the exercise & workout thread

[Travelmate]

You do HIIT on an empty stomach, and you do not east for 1 hour until your finished.

can't do in my case. Home from work. Eat dinner. then go to gym.

[barbaro]

You do HIIT on an empty stomach, and you do not east for 1 hour until your finished.

can't do in my case. Home from work. Eat dinner. then go to gym.

You can do HIIT if you have not eaten for 3 hours.

I'm not advocating HIIT though. You already have your preference.

[barbaro]

Today, July 2nd:

Went for a fast paced walk for 1.5 hours.


(NNTR: no need to reply.)

[chitown]

Yes weight lifting is how I injured myself.

I have consistently pushed myself to do very heavy weights with 6 to 8 reps per set. (15 to 20 sets per body part.) It seems those days are over.

If I am ever 100%, I think I will be doing lighter weigh with 20 plus reps. I plan to do light dumbbells more and also machine work instead of free weights. I will also focus on cardio and endurance training.

I have suffered three injuries since the beginning of the year. My joints can't take the heavy stuff anymore. This last one has even interfered with everyday task like turning a door knob, shifting gears and steering

I have been dead in the water for four weeks with a joint injury.

Chi, was this related to lifting? I get the impression that you go, heavy.

I started workout again with weights in large part because of my joints. I want to better, and more muscle to support them.

[barbaro]

Yes weight lifting is how I injured myself.

I have consistently pushed myself to do very heavy weights with 6 to 8 reps per set. (15 to 20 sets per body part.) It seems those days are over.

Yeah, this is going heavy.

If I am ever 100%, I think I will be doing lighter weigh with 20 plus reps. I plan to do light dumbbells more and also machine work instead of free weights. I will also focus on cardio and endurance training.

I have suffered three injuries since the beginning of the year.

This is a wake-up call, IMO. We are not in our early 20s anymore. A lot of guys who've been training for years, have stopped doing certain exercises, and reduced weights they used to use.

As we know, heavy, is actually hard on the the joints.

My joints can't take the heavy stuff anymore. This last one has even interfered with everyday task like turning a door knob, shifting gears and steering

Adapt and go lighter. Just MO. It isn't worth interfering and ruining, your quality of life.

It sounds like your joint injury was upper body, perhaps arm related.

Best of luck on recovery. Patience needed on recovery.

[chitown]

I want to get back to it. I can only do leg work and some cardio at this point. Anything else is quite painful and results in me taking pain killers.

I am hoping to be lifting again in 2 to 4 more weeks, but not counting on it.

Light weights are just as good with more reps. also it is not in the least bit damaging to your joints.

[barbaro]

I want to get back to it. I can only do leg work and some cardio at this point. Anything else is quite painful and results in me taking pain killers.

You should not even be touching weights, IMO.

It's not worth it.

I am hoping to be lifting again in 2 to 4 more weeks, but not counting on it.

Maybe you can, but be extra sure.

You can tell what your injury is if you want. What exercise(s)?

I post on 2 health/BBing forums.

What's funny is that I was invited to be a Mod on one major, BB forum. I said, "maybe later." I guess a fat f*ck like me, who pretends to have knowledge is good enough. In fact, most posters on BBing forums are likely like me, with just a few that are shredded, and very, very knowledgeable.

Some mods and posters on these forums have extensive knowledge on medical/nutrionts/supps/health/BBing.

[mrsquirrel]

I'm trying out a muscle shock routine to try and kick start my muscles again. There haven't been many gains in the last 6 months. Got stuck on a plateau.

Monday Dumbbell Bench Press Heavy weights, 3 x 10, 10, 8 (heavier on the final set) reps
Tricep Dip Move the handles out wider to focus more on the chest. Lean forward. 3 x 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press Bench at a 30 degree angle. 3 x 10 reps Lying Tricep Extension (skullcrusher) Focus on form, keep your elbows in. 3 x 10 reps
One Arm Dumbbell Extension Standing or seated, doesn't matter. 3 x 10 reps
Tricep Extension Heavy weights. 3 x 8-10
Barbell Front Raise Use either 1 dumbbell or a barbell. 3 x 10 Dumbbell Lateral Raise Form is important here not weights. 3 x 10 reps

Tuesday Wide Grip Pull Up Assisted pull up if needed/Lat pull down. 3 x 10 reps
Lat Pull Down 3 x 10 reps
Straight Arm Lat Pull Down 3 x 10 reps
Reverse Fly Either use the machine or dumbbells. 3 x 10 reps Upright Row 3 x 10 reps
Standing Barbell Curl Load up for heavy weights, 3 x 8-10 reps Preacher Curl 3 x 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Curl 45 degree incline bench, 3 x 10 reps

Wednesday Squat Heavy squats 4 x 10, 10, 10, 8 reps Dumbbell Lunge 3 x 8 on each leg
45 Degree Leg Press Heavy again, 3 x 10 reps Leg Curl 3 x 10 reps
Leg Extension Heavy sets. 3 x 6-10
Standing Calf Raise Very heavy sets! Adding weight after each set. 5 x 10, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
Seated calf Raise 5 x 10 reps

Thursday Barbell Bench Press Add weight after every set. 4 x 10, 10, 8, 6
Dumbbell Flys Every 2nd week superset these dumbbell flys with the barbel bench press. 3 x 10 reps
Cable Crossovers Cross hands right over and hold for 1 second for each rep. 3 x 10 reps
Close Grip Bench Press Heavy. 4 x 10, 10, 8, 8
Lying Dumbbell Extension 3 x 10 reps
Tricep Kickback Make sure you use good form! 3 x 10
Seated Dumbbell Press 3 x 10 reps
One Arm Cable Lateral Raise 3 x 10 reps

Friday Seated Row 4 x 10 reps
Bent Over Barbell Row 3 x 10 reps
Bent Over Row 3 x 10 reps
Cable Curl 3 x 8-10 reps heavy
Concentration Curl 3 x 10 reps
Reverse Barbell Curl This is put in to hit your forearms as well. 3 x 10 reps
Upright Row (or spics)3 x 10 reps

Plus warmup cardio and finishing cardio ~40-60minutes a day.

It's a tough workout and I feel it a lot. First time in months I'm getting home and I am feeling tired and ready to relax. Mornings are a little hard to get up as well.

Stick this out for four weeks and see how I am doing. Can't do much more than that or I will be permanently tired.

I moved from my old routine to a 3x3 for four weeks then a 5x5 for a couple of weeks then onto this. Hopefully the change in routine and workout will get my body working again.

-- Got this routine from Muscle and Strength

Sorry for jumping on your thread there Milky but everybody else had joined in.

[barbaro]

I'm trying out a muscle shock routine to try and kick start my muscles again. There haven't been many gains in the last 6 months. Got stuck on a plateau.

By gains, do you mean strength or mass? (Or, both?)

5 days a week on the weights is a lot. Do you do this cardio everyday?

Sorry for jumping on your thread there Milky but everybody else had joined in.

Please jump in mrsquirrel. The more the merrier on this thread. I decided to exercise again mainly for my health. Heart, joints, movement. I've become very lazy and my heartbeat (HB) had been beating faster, even when I lay in bed. I am assuming my cholesterol HDL/LDL levels and blood pressue (BP) are not good.

I am eating oats again with cinnamon, a banana per day, and 1/2 tablespoon of EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) with breakfast. Trying to cut down on saturated fats on animals, which I have done for several months.

As they say, "diet is everything."

[mrsquirrel]

5 days a week on the weights is a lot. Do you do this cardio everyday?

Everyday but only for a month or so though. Then into a two day on one day of split routine.

Normal routine was a different muscle group every day plus cardio. Sat/Sun off.
Found I had reached a point where I wasn't going forward anymore.
Couldn't get any more on the bench press, squats,curls, just stuck there week in week out getting rather bored.

Read around and looked for what would offer me the best way of getting moving again. Joined a couple of body building forums and advice was to move to a 3x5 (with a few extras thrown in) and then onto a 5x5 (pyramids on the bench press and shoulders). Three day routine.
I did it for a while but found them boring and not very satisfying. Further discussions via PM with some big black dude was to give myself a month or so of hard training. He suggested I look up muscle shock and how to kick start my muslces again. Especially as I had been basically working them individually rather than in compound exercises.

So a month or so of this muscle shocking routine sounded like it fitted what I wanted to do. 2nd week into it and I am feeling it all over. First time in a long time I am coming out of the gm feeling that I have done some decent work.

No way could I keep it up for much longer than a month.

I came across an interesting article suggesting I setup a rolling routine - 3 weeks on before changing to the next one. Put in four different workouts and it will keep things fresh and make it more interesting at the gym.

Might well give that a go.

[barbaro]

Found I had reached a point where I wasn't going forward anymore. Couldn't get any more on the bench press, squats,curls, just stuck there week in week out getting rather bored.

Yeah, the body adapts. Changing routines, splits, exercises, weight ratios, rep ranges , and doing a "shock week" (supersets) periodically can help one break through plateaus. The body is very sneaky. It adapts, and then we have to change our routine to break through the barrier. Let us know how the new routine works.

Keep us posted.

[barbaro]

July 4th, 2008

Legs & Cardio

Odd to do both on the same day, but the leg lifting was only a warmup. I'm going very slow because of a left knee issue, and I feel some discomfort. It will be about 2 more weeks before moderate to heavier lifting on legs. Anyway, here is the warmup.

Warmup - Body Squats, no bar, no weight
Squats - bar only 3 X 10
Sitting Leg raise - 2 X 12

Standing Calf raises - no weight, with wooden plank
One Legged Standing Calf Raises - no weight
One Legged Standing Calf Rasies - 10 lbs.
Sitting Calf Raises - no weight
Horizontal Leg Press (machine) light weight, 3 X 12-15

Will add lunges and Roman Squats and others in future.

Moderate Cardio (HB ~120-130 per minute) Stationary exercise bike

Cardio 28-30 minutes:

Total time: 41 minutes

[Marmite the Dog]

My biggest problem is that I rely upon others for weights and squash. I've done nothing this week as Reinvented had to cancel weights on Monday, I got a BS excuse for cancelling squash on Tues, I was unavailable on Wed, Thu is a day off and if I'm lucky I'll get a game of squash in tonight, but I'm not holding out much hope.

[chitown]

MtD,

Go by yourself for the weight training. Do light weights and use dumb bells so you don't require a spotter.


Also, I take my wife and she works out with eights right along with me. A lot lighter weights though! We talk and joke around and it keeps us from getting bored.

[barbaro]

My biggest problem is that I rely upon others for weights and squash. I've done nothing this week as Reinvented had to cancel weights on Monday, I got a BS excuse for cancelling squash on Tues, I was unavailable on Wed, Thu is a day off and if I'm lucky I'll get a game of squash in tonight, but I'm not holding out much hope.

It's hard having a partner because of scheduling, change of plans, and keeping up the general interest by both partners. The more I (and many of us) go to the gym or play a sport, the more boring it may become. People also have work, SO, and other commitments. Weights and Cardio, I prefer no partner. But with a squash, of course we need a partner, as with other sports that require 2 or more people. Yes, it can be tough, when you're amped up and motivated and ready and your partner decides, or has to, cancel. Besta luck.

[chitown]

I take Mrs. Chi with me. She lifts weights and does all the things I do......uhhh except a lot less weight. It keeps it from getting boring as we talk and joke around during the workout.

[mrsquirrel]

^ I take mine with me.

She banters with my mates wife, runs etc and has gotten into better shape.

[barbaro]

July 6, 2008, Sunday

Chest/Back/Bi/Tri

Still doing basic upper body, and giving the body time to get used to lifting again. Not hitting shoulders specifically yet. Lifting heavier now, but rep range varies.

Chest: DB press - 3 X 8-12

Back: Lat Pull down (bar) - 3 X 8 -10

Chest: DB flys (lying on back) - 3 X 8 - 10

Back: Vertical Row (Machine) - 3 X 8

Shrugs: 2 X ~25, 3rd to failure

Chest: Vertical Press (machine) - 1 X 10, 2nd to failure

Tri - push downs (y-rope) - 1 X 7, 2nd to failure

Bi - Sitdown isolation curls, "21s" to failure


Total time: 38 minutes

[barbaro]

Finally got back into it, after six days due to travel delays and jet lag.

Chest/Back/Bi/Tri

Chest: Flat DB Press - 3 x 10-12

Back/Post Delts: Incline T-bar Row (w/ bumper plates) - 2 x 12, 3rd x 8-9 (75 lbs.)

Chest: Flat DB Pec Flys - (warm up on pec dec machine)
2 x 8, 3rd to failure

Back: Lat Pull-down (bar) - 2 x 8-9, 3rd to failure

Traps: Shrugs - 3 x 25-30

Bis: Sitting Isolated DB curl - "21s" to failure

Tris: Tri standing push downs (rope) 2 x 9, 3rd to failure (slow burn)


Total time 41 minutes

Prework out meal: Roast beef and whole wheat bread
Post work out 1: Chicken and whole wheat bread
Post work out 2: same as PWO1

[Marmite the Dog]

I have found a new chap to play squash with as the curent chap is moving in a few weeks.

Last week I did weights twice (Mon & Wed) and squash twice (Tue & Sat). My wrist hurts after using my hand to prevent a smash into the wall.

[barbaro]

July 15th, 2008, Tuesday: (US time)

Cardio

Exercise bike warm up 5 minutes.

Hamstring stretch, calf stretch, Qaud stretch

Cardio, exercise bike, 35+ minutes.
Moderate to middle-upper: HB 120-130+ during last 50% of time.

Squats: body squats only, no weights, 2 x 10+

Basketball dribble: 5 minutes.


Weight: 228 lbs. (with shoes, shorts on).


*My goal is not to lose weight, although weight will decrease if I keep exercising regularly.

Very light on food:

Pre-workout: 2 egg whites 1 yoke, 1 banana, and 1 slice of whole wheat bread.

Post-workout: 2 eggs whites, 1/2 a yoke, and 1 slice of whole wheat bread.

Next workout: Shoulders, forearms

[mrsquirrel]

My new training program is going well.

I'm tired at the end of the week, but there is a noticeable difference in muscle tone and strength. Quite happy with the routine. I need to look for something to change to in the next couple of weeks though for a new routine.

[reinvented]

Mrs Q
have you heard of EDT, a routine by a guy called charles stately? its akiller but may be difficult in a public gym at peak times

moved up to 3 times a week now. for 1 week at least, spending 1 day doing heavier weights, gonna try and get in the habit of doing a little something everyday, and move on to a 5x5 in a few weeks time

marmers you on for tonight?

[mrsquirrel]

EDT has snatch and cleans as a big part to it. Is that right?

I will go back to a 5x5 in a few weeks. Spend maybe six weeks on it and then back to something else - possibly this shock routine or the mental triple set one I had.

I haven't found a 5 x 5 I am happy with yet.

I really want one that is mon tue - thur fri but not seen one that stands out yet.

This muscle shock routine has really hammered me. Been quite surprised as to how tired I've been in the evenings. Noticing less now this week though so it's getting close to time to change.
I've found that once I stop feeling tired at night after a workout I'm not pushing myself as hard and need to get into a new routine.

[reinvented]

yeah, usually the 2nd day after is when i feel it
i need to start pushing it a bit
habit first i guess and then the 5x5

the EDT you can use what you want i believe