General Workout Routines and Questions

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

That's what I'll try if the hook grip doesn't work. The mixed grip doesn't seem ideal since I would be switching hands every rep. I read that one of the combinations would be stronger and the other weaker. I didn't really buy in to the whole balance thing before, but I think it would be better if the muscles were being used in the same way on both sides.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

You dont have to switch hands every rep or did you mean set? I switch each set but not each rep. ANd only when I use around 300lbs for deadlifts, shrugs, or calf raises. I lift at home so everything I do is free weight.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

You dont have to switch hands every rep or did you mean set? I switch each set but not each rep. ANd only when I use around 300lbs for deadlifts, shrugs, or calf raises. I lift at home so everything I do is free weight.

I only do one working set. It's enough to get me stronger. And I wouldn't want more since the lower back recovers so slowly.

 

[NLxAROSA]

I had found that it was easier to do the excerise by having it slightly further down the body, around the lower chest area.

I hold the bar even lower, below the chest.

Just benched 3x10 of 180lbs this morning .

It's well over your body weight, so that's excellent. 👍 I think it's considered good if you can press more than your own bodyweight once.

I started using it a couple of weeks ago. Didn't notice anything in my workouts.

I tried creatine a few years ago, when I was still working out with my buddy. We were pretty much training at the limit back then, so it didn't do anything for us at all. Personally, I suspect that people having good results from it weren't quite training at their limit before, and the placebo-effect of the creatine helped them train harder, which resulted in better gains. Which is still not bad, because even if it's just a placebo, it still worked for them. Not for me though. If it works for some, then good for them.

I forgot the name of the grip names but have you tried grabbing the bar with one palm facing you, and the other one facing away? That makes a HUGE difference.

Yeah, when I do four sets of deadlifting, I do the first two doing regular grip, and the final (heavy) two with mixed grip (fourth set I switch hands). Tried full reverse grip too, but that didn't feel quite right.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Yeah, when I do four sets of deadlifting, I do the first two doing regular grip, and the final (heavy) two with mixed grip (fourth set I switch hands). Tried full reverse grip too, but that didn't feel quite right.

Yup exactly what I do. First few sets I just hold regular grip, no straps, no gloves. Then the last couple heavy sets I use a mixed grip if necessary.

I had another personal best last week on Friday.

Military press
115 x 13

So pretty much every single workout last week was a new PB. It was THE best week I have had in a almost a year. Though I did get some shoulder pain from the Military press. So probably drop back down a little for that to avoid injury.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I tried creatine a few years ago, when I was still working out with my buddy. We were pretty much training at the limit back then, so it didn't do anything for us at all. Personally, I suspect that people having good results from it weren't quite training at their limit before, and the placebo-effect of the creatine helped them train harder, which resulted in better gains. Which is still not bad, because even if it's just a placebo, it still worked for them. Not for me though. If it works for some, then good for them.

I figured I should have noticed a difference since I mainly lift in the low rep range, which is where the benefit should be. But there are studies out there saying it works, so I think it just doesn't work for everyone.



I tried the hook grip today. It seemed more secure, but my thumbs were starting to hurt pretty bad. I'll probably do warm-ups with it and hope it ends getting stronger.

 

[NLxAROSA]

Where do you keep your thumbs when lifting? On the opposing side of your fingers (like in the pic above) or on the same side as your fingers? I generally keep my thumbs on the same side as my fingers, especially with relatively heavy weights.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

With the hook grip you wrap your fingers around the thumb, so it puts a lot of pressure on it.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

The Hook grip sounds like it would be very painful on the thumb. Its basically setting 300lbs or whatever you are deadlifting, right onto your thumbs. OUch!

 

[NLxAROSA]

Sounds painful indeed.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

You're supposed to get used to it. If I will, I'll have thumbs made of stone.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Yeah no kidding. You wont even need a jack handle to jack up cars anymore, just ram your thumb in there. lol!

On a side note this will be our last week of working out for probably 2 weeks. We get married next Saturday July 2nd and then will be on vacation for over a week.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

You're supposed to get used to it. If I will, I'll have thumbs made of stone.

I use/used hook grip and you really do get used to it. Once you get over the fear that your thumb will get crushed (it really won't) it's fine!

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Yeah no kidding. You wont even need a jack handle to jack up cars anymore, just ram your thumb in there. lol!

On a side note this will be our last week of working out for probably 2 weeks. We get married next Saturday July 2nd and then will be on vacation for over a week.

Congratulations and good luck with the ceremony and all that.

 

[raz_10]

-14.9 lbs by June 2nd
***Update
I gain 4 lbs (the week of Father's day) as I took a week off to rest my body and ate anything, McDonald's (1 day), burritos (1 dinner) and also had a couple of late night dinners(sushi, rice, etc.)
The week after (6/20) I returned to my routine but was so sore and in pain, it was like staring over again but was able to stick to the routine and break through the pain I added an extra night of soccer, total of 4 hours a week.
Also added and hour of punching bag workout (punching, punch-combos, kicking, kick -punch combos) along with the 4 mile run with the dogs.
For nutrition I cut down on cereal in the mornings, added more protein, egg whites, chicken, fish.
On the weight in yesterday morning I lost 9 lbs bringing me to -24 lbs for a total of 198.2 with 5 weeks to go in the competition.

 

[raz_10]

So since June 27th ^ last post
I have only managed to loose 4 pounds! 👎
I am able to workout 6 times a week now, with no need to recoup any longer, I can do hour of soccer and come home and run 2-3 miles. My treadmill running is now up to 5% incline @ 6 speed, for 4 miles.
But cannot get down past 194 lbs.

I need to get to ~184 lbs by July 31st.

Any one got any ideas, suggestions?

I am thinking of doing the induction of South Beach starting Monday to shake some things up.

 

[NLxAROSA]

Any one got any ideas, suggestions?

What's your food and training schedule? Judging from the fact you lost 15lbs in one month, I think you may have started out a bit too fast and may have hit a bottom for now. If I am correct you have now lost 19lbs right?

Usually when hitting a plateau, it helps to throw things around, like a different diet or different workout schedule. Judging from previous posts, I think you could use some free weights training. Yes, that will build mass. That mass will in turn help you burn off fat. But post your schedules first, so people here can advise more efficiently. 👍

I lost 36 lbs in about 5 months (January - June), now on a plateau, which I'm comfortable with at the moment. I train 4 days per week: 2 times 4 mile running and 2 times full body workout. On top there's a food schedule that is extremely strict for 5 days of the week and less strict for 2 days of the week.

 

[ExigeEvan]

So since June 27th ^ last post
I have only managed to loose 4 pounds! 👎
I am able to workout 6 times a week now, with no need to recoup any longer, I can do hour of soccer and come home and run 2-3 miles. My treadmill running is now up to 5% incline @ 6 speed, for 4 miles.
But cannot get down past 194 lbs.

I need to get to ~184 lbs by July 31st.

Any one got any ideas, suggestions?

I am thinking of doing the induction of South Beach starting Monday to shake some things up.

Switch it up. Increase the intensity and decrease the time, try some High Intensity Interval Training.

Alternatively, try a different sport. You seem to be just running, try swimming, rock climbing or cycling. Challenge your body, because it's just like your mind in that do the same thing for too long and it adapts and isn't challenged.

 

[raz_10]

Here is the Google Doc with a quick guide of my food and workouts.

If I am correct you have now lost 19lbs right?

It is actually 27 lbs so far - starting weight was 222 Lbs back in May 1st. I am stuck between 195 and 198 right now.

I have not weights at the moment, will probably have to make something up. No room in the apartment.
Also thinking of doing either the P90X videos or the Insanity videos

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

You should start each day with a bit of HIIT. The right type of weight training is good for burning calories and maintaining muscle mass. But an extra pound of muscle only burns about 6 calories per day.

I had the same plateau effect when I was dropping weight. It felt like I was barely eating anything. Now I can stuff myself and just increase my weight a little.

 

[TB]

Last week I joined Snap Fitness and included with the membership is the use of mysnapfitness.com, a site where you choose one of four exercise plans: Better Health, Advanced Training (I don't think I'm quite ready for that one yet), Basic 8, or the one I chose (for now, at least): Weight Loss.

Once you've chosen a plan, they then give you your routine for the day - Monday, for example, is slated to be Treadmill Warm-up, Smith Machine Bench Press, Standing Alternate Dumbbell Curls and 15 others. Alternatively, I can forgo their plans and do whatever lifts I want and am able to still track it. My question to those of you that have lifted is this: when you are lifting, do you get stuck in a rut of doing the same exercises you liked or did you have to force yourself to change it up? I feel that if something is on paper/screen in front of me I'm more likely to do it when I wouldn't otherwise but I also don't want to dread going to the gym to do something I don't like.

Also, as I've only just started, I'm not sure how often it changes routines or if it will at some point start suggesting how much weight I should be using based on past history, which is what I would really like. I can't help it; I'm a graph geek. To the tune that if they don't start suggesting weights soon, I'll likely fire up Excel.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

I have been going to a gym for almost a year now. I screwed around in the beginning trying various stuff but always pretty much sticking to the same handful of exercises. My bread and butter includes bench press(DB or bar), deadlifts, overhead press and squats. I also have been doing barbell rows and added power cleans along the way. A week or two ago I added underhand pull-ups to hit the biceps and upper back. Seeing the effectiveness of my bread and butter, I don't see myself stopping them at anytime.


If you're looking to lose weight or pretty much anything else, I would suggest sticking to compound exercises. Pull-ups are a better, more useful way to work biceps and you'll work other muscles as well. Smith machine bench press is a bad exercise especially for a beginner, as it takes out many of the stabilizer muscles.

 

[NLxAROSA]

My question to those of you that have lifted is this: when you are lifting, do you get stuck in a rut of doing the same exercises you liked or did you have to force yourself to change it up? I feel that if something is on paper/screen in front of me I'm more likely to do it when I wouldn't otherwise but I also don't want to dread going to the gym to do something I don't like.

A workout schedule is never static. Over time, your body will change, so your schedule will have to reflect that. (e.g. when you haven't hit your ceiling yet, increase the weights; at a ceiling: throw around the schedule) What is your goal for working out? Just weight loss?

 

[Gabkicks]

bout to start a pretty intense regime. hopefully nothing on mah body tears/breaks >_<

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

bout to start a pretty intense regime. hopefully nothing on mah body tears/breaks >_<

Are you doing Smolov for squats or something?

 

[Omnis]

How do you do this without smashing your nuts together on the way down?

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

How do you do this without smashing your nuts together on the way down?

I can't answer your question, but why not try a slight variation on the exercise in the video?

Maybe a traditional deep squat, with feet at shoulder width apart?

 

[Omnis]

That's not the point of the exercise shown. If you have supreme flexibility, you can do what Jerzy does. The problem is, I can't imagine doing that even with the flexibility, because of balls.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

That's not the point of the exercise shown. If you have supreme flexibility, you can do what Jerzy does. The problem is, I can't imagine doing that even with the flexibility, because of balls.

Pull them up so they rest in your lap? If you can do any squat with heels staying on the floor you're flexible enough! Keeping feet together makes such a small difference that rendering yourself infertile is slightly pointless!

 

[Submerged]

Anyway, doing squats would use the hamstrings and the quads, but not a lot of the hip flexors muscles (I am assuming you are used to balancing and have all the core balance all sorted out) so it wouldn't really squash the balls that much.