Strength / Weight Training

Currently I am doing 15-25 minutes of kettlebell exercises roughly every other day. Am tending to find a beginners YouTube class/session

It’s been rewarding, I started with a 12kg weight and over a month have progressed to 16kg.

Are there any particularly good YouTube channels? Currently mainly using lebestark and Joe Wicks. From what I can gather it appears Joe Wicks doesn’t always have great form when using the kettlebell but the session plans are easily accessible and sensibly structured. But this is the opinion of me, an armchair novice.

How you getting on with your kettlebells? What did you decide on? You get them? what they look like if you did?

That's really helpful, thanks. Hydration is a bitch, i always get anxious before training sessions (always been like this no matter my experience) so might pee a lot and therefore tend to limit fluids beforehand. Getting enough fluid in after without trashing my sleep is a fine science but hot chocolate is helping!

Some really good videos there, thanks!

is simply long term consistent challenging weight lifting

@Light_EDDed
Absolutely this. Worry less about rep ranges, and worry more about work intensity/quality and total volume of work.

Like, those that manage to get lots of decent work done, will grow more than those who do less (generally speaking). It’s so common to see people trying to optimise their workouts to death and seeing average results, compared to others working with little structure but higher intensity who make improvements.

What is your actual goal btw? Absolute muscle gain? Strength gains in certain exercises? Etc etc.

You might want to build muscle primarily for strength but with little consideration for aesthetics, or vice versa. You may have no care for either and simply want to increase your overall mass. And there are ways to tailor your needs towards those things.

What is your actual goal btw? Absolute muscle gain? Strength gains in certain exercises? Etc etc.

You asking me?

Got mirafit cast iron 8 12 16 and 20.

Currently I am using 12 and 16kg, wife is using 8kg. I am assuming she will progress to 8 and 12 and I’ll end up with 16 and 20.

Can definitely feel progress, it’s much more cardio than I expected. First time I used them I was aware of it for days afterwards, now I am no longer suffering much at all. Mostly I have been doing sessions with 40s on and 20s off. Today was a little more brutal, 3 exercises, two minutes of each exercise and then a 1 minute break - repeated 3 times. I didn’t have the stamina to do the full two minutes in the final round, had to pause and regroup a couple of times.

Sorry, quoted the relevant bit from you in reply to @Light_EDDed !

with KBs, like with all of my training, i find exercises, and work through my list.

Do you like following YT sessions?

I did this exercise as a heavy warmup this morning using a KB (also 16kg)

It took about 20 minutes as i had to learn the figure 8, then incorporate the 'upper cut', then the counter movement and then finally then included the twist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov1AAAA8_0M

Ah, yeah, i asked the same question

Strength wise, I was lifting pretty heavy then got ill over the last 2/3 weeks on December so I’m trying to get back to where I was.

In terms of size I had a bit of belly fat which I’ve dealt with, now I just need to pack on some more muscle, then in Spring will aim to lose more fat.

Sounds like you have it all under control. What is it that youre finding challenging then?

EDIT: or were you just making a general statement?

optimal muscle building routine:

• acquire newborn calf
  
• pick up calf for reps every day until it reaches adulthood (4 years)
  
• eat entire cow
  

chocolate milk recovery drink is kind of the GOAT.

I'd advise trying to add some kind of electrolytes into your water through the day (doesn't need to be fancy, just a sprinkle of salt in your water, not enough to taste it). It will aid in hydration without having to increase overall volume. Also a large liquid container is helpful. I drink way more when I have 2liter+ bottle next to me than if I have a pint glass.

That looks like it requires some coordination. Might be beyond me!

But in general I like/ am comfortable with YouTube workouts that I can follow along with.

You'll do great, just need to get past 2/3 weeks of illness.
You might feel weaker now, but unlikely you'll have suddenly lost all your muscle in 2/3 weeks, unless you were starving yourself.

Greek hero routine, he carried a calf around daily.
I can’t remember his name.

milo of croton. often cited as mythical and age old evidence of the knowledge of progressive overload.

Bulgerian bags used to imitate it

I’m going to increase my calories as I think I was under eating.

How much do basic 2nd hand bumper plates depreciate in value?

I just found a local seller on FB offering a set of Mirafit plates, but I just realised these 2nd hand plates are exactly the same price as buying new from Mirafit (once I mix and match colours). Plus buying new means I can choose exactly the set of plates I need which isn't true with the 2nd hand set.

If I were to make a counter offer how much would a reasonable reduction on RRP be? The photos suggest they are decent condition, so 75%?

I am not an expert on this subject, but I'd say minimum 75% off of rrp.

Well, I entered another strongman competition. Felt empowered to do so cause all the weights seem doable to me, my knee is feeling good, and it's only half an hour away so I thought why not.

Not done viking press before though and don't have immediate access to one, and there's a vehicle pull, which will be interesting, and feels quintessentially strongman to me. Now to stick to my cut until a month before...

Amazing! Good luck with the prep!

Cheers, made an offer at 75% current online price (including sales) and it was accepted. Pretty shocked to discover how weak I am now they are in the garage!