Poll: ***The all new gymrats thread***
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What happened to train a bodypart once a week?
Is this a new school of thinking or are you happy that your recovery time allows you to train back 3 times a week?Very interested in your answer because I've been thinking 7 day rotation is a bit too long in some cases and 4/5 days would be better.
Sadly, I train alone and have done for the last year. It is extremely difficult when your m8s drop out one by one but stick at it and keep changing things up!
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Yeah but she's using narrow grip, wide grip should be wider than shoulder width apart.
In compound exercises it's hard to get away from the fact more than 1 body part will be trained - though of course the focus will be on 1 part of the body more than others.
What about training 1 bodypart once a week?! Since when has that been a "rule"? Sure for a beginner I can understand, but I'm far from that. I train 4-5x a week, but I hit a body part more than once a week. Doing things like chins 3x a week is fine - I do them at home mostly, but sometimes hit them at the gym for a superset for extra burn. Like calves - they can handle being hit more than once a week.
I train mostly alone, but have spotters should I need them - I have enough self motivation fortunately to push myself - it is draining and hard work though, having a training partner is important to really push yourself - so sadly on some exercises I not pushing myself as hard as I used to. I'm not "new school" I'm just hardcore
What happened to train a bodypart once a week?
Very interested in your answer because I've been thinking 7 day rotation is a bit too long in some cases and 4/5 days would be better.
Sadly, I train alone and have done for the last year. It is extremely difficult when your m8s drop out one by one but stick at it and keep changing things up!
In compound exercises it's hard to get away from the fact more than 1 body part will be trained - though of course the focus will be on 1 part of the body more than others.
What about training 1 bodypart once a week?! Since when has that been a "rule"? Sure for a beginner I can understand, but I'm far from that.
I train 4-5x a week, but I hit a body part more than once a week. Doing things like chins 3x a week is fine - I do them at home mostly, but sometimes hit them at the gym for a superset for extra burn. Like calves - they can handle being hit more than once a week.I train mostly alone, but have spotters should I need them - I have enough self motivation fortunately to push myself - it is draining and hard work though, having a training partner is important to really push yourself - so sadly on some exercises I not pushing myself as hard as I used to. I'm not "new school" I'm just hardcore
Soldato
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Along the same lines as the above, I do 40 mins Cardio before my weight training (20 mins Cross trainer, 21 mins Bike) Monday/Wednesday/Friday then directly after the weights I have a protein bar (Yes I know I should have a shake but I still haven’t found one I like! Recommendations?) then 30 mins after that I have a main meal.
Is this ok?
My main goal was to lose weight/Fat (which I did going from 15.5 stone to 13 stone, I'm 5' 7") but now I would like to put on a bit of extra muscle.
Does the above sound ok to you guys?
Is this ok?
My main goal was to lose weight/Fat (which I did going from 15.5 stone to 13 stone, I'm 5' 7") but now I would like to put on a bit of extra muscle.
Does the above sound ok to you guys?
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I'm aiming for 20 WG chins by the end of July 
But I don't have nice boobs or an arse like hers 
But I don't have nice boobs or an arse like hers
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Don't do cardio before training it'll hamper your ability to lift. Do cardio on alternative days, or for short intense 10-15mins after weight training - but then again remember that after a hard 60-90mins of weight training your body will be urging for nourishment.
Best time to do it is on separate days, or if you train in the morning, cardio in the evening. Or cardio in the morning and weight train in the evening, either or.
Thanks for the reply FF, and nice job on making me think I was going mad and moving my post, sorry about posting it in the wrong thread.
The problem is (as with many people I’m sure) I don't get the time to do it any other day or time of the day and so far the only time it hampers my lifting is on a Wednesday when I do legs and obviously having done 41 mins of semi-intense cardio (mostly legs) I do sometimes have a bit of trouble squatting my normal weight!
Saying that though I have pretty large legs it’s my upper body that’s lacking specially shoulders and arms, in fact most of it to be honest.
Can you recommend any good protein shakes? something easy to mix which doesn’t end up tasting like lumpy powdered liquid, if you get my meaning.
Many thanks again.
Long shot I know but, any of you guys go to Virgin active in Epsom?
The problem is (as with many people I’m sure) I don't get the time to do it any other day or time of the day and so far the only time it hampers my lifting is on a Wednesday when I do legs and obviously having done 41 mins of semi-intense cardio (mostly legs) I do sometimes have a bit of trouble squatting my normal weight!
Saying that though I have pretty large legs it’s my upper body that’s lacking specially shoulders and arms, in fact most of it to be honest.
Can you recommend any good protein shakes? something easy to mix which doesn’t end up tasting like lumpy powdered liquid, if you get my meaning.
Many thanks again.
Long shot I know but, any of you guys go to Virgin active in Epsom?
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I don't recommend protein shakes I'm afraid - I'll let some of the others do that as I believe you should sort your diet out first before relying on them. I do use them, but I'm at a level where I can justify the occaisional shake - but it's not a staple part of my diet.
If you're serious about training you have to make time. Plain and simple. I'm up at stupid o'clock every day, and train most nights, weekends. What I don't spend on booze I can dedicate to food and training. You can't do gym stuff willy nilly. It's all or nothing IMO. So first establish what you want and what you can commit. Until you know what you can do there's no point in trying to establish a routine.
If you're serious about training you have to make time. Plain and simple. I'm up at stupid o'clock every day, and train most nights, weekends. What I don't spend on booze I can dedicate to food and training. You can't do gym stuff willy nilly. It's all or nothing IMO. So first establish what you want and what you can commit. Until you know what you can do there's no point in trying to establish a routine.
My diet is pretty good and varied (I think), it just may not be enough (pretty sure it isn’t) calories/protein if you get what I mean which is why I’m thinking of using protein shakes.
Really sorry to bore you with this.
Daily diet.
06:50 - Breakfast – large bowl of Porridge (simi-skimmed milk) with Fresh Strawberries + Blackberries + Raspberries followed by a Protein bar (20 grams Protein)
09:30 – Banana + Eat Natural Bar (nuts and stuff in it)
12:00 – Lunch, Rap with Whole Chicken breast, 3x Ham slices, Grated Cheese, tomato, lettuce, reduced fat mayo
14:00 - Two apples
15:30 – Nutri-grain bar
Workout day – 16:30 to 18:30 Gym, followed by Protein bar, - if none Gym day I don’t have this Protein bar.
Workout day – 19:00 - Dinner, Chicken/Pasta/Fish/Pork/Beef (not all in the same meal though LOL) + veg -potatoes, the usual…...
Non - workout day 5:30 – Dinner, as above
21:00 – Protein bar
I also take Multi vits and Omega 3, the high strength Omega 3 from Boots and Creatine, I also drink two pints of Simi-skimmed milk a day.
My goals at this time are to increase muscle mass (if possible) mainly on my upper body (as my legs are bigger/stronger than my upper body) but try and keep body fat down as much as possible, I’ve been a fat bugger already and really don’t want to get back there.
I very much doubt I will ever be able to get as big as some of you guys as I don’t have the time to train as much as you do (Family commitments/Job) plus I am 34 so getting long in the tooth!
If I can get the nerve I will post some pics at some point as long as you promise not to take the Mickey! LOL
Big thanks again for any advice.
Really sorry to bore you with this.
Daily diet.
06:50 - Breakfast – large bowl of Porridge (simi-skimmed milk) with Fresh Strawberries + Blackberries + Raspberries followed by a Protein bar (20 grams Protein)
09:30 – Banana + Eat Natural Bar (nuts and stuff in it)
12:00 – Lunch, Rap with Whole Chicken breast, 3x Ham slices, Grated Cheese, tomato, lettuce, reduced fat mayo
14:00 - Two apples
15:30 – Nutri-grain bar
Workout day – 16:30 to 18:30 Gym, followed by Protein bar, - if none Gym day I don’t have this Protein bar.
Workout day – 19:00 - Dinner, Chicken/Pasta/Fish/Pork/Beef (not all in the same meal though LOL) + veg -potatoes, the usual…...
Non - workout day 5:30 – Dinner, as above
21:00 – Protein bar
I also take Multi vits and Omega 3, the high strength Omega 3 from Boots and Creatine, I also drink two pints of Simi-skimmed milk a day.
My goals at this time are to increase muscle mass (if possible) mainly on my upper body (as my legs are bigger/stronger than my upper body) but try and keep body fat down as much as possible, I’ve been a fat bugger already and really don’t want to get back there.
I very much doubt I will ever be able to get as big as some of you guys as I don’t have the time to train as much as you do (Family commitments/Job) plus I am 34 so getting long in the tooth!
If I can get the nerve I will post some pics at some point as long as you promise not to take the Mickey! LOL
Big thanks again for any advice.
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People have posted pics from all shapes and sizes no onw is going to take the mick.
Seems like you're eating the right foods, just a bit worried that you're not giving yourself enough energy before workout, and you're eating a lot of protein bars!! If you're not getting enough from your diet I suggest that a shake (can't believe I'm admitting this) is likely to be better for you than a bar. However it depends on how intense your weight training is. If after 60 mins of weight training you're not falling to pieces then you're not training hard enough! Also 2pints of semi skimmed milk a day? Why? Whilst a bit of milk is good in terms of calcium etc... 2 pints seems excessive for relatively low nutrional value. Your calorific value is quite low, I'd eat more, but I don't know how hard you train. You do a lot of cardio, too much for a day of weights and cardio IMO. Life is very busy for all of us, you just have to try and work it into your day somehow.
Seems like you're eating the right foods, just a bit worried that you're not giving yourself enough energy before workout, and you're eating a lot of protein bars!! If you're not getting enough from your diet I suggest that a shake (can't believe I'm admitting this) is likely to be better for you than a bar. However it depends on how intense your weight training is. If after 60 mins of weight training you're not falling to pieces then you're not training hard enough!
Also 2pints of semi skimmed milk a day? Why? Whilst a bit of milk is good in terms of calcium etc... 2 pints seems excessive for relatively low nutrional value. Your calorific value is quite low, I'd eat more, but I don't know how hard you train. You do a lot of cardio, too much for a day of weights and cardio IMO. Life is very busy for all of us, you just have to try and work it into your day somehow.I only eat the bars because I’ve not found a shake I like.
I know you are right, I really do need to separate the cardio from the weights and to be honest I don’t train as hard as I could/should.
The milk thing is just me being strange, I just really love the taste of milk and am forever taking a swig from the fridge whenever I go past, yes I am a weirdo! LOL
Thanks again for your advice FF, I will take it on board and see what I can do, you are right I need to make the time!.
I know you are right, I really do need to separate the cardio from the weights and to be honest I don’t train as hard as I could/should.
The milk thing is just me being strange, I just really love the taste of milk and am forever taking a swig from the fridge whenever I go past, yes I am a weirdo! LOL
Thanks again for your advice FF, I will take it on board and see what I can do, you are right I need to make the time!.
Just placing an order for some straps and though I'd get a lumbar belt as well, but how large is Gold's 4 inch "large" lumbar belt? I'm 38" waist, big enough?
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So my bro did a squat assessment for me. Turns out I have tightness in the medial gastrocnemius (think that's right) which explains my squat weakness.
It was quite cool actually, he got me to raise my arms straight up so they cover my ears and squat. I really struggled to do a full rep without my body trying to throw me all over the show to compensate for the weakness. Straight away my bro has a good sense of what's wrong and gets me to try it again with a towel below my heels - was easy buns. I don't know if it's related but any time I get a cramp it's always been in my calf. Anyway, he recommended some foam rolling before any squat workout which should relieve the tightness.
Really can't wait to see some improvement
It was quite cool actually, he got me to raise my arms straight up so they cover my ears and squat. I really struggled to do a full rep without my body trying to throw me all over the show to compensate for the weakness. Straight away my bro has a good sense of what's wrong and gets me to try it again with a towel below my heels - was easy buns
. I don't know if it's related but any time I get a cramp it's always been in my calf. Anyway, he recommended some foam rolling before any squat workout which should relieve the tightness.Really can't wait to see some improvement
http://www.sci-mentor.com/ultimate4.html
Sci-Mentor Ultimate 4 is one of the nicest apparently, I use it now and then. Chocolate with a bit of milk and the rest water tastes like an actual drink
I have it straight after getting in from the gym then probably eat about 1.5-2hours later. I don't rely on it but it definately helps muscle ache the next day.
Flavoured?
Also I'd just try most flavoured protein or try mix in extra fruit like bananas/strawberries you're not drinking them for taste, it's fuel.
I don't pay that much as my housemate plays Rugby and gets it through a club discount. It tastes nice though which is what I posted it for and it seems pretty decent quality. Admittedly there is probably cheaper stuff out there but is it a case of quantity over quality?
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