wobling all over the place and it helps your form apparently.

Anyways this is what I read, it all sounded pretty interesting and the guy that wrote the article said that you'd notice results within weeks if you did this but personally I just dont see how I could fit this into my routine since I do decline first for 3 sets, then flat for 3 sets then incline for 3 sets and by that point by chest is wrecked and I've got nothing left.

Do other members on here do pushups and if so how many times a week? Do you see pushups as vital as this guy says in his article and do you think they've helped or improved your chest at all?

I dont really see how I could fit them in unless I did it on different days to chest, coz if I did it before chest workout I'd have no energy left for bench and if I did it after chest workout, well that just seems stupid to me. The guy that wrote the article says he would do one set on bench and then do one set of pushups and then rince repeat. Don't know if thats a good idea. He didnt say what weight he was lifting tho, I guess maybe if you were lifting light weight this could be possible.

EDIT: Managed to find the article:
Adding Pushups to your Chest Routine
by Suliman EL-Amin

They’re old-fashion, terribly boring and time-consuming. Yes, they’re pushups. You know the exercise we all had to do in gym class to test our physical fitness or coach’s favorite punishment for the player who missed a tackle during practice. Most of us were happy to abandon such training as soon as we graduated from grade school or were strong enough to bench press a modest amount weight in the gym. However we may have been a little too hasty in our decision to remove this exercise from our workouts. For instance, fitness guru Jack Lalanne and NFL Hall Famer Herschel Walker have each attributed their upper body strength to pushups. Likewise, our Armed Forces have long used such callisthenic training to improve the physical fitness of new recruits.

A couple of years ago I begin adding pushups into my chest workouts and I noticed that my chest and shoulders were becoming larger and fuller-looking. In addition, I had gained greater control of my chest while flexing and I could stabilize the barbell better during bench presses. After doing some research, I learned that this was because pushups have the ability to work the entire pectorals (chest muscles) and part of the deltoids (shoulders). The movement also mimics bench pressing therefore it strengthens the muscles needed to stabilize the barbell like the triceps. For these reasons, pushups have become a staple in my chest routine. I use them both as a pre-exhaust exercise and as a way to quickly achieve a fuller look (i.e. pump) after my chest workouts.

When I am doing pushups as a pre-exhaust exercise, I will complete two sets of thirty to fifty reps and then go straight into incline bench pressing. When using them as a pump exercise, I will do two to three sets with each set going to failure after my regular chest workout. I usually rest for one minute between each set and try to maintain a moderate speed and full range of motion during the movement.

An ideal starting position for pushups is palms on the ground spread a shoulder width a part with both legs straight and feet close together. The body is parallel to the ground with the face looking forward and toes tucked under the feet. The entire body remains rigid and the weight of the body is supported by the arms and feet throughout the exercise. In the first part of the movement, the arms straighten as they “push” the body “up” off the ground. In the second part of the movement, the arms bend to return the body to its starting position. At no time in the exercise will the chest or legs touch the floor.

For best results, keep pushups with your chest routine which should be done once per week. This will give your muscles adequate time to recover and grow in between workouts. Beginners should start with two sets of twenty pushups, while intermediate to advance levels should do at least thirty reps per set. I guarantee that by adding this exercise to your training regime your chest will become larger and thicker in a matter of weeks!

http://www.impulseadventure.com/weights/pushup-chest-routine.html
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Funniest article off that website so far, that I think everyone here will relate to because we've all seen guys that act like this in the gym lol:
How to Squat Big-Time!
© 1997 Calvin Hass.

My slice of humor has circulated around the bodybuilding / training community for years... Enjoy!

Have you always wanted to be one of those feared monsters in the gym, but never knew the secret? ... have people cover their eyes in fear when you walk past, see little scrawny guys scurry away from the fountain when you grunt, or have an entourage follow you around to watch your every lift, in absolute awe? Well, you've got to get noticed, and do the stylin' squat... Here's the guide for doing squats to ensure the fastest growth in your gym prowess: (meatheads need not apply)

Step 1: Preparation
For your "intiation day" at the gym (the one that will set you well on your way to monsterhood), you should have ready the following:

Chalk (find some that makes the biggest cloud that hangs in the air for the longest time after you clap your hands with it). Store it in a tupperware container, important for the veteran look.
Powerlifting belt. 4-6 inches on the back. Essential. The biggest prongs and buckle you can find. It must be leather, too. Remember to remove the price tag.
Knee wraps. If you can find them, get ones that take about 5 minutes to wrap. Any less just won't do.
Get a crew cut. Everybody knows a short haircut makes you look bigger.
Cheap water bottle.
Practice the ILS strut -- walk around like you've got barrels under your arms, the bigger the better.
Step 2: The Walk
Go to the squat rack, and nothing but the squat rack. You must find the most direct line, even if that means walking over a benchpress or through a conversation between monster- heads. Don't be intimidated. You're going to earn their respect today. If anyone talks to you on your way, you must ignore them, with your eyes fixed on the rack. You mustn't talk, as this takes away from your intense look. During the walk, you musn't trip over anything, as this doesn't look good either. If necessary, practice the direct-route walk when the gym is empty, so you know where the difficult areas are.

Step 3: Taking the Rack
When you arrive at the rack, if there's a skinny guy doing curls, then push him over, and say, "get outta here, rat!" Make sure he gets hurt when he falls. Clench your jaw together when you're doing this, for additional effect. If there's a big guy, then hang off for a while, standing near the rack, but make sure your lats are flexed 'til they cramp, and in complete view of the rest of the gym -- it helps if you tuck in your tank top. It's much better if you time your entrance (beginning of step 2) so that there's no big guy at the rack by the time you've finished your Walk.

Step 4: The Setup
Now that you have your own rack (or cage), it's important to get some attention. Drop your gear near the rack as loudly as possible, preferrably so that the prongs of the belt hit something metallic.

Look in the mirror in front of you to see if anybody heard, if not, then make sure the supports in the cage are strong by hitting them loudly with the side of your hand as hard as you can without getting a bruise.

Now, pick up your belt and cinch it up as tight as you can manage. Tighten until your waist is 20 inches. Contrasting your 40 inch chest, you now have an impresive v-taper, just like the pros.

Walk up to the bar, hit it with both hands (again, forcefully enough) grunt at it, and then turn around to check out your audience. The more people near the rack, the more impressive your lift will seem.

Throw on a pair of 45s. Make sure that you throw them on as hard as you can manage without losing your balance. This is an excellent way to cultivate your audience. Next, put on your wraps and double-check your belt. Pick up your water bottle, take a swig, then throw it across the gym. For best effect, it should rocket through the other guy's squat cage, narrowly miss the guy doing 100lb dumbell presses and hit a far wall.

Now, toss on another pair. You should have 225. This isn't enough for them? Time to throw on another pair. Now we're getting a couple looks, aren't we? Ahh... now's not the time to stop -- you're on a roll, and you're starting to get some respect, so fling on another 90. When the clamour of the weights begins to die, tell somebody nearby, "Hey you... fetch me a couple more plates." 495 on the bar... look who's talking now! You will probably see even see the biggest guys in the gym looking out of the corners of their eyes, suppressing their awe. If only Yates could see you now.

Step 5: The Burn
This is a crucial step. Pick some skinny kid nearby and walk up to him, ask him quietly "can I borrow you for a moment?" Walk back to the bar, and wait for him to come near. If all goes as planned, he'll say, "Do you need a spot?" Bingo. Make sure you yell the rest of this loud enough so that everyone around you could hear: "You... spot me? HAHAHAHAHAH Muahahaha.. You couldn't spot a fly if it hit you in the eye." Immediately, pick one of the big guys and say, "Hey bro, got a sec for a quick spot?" You have boosted his ego, so chances are he'll do it. If not, then come up with a good joke about his clothing and pick somebody else (preferrably not the deepsquatter).

Reach into your tupperware container of chalk, and rub it across your palms, back of shoulders and neck. Grunt every now and then and mutter some things under your breath. Occasionally say, "piece of cake", "what a joke", or "now we're cookin'". Finally, smash your hands together, but make sure there's a hefty quantity of chalk in the cup of your hands before they hit. This will make sure that all of it explodes into the air. You want the skinnies in the aerobics area to be struck with fear by the A-bomb cloud of chalk dust rising over the squat area. This is usually enough to bring over a couple more spectators.

Step 6: The Lift
Now that you're wrapped, chalked, belted and have an enough people watching, it's time to get on with your lift -- if you wait too long, you'll lose people's interest. Walk back up to the bar, again, slap your hands on the bar, and very quickly duck under the bar and smash your shoulders into the bar. This should make the cage rattle with all the weight. You're in position for your Lift.

Make sure your spotter is close behind you, because it's important that he obscures you from the crowd watching from behind. You want them to hear your lift, not see it.

When ready, stand, walk out and grunt. You will probably need about 5 grunts to keep people's interest while you're getting ready. Now, start to bend your knees, and go down a couple inches. As soon as you think you've gone far enough, start yelling. Try to roar from the bottom of your stomach, with as much force as possible. Before you start your roar, be sure to get as big a breath as possible. This will allow you to keep a sustained roar for much longer; hyperventilate if you have to. But it's not the length that counts, it's the number of times the roar changes pitch, making it sound like you're going through a series of different levels of agony. Your last note should be unpleasantly loud and should crescendo with you throwing the bar back on the pins. Assuming your yell was long enough, most people will think you came up from parallel, and the spotter should make it difficult to see.

Step 7: The Exit
Step out of the rack, and look around to see what sort of audience you managed to summon. If you've injured yourself, don't cry until you've left the gym. Leave the weight on the bar so that the next person to use it has to take it all off and realize how strong you really are. Ignore your spotter. If he starts to say something about depth, yell over top of him, "what kind of LOUSY spot was that?" To anything he says after that, just laugh him off immediately. Exit the gym by the same route you took to get in. Do not remove your belt and remember those barrels.

With careful application of these secrets, don't be surprised if you become the new talk of the gym. If the gym tells you they don't want you back (they're usually worried about letting superstrong guys like you make others insecure), find another one. Preferrably one of those hardcore ones like Jane Fonda or Bally's.
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SkScotchegg said:
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See now, press ups are good yes...they certainly can shape your chest rather nicely, but as you say, doing then on a chest day would just be ridiculous after a work out...and priorto a workout would just hinder results...however...Doing a few before a workout wouldn't hurt as long as you dont go overboard, however naturally it would hinder the chest work out.

I personally quite like press ups, as they do work my body a fair bit, and can also help your your core slightely if you try and keep it tight while doing them...But then again you should be working on your core in most cases :p
 
Those squat videos are really good, I just watched both and realised I've been making mistakes this whole time lol, and I thought I was pretty good at squats but watching those videos I know now that I've still got a bit to learn. I've been taking the weight off to begin with on one foot, and move back about 5 feet, not gona do that anymore, and also felt like I've always put more balance on my toes and put more pressure on my quads as a result.
 
SkScotchegg said:
Those squat videos are really good, I just watched both and realised I've been making mistakes this whole time lol, and I thought I was pretty good at squats but watching those videos I know now that I've still got a bit to learn. I've been taking the weight off to begin with on one foot, and move back about 5 feet, not gona do that anymore, and also felt like I've always put more balance on my toes and put more pressure on my quads as a result.
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It's surprising how much you can learn on videos, they're worth watching even if you think you know everything :)
 
SkScotchegg said:
Those squat videos are really good, I just watched both and realised I've been making mistakes this whole time lol, and I thought I was pretty good at squats but watching those videos I know now that I've still got a bit to learn. I've been taking the weight off to begin with on one foot, and move back about 5 feet, not gona do that anymore, and also felt like I've always put more balance on my toes and put more pressure on my quads as a result.
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Maybe now you might realise that this forum isn't full of arrogant people and we are all just trying to share experience and knowledge ;)


Watching vids of the basics is really good for people, as life and bad habits people start to forget the basics, which are essential for us all.

The whole youtube channel is good actually, there are good bench tips as well :)
 
Anyone else experienced very tight chest when doing tricep dips? the first week of doing them i got my 4x8 out easily, second week on the second set my chest was very tight and had to stop doing them, not out of breath more muscle tight, felt like i was being squashed, suffice to say this week I did with assistance on the machine which allows you take some kg off yourself.
 
WalkeruK said:
Anyone else experienced very tight chest when doing tricep dips? the first week of doing them i got my 4x8 out easily, second week on the second set my chest was very tight and had to stop doing them, not out of breath more muscle tight, felt like i was being squashed, suffice to say this week I did with assistance on the machine which allows you take some kg off yourself.
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Are you leaning forward? this can cause it to become more of a chest workout than a tri one
 
Originally posted by WallerUK:
Anyone else experienced very tight chest when doing tricep dips? the first week of doing them i got my 4x8 out easily, second week on the second set my chest was very tight and had to stop doing them, not out of breath more muscle tight, felt like i was being squashed, suffice to say this week I did with assistance on the machine which allows you take some kg off yourself.
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When I do dips I feel it in lower chest, and pain throughout my chest, but thats coz it works chest and triceps so I just see that as a good pain lol, I usually do dips on chest day and on tricep day, I think its one of the few good machines to actually use in the gym. As long as you for the correct form should be ok, I cant see you hurting your chest, you can watch youtube videos on how to do correct form. I've heard of people hurting their shoulders and wrist but not chest. The pain in the chest is a good pain. You just have to push through it.

I used to have to take 80kg off my bodyweight when I started over 3 years ago now and now I can do it with just 10kg off my weight, so proper happy, cant wait till I can do it with no weight off me, and then I can buy one of the belts and start adding weight.
 
WalkeruK said:
Anyone else experienced very tight chest when doing tricep dips? the first week of doing them i got my 4x8 out easily, second week on the second set my chest was very tight and had to stop doing them, not out of breath more muscle tight, felt like i was being squashed, suffice to say this week I did with assistance on the machine which allows you take some kg off yourself.
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If you're getting a pain in your chest then I'd advise you to stop. No exercise should be painful. That's your body's way of telling of telling you something is wrong.

Thoroughly stretch your chest, triceps, shoulders, traps regularly too. Also stop when you get to 90 degrees. Bottoming out on dips places excess stress on the shoulders and can lead to injury. Likewise, ignoring your bodies signals will also lead to injury.

It's best to swallow your pride, walk away uninjured and come back at it fresh another day.

Morba: Ta for the heads up hadn't checked my mail! need a few things :)

Monkee: YGM
 
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