Some more exercises
polycounter lvl 18
So I've been working out pretty regularily (4-5 days a week) over the past 2 and a half years. It's helped out a lot, lost about 40 pounds according to the scale and I'm lifting 2-4 times as much weight and doing ton more reps. But I've never had any actual training, just kinda went and did stuff, whatched what other people were doing, saw what worked for me.
But lately it seems I've kinda hit a plateau. I can try running more, do more weight/reps, but I was wondering if any of you had any suggestions on things to try out. Specifically running/leg exercises.
I remember someone posting a link for exercises for the computer guy, couldn't seem to find that again. The place I go to is pretty nice, bunch of weight machines, dumbells, large grassy field outside. I try to use most everything, most days going for high reps and once or twice a week I'll do more weight. But after doing the same thing all the time, I want to vary it up a bit and try different things but I'm running out of ideas.
Any suggestions?
But lately it seems I've kinda hit a plateau. I can try running more, do more weight/reps, but I was wondering if any of you had any suggestions on things to try out. Specifically running/leg exercises.
I remember someone posting a link for exercises for the computer guy, couldn't seem to find that again. The place I go to is pretty nice, bunch of weight machines, dumbells, large grassy field outside. I try to use most everything, most days going for high reps and once or twice a week I'll do more weight. But after doing the same thing all the time, I want to vary it up a bit and try different things but I'm running out of ideas.
Any suggestions?
Replies
All you need is;
Deadlift (Reverse Hyperextensions), Squat, Bench Press (Push-up), Chin-up, Dip, Bent over Row (Horizontal Row), Shoulder Press (Handstand Push-up).
Those are the seven, main, compound lifts and their bodyweight variations in quotations if you want to not start with weights.
Of course Fat will be gain in a big Bulking phase. ( easy to lose in cutting phase after). But anyway. U FAILED SIR.
IN A BULKING PHASE U HAVE TO GAIN MUSCLE OVER ANYTHING ELSE.
U sir. HAVE FAILED.
PERHAPS U SHOULD TRY SOME MILITARY PRESS..
SOME INCLINE BENCH. SOME DIPS. and OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LATERAL and FRONT RAISE.
OH AND PLEASE DO SOME DEEP SQUAT or even LEG PRESS. I SAID DEEP SOLDIER! DONT STOP at 50 angle. GO DEEPER> YES DEEP
AND AND TRY CLOSE GRIP AND FAR GRIP FOR CURLS. NEW ANGLE TO HIT BICEP. well the FLAT IN UR ARM
lol
that was fun typing.
If you're training for any type of athletic competition, you'll want to gear things a bit differently. For sports that demand intense exertion and explosive power, I'd add power cleans or hang cleans, clap pushups, burpees, rope jumping, sprints, and plyometrics.
(Power90 and Power90X...great fitness programs for general fitness).
Key to breaking a plateau is changing up the order in which you do your exercises and/or using different exercises to work the similar muscle groups. Also take a really hard look at your diet. Sometimes you might not be getting enough calories. Other times you might be taking in too many. If you are working out a LOT, there is a good chance you need more calories. You should be eating three meals a day and having 2 snacks in between each meal. Protein shakes are also great fillers after dinner if you need another snack before bed. As for cardio...try something different than running. Swimming, biking, aerobics...just to mix it up a bit. Then go back to your running from time to time. If you are hitting a plateau and caloric intake isn't a factor, a change of routine will make the most difference. Other factors to consider: the intensity of your workouts, the amount of sleep you are getting at night, and how often you are working out. You need to give yourself at least one day of rest a week so your body can recover.
My workout routine changed like crazy between football season and baseball season when I was in college and high school and when I got to the navy I did a lot more endurance type stuff. Swimming about a mile non-stop straight to running. It was hell on earth but it got me in the best shape I had ever been in and I felt just overall strong as hell. Plus I had a bunch of guys pushing you.
If you can find a buddy to work out with and push you it helps a ton. Switching up the routine every few months helps keeping things interesting and gets you past those plateaus that we all hit.
Diet is also a big thing. When I was in the Navy overseas I was working out like 2 times a day because floating around on a big metal ship there really isn't much else to do. But ship food was pretty fatty and not always healthy so we stacked up on protein, vitamins, tuna, beef jerky and other stuff that wasn't available on the ship. I swear some of our lockers looked like tiny GNC outlets.
But all in all the most important thing for you to do is find what works for you and train hard and get good rest.
Good luck. I'm about to start a new workout routine here so I can get back into shape.
At the beginning of summer I got a bike to ride to work, and without even realizing it a few months and 700 miles later my quads got much larger than I was normally used to. Thats the best kind of fitness in my opinion, doing it without even realizing it. I don't even bike that hard. I'm also imagining its doing a nice service to my heart.
Since my bike
stress = lower!
stamina = much higher
Sleep = less broken at night
legs = sexier
Heres my favorate 2pics recently
I'm mainly just trying to get into better shape overall. I know I've got some weight I could be without so I'm trying to be rid of it. Back in high school I was in phenominally good shape, college kinda really destroyed that, and while I don't expect to get there again I'd like to at least get close. I'd describe what I'm doing but I don't know what most of the exercises are called. I try to get a good mix in. Mon, Weds, and Thurs I mainly go low weight lot of reps kinda deal, so for example for bench I'll do 80lbs 150 reps. On Tues I double the weight and do half the reps, and on Thurs I'll also go running which lately has been 4 miles going at a consistent speed of 7 min/mile.
I used to run a mile in under 5 min, but I can't remember a lot of the exercises I was doing at the time. I was doing some high weight leg exercises (leg press, leg extension, etc) but there's a history of knee problems in my family and I've been feeling some sharp pains in my knees lately so I've been cutting back on those.
When it was warmer I would take my bike out often and ride through the forest by my house, cold and rain make for a nasty muddy day. There's no pool at the place I go to, guess I'm just being lazy and not signing up for another place just for a pool.
I've been going by myself, would be nice to have someone to go with but I don't know anyone else around here that would go, so I've just had to keep pushing myself along. But I'm pretty good at keeping myself motivted, I tell myself what I'm going to do and I do it.
Food may be an issue but it's not because I'm not eating enough. I eat pretty healthy, don't eat much junk food (I still have part of a chocolate bunny left), but I eat fast and I can eat a lot and the two together mean I can eat a LOT of food. But I try to keep it to one or at most 2 plates. Back in college I used to sometimes eat 4 large platefulls for dinner, and it definitly showed. Was at 215 when I graduated and I'm down to 175.