The general fitness thread

[Woldan]

Reminds me of that mother that could deadlift the rear of a car off the chest of her son who was trapped underneath it because the jack slipped. 

Some get miraculously strong in emergency situations, some don't. Physical strength and a good technique certainly helps though.

[BruceVC]

I just had an excellent cardio workout from an energy perspective, its weird as yesterday morning I did the exact same workout but during my training I lacked energy. What are the reasons I wonder that some days you just seem to go through your training regime easier than other days. Its not obvious to me because I did the exact same thing before the session, for example

 

• I didn't eat either day before my cardio
• I went to gym the same time ...7:30 am
• I had 2 cups of tea in the morning
• I had more or less the same amount of sleep the night before ...6 to 6.5 hours

 

Any ideas?

[Woldan]

The body is huge and extremely complex, to get the exact same performance more things have to match then just food intake or amount of sleep... A lot more, million more things. Hormones, average blood pressure during the day before the exercise, motivation, stress levels etc. etc. Even the ambient air pressure, temperature... you get the idea. I too have days where I do my usual preparations and simply lack the energy to go 100% for reasons unknown to me. 
Oh, and I'm just wondering, you do gym AND cardio on the same day?

Anyway, I went cycling today, about 50 kilometers on my favorite cycling route which contains three major 2h+ climbs, had to enjoy the last hours of nice warm and sunny weather. Forecast predicted cold temperatures, wind and tons of rain for the next couple days. I got some tailwind on fast downhill sections and broke the 100km/h barrier several times. Feels like you're about to take off, driving really fast with the bicycle feels awesome. 

By the way, is it possible that normal weight lifting can increase endurance? I didn't do anything cardio-related in the winter (4 months) and now that I have started cycling again I feel a tremendous boost in endurance. My old cycling routes hardly challenge me anymore, especially climbs.  

Edited March 22, 2014 by Woldan

[BruceVC]

The body is huge and extremely complex, to get the exact same performance more things have to match then just food intake or amount of sleep... A lot more, million more things. Hormones, average blood pressure during the day before the exercise, motivation, stress levels etc. etc. Even the ambient air pressure, temperature... you get the idea. I too have days where I do my usual preparations and simply lack the energy to go 100% for reasons unknown to me. 

Oh, and I'm just wondering, you do gym AND cardio on the same day?

 

Anyway, I went cycling today, about 50 kilometers on my favorite cycling route which contains three major 2h+ climbs, had to enjoy the last hours of nice warm and sunny weather. Forecast predicted cold temperatures, wind and tons of rain for the next couple days. I got some tailwind on fast downhill sections and broke the 100km/h barrier several times. Feels like you're about to take off, driving really fast with the bicycle feels awesome. 

 

By the way, is it possible that normal weight lifting can increase endurance? I didn't do anything cardio-related in the winter (4 months) and now that I have started cycling again I feel a tremendous boost in endurance. My old cycling routes hardly challenge me anymore, especially climbs.  

 

When I say cardio I mean gym, I do an hour of cardio at the gym. Its interesting that at times you also lack energy for no obvious reasons

[Woldan]

Today I made my second favorite exercise- weighted command pull ups- even better, with negatives. Put a chair under my pull up bar, did my pull regular ups and then when I was finished and couldn't do one more pull up I used the chair to get myself up again. Then I slowly lowered my body. This way I could do 5 more reps and the pump I got is unbelievable. Highly recommendable, but very hard exercise, negatives after normal reps really hurt.    

[Woldan]

This man deserves respect.    Its never too late & and you can't be too old to get strong. 

 

Edited May 28, 2014 by Woldan

[BruceVC]

So I have been at gym every day for the last 8 days with no break. I normally go 4-5 times a week, I know its best to take a break. So my question for those that go to gym is how long do you train consistently before taking a break and resting your body?

[Woldan]

One day rest per week should be enough with a normal exercise schedule, I've been lifting weights for 5 days / week + 1 day cycling (70-100 kilometers) as cardio + 1 day rest for years. 

 

Though I know you're doing an excessive amount of cardio, if I were you I'd make it two days. I know when I do lots of cardio I need at least 2 days of rest to refill my empty mineral storage or my endurance starts to decrease rapidly and me leg muscles get hard and weak.  

[BruceVC]

One day rest per week should be enough with a normal exercise schedule, I've been lifting weights for 5 days / week + 1 day cycling (70-100 kilometers) as cardio + 1 day rest for years. 

 

Though I know you're doing an excessive amount of cardio, if I were you I'd make it two days. I know when I do lots of cardio I need at least 2 days of rest to refill my empty mineral storage or my endurance starts to decrease rapidly and me leg muscles get hard and weak.  

 

Thanks Woldan, I was hoping you would respond because I know you are informed when it comes to anything gym related

[Woldan]

Thanks Woldan, I was hoping you would respond because I know you are informed when it comes to anything gym related

You're welcome, though I think I need to mention here that I've never been a member in a gym in my life, I hate gyms, though I know what you mean.    

 

[BruceVC]

 

Thanks Woldan, I was hoping you would respond because I know you are informed when it comes to anything gym related

You're welcome, though I think I need to mention here that I've never been a member in a gym in my life, I hate gyms, though I know what you mean.    

 

 

Oh, do you do your weight training at home?

[Woldan]

Yes, my cardio is mountain cycling and I only lift free weights, no machines. Got all the barbells, dumbbells, weights and pull up bars I need at home. 

 

 

 

[Woldan]

I can only dead lift 450 lbs / 205kg.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCpvvnxyQYA

Edited December 2, 2014 by Woldan

[obyknven]

Meh, Ottoman BDSM games ancient Ukrainian fitness is better.

http://youtu.be/NsK6ZDCfqkA

[Woldan]

That must be the Russian way to prepare for the rack.  

 

Anyway, I'm off to some water boarding exercises, its good for the lungs! Keeps them moist... 

[LadyCrimson]

Being a family forum, I can't say what that contraption makes me think of.

[Orogun01]

I can only dead lift 450 lbs / 205kg.   

 

 

One rep max?

[Woldan]

 

I can only dead lift 450 lbs / 205kg.   

 

 

One rep max?

 

 

2x 2 repetitions on a good day.  I've never been good at deadlifting, I'm making slow but steady progress. I blame my long legs, its the worst thing you can have when lifting heavy stuff from the floor. 

 

I'm best at shoulder overhead presses and rows; I can overhead press 95% of my own weight with no leg drive and barbell-row my own weight (96kg) for 8 reps easily. 

Edited December 3, 2014 by Woldan

[Drowsy Emperor]

I weight lifted for years and I don't see anything mind expanding about it. Go in, pick up weights, put weights down, rinse, repeat. Its one of the most mind numbing physical activities there are.

 

The only reason I did it because gyms work on practical schedules and they're everywhere. Its good for getting all around muscle building results quicker than most sports, but the trade off is that you don't gain anything you typically gain in a sport. Hand-eye coordination, dexterity, the ability to take a punch ... whatever.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Drowsy Emperor

[Woldan]

I weight lifted for years and I don't see anything mind expanding about it. Go in, pick up weights, put weights down, rinse, repeat. Its one of the most mind numbing physical activities there are.

 

I disagree, it is indeed not mind expanding but there is no law written that hobbies have to be. Lifting is all about the challenge. What keeps me going right now is working on my goal to deadlift 5 reps of 250 kg and shoulder pressing my own body weight 5 times with no leg drive, thats a goal I want to reach and I slowly and steadily get closer to that it whenever I exercise. Its very hard.  

Performing feats of strength makes me feel great, picking up huge weights that weigh three times as much as an ordinary untrained man could lift feels pretty damned cool, because its very hard honest work to get there and you have to work years for it. Reaching those goals is extremely gratifying. 

 

And thats what hobbies are about.  Also as a nice side effect you get better body awareness, you get healthier, your testosterone production increases and stays high even when you get older.  Its a fun, extremely challenging and healthy hobby. Perfect. 

 

Of course, you CAN make it boring, if you only do body building exercises (isolations instead of compounds) things can get pretty boring, you have to perform powerlifting exercises. 

 

 

Go in, pick up weights, put weights down, rinse, repeat

Its good for getting all around muscle building results quicker than most sports, but the trade off is that you don't gain anything you typically gain in a sport. Hand-eye coordination, dexterity, the ability to take a punch ... whatever.

 

Couldn't agree less with you, compound exercises are very demanding, for a deadlift you are using 75% of your bodies muscles simultaneously, your brain has an enormous amount of calculations to do to coordinate them all. Or one armed dumbbell presses standing, with your feet touching shoulder pressing 50 kilograms above your head with one arm you need extremely good balance and you have to coordinate almost all the muscles in your body.  Actually, few sports require as much muscle coordination, dexterity and constant nervous system adaption. 

If your dexterity is low, technique sucks and you muscle coordination is off you will never be able to lift several hundred kilograms of weight, even with balloon sized muscles. 

If you had been a true lifter you'd have quickly discovered that.  Just going there and doing dumbbell curls for bigger guns to impress some superficial girls is not what I'm talking about. 

Edited December 7, 2014 by Woldan

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

I weight lifted for years and I don't see anything mind expanding about it. Go in, pick up weights, put weights down, rinse, repeat. Its one of the most mind numbing physical activities there are.

 

I disagree, it is indeed not mind expanding but there is no law written that hobbies have to be. Lifting is all about the challenge. What keeps me going right now is working on my goal to deadlift 5 reps of 250 kg and shoulder pressing my own body weight 5 times with no leg drive, thats a goal I want to reach and I slowly and steadily get closer to that it whenever I exercise. Its very hard.  

Performing feats of strength makes me feel great, picking up huge weights that weigh three times as much as an ordinary untrained man could lift feels pretty damned cool, because its very hard honest work to get there and you have to work years for it. Reaching those goals is extremely gratifying. 

 

And thats what hobbies are about.  Also as a nice side effect you get better body awareness, you get healthier, your testosterone production increases and stays high even when you get older.  Its a fun, extremely challenging and healthy hobby. Perfect. 

 

Of course, you CAN make it boring, if you only do body building exercises (isolations instead of compounds) things can get pretty boring, you have to perform powerlifting exercises. 

 

 

Go in, pick up weights, put weights down, rinse, repeat

Its good for getting all around muscle building results quicker than most sports, but the trade off is that you don't gain anything you typically gain in a sport. Hand-eye coordination, dexterity, the ability to take a punch ... whatever.

 

Couldn't agree less with you, compound exercises are very demanding, for a deadlift you are using 75% of your bodies muscles simultaneously, your brain has an enormous amount of calculations to do to coordinate them all. Or one armed dumbbell presses standing, with your feet touching shoulder pressing 50 kilograms above your head with one arm you need extremely good balance and you have to coordinate almost all the muscles in your body.  Actually, few sports require as much muscle coordination, dexterity and constant nervous system adaption. 

If your dexterity is low, technique sucks and you muscle coordination is off you will never be able to lift several hundred kilograms of weight, even with balloon sized muscles. 

If you had been a true lifter you'd have quickly discovered that.  Just going there and doing dumbbell curls for bigger guns to impress some superficial girls is not what I'm talking about. 

 

 

Talk about mythologizing your hobby. Yes it is very demanding to lift high weights and there is an amount of skill involved. But no, you're not becoming any more coordinated or dexterous doing it for anything other than lifting weights. Top powerlifters are blubbery masses of mucle and fat unfit for anything other than lifting extreme weights. Try going toe to toe in a sparring match against even a recreational boxer and you'll be taught in an instant what good all around athleticism is. I'm not going to pretend its a fair comparison, boxers were always among top all around athletes, but what you're saying is simply not true.

 

Pro-powerlifters also consume immense amounts of steroids to get there. In turn they consume huge amounts of food to compensate for the steroids and wreak havoc on their internal organs. At a professional level its an unhealthy and destructive activity that puts an immense strain on body and the heart and the only people in worse health are pro bodybuilders.

 

I never went into the gym with the intent to become a powerlifter. Even if I did,  at 6ft3 with very long limbs it would be an uphill struggle. I went to gain all around strength and that's what I got.

[Sarex]

I never went into the gym with the intent to become a powerlifter. Even if I did,  at 6ft3 with very long limbs it would be an uphill struggle. I went to gain all around strength and that's what I got.

 

Heh, shorty. XD

[Woldan]

Yes it is very demanding to lift high weights and there is an amount of skill involved. But no, you're not becoming any more coordinated or dexterous doing it for anything other than lifting weights.

If you knew how the human body works and if you had performed serious lifts instead of isolations and using machines you'd laugh at such ignorant statement. Just like me.

You know what happens during the first weeks when a beginner lifts weights? He doesn't gain any significant amount of muscle for some time, yet he will make lots of progress. How is this possible? Neurological adaption, he learns to use his muscles correctly and simultaneously. This involves improving and increasing the way your nerves are connected to your brain and their communication. 

According to scientists an untrained man uses 35% of the available muscles when dead lifting to perform that particular motion. A trained man uses up to 75% because the brain has learned to activate more simultaneously. This has nothing to do with the muscle mass or muscle strength, this is improved communication and coordination. Neurological adaption. Strength contains of muscle mass AND muscle coordination, you need lots of both to be able to lift heavy things.

On top of that you need very good balance when performing certain lifts. Do overhead standing presses with your own weight and tell me this won't increase your dexterity. 

 

Try going toe to toe in a sparring match against even a recreational boxer and you'll be taught in an instant what good all around athleticism is.

You must be kidding, boxers have very little leg strength because they need to stay in their weight class, they are by far not a ideal and balanced example of good athleticism. Have you actually ever seen a professional boxer? Oh, and when we're comparing apples to apples, pro boxers are not healthier than any other top athlete. Which is not very due to steroid and drug abuse. 

Pro-powerlifters also consume immense amounts of steroids to get there. In turn they consume huge amounts of food to compensate for the steroids and wreak havoc on their internal organs. At a professional level its an unhealthy and destructive activity that puts an immense strain on body and the heart and the only people in worse health are pro bodybuilders.

Sadly steroid abuse is present in all the top athletes, which I've never been talking about.

I never went into the gym with the intent to become a powerlifter. Even if I did,  at 6ft3 with very long limbs it would be an uphill struggle. I went to gain all around strength and that's what I got

Strange, power lifting contains only exercises which solely focus on strength, you must have done body building exercises then and their primary goal isn't strength.

Do you even know how powerlifting exercises work? Evidently not.

 

I never went into the gym with the intent to become a powerlifter. Even if I did,  at 6ft3 with very long limbs it would be an uphill struggle. I went to gain all around strength and that's what I got

I'm 6'1'' and I have very long limbs too, this doesn't stop me from lifting though. You have to know what you are doing, you can use different grip widths to compensate for the length of your limbs.  You have to use your brain when lifting.  And an uphill struggle to what exactly? Strength training means going as heavy as you can and making improvements,  thats it, this has nothing to do with the length of your arms. 

Edited December 7, 2014 by Woldan

[Drowsy Emperor]

I spent 5 years weight lifting and I know for a fact, through personal experience, that what you say is a half truth. One gets better at what they practice. If what you are saying is true powerlifters would easily compete with other athletes in a multitude of sports. Yet they do not, how do you explain this? 

 

Instead the reality is that weight lifting is a supplementary activity to many sports. It is beneficial, no doubt about it. But it is supplementary precisely because its pointless to engage in extremely heavy lifting for most sports. It does not further anything other than strength in any significant way compared to whatever their primary activity/need is.

 

To get dexterous you need to engage in tasks that demand dexterity. To become more coordinated you need to practice tasks that demand real coordination. I spent around two years training Russian Systema and the first thing I learnt that weight lifting doesn't give you much in a real fight. I bring up fighting as an example of a task that requires dexterity and coordination, among other things. I was as strong when I walked in as the day when I stopped, but at the end I could throw a mean punch and take a lot of physical punishment as well as move surprisingly well for a man my size. 

 

Boxers don't need leg strength to do what they do although I'd venture that  as a rule they're miles above regular people in that category. They train strength, extreme stamina and endurance and maneuvering in a ring requires excellent dexterity and coordination. A good boxer is strong, fast, coordinated, fluid... or he isn't a good boxer. I suppose Muhammad Ali he isn't a good example of athleticism? Comparing them to a very specialized activity such as powerlifting and claiming that the latter gives superior all around athleticism is a joke.

 

Finally, I have done compound exercises and isolation exercises. Both give strength gains. You talk as if compound exercises are a secret skill instead of the first thing a gym goer tries. I have since switched to bodyweight training, which at 95kgs are sufficiently difficult to give strength gains. Many of them work as compound exercises. I have also tried various other things and found out that the gym gave me a solid foundation, but it would be pure fantasy to claim it makes you anything other than strong, and mostly strong in limited areas of motion. 

Edited December 7, 2014 by Drowsy Emperor

[Woldan]

I spent 5 years weight lifting and I know for a fact, through personal experience, that what you say is a half truth.

I''ve been doing strength training for 11 years now and I know for a fact through personal experience that what I say is true.

One gets better at what they practice. If what you are saying is true powerlifters would easily compete with other athletes in a multitude of sports. Yet they do not, how do you explain this?

Where did I say that lifting is all you need to do? There is no sport that replaces all other, but lifting does cover muscle coordination, neurological adaption, body awareness, balance and strength. You're not going to be able to lift heavy if there is a weak link on your physique. But you absolutely have to pair lifting with cardio, like cycling. Strength AND endurance.

I spent around two years training Russian Systema and the first thing I learnt that weight lifting doesn't give you much in a real fight

Oh, boy it sure as hell does. The power of a punch comes from the core, and there are specific highly efficient exercises that target the core. Deadlifts and front squats target the core. Also you need this strong muscle corset (core) to withstand a strong punch to your guts, otherwise you'll suffer major internal injuries. The stronger the better. Try it out, punch someone who lifts in the guts and then someone who does not do strength training, the results will differ dramatically. Muscles make the body a lot sturdier and prevents injuries, thats why all martial arts fighters and boxers spend so much time in the gym. 

If that wasn't true mixed martial arts fighters wouldn't spend so much time lifting and they would be relatively average looking. Which they aren't, by a long shot. Also there wouldn't be weight classes because muscle mass - strength wouldn't matter. There have been matches with different weight classes and they always ended in the guy in in the lighter weight class getting mauled.

 

Boxers don't need leg strength to do what they do although I'd venture that  as a rule they're miles above regular people in that category.

But legs are extremely important for all around strength, hamstrings are the biggest strongest muscles in the entire body and whenever you lift something you automatically need them! And boxers have pencil legs.

Comparing them to a very specialized activity such as powerlifting and claiming that the latter gives superior all around athleticism is a joke.

You know what big Ali did? He spent hours in the gym, daily. Also, ready my above post that no sport can replace all the others, you definitely need to do endurance. 

Finally, I have done compound exercises and isolation exercises. Both give strength gains. You talk as if compound exercises are a secret skill instead of the first thing a gym goer tries. I have since switched to bodyweight training, which at 95kgs are sufficiently difficult to give strength gains

Bodyweight training? Oh, you are one of those. If you are even moderately strong, and by no means a power lifter you should be able to do many exercises with FAR more weight than your own body weight. An average gym goer should be able to dead lift two times their own weight, bench press at least (1 rep max) 1.5 times their weight, barbell row (1 rep max) their own body weight. Not to mention chin ups with body weight should be doable for every average joe, a person with good overall fitness should be doing weighted chin ups. 

but it would be pure fantasy to claim it makes you anything other than strong, and mostly strong in limited areas of motion.

Thats why you constantly rotate your exercises, you have to get strong in every area of motion. This is EXACTLY what power lifting is all about. I'm currently doing and rotating over 35 exercises. 

 

*edit* Can somebody move this over to the fitness thread?

Edited December 7, 2014 by Woldan