Weightlifting/exercise thread

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broken harbour
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by broken harbour »

Update, down 5lbs in 2 days... wow.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Glad to hear you're making some progress. Good luck with the fast (I did one a few years back) and watch that diet!
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Week 13 down

Monday

Push Ups - Level 2 Inclines - Finally hit numbers after 10 weeks. 2 more weeks here cause I worked hard as fuck to get here.

Leg Raises - Level 3 Flat bent knee raises - Hit numbers, 1 - 2 more weeks.

Wednesday

Pull Ups - Level 2 Hori PU +3 - My first day 12 weeks ago I did 23 total. This week I did 70. I'm 20 shy and will get there by summer's end.

Squats - Level 4 Half Squats - Hit Numbers - Even did half a set of full squats, 1 more week.

Friday

Bridges - Level 3 - Angled Bridges +2 - These were a bit easier than last week. Could have done 1 or 2 more. Still will be doing them through the summer.

Hand Stand Push Ups - Level 2 Crow stands - Couldn't seem to get these right today. I kept at it for 40 minutes and finally got one. 35 seconds.
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broken harbour
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by broken harbour »

Added running every other day to my current diet regime, 2nd weekly weigh in this morning... 188lbs, 7lbs in 7 days. Jeans are looser, should be able to wear 33's by next week.

I have a busy week this week so working out will be sporadic at best, energy level is high, so I'm considering a light weights workout tonight if I can find an hour in my schedule.
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ratikal
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by ratikal »

I would like to get back into fitness and exercise and was wondering if I could get advice.

The gym at my work only has access to a smith machine and dumbbells up to 50 pounds. In the past, I was doing basically Stronglifts 5x5 with the dumb bells. Is there truly any downside to working with dumb bells compared to barbells? Obviously barbells are better, but I've heard that even body weight training is better than dumb bell training.
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broken harbour
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by broken harbour »

For weights I only use dumbells, they can give a greater range of motion than most barbell exercises as well. Not sure why anybody would say it's inferior.
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BryanM
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by BryanM »

Dumbbells are generally superior. It can be a pain incrementing by 1 pound increments on them if you don't have those magnet thingies, that's the only real downside.

Well, that and how it's gonna be impossible for you to benchpress 150 pounds with these 50 lb dumbbells. And it's rather difficult to squat without a barbell. And how much floor space a rack of single cast iron style dumbbells consumes.

This gym sounds pretty terrible tbqh.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Bonus! »

kane wrote:Like everybody else said, go with dumbells until you outgrow the weights. Then switch to the smith machine when you need more resistance for an exercise. Probably that'll happen very quickly with deadlifts, squats, and calves. Not optimal, but I say high resistance with a smith machine is better than low-resistance free weights. If you outgrow even that some interesting combinations could be programmed, like smith squats, followed by split dumbbell squats.
Aren't Smith machines known to cause injuries? The problem is that they force a straight line, thus forcing you into a suboptimal position considering that the barbell would describe an arc otherwise.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Pixel_Outlaw »

Guess I'll join in the fun.
I've gone back to the gym to fight my programmer/chair pilot lifestyle.

Weight day:
Dumbbells 25 lbs (12 reps for 3 sets) then finish with 30's or 35's if my arms feel good. (I'm 5'10" so I can't keep balance at 40 lbs)
Plenty of pulling from different angles on the cable machines usually around 30 lbs per arm.
Then I do vertical double handed downward pulls at 80 lbs for 16 or so reps ending with 100 (10 reps) lbs.
Leg press 200 lbs (25 reps), 250 lbs (25 reps), 300 lbs (16 reps)
Chest press 50 lbs per arm (16 reps), 65 lbs per arm (16 reps), 75 - 90 lbs per arm (10 reps) (depending on how I'm feeling)

Cardio Rodeo: (Boring as hell)
500 calories on stepper machine
200 - 300 calories on treadmill

Aaaand I'm still chubby at 187 lbs.
Just had a Hershey's brand "energy bar" so uh maybe it's my eating habits... :lol:

Oh and one piece of advice you MUST take care of your wrists. Your arms will probably be able to progress more quickly but pay attention to your wrists and other joints. :shock:
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broken harbour
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by broken harbour »

Pixel_Outlaw wrote:Aaaand I'm still chubby at 187 lbs.
Glad I'm not the only one, when talking about weight and exercise with my friends they ask "Well how much do you weight?" and I say 187lbs and they look at me with a blank expression and go.... "wow I figured you'd be over 220 for sure..."

Ummm..... thanks? :shock:
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by BryanM »

At the end of the day, the only objective measure of progress is the weight on the bar. If it's not going up, you're not going anywhere.

A lot of people just want to have fun. Actual training entails pretty much nothing but the benchpress, squat, and some chin-ups on the side. The press, powerclean, and sprint work as optional accessories. Spending a week or three to move the number on a benchpress up by 1 pound is booooooooooring man.

Though personally I think providing carbon dioxide to the plants in the fern room while watching TV (or its slightly more exciting cousin, jogging) has to crystallize the pinnacle of boredom addiction and the deep laziness of us animals.

Ya don't have to become the sick of deadlifts guy, but if you feel like taking a nap while training... probably nothing is happening.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by chempop »

I have been running on and off for a couple years now and am back in the swing of things. Try to do 4 runs a week between 4-8 miles each, last fall I ended the season with a couple half marathons that went surprisingly decent, but then winter happened (5 months here).

I do typically live off of pasta, beans and rice, fruits and veggies, eggs, and overall not enough protein. I also binge eat garbage, so I haven't been able to lose the weight I would like to. So last night I watched a few youtube vids of those high intensity workout and today I gave it a try... OUCH!

The routine was Burpees > Leg Lifts > Mountain Climbers > High Knees, 30 seconds each X4 sets. Shit totally kicked me ass. Then I went on a 6K run :twisted:
I think if I can do this a few times a week and really watch what I eat through the summer I can shed the 20excess lbs by the fall, that's my goal anyway. Maybe I should buy a scale?
"I've had quite a few pcbs of Fire Shark over time, and none of them cost me over £30 - so it won't break the bank by any standards." ~Malc
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

What a week so far.

Finally graduated to the next level in push ups. Moved up to level 5 squats as well. Will be up to level 4 leg raises next week too.

On the bridge front we've made a command decision - were skipping the level 3 angeld bridges. Did a lot of research on bridge progressions before we decided.

We start head bridges Friday.

As always I'll have my weeks rundown on Friday. Don't lie - I know it's the highlight of everyone's week :lol:
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broken harbour
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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on day 5 of juice-only (first 5 days were juice + salad for lunch) and I feel good, a little hungry still, but nothing like what day 3 was, it was rough.

185lb this morning, so the weight is coming off consistently so far, though I should probably keep weigh-ins to once a week. Skin has gotten a lot clearer as well, and my sleep has improved, though its still not perfect. The slight bags under my eyes I normally have almost disappeared as well.

It's raining here tonight so I'm going to try a light weights workout to see if I have enough gas in the tank to do that.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Week 14 down

Monday

Push Ups - Level 2 Inclines - LEVEL UP to 3 - Knee push ups

Leg Raises - Level 3 Flat bent knee raises - Hit numbers, 1 more week. Discovered I was making these harder than they needed to be.

Wednesday

Pull Ups - Level 2 Hori PU +4 - 74 total

Squats - Level 4 Half Squats - LEVEL UP to 5 - Full squats

Friday

Bridges - Level 4 - Head Bridges - Two sets of 4 - Really good arm/leg extension, and hip height. These are much more comfortable from an orthopedic standpoint.

Hand Stand Push Ups - Level 2 Crow stands - Still around 30 seconds, but I had a lot of holds for over 20 seconds today, the most ever. I also discovered a little trick to help.
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Rob
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Rob »

broken harbour wrote:on day 5 of juice-only (first 5 days were juice + salad for lunch) and I feel good, a little hungry still, but nothing like what day 3 was, it was rough.
Don't be hungry, just eat more of those plants. You won't be gaining much weight when you're getting an ample amount of exercise and your main sources of fat are avocados, nuts and seeds. A big (1 liter) smoothie (bananas, frozen fruit/berries, greens, chia/hemp seeds, etc.) is filling, tastes good, digests easily, is healthy and can be continued indefinitely (unlike juice fasts or whatever).

Last 2 days got about 90 miles of biking in and 9000 feet of mountain climbed. That'll send the unwanted and wanted pounds away. :wink:
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Immryr
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Immryr »

stevens, I hope you realise no one knows what you're on about. these levels and numbers just seem like gibberish, that's why people don't reply. not cause they're not into working out or w/e.
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Pixel_Outlaw
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Pixel_Outlaw »

Yesterday I took some Swedish Fish for those essential fish oils and had 2 doughnut holes as a hole is a calorie deficit.
Then I went and burned 900 calories to make up for them. :roll:
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Rob
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Rob »

kane wrote:I don't understand how you are satiated with smoothies and such.
Not alone (I always eat something more savory a short while afterwards), but it certainly helps and quantity is key.

Image

No craving for junk sweets will happen after that much fruit.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Immryr wrote:stevens, I hope you realise no one knows what you're on about. these levels and numbers just seem like gibberish, that's why people don't reply. not cause they're not into working out or w/e.
Figured if I put my results up weekly someone who isn't interested in progressive calisthenics might start asking questions about it, and possibly decide that type of program is for them.

Do you want to know more?
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broken harbour
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by broken harbour »

Hot damn, down to 181lbs as of this morning. That's 14lbs in 14 days. I've barely been hungry the last few days, energy level is great, and according to my wife, I haven't snored in 3 nights. My sleep is great too, I wake up and feel really good. My jeans are falling off me. 21 more lbs to go! Normally I'd just keep juicing and running for another 3 weeks but I'm traveling this weekend and will be forced to eat out a couple times, so as long as I behave that way I think I can continue what I'm doing when I get back.

Did a very, very light weights workout yesterday, just a circuit of 2 sets of pushup, shoulder press, rows, tricep extension, squats and bicep curls but I had the energy to do it even though I technically haven't eaten any food in 9 days, and no meat in 14 days.

I don't even crave junk food at this point, this is awesome.
Last edited by broken harbour on Mon Jun 13, 2016 4:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Great BH!

What junk food have you cut out of your diet and do you plan on reintroducing any of it?
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broken harbour
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

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Stevens wrote:Great BH!

What junk food have you cut out of your diet and do you plan on reintroducing any of it?
I prefer to not think of what I've cut out, but focus on what I've 'replaced"

For 14 days I've replaced my normal diet with plant based foods. Veggies and fruits, nothing else. For 9 days it's only been in juice form.

I plan on re-introducing actual food next week, salads, nuts, etc.... but I plan on going to the end of July before re-introducing hormone free meat (small amounts) and the occasional fun meal once per week. I am a craft beer and scotch guy, but I've cut that out completely as well. For now I'll stay away from it, cheaper too. I wasn't a huge junk food kind of guy, I never drink soda, I would occasionally have potato chips but rarely, the wife and I would eat out once or twice a week so not doing that also helps. I do like bread and cutting that out has also helped.

The point of this whole thing has been to not just lose weight, but also feel better and heal my body so I can be more active, once I'm active the occasional donair won't kill me.

My wife says the change in such a short time has been unbelievable, I was stepping out of the shower yesterday and she stopped and was like "Wow, you're getting skinny." At work today people have commented that my face looks different already.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by broken harbour »

I should also mention that my energy level is sky high today, and it's not a twitch caffeine style energy either... but I feel like I could lift a car.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

I started my dietary journey four years ago, our stories are remarkably similar.

It began with my wife asking me to cut out all processed foods for a month. I did it during the week, and allowed myself a little leeway come the weekends. By the last weekend I had no desire to cheat, and had started to notice little cuts here and there I had never seen before because I had never considered that my diet was the problem.

That was April of 2012. It wasn't an overnight journey, and it took me a lot of tweaking to get where I am now. If people ask me about my diet I tell them I try to eat real food and that 90% of the time I am very diligent about it.

I leave myself that 10% for social gatherings, I can't be a diet Nazi all the time:D
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Stevens
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

For those interested, an excerpt from Street Workout:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/street-w ... more-61210

A good introductory read that also dispels some common misconceptions about calisthenics.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Week 16 down

Monday

Push Ups - Level 3 Knee push ups - Two weeks in and hit the progression numbers both times. Staying here for two more weeks just for good measure.

Leg Raises - Level 4 Flat frog raises - First week with any new variation is always a little weird. Did 2 x 10 and then did 15 on my last set. I expect more this week.

Wednesday

Pull Ups - Level 2 Hori PU - Up to 79 total. July 20th should be the 1st week I hit 3 x 30. By the time I move on to level 3 I will have spent 6 months on these, but totally ****ing worth it.

Squats - Level 5 - Full squats - Two weeks in and hit the progression numbers both times. Staying here for 1 - 2 more weeks just for good measure.

Friday

Bridges - Level 4 - Head Bridges - Adding a rep or 2 per week. Going to be working on these through the summer.

Hand Stand Push Ups - Level 2 Crow stands - After making several little tweaks I have been able to bust through on these. Was able to get holds of 40, 43, and 50 yesterday.

[quote]4 month notes:

- This program is based on two things: Patience, and small gains every week. No matter what I'm adding a few reps to every exercise every week, and that is always encouraging.

- My body fat is probably 8 - 9% now. Abs have been visible for a bit, and now they are more visible, but not the most the visible they have ever been. I think then I was around 6%.

- I had several nagging joint issues when I started this back in March, and I had them for years. They vanished within weeks of starting the program.

- Being inverted is fun.

- Squats are probably the 1st exercise I'll hit the master step in (thinking around the holidays at this point).

- Pull ups are definitely the last exercise I'll hit step 10 in. Thinking 2 - 3 years, no I'm not kidding.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by korpse413 »

Sweet thread, here is my bio:
Last Sept. I decided to completely change my diet. I was a pudgy ~190lbs and wanted to drop weight before committing to a workout routine. I set a goal of 165lb. I kept a food diary with myfitnesspal (for a few months or so) and that helped track my caloric intake and whatnot. Just from dieting alone I eventually passed my goal weight.. I am 26 years old, 5'10'' and am still at my goal weight (166lb this morning). As one might have guessed losing that much weight from diet alone was most likely not just fat, but also muscle. Dieting for me was never an issue, in fact I love eating healthy; I never drink soda or coffee, strictly a water or seltzer guy, and have also gave up drinking. My diet plan from the beginning was basically stop eating fried sh*t, and eat 'clean'. The issue is clearly sticking to a workout routine. Like I mentioned, my goal was to hit my set weight, while mixing pushups / situps, easy things to do around the house to get into 'gym shape'. I have never been a gym guy, body exercises like DDP Yoga have always interested me, or like Stevens mentions the Convict or Street Workouts (though my strength is most likely not at that level yet).

As for my job I work in an electronics dump where we refurb. phased out I.T. related items, with me in the server department. I lift easily 50lb+ servers of all shapes and sizes all day long, practicing safe lifting techniques and whatnot (yeah I work technician hell I'm trying to get out). So I am probably sneaking in some borderline passable calorie burning just to get by with my job, but with O.T. sometimes during the week I am kind of burnt out when I get home. I am confident this is just my laziness talking as our minds can tend to make excuses constantly, and that once I 'get into a groove' sort of speak I will be alright.

In hindsight I prob should've just worked out while I was ~190lb instead of burning just to gain again, but obviously that was the past. Right now I am pretty puny as one might imagine, which is a shame because my body frame isn't exactly coordinated with my weight.

My goal is to get stronger. I imagine I will gain weight again through this process. I may need to tweak my diet during this process. I take 0 suppliments at the moment, I figure something like whey protein is only for lifters. I made shakes with this back, wow 10 years ago in high school when I lifted with friends, but that was a decade ago. This is where I stand, thanks for listening. Any advice or similar situations would help. Time to get back in the grind.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

korpse413 wrote:Sweet thread, here is my bio:
My goal is to get stronger. I imagine I will gain weight again through this process. I may need to tweak my diet during this process. I take 0 suppliments at the moment, I figure something like whey protein is only for lifters. I made shakes with this back, wow 10 years ago in high school when I lifted with friends, but that was a decade ago. This is where I stand, thanks for listening. Any advice or similar situations would help. Time to get back in the grind.
You seem to have your diet and weight under control. Congrats on the weight loss! Diet is most of the battle. Exercise and getting enough sleep are important, but diet is king. You can't out exercise a poor diet.

As far as supplements go, I don't take them. I'm not telling you not to, I just feel if you're eating clean then you don't need them. Particularly if you're not lifting weights and only doing progressive calisthenics. That is just one man's opinion though.

On top of the list at the bottom of my last post, there are a few more things I love about calisthenics:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/why-bod ... enics.html

And as far as the program I'm doing? It takes about 60 - 90 minutes per week, so if time is an issue it is very attractive.

If you have more questions fire away.
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Re: Weightlifting/exercise thread

Post by Stevens »

Kane dropping some knowledge.

I take vitamin d through the winter months, I used to take fish oil but that only lasted a day or two. Did not like burping it up.
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