Gym Routine

[Shillzz]

Christ chaps, this is all getting rather serious.

The more I read this thread, the more I think working out 4 times a week and eating "healthily" isn't enough.

It's more than enough. The stuff above is about maximising results, i.e. being as efficient as possible, you'd still get plenty good results without going in to crazy detail though.

That's good to know.

I make very steady gains over time, take a couple of protein shakes a day and that seems to be enough to turn my girlfriend's head when I jump into bed.

This thread has made me look at things quite differently though, and I do find it extremely usefull.

[BOF]

"Eating for the sake of it" is a necessity of building any muscle.

Hmmm. That's where my gym routine and my desire to remain at 13st will clash I'll play it by ear. I'm loathe to eat for the sake of it though. It goes against everything I've done (and gotten used to) over the past 2 years.

[Stevo985]

"Eating for the sake of it" is a necessity of building any muscle.

Hmmm. That's where my gym routine and my desire to remain at 13st will clash I'll play it by ear. I'm loathe to eat for the sake of it though. It goes against everything I've done (and gotten used to) over the past 2 years.

it's all about goals.

If that's your goal, then you're probably ok. I still think you should be eating a few more calories (it's not a simple case of the less calories the better), but each to their own.

But I'd expect you to make your newbie gains and then plateua somewhat in terms of weights. You will, however, continue to lose fat.

So in terms of your goals it's not a bad plan, as you'll probably remain at 13st but lose some fat while you do it.

[Stevo985]

Christ chaps, this is all getting rather serious.

The more I read this thread, the more I think working out 4 times a week and eating "healthily" isn't enough.

It's more than enough. The stuff above is about maximising results, i.e. being as efficient as possible, you'd still get plenty good results without going in to crazy detail though.

That's good to know.

I make very steady gains over time, take a couple of protein shakes a day and that seems to be enough to turn my girlfriend's head when I jump into bed.people

This thread has made me look at things quite differently though, and I do find it extremely usefull.

It's amazing how little you know about this sort of stuff until you do some reading on it. (I don't mean "you" specifically. I mean people generally.)

I've learnt more about this sort of stuff in the past 12 months than I've learnt in my previous 26 years. I wish I'd known it 10 years ago, I'd be in a lot better shape now than I am!

[regular_john]

Christ chaps, this is all getting rather serious.

The more I read this thread, the more I think working out 4 times a week and eating "healthily" isn't enough.

It's more than enough. The stuff above is about maximising results, i.e. being as efficient as possible, you'd still get plenty good results without going in to crazy detail though.

That's good to know.

I make very steady gains over time, take a couple of protein shakes a day and that seems to be enough to turn my girlfriend's head when I jump into bed.people

This thread has made me look at things quite differently though, and I do find it extremely usefull.

It's amazing how little you know about this sort of stuff until you do some reading on it. (I don't mean "you" specifically. I mean people generally.)

I've learnt more about this sort of stuff in the past 12 months than I've learnt in my previous 26 years. I wish I'd known it 10 years ago, I'd be in a lot better shape now than I am!

No surprise really, mainstream advice (including magazines, gyms etc.) on health and fitness is absolutely awful. Gyms don't want you to get in shape, they want you to keep paying for your membership, hence the ridiculous amount of nearly useless machines.

[claret75]

The deadlift looks fairly tough on the lower back too. I suppose I'm not going to be able to eliminate all risk from the lower back. I think I've enough to go with for this evening (all nervous like). These are big boy exercises now

On your deadlifts, just make absolutely 100% sure your lower back stays straight at all times. if you do that you won't hurt it. It'll hurt in terms of muscle soreness, but not in terms of doing anything wrong to it.

If you start rounding that lower back then you're in a world of trouble. Absolutely key.

I started doing deadlifts last year but my lower back wasn't strong enough for and I'd lose form quickly. I was told to work on keeping as much of an arch in my lower back and thoracic spine as possible...thoracic is the top of the spine from the shoulders down. My back was pretty weak after an op so was given some exercises to flex and strengthen it...the 'waiters bow' worked quite well for strength and I did this thing where you have your knees slightly bent and push your hips back and forth, this helped with flexibility along with Mckensie extensions and other things. I benefitted a lot from what i did last year.

The guy that advised me worked at the local gym and was always pointing out how bad everyones technique was...arching backs especially, putting a lot of stress on the lower back. A lot of them were putting a massive amount of effort in but with poor technique, not getting the full benefit of the exercise and messing their backs up at the same time.

Didn't mean to go but it all came flooding back

[BOF]

My gym doesn't have 1.25kg weights for the olympic barbell (they say those discs are quite sought after and their ones were nicked!). Anyhoo, it will make 2.5kg increments rather ... difficult to achieve. I'm currently trying to source some on the cheap online so I can bring them in with me and just use them myself, but they all seem to be based in England and the postage is predictably large (on eBay). At least I know what weight it'll be

[Stevo985]

Here's a good vid from Rippetoe about the lower back. I found it really interesting. Shows a couple of good techniques to making sure the lower back is always straight.

Click Me!

"Drop your dick between your knees!"

[BOF]

Just ordered my own (2x) 1.25kg olympic plates [smug mode]

Hope the gym don't mind me using my own weights on their bar (what they don't know won't kill them and it's their fault for not having them ITFP).

[BOF]

I did it I can still walk Pendlay 70kg, Squat 50kg and did bench 50kg with proper form this time. Any tips on how to stop the bar killing your shoulders when it's supposed to be working your legs for the squat I could've squatted more but it was too painful. I was well prepared for the Pendlay thanks to the T-bar. Was very careful with my back. Squat, overhead & deadlift on Friday.

[claret75]

Here's a good vid from Rippetoe about the lower back. I found it really interesting. Shows a couple of good techniques to making sure the lower back is always straight.

Click Me!

"Drop your dick between your knees!"

Really good vid. The exercise that the guy does prone and raising his knees is pretty much what Id been shown by a pilates instructor recently, my lower backs felt stronger since.

[regular_john]

I did it I can still walk Pendlay 70kg, Squat 50kg and did bench 50kg with proper form this time. Any tips on how to stop the bar killing your shoulders when it's supposed to be working your legs for the squat I could've squatted more but it was too painful. I was well prepared for the Pendlay thanks to the T-bar. Was very careful with my back. Squat, overhead & deadlift on Friday.

Awesome dude! A starting weight of 70 kg on a Pendlay row is really impressive too, well done!

Squats shouldn't hurt your shoulders if your form is good. Make sure the bar is resting across your shoulders and back and NOT above your C7 vertebrae (sticky-out neck bone that loads of people balance the bar on when squatting, fools!), grip the bar with all fingers and thumbs above the bar so your wrists are nice and straight (and not taking too much weight), then pull your shoulders back so your elbows get closer together behind you.

If you do all of this (easier than it sounds), you'll be able to squat all day without shoulder pain. Check out the Rippetoe form vids on youtube for more info.

[BOF]

I definitely wasn't resting on vertebrae. It was just really heavy on the shoulder. I'll have another look at Rippetoe and see if the hands can help. I'll probably get somewhat used to it or build a resistance to it. A bit like cyclist's butt if you get me

[Wainy316]

I really pulled a muscle at the bottom of the back of my neck on the left hand side a while back. Now I often feel it twinge when I lift heavy things. Looks like it will give me problems if I went to the gym.

[BOF]

Dante, you say you started on stronglifts, what are you on now? Today's stronglifts workout for me is only 55 lifts in total :? That's maybe a max of 45 minutes all told in the gym which frankly isn't really enough for me. I know it's probably very beneficial 'n all but I want to spend longer. Plus I did bench on Wed and won't do it again til Mon. I'm just getting the inkling there won't be enough in this to keep me happy and occupied.

[Shillzz]

^

This is what would stop me from doing any such program. I don't really go to the gym to get fit, that's just a happy bi-product, I go to the gym to make me feel a little happier and better. I need an intense 45-60 minute session to get my head back on track some days, and 55 reps just isn't going to do it.

[JMilnereatsnails]

I've got myeslf into a 2 days on, 1 day off routine now and yesterday was the day off. I'll be going after work today and I actually cannot wait. This is not like me at all.

[Dante_Lockhart]

Dante, you say you started on stronglifts, what are you on now? Today's stronglifts workout for me is only 55 lifts in total :? That's maybe a max of 45 minutes all told in the gym which frankly isn't really enough for me. I know it's probably very beneficial 'n all but I want to spend longer. Plus I did bench on Wed and won't do it again til Mon. I'm just getting the inkling there won't be enough in this to keep me happy and occupied.

I did about 4 months on SL5x5 and I'm now doing a 5/3/1 strength training program.

You say it isn't enough for you? Do you think you need to spend hours at the gym to get the benefits? Seriously, if your diet is right and you're following the SL program then you're doing enough (that's not to say you can't add stuff to it, but as you get heavier you'll find that you might not have the energy to add extra exercises to your session!)

[BOF]

You say it isn't enough for you? Do you think you need to spend hours at the gym to get the benefits?

No you misunderstand. I like to spend around 90 minutes in the gym so as to FEEL good aswell. As Shillzz says above. I know the benefits will come with the shorter SL5x5 workout but I just feel shortchanged from a time point of view on my membership if I'm using the gym that little. I actually like using the gym. I don't work it into my evenings. It is my evenings

[Dante_Lockhart]

Like I said, you can add whatever you want after you've done the SL workout, but I highly recommend that you do the SL routine first and then the extra stuff.

You don't wanna use all your energy doing flies and machine work before doing stronglifts. Use the majority of your energy on that and then do what you want afterwards. (I recommend chin-ups, pull-ups, dips, push-ups etc...)

Once you're at a high weight you'll be taking slightly longer rest breaks in between and the workout will last longer, and you WILL feel like you've worked your ass off.