Squats, deadlifts, cleans, clean and jerks, snatch, and bent over rows. This is all you need to do. Works everything. It's not really strength training if you ignore the largest muscles in your body. Unless you are bodybuilding to look pretty, arm work alone is pretty useless for overall fitness. I'm not a fan of the bench press either.
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Feb. 1, 2012 11:46 p.m. Jeff Dork
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Feb. 2, 2012 8:10 a.m. Otto Maddox SuperDork
In reply to Jeff:
I am only concerned with staying healthy and looking pretty. I guess I could do all that stuff and work on my brute strength, but frankly I have no use for brute strength.
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Feb. 2, 2012 8:19 a.m. J308 Reader
Conquest351 wrote:
Here's my goals... I just want to put on some lean mass so the wife give me "those" eyes again. LOL
Unpossible. You're married. Time to wake up, broseph.
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Feb. 2, 2012 8:20 a.m. Conquest351 Dork
J308 wrote:
Conquest351 wrote:
Here's my goals... I just want to put on some lean mass so the wife give me "those" eyes again. LOL
Unpossible. You're married. Time to wake up, broseph.
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Feb. 2, 2012 8:32 a.m. Otto Maddox SuperDork
Conquest351 wrote:
J308 wrote:
Conquest351 wrote:
Here's my goals... I just want to put on some lean mass so the wife give me "those" eyes again. LOL
Unpossible. You're married. Time to wake up, broseph.
I've found my wife still looks at me the same but other women take more notice of me. Of course, I haven't changed dramatically. I just toned up a little and added a little muscle.
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Feb. 2, 2012 9:56 a.m. Klayfish HalfDork
J308 wrote:
Conquest351 wrote:
Here's my goals... I just want to put on some lean mass so the wife give me "those" eyes again. LOL
Unpossible. You're married. Time to wake up, broseph.
Nah, simple solution. Get the wife involved in it too. It's awesome
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Feb. 2, 2012 10:05 a.m. rotard HalfDork
Sex is better with women that are in shape. True story.
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Feb. 2, 2012 10:29 a.m. Conquest351 Dork
Hahaha!! She's started running every evening at the local school's new track. She wants to get into 5k shape in the next month or so. We're both getting into it, just I hit the gym and she hits the track. I've asked her to hit the gym with me, but she no wanty. I need to go hit the track with her, but someone's gotta watch the youngern, and taking a 1.5 yr old to the track isn't as much fun as it sounds. LOL
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Feb. 2, 2012 3:56 p.m. Zomby woof SuperDork
Otto Maddox wrote:
I've found my wife still looks at me the same but other women take more notice of me. Of course, I haven't changed dramatically. I just toned up a little and added a little muscle.
That's true.
Every time you bust them taking a good look, it's worth every hour you spent in the gym.
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Feb. 2, 2012 4:11 p.m. gamby SuperDork
Otto Maddox wrote:
Conquest351 wrote:
J308 wrote:
Conquest351 wrote:
Here's my goals... I just want to put on some lean mass so the wife give me "those" eyes again. LOL
Unpossible. You're married. Time to wake up, broseph.
I've found my wife still looks at me the same but other women take more notice of me. Of course, I haven't changed dramatically. I just toned up a little and added a little muscle.
Sad truth.
I'm on a quest to look good by my 40th birthday in May, which will involve dropping 20lbs from Jan 1 (I had dropped 9.5lbs as of Sunday).
Doing a lot of at-home circuit stuff, cross training with cycling.
My wife won't care, but it'll be nice to get the attention of other women just for the affirmation of it all. Kinda like having an awesome car and leaving it in the garage.
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Feb. 2, 2012 7:58 p.m. DeadSkunk Dork
In reply to Conquest351:
At 6' 1" and 185 lb.,you're already at the upper end of the healthy Body Mass Index range.You just need to move the weight around with the training. I've had people notice my improvements and I haven't added any weight, just slimmed down around the middle and built up a little chest and arm mass. The real bonus is that I feel better all the time. -
Feb. 3, 2012 8:11 a.m. Conquest351 Dork
DeadSkunk wrote:
In reply to Conquest351:
At 6' 1" and 185 lb.,you're already at the upper end of the healthy Body Mass Index range.You just need to move the weight around with the training. I've had people notice my improvements and I haven't added any weight, just slimmed down around the middle and built up a little chest and arm mass. The real bonus is that I feel better all the time.Awesome. Thanks for that. I have my workout from Tuesday and Yesterday on a little Excel file on my phone that I update. I missed Monday and Wednesdays are my break in the middle. I'll post all my workout stuff with my weights if ya'll want and promise not to laugh. LOL I was honestly surprised I was able to work out on the bench press with over 100 lbs. LOL I hadn't touched that exercise in 10+ years.
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Feb. 3, 2012 9:50 a.m. J308 Reader
Conquest351 wrote:
DeadSkunk wrote:
In reply to Conquest351:
At 6' 1" and 185 lb.,you're already at the upper end of the healthy Body Mass Index range.You just need to move the weight around with the training. I've had people notice my improvements and I haven't added any weight, just slimmed down around the middle and built up a little chest and arm mass. The real bonus is that I feel better all the time.Awesome. Thanks for that. I have my workout from Tuesday and Yesterday on a little Excel file on my phone that I update. I missed Monday and Wednesdays are my break in the middle. I'll post all my workout stuff with my weights if ya'll want and promise not to laugh. LOL I was honestly surprised I was able to work out on the bench press with over 100 lbs. LOL I hadn't touched that exercise in 10+ years.
Yeah but how many transmissions and LSDs have you dropped by hand?
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Feb. 3, 2012 9:56 a.m. Klayfish HalfDork
Take it nice and slow, you'll get to where you want. If you're 6'1" and 185, I'm guessing you'll want to add some meat to them bones...
If you don't have a lot of muscle now, some of that 185 could be fat, but probably not a ton. Keep in mind muscle weighs a lot more than fat, so if you build muscle, you'll gain weight. 10 lbs wouldn't be out of the question in a year.
I'm 5'9" and 170lbs and pretty happy there.
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Feb. 3, 2012 8:48 p.m. Osterkraut SuperDork
Conquest351 wrote:
Just starting out. I've worked out before, but never on a "plan". I have a really good friend who's a body builder/UFC fighter and he hooked me up with the following starter workout plan...
Monday: Flat bench press Flat db's Incline db's Side db raises Front db raises Front shoulder presses Flat Ez curl French press Cable push downs Tricep kickbacks
Tuesday: Alternating db curls Ez curl bar curls Cable curls (straight bar) Lat cable pull downs Bent over db rows Seated cable rows
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Repeat Monday
Friday: Repeat Tuesday
Weekend: Off
I know, no core/abs or legs yet, but he said these will get the muscles used to working out and he'll update the program in 4-6 weeks.
What are you guys doing?
Your friend sounds like a bit of a bro. "Bodybuilder/UFC fighter"? Tricep kickbacks? No attention paid to the wheels?
Literally thousands of pounds have been added by people following Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. I gained 20lbs doing 12 weeks of SS after farting around for years, lost a chunk of that wasting time with P90X and running, and am now doing "Bill Starr 5x5" which I love because I know at any point what weight I'm going to being using that day or 20 days from now. Also weighted chinups. Lots and lots of weighted chinups.
Also, if you want a better logging system, I've got some Fitocracy invites left.
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Feb. 3, 2012 9:01 p.m. rotard HalfDork
DeadSkunk wrote:
In reply to Conquest351:
At 6' 1" and 185 lb.,you're already at the upper end of the healthy Body Mass Index range.You just need to move the weight around with the training. I've had people notice my improvements and I haven't added any weight, just slimmed down around the middle and built up a little chest and arm mass. The real bonus is that I feel better all the time.BMI is bullE36 M3, especially if you've built up any muscle at all.
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Feb. 3, 2012 9:09 p.m. Osterkraut SuperDork
rotard wrote:
DeadSkunk wrote:
In reply to Conquest351:
At 6' 1" and 185 lb.,you're already at the upper end of the healthy Body Mass Index range.You just need to move the weight around with the training. I've had people notice my improvements and I haven't added any weight, just slimmed down around the middle and built up a little chest and arm mass. The real bonus is that I feel better all the time.BMI is bullE36 M3, especially if you've built up any muscle at all.
Though I find that the only people who bring up the whole "The Rock is overweight according to BMI" are chubbos. (Though I know that's not your case, there are no fat people in the Air Force)
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Feb. 3, 2012 9:42 p.m. DeadSkunk Dork
In reply to rotard:
If a person has a BMI above 25, AND he has his percent body fat below 22% I wouldn't be concerned about the BMI. It's also a blanket measurable that ignores age. But, BMI and fat % are both good places to start from. I'll bet that Conquest has a fat % over 22 unless he's be exercising quite a bit already. If his fat content is significantly above 22, he has some room to muscle up without any weight gain. After that he can keep adding mass and still keep his fat below 22 with a commitment to a strength training regimen, if that's what he wants to do. At that point, I agree with you, the BMI won't mean much. In all of this, nothing says an individual with a BMI of 28 and fat % of 30 is automatically a heart attack candidate either. We are, after all, all individuals. I'm exercising hard to stay below a BMI of 25 and fat % of 22 because I've already had heart problems. I ignored all of this until it was too late. Now I'm committed to trying to extend my lifespan after having stacked the odds in the Grim Reaper's favour ! -
Feb. 6, 2012 10:35 a.m. Conquest351 Dork
What do you guys do to warm up? Stretches? I'm really a n00b at the gym and don't want to hurt myself.
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Feb. 6, 2012 10:45 a.m. Klayfish HalfDork
Osterkraut wrote:
Your friend sounds like a bit of a bro. "Bodybuilder/UFC fighter"? Tricep kickbacks? No attention paid to the wheels?
Literally thousands of pounds have been added by people following Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. I gained 20lbs doing 12 weeks of SS after farting around for years, lost a chunk of that wasting time with P90X and running, and am now doing "Bill Starr 5x5" which I love because I know at any point what weight I'm going to being using that day or 20 days from now. Also weighted chinups. Lots and lots of weighted chinups.
Also, if you want a better logging system, I've got some Fitocracy invites left.
Good advice there. Rippetoe or Bill Starr are great starter programs. I've never tried P90X, and I'd say that doing something is better than nothing, but you don't need to chase the latest fad.
Don't worry about BMI. Let the mirror and clothes be your guide. They will tell you all you need to know.
As for warming up, stretch. Whatever body part you're working on, stretch it out first. Especially when you're just starting out. As you get more experience, you'll learn what works best for you. For me, I stretch out for a minute or so, but then use weights to "warm up". For instance, if I'm going to decline bench, I'll stetch my chest for a little. Then I'll do a set of 6-8 reps with the empty bar, then get started with my regular routine. At that point, I'm warmed up, so when I go to my next chest exercise, I go right into it.
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Feb. 6, 2012 11:37 a.m. PHeller Dork
What is the basic summary of "Starting Strength?"
I've heard a lot about push ups, up-downs, and pull ups being excellent forms of full-body exercise. It just sucks when you can only do so many of them. I do far more useless curls, ride all day, mountain bike races, than I can push ups or pull ups.
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Feb. 6, 2012 11:46 a.m. DeadSkunk Dork
Conquest351 wrote:
What do you guys do to warm up? Stretches? I'm really a n00b at the gym and don't want to hurt myself.
Since I go to the gym as a result of prior heart problems, I start with cardio. Fifteen minutes on a treadmill, followed by another fifteen on a rowing machine. That warms me up and gets most of my muscles moving before hitting the weights. If I don't feel like doing a full workout I always do the cardio. It's important to me because I won't be able to work on the muscles if I drop dead of a heart attack.
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Feb. 6, 2012 1:47 p.m. Conquest351 Dork
DeadSkunk wrote:
Conquest351 wrote:
What do you guys do to warm up? Stretches? I'm really a n00b at the gym and don't want to hurt myself.
Since I go to the gym as a result of prior heart problems, I start with cardio. Fifteen minutes on a treadmill, followed by another fifteen on a rowing machine. That warms me up and gets most of my muscles moving before hitting the weights. If I don't feel like doing a full workout I always do the cardio. It's important to me because I won't be able to work on the muscles if I drop dead of a heart attack.
You haz a good point...
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Feb. 6, 2012 2:24 p.m. Osterkraut SuperDork
PHeller wrote:
What is the basic summary of "Starting Strength?"
I've heard a lot about push ups, up-downs, and pull ups being excellent forms of full-body exercise. It just sucks when you can only do so many of them. I do far more useless curls, ride all day, mountain bike races, than I can push ups or pull ups.
Those don't include the ramp-up warmup sets, though. Not mentioned directly is a key principle: increase weight every time you are at the gym.
The linked Google Docs calculator is a thing of beauty, it literally takes all the guesswork out of it.
