Weights - Help/Advice

[Bestie]

Right lads, I'm an on-again, off-again weights guy and I'm looking to get back into a proper rhythm. I say on-again, off-again as I inevitably start into a programme I set for myself, get bored of it, and then allow things like getting in late from work put us off knuckling down and grinding out a decent set. It always unravels from there.

Here's my bench (I have added my own plates to the 40kg):

www.amazon.co.uk/Everlast-Foldable-Weight-Bench-Barbell/dp/B0048F3OI8

Is anyone on here into free-weights who would maybe have some different exercises I could use either my bench and/or me bar for? I figure if I could maybe work out two or three different exercise lists that work the same groups I could rotate them and keep my sets fresh. Groups being legs, upper body, arms, the usual. I've looked around at some weight-lifting sites, but these are serious body-builder types, and most include machines I just can't use regularly enough.

I normally use the basic press, incline press, standing squats, and use the leg weight thing on the end for reverse thigh curls. My 'favourite' leg exercise is doing 30 with both legs, then 15 with each, 26:13, 20:10 etc. Feel like I get a lot done with that one.

On the other hand, I feel like I don't do enough for tri's, abs, glutes and calves. Although the squats are good for those, it's limiting to just have one exercise.

Any tips or guidance would be much appreciated lads! Cheers.

[Deleted]

Mar 20, 2013 21:48:47 GMT Bestie said:

Right lads, I'm an on-again, off-again weights guy and I'm looking to get back into a proper rhythm. I say on-again, off-again as I inevitably start into a programme I set for myself, get bored of it, and then allow things like getting in late from work put us off knuckling down and grinding out a decent set. It always unravels from there.

Here's my bench (I have added my own plates to the 40kg):

www.amazon.co.uk/Everlast-Foldable-Weight-Bench-Barbell/dp/B0048F3OI8

Is anyone on here into free-weights who would maybe have some different exercises I could use either my bench and/or me bar for? I figure if I could maybe work out two or three different exercise lists that work the same groups I could rotate them and keep my sets fresh. Groups being legs, upper body, arms, the usual. I've looked around at some weight-lifting sites, but these are serious body-builder types, and most include machines I just can't use regularly enough.

I normally use the basic press, incline press, standing squats, and use the leg weight thing on the end for reverse thigh curls. My 'favourite' leg exercise is doing 30 with both legs, then 15 with each, 26:13, 20:10 etc. Feel like I get a lot done with that one.

On the other hand, I feel like I don't do enough for tri's, abs, glutes and calves. Although the squats are good for those, it's limiting to just have one exercise.

Any tips or guidance would be much appreciated lads! Cheers.

I've never been into weights. I did kickboxing & put on 20 kilos of muscle on in a couple of years. Kept really fit too.

[Deleted]

^ not helpful i know

[jimbonda]

what are your goals? and what is your body type?

i've started again recently, more armed with knowledge than before. i'm looking to bulk up a bit. i'm tall and skinny, long limbs etc, so i limit the motion in a move i.e. narrower grip on bench press, and rolled up towell on chest to meet the bar when i lower it. wider stance on squats.

useful quote:

"don't get motivated to train - train to stay motivated."

BTW if you are doing squats then you are hitting all that stuff - glutes, calves, abs even. it's a compound lift, not only are you using a massive range of muscles but you release more body building hormone that way.

[Bestie]

@ aus - Don't worry about it mate, if I had two years to dedicate, I'd love to put on 20 kg of muscle! I'd love to get into regular boxing actually, but don't have the body for it yet. Too soft. Great reach though.

@ jim - Looking to build some muscle up, work for tone and definition, and then down the line I can worry about adding serious(-ish) bulk. Back in Uni when I was at it fairly regularly I could get decent definition without ever being considered 'muscular'. Too long in lecture theatres and behind a desk has just crippled me though.
I'm tall, broad-shouldered, but always lean. I'm sort of a V shape. I have the frame to be way bigger and it's gotten to the stage where I'm pissed off I haven't put the work in to make the most of it. (Some wee cocky git at 7 a-side with quick feet and fully defined pecs has made me seen the light.)
Yeah, the squat is pretty much the God-lift in my book.

Squash actually, is another great sport for toning all the stuff squats give you. I play with my sister when she's home from Uni and always get good cardio. I'm stronger than she is but her technical play is killer. Wee dainty drops off the wall, I'm just not fast enough.

[Deleted]

Mar 20, 2013 22:59:55 GMT Bestie said:

@ aus - Don't worry about it mate, if I had two years to dedicate, I'd love to put on 20 kg of muscle! I'd love to get into regular boxing actually, but don't have the body for it yet. Too soft. Great reach though.

@ jim - Looking to build some muscle up, work for tone and definition, and then down the line I can worry about adding serious(-ish) bulk. Back in Uni when I was at it fairly regularly I could get decent definition without ever being considered 'muscular'. Too long in lecture theatres and behind a desk has just crippled me though.
I'm tall, broad-shouldered, but always lean. I'm sort of a V shape. I have the frame to be way bigger and it's gotten to the stage where I'm pissed off I haven't put the work in to make the most of it. (Some wee cocky git at 7 a-side with quick feet and fully defined pecs has made me seen the light.)
Yeah, the squat is pretty much the God-lift in my book.

Squash actually, is another great sport for toning all the stuff squats give you. I play with my sister when she's home from Uni and always get good cardio. I'm stronger than she is but her technical play is killer. Wee dainty drops off the wall, I'm just not fast enough.

Squash i am qualified to talk about. Champ at school level. Stand on part of the court where all the lines meet & practice dropping the ball just above the red line. If she manages to reach the ball smash straight to the back wall of the court.

Srinting is supposed to be the best things as far as fat burning is concerned. It's easier than jogging too because jogging you have to keep motivated. Find a all hill, sprint up it, walk down it & repeat until stuffed.

Also have you considered creatine? Supplements can be a bit piss weak but creatine is supposed to help you build muscle, but even if it doesn't i can guarantee it makes your muscles look bigger because they hold more water.

[Deleted]

Ill give you two exercises that you should include as they are the best all around ones for training several muscle groups at a time

Squats
Dead-lifts

When i was training i was doing a split like this

monday / wed - Chest / Triceps with core
tuesday / thur - back / biceps
friday - legs

squats and deadlifts where included on leg day usually

[jimbonda]

yeah squats, deadlift and the bench press are the big 3 basically.

i'm no expert as really i'm only just getting serious about it now, but i've done a lot of reading.

form is critical, leg placement and even where you point your feet during a squat for example changes the whole exercise. like i said, with long limbs i need to limit the movement in a given exercise.

if your body type is ectomorphic [tall, skinny, long limbs, lightning metabolism] like mine seems to be, then the perfect book for you is called 'scrawny to brawny' by Mejia/Beradi. it's a complete 16-week programme, it teaches how to adjust exercises to suit your body type, correct form, it's got complete nutrition plans, v.comprehensive. it's an excellent, humorous book, written by two guys who flogged themselves to death for years training the wrong way.

in the meantime, because i'm not fully comitted to the program in the book yet, i'm doing 5x5's - 5 sets of 5 heavy reps per exercise. 2 1/2 mins rest in between sets. no supersetting, i'm building up to that. once i can complete all five sets, after say a couple of weeks, i increase the weight on the bar slightly. i'm only doing compound lifts right now, no arm curls or owt like that. lifting 3 times a week. all my supplements come from myprotein.co.uk, who deliver to your door.

i'm only a couple of weeks in, so i'm still experimenting, but the aim is to gain at least a stone by august.

[jimbonda]

Mar 21, 2013 2:52:21 GMT @ausred88 said:

Also have you considered creatine? Supplements can be a bit piss weak but creatine is supposed to help you build muscle, but even if it doesn't i can guarantee it makes your muscles look bigger because they hold more water.

whey protein is where it's at.
hydrolised whey is absorbed quicker so is ideal post exercise, then typical whey at other times.

i do use creatine, but you need to use small amounts compared to whey, which i hit 3 times a day. i use a teaspoon of creatine in with the rest of the shake after lifting. also after 6 weeks of using creatine you are meant to knock it on the head for a couple of weeks or so, which i'm inclined to do, although i don't doubt many people ignore this.

[Deleted]

Mar 21, 2013 11:02:33 GMT jimbonda said:

form is critical, leg placement and even where you point your feet during a squat for example changes the whole exercise. like i said, with long limbs i need to limit the movement in a given exercise.

that is also a very, very good point. It's better to lift correctly than to lift heavy and incorrectly.

for example - doing a bicep curl and arching your back and using your feet to almost tiptoe is such horrible form its untrue (ive seen it loads). The only thing that should be moving in a bicep curl is from the elbow downwards (if that all makes sense haha)

[Deleted]

creatine is the work of the devil - use that too much and say bye-bye to your liver - as Jim says, Use a whey.
Also - try different whey's, personally i tried 4 but this one was the best for me and i know several people who like this;
www.dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/optimum-nutrition-gold-standard-100-whey-2-lb/2594/?o=double+chocolate&ladid=uk

[Bestie]

Good chat boys, ta. What were you doing on the three day rota Carb?

@ jim- I'm loving that train to be motivated line. My body type is pretty much an ecto-meso 80-20 split. I'm tall and lean as I say, but wide as well. 40/42 shirts or jackets can easily not fit me around the shoulder-blade or shoulders if the cut isn't right. And 5x5s are a blessing I never fully embrace until about 4 sessions in.

@ aus - Creatine, it improves look by holding water? Interesting. I'm guessing that doesn't actually increase actual muscle strength though?

[Bestie]

Here's another one actually, do any of you know the best way to increase forearm strength/wrist size/grip etc.? It's something I have never mastered with standard lifting.

[Deleted]

erm,

Ill need to think about what i was doing on those days tbh but its a routine i made up

[Stew]

Sit on the bench and have a low weight on a straight bar. Put your arms straight on your thighs, palms facing down, take the bar and roll ot upwards. this gets very tiring very quickly. but youll get strong forearms from the bench anyway Bestie so I wouldnt worry.