Lifter's Lounge

[FrancisK]

I wouldn't listen to anybody, if you like cardio and it makes you feel good then keep doing what you're doing. I know some people who get euphoric from running it's a release for them, that was sure as heck never me I joke that cardio is how God punishes me for my sins. The only thing I will say is that in this world the way things are now it's good to have some size, it's good to make people think twice before they decide to challenge you or decide if you're a target. I don't expect everyone to subscribe to that mentality but the world has become a less hospitable place lately and everyone is trying to get a piece of someone else it seems. I remember on the old forum so many guys would say "I want to look like brad pitt in fight club".....brad pitt in fight club would get his ass handed to him by high school kids and girls would see him as a novelty toy, always laughed at that.

For power lifts (shoulder presses, chest presses, dead lifts, squats, lunges, maybe even rows) I would add a little more weight and do less reps, save the ten reps for the accessory lifts. Also not sure why you're specifically concentrating on those 3 exercises and also 3 days apart as a rule is probably overkill. Honestly you're overthinking it a bit, I don't mean in this in a negative way at all but you seem like an extreme beginner from some of these things you're saying, it would benefit you to just keep things simple. Have you ever had any kind of athletic training where strength was prioritized? Being able to do 10 pull ups and 20 dips is not necessarily a lofty thing whatsoever, especially being in shape and lean. I don't say that to put you down I say that to illustrate your inexperience and to compel you to keep things simple for now.


Here is a beginner sample workout with generalizations instead of specific exercises, you can fill them in as you prefer:

Stretch/Pull ups/Dips/Push ups to warm up before each workout and again after workout

Monday Chest/Tris
Some type of chest press
Cable fly's or pec deck
Second type of chest press variation
Pull down tricep exercise
Underhand or single handed tricep exercise

Tuesday Back/Bi's
Deadlifts (skip if you have back issues)
Some type of row, I prefer seated
Shrugs
Second row variation or stiff arm pull downs if you skipped deadlifts
Machine or bar bicep exercise
Dumbell bicep exercise
(for biceps try to get straight, hammer and rotating grips all in there)

Wednesday off or cardio

Thursday Legs/Shoulders
Squats or Lunges
Calves
Another leg exercise
Some type of shoulder press variation
Lateral, upright or front rows
Rear delt exercise
(shoulders are really important for size and physique, they are often overlooked don't be afraid to work them hard there are many shoulder exercise variations)

Friday off or cardio

Saturday light full body
Pick two exercises for each body part, arms maybe just one. You don't have to go all out here you can do less sets, you've already hit every body part this weekend this is kinda just like finishing them off

Sunday off



You can skip the full body day if you're only lifting 3 days a week and just space out the others, mind you if you're exercising doing your cardio on other days you're still working your muscles.


Lots of ways to skin this cat, this is just an example. Don't fixate on rules and specifics there is no need for that yet, maybe in the future when you learn what your body responds to and what needs more work things of that nature.

One thing too late to edit, that shoulder exercises should be raises not rows and for back your main exercise besides deadlifts should be pull downs.

Also I'll emphasize this again, you're there to push yourself. Not destroy your body but absolutely push yourself, don't just go through the motions on anything. I always tell people "be an athlete", come at your workouts strong and push through them.

 

[Get2choppaaa]

I'm trying to find the motivation to lift 3 or 4 times per week

I do plenty of low level and high intensity cardio but generally lift only 1-2 times per week and remain built like a slightly muscular runner.

How many of you are actually lifting 3 or more days per week?

Would you say you actually individually train each upper body muscle - pectorals, biceps, abdominals, obliques, triceps, latissimus dorsi - 3 times a week? If so, that is 3 times more than I generally do..

I do deadlifts and squats but worry less about lower body because of all the running and occasional racquet sports. Can probably leave that at one session of deadlifts and one session of squats per week, but that other stuff I'm concerned about.

My gym is easy to get to so that is not really an excuse..

4 workouts a week is usually what I do. Keep it one hour and 15 mins or less. 4-6 sets per. Body part. At least 1 set to technical failure.

Upper
Lower
Upper
Lower

If you want to do cardio... Go ahead.

 

[JCSteel]

@Get2choppaaa and @FrancisK which exercises do you recommend for someone who works out at Planet Fitness? I don't have access to a real squat rack or bench press and the DBs only go to 75 lbs. I'm approaching my mid 40s and I have some minor knee issues.

I lift about 4 times a week.

1. Legs
2. Back and Biceps
3. Shoulder
4. Chest


Today I worked on my shoulders- I did Sitting DB shoulder press, DB Front and side raises and DB shrugs. It's probably my favorite workout.

I enjoy my Back and Biceps workout mainly for DB hammer curls.

Unfortunately I feel I'm just going through the motions for leg, back, and chest days.

 

[Get2choppaaa]

@Get2choppaaa and @FrancisK which exercises do you recommend for someone who works out at Planet Fitness? I don't have access to a real squat rack or bench press and the DBs only go to 75 lbs. I'm approaching my mid 40s and I have some minor knee issues.

I lift about 4 times a week.

1. Legs
2. Back and Biceps
3. Shoulder
4. Chest


Today I worked on my shoulders- I did Sitting DB shoulder press, DB Front and side raises and DB shrugs. It's probably my favorite workout.

I enjoy my Back and Biceps workout mainly for DB hammer curls.

Unfortunately I feel I'm just going through the motions for leg, back, and chest days.

Use the smith machine and do incline presses and dumbbell flys for chest.

For back, you can use the smith machine and do bent over rows and dumbbell rows.

Legs can be smith machine, split squat, goblet squat, DB stiffleg dead lift.

 

[FrancisK]

@Get2choppaaa and @FrancisK which exercises do you recommend for someone who works out at Planet Fitness? I don't have access to a real squat rack or bench press and the DBs only go to 75 lbs. I'm approaching my mid 40s and I have some minor knee issues.

I lift about 4 times a week.

1. Legs
2. Back and Biceps
3. Shoulder
4. Chest


Today I worked on my shoulders- I did Sitting DB shoulder press, DB Front and side raises and DB shrugs. It's probably my favorite workout.

I enjoy my Back and Biceps workout mainly for DB hammer curls.

Unfortunately I feel I'm just going through the motions for leg, back, and chest days.

I actually have a planet fitness membership, my real gym close to home is a one off not a chain and I got a membership to planet fitness after I took over a new business that wasn't anywhere near home. There is one everywhere so that worked out, I could get my workout in and go back to work and it has worked out well also for being on the road. I had to be there a lot in the beginning of taking over the new biz.

You're not going to be winning any powerlifting competitions working out at the place but you can get a workout in just fine. Half the workout is how hard you push yourself. I don't care for the smith machine but it is what it is I would use it for squats, I would also use dumbbells in each hand for lunges....don't underestimate lunges they hit me harder than any squats. The hammer strength machines are okay for chest and I would use the fly machine, at the end of chest when I'm burned out I would then grab the 75's and I would do incline press with my palms at my side which added more difficulty to it, like a fly grip. Everything else is no problem they have the machines and weights for the other stuff.

You gotta push, spend less time between sets so you burn yourself out, push hard forward and controlled down....make it so that you're huffing and puffing after a set. Believe me I like pushing crazy weight as much as the next guy but it's not all that matters in a good workout. I was pleasantly surprised by the workouts I would get in there as much as I used to rag on the place. The worst thing you can do is just go through the motions...don't even bother you gotta break through that. All those people you see in there day after day that look like a bag of mashed up assholes even though they're in the gym every single time you go....those people just go through the motions.

 

[stadtaffe]

The only thing I will say is that in this world the way things are now it's good to have some size, it's good to make people think twice before they decide to challenge you or decide if you're a target. I don't expect everyone to subscribe to that mentality but the world has become a less hospitable place lately and everyone is trying to get a piece of someone else it seems.

Being a runner also helps with confidence to run away if needed but women will not find the potential that you can run very fast away from trouble (and leave them standing there) attractive.

you seem like an extreme beginner from some of these things you're saying, it would benefit you to just keep things simple. Have you ever had any kind of athletic training where strength was prioritized?

I'm not a beginner, I've been doing it since my teens and am in my mid 40s. Just that perhaps my earliest induction into it was not from someone who really knew how to bulk up. So it has kept me toned rather than bulky, but in my early 20s I was a bit stronger with some of the exercises.

Rock climbing is the one I have done a lot of where strength was prioritised. Some fighting sports but that it more speed than strength.

Being able to do 10 pull ups and 20 dips is not necessarily a lofty thing whatsoever, especially being in shape and lean. I don't say that to put you down I say that to illustrate your inexperience and to compel you to keep things simple for now.

It depends who you compare with, I think in America men may be stronger in general. If I went to a more hard core gym I'd see some of that impressive stuff as well. I do front chin-ups but am not imressed myself by 10, only relieved it hasn't gotten worse. Over the last few years when having a very good day I manage up to 17 but has been a while since last did that.

Some type of row, I prefer seated

I've neglected that one, neglected all those rows with pin-loaded machines. Well, "all", it's just supported or unsupported, the former being with the cushion support against your chest.

Shrugs

Have never done that ever. Well tried but never done it routinely. I see people do that and heard it was for the trapezius so I never bothered with it.

(for biceps try to get straight, hammer and rotating grips all in there)

I do 3 sets of hammer head and nothing else. Sometimes do straight with a long bar and with or without that that 45° cushion support. Never bother with rotating grips. Do you think it makes a difference..

Rear delt exercise

Another one I neglect. Well, regular shoulder press does not do that, I think the row exercises would.

(shoulders are really important for size and physique, they are often overlooked don't be afraid to work them hard there are many shoulder exercise variations)

Front raises is one that I like.

Military press

What's that?

Abs, perhaps crunch machine

I do at least 2 ab exercises on the mat - oblique crunches and leg raises. Sometimes crunches. There have been times when I did crunches on the swiss ball. There is one ab exercise I'm not quite strong enough to do which is that wheel with the axel in your hands and you use your abs to sort of wheel it towards you.

4 workouts a week is usually what I do. Keep it one hour and 15 mins or less. 4-6 sets per. Body part. At least 1 set to technical failure.

Upper
Lower
Upper
Lower

This was the main point of my original post - just that upper should be done at least twice per week not just once.

If you want to do cardio... Go ahead.

When that is one's strength, no point suddenly stopping it..

dumbbell flys

Have neglected that but maybe should restart. There are 2 chest exercises which can be done on a flat bench with dumbells - dumbell flys or dumbell press, the latter of course with much heavier weight. Occasionally do dumbell press instead of bench press for something different.

 

[stadtaffe]

I can't be trusted to lift regularly enough to gain muscle.

When it comes to cardio and running, it's as natural as breathing, I just do it. Then with diet, if there are no temptations of social events I can do that as well well with diet or fasting although there was a phase a few years ago when I used the My Fitness Pal app to calorie count all my food and activity. There is both the mirror and the scales to keep one honest, especially the scale with its digital readout to the the tenth of a kilogram.

what is measured is done

I've often over the years seen people going around gyms with these cards they take out of filing cabinets and filling in a form after their sets. So will be trying it to force a four times per week routine with one of those :

The time and speed columns are there but I moved them to last so to try to stay focused on weight, reps and sets. Just carry it around along with the towel.

I don't know why but a bit into my 20s I sort of switched to a 'maintenance' amount of lifting. The other day I had a revelation - I keep thinking that when I was 18 I used to put 30kg on each end of the 20kg bar and do a set of 6, so now that I only put only 20 on each end in my 40s it's not that bad.. Then I suddenly realised, actually at a certain point when I was about 19, I used to put 35kg on each end of the bar as well, with a spotter and do about 4 reps. Then I'd try the 100kg , ie 40kg on each end but could never get it back up all the way without a spotter. If I tried that now I'd probably crack my rib cage and need to be saved.

Do any of you carry a card or similar around and write on it after sets? I've never done this, well maybe a tiny bit when I was 16 and first taught about the gym but dropped it since.

 

[Northern Pilgrim]

I've often over the years seen people going around gyms with these cards they take out of filing cabinets and filling in a form after their sets. So will be trying it to force a four times per week routine with one of those :

Do any of you carry a card or similar around and write on it after sets? I've never done this, well maybe a tiny bit when I was 16 and first taught about the gym but dropped it since.

Definitely want to write things down so you can see with a glance what is working and what needs improvement.

I just write down everything in a blank notebook or on a notes app, based on the previous lifting day.
While warming up the weight is slightly increased, especially if going for max/limit strength. Doing the same weight every time doesn't allow progressive overloading and the subsequent adaptation.

Day
Lift: Weight x reps x sets

E.g.
Back Sqt: 45 x 5 x 2, (so warming up with empty bar, 2 sets of 5 reps), 135 x 4, 185 x 3, 205 x 2
Working load = 235 x 5 x 3

I usually do 5 warmup sets on the first lower body and first upper body lift of the day, just to ensure adequate preparation and injury avoidance. The above 5 x 2, 4, 3, 2 system has been really helpful and worked well for me.

 

[Hannibal]

Do any of you carry a card or similar around and write on it after sets? I've never done this, well maybe a tiny bit when I was 16 and first taught about the gym but dropped it since.

I just go to failure every workout and record main lifts once in a while to make sure they're going up. Majority of the time I don't even count reps, trying to beat my previous number every workout usually leads to sacrificing form and banging out sloppy reps.

The mentality then becomes hinged on workout performance and a "bad workout" has a negative effect on me, whereas if I just focus on performing the routine and going hard and let time do the work, things trend upward. The body doesn't know if I did 6 reps last time and do 7 this time, it only knows stimulus. Give it stimulus over time with the right diet and rest and it'll grow.

 

[JCSteel]

Gonna work on my back today. Watching these videos from the late John Meadows has helped me recently.

 

[Blade Runner]

What do those of you do who are over 40? How frequently do you train, etc?

 

[Tippy]

I only started going to the gym recently.

I feel too intimidated to use the heavier barbells...

I just do dumb bells 10 kg until 'failure'

I then do shoulder press, chest press and some other machines and then sauna.

I don't really push myself that hard. Just 20-30 minutes and then out.

For me it's more about maintaining my mood at this point. I am noticing my arms are a bit bigger than before though just from this.

 

[IM3000]

I'm suffering from a Golfer's Elbow for months now and it really sucks. Internet is full of stuff, pretty overwhelming. Has one of you first hand experience and can recommend some exercises/regimen?

 

[Get2choppaaa]

I'm suffering from a Golfer's Elbow for months now and it really sucks. Internet is full of stuff, pretty overwhelming. Has one of you first hand experience and can recommend some exercises/regimen?

 

[It_Is_My_Time]

What do those of you do who are over 40? How frequently do you train, etc?

I am training 4 times per week, the other days I do some form of cardio or at least active movement. Shooting baskets with an upbeat tempo, walking, yard work, etc.

I've moved things around.

Wednesday - Push. Then at lunch I do plyometrics/max jump/uphill sprints. (2 workouts in one day)
Friday or Saturday, depending on rain, I prefer Saturday - Legs
Sunday - Pull

I do a Mike Mentzer style of training for my upper body. Legs are about explosion/jumping/sprinting, with a few heavy sets at the end of my leg lifting day.

For upper body, like on push, I will go heavy bench (a set of about 3 to 6 reps, where the last rep is the last I can get). Then I do the same for close grip bench. Then I do the same for military. I moved military to pushing day. After these three heavy sets, I go back and do a lighter set, with a 5 to 6 second eccentric move and an explosive concentric move. I do this to complete failure. Then I throw in some side delts.

I do the same for pull, and it is wide grip pull ups, bar lat rows, reverse curls, curls, rear delts and side delts.

I work abs on the upper body days.

I have found that if I train less, and each session is shorter and more intense, and then eat a lot of protein, I am getting better results.

I wanted to add that due to being in my mid-40's, I make sure to do the following...

I eat a lot of protein. About 200g on the days I lift, and probably about 150 on the days I don't lift. I just eat eggs, ground beef, cheese, brown rice, and protein shakes. I mix collagen powder into my protein shakes. I take a multi-vitamin every day, and also about 200g of Magnesium and 25g of Zinc before bed. I take BCAA daily, more on a lifting day, and it seems to give me a lot more energy. I stretch a little bit each day, when my legs are warm. And I am very much into my plyometrics. Keeping my leg joints strong and flexible are of the utmost importance to me. I see a lot of guys my age, who do lift and eat healthy, but don't train their legs in a dynamic/real world/explosive fashion and either they end up getting hurt or they become stiff.

 

[Hannibal]

I'm suffering from a Golfer's Elbow for months now and it really sucks. Internet is full of stuff, pretty overwhelming. Has one of you first hand experience and can recommend some exercises/regimen?

100 rep curls to absolute failure with an empty bar, even a soup can will work. Force blood into that elbow joint, I fixed elbow tendonitis with that alone.

Same technique applies to other joints. 100 reps to maximum pump with a very light weight.

 

[stadtaffe]

I'm going to ask an intrusive question, just a bit nosy :

How many reps of your own body weight can you guys bench?

 

[Get2choppaaa]

I'm going to ask an intrusive question, just a bit nosy :

How many reps of your own body weight can you guys bench?

15 at 250 lbs.
I've done 22 at 225

 

[scary_robot_music]

I'm going to ask an intrusive question, just a bit nosy :

How many reps of your own body weight can you guys bench?

I'm pretty sure at least one. What I'm not sure of is if it would be a good idea to try. The odds of my blowing out one of my fifty-year-old shoulders are far higher than the odds of my PB on bench impressing anyone.

This goes double for my lower back vs. impressing anyone with my max squat or dead lift.

 

[Get2choppaaa]

I'm pretty sure at least one. What I'm not sure of is if it would be a good idea to try. The odds of my blowing out one of my fifty-year-old shoulders are far higher than the odds of my PB on bench impressing anyone.

This goes double for my lower back vs. impressing anyone with my max squat or dead lift.

You need a form check and stronger obliques most likely. You shouldn't be hurting yourself doing these exercises.