Physical Fitness Thread

[johngateswhiteley]

I disagree. while daily crunches may build muscle, it may also lead to a wide waist. I read a pretty good article on this showing before and after pics of celebs that over did it with crunches. Much wider waists were visibly noticeable. Abs should be treated like any other muscle and trained 3 - 4 times a week. In the same regard abs should be excercised with weights as well.(weighted crunches, wood chops with medicine ball, etc..) Obviously weights added are for more experienced lifters but are more efficient than, say 100 crunches daily. Almost everyone already has respectable abs but are just hidden behind layers of fat. Shed the weight if you want abs to show. Nutrition is more important than excercise itself when it comes to fat loss or muscle mass gain. Add in some HIIT training and a good weight lifting program and your body will turn into a calorie burning machine. Also, abs get a worked on when doing other workouts such as squats or lunges.
Focus on large muscles before you start to target small muscles. The six pack will come in time.

thats basically true, imo. though, if i were a girl i wouldn't do much weighted AB lifts, i'd do more traditional body weight ab exercises...but maybe thats just me. and i'd do it only 3 times a week relying heavily on eating healthy and performing HIIT AND more traditional endurance type cardio. gotta go nuts in the activity department if you want those abs to show boys and girls!

...just my 2 cents.

[johngateswhiteley]

BTW, what would you say is a good weight lifting program?

what do you want?

[johngateswhiteley]

I've also done Max-OT, HST, and Westside with great results, but Starr's 5x5 is the best combo of size and strength IMO. Plus, it's easy to do if you don't have a gym membership, unlike some other programs.

Speaking of workout programs, a couple buddies of mine have recommended the Smolov Squat Cycle. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it all though, but I'm going to try. My squat is way behind my other lifts.

do you know my friend stinky balls mcfarland? anyway, i don't recall ever doing a squat routine like this one, or any others. always done my own thing...but for short spans i think you might get good results. you going to try it?

[OldDirtMcGirt]

do you know my friend stinky balls mcfarland? anyway, i don't recall ever doing a squat routine like this one, or any others. always done my own thing...but for short spans i think you might get good results. you going to try it?

I'm going to start it next week. No way that could ever be a regular thing, I figure that I should do it once, just because my squat is way behind.

[Barbarian]

BTW, what would you say is a good weight lifting program?

It depends where you are as a lifter and how much time you want to spend at a gym. If weight loss and and a nice build is what you are looking for than I suggest 3-4 full body workouts a week. ALWAYS stick to the basic excercises. Forget the isolation excercises.
Ex....
3x8 squats/lunges(not done properly unless thigh is paralell to the ground at lowest point....cant stress that enough)
3x8 straight leg deadlifts
3x8 bench press
3x8 dumbell rows/pull ups(preferably the latter)
3x8 dumbell shoulder press
3x12 woodchops
(maybe Mon. wed. Fri.) and cardio tues. thurs. and sat/sun

Just something off the top of my head.

Try to finish this within one hour and stretch ALOT. Don't forget the warmup
set before your sets either.(50% weight)
As someone mentioned earlier, if the weight is still easy to lift by your last one than you are lifting to light. Add a few more pounds. Intensity is the key for results. Form is important to weight lifting so start light just to get the hang of things.

[Barbarian]

Thanks. Makes a lot of sense. My plan was to target core and abs specifically twice a week. As I said earlier, I'm not interested in a defined six-pack, just strengthened abs in advance of pregnancy to avoid complications.

I understand. Try strengthining the body as a whole and not at just a certain point. The body is built to work as one working unit. Thats why I mentioned full body workouts using the most efficient excercises. Trust me, the abs are getting worked on if the rest of your body is.

[easjer]

I understand. Try strengthining the body as a whole and not at just a certain point. The body is built to work as one working unit. Thats why I mentioned full body workouts using the most efficient excercises. Trust me, the abs are getting worked on if the rest of your body is.

Oh, that starts this weekend. Sorry that wasn't clear. Not focusing on abs to the exclusion of major muscle groups, just wanting to pay them some extra attention.

[katyon6th]

It depends where you are as a lifter and how much time you want to spend at a gym. If weight loss and and a nice build is what you are looking for than I suggest 3-4 full body workouts a week. ALWAYS stick to the basic excercises. Forget the isolation excercises.
Ex....
3x8 squats/lunges(not done properly unless thigh is paralell to the ground at lowest point....cant stress that enough)
3x8 straight leg deadlifts
3x8 bench press
3x8 dumbell rows/pull ups(preferably the latter)
3x8 dumbell shoulder press
3x12 woodchops
(maybe Mon. wed. Fri.) and cardio tues. thurs. and sat/sun

Just something off the top of my head.

Try to finish this within one hour and stretch ALOT. Don't forget the warmup
set before your sets either.(50% weight)
As someone mentioned earlier, if the weight is still easy to lift by your last one than you are lifting to light. Add a few more pounds. Intensity is the key for results. Form is important to weight lifting so start light just to get the hang of things.

Yep, weight loss and a nice build is what I'm working towards. I'm familiar with everything you mentioned except woodchops.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Barbarian]

Yep, weight loss and a nice build is what I'm working towards. I'm familiar with everything you mentioned except woodchops.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Woodchops

[johngateswhiteley]

http://exercise.about.com/od/lowerbo...eadlifts_2.htm

some good hamstring exercises...these 4 exercises are far superior to leg curls, which only work part of the hamstring.

[BonnerDynasty]

lol @ internet fitness threads.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

lol @ internet fitness threads.

Why?

[johngateswhiteley]

lol @ internet fitness threads.

...this is exactly where they need to be.

[OldDirtMcGirt]

http://exercise.about.com/od/lowerbo...eadlifts_2.htm

some good hamstring exercises...these 4 exercises are far superior to leg curls, which only work part of the hamstring.

In addition to the deadlift (which is IMO one of the best exercise you can do), going ass the grass (bottom touching your calves) on squats is also great for the hamstring.

Speaking of squats, the Smolov cycle is ridiculous. I lift regularly, and I could definitely feel the routine each morning. It's been making climbing stairs a chore, but I'm pumped about it.

[johngateswhiteley]

lol @ internet fitness threads.

do you keep sinners out of church?

[johngateswhiteley]

a "physical fitness thread" by st.com's own bandwagoner trojag jgw?

how could i have missed crofling at this..

you have fitness comments? ...by all means. fyi, i'd love to know what charlie weiss's workout routine is?

[johngateswhiteley]

surgery followed by lots of standing up in a court room

dude's a beacon of health.

[johngateswhiteley]

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/joint.html


...joint cracking info.

[easjer]

What do you suggest (in language I understand) for a standard beginner's routine? What we're doing now isn't going so well, apart from the cardio.

If it helps, I would like to avoid the legion of trainers that are constantly circulating the gym. And whatever can be done away from the gym would be good too.

I'm down 15 pounds so far - 40 more to go before I reach my first goal.

[JoeChalupa]

I need to get back in shape.

[johngateswhiteley]

What do you suggest (in language I understand) for a standard beginner's routine? What we're doing now isn't going so well, apart from the cardio.

If it helps, I would like to avoid the legion of trainers that are constantly circulating the gym. And whatever can be done away from the gym would be good too.

I'm down 15 pounds so far - 40 more to go before I reach my first goal.

well, most importantly (if you want to lose weight) is eating healthy, eating less, and performing a lot of cardio. i would do cardio 4 days a week for at least an hour at a time. not all the cardio has to be high impact (treadmill jogging) but i would do running if you can handle it. so perhaps 20 minutes on the stationary bike, 20 minutes on the stair climber, and 20 minutes jogging on the treadmill. i am not a big fan of the elliptical, but if you like it thats fine. if you want to to the HIIT with a the treadmill or bike thats fine too.

as for resistance training, i'd do squats, dumbbell bench press, push-ups (girl ones are OK until you can do regular), straight back dead lifts, lunges, bicep curls, triceps extension, and back extensions. imo, you don't need to do a lot of lifts just a few core ones and a couple supplementary. u can do body squats, push-ups, and lunges at home as well as running outside if you can't get to the gym. there is no need to have a personal trainer if you don't want one. this site gives the proper form for each exercise i mentioned.

http://www.exrx.net/

...there is no secret formula to losing weight, no magic pill, and no shortcuts. the secret is hard work.

[easjer]

well, most importantly (if you want to lose weight) is eating healthy, eating less, and performing a lot of cardio. i would do cardio 4 days a week for at least an hour at a time. not all the cardio has to be high impact (treadmill jogging) but i would do running if you can handle it. so perhaps 20 minutes on the stationary bike, 20 minutes on the stair climber, and 20 minutes jogging on the treadmill. i am not a big fan of the elliptical, but if you like it thats fine. if you want to to the HIIT with a the treadmill or bike thats fine too.

as for resistance training, i'd do squats, dumbbell bench press, push-ups (girl ones are OK until you can do regular), straight back dead lifts, lunges, bicep curls, triceps extension, and back extensions. imo, you don't need to do a lot of lifts just a few core ones and a couple supplementary. u can do body squats, push-ups, and lunges at home as well as running outside if you can't get to the gym. there is no need to have a personal trainer if you don't want one. this site gives the proper form for each exercise i mentioned.

http://www.exrx.net/

...there is no secret formula to losing weight, no magic pill, and no shortcuts. the secret is hard work.

Oh, I meant with resistance training. I'm good on cardio and on food. We just haven't been very good about working weights into our routine with any kind of consistency or schedule, and it's time to get that going. Thanks.

[johngateswhiteley]

Oh, I meant with resistance training. I'm good on cardio and on food. We just haven't been very good about working weights into our routine with any kind of consistency or schedule, and it's time to get that going. Thanks.

weights are less important than cardio and eating healthy, but i do recommend them. so, i'd say do the ones i listed 3 days a week 3 sets of 12 reps each. you should be able to perform your last rep of your 3rd set (36th rep) without a lot of trouble.

...questions?

[katyon6th]

I'm down 15 pounds so far - 40 more to go before I reach my first goal.

Good job on losing 15 lbs!

[easjer]

Good job on losing 15 lbs!

Thanks, Katy! I did my first modified intervals workout Monday and it kicked my ass. I'm psyched to do it again tonight, despite how little I want to go work out. Rainy days make me want to hide in bed.