The Gym

[ExpandMyMind]

3 minutes ago, CrimsonKing said:

Here is my "split" it rotates but an example...

Mondays - Chest & back

Wednesday - Legs & abs

Friday - Arms & shoulders

Sunday - Total body

Yeah Fridays for chest would suck for me lol...having exhausted the smaller arm & delt muscles on monday or wednesday would make me use 1/2 to 2/3rds of what i normally do...

My split is a bit "advanced"...for most with less than 2 straight years experience putting large muscle groups like chest and back together on the same day is overkill!

I found it good but some days I'd have spent myself a bit more than I'd like doing other things. I stuck with the full body really just for the convenience of it. Easy to do with a set of dumbells which is all I have room for in my house.

This was the workout program I started on and added/changed exercises as I progressed:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rudy6.htm

I plan to move onto a split at some point, either like yours or a push/pull or front/back but I've not been working out much these past few months so I'll probably stick with the full body for a while when I get back to it. My aim is to completely eliminate weights and go full calisthenics. Have you read Convict Conditioning? It's an incredible calisthenics book. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Convict-Conditioning-Weakness-Using-Survival-Strength/dp/0938045768

 

[ExpandMyMind]

11 minutes ago, CrimsonKing said:

 

I throw in forearms and calf excercises whenever...they are stubborn and can deal with a LOT without ever being overtrained! 

I'm lucky with my calves since I lost around 4 stone by walking (I was quite overweight. Still am a bit tbh lol), so I have ****ing massive calves. 

[spartan max2]

1 hour ago, CrimsonKing said:

It's like when i see people doing "flyes" and they have their elbows completely locked out straight and struggle with anything over 30 lbs and get soreness in their tendons...SLIGHT BEND IN THE ELBOWS!!!

I don't know where some get their advice,but completely locking out the joints on most excercises is a terrible idea and puts unneeded stress on a point that can't support it!

Hey so I recently started going to the gym.

When you say locked elbows what exactly do you mean? Are you saying your arm should never be completely stretched and extended? Always a small bend 

[CrimsonKing]

4 minutes ago, spartan max2 said:

Hey so I recently started going to the gym.

When you say locked elbows what exactly do you mean? Are you saying your arm should never be completely stretched and extended? Always a small bend 

Exactly! 

When one "locks out" the joint one takes away time under tension on the muscle and puts overload on the joint...

Even when doing tricep pushdowns I myself don't lockout the joint but lock out the muscle...it may sound difficult at first,but everyones bodies are different...Some say they can't squeeze their triceps on a push down without locking their elbow but they just don't have good enough control.When they lower their weight they usually find out that they can actually feel the muscle contract,instead of their elbows "popping" 

When starting out ignore the weight and focus on "feel"...when you perfect your form your weight will start gradually increasing as the muscle strengthens.

[CrimsonKing]

2 hours ago, CrimsonKing said:

Having strong tendons can deliver unreal type strength!...I would agree it can be better than having massive muscles!

Having extreme tendon strength is more of a blessing than built!...like a coiled spring!

It can take forever to strengthen tendons compared to muscles,that is why you see all these huge football players at around 230 lbs ripped to shreds,but they are always tearing ACL's and MCL'S...

Look back at people like Jack Dempsey or Bruce Lee...

One problem now days on average that gets vastly underestimated is those old timers natural test levels were MUCH higher compared to most today...far too many hormones and hormone disruptors in everything we use,eat,ect now days!

We got going too fast and i never got to "edit" lol

I covered ligaments but not tendons... 

Anywho...One thing we have left out today is ones genetics and how some are wired with more fast or slow twitch muscle fibers and vice versa...That alone can determine a lot of how one will eventually "fill out" aswell.

 

[tcgram]

I have a question; I started exercising with nautilus type weight machines 2 weeks ago.  I'm trying to build up strength and stamina so I'm going 3-4 times a week.  There is a rowing machine that I have been using, made sure I have the correct stance when using it.    My rhomboid muscles are more than just sore, they are painful.  I have dropped the weight to see if that will help but it still is bothering me.  Any advice?    Thanks.   

[internetperson]

Are you working out at a gym? If so get a personal trainer, doesn't have to be anything permanent but definitely helps. Or just find that-one-buff person who lives in the gym and just ask them their 2 cents and have them watch your form. 

When did the pain start? How much time do you allow yourself to heal? There's a general rule of thumb where if it hurts then stop. I mean from your avatar you look to be around your early 20s but as you get older the body is just waiting to injure itself. 

Try shooting CK a PM this is what he does for a living. Still, nothing beats a personal trainer in your area. Where I live you can't throw a rock without it landing by a PT. 

[Farmer77]

 

On ‎10‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 8:32 PM, CrimsonKing said:

Anywho...One thing we have left out today is ones genetics and how some are wired with more fast or slow twitch muscle fibers and vice versa...That alone can determine a lot of how one will eventually "fill out" aswell.

F%^$&@#& genetics    

I can (could) build muscle like a monster, but unless I'm dehydrated from a week long flu never look ripped. 

 

[XenoFish]

18 minutes ago, Farmer77 said:

 

F%^$&@#& genetics    

I can (could) build muscle like a monster, but unless I'm dehydrated from a week long flu never look ripped. 

 

I don't build muscle well, but I strong. I think its all due to tendon strength. 

[internetperson]

I've always had quick explosiveness which sounds rad but is frankly useless in todays world. 

[XenoFish]

5 minutes ago, internetperson said:

I've always had quick explosiveness which sounds rad but is frankly useless in todays world. 

Same thing for excessive strength. Most people barely lift anything over 20 pounds on average. 

[internetperson]

^ Yeah and when folks do it's often something that isn't prepared for in the gym. Bicep curls and bench press will only cause problems for you if you're trying to use an angle grinder when you're in an uncomfortable position. You can't keep taking breaks and getting water, your butt needs to keep working or find another job. I've always had an admiration for that blue collar/country boy strength. 

And I think I know what you mean by tendon strength. My friends uncle owns a construction company, he's probably in his early 60s now, looks skinny as a crack head but he's strong as an ox. His forearms look like hickory and he has a vice grip for a handshake. He probably never picked up a barbell in his life but I suppose that goes back to the genetics thing... Or maybe just being in the trade for so long, I don't know. 

[tcgram]

On 3/13/2018 at 0:20 PM, internetperson said:

Are you working out at a gym? If so get a personal trainer, doesn't have to be anything permanent but definitely helps. Or just find that-one-buff person who lives in the gym and just ask them their 2 cents and have them watch your form. 

When did the pain start? How much time do you allow yourself to heal? There's a general rule of thumb where if it hurts then stop. I mean from your avatar you look to be around your early 20s but as you get older the body is just waiting to injure itself. 

Try shooting CK a PM this is what he does for a living. Still, nothing beats a personal trainer in your area. Where I live you can't throw a rock without it landing by a PT. 

I am working out in the fitness room at the YMCA.   I have been asking the guys there for advice and to check my form as well.  The pain started at the end of my first week, then intensified my second week.  I dropped the weight, dropped the reps and asked if my form was correct and STILL had pain.  I have not worked on that machine at all this week and I'm still having some pain, although it has lessened quite a bit.  I talked with Xeno and I believe he is correct in thinking I strained my rhomboid muscles.  I'm going to continue to take it easy and avoid that particular machine until I feel better.  

 

Forgot to add: I am coming back to weight training after having 2 hip surgeries and hip pain for 2 years prior.  I'll be 51 at the end of the month so I know my body is not going to bounce back as quickly as it did 30 years ago.   

Edited March 15, 2018 by tcgram

[internetperson]

So I'm looking for some advice myself, or just a solid 2 cents: My shoulders are bad so till I see the orthopedist I've been doing lower body and back exercises. I'm really enjoying the deadlift. What's a decent deadlift for a guy my size (5' 10" 180lbs)? I've been slowly bringing up the weights. The last lift I did was 150 3 sets for 10 reps. It was easy and I wasn't sore the next day. What's the safe way to increase the weights, like should I up it 5lbs, 10lbs? I hesitate maxing out on this exercise it just seems a bit sketchy. I feel as though I can do my body weight relatively easily but I don't want to jump into anything and hurt myself. Thoughts?

[tcgram]

1 hour ago, internetperson said:

So I'm looking for some advice myself, or just a solid 2 cents: My shoulders are bad so till I see the orthopedist I've been doing lower body and back exercises. I'm really enjoying the deadlift. What's a decent deadlift for a guy my size (5' 10" 180lbs)? I've been slowly bringing up the weights. The last lift I did was 150 3 sets for 10 reps. It was easy and I wasn't sore the next day. What's the safe way to increase the weights, like should I up it 5lbs, 10lbs? I hesitate maxing out on this exercise it just seems a bit sketchy. I feel as though I can do my body weight relatively easily but I don't want to jump into anything and hurt myself. Thoughts?

I don't know enough about deadlifting but @CrimsonKing or @XenoFish may know what would work.   

[Farmer77]

1 hour ago, internetperson said:

So I'm looking for some advice myself, or just a solid 2 cents: My shoulders are bad so till I see the orthopedist I've been doing lower body and back exercises. I'm really enjoying the deadlift. What's a decent deadlift for a guy my size (5' 10" 180lbs)? I've been slowly bringing up the weights. The last lift I did was 150 3 sets for 10 reps. It was easy and I wasn't sore the next day. What's the safe way to increase the weights, like should I up it 5lbs, 10lbs? I hesitate maxing out on this exercise it just seems a bit sketchy. I feel as though I can do my body weight relatively easily but I don't want to jump into anything and hurt myself. Thoughts?

Next time you lift use 150 as your starting weight. Add ten pounds and if you can complete 10 reps of 160 add 10 more, if you cant just add 5. (assuming youre healthy) 

I don't know your overall goals but in general you want to reach muscle failure on that last set of reps. 

If you can afford it its worth hiring a coach for a day to focus on the major exercises. I was a personal trainer and just couldn't get my bench right so I hired a strength coach and after a single half hour session she had tweaked my form and increased my max weight by 25 lbs easy. 

 

[XenoFish]

1 hour ago, internetperson said:

So I'm looking for some advice myself, or just a solid 2 cents: My shoulders are bad so till I see the orthopedist I've been doing lower body and back exercises. I'm really enjoying the deadlift. What's a decent deadlift for a guy my size (5' 10" 180lbs)? I've been slowly bringing up the weights. The last lift I did was 150 3 sets for 10 reps. It was easy and I wasn't sore the next day. What's the safe way to increase the weights, like should I up it 5lbs, 10lbs? I hesitate maxing out on this exercise it just seems a bit sketchy. I feel as though I can do my body weight relatively easily but I don't want to jump into anything and hurt myself. Thoughts?

It really depends on you. You could increase the weight by 5 or 10 pounds or go for micro resistance.

https://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/micro-progression-a-safer-way-to-size-and-strength

Another way to use micro resistance is with large flat washers. Get a bunch of them and add one per side of the bar with every workout. 

[XenoFish]

Unfortunately the way my lower back is I can't deadlift. So instead I've been doing this.

Forward bend.

[CrimsonKing]

@Imaginarynumber1

We have this older thread...

[Imaginarynumber1]

Just now, CrimsonKing said:

@Imaginarynumber1

We have this older thread...

Who needs old threads when you can have newer, shinier ones?

[CrimsonKing]

Just now, Imaginarynumber1 said:

Who needs old threads when you can have newer, shinier ones?

I agree 

Plus me and Yam got into a d*** measuring contest over "intermitent fasting" halfway through this one,that overall wound up in 3 different threads lol

[Imaginarynumber1]

4 minutes ago, CrimsonKing said:

I agree 

Plus me and Yam got into a d*** measuring contest over "intermitent fasting" halfway through this one,that overall wound up in 3 different threads lol

That's the way it always goes with lifting and diets. "Don't do deadlifts" "Only do deadlift" "Flys are terrible" "Flys are great"

"Don't ever lift heavy" "Only lift heavy" "eat no carbs" "eat all the carbs"... im gonna stop or this will go on forever.

 

My take on IF, like many other various diets, is if it works for you, great. 

[CrimsonKing]

1 minute ago, Imaginarynumber1 said:

That's the way it always goes with lifting and diets. "Don't do deadlifts" "Only do deadlift" "Flys are terrible" "Flys are great"

"Don't ever lift heavy" "Only lift heavy" "eat no carbs" "eat all the carbs"... im gonna stop or this will go on forever.

 

My take on IF, like many other various diets, is if it works for you, great. 

Yeah that's eventually where we both agreed lol

[Deborah72]

Dhea love it! As well as Aminos, Aminos, Aminos!  Protein is key!  As I grow older I need all the help I can get!  I'm not privy to a gym at the moment so I do yoga and pilates.  I also do a ton of walking.  I feel great minus needing more sleep.  

Edited July 18, 2018 by Deborah72

[Deborah72]

I would say not bad for almost 47