New Exercise & Fitness Thead

[Vethnar]

I know you guys pimp that book a lot, and I'm interested, but I'm worried that it won't be quite basic enough for me. For example:

The only one of those that I even know HOW to do is the bench press. (And pullups, but as I said, right now I can't even do those AT ALL. Like can't even move my arms once I'm hanging there.)

So will Starting Strength help me with that

Yes, that's precisely what it does. It's a good book, for the most part, but I would recommend learning the power clean from some other book (maybe McCauley's or Everett's, but Fleeing Finn is the expert -- use whatever he recommends).

[lessthanluke]

I wouldn't even bother with the power clean or any sort of oly lifts if you are just looking to gain some strength.

[Starkess]

Sounds good then, I'll order it. :)

[Stego]

Starkess,

Starting Strength explains 5 lifts in extreme detail. (The squat, the deadlift, the bench press, the shoulder press, and the power clean.) The one thing it leaves out is pullups.

Most females can not do pullups when they start. Actually, most males in the real world, too. Don't sweat it!

. This is the method of progression that everyone should use. There ways to scale any exercise for a beginner. If you work hard at band pullups, you WILL be able to do pullups in a few short months.

[Stego]

I wouldn't even bother with the power clean or any sort of oly lifts if you are just looking to gain some strength.

Speed and explosiveness are nothing to sneer at.

[lokisnow]

I have starting strength the book and have read it cover to cover once and read at least half of it a second time (some sections three or four times).

I found the DVD to be MUCH more helpful, as well as more accessible for beginners I've shown it too. The nice thing about the DVD is that mark Rippetoe takes his trainees through the basic movements coaching them on all the important aspects of what you need to do step by step. And you see people of all shapes, ages, genders and sizes do the exercises.

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/B001U9FDP2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1302804373&sr=8-3

Dude, you're talking a language I do not understand.

Also, I can't do pull-ups anyway. I mean zero, ever, in my entire life.

I know you guys pimp that book a lot, and I'm interested, but I'm worried that it won't be quite basic enough for me. For example:

The only one of those that I even know HOW to do is the bench press. (And pullups, but as I said, right now I can't even do those AT ALL. Like can't even move my arms once I'm hanging there.)

So will Starting Strength help me with that or do I need to start even more basic?

(You'd think after years of reading this thread I wouldn't be so dumb, but, well, you'd be wrong. :))

[Starkess]

I was buying a desk at Target today and I had to buy the basic one without drawers because the other one was too heavy for me to get into the cart! Definitely going to be glad if I can even get a little bit stronger. I hate feeling useless.

Ordered my copy of Starting Strength overnight delivery, that's how excited I am. :)

Stego, thanks for the info about band assisted pull-ups. I've never had any success with other pull-up training plans, but this is a new way and looks like I might be able to work it.

[lessthanluke]

Speed and explosiveness are nothing to sneer at.

Didn't say they were :P

Each to their own. I've power cleaned about 3 times in my life.

[Cantabile]

The power clean confuses me. I've watched a few tutorial videos on YouTube, and tried to practice it, but I can't seem to get it down well enough to actually do. Anyone know any better (free) guides to it?

[wolverine]

Didn't say they were :P

Each to their own. I've power cleaned about 3 times in my life.

I have not done a power clean since high school football. We had to max out so we could try see our progress. I weighed 160 (wrestled 145) back then and power cleaned 230, it seemed like a lot compared to other high school guys and I though they were fun. Is there much benefit to power cleans? Now I have an area where I could start doing them again.

[Stego]

I have not done a power clean since high school football. We had to max out so we could try see our progress. I weighed 160 (wrestled 145) back then and power cleaned 230, it seemed like a lot compared to other high school guys and I though they were fun. Is there much benefit to power cleans? Now I have an area where I could start doing them again.

That is a lot. A very lot for a beginner of your size.

I think the clean is the third most important lift after squat and deadlift. A lot of folks think the clean is more important than the deadlift. It's a full body exercise that builds speed, explosiveness, and lots of strength.

As to benefit, it depends what you are looking for. If strength, speed, explosiveness, and all around improved physical and athletic ability fits into your desires, then yes! :D

Bile, you should learn the Oly lifts from a coach, ideally.

[Vethnar]

I was buying a desk at Target today and I had to buy the basic one without drawers because the other one was too heavy for me to get into the cart! Definitely going to be glad if I can even get a little bit stronger. I hate feeling useless.

Ordered my copy of Starting Strength overnight delivery, that's how excited I am. :)

Cool! It will be exciting for the rest of us to follow your progress, too. Good luck, and remember to post updates from time to time!

:thumbsup:

The power clean confuses me. I've watched a few tutorial videos on YouTube, and tried to practice it, but I can't seem to get it down well enough to actually do. Anyone know any better (free) guides to it?

These videos are among the better ones I have seen online:

http://www.pendlay.com/Videos_ep_45-1.html

I think most coaches recommend learning the snatch before the clean.

[lessthanluke]

I have not done a power clean since high school football. We had to max out so we could try see our progress. I weighed 160 (wrestled 145) back then and power cleaned 230, it seemed like a lot compared to other high school guys and I though they were fun. Is there much benefit to power cleans? Now I have an area where I could start doing them again.

For powerlifting or just general strength training there isn't much benefit no. If as Stego says you want to build speed and power do them.

[Stego]

I think most coaches recommend learning the snatch before the clean.

Holy crap, are you serious?

[Eponine]

In the fall I'm taking part time classes, so I'll have free (well pretend free) access to a gym again and I'm looking forward to that. That was another bad fitness related thing about leaving Blacksburg - I have lifetime use of one of the campus gyms and it even has a pool.

Ugh, trying to decide whether to run with the trail group tonight - I could just go now and get it over with. It's snowy and freezing and with the group, there always ends up being a certain amount of standing around before and after.

[Vethnar]

Holy crap, are you serious?

I'm serious, but I could very well be wrong. At least, both the books I own on Olympic lifting ("Olympic Weightlifting - A Complete Guide for Athletes and Coaching" by Greg Everett" and "Explosive Lifting for Sports" by Harvey Newton) teach the lifts in this order, and it seems that Glenn Pendlay and Don McCauley do the same.

In the introduction to his chapter on the snatch, Everett writes:

The fundamental pulling mechanics of the snatch apply to that of the clean and to a lesser degree the drive of the jerk, and learning the snatch is typically more difficult than learning the clean and jerk for new lifters. For these reasons, teaching the snatch first is generally recommended -- once a new lifter is reasonably comfortable with the snatch, the learning curve for the clean and jerk will be greatly reduced.

[LacyinTX]

Starkess,

Starting Strength explains 5 lifts in extreme detail. (The squat, the deadlift, the bench press, the shoulder press, and the power clean.) The one thing it leaves out is pullups.

Most females can not do pullups when they start. Actually, most males in the real world, too. Don't sweat it!

. This is the method of progression that everyone should use. There ways to scale any exercise for a beginner. If you work hard at band pullups, you WILL be able to do pullups in a few short months.

Any suggestions for a good brand of fitness band? I don't want to get cheap-o ones that I have to replace all the time. I don't mind spending a little more money if I know they are a good product. Also any suggestions for which strength/weight/colors(?) I might need? Keep in mind that I can't do doodly-squat on the pullup bar right now. :)

[Eponine]

Right now I can pull up about 70% of my body weight, 7-8 times, no problem. I can pull up about 80% of my weight one time, and it's really really difficult. It seems like no matter how many 70% pullups I do, it doesn't make the 80% one easier. And no matter how many times I do the 80% one, it doesn't get any easier. Advice?

I've never been able to do more than 5 real pullups.

[Cantabile]

I used a pullup machine for a few months, increasing the % of bodyweight by 10% every month, and it worked really well for me, so that I'm now able to do multiple reps of real pull ups finally. What I did was 1x5, 1x3, and 1x1, and just upped the % every month until finally at 100%. If there's a big gap between 70% and 80% for you, is it possible to do %s in between? 7-8 reps at 70%, 3 reps at 75%, then 1 rep at 80%? I think you should make progress any route you go, you just gotta give it time and make sure your diet is sufficient to allow for strength gains. Good luck :)

[Stego]

Any suggestions for a good brand of fitness band? I don't want to get cheap-o ones that I have to replace all the time. I don't mind spending a little more money if I know they are a good product. Also any suggestions for which strength/weight/colors(?) I might need? Keep in mind that I can't do doodly-squat on the pullup bar right now. :)

Perform Better has great products at good prices and fast service. I would recommend you get a green, a light purple, and a mini black. This way you can add them together to add whatever assistance you want, and also reduce the assistance as you get better at pullups.

While you are there, if there is one piece of fitness equipment I would recommend to every person on the planet, no matter their fitness level, it would be this. This high end foam roller has made all of the difference in my fitness and wellness. I would not be able to squat or deadlift without this wonderful tool. I firmly believe that. This is the particular model I use, and it is the best I have ever found.

I can not gush about it enough.