For BG fitness fanatics, a question..

[Weiing]

If you can only hold 30 lb weights for lunges, yes.

K..I know where I'll be going sometime this week.
Also, you think workouts that focus on grips/forearms would help? I always thought they were lame......

[Zoolander]

My shrugs are late in the routine but deadlifts are first. I honestly forgot wrist straps exist...will definitely need to grab some of those. I had trouble with alternating grip when I was first learning deadlifts so I switched to a "normal" grip that was more comfortable to me. I'll give the alternate grip a shot now that I'm comfortable with the motion, didn't realize that would help. Thanks!

[Omnipotent]

Wrist straps. Get them.
http://www.musclehack.com/wp-content...ist-straps.jpg
and yeah, I use alternating grip on my deadlifts.

These are amazing, highly recommend for someone who weighs 145. Anyone have any recommendations for skullcrushers and incline dumbbell press? Skullcrushers I literally slide back when bring it down, I should bring like those grips for opening cans and put em under my ass. For the press I am up to 85 lbs, and I can barely lift that shit up solo, I need my spotter to help me lift, but I go alone quite a bit

[Atreides]

K..I know where I'll be going sometime this week.
Also, you think workouts that focus on grips/forearms would help? I always thought they were lame......

Forearms get big VERY quickly, but sore forearms can be a real thorn in your side if you don't let them recover before doing other upper body work. Behind the back wrist curls (I do 3 failure sets just before leaving the gym on friday) are great, I usually have to take my watch off because they get so swollen lol. But you can look up a forearm strengthening plan or something, anything should work.

[Weiing]

@Atreides--So it's ok to do forearm workouts? Or would grip workouts to the same, sort of? I don't know what's best.

[archibaldcrane]

I don't work specifically my forearms ever, they get sore enough doing curls and such.

[Atreides]

Forearm workouts are really more for size, to improve grip strength I'd do grip exercises... or just keep lifting weights with proper grip until your grip improves, which it should as long as you don't just rely on straps.

[Weiing]

Forearm workouts are really more for size, to improve grip strength I'd do grip exercises... or just keep lifting weights with proper grip until your grip improves, which it should as long as you don't just rely on straps.

i just feel like my grip really hinders my weight progression though. Should I just try to supplement with grip exercises or just keep lifting the same until I'm ok to add more?

[archibaldcrane]

Just use straps. Your lower body strength far exceeds your upper body, don't slow your lower body progression just because of grip.

[Atreides]

I'm not sure really... I definitely wouldn't go down in weight, why not just do the grip stuff before the weekend or something? If you're having problems with more than just dumbbell lunges I'd just keep at it, but since you're not moving the weights much with the lunges you might have to do a little more than just hold them to see an improvement.

If you use straps I would definitely add the grip exercises though, otherwise all you'll learn how to do is lunges with straps, and your grip will never improve on its own.

[Meat]

Farmers's walk and static holds. Just grab a heavy db and hold it till your grip gives away and drop em. Grip strength is still one of my biggest hindrances, moreso now that now that my gym has switched to bigger bars(larger diameter).

I train forearms once a week apart from my "arm day" just, nothing fancy just 2 sets each of wrist curls, hammer curls and reverse curls. thing is if you're going to use straps, you're going to have to train forearms, even just a bit.

[Meat]

what do you guys do for cardio after you do heavy lifting? i usually do about 40 min of Elliptical or Treadmill, but im thinking of just doing 20 min of the HIT running now, lol. but i dont know how to set the pace for cadio for someone my size. 1 min of walking followed by 30 sec sprints?

Does your gym have lifestyle ellipticals? the ones at my gym have an interval setting under the "hill plus" button.

[wagon]

Besides lifting weights, I would recommend running to anyone who wants to get fit in a hurry, since it is probably one of the most efficient means available. It works out your entire body, not only enhancing your muscle tone, but also improving your vascular functions. I used to lift weights throughout high school and early years of college, somehow I wasn't going anywhere in terms of fitness. Sure, I can lift some heavy boxes and furniture but that was about it. Ever since I started running outdoor 2 years ago, I have had this incessant impulse to stay active. I have been doing 5ks, 10ks, half marathons regularly and will go for a full marathon this winter. Meanwhile, I am training for triathlon riding my new road bike with ad hoc bike groups in the city. I am fit as ever and can run 5miles or bike 50 miles after 8 hours at the office. Give a try, you may like it as much as i do!

[Cichy]

Been working out 3-5 times a week for about past year trying to get in shape. The exercises I've been doing I gathered from friends/internet and I was looking to add some to my routine. Can you guys recommend a good site with some guides? (preferably with pics on how to perform the exercises ). Looking mostly for some good back exercises.

[sephir]

Besides lifting weights, I would recommend running to anyone who wants to get fit in a hurry, since it is probably one of the most efficient means available. It works out your entire body, not only enhancing your muscle tone, but also improving your vascular functions. I used to lift weights throughout high school and early years of college, somehow I wasn't going anywhere in terms of fitness. Sure, I can lift some heavy boxes and furniture but that was about it. Ever since I started running outdoor 2 years ago, I have had this incessant impulse to stay active. I have been doing 5ks, 10ks, half marathons regularly and will go for a full marathon this winter. Meanwhile, I am training for triathlon riding my new road bike with ad hoc bike groups in the city. I am fit as ever and can run 5miles or bike 50 miles after 8 hours at the office. Give a try, you may like it as much as i do!

For triathalons I would highly recommend training on your bike alone, especially on windy days. The benefit of doing this is that you really begin to push your LT and as a result you will have/sustain more power should it be windy or hilly on the day of the tri. Of course you can always do intervals to try and accomplish this, but you sometimes look silly blasting off a group for 2-3 minutes and then doing your best to recover.

And ya, I'm in the same boat as you but instead of running its biking.

[wagon]

For triathalons I would highly recommend training on your bike alone, especially on windy days. The benefit of doing this is that you really begin to push your LT and as a result you will have/sustain more power should it be windy or hilly on the day of the tri. Of course you can always do intervals to try and accomplish this, but you sometimes look silly blasting off a group for 2-3 minutes and then doing your best to recover.

And ya, I'm in the same boat as you but instead of running its biking.

Yea, I like mixing things up. Originally, I picked up biking as a means of crosstraining for marathon. Once I got started I really like it so I decided to go for triathlon as well. Plus biking and swimming are low impact sports that go easy on your knee and hip joints when you take a day off from running on pavements.

[Sanoske]

@ the squat/deadlift discussion-- ease into squats/deadlifts if you must! These ARE key workouts. You will learn to stabilize. I think for me--my squat form is better than my deadlifts. And I love doing squats in my Vibrams. :D

Oh Wei. /facepalm I just ragged on my buddy for wearing these yesterday. lol

Back to DL, I've been thinking about trying sumo style, as conventional have been incapacitating my lower back for 3-4 days afterwards. Probably my form, but I have back issues anyways. I heard sumo eases pressure on your lower back a bit, distributes some of the weight. I was going to do this until my lower back gets a bit stronger and then switch back to conventional. (Which I've heard of people doing)Thoughts?

[Sanoske]

Been working out 3-5 times a week for about past year trying to get in shape. The exercises I've been doing I gathered from friends/internet and I was looking to add some to my routine. Can you guys recommend a good site with some guides? (preferably with pics on how to perform the exercises ). Looking mostly for some good back exercises.

My back routine:
5x5 Deadlifts
3x10 Shoulder -width pullups (Or 3x as many as you can do) I suppose you can do Lat Pulldowns instead, but pullups are a much better exercise.
3x10 Seated Row
3x10 V-Grip Pulldown or Bent Over Row w/ Dumbell (My form get wonky with a bar)
Random bicep crap if I feel like it

What does your split/routine look like currently?

[Weiing]

@Sano-- Obviously your friend > you. He has good taste in shoes.

I've done sumo deadlifts before. For me at least, it does help distribute some of that weight to my legs. But then again, my regular deadlifts don't really hurt my back... BUT THEN AGAIN, I'm not lifting as heavy as you I'm sure. I do switch up the kind of deadlifts I do, so...can't really tell you whether or not sumo deadlifts have helped. I just like to alternate workouts.

[Dolmen]

I've recently started hitting the gym again after recovering from a blown knee. The problem is that I've had patellofemoral syndrome for as long as I can remember, so recovery is a bitch. Currently I've been doing about 15 minutes on a stair stepper, 15 minutes on an elliptical, and then 15 minutes on a treadmill. My doctor gave me instruction on how to bend my knee so that it recovers correctly, I don't learn bad habits, etc...

Does anyone know of any lower body workouts that are effective in recovery as well as helping rebuild muscle, etc...? I'm hoping to be back in order so I can sign up for the fall hockey season. (Vitals are 6'5, 205lbs, so I'm a bit prone to joint issues)