Exercise and Fitness V

[BLU-RAY]

Actually, what do you do if you get stuck at the bottom of a squat rep? I feel like that's been holding me back; I only started squats a couple weeks ago, and I'm scared that if I fail a rep I'll blow out both knees, or twist my back really badly or something.

[BLU-RAY]

Does your rack have the bars on the side? I don't have a partner hardly ever and I'm not pushing myself Stego's cousin-style, but I just have those side bars set so that if I actually did get stuck I could drop it off my back and onto those bars no problem. Might make a bit of a big bang but everyone, even a meathead, respects the failed squat.

Right, good point. I guess I forgot about the possibility of just letting it fall onto those things. I'm an idiot.

[Stego]

were followers of the "The more you can bench the more of a man you are" idea.

I was not going to share this here, but this sentence made me do so. I put up 405lbs today on the bench press. 3 strict reps. I was thrilled. 4 plates looks so much sexier than two+. I felt incredibly strong. It was a very motivating day in the gym.

That said, I'm pretty disappointed that my manhood is still the same size. I thought the growth was supposed to be immediate. Am I going to have to repeat it at a gold's Gym or something to get my extra 3 inches?

I think I have the guts to put up a 'before' and 'so far' picture tomorrow. I was able to take a snapshot today that only looks slightly horrible. I'll post my goals then.

[Stego]

500lbs is considered the benchmark for elite lifters. So... I have a ways to go.

[Mudguard]

Wow, congrats on 400+. How long did it take to get to this point? And how much were you benching at the start?

[ztemhead]

405??? :wideeyed:

Jesus, that's like two XRays and a Seastarr. Color me impressed.

[Stego]

Ah, well... hard question to answer. I lifted a lot in high school and a lot in the Marine Corps. I think I always maxed out around 340-350. When I started lifting weights again in February after a long time off, I was unable to lift 225 ten times. I quickly got back to 300 or so in just a couple of months. and the dumbbell work I have been doing over the past 2 months or so got me over the edge, in addition to getting help from a strength coach and using some tips from a Dave Tate video I posted here a while ago.

I'm really not bragging here folks. I can't do squats and I can't do deadlifts, so bench press is really one of the only few benchmarks I have with which to measure myself. I'm pretty strong, but I'm also pretty fat. I have a long way to go to reach my goals. Please remember too that I'm in a muscle building phase. I'm sure I'll get weaker when I go to cut weight.

[Stego]

Ha. To that point, I read a great anecdote about a couple of University of Tennessee footballers from a few years ago. Both are quasi-famous if you know football. Al Wilson and Jamal Lewis were having a bench off of some kind. Tons of other players were around rooting them both on. They kept raising the level and matching each other. Supposedly nobody won because the weight was getting serious and coaches walked in and shut it down because it was like max after max. Rumors are that it ended around 475 and that they'd both put it up.

They're certainly both famous. :D

There would be no reason for those guys to max out too often, but I'm not surprised at all that they are that strong. But normally folks only get to those types of numbers in their late 20's/30's. College aged kids doing it is insane.

[Mudguard]

Stego, I'd be happy to just get to your February baseline. I wanted to build up some strength for some mountain climbing stuff, but I've never really lifted weights in my life. Just for gym class in highschool. I'm hoping it won't take too long...

[BLU-RAY]

405 is pretty damn impressive, congrats, dude.

I should probably be more proactive about getting a spotter so that I can do more weight without worrying about dropping the bar on myself.

As far as goals go, one thing I'd really like to do at some point is get perfects on two of the Marine Corps benchmarks: 20 pullups and 18 minutes for 3 miles. That's a long, long way off, but it's something to keep in the back of my head.

[Fleeing Finn]

Actually, what do you do if you get stuck at the bottom of a squat rep? I feel like that's been holding me back; I only started squats a couple weeks ago, and I'm scared that if I fail a rep I'll blow out both knees, or twist my back really badly or something.

It depends a lot on your squat form. With olympic squats (high bar, back almost vertical) you can just drop the bar behind you if you can't get out of the hole. Be adviced though that most commercial gyms don't have bumpers or lifting platforms so they might not like it if you ruin their pretty parquet floor by dropping uncushioned weightplates on it. With the powerlifting style squat (low bar, back more horizontal) you either need a spotter or a power rack. If you're using a spotter have him stand behind you with arms ready to support your upper body. Make sure you choose a spotter who isn't a daydreamer. When you start pushing upwards from the hole and the movement stops the spotter shouldn't wait until the bar starts moving back down again.

About my goals

Short term: Get my body fat down to 6 %

Medium term: Snatch 100 kilos in the 85 kg class

Long term: Stay in shape

[Xray the Enforcer]

:lol: @ Ztem. I foresee a photo opportunity at the next BwB meet with me, Mo, seastarr and Stego.

Stego -- holy shit, man. That's awesome. Congrats!

I'm going to be happy when I can do a 1Xbw bench press (not even sure it's possible, but I think I can do it).

[OctopusArms]

I was not going to share this here, but this sentence made me do so. I put up 405lbs today on the bench press. 3 strict reps. I was thrilled. 4 plates looks so much sexier than two+. I felt incredibly strong. It was a very motivating day in the gym.

That said, I'm pretty disappointed that my manhood is still the same size. I thought the growth was supposed to be immediate. Am I going to have to repeat it at a gold's Gym or something to get my extra 3 inches?

I think I have the guts to put up a 'before' and 'so far' picture tomorrow. I was able to take a snapshot today that only looks slightly horrible. I'll post my goals then.

That's awesome! Keep it up, man.

I've never benched near that much and don't know if I ever will. I don't have a spotter, so I've been doing a lot of dumbbell presses instead of barbell presses. That way, I can bail easily if I have to. I'm going to have to switch soon though, as I'm getting up to the max dumbbell weight my gym offers. I'll have to figure something out then. I will NOT use the Smith Machine.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

I'm going to be happy when I can do a 1Xbw bench press (not even sure it's possible, but I think I can do it).

I would love to do that as well...but I need to get the weight down to reasonable first :lol: I can do 100lbs x5 after my upper body workout, but it is on a machine, so I wonder if I could do it with free weights?

Stego, that is amazing.

I have a question: Should hikes be counted as a lower body workout instead of cardio? My legs are SORE! Both fronts and backs of the thighs and the calves.

If so, then I am going to modify my routine just a little. Sunday-Hike; Mon-cardio; Tue-upperbody; Wed-caradio; Thur-lowerbody; Fir-cardio.

If it should be cardio, I will hate myself as I am not sure I could manage a lower body workout today. (and I would rather have 2 lower body workouts a week and one upper body)

[lessthanluke]

Are you seriously telling me that you benched over 400 lbs? I know that it can be done but damn, that is getting into elite territory for sure.

Luke - Did you mean 5 plates for your max or for your reps?

Nah just 1 rep. If I could do it for more I'd be well happy lol.

Stego 405 is fucking beastly man. Seriously don't tell yourself different. I've only ever seen a few people do that and all of them were over 300lbs. One of them is Wales Strongest Man and the other is a former Mr Wales.

Fuck.

[lessthanluke]

I would love to do that as well...but I need to get the weight down to reasonable first :lol: I can do 100lbs x5 after my upper body workout, but it is on a machine, so I wonder if I could do it with free weights?

Stego, that is amazing.

I have a question: Should hikes be counted as a lower body workout instead of cardio? My legs are SORE! Both fronts and backs of the thighs and the calves.

If so, then I am going to modify my routine just a little. Sunday-Hike; Mon-cardio; Tue-upperbody; Wed-caradio; Thur-lowerbody; Fir-cardio.

If it should be cardio, I will hate myself as I am not sure I could manage a lower body workout today. (and I would rather have 2 lower body workouts a week and one upper body)

I wouldn't replace a lower body workout with a hike but if you are finding it hard to recover just reduce the volume on your leg workouts.

[OctopusArms]

I have a question: Should hikes be counted as a lower body workout instead of cardio? My legs are SORE! Both fronts and backs of the thighs and the calves.

You've got to figure it out for yourself. Or readjust your schedule, like you said. Personally, I don't use hikes to replace leg workouts, but I'll readjust my schedule a bit so I'm not supposed to do a leg workout the day after a big hike. Even if I did, though, my feet usually get more banged up than my legs, so a leg workout shouldn't be a problem. Actually, I'll be testing that later today.

I find it really helpful to do some cardio the day after a hike, just to get the blood flowing again. Oh, and stretch, too.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

You've got to figure it out for yourself. Or readjust your schedule, like you said. Personally, I don't use hikes to replace leg workouts, but I'll readjust my schedule a bit so I'm not supposed to do a leg workout the day after a big hike. Even if I did, though, my feet usually get more banged up than my legs, so a leg workout shouldn't be a problem. Actually, I'll be testing that later today.

I find it really helpful to do some cardio the day after a hike, just to get the blood flowing again. Oh, and stretch, too.

Obviously what needs to happen is that weeks need to have an even number of days, like 8 instead of 7. :D

Really, I need another day as I want to do two leg workouts a week, but I can't change the day I do the hikes.

I am sure I will figure it out...and eventually, the hikes may not be so taxing for me.

eta: actually, if i decrease the cardio: hike, cardio, lower, upper, lower, cardio, rest, it works out. Having the hike in there, I should still be meeting my weight goals (as it could be cardio too)

[Greywolf2375]

Stegho, like I told ya yesterday man, that's just pure awesome! If you came in here chanting each day with the BP number, you'd fit into X's "meathead" description, but with what you've done, you deserve to be proud of it.

From what I hear though, the extra 3 inches comes in the mail in 6-8 weeks, YMMV though.

Goals?

currently 188ish, 14% BF...goal is 195, 9% bf. had both of them in the last two years, just not at the same time.

kinda tough to give a specific lift type goal since the workout I'm being put through changes each time. thinking in a couple weeks I'll have a better idea of where I'm at and know what some goals will be.

long term: dunk again. not sure how far away from this I am as I haven't tried in a long time, but I gotta figure I'm not hitting my head on the rim again any time soon.

[seastarr]

I think everyone should be allowed to brag about their achievements in this thread. No one who posts here is obnoxious, and everyone is working so hard. Why not be pleased with yourself?

I'm off to ashtanga--I actually rolled out of bed in time!