*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

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Right, ok, thanks.

Do you suggest me actually trying to find my 1rm for those lifts so I can do reps at 80% or just lift what I can?

I'm not going to ask you to write up your entire routine for me, but have you posted it in the past? I'd like to see it.
 
I think you need to find a routine that works for you. It's a good idea to know what your 1rm is, or close to it, so that you can work out what sort of volume you need to hit on your work outs, also depending on what you're trying to achieve.
 
Need to get back on the wagon. :(

I have been ill on and off since the 1st of September.

I had tonsillitis for the first week of september, went back to the gym and was feeling fine.

However 3 days after my antibiotics ran out, I started feeling unwell again and the tonsillitis returned.....

During this time, I'v gone back to old ways, lazy, lathargic and relaxed eating!!


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In a seven day week, where im weight lifting 3 ties a week and fitting in cardio inbetween, how many rest days do I need?

I was of the idea becuase im trying to lose fat, I should have any rest days?

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Also the 5x5 work I do on the Bench press, OHP and Pull ups, should I switch to a more conventional 3x8?
 
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Freefaller said:
30 tonnes were normally hit on dead and squat days or leg based days

10 tonnes were on other days.

Arm work gets hit by other exercises - unless you're after vanity there's no need to hit them.

I do push pull on the same day often. So pushing exercises and pulling exercises. for example, rows and bench.
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The **** were you doing to get 30 tonnes of work in? On my 'big' sessions I just about crack 10 tonnes of work in. What did these sessions look like? I use a iphone app training log and it adds all my tonnage, never seen anything close to that.
 
I don't understand how you can keep asking the same questions.

In a seven day week, where im weight lifting 3 ties a week and fitting in cardio inbetween, how many rest days do I need?
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Between 0 and 4, it completely depends on your recovery potential and what you are doing in your sessions. Don't follow this by telling us what you're doing (you've told us several times), you've been doing it long enough to know how tired you feel in the days following your sessions.

Also the 5x5 work I do on the Bench press, OHP and Pull ups, should I switch to a more conventional 3x8?
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No. You've definitely asked this before.


Honestly, all of these specifics are not what's limiting you.
 
icecold said:
I don't understand how you can keep asking the same questions.

Honestly, all of these specifics are not what's limiting you.
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Ice, let me explain, like 99% of everyone he wants some beans, magic ones. Its really easy to ask questions over and over like an insane person hoping for a different response, but its hard to actually get your head down and do it.

I only ever asked once in the early days, at least with the basics, and then i researched and researched and researched some more. Im sure so did you and im sure so did all of the 'successful' lifters here.

When someone starts going round in circles they are wasting your time, people need to find their own feet because no one will spoonfeed them muscles, the dedication and willpower required to prevail will not come for free from forums no matter how many times they repeat their question.

I dont think we do people many favours being too tolerant, but then as you know im not, maybe we dont all turn into cynics like me but at least lets start spotting the time wasters.
 
Saturday - Chest & Triceps:

Decline BB 60kgx8 for 3 sets;
CGBP 60kgx8 for 3 sets;
DB Flyes 2x16kg x8 for 3 sets;
Chest dips BW+15kgx8 for 3 sets;
Rope pushdown 21.25kgx8 for 2 sets;

Sunday - Back & Biceps:

BB Deadlifts 90kgx5, 90kgx5, 100kgx5 (mixed grip), 100kgx5 (mixed grip), 130kgx5 (mixed grip);
BB Bors 80kgx5 :( 60kgx8, 60kgx8, 60kgx8;
Seated Rows 80gkgx8, 90kgx8, 90kgx8;
Narrow-grip pullups BW+15kg x5 for 5 sets;
Ez bar Preacher Curls 31.5kgx8, 36.5kgx8, 36.5kgx8;

A few strength losses here and there and a few strength gains here and there, but not a great deal to write home about.

Thats it for a week, I posted my leg/shoulders earlier. Can hit the gym hard from Tuesday or Wednesday perhaps, give my body a day or more to recover. Isn't it amazing that allowing 20-24 hours between workouts can make you feel so refreshed and stronger? I would usually do a morning session on the Saturday or the Sunday, after doing an evening session on the Friday, but I am liking some of the progress that was made.

I think I already posted my leg/shoulders, didn't feel the need to post it again.

So where do I go from here? I suppose more eating really and pushing harder. I may be able to afford to take my climbing and taekwondo up from next month, so it will all probably take a toll on my body, but we shall see.

David
 
Freefaller said:
I think you need to find a routine that works for you. It's a good idea to know what your 1rm is, or close to it, so that you can work out what sort of volume you need to hit on your work outs, also depending on what you're trying to achieve.
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To be fair, depending on how much training our man has been through, and what he's been training, together with how good his diet is, there is a reasonable chance he could get 6kgs packed on in a year.

I managed it in 4 months, but that was because:

a) I had never really done "proper" leg work before (squats, deads and more squats);
b) I sorted my diet out.

I'm not saying it was easy, in fact for most of it I was in a permanent state of DOMS, but it is possible, assuming we're starting with somebody completely green here. Most of the weight (as you can/will see from my "first to 90kgs" thead) was not on the top, but on (literally) the bottom: I've had to stop wearing half my wardrom because my thighs and bum is too big now. Get a bit of blood perfusion going on there, and his weight will pile on... assuming he's not already achieved those easy gains.

The qeustions I posed to him were to get an idea of where he was - chances are Joe Average has never thought about proper leg work before, and has never really thought about his/her diet when it comes to gaining/losing weight properly.

I'd set about doing big compounds, with weights as big as you can manage for 5x5/whatever. As FF has often posted: eat like a MF, train like a MF, sleep like you've just been a MF. I might be paraphrasing slightly, but that's the general just of it.

Get that sorted, and you'll be awesome.
 
SMed said:
The **** were you doing to get 30 tonnes of work in? On my 'big' sessions I just about crack 10 tonnes of work in. What did these sessions look like? I use a iphone app training log and it adds all my tonnage, never seen anything close to that.
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I was exaggerating a little as to how blaze I was about it, though I have done 30 tonne days. Heck, Steedie and others have done 30 tonne days too. However, doing AGVT, there's a lot of volume involved, the sessions lasted nigh on 2hrs.

And actually blasting past 20 tonnes is fairly easy to do. I doubt I'd be able to do it now though,.

Add deads and squats, though at the time I was also alternating between squats and leg press - leg press easily saw 200kg+ being shifted for reps.

Add that together it mounts up.

Granted it's not something one would do regularly, but 30 tonnes was more than achievable.

I don't train like that any more, as I've learnt a lot, and not really after all out size now, more about power balance and skill and strength.
 
mrthingyx said:
To be fair, depending on how much training our man has been through, and what he's been training, together with how good his diet is, there is a reasonable chance he could get 6kgs packed on in a year.

I managed it in 4 months, but that was because:

a) I had never really done "proper" leg work before (squats, deads and more squats);
b) I sorted my diet out.

I'm not saying it was easy, in fact for most of it I was in a permanent state of DOMS, but it is possible, assuming we're starting with somebody completely green here. Most of the weight (as you can/will see from my "first to 90kgs" thead) was not on the top, but on (literally) the bottom: I've had to stop wearing half my wardrom because my thighs and bum is too big now. Get a bit of blood perfusion going on there, and his weight will pile on... assuming he's not already achieved those easy gains.

The qeustions I posed to him were to get an idea of where he was - chances are Joe Average has never thought about proper leg work before, and has never really thought about his/her diet when it comes to gaining/losing weight properly.

I'd set about doing big compounds, with weights as big as you can manage for 5x5/whatever. As FF has often posted: eat like a MF, train like a MF, sleep like you've just been a MF. I might be paraphrasing slightly, but that's the general just of it.

Get that sorted, and you'll be awesome.
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Ok but he still wants to drop bodyfat (so that's weight in itself) and still gain enough muscle to hit 95kg. It's not an easy task.

Granted, he may well pack on some decent muscle, IF he nails his diet well, IF he trains with an expert or someone who knows his stuff and pushes him HARD and IF he gets the lifestyle to match his goals.

That's why I suggested he does the big compound movements, and a decent amount of volume if he wants mass. The subsidiary exercises will help as well as his isolation movements, but he'll get nowhere without the big compounds, and dodging things because of flexibility. Bodybuilding, strength training, weight lifting anything to improve not only one's physique, but health and overall human ability, can only come if the weaknesses are addressed to.

Hence why I've dropped a fair bit of weight and strength as I almost needed to "breathe and reset" as I was getting so lost in my goals.

He can do very well - but 6kg is nearly a stone. In a year... 14lbs? Aim for 1/2 of that and we've got a reasonable target. Even with noob gains. Unless he's genetically pre-disposed to be awesome.
 
******* flat feet; yet another mobility exercise to add to the list! Wondered why squats felt awful today (was really struggling with foot placement and just didnt feel right doing it). Decided to mash the bottom of my feet and suddenly felt a lot better.
 
The proper deload really helped, all my numbers are up, by a lot in some cases. Sprinting doesn't seem to be doing me any harm either.
 
yeah i am the same deception, although i must say i slack at the moment when it comes to mobility work. Very bad i know but i will make time for it.
 
Syla5 said:
yeah i am the same deception, although i must say i slack at the moment when it comes to mobility work. Very bad i know but i will make time for it.
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I've got a nice list that keeps expanding now.. End up getting up at like 5am just to fit it all in before work :eek:. I've been trying to get it in everyday too.

I'm not expecting much from 531 this time around as I'm using it to drop some unwanted weight (hence doing BBB too, to add extra calorie burning from the volume). Also yes, I've got my diet in check too :p

So far, the weight loss is going well. So, will be keeping at it and any gains are most welcome!
 
Freefaller said:
Ok but he still wants to drop bodyfat (so that's weight in itself) and still gain enough muscle to hit 95kg. It's not an easy task.

Granted, he may well pack on some decent muscle, IF he nails his diet well, IF he trains with an expert or someone who knows his stuff and pushes him HARD and IF he gets the lifestyle to match his goals.

That's why I suggested he does the big compound movements, and a decent amount of volume if he wants mass. The subsidiary exercises will help as well as his isolation movements, but he'll get nowhere without the big compounds, and dodging things because of flexibility. Bodybuilding, strength training, weight lifting anything to improve not only one's physique, but health and overall human ability, can only come if the weaknesses are addressed to.

Hence why I've dropped a fair bit of weight and strength as I almost needed to "breathe and reset" as I was getting so lost in my goals.

He can do very well - but 6kg is nearly a stone. In a year... 14lbs? Aim for 1/2 of that and we've got a reasonable target. Even with noob gains. Unless he's genetically pre-disposed to be awesome.
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Oh, for sure - I agree entirely with all of your IFs. Those weren't even up for debate! :)

I suppose I ignored the 10% BF because that's just crazy talking. :D
 
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