Weights

I’ve started enjoying weight training a bit more recently and I’ve been concentrating on my upper body. To work on my arms I do press ups 4 sets of 25, pull ups until I fail 3 sets, dumb bells and this cable pull down machine for my triceps.

So I was doing the exercises to fail, but not actually aching the next day. So I upped the weight currently 17kg dumb bells which I struggle with a bit, but still no aching I’m locking my arms in to make sure I don’t use my back which makes it harder but still nothing. I could try heavier dumb bells?

I like nice simple routines, so bare this in mind wit any suggestions.

Thanks

Look up momentary muscle failure training.

If you have a partner to train with, using freeweights and this system, working the core muscles, can achive gains with very short training sessions.

Squats, bench presses, Dead lifts, etc..

Get good advice on using the correct technique and posture, which is very important.

I used this system of training, for 20min, twice a week, for over two years, using Mike Mentzer’s guides.

Made a hell of a difference for me, helped my core streanth no end which in turn helped my riding.

What are you trying to achieve with your weights routine?

Focus on technique and posture before increasing weight.

Not sure aching muscles is really a good measure of having done an effective workout (?)

I do a very simple upper body routine at home a few evenings a week after the kids are in bed, consisting of 5 sets x25 weighted press-ups (elevated) & 5 sets x12 weighted pull-ups (chin-ups)

I don’t find my muscles particularly ache but they do feel a bit fatigued the next morning.

S-

I’m intrested in Mike Mentzer’s guides. Can you share with me, either a detailed routine that you do, or a link or something to an online Guide that you follow.

I am Weight training liturate, so no need to explain the basics.

I’d me much appreciated, as i wouldn’t mind training to failure as he describes.

E-mail me, hrc_montyAThotmail.com
Cheers

Chris

I will see if I can find my old pdf plan, that I can email you, which gives you the very basics.

Its worth having a look at his books on food nutrition (not diet) too, the two go together tbh.

My goal was to lose weight, but you can adapt it to your particular needs.

You will also need a training partner, I lost two stone in two years, and my training partner gained a stone (he wanted to gain).

You will also need a training partner, I lost two stone in two years, and my training partner gained a stone (he wanted to gain).

hmmmm surely its down to personal motivation and not a “need”?

i’ve lost nearly 3 stone since last summer and added 30-50kg onto all the weights i do since december, no training partner.. just determination innit 😀

I had a training partner. They couldn’t stick it. I ate them.

Get a barbell and check out either 5×5 or stronglifts. I started doing 5×5 after my physio recommended it for a back problem and it has really helped by back, overall strength and riding.

maybe try incorporating drop sets and pyramids. If you have a partner then once you’ve reached failure use them to focus on negative lifts (i.e they help you lift the weight then you try to slow it as it drops.

I find this website is quite useful for general info
http://scoobysworkshop.com/

Oh, and also maybe try increasing the intensity of your workouts by reducing your recovery time between sets

What are you lifting weights for? What are your goals? Until we know this all advice is meaningless.

Seriously though… why would you want aching muscles?

If you’re gaining strength without pain… surely it’s ideal… means you need less recovery and can hit the gym again more quickly.

Also if you’re new to lifting… you’re more likely to feel pain in ligaments/tendons than in muscles.

how many times a week do you do your liftingz?

tails – yhm

hmmmm surely its down to personal motivation and not a “need”?

I would not use the MMF training techniques with freeweights, without a partner imho.

fair enough 🙂

i was commenting about the way it was worded, i read it suggesting it’s a need if you want to reach your goals, not specifically to do with the size of the weights and specific techniques. entirely down to my personal interpretation!

No worries Phil, to lose some 3 stone, since last summer is a great achievement too. 🙂

I only stopped because the gym we used went bust and the instructor there who was guiding us on MMF, left to become a traffic warden of all things! 😉

i gotta work hard if i want yeti to consider me as a friend, he doesnt like fat people you know! 😆

I’m still struggling to figure out how you were hiding 3 stone Phil.

The deception is almost worse than being fat.

Edit: Before all you fatties start jumping up and down some of my best friends are fat.

Edit edit: Actually do start jumping up and down… it might be good for you.

Edit edit edit: Before starting any jumping up and down please consult with your Dr.

Heres my training programme. I do this 3 times a week and is usually preceded by a 5 mile run.

I try to avoid weights as much as possible and prefer to concentrate on body weight exercises. Im a chunky chap anyway and would rather tone than bulk…I find this routine keeps me interested and away from the gym mirror 😀

A
2km row in under 8 mins
Press up pyramid ( on bells) 1-10 incl Shoulder pyramid 1-10 w 10kg
100 Step ups unweighted fast
3×20 tricep pull downs
Max reps upright rows (36 kg) 25+

B
1.5km row 6mins
30 floor press ups narrow as poss
30 shoulder pressProne running 100 non stop!
2 x 10 w 25 kg weighted shrugs
Dips pyramid 1-10

C
1km row 3.50
Dumbell press x 20 w 22kg flat, mid, upright
30 Kettlebell squats w med ball 8kg
100 boxing punches on wobble w 7.5kg
30 all angles bench flies 10 kg

Abs
3×15 sit ups w yellow ball
3×15 raised alternate twists w med ball
3x 15standard sit ups
3×15 twist sit ups
3×10 sky punch sit ups
3x 20 weighted outstretched arms figure of 8 w 8kg med ball
20 woodcutters left
20 woodcutters right
10 pulley abs left 32kg
10 pulley abs right 32kg

Finish off w 500m row sprint <1.50

I too am keen for feedback…it keeps things interesting and you can learn a lot from other peoples routines.

what used to be muscle turned to fat, so i was carrying it around my shoulders and proportionally over my body as opposed to all around the belly. although frustratingly the belly is the hardest and last thing i need to shift 👿

EDIT – went through a little bit of an obsessive gym phase several years ago to the point where i’ve got loadsa stretch-marks from bulking up too quickly, doing a physical job meant i maintained it but changing back to sitting around most of the day and eating like i was doing a physical job meant muscle wastage and weight gain but carried well so people didnt believe me when i said i was fat. for example impressive looking pecs that weren’t muscle but somehow retained the shape as if they were!

brack – I train in a similar fashion to you, or rather my aims are the same.

I use the last 15 or so years of gym experience to do a random routine each time I go to the gym.

Key to my workouts is no rest intervals… what’s the point when you could be exercising another muscle?

Current favourite thing is the 30kg weights vest and explosive exercises.

What are you trying to achieve with your weights routine?

Honestly just to look good, my chest is naturally quite big. I can never remember all the workouts on websites so perhaps I’ll do more pull ups. I don’t want to look like Arnie!

My diet is reasonable idave style.

TSY – yep no rest is the key for me anyway.

I used to spend over an hour doing a workout which tbh was interspersed with too much wasted time seated on benches between sets.

Im no gym monkey…but my circuits really have made a difference esp the rowing which whilst not a quick time/ splits..is way enough to get the sweat and HR pumping !

too much wasted time seated on benches between sets

Same. Now I do the same length of workout, or longer but never stop moving.

I like nice simple routines, so bare this in mind wit any suggestions

Honestly just to look good

I don’t want to look like Arnie!

As said above search out Stronglifts 5×5 as it should tick the boxes you’re looking for.

Don’t bother with 5×5, you have to use a lot more weight and the chances of getting injured are seriously increased.

Stick to 10-12 reps, nice and slowly, 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down.

Also have a thorough read through

http://scoobyshomeworkouts.com/

Don’t bother with 5×5, you have to use a lot more weight and the chances of getting injured are seriously increased.

The amount of weight you need to lift is relative to ability. If you let ego take over injury will happen with any workout. Even just doing a few push ups at home on your deep pile carpet with your favourite CD playing in the background can cause problems 😉

The amount of weight you need to lift is relative to ability

Errrrr, no.

If you can bench press 100kg 10 times to failure, you will need a hell of a lot more weight to go to failure on 5 reps, obviously.

Don’t bother with 5×5, you have to use a lot more weight and the chances of getting injured are seriously increased.

LOL

Best workout/biggest gains I have ever done. Stick with isolation routines if you want, but there’s a reason SL and similar work. Incredible how 5 exercises can work your whole body.

Have you tried SL skywalker? I was skeptical, but now the progressive nature of loading (start with bar and work up) means you practice form…by the time you get to serious weight you have spent so much time under the bar that you know what you are doing, and can listen to your body.

Give SL a go. Get the weight up to reasonable levels, and it changes the way you think about working out. You don’t use your muscles in isolation – so why train them in isolation?

WTF are you on about? Who said anything about isolation and compound movements?

I said if you use enough weight to go to failure in 5 reps, you are more likely to get injured than if you went to failure on 10-12 reps because you have to use more weight.

SL?

I get what you are saying, but the incremental nature of loading is key. You don’t just whack on 280lb first go!

I don’t really care though, some hate it/some love it. I spent years doing splits, and loved them. Loved the feeling of battering a body part! I heard good things about SL, so gave it a go. First month I was thinking it was a waste of time – you start so low in weight that you can’t see the benefit. After a while though it picks up, and I wouldn’t go back to anything else. It’s hard, and it works for me.

The good thing is we’re all working out!

Incredible how 5 exercises can work your whole body.

Can you list these exercises as the website is a mess. Scoobys videos are great, he’s 50!!!

Okay I just got the app squats, overhead press, bench press, barbell row, deadlifts

So with the 5 x 5 I do 5 reps 5sets of 3 exercises per day, upping the weight each time.

Every other day…

It will seem very easy at the start, but it soon starts to hurt. Spend the first few weeks getting your form perfect, then when you move on to heavier weights you know what you are doing.

Stick with it – I know the website is clunky, but there’s some good info there. Good luck – keep us posted!

Good luck.

You would be better off starting one of these programs IMO.

http://www.2buildmusclefast.com/p/muscle-building-routines-muscle.html

They are funny f**kers, they know their stuff and have a load of decent vids on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/twinmuscleworkout