Gym Routine

[Stevo985]

It's worth noting that my gains were probably bigger because I'd still class myself as a beginner lifter when started it.

As the link says, you shouldn't be going ono Madcow before doing SL, really.

It won't hurt, (didn't hurt me I've still made gains), but I'd advise anyone starting off to go for SL first as your gains will probably be greater on that program.

But yeah, Madcow is good, but if I could go back 6 months I'd probably look at SL first. Even though I'd been in the gym seriously for a few months prior to that, my lifts weren't huge at that point.

[Stevo985]

I love bent over rows! Anything back, rear delts, love it.

I don't mind back exercises, just don't really like Rows (but acknowledge they're a bloody good exercise)

Just find them really difficult to put lots of effort in without breaking form... if that makes sense.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Cheers big man.

Only problem is I'll need to take a few days off to snap the routine I'm in? I've only just gone back and I don't want to lose two weeks of "gains". I'll give it a go in a few weeks, I've done ok on my own for 18 months but I need a switcharoo, definitely.

Is this what you're in too BOF?

[dont_do_it_doug.]

I don't mind back exercises, just don't really like Rows (but acknowledge they're a bloody good exercise)

Just find them really difficult to put lots of effort in without breaking form... if that makes sense.

I get you. But you've been lifting long enough to know that just because it doesn't feel as though you're putting effort in it doesn't mean you're not stretched.

I get the same with my traps. I don't feel strain or discomfort, they just stop lifting. It can be off putting, but once you start to see and feel the gains you understand it's irrelevance.

That's probably not what you meant so I'll shut up now.

[BOF]

Cheers big man.

Only problem is I'll need to take a few days off to snap the routine I'm in? I've only just gone back and I don't want to lose two weeks of "gains". I'll give it a go in a few weeks, I've done ok on my own for 18 months but I need a switcharoo, definitely.

Is this what you're in too BOF?

I'm still on stronglifts which is the initial strength gaining programme. You move on to madcow once you find that you are no longer making consistent gains on stronglifts. The theory being that you start madcow once you're lifting fairly substantial weights and then using that programme you increase the weight at a comparitively slower rate because the weights are that much heavier.

[Stevo985]

Also, one small problem I've found with Madcow is the amount you move the weight up every week is 2.5% of your max.

Which is fine, but it means the higher your max lift, the bigger those increments get.

So wheN I started, those increments every week were about 2kg.

Now they're closer to 4kg.

Which doesn't make much sense really. The heavier you lift, the smaller the increments should be really, imo.

So I've changed to just increasing my main lifts by 2.5kg per week regardless (2.5kg being the smallest amount I can add increase weight by as the smallest plates are 1.25kg)

[VillaAndLoyal]

Cheers for the comments guys. I was pretty annoyed/frustrated at first but now I'm trying to stay philosophical about it.

I had started to hit a bit of a plateau before my illness so this gives me the chance to work myself back up again and do a few things differently when I start to reach the weights I was hitting before.

Happy training! Actually, sod happy, go hard and controlled!

[BOF]

I decided to try Voltarol Emulgel to see if it'll help the tennis elbow. I also regressed slightly on the bench yesterday. It hasn't actually fallen on top of me for a while though so that's a good thing

[MCU]

I **** hate working nights. I managed to go Monday, rested Tuesday and was hoping to go back today but for some weird reason, despite yawning, slugging around and being knackered all night I get back this morning and for some weird reason can't sleep. I finish at 6 so have plenty of time to have a quick shower and settle into bed, usually dropping off about 6:45ish. Weirdly enough though my body wasn't having it this morning. Lay there and lay there. At this point I was a bit paranoid about what the time was. 7. 7:20. 7:50. I think me worrying about the time wasn't helping things. Watched a bit of tele, played a game on fifa, read a little, absolutely **** all was working. Must have eventually dropped off at about 10am. Up at 3. So I won't have time to go now as I'm back in soon.

I'm pissed off obviously because I've missed another day now and also I'm not getting enough rest which I keep reading/hearing is vital in making gains. Will have to make up for it when I'm back on late shift next week.... pffff

[BOF]

Just do Monday-Thursday-Saturday this week. The way I see it, I go 3 times a week but it's not always Mon-Wed-Fri simply because other things get in the way.

[Stevo985]

Yup. I never stick to set days. Some weeks it's Mon-Wed Fri, some it might be Tue-Friday-Saturday

Ideally you leave a day between each, but it's not always possible.

[Don_Simon]

So, partly inspired by the recent rubbish weather, and partly inspired by me finding running has become a bit monotonous recently, ive decided to invest in a punch bag. A free standing one as there's no way my little terraced house could support a hanging one.

Ive decided that if i cant go running outside due to weather, (i run 22 miles a week), then i'd like to do something else, and I think punch bags would use other muscle groups that running doesnt.

Do any of my fellow VT'ers have a punch bag and can recommend any routines / work outs? Just looking to keep fit really, no massive weight loss / muscle bulking goals.

Cheers guys and gals!

[BOF]

You know those days where you're not looking forward to going to the gym? Where you've got a few aches and pains and maybe a tweak in your side/back?

Yeah, that.

And today is (was?) the day I was planning on breaking the 300lb deadlift barrier. Not sure that would end well now :/

[Milfner]

Joining a gym at the start of next month, mainly to go cardio. What's a good distance to start running or should I be more focused on the time I'm doing it for?

[BOF]

Depends on your goal I imagine. If you're looking to lose weight then I'd say the duration of the run is more important than the speed of it. When I used to do cardio I never had long distance stamina so I'd cycle (pardon the pun) between the various cardio machines for about 15 minutes at a time, ending up on the rowing machine which used to nearly kill me each day

I found out later that had I ended my cardio workouts with even a rudimentary weights session (machines, not free weights) then my body would have continued to benefit long after I'd left the gym. So maybe incorporate that in too.

[Milfner]

Cheers BOF. Ultimately it is to shift a little bit of weight but mainly just to improve my general fitness as it is appalling.

[MCU]

You know those days where you're not looking forward to going to the gym? Where you've got a few aches and pains and maybe a tweak in your side/back?

Yeah, that.

And today is (was?) the day I was planning on breaking the 300lb deadlift barrier. Not sure that would end well now :/

Funny you should say that. I felt quite motivated today when I got up especially missing a day yesterday. But I got there and my muscles weren't having it. Felt so bloody weak. I'm guessing it's all this lack of sleep. Luckily I was only doing back and bi's. Would have probably dropped the DB's on me if I was doing chest (not that I don't do that anyway... )

[Stevo985]

Cheers BOF. Ultimately it is to shift a little bit of weight but mainly just to improve my general fitness as it is appalling.

If it's to shift weight then my biggest advice would be to sort your diet out. Vastly more important than exercise.

As for the running, when I tackled it I just went out for a run (or to the gym in your case) and ran as far as I could without killing myself.

Then next time I added half a mile to that distance and then ran again.

Same the week after (I only moved up a distance every week.)

You'll soon find yourself running far without really realising it. When you're only adding half a mile a week it feels like nothing, but it soon adds up and the fitness obviously comes with it.

Then when you get to a distance you're comfortable with, do the same thign but with time. So if you did 5 miles in an hour one week, do it in 59 minutes the next week etc etc.

Maybe do a run, a cycle and a row each week and take the same approach with each?

I'd say the worst approach is to hit the gym the first time and say "I'm going to run 5 miles straight away". You'll either fail, or it will be so hard that you'll never want to do it again! Either way it can be pretty demotivating (this is from experience!)

Good luck!

[Milfner]

If it's to shift weight then my biggest advice would be to sort your diet out. Vastly more important than exercise.

As for the running, when I tackled it I just went out for a run (or to the gym in your case) and ran as far as I could without killing myself.

Then next time I added half a mile to that distance and then ran again.

Same the week after (I only moved up a distance every week.)

You'll soon find yourself running far without really realising it. When you're only adding half a mile a week it feels like nothing, but it soon adds up and the fitness obviously comes with it.

Then when you get to a distance you're comfortable with, do the same thign but with time. So if you did 5 miles in an hour one week, do it in 59 minutes the next week etc etc.

Maybe do a run, a cycle and a row each week and take the same approach with each?

I'd say the worst approach is to hit the gym the first time and say "I'm going to run 5 miles straight away". You'll either fail, or it will be so hard that you'll never want to do it again! Either way it can be pretty demotivating (this is from experience!)

Good luck!

Yeah, I'm attempting to cut out the crap too, especially soft drinks.

Cheers for the info, was gonna rotate between running, rowing and cycling each time I go. Would do swimming also but unfortunately there's no pool there which is disappointing.

One more thing... could anyone recommend me some running shoes? Preferably around the £40 mark. Thanks!

[BOF]

Some gymtube hilarity? Ever felt like this after a lift? I've felt a bit spacey after squats. I've yet to feel it after a deadlift though. FWIW I think he arches his back a little too much, his stance is too wide and he doesn't tense properly before the lift. Given it's clearly his 1RM and is clearly delighted by it, it's perhaps understandable that form isn't perfect, but it's certainly not adviseable.