[Hguols]

So I took some footage today of my workout.

First set (my warmup actually) was 275lbs on the bench press. No spotter.
I know, I know. No spotter with that kind of weight normally = quite dumb, but I'm confident in my strength to do a set of 10. That went off without a hitch.



Second set, 295lbs on the bench press. Had a spotter.
I don't think I got 10 myself. It's hard to tell how much he's taking off from looking at the video, and it was impossible to tell while I was pushing. I'm guessing I pushed 8-9 of them myself, even though he starts touching the bar after the 7th push.

[Hguols]

Third set, 315lbs on the bench press. It's actually the body weight OF my spotter.
I can't quite tell if I got 6 myself. I think I did, but it was obvious I needed some help the rest of the way (to get 10 reps) The 9th and 10th push, I can tell he's taking off some pounds just because of his grip on the bar and how tense his arms are (at least compared to the 295lbs push)



I did a few other things between bench sets. Curls, shoulder, Popeye's (wrist curls)... after this set on the bench, I did some incline dumbbells, but didn't shoot any of that.

Got a video of me doing barbell pullovers. 185lbs, one set of 10. (I actually did three sets of 10 for my workout, but the first attempt was the prettiest one. ) These are quite hard, and really suck sometimes - but they make my arms big and push my chest up.



I did a few things after pullovers - abs (jackknifes, Pillates) some cardio and some stretches. Total stay in the gym was 2 1/2 hours - pretty typical.

So... enough about my workout today.

You gym rats, feel free to post here! Discuss techniques, routines, etc.
It don't have to be mad weights - just exercise oriented physical activity!

I hope there are people in here besides me who work out. ._.

I would be a very sad man if everyone in this forum was round bodied and surrounded by dusty computer hardware and empty pizza boxes. ._.

[froggy]

USE YOUR MUSCLES TO SWING GREATSWORDS! D:<

This post has been edited by froggy: 10 September 2010 - 02:36 AM

[Hguols]

Way ahead of you, chief! *thumbs up and nod*

[froggy]

Any tips on someone who works out at home and doesn't own any equipment to build muscles/lose weight?


And post a vid of you and the greatswords too

This post has been edited by froggy: 10 September 2010 - 02:39 AM

[Chaa]

Whew! Gdam!

That was hawt! ;]

[Tuddle]

you seen unnaturally strong, and nice little stubble on your chin, it looks so awesome

[Halcyon Dtier]

Awesome vids dude.
Beefcake!

Hg wouldn't need swords he could just punch the dam things.

Especially if he had:

[froggy]

That explains why he wants fist weapons in MH

[theletterfox]

If you workout at home buy a pullup bar at the very least.

Decide on whether you want to-
1) Lose Weight
2) Gain Muscle
3) Gain Strength
4) Supplement Athletic Goals e.g. Kickboxing, or any Martial Art.

Not having a goal will hold you back from actually accomplishing anything.

If you absolutely do not want to purchase any equipment, focus on body weight exercises like pullups, dips, and the like. I had a book many years ago that gave seemingly strange but otherwise ingenious suggestions for creating equipment out of normal everyday stuff like using a backpack to augment the weight on pushups, dips, and squats or using milk jugs filled with progressively heavier materials for makeshift dumbbells. Where the pullup bar will help with an often neglected back muscles.

Although it may read as being overwhelming, the mistake of most ppl is to join a gym and then do nothing because they are intimidated by the weight they cannot lift. There are so many fine points to it as well as nutrition, but being super general:

1) Focus on higher rep range (18-25)
2) Focus on a middle rep range (8-15)
3) Focus on lower rep range (2-6)
4) Focus on specific movements associated with building muscle that aids the movement you want to improve.

If you have weight to lose, lose it first before you start with trying to build muscle rather than bulk then try to lose the fat. Avoid pushing yourself too hard or you could seriously injure yourself with wrong movements and whatnot. It's about progress over time after all.


Edit: Looking at your barbell pullovers, those are a thing of beauty. Most people neglect to do those at all because of how 'wimpy' the weight can be compared to other compound lifts. Myself, I could only do 85lbs extended barbell pullover for 4-5reps @155lb body weight, they are ridiculously humbling.

This post has been edited by theletterfox: 10 September 2010 - 03:21 AM

[froggy]

Thanks fox. What I'm doing now are just some push ups. I do 3 sets. And I do some basic wooden sword swings.

[Kethezara]

Hguols, I think you need to be able to lift more. That weight just isn't cutting it.

[Hguols]

Chaa, on 09 September 2010 - 08:42 PM, said:

Whew! Gdam!

That was hawt! ;]

turtle9922, on 09 September 2010 - 08:49 PM, said:

you seen unnaturally strong, and nice little stubble on your chin, it looks so awesome

Thanks!

theletterfox, on 09 September 2010 - 09:13 PM, said:

If you workout at home buy a pullup bar at the very least.

Decide on whether you want to-
1) Lose Weight
2) Gain Muscle
3) Gain Strength
4) Supplement Athletic Goals e.g. Kickboxing, or any Martial Art.

Not having a goal will hold you back from actually accomplishing anything.

If you absolutely do not want to purchase any equipment, focus on body weight exercises like pullups, dips, and the like. I had a book many years ago that gave seemingly strange but otherwise ingenious suggestions for creating equipment out of normal everyday stuff like using a backpack to augment the weight on pushups, dips, and squats or using milk jugs filled with progressively heavier materials for makeshift dumbbells. Where the pullup bar will help with an often neglected back muscles.

Although it may read as being overwhelming, the mistake of most ppl is to join a gym and then do nothing because they are intimidated by the weight they cannot lift. There are so many fine points to it as well as nutrition, but being super general:

1) Focus on higher rep range (18-25)
2) Focus on a middle rep range (8-15)
3) Focus on lower rep range (2-6)
4) Focus on specific movements associated with building muscle that aids the movement you want to improve.

If you have weight to lose, lose it first before you start with trying to build muscle rather than bulk then try to lose the fat. Avoid pushing yourself too hard or you could seriously injure yourself with wrong movements and whatnot. It's about progress over time after all.


Edit: Looking at your barbell pullovers, those are a thing of beauty. Most people neglect to do those at all because of how 'wimpy' the weight can be compared to other compound lifts. Myself, I could only do 85lbs extended barbell pullover for 4-5reps @155lb body weight, they are ridiculously humbling.

Thanks! I haven't tried any extended pullovers, but then again - I think I'm getting the benefits as is with the ones I'm doing.
One thing about my workouts, I don't try to fix something that's not broken.
_____________________

Some of what you're talking about, I'm already doing. Others, I wouldn't even bother with.
That's one thing about fitness - there's more than one way to skin a cat, and there are many methods to the madness.
Point being, if you do it, and you like the results, keep doing it.

I couldn't agree more with your number 4, "Focus on specific movements associated with building muscle that aids the movement you want to improve." It's almost surprising how many people want to get "into shape" or be "muscular", but they really have no clue as to what muscles they want to make bigger.

Targeting areas makes a lot of sense. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever to do pushups if you want a slimmer gut. That requires some ab work.
Being more specific, crunches more or less target upper abs only (as anyone can tell from the burn) - which actually does nothing for that belly-button area spare tire. That's why I do jackknives and Pillates. Granted, I'm FAR from a 6 pack, but for me weight and my height, my stomach is just fine.

Pushups (I guess it depends on how you do them) is more or less just a tricep exercise. If you have string bean arms and do oodles of pushups, you'll have string bean arms with a mountain sized tricep. I really don't mess with them at all - except one armed ones for a stunt of sorts.

[Melphisto]

Damn, nice workouts Hguols I'm currently working out as well, but I want to know if my current workout is working well for me. I've seen changes in myself in terms of muscle and strength, but I want to be able to move on. My target is to basically get more fit, and in particular, get the arms (biceps, triceps, shoulders, forearms). Here's my current workout:

1. 10min jogging cardio
2. Bicep curls (7.5kg; 15 -> 12 reps) -> (10kg; 10 reps)
3. Shoulder press machine (55kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
4. Back-muscle machine - forgot what it's called (100kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
5. Chest press machine (70kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
6. Dumbbell shoulder raise (15kg; 15 reps) -> (17.5kg; 12 -> 10 reps)
7. Dumbbell lateral/shoulder raise - side and front (7.5kg; 10 -> 8 -> 6 reps)
8. Dumbbell forearm raise - vertical and twisting (12kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)

When I get back home I do this:

1. Tricep push up (15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
2. One-handed tricep push up against the wall - 1m away (15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
3. Tricep bench push up - the one where you put your feet on the ground with arms on bench (15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)

And occasionally I do some ab workouts.

For my cardio specific days, I run up stairs, although with this one I want to talk about later :/

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated

[Coma]

I could imagine you wearing a red shirt and a black vest while carrying an MG

[HayzenTZ]

I got quite strong arms 'cus I pumped my air bed every night back then lol.
I also sometimes do workouts everynight before sleeping like situps and pushups but couldn't do these in another time since I'm busy. But I do sometimes ride bicycles every noon.

And I also do this 'DDR routines' for stamina and weight losing. Costs quite alot though.

[Hguols]

Melphisto, on 10 September 2010 - 02:48 AM, said:

Damn, nice workouts Hguols I'm currently working out as well, but I want to know if my current workout is working well for me. I've seen changes in myself in terms of muscle and strength, but I want to be able to move on. My target is to basically get more fit, and in particular, get the arms (biceps, triceps, shoulders, forearms). Here's my current workout:

1. 10min jogging cardio
2. Bicep curls (7.5kg; 15 -> 12 reps) -> (10kg; 10 reps)
3. Shoulder press machine (55kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
4. Back-muscle machine - forgot what it's called (100kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
5. Chest press machine (70kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
6. Dumbbell shoulder raise (15kg; 15 reps) -> (17.5kg; 12 -> 10 reps)
7. Dumbbell lateral/shoulder raise - side and front (7.5kg; 10 -> 8 -> 6 reps)
8. Dumbbell forearm raise - vertical and twisting (12kg; 15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)

When I get back home I do this:

1. Tricep push up (15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
2. One-handed tricep push up against the wall - 1m away (15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)
3. Tricep bench push up - the one where you put your feet on the ground with arms on bench (15 -> 12 -> 10 reps)

And occasionally I do some ab workouts.

For my cardio specific days, I run up stairs, although with this one I want to talk about later :/

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated

Looks good to me bud!

The only thing I'd do differently, if I was doing this sort of thing, would be to use free weights instead of machines. I mean, don't get me wrong, what you're doing is really good!.... I've been told I'd get more out of my workout with free weights rather than machines.

Makes sense. It requires extra muscle and technique to balance the said weight the entire time its being pushed/pulled.

[froggy]

Hmmm Maybe I should consider buying some. And get some motivation to jog in the morning.

[Hguols]

I've heard a definition of discipline as "doing something I have to do before I have to do it".

This goes hand in hand with motivation and priority.

Point being, no one can make me get in the gym - they can encourage, but its up to me to actually go.
The hardest part is suiting up and showing up. It gets MUCH easier after a while, and there comes a point where its a blessing to work out!

I'll never have time for fitness unless I take the time for it. I could always have something else to do.
(especially since I work 40+ hours a week and have a music career)

[Coma]

What instruments do you play?