BG Fitness Fanatics II: We Work Out

[Celeras]

That reminds me, Jawbone sucks ass so I bailed for a Fitbit. Mostly for the HR monitor and couldn't care less about steps n shit.. but could still use ppl who aren't an old lady for challenges and stuff. Anyone down?

[Hushigoshi]

I'm totally down for Fitbit stuff. I've had mine (Charge HR) since... February I think and I love it. Feel free to add me; my email is

Spoiler: show

[email protected]

[Vandalhart]

So I finally got off my ass and into the gym yesterday. The weather was crappy so I wasn't able to do my usual walk at lunch. I didn't do a whole lot of things, but I did 6m 40s jogging at 6mph on the treadmill with 3m 20s walking at the midway point. The weird part was that my muscles in my shins seemed to stiffen up way worse than I remember them doing. I made sure to stretch them a little after I was done.

I also checked out one of the machines we have. What's a good weight for legs? I started at 40lbs and did 10 lifts, then incrementally went up 20 lbs and did 10 more until I hit 120lbs. After doing an extra 10 (for a total of 20) at 120 lbs I gave 140lbs a shot and did 10 at that weight. I think I could go even higher than that because I feel no pain in my legs at all today. I think the machine caps out at 200lbs, but I may be able to add more somehow, I'll have to take a look if the manual is lying around.

I can't find the machine I used. It might have been two machines attached together. The part I used had a seat, and you could rest your feet up on a large metal plate and when you press, it lifted the weights. I'm not familiar enough to know what the name of the exercise, or machine is :D
The attached machine had a seat, that you could pull in, or push out (I beleive this would be for delts or pecs right?) or you can not use those and use a bar that you can pull down. Again, not sure what to call the machine.

We have a pretty well equipped gym now that I know the range of exercises that can be completed with what's there.

[RKenshin]

On that topic, curious about people's experiences with wearables?

I was interested in them at first and almost got one, but most of the reviews I read at the time (~1 year or more ago) were poor.

That, and I don't really give two craps about the number of steps I take (glorified pedometer nothx). But, heart rate and calorie estimations are of interest.

Does it seem to work well/give accurate results? Any other good benefits you've found? Better to wait a little longer for the tech to get better?

[Cream Soda]

Next time you are in the gym take pics of everything there and we'd be ablet o best come up w/ some decent exercises for you. That said, if your gym has free weights, most of your time will be with those.

[Dizzy's]

I need to find a good alternative for squats, deadlifts, and potentially oph. I saw a doctor about some back and shoulder issues that I have been having. It turns out that I have a degenerative spine, and my rotator cuff makes a popping noise when I move it a certain way. I can still do oph, however if I can find a suitable replacement I would rather do that.

[Vandalhart]

On that topic, curious about people's experiences with wearables?

I was interested in them at first and almost got one, but most of the reviews I read at the time (~1 year or more ago) were poor.

That, and I don't really give two craps about the number of steps I take (glorified pedometer nothx). But, heart rate and calorie estimations are of interest.

Does it seem to work well/give accurate results? Any other good benefits you've found? Better to wait a little longer for the tech to get better?

One of the women I share an office with has a Withings (I think that's the brand). She swears by it. It tracks steps, sleep time, and what not.
http://www2.withings.com/us/en/products/pulse/

I know no information on it, but that's the link to the product. I think there's an app, and she has something syncing via bluetooth somewhere in the house.

[Vandalhart]

Next time you are in the gym take pics of everything there and we'd be ablet o best come up w/ some decent exercises for you. That said, if your gym has free weights, most of your time will be with those.

Incoming crappy iPOD pictures:








There's also two treadmills next to the Eliptical and a Stationary Bike.

The pictures don't show the other weight bar, and the weights that go with it, but they are there also.

[Cream Soda]

Basically, you'll spend most of your time in that powertec cage, barbell, slide in bench, and with the dumbbells. The rest of the machines are optional extra credit, but you'll make the most progress with the free weights.

With the powertec you can

Bench press, Squat, Pull ups. Barbell Overhead press

Either inside or outside the cage (whichever is easier to set up), you can do your dead lifts

With your bench outside of the cage you can do your dumbbell rows, dumbbell overhead press.

Then with the dumbbells on their own, curls, standing dumbbell overhead press.

Really, you're just missing out on a dip bar. I usually suggest (weighted dips) for triceps, so someone else will have to chime in for that much.

[Vandalhart]

I could do dips at the cage by putting the bar closer to the ground couldn't I?

[Guitarman]

No way. If that bar moves at all you're going face first into the floor. I'd just take dumbbells and simulate the dip motion while standing. Better than nothing.

[Hushigoshi]

Do bench dips instead.

Edit; Ruke. I have a Fitbit Charge HR and I love it. It tracks heart rate, caloric burn, sleep efficiency, and obviously steps. It works extremely with Myfitnesspal and both apps component each other (iOS devices at least). Being able to see my heart rate instantaneously during a workout is informative and it's nice to not have to wear a heart rate chest strap. It's not super accurate during weight training but 99% on point during cardio. Maybe like 80% when I'm lifting. Granted I do a lot of Olympic lifts so the explosive motions might have a reason to why it doesn't track HR too well lol.

[FNH]

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conten...hair-dips.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercise...ceps-extension
I do the single arm variant after curls, not entirely necessary
http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercise...ceps-extension

Last pic looks like a roman chair(or variant of)
http://www.weighttraining.com/equipment/roman-chair

edit: These are all auxiliary exercises and if you have limited time prioritize the cage.

[Guitarman]

Just really need to vent for a moment.

It is becoming harder and harder to resist the urge of..."help" to get the gains I want. My 2 year anniversary of starting my bodybuilding journey is coming up, and I'm nowhere near where I want to be. I bust my ass 4 days a week, go until my body part barely functions any more, and I'm still not seeing what I want. Protein is there, rest is there, but the gains just aren't. It's frustrating as fuck. Especially seeing guys walkin around ripped and I'm sitting here with my puny-ass 15in arms. Gah. I know 2 years is nothing, but I still envisioned myself farther along than this.

Sorry, just frustrated. I want to be on Hushi/richardd/CS's level but it just doesn't seem to want to happen.

[FNH]

Just really need to vent for a moment.

It is becoming harder and harder to resist the urge of..."help" to get the gains I want. My 2 year anniversary of starting my bodybuilding journey is coming up, and I'm nowhere near where I want to be. I bust my ass 4 days a week, go until my body part barely functions any more, and I'm still not seeing what I want. Protein is there, rest is there, but the gains just aren't. It's frustrating as fuck. Especially seeing guys walkin around ripped and I'm sitting here with my puny-ass 15in arms. Gah. I know 2 years is nothing, but I still envisioned myself farther along than this.

Sorry, just frustrated. I want to be on Hushi/richardd/CS's level but it just doesn't seem to want to happen.

Are the carbs there? Are you cramming the oatmeal down your gullet like /fit/ says?!?

[gt_killa]

i think often time people emphasize protein way too much and they forget about carbs.. Your evolutionary human body is built to run on carbs...and correct me if it's wrong, but my human physiology professor said in lecture years ago that stuck with me is that protein synthesis cannot happen without carbohydrates, even with the presence of proteins.

[Cream Soda]

Just really need to vent for a moment.

It is becoming harder and harder to resist the urge of..."help" to get the gains I want. My 2 year anniversary of starting my bodybuilding journey is coming up, and I'm nowhere near where I want to be. I bust my ass 4 days a week, go until my body part barely functions any more, and I'm still not seeing what I want. Protein is there, rest is there, but the gains just aren't. It's frustrating as fuck. Especially seeing guys walkin around ripped and I'm sitting here with my puny-ass 15in arms. Gah. I know 2 years is nothing, but I still envisioned myself farther along than this.

Sorry, just frustrated. I want to be on Hushi/richardd/CS's level but it just doesn't seem to want to happen.

The day you start lifting is the day you're forever tiny, because you always want more. I'm about to hit the 5 year mark and I feel like I could be doing a lot better than I am. I'm not satisfied at all. I'm satisfied with the effort that I put in and that in the fact I believe it will get me to where I want to be someday, but I'm not currently there.

Hell, last anime convention I went to, there were a group of guys doing a push up contest so I jumped in. I got third (out of 7 or 8) and the two guys who beat me not only did so by a landslide, but they were noticeably larger mass wise than me and also had less body fat. They made me look like shit. To rub more salt in the wound, I asked how long they had been training and they said "for a little over 2 years"

[thetruepandagod]

I'm totally down for Fitbit stuff. I've had mine (Charge HR) since... February I think and I love it. Feel free to add me; my email is

Spoiler: show

[email protected]

How is fitbit for things like tracking sleep? That's my only interest.

[thetruepandagod]

It is becoming harder and harder to resist the urge of..."help" to get the gains I want. My 2 year anniversary of starting my bodybuilding journey is coming up, and I'm nowhere near where I want to be. I bust my ass 4 days a week, go until my body part barely functions any more, and I'm still not seeing what I want. Protein is there, rest is there, but the gains just aren't. It's frustrating as fuck. Especially seeing guys walkin around ripped and I'm sitting here with my puny-ass 15in arms. Gah. I know 2 years is nothing, but I still envisioned myself farther along than this.

I feel this constantly due to injuries holding me back every single night in the gym. And no matter how on point diet is it doesn't matter when my sleep is totally random and my injuries stop me from pushing as hard as I know I could.

[Hushigoshi]

How is fitbit for things like tracking sleep? That's my only interest.

If sleep tracking is your only interest I suggest looking into one of the plethora of apps available on smart phones rather than drop down a chunk of money for a Fitbit. If you have an iOS device I used this app in the past with great success.

Sleep Time : Sleep Cycle Smart Alarm Clock, Sleep Tracker with Sleep Cycle Analysis and Soundscape for Better Sleep by Azumio Inc.


Otherwise, my Fitbit HR does a wonderful job tracking my sleep.