Poll: ***The all new gymrats thread***

[Freefaller]

Can anyone give me any tips as to how to exercise my calf muscles? We don't seem to have a block, so shall I just do them off the floor (and do lots of reps)

Hamstring exercise wise, what exercises are there for hamstrings? The internet tells me that straight leg deadlifts exercise the hamstrings, what exercise do you guys use?

My quads are feeling pretty fatigued at the mo, standing up from my chair was a bit of a shock And I'm going out tonight, great

Glad you've started on squats. I trust you went all the way down rather than doing any 1/2 reps!

Calf raises are pretty much the best exercise for them. Though step ups and powercleans do have an element of calf involvement but not exclusive. I usually use a bar on my back and a couple of plates to stand on and do raises that way. Though for calves you really need to load the weight on minimum double your bodyweight for it to actually "do" anything, well for me at any rate.

You can use the leg press just use your toes rather than your whole foot.

For hams, SLDLs or RDLs are good.

 

[Ben M]

Glad you've started on squats. I trust you went all the way down rather than doing any 1/2 reps!

Calf raises are pretty much the best exercise for them. Though step ups and powercleans do have an element of calf involvement but not exclusive. I usually use a bar on my back and a couple of plates to stand on and do raises that way. Though for calves you really need to load the weight on minimum double your bodyweight for it to actually "do" anything, well for me at any rate.

You can use the leg press just use your toes rather than your whole foot.

For hams, SLDLs or RDLs are good.

I was getting past horizontal, not ATG yet, I didn't want to risk another red face moment when I have to pick myself up off the floor! I'll work on form as I develop, try and get as low as possible.

I was using the leg press with just my toes (I wrote calf extension (machine) before) I guess I'll stick to that, I can use more weight that way as my grip isn't gonna be a problem. I'm thinking of getting some captain of crush grip trainers to work on my grip, and my weedy forearms!

SLDL is straight leg dead lift, RDL= regular deadlift?

 

[Mansize_tissue]

RDL= regular deadlift?

Romanian deadlift, I believe.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Having just got over the cold I've had for three weeks I've now suffered a pulled hamstring from cramp last night

 

[megatron]

http://ministryofmusclegym.com/DBSCompetition2009.aspx

Gym Rat thread worthy?

I did 37 reps in 75seconds (or so its says I remember it being 1min 30seconds time limit).

 

[Infam0us]

Agreed. He's not particularly big, just low body fat with some good average muscle.

Really, so that is just a case of some heavy weights with low bodyfat to make them more apparent? Can I ask you to look at my workout and tell me if I keep it up would I be able to achieve that look?

Monday

40x 2 Pressups
40x 2 Twist Sit Up
40x 2 Tricep Dips
40x 2 Situps
40x 2 One Legged Squat
40x 2 Dorsal Raises
40x 2 Leg Raises

20 Minutes Cycling (Or) 1.5 Mile Best Speed

Wednesday

8x 3 Bicep Curls (30KG)
10x 3 Dumbbell Arnold Press (20KG)
8x 3 Dumbbell Lateral Raise (15KG)
20x 2 Situps
20x 2 Twist Situps
10x 2 Leg Raises
10x 3 Bench Press (50KG)

2 Mile Run

Friday

10x 3 Lat Pull Down (60KG)
20x 3 Leg Press (180KG)
10x 3 Shoulder Press (45KG)
10x 3 Chest Press (60KG)
20x 2 Situps
20x 2 Twist Situps
10x 2 Leg Raises
40x 3 Inner Leg Press (50KG)
30x 3 Outer Leg Press (40KG)
10x 3 Leg Extension (56KG)

1.5 Mile Best Speed

Diet is mostly fresh vegetables, fish, meats, salads, brown bread, pasta but I do have the occasional sweet tooth and have a pudding with my dinner or something like that. What do I need to do to my routine and diet to achieve that look? And also what is my current routine doing for me, I've started adding increase in weight to it every 2-3 weeks depending on how well I can handle it and have been doing this since specific routine since September. But have been training for 2 years now with few breaks.

Also might add that I occasionally drink beer, say a 10-15 cans per month, and sugary drinks such as Lucozade (Few bottles a week) is it correct to say if I just do more Cardio that this will get me back to where I started? (Of course I drink more when I return home from Uni but this is the average intake for me over the year)

 

[Morba]

Can I ask you to look at my workout and tell me if I keep it up would I be able to achieve that look?

Monday

40x 2 Pressups
40x 2 Twist Sit Up
40x 2 Tricep Dips
40x 2 Situps
40x 2 One Legged Squat
40x 2 Dorsal Raises
40x 2 Leg Raises

20 Minutes Cycling (Or) 1.5 Mile Best Speed

Wednesday

8x 3 Bicep Curls (30KG)
10x 3 Dumbbell Arnold Press (20KG)
8x 3 Dumbbell Lateral Raise (15KG)
20x 2 Situps
20x 2 Twist Situps
10x 2 Leg Raises
10x 3 Bench Press (50KG)

2 Mile Run

Friday

10x 3 Lat Pull Down (60KG)
20x 3 Leg Press (180KG)
10x 3 Shoulder Press (45KG)
10x 3 Chest Press (60KG)
20x 2 Situps
20x 2 Twist Situps
10x 2 Leg Raises
40x 3 Inner Leg Press (50KG)
30x 3 Outer Leg Press (40KG)
10x 3 Leg Extension (56KG)

1.5 Mile Best Speed

Don't take this too badly...

Monday is near on pointless.
Weds: Arnolds - great, bench press - great
Friday: Where did all these exercises come from!!! The first 4 are great (but not sure why on the same day) the rest are at best.... pointless.

Have a look at gordyr's sticky, thats a good routine to start with :]

 

[AmDaMan]

My mate dropped a 36kg dumbell on my foot today, can't walk without pain yet.. hope it's not broken

 

[Morba]

rofl. go get that xrayed

 

[Infam0us]

Don't take this too badly...

Monday is near on pointless.
Weds: Arnolds - great, bench press - great
Friday: Where did all these exercises come from!!! The first 4 are great (but not sure why on the same day) the rest are at best.... pointless.

Have a look at gordyr's sticky, thats a good routine to start with :]

Don't worry Morba I'm looking for help on getting better so anything I can do to improve I will! The reason for the split is because I do all my Free Weight exercises on a Weds and all my Machine work on a Friday, would it be more beneficial to break it up into muscle groups rather than what I'm doing at the moment?

And also I do a lot of running which is why I like to do the leg exercises on a Friday Is there anything else I can do with my legs that would work better? I'll replace Monday with a free weight day and try the 3 day split as described on the sticky.

 

[Morba]

why free work on one day and machine on another? are you in 2 different places for those days?

anything you can do for legs that would be better....... squats

 

[Infam0us]

why free work on one day and machine on another? are you in 2 different places for those days?

anything you can do for legs that would be better....... squats

Nope same Gym, I think it was because when I started I was actually a bit to scared to use the free weights and didn't really know any of the exercises to use them for as I was a bit of a novice. I've just read up on that Sticky you recommended and it makes a lot of sense, as I have noticed that my chest and shoulders have made good gains over the past few months, as I tend to use a lot of free weights in these areas.

I'll go for the three day split once the Easter break is over (At my parents at the moment so no access to the gym) And I don't have a Squat Bar at my Gym :/ Would holding two barbells in each arm above my shoulders have the same affect? Also if I do follow that 3 day split I've noticed that my workouts would only last for say 40-50 minutes at a time? Is this normal as I normally take longer at the moment?

 

[neon.uk]

My mate dropped a 36kg dumbell on my foot today, can't walk without pain yet.. hope it's not broken

He deserves a slap - I bet there was some colourful language

 

[Morba]

Would holding two barbells in each arm above my shoulders have the same affect? Also if I do follow that 3 day split I've noticed that my workouts would only last for say 40-50 minutes at a time? Is this normal as I normally take longer at the moment?

40-50 is fine, couple of mins warm up and cool down, some stretching and you are over an hour. no need for it to be any longer really.

 

[steve-h]

goin walking in 2 weeks

any ideas of what I can take walking with me? we'll be out most of the day

cant think past cold chicken/ham on brown bread

 

[Ironic Namesake]

Nuts, bananas, make some protein flapjacks

 

[tom_e]

cold pasta/rice with meat veg and some light sauce

 

[Ben M]

Waterproofs
Bag
Walking boots
Thermal underwear
Camelbac
Food
Map
Walking stick (if you're a fanny)
Company (preferably female, but not one that's going to slow you down)
Condoms (always be safe kids)

 

[Buffman]

goin walking in 2 weeks

any ideas of what I can take walking with me? we'll be out most of the day

cant think past cold chicken/ham on brown bread

Tuna/mayo sandwiches .

Also I remember asking this question before and not getting a big response but is it worthwhile for me to work abs on all 3 weights days I do at the gym?
my current routine is:
Chest/triceps/abs
Back/Biceps/abs
Legs/shoulders/abs
One of the people at the gym put that in my routine saying it was worthwhile but I'm not sure if it is or not and sure you all have a better idea.

 

[Morba]

depends on what you are doing really.
if its 1 exercise each session, then fair enough. but if its 3 exercises, hard (like you would a chest session for example), then no, its pointless. especially as you should be doing good compound moves which will work the core anyway.