Does Anyone Here Lift Weights?

[jerseydave77]

I might have missed it: Are you on a Protein Supplement? 

 

I'm Veg and needed one to build. 

[jerseydave77]

Sure, Dave. Your scenario is similar to the comment I made about a competition lifter wanting to squeeze all the water out of their body. For a specific performance reason, it might make sense to care about water weight. For someone just "going to the gym to try and look good", trying to slim down by getting rid of water instead of fat is just taking a shortcut.

 

That sucks you have to constantly work around your knees. I'm pretty sure I screwed up a tendon in my left ankle, right where the foot and shin meet on the front side of my body. It's fine 99% of the time but sometimes it will just give out and then hurt for days. Usually the cause is that I just forgot about it and decided to run up some stairs.

 

I saw a doctor one time and he recommended against anything like surgery. I guess I just gotta live with it. Luckily, it almost never holds me back. I don't even understand what is wrong. SOMETHING isn't right there, though.

 

The good news on my knees - I know how to work around them and they are feeling better with the weight loss and increased exercise. It was a long transition but a lot of things are resolving themselves with strength building. That said it will never be normal but that's just my obstacle, most people have one. Seriously, three years ago I was joking that I got married so I'd have someone to push my wheel chair. Two years ago I met 50 year olds who were climbing expert level mountains. One year ago I cut out the bullshit woe is me attitude and took my body and health seriously - it's been a very slow improvement and I have a ways to go until I'm satisfied but I went from complaining about pain to managing it to getting ready to fulfill my goal of completing a triathlon. My friend Tim was in a car accident six years ago and lost the use of his legs. He was told he'd never walk again. A year ago I saw a photo he took of his wheel chair from across the years where he'd walked 10 steps. My knee is nothing in comparison. Seriously, I'm lucky to have someone so inspiring in my life to push me over what's an ant hill. 

[suchashorttime]

I might have missed it: Are you on a Protein Supplement? 

 

I'm Veg and needed one to build. 

i use two, actually.  as a 1x/day meal supplement i use Garden of Life's Raw Meal, which carries just about all my vitamins and half of my daily protein intake.  as a post-workout supplement, i use a protein powder called NitroFusion.  it works really well, and the chocolate tastes awesome.  

[Guest]

Ry - keep up the B-Ball. I've been playing with the same group of guys once a week (except after I tore my ankle and knee) for eleven years. I love getting in the sprint work and the social aspect is good for adrenaline. All the training alone is fine but feeling a bit of friendly competition is fun. 

 

 

at first, i was just excited to have an opportunity to run around during the winter months. but like i said, i'm on a killer hot streak right now. my 3-ball is just lights out. me and this one dude set up the perfect give and go- where i pretty much hand it off to him on the in-bound, jog a couple steps to the left to get it back while he sets the screen. i pull-up with a little momentum carrying me to the left on the catch, and for some reason, just can't miss that shot.

my best friend, who i've been playing with for 10-11 years now, is just baffled. he doesn't understand where this came from.

needless to say, i can't wait to play tomorrow.

 

i'm working at the mall tonight, so i'll browse GNC for a little while before my shift.wish my friend was still working there- i'm sure he would have hooked up it.

[thebiglebowski]

good perspective.  the day i'm close to being able to say i have abs is going to be a great day.

 

perviously, i was only weight training, but wasn't seeing any loss in belly fat.  i started cutting my workouts into ~30-45 mins intense working out of 1-2 muscle groups and ~30-45 mins of cardio 4-5x / week, and i'm starting to see some results.  plus, i'm a big fan of the cardio high.  i started a vegan diet about 6 months ago, so i have a pretty decent diet built in.  my vice is weekend beers, that's about it.  not really into sweets or heavy carbs.  

 

This sounds like too much cardio to me. Cardio is there to create a calorie deficit, not build muscle. Depending on your previous activity level, you might get some muscle addition out of cardio. You will also eventually reach a point where cardio inhibits muscle production. It tires you out, preventing you from lifting heavy weights and depending on diet, could cause muscle catabolism.

 

The fact that you are vegan almost guarantees that you are eating healthy foods (unless there was a vegan who ate nothing but french fries and pasta...which you say you don't do).

 

If you want to post your full routine / diet (with calorie counts) I might be able to comment but from what you said, you seem to be doing things right (not my exact plan, but there is no perfect answer). Shouldn't be plateauing.

[thebiglebowski]

i'm working at the mall tonight, so i'll browse GNC for a little while before my shift.wish my friend was still working there- i'm sure he would have hooked up it.

 

GNC is really overpriced. Amazon is the shit. But for one purchase if you don't feel like waiting, GNC is fine.

 

 

Dave reminded me, I'd really love to climb a giant mountain one day. I really don't know what to expect though. I kinda picture in my head the dudes on ropes and stuff with picks climbing up a 90 degree angle. My gut kinda tells me it is more like walking up stairs for a really, really long time. Anyone know what it is really like? I doubt I'd ever do Everest (too many people have died...) but maybe Mckinley? I don't know. Haven't thought about it too hard.

[suchashorttime]

This sounds like too much cardio to me. Cardio is there to create a calorie deficit, not build muscle. Depending on your previous activity level, you might get some muscle addition out of cardio. You will also eventually reach a point where cardio inhibits muscle production. It tires you out, preventing you from lifting heavy weights and depending on diet, could cause muscle catabolism.

 

The fact that you are vegan almost guarantees that you are eating healthy foods (unless there was a vegan who ate nothing but french fries and pasta...which you say you don't do).

 

If you want to post your full routine / diet (with calorie counts) I might be able to comment but from what you said, you seem to be doing things right (not my exact plan, but there is no perfect answer). Shouldn't be plateauing.

right.  so my main goal is to trim down on this excess gut.  secondary goal is to build a bit and tone up.  so, for instance, today:

 

bicep curls, freeweights - 4 sets, 3 increasing weight, last set low weight, high rep.

bicep curls, bar, standing - same at ^

shoulder press - same ^

shrugs - same ^

bicep curls, wire system - lower weights, 3 sets high rep

shoulder press, freeweights - same ^

 

interval cardio on a treadmill, ~30 min - running ~6mph / walking 3.5mph at incline of 10

 

so i do my heavy lifting up front, then end with cardio to seal the deal on this gut.  am i in the right place, or is it unnecessary?

[Guest]

GNC is really overpriced. Amazon is the shit. But for one purchase if you don't feel like waiting, GNC is fine.

 

 

Dave reminded me, I'd really love to climb a giant mountain one day. I really don't know what to expect though. I kinda picture in my head the dudes on ropes and stuff with picks climbing up a 90 degree angle. My gut kinda tells me it is more like walking up stairs for a really, really long time. Anyone know what it is really like? I doubt I'd ever do Everest (too many people have died...) but maybe Mckinley? I don't know. Haven't thought about it too hard.

 

i do a lot of hiking in the summer. except our mountain is not actually a mountain by any means. just a big hill with a decent slope, a good ledge, and the history of being a place to ski. 

so when i hiked yosemite 2 years ago, my eyes were just buggin' out of my head with excitement.

i typically make it up to the summit of my hikes in 10-15 minutes.. but it's steep as hell, and an awesome workout all the way up. yosemite was pretty much the same thing, except 10-15 minutes was three hours. seemingly non-stop switchbacks with literal climate changes along the way. probably could have done it in 2 1/2 or less even, but we had a fairly large group, and we spent a lot of time catering to a couple guys who were not ready for it at all. 

in the weeks leading up to it, i did what i could to prepare, and i suppose it worked. i maintained a great pace for most of the hike.

 

i highly recommend making your way to a legit mountain range someday.  i'm making it my goal to get back there next year. or at least to another big one.

[thebiglebowski]

right.  so my main goal is to trim down on this excess gut.  secondary goal is to build a bit and tone up.  so, for instance, today:

 

bicep curls, freeweights - 4 sets, 3 increasing weight, last set low weight, high rep.

bicep curls, bar, standing - same at ^

shoulder press - same ^

shrugs - same ^

bicep curls, wire system - lower weights, 3 sets high rep

shoulder press, freeweights - same ^

 

interval cardio on a treadmill, ~30 min - running ~6mph / walking 3.5mph at incline of 10

 

so i do my heavy lifting up front, then end with cardio to seal the deal on this gut.  am i in the right place, or is it unnecessary?

 

Did you come up with this yourself or are you following a published program? If not, sometimes it's better to just say "even though I know a bit about exercising, someone out there knows more than I do and I am just going to trust their program". No need to reinvent something that has already been done by someone who knows more than any of us.

 

First thought, way too many curls. Curls should be done standing with a straight bar. This results in a full bicep extension and contraction. Not sure why you would do them all these different ways. There is no point. 5 sets, ramping up in weight, once a week of curls are all you need. Doing more is more likely to be counterproductive. Just cause you are trying to lose weight do go too far and overtrain (tons of reps and sets).

 

Lifting before cardio is the way to go. Burn off some sugar with lifting and then hopefully be working on fat with the cardio.

[suchashorttime]

yea, i kinda just make this shit up as i go.  haha.  which is why i appreciate the input from here.

[thebiglebowski]

There is a lot info in there but I would go with one of these:

 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/best_cutting_workout.htm

[thebiglebowski]

I didn't read them so I can't recommend the best and there is no 100% correct answer but I would definitely recommend going with a published workout plan over just "what feels right".

 

It's good to mix up your workout plan every so often anyways....

[suchashorttime]

that workout on the front page looks really good, actually.  thanks for the heads up.  getting knowledgable about how to effectively work out is difficult because there's an overwhelming amount of information, and at some point, everything contradicts something else.

 

'preciate, lebowski.  

[thebiglebowski]

cool no prob. what the thread is here for.

[Guest]

normal crew wasn't around tonight, but i still went 4-0 in 2 on 2.

i. can't. miss. 

we played with a couple younger kids.. either still in high school or freshmen. but they didn't believe me when i said i never played high school level.

 

again, 10 miles on the bike after. 

 

i was sore as hell today from tuesday's hike.. so i can't imagine what tomorrow's going to be like. but the forecast is looking too good for the next two days not to be out doing *something*. 

[bigbruise]

There is this kid at the gym I go to, who does the dumbest shit. Hes going to hurt himself or somebody else. He picks up the biggest dumbbells he can muster, and barely lifts them, he's probably 150-175lbs and is trying to lift 115lb dumbbells. Sometimes dropping them. On top of that, the other day he grabbed every fucking yoga mat he could find (20-30) and set up some martial arts area, doing kicks, running, jumping, and rolling around. It doesn't look like he knows what he's doing. He also wheres pajama pants, so we've deemed him the pajama ninja.

 

It took me a few months, but I finally feel very comfortable with my dead lifts. I'm still kind of nervous to max out, so I stick with 225. I can do it about 10-12 times for 3 sets. I really surprised myself doing it that many times the other day, I'm just very cautious with that exercise. I usually will just do about 6-8. So I'm thinking, after a few more days of 10-12 sets, I'm going to bump up the weight. But yeah, it feels awesome to just do dead lifts, instead of worrying about my form. Now it's second nature.

[dethrock]

If you ever want a laugh, go on the Sherdog MMA forums and in the Strength and Conditioning section, there's a 'Gym Idiots" thread.

 

I just started getting back into deadlifts and man, they're tough. I'm doing the 5/3/1 program and for the first month the max I did was 235x8. I've hurt my back doing them wrong before so I'm being pretty careful. If you plan on going higher in weight (275+) I'd definitely recommend getting a belt.

[thejesseb]

Im about to head to the gym now. I really need to get back into doing deadlifts. Never could do all that much but better start now.

[bigbruise]

If you ever want a laugh, go on the Sherdog MMA forums and in the Strength and Conditioning section, there's a 'Gym Idiots" thread.

 

I just started getting back into deadlifts and man, they're tough. I'm doing the 5/3/1 program and for the first month the max I did was 235x8. I've hurt my back doing them wrong before so I'm being pretty careful. If you plan on going higher in weight (275+) I'd definitely recommend getting a belt.

 

Yeah my bad, 235 is what I'm doing now. I'm thinking of just adding 50lb's here in a few weeks, if I can get 3 sets of 8, I'd be pretty happy about that. The gym does have some belts laying around, but I dont really know if I want to use one. I don't like using straps or gloves or any of that nonsense, gotta get my mand hands on. 

[roadmonkey]

What are people's thoughts here about kettlebell workouts? have you tried them? I have inherited a couple 25lbs ones and need some advice as to why are the best kinds of workouts I can do with them. 

 

Unfortunately the gym I go to (in the basement of the office..it's fee so whatever) only has weight machines and dumbells, so I feel I'm losing the nice barbell workouts. 

[thebiglebowski]

Yeah my bad, 235 is what I'm doing now. I'm thinking of just adding 50lb's here in a few weeks, if I can get 3 sets of 8, I'd be pretty happy about that. The gym does have some belts laying around, but I dont really know if I want to use one. I don't like using straps or gloves or any of that nonsense, gotta get my mand hands on. 

 

Straps are foolish at 200-300 pounds. When you start pushing 400, 500,+ deadlifts they are necessary. You want to increase your grip strength but you will (probably) never be able to grip 400+ pounds. Hands just aren't as strong as the back.

 

I've seen workouts that suggest deadlift sets as low as one (not a one rep max, but suggesting you should be doing near your max for 5 sets of 1 every week to improve). I'm not positive of the reasoning other than that it is usually a heavy lift. But just from what I've generally seen recommended, 8-12 seems like a lot and it's time to increase the weight.

 

The most important form point is that you need to keep your lower back in contraction (this is a generally good idea for all lifts, but especially important for the deadlift). If you aren't sure what this feels like, lay on your belly with your arms and legs in the air at your sides. You should feel your back in contraction. Usually another key when deadlifting would be that the chin should be up (this helps maintain a tight back).

 

If your back is tight and your form is good, there is little injury risk, even with a whole lot of weight.

[thebiglebowski]

What are people's thoughts here about kettlebell workouts? have you tried them? I have inherited a couple 25lbs ones and need some advice as to why are the best kinds of workouts I can do with them. 

 

Unfortunately the gym I go to (in the basement of the office..it's fee so whatever) only has weight machines and dumbells, so I feel I'm losing the nice barbell workouts. 

 

Not sure but you can essentially "rent" barbell equipment for free using craigslist. Pay 20 or 25 cents a pound, use it, and when you are done, sell it and get your money back. A 50 pound dumbbell from 100 years ago still does its job (as long as it isn't destroyed by rust).

 

I would recommend choosing a workout plan that fits your goals then getting the needed equipment, rather than the other way around.

[Shitty Rambo]

This thread needs a pajama ninja meme.

[roadmonkey]

Not sure but you can essentially "rent" barbell equipment for free using craigslist. Pay 20 or 25 cents a pound, use it, and when you are done, sell it and get your money back. A 50 pound dumbbell from 100 years ago still does its job (as long as it isn't destroyed by rust).

 

I would recommend choosing a workout plan that fits your goals then getting the needed equipment, rather than the other way around.

 

Yeah, I'm looking for a plan that incorporates these bells mainly. I'm not about to go buy a barbell and more weights.. shit's expensive heh

[thebiglebowski]

I got about 600 pounds of weight, multiple bars, a power rack, a bench, a belt, and some other stuff for $300.

I could probably make $100-$200 off it if I sold it, plus I'm getting a lot of use out of it. Some Craigslist people just have no sense of what a fair price is (things like 50-75 cents per pound is too high). But if you are patient, check every couple days, you'll find anything you want. Always people selling workout equipment.

But if you go with what you have, I have no advice. I'm a dumbbell / barbell guy.