On January 19 2009 06:46 Warrior Madness wrote: Some of you have extremely unrealistic goals. 10 pounds in one month?? If you have the perfect workout, with the perfect nutrition you'd gain 1 pound of lean muscle in one week at most. I workout three days a week and run two days a week. My workouts include squats, deadlifts, benchpresses, power cleans, overhead presses, and chinups. My main focus is on form (I have a personal trainer for that) and progressively increasing my weights by 5-10 pounds each time I go to the gym.
That exactly why I got so aggressive and pissed off, and why I said a lot of people here are hypocrites....
I give you few examples of what I see in the gym and what I know:
1. they don't go do work out because weather is shitty. 2. they don't follow a strict diet and training regime, still partying and drinking as if it's perfectly fine. 3. no dedication and ignorant. 4. making unrealistic goals and too lazy to read few articles. 5. only go work out when their friends go, are you doing it for your friends or for yourself? 6. when people make constructive criticism, they think it is rude and wrong. 7. keep making new resolutions, such as new year's, why can't you tell yourself and start right now? 8. make promises and never keep them, always have legitimate excuses for everything. 9. training doesn't pay off, blame the shit doesn't work. 10. always do one exercise in gym, ie bench press, put on pair of 45lb plates to start off with then can't go higher. 11. doesn't do warm ups, jump straight into weights.
many more, there is no point keep on writing. Just ask yourselves, the people who made those TL fitness initiatives, when are you serious enough to get anything done, or it's just a another thread for hype?
As I suggested in the op, this thread was about staying motivated, all your points are absolutely correct, I have seen it time and time again, but I always blame it on a lack of motivation, anything that motivates people is a great thing I believe. This thread was originally suppose to be just a couple of people as a blog and I had planned on staying on top of those guys and help them out, now whether it was a new years resolution or everyone had similar goals a lot of people seemed interested so I made it a general topic.
If only 5% of all people who set a goal in this thread achieved results would this thread still be useless?
I'm definitely going to achieve my goal and well surpass it, demoninja seems to be very attentive and interested in the subject. Bockit has already made progress, clazziquai is trying his best and correcting his mistakes and LiLu has lost 5lb since starting his goal and that is just a handful of people in the last few pages, not to mention the dozens of other people who have appreciated the advice they were given and are attempting them.
Sure the majority of people who have made a goal will not achieve or even attempt their goal but thats life it isn't just weight loss/gain and fitness. People attempt lots of things and give up before they have even started. Painting, musical instruments, sports, video games. It's just life, if something doesn't interested you or you have no motivation to achieve your goal it isn't going to happen, but it does help for someone to come along and give you a kick in the butt once in a while.
Nice thread guys. I've been a bit slack since December so this will be good to get me back into my routine.
Age: 24 Height: 6'2 Current Weight: 86kgs (189lbs) Goal Weight: 90kgs (198lbs) Starting Date: Jan 20 Goal Date: End of year.
I'm almost at my goal weight, but need to trim some fat (love handles and stomach) and build some more muscle. I've been going to the gym for about 3 years now, so it would be great to share some info with some of the other intermediate to advanced gym goers. I'm particularly keen on a cardio routine as I'm really slack in this area. Is there an effective method that can be done in about 30-45 mins a day (I'm not a keen jogger and would prefer a higher intensity routine, like sprints)?
On January 19 2009 22:35 RowdierBob wrote: I'm almost at my goal weight, but need to trim some fat (love handles and stomach) and build some more muscle. I've been going to the gym for about 3 years now, so it would be great to share some info with some of the other intermediate to advanced gym goers. I'm particularly keen on a cardio routine as I'm really slack in this area. Is there an effective method that can be done in about 30-45 mins a day (I'm not a keen jogger and would prefer a higher intensity routine, like sprints)?
I've noticed HIIT for me at least is a lot easier at the gym on the treadmill. What I do is jump on and do a 15 min easy jog for a warm up.
All the treadmills at my gym have a cool down function which counts down from a certain minute depending on how long you've been jogging. It also reduces speed at the end of each minute. So what I do is hit the cool down button, increase the cool down to its maximum time, (I think 10 min) I walk for about a minute at a very slow pace to lower my heart rate, at about the Minute:50 second mark I crank the speed on the treadmill to a sprint, by the time it gets to sprint speed counter is down to about 30-40 seconds so I sprint my heart out for that 30-40 seconds and as soon as the treadmill reaches Minute:0 seconds it automatically reduces speed, since the default cool down speed is a walk it reduces it down to a walk, that usually takes about 10-15 seconds to slow down. I walk again until the counter counts down to minute:50 seconds again and crank the speed back to a sprint. I do this about 8-10 times or until I pass out or my sprint is now a pathetic fast jog.
I use the cool down function on the treadmills because I have realised trying to coordinate the machine back down to a walking pace when you're sprinting your heart out is rather difficult.
If I am not at the gym I usually head over to the local footy oval and do shuttle runs or beep test some might call it? I find two lines about 20-30 metres apart and run between them touching the line each time. I do about 8 laps stop at one end and do 20 pushups, rest for a minute, do another 8 laps and do 30 situps, rest and I mix it up with like jumping jacks or sometimes I bring my skipping rope along or plank on a medicine ball.
Yeah everyone isn't a disciplined karate kid like you ilovehnk. Not everyone has a Mr Miyagi in their life to revolutionise the way they think and train.
It's more about making it a habit over a period of weeks with this thread being used as a continuing source of helpful information, inspiration to change your lifestyle and above all; motivation.
You sound one step away from killing us all because we aren't an Übermensch like you.
On January 19 2009 06:46 Warrior Madness wrote: Some of you have extremely unrealistic goals. 10 pounds in one month?? If you have the perfect workout, with the perfect nutrition you'd gain 1 pound of lean muscle in one week at most. I workout three days a week and run two days a week. My workouts include squats, deadlifts, benchpresses, power cleans, overhead presses, and chinups. My main focus is on form (I have a personal trainer for that) and progressively increasing my weights by 5-10 pounds each time I go to the gym.
That exactly why I got so aggressive and pissed off, and why I said a lot of people here are hypocrites....
I give you few examples of what I see in the gym and what I know:
1. they don't go do work out because weather is shitty. 2. they don't follow a strict diet and training regime, still partying and drinking as if it's perfectly fine. 3. no dedication and ignorant. 4. making unrealistic goals and too lazy to read few articles. 5. only go work out when their friends go, are you doing it for your friends or for yourself? 6. when people make constructive criticism, they think it is rude and wrong. 7. keep making new resolutions, such as new year's, why can't you tell yourself and start right now? 8. make promises and never keep them, always have legitimate excuses for everything. 9. training doesn't pay off, blame the shit doesn't work. 10. always do one exercise in gym, ie bench press, put on pair of 45lb plates to start off with then can't go higher. 11. doesn't do warm ups, jump straight into weights.
many more, there is no point keep on writing. Just ask yourselves, the people who made those TL fitness initiatives, when are you serious enough to get anything done, or it's just a another thread for hype?
5. only go work out when their friends go, are you doing it for your friends or for yourself?
Agree. I used to go to the gym with one of my friends last year almost every day. We would meet up and just workout together (I guess it's cool because you always have someone helping you out), but sometimes you get to talking and then the entire time you spend at the gym becomes this open forum for conversation. Your mouth does not need a workout at the gym... Since then I started going by myself and I just get shit done a lot faster and I noticed I need to keep adding new things into my workout because of this time that I now have. Going to the gym with another person is fun, but not as productive. To be honest I don't see much of a problem going if you are both doing cardio or something that you are constantly doing, but lifting weights with a friend can become a problem.
10. always do one exercise in gym, ie bench press, put on pair of 45lb plates to start off with then can't go higher.
I ALWAYS see this at the gym. Whenever I used to go at like 1 PM these high school kids would come to the gym and the VERY FIRST THING they always did was go right for the bench. I mean thats not even a good idea. I don't know why anyone would think that just from benching you have magically substituted your entire workout. And then you always see them putting on the 45lb plates like you said and yah they can't go higher, but when they lift just with those 45's they're lifting with their back, which I find as kinda laughable. I'll admit I hate benching I can't do more than 40 lbs on each side (I actually did chest & tri's this morning), but I never start at 40 lbs and just keep it there. I always have to build up to the 40 lbs or else I'll just get too tired and I'll kill myself or something or end up using my back which is ineffective...
11. doesn't do warm ups, jump straight into weights.
Just stupid. STUPID STUPID STUPID! Why would people not warm-up//stretch before a workout. You figure a lot of these kids probably play sports or have at some point in their life. When you practice, do you automatically go right into drills? Last I remember No. You took at least 5 minutes to stretch your body out. Is it such a big deal to just grab a small (5 lb) weight or sit on a mat and just give your body a quick stretch? This is why I'm glad I started going at 7 AM since I just woke up and my body wants to go back to sleep, so going right into weights = BAD NEWS. I've forced my body to get accustomed to stretching for about 5-10 minutes before I do any lifting or cardio.
It's so simple to get a routine going and people just don't set it up right. You are right if people actually took 5 minutes to read, or even skim some articles, they would have a more successful workout that probably won't be as painful because they're doing it right.
Age 18 Height 6'0 Current Weight: high 80 or low 90 something kg Goal Weight: ~70kg Starting Date: In a week mayb? Around 25th January Goal Date: Before beach '09
Highly doable if I quit the munchies 24/7 ._. This might not seem so serious, but I'll try to fix the numbers up so that they are more accurate. Might be worse than I think then I need to re-evalue my stuffs
How I'm going to go forth with this is take my current trainings a lot more serious. Eat healthier and not party as much. Keep off unhealthy stuff
Warrior Madness: It's odd but your routine sounds oddly like Starting Strength... which with proper nutrition can put 30-40 lbs of lean body mass on novices within a couple months. It's not unrealistic, but it does depend a lot on genetics, if you're underweight, etc. IN ANY CASE, don't complain about it.. help solve the problem.
Good eye buddy! "Starting Strength" is the book that got me started. However, according to other sources I think Mark Ripptoe got it wrong on a few things (even form). I think it's scientifically impossible to gain 30-40lbs of lean body mass within three months, novice or not.
"The Colgan Institute of Nutritional Sciences (located in San Diego, CA) run by Dr Michael Colgan PHD, a leading sport nutritionist explains that in his extensive experience, the most muscle gain he or any of his colleagues have recorded over a year was 18 1/4 lbs. Dr Colgan goes on to state that “because of the limiting rate of turnover in the muscle cells it is impossible to grow more than an ounce of new muscle each day.” In non-complicated, mathematical terms, this would equate to roughly 23 pounds in a year! Keep in mind that high-level athletes are the subjects of these studies."
Btw, I know your post wasn't directed to me but I thought I laid out some pretty concrete goals for everyone to follow... More than that I wrote a bit about self-regulation. The goal is to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week, gain 0.5-1lb of muscle per week, the strategy involves eating below your BMR http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/, having the right macronutrient (50/30/20), eating right (good carbs, fats and protein), doing compound exercises (with progressively heavy weights), and burning off at least 500 calories a day through exercise. I even offered a detailed way to keep track of progress. Accumeasure fat callipers to track your fatloss/muscle gain, and www.fitday.com to track your nutrition. If according to the callipers, you've gained 1 pound of fat, and no muscle, you simply adjust your diet and your exercises. You might eat 200 calories less.
It's a solid way of getting feedback and adjusting your plans based on results. If you get a C- on the math test then you adjust maybe how long you study, and what techniques you use for studying until you can get that A. But how can you know to even ADJUST your plan if you don't know how to track your progress in the first place? If you're not handed a D, C, B, A.
Warrior Madness: It's odd but your routine sounds oddly like Starting Strength... which with proper nutrition can put 30-40 lbs of lean body mass on novices within a couple months. It's not unrealistic, but it does depend a lot on genetics, if you're underweight, etc. IN ANY CASE, don't complain about it.. help solve the problem.
Good eye buddy! "Starting Strength" is the book that got me started. However, according to other sources I think Mark Ripptoe got it wrong on a few things (even form). I think it's scientifically impossible to gain 30-40lbs of lean body mass within three months, novice or not.
"The Colgan Institute of Nutritional Sciences (located in San Diego, CA) run by Dr Michael Colgan PHD, a leading sport nutritionist explains that in his extensive experience, the most muscle gain he or any of his colleagues have recorded over a year was 18 1/4 lbs. Dr Colgan goes on to state that “because of the limiting rate of turnover in the muscle cells it is impossible to grow more than an ounce of new muscle each day.” In non-complicated, mathematical terms, this would equate to roughly 23 pounds in a year! Keep in mind that high-level athletes are the subjects of these studies."
Btw, I know your post wasn't directed to me but I thought I laid out some pretty concrete goals for everyone to follow... More than that I wrote a bit about self-regulation. The goal is to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week, gain 0.5-1lb of muscle per week, the strategy involves eating below your BMR http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/, having the right macronutrient (50/30/20), eating right (good carbs, fats and protein), doing compound exercises (with progressively heavy weights), and burning off at least 500 calories a day through exercise. I even offered a detailed way to keep track of progress. Accumeasure fat callipers to track your fatloss/muscle gain, and www.fitday.com to track your nutrition. If according to the callipers, you've gained 1 pound of fat, and no muscle, you simply adjust your diet and your exercises. You might eat 200 calories less.
It's a solid way of getting feedback and adjusting your plans based on results. If you get a C- on the math test then you adjust maybe how long you study, and what techniques you use for studying until you can get that A. But how can you know to even ADJUST your plan if you don't know how to track your progress in the first place? If you're not handed a D, C, B, A.
Okay, let's see here.
1. If you think it's scientifically impossible to gain 30-40 lbs of mass within 6 months.. heck a year.. why don't you head over to http://strengthmill.net and ask the man himself.
All I'm saying is that if you were born with the genetics to be over 220 lbs of muscle (for instance, genetically gifted black person) who starts out under 110-130 lbs, EATS a crapload, is getting tons of hormones through puberty + the gh/test from squatting, etc. you're going to grow. Fast.
2. One of the reasons I don't buy that nutritionist's standpoint is that he probably doesn't work with adolescents or heck even novices like Rippetoe does who have the most capacity to make gains. He works with what elite athletes who already are already at near optimal weight and thus not prone to gaining much more than they already have.
Secondly, there's some outdated science there. Linear progression is PROOF of that. If collagen adapts so "slowly" how the hell are you going to add 100 or more pounds to your squat in a couple months like you do on SS? The body adapts to the demand put on it; some faster than others.
3. I agree with your recs.
Except I suggest 40/30/30 CHO/PRO/FAT or more fat as needed depending on the person. There are no essential carbs... but protein and fat are. If you're not a carb tolerant person which MOST of us aren't (aka we go into an insulin super-drowsiness coma when we eat too many carbs) then it's better to have more fat in the diet.
On January 23 2009 13:25 eshlow wrote: Except I suggest 40/30/30 CHO/PRO/FAT or more fat as needed depending on the person. There are no essential carbs... but protein and fat are. If you're not a carb tolerant person which MOST of us aren't (aka we go into an insulin super-drowsiness coma when we eat too many carbs) then it's better to have more fat in the diet.
This is just some nitpicking, I can tell you know what you are talking about.
but saying that there are no essential carbs can be misleading. not everyone can function in a state of ketosis, which is what will happen if you eat no carbs. not to mention your body *will* start to break down your own muscles and organs, which seems like it would be counterproductive to strength training.
I know you weren't recommending a no carb diet but as I said I was just nitpicking.
I started 2 days later than I had planned to due to a shoulder injury. I'm training 4 to 5 days a week and I'm adding weight to my workout consistently. I have not measured my weightgain yet and I'm not going to before this month is over. I have only skipped training once.
My diet is not planned but I have trained seriously a couple of years ago where I did the calorie counting, so its kinda intuitive now. I know my diet is good. But I will start to plan it more accurately in february.
What I need now is to incorporate some cardio in my training regime
I have made another goal for myself, which is to increase my bench by quite a lot since it's very low, especially compared to my other compound lifts.
On January 19 2009 06:46 Warrior Madness wrote: Some of you have extremely unrealistic goals. 10 pounds in one month?? If you have the perfect workout, with the perfect nutrition you'd gain 1 pound of lean muscle in one week at most. I workout three days a week and run two days a week. My workouts include squats, deadlifts, benchpresses, power cleans, overhead presses, and chinups. My main focus is on form (I have a personal trainer for that) and progressively increasing my weights by 5-10 pounds each time I go to the gym.
That exactly why I got so aggressive and pissed off, and why I said a lot of people here are hypocrites....
I give you few examples of what I see in the gym and what I know:
1. they don't go do work out because weather is shitty. 2. they don't follow a strict diet and training regime, still partying and drinking as if it's perfectly fine. 3. no dedication and ignorant. 4. making unrealistic goals and too lazy to read few articles. 5. only go work out when their friends go, are you doing it for your friends or for yourself? 6. when people make constructive criticism, they think it is rude and wrong. 7. keep making new resolutions, such as new year's, why can't you tell yourself and start right now? 8. make promises and never keep them, always have legitimate excuses for everything. 9. training doesn't pay off, blame the shit doesn't work. 10. always do one exercise in gym, ie bench press, put on pair of 45lb plates to start off with then can't go higher. 11. doesn't do warm ups, jump straight into weights.
many more, there is no point keep on writing. Just ask yourselves, the people who made those TL fitness initiatives, when are you serious enough to get anything done, or it's just a another thread for hype?
FUCK man you got me. I don't actually want to be a bodybuilder at all. Thank you so much for shattering my glorious delusion, this entire time I've wanted a body like Dexter Jackson's but I guess I'll only be going to the gym to feel better about myself from now on. Fuck any physical and mental gains I might undergo even without eating my 6 carefully calculated meals a day.
I changed the way in which I will be working out, because the gym at my school is closed for renovations or something. So I'm doing the Power 90 workout routine, and when I complete that, and feel that I am in good enough shape to move on, I am going to move on to P90X.
At any rate, for people who have a hard time creating goals, I read an article here about how to properly create goals for yourself (especially since this was brought up by a few people). The site is also a male fashion site, so those of you who suck with style can probably pick up a few tips about that, as well (they don't really give you cheap options, though).
I did the Power 90 routine for the first time on Thursday, and was planning on continuing it on Friday, but the muscles right below my calves (maybe part of my calf?) are so sore I can barely walk. So, I'm going to let that work itself out, which should be by tomorrow, and start over, but this time warm up and stretch better, and take it a little easier.
I was talking to my friend about things like that the other day, and I came to the conclusion that I often set my expectations way too high for myself, and try to jump into something that I absolutely cannot handle. I kill myself on my first workout, and I am so sore the next day that I can hardly move at all, and, not wanting to repeat that same level of pain, I get discouraged. The thing I've come to realize is that you don't need to be that sore the next day, and, when you are, you've probably overworked yourself anyway. So, my plan now, and I think this is a good idea for everyone to follow and that's why I'm making this post, is to start out a little bit slower, and be more realistic with my goals. Setting the bar so high, and then realizing that you can't achieve that goal in the time limit you gave yourself just gives you an excuse to quit. If you go with more attainable goals, and create new ones when you reach that goal, then I think you're more likely to stick with your plan.
When my SD card reader is working again (I don't know what's wrong with it, I have to have it looked at. It isn't getting power or anything) I'll take a picture of my pathetic looking body and post it, for before/after photos.
This thread is pretty cool. Don't know if I'm ready to really post a goal and be held to it yet. My problem is I'm underweight and just generally feel tired and shitty all the time. I've tried starting pushup/pullup regimens a few times but my form must be bad or something because I feel really horrible afterwards (posture and breathing?).
EPT
