General Workout Routines and Questions

[Omnis]

I had a nice steak and a bottle of wine. But then I ran out of paper towels so I couldn't clean my skillet. So I ran to the store next to my gym and then figured what the hell and went to the gym too. This is after a few days off. Like friday plus the weekend plus monday.

So it's amazing how easy it was to bench press with some red meat and red wine in me. It also helped that I was really focused on lat engagement this time. It really makes the movement much more efficient. I could have also recovered a lot and gotten a lot stronger. I was practically throwing up the weight. I set a rep PR at what is normally my heaviest set weight. Not going to try a weight PR until I engrain that pattern a little better and have a good spotter.

Did I mention the wine?

 

[Michael88]

Mixing alcohol with lifting is still not a good idea though despite the obvious psychological benefits of some alcohol in your blood. Even the slightest amount of alcohol will have negative effects on your dexterity and balance, which is especially dangerous when doing bench presses and exercises that can ''trap'' and even kill you.

You might want to experiment with smelling salts right before performing a lift, those are natural insta-uppers which will have a positive effect on your strength. Strong men use them just before performing really heavy lifts.

 

[phillgt2002]

You might want to experiment with smelling salts right before performing a lift, those are natural insta-uppers which will have a positive effect on your strength.

What does that do in particular?

 

[Michael88]

What does that do in particular?

To quote wiki: Smelling salts release ammonia which triggers an inhalation reflex (that is, cause the muscles that control breathing to work faster) by irritating the mucous membranes of the nose and lungs.
Additionally, the irritant elevates the heart rate, blood pressure, and brain activity by activating the sympathetic nervous system.

I've never tried smelling salts when lifting, but I know power lifters that do.

 

[EvanJamesLee]

I do 3 sets of 8 chin ups and 3 sets of 8 pullups with this thing.

Only the finest of used broomstick handle and duct tape for me.

 

[DRJULESSTEELE]

90 mins cardio and sometimes 30-60 mins weightlifting everyday for me. No pain no gain.

 

[Michael88]

I do 3 sets of 8 chin ups and 3 sets of 8 pullups with this thing.

Only the finest of used broomstick handle and duct tape for me.

That contraption holds your weight?

 

[DRJULESSTEELE]

That contraption holds your weight?

I'll only do chin ups if the device is mounted to concrete.

 

[Luminis]

That's some MacGuyver-style contraption, alright

Been back to the gym since monday; took an entire week off before. A necessity, probably. My body felt constantly tired and weak. Much better now. Might as well take such breakes more often, given how good lifting feels.

I'm actually feeling very sore after working out - and I usually don't feel anything no matter how hard I push myself

I also ate way more than usual - didn't gain much, if any, weight. Good news, I suppose, but it means I ought to rethink my guideline oft 2,300 kcal a day.

 

[EvanJamesLee]

That contraption holds your weight?

Yeah, I only weigh 120 lbs so it holds. Although I will switch the broomstick for a crowbar when I do weighted exercises because the wood bar creaks with more pressure.

 

[Omnis]

Mixing alcohol with lifting is still not a good idea though despite the obvious psychological benefits of some alcohol in your blood. Even the slightest amount of alcohol will have negative effects on your dexterity and balance, which is especially dangerous when doing bench presses and exercises that can ''trap'' and even kill you.

You might want to experiment with smelling salts right before performing a lift, those are natural insta-uppers which will have a positive effect on your strength. Strong men use them just before performing really heavy lifts.

God damn it. Stop being so Austriere.

 

[Michael88]

God damn it. Stop being so Austriere.

No can do.

 

[Michael88]

I just did 3 sets of 10 reps of 155kg (340lbs) deadlifts, I seriously feel like passing out.

 

[phillgt2002]

I just did 3 sets of 10 reps of 155kg (340lbs) deadlifts, I seriously feel like passing out.

That sounds about right.

The moment when you lift extremely heavy weight and you walk away wobbling like 'yeah, I got this.' One wrong step and you're going to face plant the ground.

 

[Michael88]

Yes exactly! Funny, the heavier you lift the lighter you'll feel afterwards!

 

[Omnis]

Took a week off for memorial day. Went back and smashed PRs this week.

 

[Michael88]

Today I did some handstand shoulder presses; you do a locked arm handstand and then you lower yourself till your head touches the ground then you press with your shoulders and lift yourself up again. Feel great, military presses are still harder tough.
Too bad I can't do a handstand without help, but those feel great.

 

[Omnis]

Look at how absolutely jacked this little Chinese girl is:



She is C&Jing my squat. 🤬

 

[Michael88]

Speaking of squats, anyone need a squat and lunge motivational?

 

[Michael88]

Today I did 80kg / 176lbs Goblet Squats 8-6 reps
🤬 me, the dumbbell is so far away from my chest the core activation is crazy. My abs and back literally exploded. 80 kg mixed with the word squat sounds rather unimpressive but I tell you, do some heavy goblet squats and report back.

These are goblet squats: (Thats not me btw)

 

[Omnis]

Speaking of squats, anyone need a squat and lunge motivational?

Jesus, that girl's lower body looks like twice the size of the rest of her. Tree trunk.

Nice goblet squats. Aren't they great? I much prefer them to choking myself out with the bar doing front squats.

 

[Michael88]

I wonder how much she can squat. Or if she could squish me with her thighs.

Nice goblet squats. Aren't they great? I much prefer them to choking myself out with the bar doing front squats.

Yeah, I'd be lying if I said that front squats didn't make my wrists feel funny. Also with goblets squats you have to hold the freaking weight with your upper body, not just rest the bar on your shoulders - huge difference. It takes so much core to lift heavy goblet I can hardly breathe because my abs are working at absolute max.

 

[Andrew R]

I've got a hold of one of my brothers spare kettle bells and plan to start playing with that for a half hour a day or so. From what I've read a decent circuit of 5 different exercises with a short break between circuits should be a good way to get into, build some core strength and shed some weight. Anybody have any particular advice? I just have the single bell, starting off at 16kg. I struggle to get motivated, at least by establishing it here I feel like a jerk if I ask people advice, waste their time don't follow through.

 

[Michael88]

A fixed weight dumbbell alone is pretty much useless for starting strength training, if you are serious about starting strengthening your body you should either simply join a gym or by a dumbbell set with adjustable weights-.

 

[Michael88]

Ramped up the goblet squat weight to 85kg /190lbs now, its damn hard to get into position with that dumbbell, size is becoming a problem. But I still love that exercise and even prefer it over regular deadlifts right now.

I also did 3 sets of one armed 44kg / 100lbs dumbbell rows.

 

[Smoke&Slide]

Hi folks how do i get toned and muscley without doing bodybuilding ?.Because i am not going down that road.Everybody seems to be doing that these days.I have been to the dietitian and sorted the food and drink side out.I have lost 6kg and have kept it off too.Now i need to gain muscle ( not for vanity, because i am not vein ).So how many reps and sets do i need to do and what's the recovery time between each set ?.

 

[Michael88]

Hi folks how do i get toned and muscley

( not for vanity, because i am not vein )

Long version: So if you're such a saint and completely void of any vanity, why do you want to get all toned and muscular and why don't you want to do it the easiest and most effective way?

Short version: What?

 

[Omnis]

Do you want to create an aesthetic physique as art, or are you not artery either?

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

That question depends on your definition of bodybuilding.

The answer either way would probably be to focus on the major exercises that involve the most muscles: Squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bench press, and rows or pull-ups. I would go with low reps 5-8 on stuff like squats, bench press, overhead press and deadlifts. Though that also depends on the equipment. If you do bench press with dumbbells you might want to go higher before you move up to the next weight.

 

[Michael88]

Today I took my 80kg goblet-squat dumbbell and used it for standing overhead presses. I don't even know if thats an exercise that already exists and I'M not sure if its better or worse than regular barbell presses, but pressing a weight with hammer grip and really narrow grip width is pretty interesting, it feels great and its very challenging.
More so than barbell shoulder presses.