Yeah, I know. It still pisses me off, though. Reminds me of a recent Alwyn Cosgrove post, though.

http://alwyncosgrove.com/2010/03/747/

"Clock in and do work…
March 18th, 2010
There are days when you train like a grizzly bear – the weight feels light, you move the bar or dumbbells fast, and you have cardio that could go for hours.

And there are days when you train more like a teddy bear! You keep checking the weights because there is no way that it should feel as heavy as it is.
But it might just be those sessions that are the difference makers in the long term.

Anyone can train hard when they feel like it. But the difference in results comes with the less-than-spectacular workouts – the “punch the clock” workouts.

” Not all workouts have to look like a scene from “Pumping Iron.” In fact, I often argue that these moderate workouts…the punch the clock workouts…are the ones that make champions. Hell, everyone is willing to work hard the week of the State Championship: I think what separates champions is the willingness to just get “them”…the workouts…in.”
-Dan John

Sometimes you just have to “clock in and do work” as Robert Dos Remedios says.
Consistency is a major key to success in any area. Sometimes it’s just getting another session done…

I always suggest to clients that they set a goal of X workouts in Y number of days/weeks. Of course we want to set records, and have great workouts – but there is a need for just being consistent with the training sessions and just checking them off.

–
AC"

I don't just do protein shakes after my workout. And, I am out and about all day. So, there are times, I just stop in and buy a ready made shake.

This is one of those, 'what is your goal?', kind of questions.

If you are really aiming to gain strength and muscle mass, you should be trying to go up in poundage every week, or at least every month. If you do it every week, just try to add five lbs to each set. If you are doing it every month, find out what your max for one rep is on each exercise and then do a percentage of that.

Just working out will make you stronger.... but, your body adapts to what you lift. So, to increase your strength gains faster, you really have to force your body to adapt.

Ding....Ding..... Ding.... We have a WINNAR!

Absolutely. The funny part about this whole thing..... it almost doesn't matter so much 'what' you do, as to your consistency doing it.

I started out six months.... well, seven months ago now.... and I read an article a day on either some aspect of training. I read supplement articles. I read exercise articles. I read nutrition articles. I could google any one thing, and come up with 12 different 'opinions' or ways to attack the problem.

The reality? There is no shortcut. There is no secret formula. There is no magic potion. There is no ONE exercise (No, Silock, not even planks). There is no magic number or reps or sets or any of that.

It is getting in the gym and doing the work. Now, don't get me wrong..... there are, of course, more efficient ways to work out, and better and worse exercises, and some supplements will help and others won't really.....

But, when it all comes down to it. When it is all said and done....the guy who knows the most may or may not be successful. The guy who WORKS the most WILL BE.

It is funny, how sometimes, when I am not feeling it.... I do double check the weights.... I KNOW what I put on the bar, and yet, I finish a set and look again.... like someone threw 315 on the bar without me knowing it.

We just expect for our strength to be steadily going up, but if we were to chart every workout, it would look a little like a stock, than just a steady increase in strength.

One of the cool things about working out, but also getting ripped.... (Not that I am there all the way, yet).... you see the definition and muscletone everywhere.

Yeah, it is fun to flex my biceps in the mirror, but it is even more cool to see the little lines in my traps moving back in forth when I am brushing my teeth. Or to see the muscles just start to bulge out around my joints.... or the muscles in my forearms working when I merely stir something for my wife or take a lid off a jar.

It is cool to fill out my shirt... and to have my arms fill up the entire sleeve.... and to have my waist continue to shrink....

But these little things are every bit as cool to me.

Unfortunately with the machines I use, 5lbs is not an option. Gaining strength and mass is most definitely my goal. Would you suggest I bump that weight up and just lift to failure if I can't swing 12 reps and 2 sets? I'm literally brand new at this.

Thanks for the input.

Yeah, narcissism rules.

Good, cus I was about to beat you.

I was doing 50-pound dumbbells for months before I recently bumped up to 57-pounders, about 10 days ago.

I think it gets tougher to add weight the higher you go. I couldn't bump up to 62 pounds next week, for instance. It would be really difficult.

I think a good rule is just to add weight when it gets easy.

Okay. That's what I did yesterday. Certain exercises were getting easy so I bumped the weight. I think I'll give it a shot with my legs and see what I can do. They're pretty much tight all the time. But lifting 3 times a week on them, and then running 10 miles while using the elliptical for another 15 is a lot of work. Let alone carrying 300 lbs around all the time. Maybe I just need to give it a shot and see what I can do. If not, I can always drop it back down.

You don't have to be able to do all 12 reps when you move up to the next weight. As long as you can finish 12 reps and 2 sets at the current weight, it's time to move up. Then, you work on getting to 12x2 at the next weight, and so on.

http://www.sonicsophistication.net/sc.pdf

I'm taking this down soon, so get it while you can.