Weight-Lifting Thread (General Fitness Thread)

[Ness]

I'm currently gaining weight. Been working out for about a month and trying to eat a lot more. I used to be 172 about a couple of pounds ago. But now I'm 183. I hope to get to 200 after a while if I can. My dream goal would be 220. I'm about 5'11'' in height. I guess I'm in the "bulking up" phase.

[jballa838]

Originally Posted by brasho

How much of it is putting atrophied muscle back on... and have you had your bodyfat tested both before and after to know that it is 100% muscle?

Ehhh maybe 5 pounds, tops. I finished the season around 155 and began the next one around the same level. Then, I went from 155 and between 5-6%BF to 168 and between 4.7-5.9%BF. I don't think I could consistently do that for 3 years though.

[Sportsfan486]

Only been doing this diet/workout for a few days now but feeling ******* awesome.

Love the workout, it's basically 3 phases for each muscle group; power, muscle, burn. I like it a lot more then the "do 4 sets of 8-12 reps" workouts I've done before.

The diet seems good. Been drinking a ton of water and just have a super high energy level. Been eating more brown rice and granola then I have in my diet just because I've been a bit hungry and using it as a snack between meals to keep my energy level up.

Sore as all **** right now but holy crap do I feel good. We'll see how it goes!

[ATLDirtyBirds]

I think I'm going to try that workout Sportsfan. I could use something different for awhile.

[Sportsfan486]

Originally Posted by ATLDirtyBirds

I think I'm going to try that workout Sportsfan. I could use something different for awhile.

I really like the progression of it and the workouts. Plus it's the only workout I've ever done that has made my muscles sore for a couple days after (except for the very first time I started doing weights.) I also like how he gives a rep range (3-5 or 6-12) and you move up weight once you can hit the top of the range. Makes more sense to me then the (do x set of x and try to guess when you have enough strength to move up to x sets of x... and if you fail, well, that sucks.)

[ATLDirtyBirds]

Originally Posted by Sportsfan486

Plus it's the only workout I've ever done that has made my muscles sore for a couple days after

This is why I'm mainly going to take a crack at it. I actually want to feel like I've done an intense workout after an hour or so instead of having to working out for like 2 hours and 30 minutes before I fail on some sets.

[Nalej]

This is how I feel after my workouts. I rotate cycles.
Once cycle, I'll go through and do 4x5 then the following week is 3 sets of 10/8/6

[brasho]

You guys want something cool and that will really make you sore. Try doing a pre-exhaust routine for each primary group every other week. I'm telling you, it is outstanding. You can pre-exhaust with all the primaries (chest, back, legs-I don't consider shoulders primary but I've got a killer for those as well).

For your chest-
You're going to need a spotter for the flat bench portion.

Start off with a few sets of tricep pushdowns or dips to get yourself warmed up. Get the French curl bar and do one warm-up set with a fairly light weight of lying lateral tricep extensions (aka skull crushers, nosebreakers) then with ZERO rest time go straight to the flat bench (I do the skull crushers at one end of the bench and then lie the opposite way for the flat) and do a flat bench warm up set.

Now the pre-exhaust routine can begin. Do a set of skull crushers of 12-16 to failure and then go straight to flat bench where you can do a set of flat bench of 5-7 to failure. I usually start off with either a 45 on each side of the French bar or 2 50's on each side then go straight to 225.

Give yourself between 2:30 and 5:00 break (less if you want the pump and force yourself to keep your HR up, more if you want to focus more on quality reps). The next set increase the weight on the french bar by 10-20 lbs and repeat with the same weight on the flat bench. Your rep range on the skull crusher should have been 8-12 and the flat should have still been in the 5-7 range.

The next set, add 10-20 more to the skull crusher set and again, without rest go straight to flat. Your skull crusher rep range should have fallen to 6-8 and the flat bench should have been your hardest one yet.

Finish it off with two more sets if you can. Adjust your weight on the skull crushers accordingly to keep your reps on flat in the 5-7 range (a spot to 5 is ok too).

Three sets might be hard at first but as you get used to it (don't do this every week! you will overtrain yourself in no time) and can find yourself doing 7-9 within a month.

For other body parts. Do the same concept for back. Use curls to pre-exhaust the biceps before you do pulldowns or seated rows. For legs, blow out your hamstrings with stiff legged deadlifts before you squat.

WHen I have more time I'll put my shoulder blasting routine on here for anybody that wants it. I started doing it several years ago after multiple shoulder dislocations and significant shoulder problems...and put 50 lbs on my bench in 6 months.

[brasho]

Originally Posted by Nalej

This is how I feel after my workouts. I rotate cycles.
Once cycle, I'll go through and do 4x5 then the following week is 3 sets of 10/8/6

That's how I felt a few years back when I was messing with this Columbian girl. Two weeks of antibiotics cleared everything up.

[Ravens1991]

when you guys to bicep curls do you keep your arm glued to your side? I was doing them w/o that and my friends told me to keep it glued because i was swinging too much. It does help prevent swinging I was jw if you do it.

[Hollywood]

I did a search for it, but anybody in here do crossfit? I've been doing it for about 3 months, i'm a pretty experienced weight lifter but this stuff is intense. Highly recommended for any level if you're looking to get in serious shape. Awesome too if training for something like MMA or just about any sport...

[Bob Sanders Dreadlock]

Went to our ATP lab at school today(basically tests max's, body fat, etc..i like treating it as if im at the combine) in the 2 years since i last went i've lost 2lbs, same body fat, and lifting maxs. I've really got to try harder.

[senormysterioso]

Originally Posted by Hollywood

I did a search for it, but anybody in here do crossfit? I've been doing it for about 3 months, i'm a pretty experienced weight lifter but this stuff is intense. Highly recommended for any level if you're looking to get in serious shape. Awesome too if training for something like MMA or just about any sport...

Crossfit is awesome, the ODA that I worked with did it all the time.

[brasho]

Originally Posted by Ravens1991

when you guys to bicep curls do you keep your arm glued to your side? I was doing them w/o that and my friends told me to keep it glued because i was swinging too much. It does help prevent swinging I was jw if you do it.

Yes, keep your arms to your side, elbows in. The same thing for any tricep extension as well. Think of your elbows as a door hinge, the hinges need to be on straight with your forearms moving parrallel to each other.

[brasho]

Originally Posted by Hollywood

I did a search for it, but anybody in here do crossfit? I've been doing it for about 3 months, i'm a pretty experienced weight lifter but this stuff is intense. Highly recommended for any level if you're looking to get in serious shape. Awesome too if training for something like MMA or just about any sport...

I've got a friend of mine that owns a Crossfit gym in Woodbridge, Va. Of course he loves it but then I know a few people that go as well and they think very highly of it. I'm in favor of finding an exercise routine/regimen that isn't so painful/boring that you'll actually do it... so of course that is different for everybody.

[Malaka]

Anyone have a good pure calisthenic workout?

I have been doing around 3-5 sets of 60 push-ups 3-4 days a week, paired with 2 minutes of ab workouts following each push-up set.

After starting at sets of 30 I have made progress to sets of 60, I am happy, but not fully content. I want to go further beyond this workout routine and challenge myself more. (Tomorrow I begin attempting sets of 70.) Anyone have like a Navy SEALS workout routine or something of the sort where its purely push-up/ab workout kind of thing.

[Hollywood]

Originally Posted by brasho

I've got a friend of mine that owns a Crossfit gym in Woodbridge, Va. Of course he loves it but then I know a few people that go as well and they think very highly of it. I'm in favor of finding an exercise routine/regimen that isn't so painful/boring that you'll actually do it... so of course that is different for everybody.

I weight lifted/did the normal gym routine thing pretty seriously for 10+ years, love the gym but the crossfits keep it just so ridiculously challenging and intense + work out different muscles everywhere that it constantly keeps it fresh and keeps me motivated. I love it, can't ever see myself going back to a 'normal' gym routine.

[GoRavens]

anyone got any opinions on pilates?

[Verloren]

Originally Posted by GoRavens

anyone got any opinions on pilates?

Was going to try it out today, but the class got canceled. Did TRX on the weekend.

[Ravens1991]

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ps_exercise s

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ap_exercis es

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...ceps_exercises

Interesting articles I figured I would share.

[BlindSite]

Originally Posted by GoRavens

anyone got any opinions on pilates?

Depends on what you want out of it, if you're trying to gain core strength it's probably fine if you want the same gains you'd get from a proper training program over a longer period of time.

Squats, sit ups, dips and push ups will get you the same gains only faster. Pilates has the added advantage of adding to your flexibility but if you stretch every morning pre and post work out like you should you'll see the same gains.

I looked into it to help with BJJ but I didn't get the same work out in an hours class as I did doing my morning routine.

Now days it's more tailored to suit mums and women looking to get fitter without having to smash themselves with proper recovery and all that.

[Verloren]

Originally Posted by BlindSite

Now days it's more tailored to suit mums and women looking to get fitter without having to smash themselves with proper recovery and all that.

Or for athletes rehabbing joint injuries. It really depends on the instructor and who else is in your class.

[49erNation85]

I was curious about how you guys know about how to star ton a diet and working out doing it right and no starve your self etc.I plan on trying to a good 30 ish lbs or so this summer.I wanna get in the habit of working out and staying in good shape if possible.My height right now is 5'6" and I weigh about 208 lbs.Not too far off from good weight wise.Any thoughts on where to start off as far as work out goes?

[sbh15]

i'm doing the spartacus workout. it blows, but works.

[zachsaints52]

So I havent lifted weights since August of 06, finally decided to get back into it because I finally get to go to college and going to play football there. Went back in the weight room, and just to see what I could do, I maxed 300. Is that uncommon after roughly 4 and a half years of not lifting when my max was 375?