*.* 2014 General Fitness Thread *.*

[penguinz]

Welcome to 2014! Now get your ass in top physical condition!

No one else started it so here it is!

**From the 2013 Thread**

If you want to get back into lifting, or need a new lifting routine, START HERE:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...inner_Programs

If you have questions about the SS programs, look here:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ

Keep in mind that you're a novice lifter for a longer period of time than you think you are. Novice lifting can last anywhere from a few months to a year or two, depending on how hard you hit the weights and where you started.

Once you've reached the point where you don't make regular progress on the SS program, you are ready to move on to the intermediate stage, which can last you for a good number of years. Find it HERE:

http://madcow.hostzi.com/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm

If you're a very advanced lifter (many, many years of CONSISTENT weight training), then there are lot of programs out there, and which one you pick is simply a matter of preference. If you're really that advanced, you should know what works for you and what doesn't by this point.

[jiveturkey]

Some man monster at my gym was power cleaning 305 and it was multiple reps over multiple sets.

[luv]

Originally Posted by Dunit35

I've never really gotten the hang of the elliptical. It always feels weird using it.

That's not the typical elliptical. I can't remember what that thing is called. We have them at the gym. I tried it once, and it freaked me out.

[luv]

I didn't do my barbell squats or my leg presses. Did body weight squats and air chairs instead. Still did my step ups and my lunges. Jogged for a mile on the tread mill instead of doing my row. It doesn't feel like a wasted day, but it didn't feel all that productive either. Back pain SUCKS.

Went by the supplement store to pick up my protein after my workout. My trainer works at the supplement store I go to, and he was working when I went in tonight. Showed him exactly where it was hurting, and I told him about stretching and rolling my lower back. He said to make sure I'm doing my hammies, too. Where it's hurting is right where a lot of smaller muscles come together. It's above my left butt cheek, and just to the right of my left hip. He showed me some hamstring stretches while I was there. He's going to take some time and show me more stretches during our session Wednesday. Looks like I have to postpone adding weight to my dead lifts.

I may look for a foam roller. Any recommendations?

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by luv

I didn't do my barbell squats or my leg presses. Did body weight squats and air chairs instead. Still did my step ups and my lunges. Jogged for a mile on the tread mill instead of doing my row. It doesn't feel like a wasted day, but it didn't feel all that productive either. Back pain SUCKS.

Went by the supplement store to pick up my protein after my workout. My trainer works at the supplement store I go to, and he was working when I went in tonight. Showed him exactly where it was hurting, and I told him about stretching and rolling my lower back. He said to make sure I'm doing my hammies, too. Where it's hurting is right where a lot of smaller muscles come together. It's above my left butt cheek, and just to the right of my left hip. He showed me some hamstring stretches while I was there. He's going to take some time and show me more stretches during our session Wednesday. Looks like I have to postpone adding weight to my dead lifts.

I may look for a foam roller. Any recommendations?

https://www.google.com/search?q=make...sm=93&ie=UTF-8

I've considered making one myself. Lots of DIY instructions out there on them. That are SUPER easy (like, buy a PVC pipe, hack it to size, cover in a foam material, duct tape foam in place).

[GordonGekko]

Originally Posted by luv

That's not the typical elliptical. I can't remember what that thing is called. We have them at the gym. I tried it once, and it freaked me out.

Adaptive Motion Trainer

It gives a much better sensation of walking/running than the elliptical in my opinion. It's also really good at burning calories.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by luv

I didn't do my barbell squats or my leg presses. Did body weight squats and air chairs instead. Still did my step ups and my lunges. Jogged for a mile on the tread mill instead of doing my row. It doesn't feel like a wasted day, but it didn't feel all that productive either. Back pain SUCKS.

Went by the supplement store to pick up my protein after my workout. My trainer works at the supplement store I go to, and he was working when I went in tonight. Showed him exactly where it was hurting, and I told him about stretching and rolling my lower back. He said to make sure I'm doing my hammies, too. Where it's hurting is right where a lot of smaller muscles come together. It's above my left butt cheek, and just to the right of my left hip. He showed me some hamstring stretches while I was there. He's going to take some time and show me more stretches during our session Wednesday. Looks like I have to postpone adding weight to my dead lifts.

I may look for a foam roller. Any recommendations?

I bought the black one on Amazon for like $20. It's held up awesomely. Had it for a few years now and it still performs like new.

[luv]

Originally Posted by GordonGekko

Adaptive Motion Trainer

It gives a much better sensation of walking/running than the elliptical in my opinion. It's also really good at burning calories.

That thing! It makes for a great cardio workout. It just feels so weird!!

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by penguinz

You are putting way too much emphasis on your body weight... Why does it matter if you are 170 or 185 if you have the aesthetics you are looking for and can push the weight you want to be able to push?

Hmmm...I didn't think I was putting emphasis on anything at all. Up until today. Now, after thinking about it all day, I think I want to hit 240 and then cut down to about 205 at around 10%.

If I can gain 30 lbs. in about six months while eating vegan not working out (dropped to 175, but now at 206 as of last night), letting my body adjust to it, now that I'm going back to the gym and actually focusing on muscle weight gain I don't see why 240 isn't out of reach. I think that's my new six month goal.

And I'm going to start recording dietary intake and shit like that - thanks to the motivational talk from Silock. Mad props to you broski.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Horseshit. That guy puts in tons of time at the gym. He's in every bit as good of shape as The Rock is, just not as strong. Frankly, I'd almost murder to be in that good of shape.

I've known a bunch of skinny guys that were in terrible physical fitness and looked nothing like that guy.

If that's putting a ton of time in at the gym, I'd ask for my money back. You can look like that playing pickup basketball three or four times a week.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

And I'm going to start recording dietary intake and shit like that - thanks to the motivational talk from Silock. Mad props to you broski.

Not a bad idea. I think you'd benefit more from recording your sets, reps and weights for each major exercise (accessory work can vary so much that I rarely keep track, simply because if I work super hard on the main lifts, my accessory lifts can vary too much because of a lack of energy).

I wish you good luck, man!

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

If that's putting a ton of time in at the gym, I'd ask for my money back. You can look like that playing pickup basketball three or four times a week.

That definition and vascularity isn't common and he's actually got pretty impressive musculature.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Silock

Not a bad idea. I think you'd benefit more from recording your sets, reps and weights for each major exercise (accessory work can vary so much that I rarely keep track, simply because if I work super hard on the main lifts, my accessory lifts can vary too much because of a lack of energy).

I wish you good luck, man!

I watched this today with a buddy who recently placed second in an NPC event and I'm down with Kai's concepts.

I've always tried to maintain strict form, but tonight at the gym I really focused on the movement versus the weight. Jesus H. Christ...my arms are still throbbing four hours after the workout.

To tell you the truth, I'm just kinda of playing around a bit with my workouts right now to see where I want to go in terms of diet and workout and how they are going to interact. Also wanted to see if I could get serious about it as a vegan, which I want to maintain at this point.

I'm still not sold on tracking the specificities of the weight itself versus the resistance and fatigue I'm achieving on an exercise as it's happening.

[luv]

There's a difference between density vs. mass, isn't there? Someone with more density may be smaller, but lift just as much?

[luv]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

I watched this today with a buddy who recently placed second in an NPC event and I'm down with Kai's concepts.

I've always tried to maintain strict form, but tonight at the gym I really focused on the movement versus the weight. Jesus H. Christ...my arms are still throbbing four hours after the workout.

To tell you the truth, I'm just kinda of playing around a bit with my workouts right now to see where I want to go in terms of diet and workout and how they are going to interact. Also wanted to see if I could get serious about it as a vegan, which I want to maintain at this point.

I'm still not sold on tracking the specificities of the weight itself versus the resistance and fatigue I'm achieving on an exercise as it's happening.

I'm interested in your protein intake. Doesn't plant source protein affect your body a bit differently? I'm asking because I don't know. My trainer has me focusing on lean animal source protein, so I'm curious how different it would be if I didn't heat animals. Do you do protein powder? If so, would whey protein be considered bad as a vegan?

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

I'm still not sold on tracking the specificities of the weight itself versus the resistance and fatigue I'm achieving on an exercise as it's happening.

That's fine, and it's good to be focused on form, too. I, myself, don't count a rep unless I do it with a full ROM. It's not going to be as beneficial if I'm cheating on the lift.

However, even if all you're concerned about is ROM and how it "feels," your body is going to adapt and adapt quite quickly. Likewise, your body DE-adapts quite quickly, as well. It's why you should never judge the effectiveness of a workout by how sore/pumped it makes you. Soreness is just your body adjusting to the way it's being worked out; it's not an indication that you've done anything BETTER to build muscle, or what you did is more effective than what you did previously (assuming you have worked out regularly sometime in the past two weeks-month).

One thing might make you sore one workout, then less sore the next. So, you switch it up and the new thing makes you sore. Well, while the new thing is making you sore, your body is not keeping up the adaptations to the first exercise, so, as the second one makes you less sore, and you switch back to the first, you're sore again.

This isn't an indication that your training is EFFECTIVE at anything but being a workout. It's not necessarily sending better muscle building signals to the body.

Also, I would take any training method used by a guy on steroids very lightly unless you are also on steroids. It's just soooo different, in many ways, that it's not really applicable to a natural person. They can get away with doing super high sets and recovering quickly. It's the nature of the drug. That's not to say that they don't work their asses off -- they absolutely do. But the methods that are effective for them aren't effective for the natural lifter.