Gym Routine

[Dr_Pangloss]

Machines have a place but free weights are optimal, especially for beginners who are going to grow regardless of what they do. 

Stevo is spot on, no one really cares about what others do in the gym unless you're being a total jackass. Usually those are the guys who think they are big and strong but lift with outrageously bad form, or just do really stupid, disrespectful things. 

As a beginner start very light, read up (and watch videos) of good form and look to replicate it. There's no shame in starting the bench press at a weight like 30kgs, or even just the bar, we all have to start somewhere. 

Edited March 6, 2017 by Dr_Pangloss

[a m ole]

Machines are great to supplement compound lifts anyway. 

[BOF]

On 05/03/2017 at 21:57, kurtsimonw said:

I do think this is one thing that is forever going to keep me from free weights. Not just the fact that I've no idea what I am doing anyway and my form will be terrible. But I have fairly bad anxiety and the idea of being judged by everyone else in the room, particularly as I have no upper body strength, is just something that is a no-no for me.

I really hope that at some point you manage to get over that barrier, because honestly you will end up wondering why it ever bothered you and you'll curse that it took you however long to give it a go.  I completely understand your current frame of mind by the way.  I had it too.  But as Stevo says.  No-one in that area gives 2 shits about what you are doing.  Everyone's doing their own thing.  Whether they're benching 30kg or 130kg.  And from my own experience I can say that everyone in there is always very willing to help if you ever need a spot, or any guidance.  Just remember that most people go in there precisely because they want more upper body strength.  You don't go there built like a brick shithouse.  Everyone starts from somewhere.

[Davkaus]

That's it, I'm finally going to stop pussying out, and give Starting Strength a go instead of my current dumbbell routine. 

[Dr_Pangloss]

29 minutes ago, BOF said:

I really hope that at some point you manage to get over that barrier, because honestly you will end up wondering why it ever bothered you and you'll curse that it took you however long to give it a go.  I completely understand your current frame of mind by the way.  I had it too.  But as Stevo says.  No-one in that area gives 2 shits about what you are doing.  Everyone's doing their own thing.  Whether they're benching 30kg or 130kg.  And from my own experience I can say that everyone in there is always very willing to help if you ever need a spot, or any guidance.  Just remember that most people go in there precisely because they want more upper body strength.  You don't go there built like a brick shithouse.  Everyone starts from somewhere.

Agreed, when I first started lifting in my teens I was too scared to do the compound lifts. I didn't start until almost a year into training. Whilst I did grow using machines, I would have grown a lot more doing compound lifts. I really did waste a lot of time back then. 

[Stevo985]

I'll also echo what the good Dr said and emphasise that if you do go to free weights, and you should, then start light.

Even if it feels like you could lift more straight away, stick to lighter weight and gradually work your way up. You'll get to heavy weight in no time.

What it will help to ensure is that you're using proper form and if you make any mistakes early on you won't hurt yourself.

 

So kurt, I hope you get over it, as BOF says if you do you'll be wondering why you were ever worried.
Might I suggest easing yourself in if you're worried? Like the next time you're at the gym do your usual machines routine, and then at the end (or the start) just pop in and do ONE exercise on free weights. 3 sets of squats, for example. Then get out of there.

Then next time choose bench. Go in , do 3 sets and get out.

Then eventually you can go and string 3 exercises out and spend half an hour in there.

You'll soon realise that unless your'e doing a handstand and balancing a dumbell on your foot, you'll probably be left alone

[kurtsimonw]

It's "only" been a month, but I've not really noticed anything yet, so I don't know if I'm doing things wrong. Until I notice any changes, I don't think I'll consider free weights, because obviously there's far more room for error and injury, especially since I go alone. I think the issue is just for whatever reason I'm not getting stronger. I've been unable to really increase the weights I've been doing since the start really.

[Stevo985]

If you don't increase the weight then you'll notice very little change. Your body doesn't need to get stronger if it's just lifting the same weight every time.

You should be increasing the weight basically every time you visit

[Dr_Pangloss]

A month isn't a long time, but you may want to examine your diet and training routine. It's likely you are not eating enough calories to support growth and that your training routine is not optimal (which give your commitment to machines is likely). 

If you really don't want to do free weights and want to stick with machines then it could be that you are not doing enough volume (in terms of reps and sets). If you post your routine it may give some more clues. 

[Dr_Pangloss]

10 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

If you don't increase the weight then you'll notice very little change. Your body doesn't need to get stronger if it's just lifting the same weight every time.

You should be increasing the weight basically every time you visit

This is impossible when you get to a certain level but definitely feasible as a beginner (which is what I think you meant anyway!). 

[BOF]

The problem is that it's all very arbitrary if you're not following a program.  It becomes solely down to you rather than down to the instructions of the program as to when to increase a weight or not.  While a month is not a long time, it should be enough to feel something happening (assuming you're going often enough), and especially for a complete beginner I don't think you're in the realm of messing with protein yet - again assuming you have something approaching a normal balanced diet.  I think what Stevo was getting at was that you should increase the weight per visit after each successful visit, until the point where you fail.  Then stay there until you can proceed, or reduce if you continue to fail.  Similar logic to the Stronglifts program.  But it just means you don't stagnate and it takes the decision out of your hands, where the subconscious temptation might be to 'just stay where we are for now'.  You do have to push yourself otherwise, as Stevo says, your current muscles will happily stay the way they are if they can handle the weight you're giving them.

[Stevo985]

22 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

This is impossible when you get to a certain level but definitely feasible as a beginner (which is what I think you meant anyway!). 

I disagree. I increase weight every time I go, which is why I currently squat 8,541kg

 

No, to clarify, you're right

[Dr_Pangloss]

1 hour ago, BOF said:

The problem is that it's all very arbitrary if you're not following a program.  It becomes solely down to you rather than down to the instructions of the program as to when to increase a weight or not.  While a month is not a long time, it should be enough to feel something happening (assuming you're going often enough), and especially for a complete beginner I don't think you're in the realm of messing with protein yet - again assuming you have something approaching a normal balanced diet.  I think what Stevo was getting at was that you should increase the weight per visit after each successful visit, until the point where you fail.  Then stay there until you can proceed, or reduce if you continue to fail.  Similar logic to the Stronglifts program.  But it just means you don't stagnate and it takes the decision out of your hands, where the subconscious temptation might be to 'just stay where we are for now'.  You do have to push yourself otherwise, as Stevo says, your current muscles will happily stay the way they are if they can handle the weight you're giving them.

Progressive overload is the aim of the game. 

[Stevo985]

1 hour ago, BOF said:

The problem is that it's all very arbitrary if you're not following a program.  It becomes solely down to you rather than down to the instructions of the program as to when to increase a weight or not.  While a month is not a long time, it should be enough to feel something happening (assuming you're going often enough), and especially for a complete beginner I don't think you're in the realm of messing with protein yet - again assuming you have something approaching a normal balanced diet.  I think what Stevo was getting at was that you should increase the weight per visit after each successful visit, until the point where you fail.  Then stay there until you can proceed, or reduce if you continue to fail.  Similar logic to the Stronglifts program.  But it just means you don't stagnate and it takes the decision out of your hands, where the subconscious temptation might be to 'just stay where we are for now'.  You do have to push yourself otherwise, as Stevo says, your current muscles will happily stay the way they are if they can handle the weight you're giving them.

Yes to clarify, I guess what I should have said was you should progress in some regard each session.

So if you manage 3 reps of 20kg one session but you were aiming for 5 reps, then next session you should lift 4 or 5. When you hit 5 reps successfully, then the following session you increase the weight.

 

Stronglifts is excellent for this because the increase is defined. It's not decided by you, the maths decides it. I've found the app especially motivating because it's there on the screen. "Lift 100kg for 5 reps". 

[Davkaus]

I had my first session following it today, I resisted the urge to stick weight on there and just stuck to the starting numbers (benching the bar was a little humbling), as I figure it's best to spend a few sessions working on form and I'll be back at the weight I was doing with dumbbells pretty damn quickly anyway. I can see me spending a few sessions just squatting the bar as by the 4th set I could feel the form going. 

I strongly regret signing up to a 2 year contract at a gym that only has one squat rack. And no dip bars. 

Edited March 9, 2017 by Davkaus

[BOF]

25 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I figure it's best to spend a few sessions working on form

You're not wrong.  In fact you're extremely right.  I'd spend more than a few.  It needs to be second nature for when you get to the serious stuff.

[Davkaus]

Any suggestions for alternatives to dips? A few people online suggest close grip bench, but that seems like it might be a bit much in the same session as normal benchpressing.

[BOF]

For triceps?  I do skull crushers.  I also find that they're way easier/kinder on the elbow joint than dips are.

 

[Stevo985]

Dips hit your chest as well so I'd favour them, but really with Stronglifts you can do any accessory that hits your triceps. Skulls as BOF suggests are good, single arm DB raises would work too, or just bench dips.

[Davkaus]

I'll double check with the staff that they don't have any kit for dips that I haven't managed to identify  

How long do you find you spend in the gym for each workout once your used to the program @Stevo985