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[Captain Glanton]

Almost a year but I felt I haven't made too much progress though. I want to workout my chest/triceps on tuseday, shoulders wednesday, legs friday, bis/back on saturday.

this is what I tried today

Bench press 4x10,8,8,6
Incline DB press 3x10,8,8
Dips 3xfailure

Skullcrushers 2x10
overhead dumbell 2x10
closed gripBP 2x10

I couldn't do it all because I got tired, maybe because I took a week off. I hope I could fullfill all of that next week.

You have too much triceps work. They are a small muscle group. Try this:

Flat barbell bench: 3 sets of 8
Incline barbell bench: 3 sets of 8
Dips: 5 sets to failure, with weights on first 3 sets
Close grip bench: 2 sets X 5

Also, have you been doing specific bodypart splits [a "back day," a "chest day"] for a year? That's why you have stagnated. Try using upper/lower splits, 4 days a week.

Maybe like:
Day 1 Upper Body
Day 2 Lower Body
Day 3 Cardio/HIIT
Day 4 Off
Day 5 Upper Body with some Cardio/HIIT
Day 6 Lower Body
Day 7 Off

 

[Anton Sugar]

Spoiler

And by "shitty" he means "has fancy equipment and lots of kickboxing-aerobics classes."

Yeah, I was actually concerned about using the word "shitty". Shitty means

Spoiler

what you said, fancy equipment, machines taking up 4/5, and lots of hot women

, while good means

Spoiler

shitty ventilation, chalk encrusted bars, and no music (bring your own)

 

[BlueTsunami]

I love the small Gym I frequent. Its cheap ($40/Month), is open early/late (4am/11pm), has a good mixture of Machine and Freeweights and the owner plays Rocky Music regularly throughout the gyms speaker system.

 

[H_Kang]

Hi Guys,

I've looking for excercises that will improve the strength in my abductors/glutes. I have a tough time performing roundhouse kicks at my kickboxing class due my lack of strength in lifting my leg using these muscles.

I currently do this excercise before my kickboxing class to avoid soreness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42YFCnVTvMk

I've also tried this excercise but have a tough time doing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVK0tY4_nic&feature=related

I've found doing deep sqauts works the areas where I'm weakest (helps to have my toes pointing inwards) but I'm not really getting any stronger.

Can you suggest techniques to improve my strength in this part of my body?

 

[reggieandTFE]

Can anyone recommend some at home strength exercises? I'm not able to go to the gym consistently because of work, but I'd like to sustain some of the muscle I built over the last couple months.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Hi Guys,

I've looking for excercises that will improve the strength in my abductors/glutes. I have a tough time performing roundhouse kicks at my kickboxing class due my lack of strength in lifting my leg using these muscles.

I currently do this excercise before my kickboxing class to avoid soreness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42YFCnVTvMk

I've also tried this excercise but have a tough time doing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVK0tY4_nic&feature=related

I've found doing deep sqauts works the areas where I'm weakest (helps to have my toes pointing inwards) but I'm not really getting any stronger.

Can you suggest techniques to improve my strength in this part of my body?

It's probably how you are doing squats. Pointing your toes in is NOT a mechanically safe or efficient way of doing squats. You'll be stronger with your toes pointed out. Deep is good, but make sure you are pushing your butt BACK when you squat, and drive up with the hips. This helps activate the hips, hamstrings, and glutes in the movement.

 

[mr stroke]

Ditch the gloves. They end up just getting in the way and add another layer, which will NOT help you grip. Get some chalk or liquid chalk (easier to sneak/hide into shitty gyms).

My friend calls me a bitch for using gloves, but I can't find anyting else that wont shread my hands. I don't know how some of you guys don't shred your hands to bits, most stuff is fine like bench or anything with dumbells, but deadlifts, pullups, and rows kill my hands with out gloves, are most of you guys just chalking up? or I guess I must be a bitch:lol

 

[Slo]

My friend calls me a bitch for using gloves, but I can't find anyting else that wont shread my hands. I don't know how some of you guys don't shred your hands to bits, most stuff is fine like bench or anything with dumbells, but deadlifts, pullups, and rows kill my hands with out gloves, are most of you guys just chalking up? or I guess I must be a bitch:lol

You will develop calluses.

 

[BlueTsunami]

My friend calls me a bitch for using gloves, but I can't find anyting else that wont shread my hands. I don't know how some of you guys don't shred your hands to bits, most stuff is fine like bench or anything with dumbells, but deadlifts, pullups, and rows kill my hands with out gloves, are most of you guys just chalking up? or I guess I must be a bitch:lol

What Slo said

Also, my cousin has the same complaints too (he has girl hands). Well, while developing your muscles you develop rougher man hands! I haven't gotten blisters though, it just keeds shredding up the skin.

 

[mr stroke]

You will develop calluses.

already have a bunch of them(been consistantly lifting for about 5 years) even with the calluses and my really dry hands nothing seems to help
anyone ever tried these?

 

[Anton Sugar]

My friend calls me a bitch for using gloves, but I can't find anyting else that wont shread my hands. I don't know how some of you guys don't shred your hands to bits, most stuff is fine like bench or anything with dumbells, but deadlifts, pullups, and rows kill my hands with out gloves, are most of you guys just chalking up? or I guess I must be a bitch:lol

Yeah, you're being a bitch.
Your hands will callous up. Furthermore, constantly being dried out by chalk several times a week will make them, overall, a little rougher.

It's very possible you're gripping the bar wrong, too. A lot of people just grab on and lift. Set it in the groove where your fingers meet your palm. Of course, once you get to certain weights, you are ALWAYS going to callous up/tear up your hands.

It just comes with the territory. Don't be a proud masochist, but don't be afraid of getting a little rough.

Straps are great, but ONLY, ONLY for weights you cannot handle any other way. I only use them for power shrugs, with a weight that's more than my max deadlift.

 

[Slo]

Straps are good for shrugs, or if you can do a ton of weight on weighted pullups, but otherwise you should avoid using them. Build your grip.

 

[Captain Glanton]

My Ninja Warrior pullups will do wonders for your grip and your forearms.

Seriously! More people need to be doing these! Dammit!

 

[mr stroke]

My Ninja Warrior pullups will do wonders for your grip and your forearms.

Seriously! More people need to be doing these! Dammit!

?
lttp, care to explain

 

[Captain Glanton]

Ninja Warrior Pullup:

--Name is derived from the Cliff Hanger on Stage 3 of Ninja Warrior.

--I use the bar that attaches the two sides of the fixed weight/pulley station. Get a small step, grab the bar with your fingers flat across the top, and pull yourself up. In a few months, I've gone from doing 6 to 8 to doing 6 to 8 with a 60 or 70 lb dumbbell on my waist. I think they're considerably more effective than regular pullups.

 

[Christopher]

What Slo said

Also, my cousin has the same complaints too (he has girl hands). Well, while developing your muscles you develop rougher man hands! I haven't gotten blisters though, it just keeds shredding up the skin.

I feel him...

GUYS PUSH HARD IN MAY PUSH PUSH.

Today was cardio day, cardio sucks.

 

[Aquavelvaman]

I feel him...

GUYS PUSH HARD IN MAY PUSH PUSH.

Today was cardio day, cardio sucks.

I had fun with my cardio today. Got on my bike, found a nice quarter mile stretch of wide sidewalk parallel to a through street and did bicycle sprints back and forth racing passerby cars for half an hour. The people in cars have funny reactions when they realize what you're doing.

 

[lostzenfound]

Well, I thought I'd share for the first time since I'm starting to ramp-up my commitment to my body. I'm 5'10" and 165lb, having come down from 210 within the last year and a half. My diet was anything but healthy, and there were days when my calorie intake might have been close to 750-1000, but... it worked for the most part, and the weight is long gone now. Now comes the more difficult part, that's for sure.

Take a look at well, me now, I guess...

My routine as of late has consisted of, pretty much daily or at the least 5 times a week:

100 Sit-ups on a slantboard
25 Push-ups
As many push-ups as I can do with my feel elevated
An elbow plank (right name?) for as long as I can hold it
A six-inch leg lift for as long as I can hold it
Curls, bench press, and other lifts all with 20lb dumbbells, normally as many as I can do
Shadowboxing with very light weights

I run two to three times a week, normally 2 miles each run. I used to be very comfortable with running long distances like 5-6 miles, but lately I've been getting a terrible, terrible pain in my abs while running that makes me fear my appendix is exploding. I don't know if it's because I switched to road running from track running or what, but I just haven't been able to perform well.

The negatives that I can mention would probably be:

My diet is still unhealthy. Not necessarily what I consume, as I think what I eat is great food, but the amount is just minimal. I eat, generally, one meal a day and one small snack. I probably consume 1000-1500 calories a day, but I'm very rarely hungry enough to eat more.

I still drink 3-4 sodas a week. This in itself is a great accomplishment for me because I love that tasty corn syrup like a crack whore loves the pipe. I'd cut out more, but I think I'd rather die.

I don't have access to a gym... yet. I'm weighing the costs, but I'm one poor, poor fellow, and most gyms are well out of my price range. To join up I'd have to give away something else, like my phone or my internet.

So, ye of the fitness mastery, how can I go from looking like I do to looking like something worthwhile? I've always looked healthy enough, even when I was overweight, but I just can't seem to pick up any definition in my abs, chest, and I can't lose the damn love handles either. I should clarify though, I don't want to ever be huge... I'm lean and I like it that way, and if I wanted to look like someone I'd call out Bruce Lee before Arnold or the like.

Thanks for any help, you guys deserve personal trainer fees for all the accumulated knowledge here.

 

[Primordial]

what do some of you guys feel about lunges or step ups? What can I do make them really work for me ?

much appreciated.

 

[Anton Sugar]

So, ye of the fitness mastery, how can I go from looking like I do to looking like something worthwhile? I've always looked healthy enough, even when I was overweight, but I just can't seem to pick up any definition in my abs, chest, and I can't lose the damn love handles either. I should clarify though, I don't want to ever be huge... I'm lean and I like it that way, and if I wanted to look like someone I'd call out Bruce Lee before Arnold or the like.

Thanks for any help, you guys deserve personal trainer fees for all the accumulated knowledge here.

Regardless of how you want to look, you need to do the same thing. And no offense, but its exactly, EXACTLY what we've told everyone else in this forum asking the same question: you need to work your back and your legs, HARD. Your progress has stalled because your body isnt getting enough of a stimulus to grow. 20 lb dumbbells stop cutting it pretty soon. You need to hit the weights, hard, and work your legs and back. Don't worry, you're not going to get huge; how many times have you heard someone say "I started getting SO HUGE I HATED IT!"

It doesn't happen.

 

[GHG]

Well, I thought I'd share for the first time since I'm starting to ramp-up my commitment to my body. I'm 5'10" and 165lb, having come down from 210 within the last year and a half. My diet was anything but healthy, and there were days when my calorie intake might have been close to 750-1000, but... it worked for the most part, and the weight is long gone now. Now comes the more difficult part, that's for sure.

Take a look at well, me now, I guess...


My routine as of late has consisted of, pretty much daily or at the least 5 times a week:

100 Sit-ups on a slantboard
25 Push-ups
As many push-ups as I can do with my feel elevated
An elbow plank (right name?) for as long as I can hold it
A six-inch leg lift for as long as I can hold it
Curls, bench press, and other lifts all with 20lb dumbbells, normally as many as I can do
Shadowboxing with very light weights

I run two to three times a week, normally 2 miles each run. I used to be very comfortable with running long distances like 5-6 miles, but lately I've been getting a terrible, terrible pain in my abs while running that makes me fear my appendix is exploding. I don't know if it's because I switched to road running from track running or what, but I just haven't been able to perform well.

The negatives that I can mention would probably be:

My diet is still unhealthy. Not necessarily what I consume, as I think what I eat is great food, but the amount is just minimal. I eat, generally, one meal a day and one small snack. I probably consume 1000-1500 calories a day, but I'm very rarely hungry enough to eat more.

I still drink 3-4 sodas a week. This in itself is a great accomplishment for me because I love that tasty corn syrup like a crack whore loves the pipe. I'd cut out more, but I think I'd rather die.

I don't have access to a gym... yet. I'm weighing the costs, but I'm one poor, poor fellow, and most gyms are well out of my price range. To join up I'd have to give away something else, like my phone or my internet.

So, ye of the fitness mastery, how can I go from looking like I do to looking like something worthwhile? I've always looked healthy enough, even when I was overweight, but I just can't seem to pick up any definition in my abs, chest, and I can't lose the damn love handles either. I should clarify though, I don't want to ever be huge... I'm lean and I like it that way, and if I wanted to look like someone I'd call out Bruce Lee before Arnold or the like.

Thanks for any help, you guys deserve personal trainer fees for all the accumulated knowledge here.

Well done on getting where you are. What I can offer:

You really need to sort your diet out first and foremost. Can't emphasise that enough. You need to be getting 3 main meals a day and sort your metabolism out. Healthy(ish) snacks inbetween wont do you any harm if your eating properly as well. That soda you're drinking wouldn't matter as much if you were actually eating properly (still though... please cut down on the soda. 1 a week or something. It should be seen as a treat and treated as such), but because you aren't it will be a heavy burden on your body and overall fitness/goals. From the pictures it shows you have a lack of muscle definition around your chest/stomach, thats down to your diet. You can do as many situps as you want but it wont help currently. As they say, abs are made in the kitchen.

If you're aiming to build muscle and can't get to the gym, invest in a proper dumbell set (cast iron bar/dumbell set). That will do you fine for a while considering you're a beginner. Also, you'll need to sort out a proper workout routine. The amount of reps you're currently doing is doing you no favours if you want to build muscle. You need to work in the region of around 8 reps and 3 sets (rough guide, number of reps/sets ideal for building mass varies from person to person). You'll lose weight doing weight training as well, it burns calories so if you're worried about appearing bigger per-se, don't, that wont happen for a while. Also, only work out with weights 3-4 times a week, situps and running can be done everyday if you so desire.

Trust me, if you get into a proper effective routine and start eating properly you'll see results within a month. Its not going to be easy, it might not be fun and it will propably take a lot of effort seen as you've got yourself into bad habits, but in a years time you'll thank yourself everytime you look in the mirror.

 

[GHG]

Regardless of how you want to look, you need to do the same thing. And no offense, but its exactly, EXACTLY what we've told everyone else in this forum asking the same question: you need to work your back and your legs, HARD. Your progress has stalled because your body isnt getting enough of a stimulus to grow. 20 lb dumbbells stop cutting it pretty soon. You need to hit the weights, hard, and work your legs and back. Don't worry, you're not going to get huge; how many times have you heard someone say "I started getting SO HUGE I HATED IT!"

It doesn't happen.

Yep. Getting big isn't easy, it takes years of hard graft. YEARS. You wont be getting big quickly, don't worry about that. By the time you're in a position where there's a possibility where you can look forward and say "I can get big if I keep this up", you're outlook will have probably changed anyway. Weightlifting is for life.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Did Concentration Curls for the first time today. Great way to feel a mean pump in your biceps, I also like looking at myself in the mirror hunched over the slope. You get to see your biceps bulging

GUYS PUSH HARD IN MAY PUSH PUSH.

Today was cardio day, cardio sucks.

Celebrating May by getting serious about HIIT. Did HIIT on Monday and doing HIIT tomorrow. Was lax on my Cardio but no more. Amazing that the percieved fat loss is mainly from Weightlifting and a more balanced Diet. Can't wait to see what happens to my body when I factor in Cardio!

 

[Captain Glanton]

Well, I thought I'd share for the first time since I'm starting to ramp-up my commitment to my body. I'm 5'10" and 165lb, having come down from 210 within the last year and a half. My diet was anything but healthy, and there were days when my calorie intake might have been close to 750-1000, but... it worked for the most part, and the weight is long gone now. Now comes the more difficult part, that's for sure.

Take a look at well, me now, I guess...

[My routine as of late has consisted of, pretty much daily or at the least 5 times a week:

100 Sit-ups on a slantboard
25 Push-ups
As many push-ups as I can do with my feel elevated
An elbow plank (right name?) for as long as I can hold it
A six-inch leg lift for as long as I can hold it
Curls, bench press, and other lifts all with 20lb dumbbells, normally as many as I can do
Shadowboxing with very light weights

I run two to three times a week, normally 2 miles each run. I used to be very comfortable with running long distances like 5-6 miles, but lately I've been getting a terrible, terrible pain in my abs while running that makes me fear my appendix is exploding. I don't know if it's because I switched to road running from track running or what, but I just haven't been able to perform well.

The negatives that I can mention would probably be:

My diet is still unhealthy. Not necessarily what I consume, as I think what I eat is great food, but the amount is just minimal. I eat, generally, one meal a day and one small snack. I probably consume 1000-1500 calories a day, but I'm very rarely hungry enough to eat more.

I still drink 3-4 sodas a week. This in itself is a great accomplishment for me because I love that tasty corn syrup like a crack whore loves the pipe. I'd cut out more, but I think I'd rather die.

I don't have access to a gym... yet. I'm weighing the costs, but I'm one poor, poor fellow, and most gyms are well out of my price range. To join up I'd have to give away something else, like my phone or my internet.

So, ye of the fitness mastery, how can I go from looking like I do to looking like something worthwhile? I've always looked healthy enough, even when I was overweight, but I just can't seem to pick up any definition in my abs, chest, and I can't lose the damn love handles either. I should clarify though, I don't want to ever be huge... I'm lean and I like it that way, and if I wanted to look like someone I'd call out Bruce Lee before Arnold or the like.

Thanks for any help, you guys deserve personal trainer fees for all the accumulated knowledge here.

It's great that you've lost that weight. But, I am going to shout this as loud as I can: You must get a real diet. You're getting half of the food you need per day, at best. Eat three meals a day, and start doing this tomorrow. This isn't up for negotiation. Even prisoners get three meals a day.

Once you do that, come back and we'll talk about your routine.

 

[Chichikov]

lostzenfound -
I'll be the 3rd person to shout at you about your diet (yeah, we pile on to people around here).
You lost a lot of weight and you're eating very little, your body is probably in starvation mode and your metabolism is that of a sloth

Spoiler

(hyperbole)

.
Start eating properly and start eating more, yeah, you may have to force yourself at first, but trust me, once you start putting food in your body it will get easier.
With your current diet it will be extremely hard to achieve your strength goals.

 

[batbeg]

Okay... I'm thinking about investing in a barbell/dumbell set when I go home later this month as I have a sort of confidence issue of going to gyms (best not to ask) but have never bothered with any sort of weight lifting or exercise programs of any sort. Is there some sort of a general weight that I should be looking out for buying? I'm not a very big guy at all, my weight fluctuates between 125-140lb depending on how long I've been away from home, and I have no problems admitting I'm quite pitifully weak

I don't have any pictures to speak of that would show what my body is like, just a couple random ones which would show my arms. But yeah, I'm just kind of shopping around for a minimum weight to look out for, as I see a range of sets out there from as low as 50kg and I'm not sure if that's some sort of pussy weight or if it'd get the job done for a beginner.

Edit: Oh yeah, I'm about 6'0 ish.

 

[Tristam]

Captain Glanton, just popping in here for a quick question. I heard from a couple of my buddies that working on the bench using dumbbells rather than the bench bar was actually more effective for building mass. True or false? Since you're lifting the dumbbells the same way -- or nearly the same way -- you are the bar, I would presume you are working the same muscles...

If I find the time this summer I'll be ITT a lot more. I've been at a pretty constant height/weight of between 5'7" and 5'8" and 130 lbs. for years, but I worked out enough and took enough 2200 calorie shakes my freshman year of college to pack on 10 lbs. (of muscle! my abs, pecs, and biceps were ROCKIN'!) When most people would stop their muscle would just convert to fat, but mine just mysteriously vanished and I'm back to 130 (my original goal was 150 lbs.). I'd like to do it without that particular kind of calorie shake (over 100 grams of sugar per serving WTF), but I did find a good protein shake at GNC with 850 calories that had very little sugar in it. But like I said, if I find the time I fully intend to pester you about mass building later.

 

[GHG]

Okay... I'm thinking about investing in a barbell/dumbell set when I go home later this month as I have a sort of confidence issue of going to gyms (best not to ask) but have never bothered with any sort of weight lifting or exercise programs of any sort. Is there some sort of a general weight that I should be looking out for buying? I'm not a very big guy at all, my weight fluctuates between 125-140lb depending on how long I've been away from home, and I have no problems admitting I'm quite pitifully weak

I don't have any pictures to speak of that would show what my body is like, just a couple random ones which would show my arms. But yeah, I'm just kind of shopping around for a minimum weight to look out for, as I see a range of sets out there from as low as 50kg and I'm not sure if that's some sort of pussy weight or if it'd get the job done for a beginner.

Edit: Oh yeah, I'm about 6'0 ish.

Get a cast iron spinlock set so that you can adjust the weight to your ability. Then when you get stronger its just a case of wacking more weight on the bars (you can even buy more weight disks serperately if you become strong enough so that even the highest weight you bought with it isn't enough).

 

[GHG]

Captain Glanton, just popping in here for a quick question. I heard from a couple of my buddies that working on the bench using dumbbells rather than the bench bar was actually more effective for building mass. True or false? Since you're lifting the dumbbells the same way -- or nearly the same way -- you are the bar, I would presume you are working the same muscles...

If I find the time this summer I'll be ITT a lot more. I've been at a pretty constant height/weight of between 5'7" and 5'8" and 130 lbs. for years, but I worked out enough and took enough 2200 calorie shakes my freshman year of college to pack on 10 lbs. (of muscle! my abs, pecs, and biceps were ROCKIN'!) When most people would stop their muscle would just convert to fat, but mine just mysteriously vanished and I'm back to 130 (my original goal was 150 lbs.). I'd like to do it without that particular kind of calorie shake (over 100 grams of sugar per serving WTF), but I did find a good protein shake at GNC with 850 calories that had very little sugar in it. But like I said, if I find the time I fully intend to pester you about mass building later.

No you're working more muscles with dumbells so to speak. Dumbells work your stabilizer muscles as well as the main target groups. Without strong enough stabilizer muscles, the main groups will be hampered in the ability to get bigger/stronger. I've found that whenever I hit a wall, reverting back to dumbells for a week using the same amount of weight that I do with bars/machines will normally shake my body up again. Then when I go back to my usual routine I can lift bigger.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Great thread on dumbbell bench press: http://www.strengthmill.net/forum/showthread.php?t=439&highlight=dumbbell+bench+press

Some points:

In fact, the dumbbell version of the exercise, which actually predates the barbell version due to its less specialized equipment requirements, is probably a better exercise for most purposes other than powerlifting competition. This is especially true if the weights used are sufficiently heavy, challenging the ability of the lifter to actually finish a set.

Take the dumbbells out of the rack, and learn to get in position on the bench from a standing position, NOT by laying down and getting the dumbbells off the floor or from spotters. Likewise, at the end of the set, finish the last rep and learn to stand back up with the dumbbells without lowering them to the floor. This will prevent lots of shoulder injuries. Don't slam the dumbbells together at the top, at least not MY dumbbells. Keep them in line like they are a bar and touch the inside edge of the plates to your chest right over your armpit to ensure a full range of motion. The bottom rebounds to the same extent a bench press does, which is to say you "bounce" off of your pec/shoulder tightness, not off of contact with your shoulders.

I like the other guy's way much better, and that's the one I teach. I start from a standing position with the dumbbells held in contact with my thighs, back flat, knees bent, and then lay back on the bench with a rolling motion, making damn sure to keep the elbows locked. This is much safer, since you will not hurt your shoulders by starting unstable dumbbells from the bottom, and you get the eccentric rebound on the first rep like a regular BB bench.

More importantly, I finish in the top position as well, and lower the dumbbells back to my thighs with straight locked elbows in a reverse of the rocking motion that put me down on the bench. This motion stands me up into the position I started. It is MUCH safer (if you can learn how to do it) than stopping at the bottom and having to either sit up with the dumbbells or lower them to the floor at the end of a hard set. Many shoulder injuries have resulted from lowering heavy dumbbells to the floor one at a time at the end of a set to failure. My advice is to stop on the rep before you know you're going to fail with the DBs at the top and then lower them back to the thighs with straight elbows while you stand up. Of course, if you're only benching the 40s, this doesn't matter, but the 100s will hurt you if you do them wrong.

 

[yacobod]

i actually like mixing it up on chest

i'll do bb bench for 5-6 weeks, then i'll go back to the dbs for 5-6

i usually do higher reps when i work with dbs, when i do bb bench i usually go heavier for less reps

overall i like doing bb more, i suppose its sort of psychological tho , personally doing 275 for 5 seems harder overall to me than doing 110s for 6

 

[RSTEIN]

Wow, I can't stress enough the importance of NOT bringing up the dumbells from the floor. A) It's unsafe and puts enormous stress on your shoulders (as Mr Snrub's quotes point out). B) For presses, flys, etc., you won't be able to increase your weight if you don't roll back with the dumbells. If you get up to using 50/60lbs dumbells for your presses, I can guarantee you it's going to be impossible to lay down on the bench and lift those puppies up. If you do (then you're very strong!), you're going to put considerable strain on your back/shoulders/neck.

 

[lil smoke]

Wow, I can't stress enough the importance of NOT bringing up the dumbells from the floor. A) It's unsafe and puts enormous stress on your shoulders (as Mr Snrub's quotes point out). B) For presses, flys, etc., you won't be able to increase your weight if you don't roll back with the dumbells. If you get up to using 50/60lbs dumbells for your presses, I can guarantee you it's going to be impossible to lay down on the bench and lift those puppies up. If you do (then you're very strong!), you're going to put considerable strain on your back/shoulders/neck.

Good point RSTEIN!

Ask someone to give you the weights after you lie down, or put them on your thighs before you lay back.

EDIT: oh, read the quotes up above just now. Shit that's good stuff. Especially on the last rep. I have a friend who thinks he's tough shit, and loves to clink weights at the top, and he loves to just drop the bells on the floor, so everyone can hear how much weight he had. I do not lift with this guy anymore. He had some serious insecurity problems and tried to compensate at the gym.

 

[yacobod]

Wow, I can't stress enough the importance of NOT bringing up the dumbells from the floor. A) It's unsafe and puts enormous stress on your shoulders (as Mr Snrub's quotes point out). B) For presses, flys, etc., you won't be able to increase your weight if you don't roll back with the dumbells. If you get up to using 50/60lbs dumbells for your presses, I can guarantee you it's going to be impossible to lay down on the bench and lift those puppies up. If you do (then you're very strong!), you're going to put considerable strain on your back/shoulders/neck.

honestly those long quotes are common sense

anyone trying to do differently would be a sure fire nominee for the darwin awards

 

[Barrett2]

Thought I should share my story of yet another horrible gym bench press spotter. Normally I work out with a buddy, but two days ago I worked out at an irregular time. I started on the bench, and asked someone of similar size to spot me. I was doing 5x of 245lbs. I specifically told him I did not need help 'lifting the bar' and that all I needed was for him to assist me once I could not complete my last rep.

So, as I closed my eyes and began lifting, he for some reason lifts the bar off the rack and basically drops it on me. I had to exert a high amount of energy to stabilize the damn thing. Then, as I am on my second rep, already a little unnerved from his moronic spotting, huge drops of sweat from this guy fall directly on my face, and immediately begin burning my eye! I then again had to stabilize the bar as my concentration was broken, wasting more energy, and slightly tweaking my shoulder!

It was once again a reminder of how dangerous the gym can be. All it takes is some idiot not paying attention and you could easily end up with injuries. This was the closest I have come to 'gym rage' in a long time. Anyone else have spotters try to kill them at the gym??

 

[Sol..]

Thought I should share my story of yet another horrible gym bench press spotter. Normally I work out with a buddy, but two days ago I worked out at an irregular time. I started on the bench, and asked someone of similar size to spot me. I was doing 5x of 245lbs. I specifically told him I did not need help 'lifting the bar' and that all I needed was for him to assist me once I could not complete my last rep.

So, as I closed my eyes and began lifting, he for some reason lifts the bar off the rack and basically drops it on me. I had to exert a high amount of energy to stabilize the damn thing. Then, as I am on my second rep, already a little unnerved from his moronic spotting, huge drops of sweat from this guy fall directly on my face, and immediately begin burning my eye! I then again had to stabilize the bar as my concentration was broken, wasting more energy, and slightly tweaking my shoulder!

It was once again a reminder of how dangerous the gym can be. All it takes is some idiot not paying attention and you could easily end up with injuries. This was the closest I have come to 'gym rage' in a long time. Anyone else have spotters try to kill them at the gym??

You know.....

thats how cooties spreads. You should get your self checked out



And in response to snrub's nice lil link there. Is it ok to do dumbell presses on the floor? I don't have a bench so i end up doing alot of my presses right on the flizzor (rap for floor)

 

[lethial]

already have a bunch of them(been consistantly lifting for about 5 years) even with the calluses and my really dry hands nothing seems to help
anyone ever tried these?

I use these ONLY for heavy back days, my hands can just not take the weight without them. And even with them, my calluses still get sore. They're really just for helping with your grip, not protecting your hands like lifting gloves do.

 

[BigGreenMat]

Straps are good for shrugs, or if you can do a ton of weight on weighted pullups, but otherwise you should avoid using them. Build your grip.

See I don't know. I use my straps for hang clean almost always. I can survive sans straps on power clean for a bit, but need them at heavier weights. Also they are life savers on dumbbell and bent over barbell row. They help to eliminate the limit on the lift (activation of the biceps through the forearm) and allow you to target the muscles you actually want to (I would assume rhomboids). I mean I have absolutely no issues with grip on stuff like deadlift or pull ups or pull downs for the most part, but there is some stuff where wraps help you achieve what you are trying to do with a lift rather than simply making it a very complex grip workout.

 

[Anton Sugar]

And in response to snrub's nice lil link there. Is it ok to do dumbell presses on the floor? I don't have a bench so i end up doing alot of my presses right on the flizzor (rap for floor)

Yes, it's ok, the floor press was/is a legitimate exercises. Your range of motion is compromised, however.

 

[Chichikov]

You know.....

thats how cooties spreads. You should get your self checked out



And in response to snrub's nice lil link there. Is it ok to do dumbell presses on the floor? I don't have a bench so i end up doing alot of my presses right on the flizzor (rap for floor)

You can’t get full range of motion on the floor and depending on how you set your feet you may have some other form problems.
It’s not horrible, just not as effective.

And regarding dumbbells, yeah, they can be great, but I found out they just don’t scale very well, working with them on heavy weights becomes so complicated (and sometime even dangerous) that I use them sparingly.

 

[Google]

Guys,

I'm in the process of recovering from an appendectomy due to Appendicitis.

I can walk alright, it's a tiny bit painful, but whatever, I'll get over it.

However; when will I be able to go back to the gym. I'm so scared of fucking myself up ... are we talking weeks, or months?

 

[Mr.City]

God, this is so frustrating. Today was much I ever squatted (110 lbs) and the weight of the bar felt really uncomfortable on my upper back. What's even weirder is that my leg don't really feel taxed. Maybe I didn't go low enough?

 

[satori]

God, this is so frustrating. Today was much I ever squatted (110 lbs) and the weight of the bar felt really uncomfortable on my upper back. What's even weirder is that my leg don't really feel taxed. Maybe I didn't go low enough?

ATG!! aka Ass to Grass. How is the bar position on your back? It is not on your neck is it? It should not feel uncomfortable. Make sure your form is good and it will help leaps. When I first did Squats my form was really off. Either too wide, or too narrow. That and I had the bar on my neck. Every squat I felt pains in the knees and upper body. Now all I feel is the burns where it counts.

I been using Mark Ripp's method and all pain and more gains in the muscles and away from my joints. Again make sure your form is good. In my opinion Squat is all about form.

edit: Nothing can replace the book from Mark Ripp. But here is a link to a forum that has some more info for ya.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpost.php?p=13263177&postcount=5

 

[winnarps]

Hey all, I'm LTTP as well (for the most part) with this whole fitness thread, but I figured I'd poke in and see if I could glean any help.

I'm 6'2", at least 230lbs (haven't weighed myself recently), and look good/fit with clothes on, but when I'm nekkid, I look like a huge bum (love handles, beer belly, etc.). I used to be a cross country runner back in high school and weighed about 170lbs and was in pretty great shape. I miss my old, fit body. I want to shape back up and stay that way and I'm willing to put in the time and work to get there.

I don't want to waste the money on a personal trainer and gym membership, so I'm restricted to what I have at home (basically, what my roommate has sitting around). This includes the following:

Bench press (comes with a curl type exercise part too, which also doubles for that rowing type exercise)
Total Gym (I couldn't find the exercise charts for this, so I don't know where to start on this thing)
Treadmill
Nordic Track (that old skiing machine dealie)
A few free weights (probably only go up to 20lbs)

I was wondering if I'm okay with what I have or if I should look to add to this or just say 'fuck it' and go to a gym.

My goal is to build muscle (duh!), shed a few lbs. (getting to 200lbs over the course of the next few months is a start), and just look better with my shirt off so I'm not completely embarrassed at the beach later this summer.

So could I possibly mold a workout plan out of the equipment I have? I already have the running/cardio and diet stuff worked out on my own. I just want to get the serious workout stuff figured out here if at all possible.

 

[beelzebozo]

i talked to a dude at the gym today who not only comes on his lunch break, but goes to the ymca after he gets off work for two-and-a-half hours to work out again. yikes.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Hey all, I'm LTTP as well (for the most part) with this whole fitness thread, but I figured I'd poke in and see if I could glean any help.

I'm 6'2", at least 230lbs (haven't weighed myself recently), and look good/fit with clothes on, but when I'm nekkid, I look like a huge bum (love handles, beer belly, etc.). I used to be a cross country runner back in high school and weighed about 170lbs and was in pretty great shape. I miss my old, fit body. I want to shape back up and stay that way and I'm willing to put in the time and work to get there.

I don't want to waste the money on a personal trainer and gym membership, so I'm restricted to what I have at home (basically, what my roommate has sitting around). This includes the following:

Bench press (comes with a curl type exercise part too, which also doubles for that rowing type exercise)
Total Gym (I couldn't find the exercise charts for this, so I don't know where to start on this thing)
Treadmill
Nordic Track (that old skiing machine dealie)
A few free weights (probably only go up to 20lbs)

I was wondering if I'm okay with what I have or if I should look to add to this or just say 'fuck it' and go to a gym.

My goal is to build muscle (duh!), shed a few lbs. (getting to 200lbs over the course of the next few months is a start), and just look better with my shirt off so I'm not completely embarrassed at the beach later this summer.

So could I possibly mold a workout plan out of the equipment I have? I already have the running/cardio and diet stuff worked out on my own. I just want to get the serious workout stuff figured out here if at all possible.

I'd say join a gym. Sounds like you wouldn't really be able to work your legs with what you have.

 

[Chichikov]

Guys,

I'm in the process of recovering from an appendectomy due to Appendicitis.

I can walk alright, it's a tiny bit painful, but whatever, I'll get over it.

However; when will I be able to go back to the gym. I'm so scared of fucking myself up ... are we talking weeks, or months?

Joke post?
Seriously, talk to a doctor about such issues.

 

[winnarps]

I'd say join a gym. Sounds like you wouldn't really be able to work your legs with what you have.

Ahh, alright. I guess I'll look into that tonight/tomorrow. Thanks for the quick response though.

 

[Captain Glanton]

I'm going to squat this afternoon, come hell or high water. It's been over three weeks, and I feel like my legs are tiny, flabby spaghetti noddles. More importantly, I just miss the buzz you get from it.

 

[beelzebozo]

three weeks since your core workout? horrifying. i would be depressed as fuck if i hadn't run for three weeks. good luck, dude. get back on the horse, and make the horse squat with heavy weights on its back.