How Many Of Us Actually Workout??

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by Taittinger

I lift 3-4 times a week and train in TKD 1-2 a week. Have had to cut back on the heavy lifting since getting tendinitis in the elbow back in Sept/Oct. Really frustrating. And no disrespect intended, benching ones body weight is usually considered a minimum.

+1, it's minimum to bench ur weight... if u dont then there's something wrong

the problem is due to work i can never go continuously to gym, i got for 2 weeks straight, then stop for a whole month.

same with my martial arts class. i havent been going regular for over ayear now, very frustrating that i cannot.

TKD keeps u in shape IMO, i was cut as hell when i did it back in the day. Mantis makes u lazy and fat

[L~R~G nor cal]

Originally Posted by Taittinger

Well there is strength and there is power. Max is still used to gauge power for powerlifting.

The goal here is what University of Texas calls "EP" explosive power. When you say there is strenght and there is power, I think this is not a correct choice of words. Its more like strenght and speed. You want to reach the goal of having power(strenght) with speed or EP.

Alot of people just train for strenght and become slow. Others train for speed and become weak. You want to have the perfect balance.

EP is huge for all sports. Think about the UFC, where would you be with only power, or only speed.

The best way to reach EP is slow down, fast up. Simple, but walk in the gym and you see guys just bouncing weights off their chests.

[Taittinger]

Originally Posted by L~R~G nor cal

The goal here is what University of Texas calls "EP" explosive power. When you say there is strenght and there is power, I think this is not a correct choice of words. Its more like strenght and speed. You want to reach the goal of having power(strenght) with speed or EP.

Alot of people just train for strenght and become slow. Others train for speed and become weak. You want to have the perfect balance.

EP is huge for all sports. Think about the UFC, where would you be with only power, or only speed.

The best way to reach EP is slow down, fast up. Simple, but walk in the gym and you see guys just bouncing weights off their chests.

Okay, how about horsepower and torque?

[L~R~G nor cal]

Originally Posted by Taittinger

Okay, how about horsepower and torque?

HP=speed Torque=power... LOL ITS ALL ABOUT THE PERFECT COMBO!!

[ArmyBimmerDude]

Originally Posted by BMWE90

If you can bench your own weight then you're pretty damn strong.

Yeah, I think thats what I heard when I was in H.S.

"If you can't bench your weight once, you're weak" which in my opinion is true. Any guy should be able to do it one time.

Oh and I just did one rep of 270lbs. Not going any higher cause I havent exercised in 2 months. lol

Anyway, the core exercise more important to me are squats. You'd be amazed at the gains you make if you suck it up and do them.

[jaiman]

www.crossfit.com

I try to do the work out of the day, everyday its posted.

[stooken]

about 5 days a week.

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by Taittinger

Well there is strength and there is power. Max is still used to gauge power for powerlifting.

true, as I said it is still used. But outside of max lift competitions, and the bench press is not a world cup or olympic powerlifting event, the more widely used standard is how many reps at a given weight. An intereting question is "how much can you deadlift" or "how much can you clean and jerk" (no sex comments!). I doubt more than a couple people here can even do a hang clean or power clean, let alone know what one is. I'm sure we'll get some interesting guesses soon!

Even in the strongest man competitions, those knowledgeable of the "sport" are looking more at how many reps at a given weight.

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by ArmyBimmerDude

Yeah, I think thats what I heard when I was in H.S.

"If you can't bench your weight once, you're weak" which in my opinion is true. Any guy should be able to do it one time.

Oh and I just did one rep of 270lbs. Not going any higher cause I havent exercised in 2 months. lol

Anyway, the core exercise more important to me are squats. You'd be amazed at the gains you make if you suck it up and do them.

Quoted for truth!

But ya gotta be smart in how you do them. I see so many guys, younger and older, that have no idea what they are doing. My knees ache just watching them.

I've just started back into them after taking years off for knee injuries. Too many years of doing parallel/catcher-squats with 3x my body weight. Now at 32 the cartilage in my knees is crap and my knees hurt everytime the weather changes. I've resorted to hack squats with my feet together on a power rack. Not a "real" squat in my book, but w/o 2 knee reconstructions / replacements, it's the closest I'm gonna be able to get.

[Taittinger]

It definitely gets tougher. I stopped squatting for about ten years for fear of a problematic hamstring and knees. Just started again, staying light, about 225 max now. I recently had to stop deadlifting due to a bum elbow.

[Taittinger]

Since this is a workout thread and since I have never found a good answer, has anyone found a good way to lift heavy while retaining flexibility? I know there is loss as one ages. I try stretching more but personally, too much stretching keeps me from lifting max weight and actually puts me at risk for pulled muscles when I do lift. I am finding it harder to do routine kicks such as the roundhouse or side kick though as a result.

[!Xoible]

damn this thread, made me go to gym... just got back...

altho i havent worked out in a month i was able to bench 195

[Taittinger]

Originally Posted by mantis

damn this thread, made me go to gym... just got back...

altho i havent worked out in a month i was able to bench 195

Headed there now and coincidentally it is chest day.

[ducati955]

i been lifting since i was 16, now 29, did photoshoots, etc, persoanl training, diets, bla bla, i love it, all natural!

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by Taittinger

Since this is a workout thread and since I have never found a good answer, has anyone found a good way to lift heavy while retaining flexibility? I know there is loss as one ages. I try stretching more but personally, too much stretching keeps me from lifting max weight and actually puts me at risk for pulled muscles when I do lift. I am finding it harder to do routine kicks such as the roundhouse or side kick though as a result.

Maybe work with a trainer (one that know something!), and focus on some flexability work. Can you expand on why the stretching is hindering you? It may be loosening up your supporting / stabilizing muscle structure that is under developed relative to your major muscle groups. This is VERY common. With the stabilizing muscles loose and not strong, the major movers can not do their job. Focus on less weight and perfect form, and you'll develop these supporting groups. Also there are specific exercises that target supporting muscle groups, and as you become a more advanced lifter, you need to work on these so you DON'T get hurt. I recently f'd my rotator cuff (actually the nerves that control it, no idea how), and it's killing my shoulder routines. My delts are plenty strong, but I can't stop my scapula from winging out. The pinched nerve caused atrophy in my rotator cuff, so I can't stabilize my shoulder like I need to for many of my shoulder routines.

It pains me to see so many people, especially teenagers and early 20 somethings that come into the gym and haven't had good instruction on what they are doing. I was that person at 14 and 15 yrs old, but was fortunate to move to a new school that had a quality training program before I was too screwed up.

My flexability has always been important to me, as it's prevented me from getting any number of injuries over the years. When I'm good and warm/loose, I can still hit a straddle split. Not bad for 6'-1, 285 . I can still get up to about 5'-5 with a side kick, not sure on the roundhouse. My hammies have always been a little tighter than the rest of my legs.

That said, I spend a lot of time on stretching. I find it helps my lifting, and if I'm good and loose I can lift more. I'm sure that a knowledgeable trainer should be able to work with you on your stretching routine, maybe offer some improvement. It's very hard to help with that without standing there with you. That said, I do hold all of my stretches for well over 30 seconds, some up to 2 minutes. I also vary the intensity of the stretch during that time. On a one minute stretch, I may go as far as possible (w/o pain) for 20 seconds, ease off just a bit for 10, push past where you were at first for 20, then ease off all the way over 10 seconds.

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by mantis

damn this thread, made me go to gym... just got back...

altho i havent worked out in a month i was able to bench 195

let us know how you feel tomorrow!

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by Taittinger

It definitely gets tougher. I stopped squatting for about ten years for fear of a problematic hamstring and knees. Just started again, staying light, about 225 max now. I recently had to stop deadlifting due to a bum elbow.

Squats, dead lifts and hang cleans are some of my fav exercises, but it's so easy to get hurt with them. I haven't been able to do hang cleans for over 2 years, as my elbow just won't cooperate. That snap to the clavicle just kills it.

[xxballinboi786]

ahh the irony...i would really like to sit here and respond to everyones post but its time for me to go to the gym...lol...found some pretty cool/interesting responses in the last few pages and ill be answering them inna little...by the way, congrats on 195 mantis!

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by TurboFan

let us know how you feel tomorrow!

i love it when im sore dude.. if im not i feel like i wasted my time or did something wrong

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by ducati955

i been lifting since i was 16, now 29, did photoshoots, etc, persoanl training, diets, bla bla, i love it, all natural!

are you cut or big? im having a hard time getting back in shape... i mean round is a shape, but i'd like another one...

[F87LUV]

me... im cutting right now... in six months i hope to be in fitness competitions

[!Xoible]

dude arab chicks dont work out... they only know how to eat