Today's Workout Thread

[MickR]

Hi Mick,
Exercise is important, esp to build muscle and strength, however, from what I've read of late, diet IS the most important aspect of losing weight. I may have posted it above somewhere, but I read that one needs to run something in the vicinity of 80 kilometres in a month to lose 1 kilo of fat in a month.

Or drop two or three a week on the soup diet In reality, I just need to hit the sack earlier, get up earlier and go for a ride before my wife leaves for work at 0630.Then I can incorporate exercise with diet. OR I can just forgo the evening session of SRP .


Mick

[ZethLent]

I re-started weight training about 6 months ago, after a 10 year break.

I only have time to work out with weights at the gym 1/wk. So I decided on a full body routine of super-sets. Isolating muscle groups in each super set.

When I joined the gym they had a muscle bulk-up campaign running. Aiming for 500g of additional muscle in 2 months.
Well with my routine I crushed that target with a result of 3.8Kg of additional lean muscle mass. My overall weight had not changed, even with the gains. Bye bye fat!

So I have kept to the once per week full body routine I created and have seen excellent results.

Last Sunday afternoon I did:

Set 1: Legs (4 sets of 8 reps. | 30 second break between set)
Quad extensions 50kg
Hamstring curls 50Kg
Hack Squats (heel raised) 70Kg
Calf raises 120 Kg

Set 2: Chest (4 sets of 8 reps. | 30 second break between set)
Wide grip bench press to throat 30kg
Gironda reverse grip dips (adapted cable version) 40Kg

Set 3: Back (4 sets of 8 reps. | 30 second break between set)
Close grip lat pull, torso at 45 degrees, elbows in, bar to touch the lower peck 40Kg
Wide grip lat pull to touch clavicle 40Kg

Set 4: Shoulders (4 sets of 8 reps. | 30 second break between set)
Lateral Raises 6Kg
Gironda Swing (bow & arrow) 6Kg
Seated Arnold Press 6Kg

Set 5: Bicep (4 sets of 8 reps. | 30 second break between set)
Incline seated curls 10Kg
Standing barbell curls 17.5Kg

Set 6: Tricep (4 sets of 8 reps. | 30 second break between set)
Cable Rope extensions 17.5Kg
Standing Dumbell kickbacks 6Kg

Set 7: Forearm (4 sets of 8 reps. | 30 second break between set)
Seated wrist curl (barbell) 22.5Kg
Seated reverse wrist curl (bent barbell) 12.5Kg

Cool Down:
X-trainer 10 minutes

Done in 90 minutes.

[carlmaloschneider]

...

Wow. Just goes to show there's no 'one' answer. You've gained the muscle and lost the fat, so the proof's in the pudding (or lack thereof ).

I see that is quite a number of isolation exercises and for too long a period. I like to complete a workout in under 40 mins, currently it's 31 mins.

I like the idea of supersets; I use them all the time, I like the fact I'm working one muscle by resting the other; as I superset legs and upper body.

If it were me I'd actually get rid of all the isolation exercises and concentrate on big muscles. I believe you could cut your workout to three quarters of an hour or less and create more of a whole body anabolic response. I don't even do biceps curls anymore, though I do like doing them.

However, as your response shows, it's working for you which shows there's many methods to get the same result.

[ZethLent]

Yes I know I could cut it down and I may in the future, so I can include some more cardio but at this stage in the game I needed the extra strength before I could do the rest. The 90 minutes is not an issue for me and just about how much I want to do.

The routine is a version of the Vince Gironda 8 sets of 8.

For now I like it and that is all that matters, I think.

Wow. Just goes to show there's no 'one' answer. You've gained the muscle and lost the fat, so the proof's in the pudding (or lack thereof ).

I see that is quite a number of isolation exercises and for too long a period. I like to complete a workout in under 40 mins, currently it's 31 mins.

I like the idea of supersets; I use them all the time, I like the fact I'm working one muscle by resting the other; as I superset legs and upper body.

If it were me I'd actually get rid of all the isolation exercises and concentrate on big muscles. I believe you could cut your workout to three quarters of an hour or less and create more of a whole body anabolic response. I don't even do biceps curls anymore, though I do like doing them.

However, as your response shows, it's working for you which shows there's many methods to get the same result.

[carlmaloschneider]

Today's Workout:

Superset 1

35 pushups, touching nose to ground
(2 minute rest)

Bench Press, 40 x 10, 60 x 7, 7, 7
Lat Pulldown 110 x 10, 180 x 7, 7, 7
Leg Press 105 x 20, 125 x 10, 10, 11
Leg curl 50 x 10, 70 x 7, 7, 7,

(two minute rest between supersets, no rest between exercises)

Superset 2

(two minute rest between supersets, no rest between exercises)

Medium Grip Overhand Chin ups with 7.5 kilos hung from weight belt, 6, 6, 6
Dips with 7.5 kilos hung around waist, 8, 8, 8,

Close Grip under Hand Chin ups, 7.5 kilos, 5 reps.

The same workout as each Thursday. One LESS rep on the last set!

After the last set, though, I did chinups where I took a Close Width Under Hand Grip, did a forceful vigorous chin up so I could let go of the bar and then, in mid air, reverse my grip and grab the chin up bar as I came down in a Medium Width Overhand Grip. I then immediately did another forceful chin up, let go of the bar and caught the bar in an underhand close grip. I could only do three of these until I slipped and it became dangerous, but it was fun!!

[carlmaloschneider]

...For now I like it and that is all that matters, I think...

Yeah exactly, I agree. There's no secret to why there are so many fitness magazines. I feel that too many people look for that 'best' routine, you know, the one that gives you massive 'guns' in a month.

I really think one should do what you do, analyse your body and work out what works for you. Others may offer other solutions, but if what you do works - it works, and there's no arguing with that!

[MickR]

Today's Workout:

Superset 1

35 pushups, touching nose to ground
(2 minute rest)

Bench Press, 40 x 10, 60 x 7, 7, 7
Lat Pulldown 110 x 10, 180 x 7, 7, 7
Leg Press 105 x 20, 125 x 10, 10, 11
Leg curl 50 x 10, 70 x 7, 7, 7,

(two minute rest between supersets, no rest between exercises)

Superset 2

(two minute rest between supersets, no rest between exercises)

Medium Grip Overhand Chin ups with 7.5 kilos hung from weight belt, 6, 6, 6
Dips with 7.5 kilos hung around waist, 8, 8, 8,

Close Grip under Hand Chin ups, 7.5 kilos, 5 reps.

The same workout as each Thursday. One LESS rep on the last set!

After the last set, though, I did chinups where I took a Close Width Under Hand Grip, did a forceful vigorous chin up so I could let go of the bar and then, in mid air, reverse my grip and grab the chin up bar as I came down in a Medium Width Overhand Grip. I then immediately did another forceful chin up, let go of the bar and caught the bar in an underhand close grip. I could only do three of these until I slipped and it became dangerous, but it was fun!!

Bloody show off!


Mick

[edhewitt]

Today was an early morning half hour walk, as a bonus I got to stop off at bunnings

[MisterMoo]

...as a bonus I got to stop off at bunnings

They have a BBQ department manager there you could carry up/down the stairs (2 sets of 6 reps) four times per week. You know, take more advantage of the walk - get a lemon, make lemonade sort of thing.

(Proraso preshave, Fitjar's Bay Rum soap/Semogue boar, Dubl Duck Special #1)

[edhewitt]

They have a BBQ department manager there you could carry up/down the stairs (2 sets of 6 reps) four times per week. You know, take more advantage of the walk - get a lemon, make lemonade sort of thing.

(Proraso preshave, Fitjar's Bay Rum soap/Semogue boar, Dubl Duck Special #1)

So was shaving your workout this morning?
I reckon if I went to bunnings 4 mornings a week Mrs ed would get a bit annoyed. Tomorrow's going to be a bike ride day as long as I am up early enough.