* The 2012 Gym Rats Thread *

Saytan · 5 Feb 2012 at 17:03

a week off due to snot and then back in the gym today. felt STRONG AS, despite the layoff. Back has now fully recovered from the abuse my bad form was giving it too

Saytan · 5 Feb 2012 at 17:18

pieplough said:
Quick question for you guys... How often do you all do cardio? I'm currently on week 2 of Stronglifts 5x5 and loving the progression and form improvements from starting with just the bar, but I feel because I'm lifting fairly light still that I need to do some cardio.

Any thoughts?

i dont "do cardio" as such, but most weeks i do at least 90 minutes mountain biking and an hour's 5-a-side footy.

pieplough · 5 Feb 2012 at 18:05

Deception said:
Only cardio that I do (well comes close) is Complexes:

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online...cardio_four_complexes_for_a_shredded_physique

Although, the Girlfriend is getting a treadmill, so will probably jump on that for HIIT.

Saytan said:
i dont "do cardio" as such, but most weeks i do at least 90 minutes mountain biking and an hour's 5-a-side footy.

Cheers for the replies guys, yeah I find "doing cardio" a bit of a chore also but don't do anything like footy/bike etc so think I might need to consider doing something extra. Might take a look at those complexes you linked Deception.

Working an office based job means I'm sitting on my ass a lot

, so want to up my activity level I guess.

Deception · 5 Feb 2012 at 18:24

pieplough said:
Cheers for the replies guys, yeah I find "doing cardio" a bit of a chore also but don't do anything like footy/bike etc so think I might need to consider doing something extra. Might take a look at those complexes you linked Deception.

Working an office based job means I'm sitting on my ass a lot , so want to up my activity level I guess.

I know how you feel. Im sat an office most of the day too, probably explains why I'm always on here

. Complexes are good for getting the heart going and if you have as little break as possible, you will be 'crying to mama' as it says in the article

Freefaller · 5 Feb 2012 at 19:11

Full body mobility
Suitcase DLs
Reverse lunges
Rope pull ups (from lying on floor and not using legs for assistance)
BB farmers walk

Nice simple sesh today. Hard though!

Steedie · 5 Feb 2012 at 20:12

Where's the cheapest place to get Vibram Fivefinger shoes? Amazon seems it so far but have no idea when it comes to shoe shopping

Delvis · 5 Feb 2012 at 20:16

From a quick look, Amazon or a website called ecrater.co.uk...

No idea about the ecrater site though

Steedie · 5 Feb 2012 at 20:23

That site seems a little too cheap...

Whats the catch?

Cheers though Delvis

Delvis · 5 Feb 2012 at 20:34

Dunno mate

Just a google shopping search

Never heard of them, so might want to look them up or something

Freefaller · 5 Feb 2012 at 21:28

I'd suggest you try several on, when I got my first pair it took me 3 pairs before I found one which fit me correctly. The new models have even more "styles" to fit around different foot shapes. Worth it - love 'em. Get so many comments from people at the gym! haha!

Deception · 6 Feb 2012 at 07:36

Just did semi-cosgrove complexes (Daren't do good morning 'cause it would end in goodbye as the barbell rolls off

)
Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Bentover Row
Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat

Instead of doing 6,5,4,3,2,1 rep ranges, I did it Stronglift 5x5 style instead.. Damn, that was a bad idea; Forearms got pumped towards the end and I was barely managing to hold on to the bar! Legs nearly gave in towards the end, despite only using 25kg for them.

Great workout though

Delvis · 6 Feb 2012 at 08:55

Aye, I really enjoyed them actually. If I can find a way of doing the at home properly I'd do them on 'rest' days

MoNkeE · 6 Feb 2012 at 09:18

Deception, I sort of get the impression that you didn't actually follow anything the article that you posted said, right.......? ;D

Saytan · 6 Feb 2012 at 09:19

rare bout of doms this morning. It's great though, it's telling me nicely that my form correction seems to be in the right direction - doms in all the right muscles

Deception · 6 Feb 2012 at 10:17

MoNkeE said:
Deception, I sort of get the impression that you didn't actually follow anything the article that you posted said, right.......? ;D

Well I did, but I decided to mix it up a bit.

Sounds good to us, but how much weight do you use? "Just remember," says Cosgrove, "it's a metabolic stimulus, not a strength or hypertrophy stimulus, so be conservative. MMA pro David Loiseau uses only 85-95 pounds when doing the complexes I prescribe for him."

That said, don't go too light, either. A good "Cosgrove rule of thumb" is that if you're not questioning why in the hell you're doing these exercises, or convincing yourself that two circuits is enough, you're not going heavy enough.

Now, can you make up your own complexes? You bet. Just try to pick exercises that flow smoothly into one another. But truthfully, just about any combo works. As Waterbury notes, you're only limited by your imagination.

MoNkeE · 6 Feb 2012 at 10:23

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/complexes_20_optimize_your_fatloss_workouts said:
Exercises should be performed in a descending order from the most demanding to the least demanding. I mean, why the hell would you put a hang clean in the middle of your complex?

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/complexes_20_optimize_your_fatloss_workouts said:
I have no idea where it came from, but there seems to be some unwritten rule that when you perform a complex, you need to do the same number of reps for each exercise. Sure, it's one way to do it, but it's only effective if that same weight is equally challenging on all of the selected exercises.

From the first article you posted

Deception · 6 Feb 2012 at 10:26

MoNkeE said:
From the first article you posted

I haven't got to Complex 2.0 yet

. Im still using the one from top of this page, from the Cosgrove complex.

Delvis · 6 Feb 2012 at 10:29

Aye, I did 6 reps then 5 for the cosgrove (didn't do it all the way through as I had just done a back session!!!

)

But I've seen other complexes do varying amounts of reps

MoNkeE · 6 Feb 2012 at 10:40

I think those two key points I quoted should be applicable to the complex you're doing. You don't want a power clean to go wrong half way through a rep due to fatigue, and you should definitely be doing reps on squats than OHP for instance

Delvis · 6 Feb 2012 at 10:47

Meh, I'm just following it from the article I read(1st one)

6 reps for all, 90 seconds rest, 5 reps for all, 90 seconds rest...so on

*** The 2012 Gym Rats Thread ***

* The 2012 Gym Rats Thread *