Work Out Thread.

derek

derek

Grey Eminence
Sep 30, 2005
18,777
66
48
Edinburgh, U.K.
I know some of you dudes are into working out and being healthy generally.

I'm not especially into programs, but I do love hitting the gym. I usually go three times per week for around two hours and split it to 1.5hrs weights and 0.5hrs interval training cardio work.

I do full body, but I'm worried about plateauing, and so I'm after some advice.

Any other random comments or whatever are welcome. I like to talk about lifting.

Pictures of food are, of course, also welcome.
 
I've been doing upper body weights two times a week and running 7-8 kmish two times a week for a while. Feels pretty good.

And since the whole point of working out is to channel away all the food/beer fat it's already about food :lol:
 
My workouts have been toned down since last year, what with separating my shoulder for a second time, it needs several months of healing. My workout now consists of abs, running, legs and lower back. I'm not a runner, so 1 or 2 KM is more than enough every day. I keep loosing weight, what with food poisoning, stomach flus in the last few months, so I'm on a creatine/protein mix diet, trying to put on "good" pounds.

My main workout is usually variations on the P90X program. I did the P90X program last summer, and I had never been in better shape in my life. So while I am healthy, I usually do workouts inspired from it. A lot of core, a lot of basics, which work surprisingly well.

But then, when it comes to working out, it's all about diet. You want size, you carbo-load or have a good protein intake. If you want to loose weight, you do a lot of cardio/fat burn with a good healthy lifestyle, eat regularly (5 times a day, all small, every 2 1/2 to 3 hours, and nothing 3 hours before you go to sleep,) and sleep properly.
 
Plateauing is a bitch. Previously, I used to work out 6 days a week with 72-hour splits. Mondays and Thursdays were Back and Bis, Tuesdays and Fridays were Chest and Tris and Wednesdays and Saturdays were Shoulders and Legs. Each part consisted of 4 set of 10 repetitions. Eventually, I started to gain strength and was able to increase the weight. Though, plateauing did occur and I adjusted my workouts to what I call the pyramid method. Basically, the pyramid method consists of doing a set of 10 reps at a low weight, increasing the weight to a set of 8, increasing the weight to a set of 6 etc. until you hit your peak at a set of 1. I made significant gains using this method but again, eventually plateaued.

Currently, mainly due to lack of time, I only work out 3 times a week utilizing a 5x5 workout I found on Bodybuiling.com. The name of the workout is Billy Starr's Intermediate 5x5 and it uses an Excel spreadsheet. It's a 9-week plan and works quite well. Though, I sometimes skip workouts due to lack of time and when that happens, I revert back to the previous week. It's an incremental method and I supplement it with my own stack using Jack3d, CellTech and multivitamins.

I don't do any cardio: I am strictly working on strength training. Though, I have some knowledge on various aspects of cardio and weight training. My father used to be a powerlifter (and gave me my first workout plan) but now has 6% body fat and doesn't lift anymore (heavy strain over time almost killed him).
 
I've been really trying to hit the gym before work lately--which is tough for a guy that works at a blues club certain nights per week, completely fucking up a regular circadian rhythm that would make morning gym time an easy, albiet rigorous, routine.

But since I don't go as regularly as I'd like, my gym routine is far from ideal, and I'll graciously step out of this thread and look forward to everyone else's input.
 
I'm basically after tone and strength, not especially size. I get big pretty easily, so most of my effort needs to be invested in staying slim rather than beefy.

I think my central problem is the diet - I'm pretty fit, but I simply love beer too much to really lose the belly fat I want to.
 
Plateau is tough. Whenever you think you get there, make your work out harder and longer. I would suggest making your cardio routine a lot longer than 30 minutes as 30 minutes is really nothing....
What do you usually use? the treadmill?

Also.... yeah beer and alcohol in general is a huge culprit for working out. If you have a goal in mind but can't get there, try cutting down your alcohol intake especially on days you go to the gym.
(so if you go 4 times a week- try to stay away from beers on those days and let your body heal and build muscles without the interference of the alcohol in your blood )


As for me, I used to go to the gym 3 times a week, but in the past month I have been going 4 times minimum, usually 5 times.
I do cycling class (60 minutes) 3 times a week, and body-step 2-1 times, (60 minutes) and another day is my "own" cardio for 60 minutes (usually the elliptical)
I do strength training at home with some awesome DVDs and......
In the past 4 weeks, I try to stay away from drinking during the week, and only drink in the weekend... in other words: I do a 5-2 routine.
5 days without any alcohol, 2 days I can drink.
On Wednesday night I went to my friend's house and drank wine with her (we killed 2 bottles) so that means that I only have one day of drinking this week.. (prolly Saturday)
It's hard, but working out and reaching your goal is HARD. There are no easy goals, Derek :)

Good luck <3
 
I know all this, I'm not a newbie. :).

I basically wanted some anti-plateau advice, in case anyone has experience with a good way to shock the muscles and avoid routine. I do 30 minutes cardio in the gym (treadmill, cross trainer, bike, rower - whatever) three times per week, but I also run twice per week and play squash, football, tennis or go climbing. I like to go rowing in the summer too, but I don't know any teams here.
 
^ I did give you an advice ;) and I know you're not a n00b.

In order to avoid plateau you must change something to shock your body again.
It can either be a harder cardio/ or give up something in your diet... Alcohol or simple carbs usually do the trick.
 
anti plateau - just change your routine. try circuit training, military style. it can be almost impossible sometimes, since it's all about pushing yourself beyond what you thought possible. i sound like a usa marine corp commercial, but it's true. i train like 5 days a week and lift maybe once or twice every two weeks. i just do circuits mainly. of course, it depends on what youre trying to achieve, as you know, so i wont waste my time telling you.

body weight exercises are counterintuitively among the best. so try dropping the weights and just pushing and pulling for a while, high reps.

example of last class - 5 pullups, 10 pushups and 15 kettle ball squat raises was considered 1 set. doesnt sound like much - but the competition was 20 mins and whoever did the most sets won. that's a shitload of everything if you go with hardly ANY rest in 20 mins like youre supposed to. at the end i ended up doing like 80 pulls, 150 pushups and 250 kettle raises or something ridiculous like that.

it's quite boring on your own ( so i hear...) but try something like that with a friend and see how you like it.


cool thread. i love talking about training.
 
Amazing cardio workout: MOUNTAIN BIKING! Nothing beats hour and a half on trail. Good for your head too...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have been lifting weights recently, and I am starting to love it. However, I probably do too much cardio exercise for my own good. I love to go jogging and hiking, and often! I am super thin, and when I was 17 I couldn't bench more than 90lb (don't laugh!). Now, I can do about 20lbs less than my body weight, which is a big improvement. Biking, hiking, swimming, running are the best cardio... so no need for a treadmill or exercise bike :p
 
Dead_Lioness said:
No such things as "too much cardio" you're working out alot, this is great! :)

If you think you're 'too thin' eat more protein after working out, and get protein supplements.
Click to expand...

Oh, I try but it is hard as a vegetarian (going on 1.5 years now). I buy the protein shakes/mix, eat eggs, beans & nuts, and of course veggies! I have a pretty healthy diet, but certainly not high in fats or proteins which I am trying to get.
 
Want good cardio? Sprint up some hills. Don't be scared to vomit because it'll probably happen.
 
derek said:
I know all this, I'm not a newbie. :).

I basically wanted some anti-plateau advice, in case anyone has experience with a good way to shock the muscles and avoid routine. I do 30 minutes cardio in the gym (treadmill, cross trainer, bike, rower - whatever) three times per week, but I also run twice per week and play squash, football, tennis or go climbing. I like to go rowing in the summer too, but I don't know any teams here.
Click to expand...

Using the 5x5 plan that I mentioned in my post has helped with plateauing. Though, I'm a little curious to know if cardio is contributing to your plateauing issues since cardio burns muscle.
 
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