Pako
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@Michael88, sounds like your making some good progress! Freaking thing about your face. Got any bruising that might suggest popped blood vessels?
General Workout Routines and Questions
- Thread starter Der Alta
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Can someone care to advise on pre & post workout nutrition? I'm predominantly a cyclist and I'm not looking to bulk up substantially, but I would like to get stronger and maintain my current weight or lost a little. I'm about 78kg now and my goal is 72-75. My routine is typically this:
Wake up around 5:45 have a high carb meal (like oatmeal) with some sugar for fuel
Do an hour of moderate to high intensity work on the bike
...go to work. Sometimes I'll have a banana or a breakfast bar after the workout, but I don't typically consume much or any protein until at least lunch, and even then it's pretty small amounts.
Am I wasting my workout by not getting any protein in before or after? I like to avoid pre-packaged shakes and stuff and eggs don't really have much protein. Any other suggestions? I used to make my own protein shakes...maybe I need to get back into doing that.
Wake up around 5:45 have a high carb meal (like oatmeal) with some sugar for fuel
Do an hour of moderate to high intensity work on the bike
...go to work. Sometimes I'll have a banana or a breakfast bar after the workout, but I don't typically consume much or any protein until at least lunch, and even then it's pretty small amounts.
Am I wasting my workout by not getting any protein in before or after? I like to avoid pre-packaged shakes and stuff and eggs don't really have much protein. Any other suggestions? I used to make my own protein shakes...maybe I need to get back into doing that.
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This is something I was never really sure about. After workouts, I'd go at least 3 hours without eating.
Do any of you swear by protein shakes? Apart from a protein bar here and there just to keep myself from starving, I really don't use any supplements and I try to keep a diet with lots of meats and berries. (no mentioning the bags of corn curls I ordered off Amazon
)
Pako
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Supplements are just that, they are available to supplement your diet if you are lacking somewhere. You are always better to get everything from Whole Foods, but supplementing can help fill in the blanks where you need it.This is something I was never really sure about. After workouts, I'd go at least 3 hours without eating.
Do any of you swear by protein shakes? Apart from a protein bar here and there just to keep myself from starving, I really don't use any supplements and I try to keep a diet with lots of meats and berries. (no mentioning the bags of corn curls I ordered off Amazon
I’m already eating over 800g of whole food protein, but to hit my targeted 300g of actual protein, I have to supplement with shakes to make up the difference.
Post workout shakes, especially Isolates, are important because of their fast absorption rate and can get into the muscle quickly. Whole Foods take long to digest which is also a good thing the rest of the day.
- 5,199
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Nothing visible, but its gone now. I think a nerve freaked out from the high blood pressure from the deadlifts. Stuff like this happens I guess.
I agree with Paco about the supplements. In my opinion its very hard for a natural unenhanced (and non-vegan) lifter to not get enough protein from a healthy well balanced diet. A couple years ago I took protein supplements for a year additionally to my pretty healthy diet and it did absolutely not help to gain mass nor weight. (Though it greatly aided my production of ''wind'' lol. )
I don't want to sound like I want to boast or something but I think I'm a pretty high level non-enhanced lifter and as for diet all I do is eat meals with quality meat twice a day. My diet looks like this: no breakfast (I just don't like it), dinner 2 salmon steaks with steamed potatoes, carrots, salad and tomatoes // supper: 2 pieces of steamed chicken breast with rice, beans, mushrooms and some zucchini // after training couple hours before bedtime I usually eat a small meal like pasta or steamed potatoes with my some salami or hot sauce, nothing too crazy. (And I admit, throughout the day I eat a couple sweets like a bar of chocolate, cant help it, lol. )
I have friends who are professional strongmen and they are enhanced lifters, they do have to take some protein supplements because their protein demand is MUCH higher. For them its possible but VERY hard to get it all from just from the diet itself. But if you are enhanced its a different game altogether, diet, the way you train, recovery, health etc.
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ROAD_DOGG33J
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My general rule with eating is just to make sure there's a decent amount of protein with every meal. I'm also not big on breakfast, so it's usually greek yogurt plus peanuts, and coffee. Sometimes I buy a few Chobani Complete drinks to get some nighttime protein.
- 4,117
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A mouth guard was probably the purchase I’ve made for the gym.
My jaw tends to seize up causing me to slur, I started experiencing it in the gym after lifting heavy weights, so that’s where the mouth guard comes in.
The jaw clenching doesn’t happen all the time, but it helps regardless, just a lot more comfort.
Apart from that, steady progress, doing things slowly.
My jaw tends to seize up causing me to slur, I started experiencing it in the gym after lifting heavy weights, so that’s where the mouth guard comes in.
The jaw clenching doesn’t happen all the time, but it helps regardless, just a lot more comfort.
Apart from that, steady progress, doing things slowly.
- 4,117
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First time benching past 200 in a VERY long time. Not sure why I never tried, but the strength is definitely there despite bench pressing being my weakest exercise.
- 5,199
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Today I tried what I can squat if I ditch my lifting shoes and my lifting belt. No equipment on heavy squats feels so different, I could only do a 172kg squat. Especially the belt helps sooo much to get out of the hole, with shoes and belt I can do around 198-205kg depending on my mood.
I always use a bench for safety and to make sure I hit depth.
I always use a bench for safety and to make sure I hit depth.
Pako
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While joints and ligaments have been giving me fits lately, I'm taking on a new approach working on execution rather than worrying about how much weight I'm throwing around. Been getting really good muscle to mind connection lately. Here's a little sample of what I'm talking about doing some cable hammer curls.
- 5,199
- Nicest part of hell
- 5,199
- Nicest part of hell
Oh yes, I too have to step back sometimes and focus on super clean execution and slow repetition lifts. It feels like repair-mode for me, I always do those for 2-3 weeks when I'm burned out on heavy lifts and my strength / explosiveness suddenly begins to dwindle for no obvious reason.
What I really like doing in those session is doing pause lifts, like going relatively light on bench presses and doing them super slowly with pause an inch above chest for 2 seconds. Its easier on the joints and still demanding and helps getting stronger and improve technique. Or sitting overhead presses with 85% weight super clean execution and a pause at the sticking point.
Oh and also super slow squats with a pause at 90 degrees, that feels so good.
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Pako
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Took a long break from overhead presses and the last time I did push presses was 5 years ago. Still managed some weight though, I'm happy. Especially the push press felt very easy. I do think I have to work some on my shoulder mobility, I made those two vids to see if I can get the bar to travel over the center of my body after clearing my head, and I could not quite do it, and I still pushed the bar a little to the front instead of just vertical-.
I think I need to put some light behind the neck presses into my routine to fix that.
(The bar itself weighs around 12 kg)
I think I need to put some light behind the neck presses into my routine to fix that.
(The bar itself weighs around 12 kg)
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- doubledeuceR6
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Awesome to see a fitness thread here. I mountain bike a couple times a week and hit the gym 3-4 days a week. I recently started the carnivore diet and really liking it. I used to suffer with mid morning headaches and they've disappeared and can't remember the last time I had a migraine. Feel really good on the bike as well. I don't know if I'll always eat this way but it's hard to argue with no headaches.
- 5,199
- Nicest part of hell
Tried something new today, first time I tried out my elastic exercise bands. Got a bunch of them ranging from 10 to 50 lbs.
Tried various exercises with them and they remind me of turbo engines, first a whole lot of nothing and then when it kicks in you got all the torque at the end of your rev (rep) range. But that had to be expected. Not exactly sure how to implement them into my exercise routine yet, I somehow have to find a reason why I'd train my muscles for peak contraction at the end of a repetition.
Maybe that's good for like training if you have lockout weaknesses in some lifts?
I tried triceps extensions with the bands but dumbbells are much better for that, same with biceps curls.
But one, oh one exercise really kicked butt. Chest flyes on the flat bench. Fixed a 50 and a 20 lbs band on my barbell stand, laid down on the bench and with the bands being under slight tension from an extended arm (parallel to the floor) did flyes. Just when my shoulder is no longer working hard and my chest takes over at about a 45 degree angle of the arm the bands kick in HARD, and if I go beyond 90 degrees and hold it a little my chest feels like exploding. Never felt y chest like that even with my heaviest dumbbell bench presses and chest flyes, not even close. I swear I could feel the individual strands of my muscles burning.
Did 4 sets of 12 with a 2 second hold at the end of the rep.
For that reason alone I like the bands already, finally something I can target my chest with properly! In the end I find the bands to be very specialized equipment with very limited use, but they sure do offer some things free weights just cannot do.
I need to find more exercises for them.
Tried various exercises with them and they remind me of turbo engines, first a whole lot of nothing and then when it kicks in you got all the torque at the end of your rev (rep) range. But that had to be expected. Not exactly sure how to implement them into my exercise routine yet, I somehow have to find a reason why I'd train my muscles for peak contraction at the end of a repetition.
Maybe that's good for like training if you have lockout weaknesses in some lifts?
I tried triceps extensions with the bands but dumbbells are much better for that, same with biceps curls.
But one, oh one exercise really kicked butt. Chest flyes on the flat bench. Fixed a 50 and a 20 lbs band on my barbell stand, laid down on the bench and with the bands being under slight tension from an extended arm (parallel to the floor) did flyes. Just when my shoulder is no longer working hard and my chest takes over at about a 45 degree angle of the arm the bands kick in HARD, and if I go beyond 90 degrees and hold it a little my chest feels like exploding. Never felt y chest like that even with my heaviest dumbbell bench presses and chest flyes, not even close. I swear I could feel the individual strands of my muscles burning.
Did 4 sets of 12 with a 2 second hold at the end of the rep.
For that reason alone I like the bands already, finally something I can target my chest with properly! In the end I find the bands to be very specialized equipment with very limited use, but they sure do offer some things free weights just cannot do.
I need to find more exercises for them.
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2g/kg/day protein in your diet. PWO nutrition is not critical as long as your long term intake is sufficient. That said, it can't really hurt to knock back some whey after a workout. I use whey isolate without cholesterol or sugar or anything. It's vanilla ice cream flavor and they recommend a scoop per 8oz of water or milk. I use 12 oz of water and also throw in a heaping tablespoon of Metamucil to make a really good Creamsicle shake. Keeps you from getting constipated and I find that the two mask eachothers' off flavors. The orange masks any bitter protein flavor, and the vanilla smooths out that nasty "tang" fake orange flavor.
I typically feel like I get less soreness and have felt less worn out after workouts since I started monitoring my protein input.
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Down 42lbs since last May and keeping it off well.
I got injured after a bike crash and I fractured/sprained my left hand and tore a muscle in my right shoulder so I haven't lifted in a while.
I got injured after a bike crash and I fractured/sprained my left hand and tore a muscle in my right shoulder so I haven't lifted in a while.
- 5,199
- Nicest part of hell
Sorry to hear you got injured, but that's still not a reason to stop lifting. I had my fair share of injuries, including an damaged shoulder tendon that took me 8 MONTHS to heal, and a belly muscle tear. You got to train around your injuries, you will regenerate faster and bounce back quicker.
Your hand and shoulder is injured? What movements can you still do? If you are a member in a gym you can still do all the leg exercises on machines like leg press, leg extensions, running/cycling, and all the dumbbell exercises with your healthy hand. Maybe you can do squats and good mornings with the safety bar, it was originally designed for people with shoulder issues.
As for me, I had a weird discovery. I found out if I eat a lot of cocoa - pure organic cocoa powder, high concentration, not the ready made drinks that barely contain any cocoa- I get a noticeable boost in strength. I eat about 4 big scoops a day and rinse it with water.
I'm not sure why but for example I can add 5 kilos to my barbell bench press with the same amount of repetitions, or I can add 2.5 kilos to my dumbbell biceps curls same reps.
I'm stronger and my muscles get less sore which I think means I get better regeneration.
When I skip eating the cocoa for 3-4 days my strength level slowly decreases to the previous levels. Its definitely not my imagination, adding 5 kilos on the bench for 8 reps is more than just having a good day, I bench lot and there is definitely some kind of boost happening.
Might be something worth trying, especially for the high-level lifters like @Pako
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Pako
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@Michael88, cocoa huh? Might have to give that a shot.
Speaking of injuries, I had surgery on my hand, carpal tunnel. They go in a snip the tendon that covers the medial nerve.
I didn’t miss a day in the gym. Morning of the surgery I was getting in every upper body lift I could get. For the next 4 weeks I modified my splits, doubled up on legs, and found work arounds for my other lifts. I was smart about it, but wasn’t going to sit on the couch for a month while I waited for my hand to heal up.
I was also 3 weeks ahead of recovery schedule which I attribute to staying active.
Cheers!
Speaking of injuries, I had surgery on my hand, carpal tunnel. They go in a snip the tendon that covers the medial nerve.
I didn’t miss a day in the gym. Morning of the surgery I was getting in every upper body lift I could get. For the next 4 weeks I modified my splits, doubled up on legs, and found work arounds for my other lifts. I was smart about it, but wasn’t going to sit on the couch for a month while I waited for my hand to heal up.
I was also 3 weeks ahead of recovery schedule which I attribute to staying active.
Cheers!
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Do you think you got carpal syndrome from heavy benching? How did it affect your grip on barbell squats?
I suffer mildly from carpals and I have to take extra care not to strain my palms/wrists too much, especially in those two exercises. Sometimes when I bench heavy my palms hurt and my fingertips are slightly numb (with proper grip).
That's where I appreciate my safety bar, allows me to squat while putting my arms and hands in a relaxed position.
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@Michael88 @Pako - Peer pressure 
Decided to go in for a lighter version of my routine. I pretty much did my usual back and shoulder routine, but with significantly less weight. As I started to round out towards the end I realized that I felt much better than before. My hand, despite being a little sore doing some movements, can bear the weight from barbells and dumbbells just fine.
My shoulder is something I need to be more careful with - I did the usual shoulder presses and shrugs on a lighter weight just to rebuild confidence.
Honestly, my shoulder left shoulder blade is bothering me more than any of the other injuries, and that wasn't due to the bike accident. I just did upright rows to do some general movement of it and get back into the lower back exercise.
Thanks for motivating me to get back into the gym. I'll be taking a break on the bike because I've been losing my mind trying to tune the damn thing over time. The roads where I am are ROUGH, so that'll be a hit to my general leg fitness.
I missed the damn gym. So relaxing.
Decided to go in for a lighter version of my routine. I pretty much did my usual back and shoulder routine, but with significantly less weight. As I started to round out towards the end I realized that I felt much better than before. My hand, despite being a little sore doing some movements, can bear the weight from barbells and dumbbells just fine.
My shoulder is something I need to be more careful with - I did the usual shoulder presses and shrugs on a lighter weight just to rebuild confidence.
Honestly, my shoulder left shoulder blade is bothering me more than any of the other injuries, and that wasn't due to the bike accident. I just did upright rows to do some general movement of it and get back into the lower back exercise.
Thanks for motivating me to get back into the gym. I'll be taking a break on the bike because I've been losing my mind trying to tune the damn thing over time. The roads where I am are ROUGH, so that'll be a hit to my general leg fitness.
I missed the damn gym. So relaxing.
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