[Closed] GYM BODS!!

IMHO isolation exercises are for rehabilitation,muscle imbalances or 'topping up'

It's far better to do compound exercises which recruit other muscles for stability etc. Dead lifts, squats, free weight bench press etc.. are far, far better for building muscle then continually using machines which have 1 range of motion.

^ I only have free weights. Tend to do 5 sets of each exercise to failure, reps vary from 10-6

I'm sorry but there is a woeful amount of 'broscience' BS in this thread.

Firstly, strength is a function of muscle cross sectional area and recruitment of these contractile fibres. There is no isolation of size or strength through rep ranges - if you disregard variables such as neural adaptation and exercise form in beginners, both strength and size will increase in line with each other or not at all.

The only way to consistently gain size and strength (there's no either or) is to progressively load weight within a sensible rep range. Anything over 15 reps is generally considered to be endurance building and will have a lesser effect on hypertrophy - but the science pretty much stops there. Choice of rep range should be based on common sense and personal preference alone i.e. being able to maintain safe form, increasing weight without stalling. As long as you are progressively increasing workload and not letting it become easy, you will make gains. That's all there is to it, anyone who tells you different is probably trying to sell you something.

As for muscle soreness, this is in no way an indicator of how hard you've worked. DOMS is thought to be caused (at least partly) by damage to muscle and connective tissue from lifting. The oldschool train of thought is that this is then how muscles grow (the fibres grow back thicker, stronger etc) - but in fact an entirely separate process called protein synthesis causes muscle growth. You stop getting DOMS after a few workouts as pain receptors become dulled, but protein synthesis still occurs up to a 'cap' rate. After this no matter how hard you destroy yourself, you won't gain any more benefit, and you certainly don't need to experience DOMS to reach this level.

Nothing to argue with there. You eloquently explain why there are so many different approaches and they all work. It doesn't matter a whole lot what you do.

As long as you are progressively increasing workload and not letting it become easy, you will make gains.

This is the key line.

You can't keep increasing workload. At some point you adapt and you're done. Which is where all the different approaches come back into it. Pick a different one and you'll start gaining again.

You can't keep increasing workload. At some point you adapt and you're done. Which is where all the different approaches come back into it. Pick a different one and you'll start gaining again.

Absolutely. I'm not trying to be contentious, I don't think anyone would argue the above point in the case of running or cycling: if you do x miles a day, you get good at doing x miles, but not massively further. The problem is that you can't really sell common sense, so instead success is attributed elsewhere, usually to something with a USP that looks good in Men's Health. The only thing science will conclusively support is the progressive increasing of workload.

Absolutely. I'm not trying to be contentious, I don't think anyone would argue the above point in the case of running or cycling: if you do x miles a day, you get good at doing x miles, but not massively further. The problem is that you can't really sell common sense, so instead success is attributed elsewhere, usually to something with a USP that looks good in Men's Health. The only thing science will conclusively support is the progressive increasing of workload.

It's interesting you use the term USP. That is a nice way of summing it up. The U bit is the problem. It implies one approach is uniquely good. Easy to believe if you use that approach and it works, which it will, that other approaches must be invalid (particularly the apparently contradictory ones).

deft speaks the truth. amen

Whoah, wait a minute... I want to get stronger and even more toned... but I don't want to get bigger, no sir. WTF am I meant to do now?! 🙁

Whoah, wait a minute... I want to get stronger and even more toned... but I don't want to get bigger, no sir. WTF am I meant to do now?!

one thousand... one thousand one... one thousand two.. one... oh heh there, I don't don't if you heard me, I did over a thousand.

60% of the time it works every time

All this talk of chest days, arm days and back days, didnt know about this.

I started doing a few weights last year when I had a sore foot and couldnt ride or walk much and wonder if doing the same workout three days a week can be anywhere near as effective, I try to do shoulders, chest back and arms in one workout, I dont do legs as theyve always been huge and SSing keeps them that way.

'pends what you're trying to achieve...

Tone, strength, a bit more muscle here and there, naturally chunky but not all in a good way.

Stick with full body (excl legs in your case) workouts then.
Or, go and do bodypump classes and leer at lycra clad lovelys.

I dont do the gym Ive just got some dumbells I throw around, one larger set, one smaller.

Do you want me to send you a picture of me in all my lycra clad loveliness? Is that what you're saying?

I could put it on me wall for.....inspiration.

You got mail... 8)

Ding dong! 😛

So any tips on good upper body dumbell workouts? I think Im doing it ok but always open to good advice.

You got a chin-up bar?

If not, get one.

I had a go on a mates, pulling up 15 1/2 stone is hard work, especially hands facing away.

Sounds like it's exactly what you need to be doing then!

Initally set it low enough so that you can take as much weight as you need to through your legs.

Alternatively do jump assisted ones and then try and hold/ pause at the top before lowering yourself.

I had a go on a mates, pulling up 15 1/2 stone is hard work, especially hands facing away.

Put your feet on a stool when doing them until you can manage without. But the shorter and lighter you are the easier it is!

Thatll play havoc with me tennis elbow that will.

lol, if u got an iphone download a free app called fitness pro... great little app with excersizes

If you've got an iPhone just remember to congratulate yourself with alternate hands to avoid muscular imabalance. 😉