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[mr stroke]

Do you have http://www.exrx.net/ bookmarked? Clear descriptions of a wide variety of exercises including the muscles worked and the mechanic used. Excellent resource for program building.

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/slideshow.php?id=16&subId=37

I usually use that site, and while its better than nothing, links like this-
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6TlbDQUWs0s
are great for more technical lifts.
everyone knows how to bench press, but some youtube links for Squating,Deadlifts,PowerCleans and even stuff like HIIT or Kettlebell would be helpfull and would prevent the same questions getting asked over and over.

 

[beelzebozo]

how many of you are morning exercisers? i was just reading an article that listed ten reasons to do your workouts in the morning, and was just curious how many of you are consistent about it; it's pretty much the only time i feel 100% up to my runs, within an hour or so of waking up.

 

[Sol..]

Due to limited time and how early i gotta go to work theres no way in hell i'm exercising in the morning. Sometimes i try to at least get 30 minutes in at 7am but it's just too hard. Because i got to wake up and hit the bike/weights immediately. I'm sure if i had an hour to get ready i'd be able to do it no problem.

 

[reilo]

Due to limited time and how early i gotta go to work theres no way in hell i'm exercising in the morning. Sometimes i try to at least get 30 minutes in at 7am but it's just too hard. Because i got to wake up and hit the bike/weights immediately. I'm sure if i had an hour to get ready i'd be able to do it no problem.

This.

I work out at night. Plus, less people at the gym, too.

 

[neojubei]

how many of you are morning exercisers? i was just reading an article that listed ten reasons to do your workouts in the morning, and was just curious how many of you are consistent about it; it's pretty much the only time i feel 100% up to my runs, within an hour or so of waking up.

I wish I could but I work early in the morning and I am the worst morning person. I go after work around 5:30pm-6pm and work out for an hour.

 

[beelzebozo]

yeah, just curious. i'm starting a new job in a couple of weeks, and i'm looking at morning runs between 6:45-8am or so. going to take a little adjusting, but i think getting it done early is the only option for me--the more time i have to think about it during the day, the more likely i am to cop out.

 

[Vanish]

it would be cool if the new OP had a separate section dedicated to what meals you should be eating and another one for listing what you guys think are the best supplements like the best protein shake, the best creatine, etc...

 

[Milabrega]

I'm all for a new thread, and all for the idea there should be a seperate diet section of the OP, or perhaps someone sharks the 2nd post and runs it there.

 

[Jirotrom]

like i stated before... not enough black

Spoiler

people

 

[RumblingRosco]

like i stated before... not enough black

Spoiler

people

Or females. Just because they are girls doesn't mean they aren't athletes/badasses.

Does anyone know of beef (or hell, turkey) jerky that is low in sodium? The best I've found is Oberto, the 100-calories packs. GymGAF, find me low sodium jerky! Please!

 

[Jirotrom]

Or females. Just because they are girls doesn't mean they aren't athletes/badasses.

Does anyone know of beef (or hell, turkey) jerky that is low in sodium? The best I've found is Oberto, the 100-calories packs. GymGAF, find me low sodium jerky! Please!

just make your own jerky, its a little messy, but if you cant find a low sodium you can always go that route.

 

[RumblingRosco]

just make your own jerky, its a little messy, but if you cant find a low sodium you can always go that route.

That is my final option, yeah. My roommate in my small dorm may not be too pleased with me making jerky unfortunately, so if I can't find any low sodium stuff at a store, I'll just have to wait until we all move into an apartment together in about a year.

I recently discovered my love for jerky. High protein, low carbs, low sugar, low fat. Would be a perfect food for me if it wasn't for the fucking 420-620mg of sodium per ~30g of jerky.

 

[perryfarrell]

I'm in favor of a new OP.

It would be great if it covered the following:
* Descriptions of the major compound exercises (squat, dead, bench, etc.)
* Stuff on how to determine sets & reps (also in relation to goals: strenght vs. hypertrophy vs. athletic conditioning). Compound vs. isolation exercises.
* Stuff on diet. The role of protein vs. carbs etc. Calorie intake. Bulking vs. cutting. Why creatine and many other unproven substances aren't worth paying for.
* Maybe some medical stuff. E.g. catabolic vs. anabolic processes, what is hypertrophy.
* Basic injury prevention and care.

 

[aznpxdd]

I'm for the new thread too.

 

[Chichikov]

Does anyone know of beef (or hell, turkey) jerky that is low in sodium? The best I've found is Oberto, the 100-calories packs. GymGAF, find me low sodium jerky! Please!

I do not know about nutritional value, but Biltong and Droewors (South African jerky) is the greatest food ever created.

 

[RumblingRosco]

I'm in favor of a new OP.

It would be great if it covered the following:
* Descriptions of the major compound exercises (squat, dead, bench, etc.)
* Stuff on how to determine sets & reps (also in relation to goals: strenght vs. hypertrophy vs. athletic conditioning). Compound vs. isolation exercises.
* Stuff on diet. The role of protein vs. carbs etc. Calorie intake. Bulking vs. cutting. Why creatine and many other unproven substances aren't worth paying for.
* Maybe some medical stuff. E.g. catabolic vs. anabolic processes, what is hypertrophy.
* Basic injury prevention and care.

Creatine may be the only supplement (besides whey protein powder. That is some good shit.) that has been tested and revealed to be effective in some testers. But, your point still stands, a section about supplements is a good idea.

Also, I saw a guy standing on a fucking yoga ball doing BB curls at the fucking squat rack the other day. Legs constantly wobbling, body swinging slightly side to side as his legs barely kept balance, I was just holding my breath for the sound of him breaking every mirror within 15 feet. Thankfully, he didn't do any damage, but damn man, did it ever look stupid.

 

[reilo]

I am getting a lot more comfortable in all of my exercises especially squatting. Moved up a weight today and did all my sets just fine. Made sure to focus [a couple of my reps were still kinda iffy in form, but most of them I felt were good, so just takes more experience] and everything went smoothly.

However, I have not been able to make any real gains my bench press. Maybe because I wasn't that strong to begin with at it, but moved up a weight today and it just wasn't working. So, next session I'm going to drop down to my previous weight and focus on perfecting that, then try again in a week or so to move up again.

Btw, I'm up to 181.5lbs now. Last week I was at 179. Progress!

 

[Anton Sugar]

Glad to see you back! And as you can see, shit sort of hit the fan. Me, personally, still starting small with the free weights and combining it with machines. Next week I will probably move on to bigger weights if I feel comfortable with it and take out some machines for lifting.

Nice, glad to hear you're going for the free weights! Keep us updated and remember to stick with the compound exercises.

I am getting a lot more comfortable in all of my exercises especially squatting. Moved up a weight today and did all my sets just fine. Made sure to focus [a couple of my reps were still kinda iffy in form, but most of them I felt were good, so just takes more experience] and everything went smoothly.

However, I have not been able to make any real gains my bench press. Maybe because I wasn't that strong to begin with at it, but moved up a weight today and it just wasn't working. So, next session I'm going to drop down to my previous weight and focus on perfecting that, then try again in a week or so to move up again.

Btw, I'm up to 181.5lbs now. Last week I was at 179. Progress!

Glad squats are going well--my favorite exercise. Bench is going to be harder to progress than squats. Most people think that benching is just laying down and moving the bar, but its really not that simple. Check your form:

The Setup
-Feet should be firmly planted on the floor.
-Lower back should have a strong arch--someone's fist should be able to slip between your lower back and the bench
-Upper back should be "flexed" as well--think about pinching your shoulder blades together. Tight scapula!
-Hand position should be inside the rings but not "straight up". Depending on arm length, you want your forearms to be perpendicular to the bar when the bar has touched your chest. This is a general guideline but a good one--it will change depending on arm length, chest height, and desired bench style (close grip, wide grip, standard, etc.)
-The bar should NOT be placed on the joints below your fingers. It should fit across the meatier part of your hands. It should be lined up with the bones of your forearm, to support the weight

The Descent
-Again, anthropometry will determine exactly what you need to do. But do not lower the bar directly down to your chest. This encourages the elbows to flare out away from the body and this is a more injury-prone method, although some get away with it just fine
-Lower the bar under control. I lower the bar below the pecs slightly (think just below the nipples), if not farther, sometimes to my sternum (I am still playing with this). I have longer arms and I get more power out of lowering it lower on my chest. Your mileage may vary
-As you lower, stay TIGHT. Feet planted, ready to push; tight abs and lower back; squeeze the bar; squeeze your shoulder blades together
-Do not bounce--visualize just touching the fabric of your shirt. Do not pause at the bottom--a good cue from Rippetoe's Starting Strength book is while you lower the bar, always be thinking, "Up, up, up" and you'll be ready to blast it up.

The Ascent
-Push with your feet. Do NOT let your ass come up off the bench and do NOT let you shoulder blades loosen. Staying tight is safer as a platform and as "protection" for your shoulders. Do not lose any of the tightness you've maintained: tight feet, abs, back, shoulders, grip.
-Do not raise the bar over your head. I get more power out of thinking that I am pushing the bar down, toward my feet. The bar path for this is my own power path, where I get the best recruitment of my muscles. Yours may be slightly different (I have long arms, and long arms are not good for pressing)
-Do not look at the bar--look at the point on the ceiling that you want the bar to cover, and it will help lead the bar there. Obviously, you should establish this point in your warm ups
-Press and finish!


Those are my tips, and that's what works for me. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[lil smoke]

like i stated before... not enough black

Spoiler

people

I hear ya. Maybe provide some good photos and I'll redo this.

 

[evilromero]

Somebody should make a thread for supplement stacking and bridging, as well as for anabolic steroid and estrogen inhibitors.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Women?

Venceslas Dabaya is a semi-famous black French weightlifter...wish I could find some good pics of him.

 

[mr stroke]

how many of you are morning exercisers? i was just reading an article that listed ten reasons to do your workouts in the morning, and was just curious how many of you are consistent about it; it's pretty much the only time i feel 100% up to my runs, within an hour or so of waking up.

Has to be morning for me, I generally have much more energy and it makes me feel better during the day. Plus the feeling of getting up at the buttcrack of dawn and going on a run while the world feels still and the air is crisp is such an amazing feeling.

 

[Omne]

So I pulled my hamstring today doing sprints. I'm icing it now, but man does this blow.

How long do these things usually take to heal?

 

[perryfarrell]

So I pulled my hamstring today doing sprints. I'm icing it now, but man does this blow.

How long do these things usually take to heal?

RICE - Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. I'd say wait at least a week before you do vigorous exercise again. Does it hurt in any way? (I'm in a similar situation, I pulled my quad a week or so ago.)

Also do some light stretching pretty soon. If you don't, there's the risk that your muscle heals in a shortened position.

 

[beelzebozo]

Has to be morning for me, I generally have much more energy and it makes me feel better during the day. Plus the feeling of getting up at the buttcrack of dawn and going on a run while the world feels still and the air is crisp is such an amazing feeling.

hell yeah man. this morning i was up at 6a, and had my run from 7 to about 8:15 or so. there's something really refreshing about walking out of the gym and still feeling dew in the air.

for anyone curious, here's a link to the list of good reasons to exercise in the morning, by exercise physiologist greg landry. i don't know how reputable he is, or how accurate his information, but some of it i can back up from personal experience--particularly the stuff about feeling energized, feeling less hungry, and making better food choices.

 

[joeblackisback]

ok, my squats just do not seem to be improving at all. I just started doing full squats about 6 weeks ago, and I only do them once or twice a week (I do a 3 day split but w/o 5 times a week), but I feel like I've had almost zero improvement on them at all..

Should I start incorporating them into other days to get 3 times in a week, or what? I had been trying to add a small amount of weight each set, but I just can't get past a certain point. I STRUGGLE to get 185 for 5. Usually I can only do 4 or so. To put this in a little bit of perspective, my last deadlift session was 245 for 5 and I'm at 225 for 5 on bench. So my squat is definitely lagging..


help strong-gaf!

 

[BocoDragon]

Since this thread started a year ago or whatever... I've gone from a fat blob ending his first relationship... to being in excellent shape. Now that I look great, I can admit how much looks really do matter in dating/sexuality, even for men. I have been slightly overweight my whole life until now (23)... and it's funny how I'm now the center of attention for at least 5+ girls at this new job I have. It's real love triangle stuff I have no idea how to deal with :lol

^ This is meant to be an inspiring post. It's NEVER too late. And it's easy! Just gradual progress all the time. Also working out is great, but cleaning up my diet was probably one of the main catalysts. Cut down on carbs/calories, sure, but most importantly eat clean, real food. Avoid food in packages or cans. Eat around the edge of the grocery store (produce, meat, etc), where the real food is, as opposed to the center of the store where all the food is really marketed up junk meant to make corporations more money off raw food materials. All this processed/preserved food is just really bad for you.. and it's probably the real reason for our obesity crisis... not just "too much fat" or "fast food" or whatever. A good rule of thumb is, if your grandmother wouldn't have been familiar with the food, don't eat it. Even high fat, high calories foods are sometimes just fine if they're real, because your body will actually know what to do with the energy instead of storing it.

Good luck everyone.

 

[Omne]

RICE - Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. I'd say wait at least a week before you do vigorous exercise again. Does it hurt in any way? (I'm in a similar situation, I pulled my quad a week or so ago.)

Also do some light stretching pretty soon. If you don't, there's the risk that your muscle heals in a shortened position.

I don't think it's a full blown pull, more of a tweak, because I'm not really in much pain and can walk around easily. I imagine I'll be back into things in a couple of days. I'm icing and just loafing around for the meantime, though :lol .

My hamstring has been a nagging thing all summer, and I really need to get it healed before my track season starts. Hopefully a more intense stretching/plyometrics regimen will help heal it up when I start running again.

 

[MrToughPants]

ok, my squats just do not seem to be improving at all. I just started doing full squats about 6 weeks ago, and I only do them once or twice a week (I do a 3 day split but w/o 5 times a week), but I feel like I've had almost zero improvement on them at all..

Should I start incorporating them into other days to get 3 times in a week, or what? I had been trying to add a small amount of weight each set, but I just can't get past a certain point. I STRUGGLE to get 185 for 5. Usually I can only do 4 or so. To put this in a little bit of perspective, my last deadlift session was 245 for 5 and I'm at 225 for 5 on bench. So my squat is definitely lagging..


help strong-gaf!

You should start training your legs more often and I don't mean once a week for 30minutes. You should be spending as much time, if not more, on lowerbody exercises as your upper body.

Quads
Hams
Glutes
Hips
Calves
lowerback

 

[Anton Sugar]

ok, my squats just do not seem to be improving at all. I just started doing full squats about 6 weeks ago, and I only do them once or twice a week (I do a 3 day split but w/o 5 times a week), but I feel like I've had almost zero improvement on them at all..

Should I start incorporating them into other days to get 3 times in a week, or what? I had been trying to add a small amount of weight each set, but I just can't get past a certain point. I STRUGGLE to get 185 for 5. Usually I can only do 4 or so. To put this in a little bit of perspective, my last deadlift session was 245 for 5 and I'm at 225 for 5 on bench. So my squat is definitely lagging..


help strong-gaf!

Are you eating enough? What type of squat workout are you doing? How often are you squatting? What else are you doing for your legs?

 

[Anton Sugar]

 

[joeblackisback]

You should start training your legs more often and I don't mean once a week for 30minutes. You should be spending as much time, if not more, on lowerbody exercises as your upper body.

I will have to look into upping my leg workouts, I guess. As of now it gets pretty close to equal time I think

Are you eating enough? What type of squat workout are you doing? How often are you squatting? What else are you doing for your legs?

I'm pretty sure I'm eating enough, although I don't really track it. 3 eggs for breakfast, tuna or chicken for lunch, a protein shake after lifting and then something like chicken/rice for dinner. I've had no problem making some (nothing spectacular) gains in other areas, though. I'm still trying to lose a little weight (I'm 203-205, trying to get to the mid/high 190's) so I'm not pouring calories down my throat. I guess that could be a reason.

As far as how often, it's usually every third day. So that usually equates to once or twice a week. I'll do full squats, calf raises, hack squats (machine) and then weighted step-ups. All told, it usually takes me b/w 45 minutes and an hour, which is about what the other major body parts take me.

I've been thinking about trying front squats as well, but I'd need to experiment to get my form down and I don't feel like I have that kind of time right now.

 

[Struct09]

Pretty good so far Snrub.

1 correction:

While each have their strong points, compound exercises are more useful than isolation exercises. Keep in mind that your goals will dictate importance...but compound exercises:

1 suggestion:

While we know specifically which exercises are compound and which are isolations, your average newbie might not. I'd suggest giving some examples of specific compound and isolation exercises to better define what you mean.

 

[lil smoke]

Has to be morning for me, I generally have much more energy and it makes me feel better during the day. Plus the feeling of getting up at the buttcrack of dawn and going on a run while the world feels still and the air is crisp is such an amazing feeling.

You nailed that one. I feel a step ahead of the rest of the world when I jog and work out in the AM.

Snrub- I like the style of this new OP. The Q:A is a great idea too.

 

[Baker]

This is my first time coming into this thread, so just wanted to say 'hi.'

I don't know how to explain, but for the past week, I can just feel that my body has decided it's time for me to become fat. I don't like it one bit. My whole adult life, I've been the same 6'0" 175lbs average dude with skinny arms and the slightest of slight beer gut. Like I said, I still don't look fat, but I can feel the events being set into motion.

So, I guess I'll see you guys at the butt crack of dawn tomorrow morning.

Quick Edit: I have tried starting workout routines twice previously and each time they only lasted a max of three months. Night time is really "special" to me, so I have a horrid time forcing myself to go to bed early. Any tips for that?

 

[lil smoke]

Quick Edit: I have tried starting workout routines twice previously and each time they only lasted a max of three months. Night time is really "special" to me, so I have a horrid time forcing myself to go to bed early. Any tips for that?

Took me a long time to adjust to my AM workouts, mainly as you suggest, getting in that bed.

After time, I realized that I was simply too damn tired during the day. 5-6 hours of sleep, then gym, then work, then home to eat and play... It leaves you drained. Your body should tell you that it needs more rest. I made sacrifices. I cut the Mets game off at the 6th inning every night. And Fuck them if they were up and lost that fucking game last night to Philly. WTF. But, any habit (good or bad) gets easy after awhile. Prioritize what's right for you. The great thing about this stuff is that when you start to see and feel improvement, you'll become addicted to the entire process.

 

[beelzebozo]

my dad gets up at 5:15am, works all day in a refinery, and goes for 8 mile runs after work at 5pm. the man is an animal (figure that one out). whenever i start to feel sorry for myself for how hard my workout is, or whatever, i always think that if he can do it, so can i.

that said, i'll always take the morning workout over the evening; it's much tougher on him to do it after the rigmarole of an entire day's work.

 

[Anton Sugar]

While we know specifically which exercises are compound and which are isolations, your average newbie might not. I'd suggest giving some examples of specific compound and isolation exercises to better define what you mean.

Good call, definitely will do that.

 

[reilo]

Those are my tips, and that's what works for me. Let me know if you have any questions.

Yep, I've been doing that, I just think the weight I was working with last night was too heavy. The previous session it went a lot better with the lighter weight.

 

[reilo]

Also, if you are going to go work out... don't wear some goddamn Gucci sun glasses inside.

And don't just sit on one of the work stations and don't lift more than 20 fucking lbs.

There was a guy at the gym last night that literally wore expensive sun glasses inside, had his hair done up, and sat around doing nothing.

 

[Troblin]

Also, if you are going to go work out... don't wear some goddamn Gucci sun glasses inside.

And don't just sit on one of the work stations and don't lift more than 20 fucking lbs.

There was a guy at the gym last night that literally wore expensive sun glasses inside, had his hair done up, and sat around doing nothing.

Women do it too. Cake-on a bunch of makeup and squeezing into that skin tight sports bra prior to hitting up the elliptical at 30% intensity.

Not that I mind...

 

[Emerson]

So I did martial arts classes 2-3 times a week for several years, but it got to be too expensive and I was too busy, so I dropped it. That was my only exercise but I was still out and about at school and work so I figured I'd be okay.

However now school is out and I'm taking a month off work before it starts again so I decided to just run a mile every day. Started Monday. Few things:

1) I'm surprised at how good shape I'm in. I haven't run in years but I ran the first mile without the need to stop at any time. My mile time was pathetic, but as days 2-3 showed me, that was because I was simply running too slow. My day 3 time was 4:10 shorter than my day 1 time :lol I expect tomorrow's to be shorter again.

2) My legs are quite sore, I guess I'll get past that with some more running

3) I always hear runners creaming all over themselves about how great it is. I feel good about running because I'm trying to keep myself healthy and maybe drop a few pounds, but I absolutely loathe running every second I do it, and I don't have any "runner's high" afterwards either. Might just be me.

4) Is it really important to run more? Like I said I hate it and I figure if I run a mile a day I'm doing a hell of a lot more exercise than I was before. If I do that and try and eat a little less that's good enough for me I suppose.

 

[Chichikov]

So I did martial arts classes 2-3 times a week for several years, but it got to be too expensive and I was too busy, so I dropped it. That was my only exercise but I was still out and about at school and work so I figured I'd be okay.

However now school is out and I'm taking a month off work before it starts again so I decided to just run a mile every day. Started Monday. Few things:

1) I'm surprised at how good shape I'm in. I haven't run in years but I ran the first mile without the need to stop at any time. My mile time was pathetic, but as days 2-3 showed me, that was because I was simply running too slow. My day 3 time was 4:10 shorter than my day 1 time :lol I expect tomorrow's to be shorter again.

2) My legs are quite sore, I guess I'll get past that with some more running

3) I always hear runners creaming all over themselves about how great it is. I feel good about running because I'm trying to keep myself healthy and maybe drop a few pounds, but I absolutely loathe running every second I do it, and I don't have any "runner's high" afterwards either. Might just be me.

4) Is it really important to run more? Like I said I hate it and I figure if I run a mile a day I'm doing a hell of a lot more exercise than I was before. If I do that and try and eat a little less that's good enough for me I suppose.

Runners high is absolutely real, and it's pretty much better than anything, and trust me, I did pretty much everything.
But you're going to need to run a bit more than one mile to get it (and to be honest, being able to run a mile without stopping is not an indication of being in great shape).
As to how important running is, it depends on what your goals are, if you absolutely hate running you can (and probably should) find other ways to get your cardio, and in any case, running a mile a day is not going to get you far.

 

[Emerson]

Let me be more clear: I don't think I'm actually in great shape, I was surprised that I wasn't in terrible shape.

I do believe runner's high exists, I was just saying I hadn't experienced it. Makes sense I'd need to run more though.

As far as my goals, I have none other than maybe dropping 5-10 pounds eventually and mostly: not getting fat. I'm thin enough now and have decent muscle structure, I don't feel compelled to run mile after mile or spend hours working out. My main question is whether running a mile a day will keep me from gaining weight as long as I don't go nuts on food.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Runners high is absolutely real, and it's pretty much better than anything, and trust me, I did pretty much everything.
But you're going to need to run a bit more than one mile to get it (and to be honest, being able to run a mile without stopping is not an indication of being in great shape).
As to how important running is, it depends on what your goals are, if you absolutely hate running you can (and probably should) find other ways to get your cardio, and in any case, running a mile a day is not going to get you far.

Yeah, I used to run 5-6 miles a day on the track for almost a year without a ton of progress. But I did get runners high, and it was awesome. It's strange how after an hour of running you feel like you should be dancing and hugging people and singing. Maybe that's just me, though.

I've moved from just running to alternating lifting/jogging days with HIIT running days 6 days a week, and I feel a lot better already. Only a month or so of lifting, and I just started HIIT last week.

Running over 5 miles a day was killing my knee, so I had to find something else either way. Most of the things I know about excersize come from this thread, yoga classes and my one bodybuilding book with pretty pictures :lol

So thanks guys for helping me lose 10 pounds this past month

 

[demon]

I miss runner's high. Back when I started exercising during the fall of 2003 I ran almost every night along the local lakeshore path, and by the time I got back I felt fucking fantastic. I kinda miss doing that. But running like that would kill my muscle mass, as it did back then.

 

[BronzeWolf]

I just came back from my "test day" at the gym. It was basically like this:

Me: hi I would like to take a look at the gym
Cute Girl: OK that's cool, just talk to the trainer over there
Me: Kthnx zomg can I have your number?
--
Me: Hey man, I would like to take a look at the place
Trainer: Oh cool, have you lift before?
Me: A long time ago yeah
Trainer: Nice, well sit in these pec machine and do 3x15 reps
Me: uhm, I would like you to know that I already have a program I would...
*Trainer darts out to train some other newbie*

OK I think, I'll just do the sets and be done with this test day and then ask for him to help me improve my workout.

So I did all the stupid workouts:
-Bicep curls
-Tricep Pulls
-"pec" pulls (machine that has a lever which you pull)
-Shin Pulls (there is a machine for that >_<)
-Leg Curls

I basically did them just to see where the real lifting was, and I found it and it's nice and it seems nobody cares about it (I saw two guys doing squats very nicely and another one doing military presses pretty well too)

So I'm considering it.

At the end of the workout I told the trainer I wanted to focus more on the deadlifting and squatting and it would be nice that he would look at my form and stuff.
He pressed on giving me a personal workout and told me I needed to go through a "conditioning" 2 weeks period before that, but he agreed that I could use none of that "silly equipment" as he put it. Seems we are on the same page.

He also told me they change workouts every 6 weeks which I found silly, but he said it was not a requirement.

In the end I think I would be quite happy with this place as long as they keep their "get into shape after 3 months of stupid workout" routine plan away from me

I don't blame them! In order to keep most people interested in the gym they have to give this placebo stuff and constant change. The trainers are huge though and some other people that I see not caring about that have very good form.

It is also like 3 blocks from home so that's cool (HiIT in the way home anyone? lol)

 

[Anton Sugar]

I also think it would be great if someone (lil smoke?) could actually make section titles into images in a similar style to the title image. By section titles, I mean an image that say, "Exercises", "Nutrition", etc. Anyone up for this?

 

[Zapten]

I've only started getting serious about lifting about a month ago and have since then completely changed my diet and routine but I have a question on whether pre/post workout shakes are a must.

My normal routine is cereal 8am, banana 10:30am, turkey/cucumber/brown bread sandwich 12noon, cereal bar 2pm, apple 4pm and dinner at 6:30pm consisting of meat (chicken/turkey/salmon) with 2 vegetables (cabbage/broccoli/spinnach/carrots) and small portion of new potatoes.

After reading a fair bit I decided on working out 5 days a week legs, chest/tri, back/bi, shoulders/traps, cardio. I normally work out for 30 mins to an hour before dinner. I have worked out before but only started a regular program about a month ago so I'm just getting into the routine.

Would shakes (whey, creatine or a mix?) really help me that much and can they be substituted with regular foods. For instance would eating an extra chicken breast give me all the protein I need? For those of you in the UK where would you buy them from?

One other question I have is how much meat and potatoes should I be eating (in weight), having changed my diet from mainly pre-packaged foods I'm trying to work out if I'm eating too much of either.

 

[joeblackisback]

I think it would be pretty important if we could have a section politely asking people not to wear homemade v-neck shirts that expose half of your bird chest. It appears that not everyone at my gym knows that this makes you look like a complete d-bag.