Weight / Fat loss

Also, also. If you're 101Kg, bench more than 66kg.

(winky smilie)

I have been sticking religiously to my routine and it seems to be paying dividends in "tone" and bulk.

Are you sure the weight loss isn't just because you now wear sandals instead of trainers?

Also, also. If you're 101Kg, bench more than 66kg.

(winky smilie)

I am well aware this is a feeble ratio. It is on a resistance machine so no idea what this translates to on an actual bench. The bench is always the busiest piece of apparatus in the gym as it doubles as the squat rack.

Are you sure the weight loss isn't just because you now wear sandals instead of trainers?

The fat just oozes out of the holes in the sandals

Been working on a principle of alternating opposites. Eg. I do curls, then tricep pull downs, bench press, then seated row. I have no logic for this, in fact you should really focus on one area more than mix it up. But it allows me to get through everything in good time.

I tend to alternate (push v pull, curl v extend) too, gives the muscles an extra bit of time to recover. Rather than just doing a full run of bicep exercises, for example

I'm also thinking of joining our local the gym group gym. 15.99 a month.

I'm a member at Pure Gym, 17.99 a month. Great value for money.

I am well aware this is a feeble ratio. It is on a resistance machine so no idea what this translates to on an actual bench. The bench is always the busiest piece of apparatus in the gym as it doubles as the squat rack.

Free weights are far better for making sure you use equal force in each arm, and stabilise the weight using small muscles that wont get a look in on a machine.

Combining two of the most popular exercise points in one seems idiotic. Its a good time they at least take time to clamp down on the important issues like sandle use.....FFS.

I tend to alternate (push v pull, curl v extend) too, gives the muscles an extra bit of time to recover. Rather than just doing a full run of bicep exercises, for example

I think in an ideal word, you'd do a chest and shoulders session, then a different area another day etc. Resting for a while between each set. Aint nobody got time for that though.

I swapped to pyramids last night.

ie. Bench press.

10 x 80kg
8 x 95kg
6 x 110kg

Worked really well. (I'm aware thats a lot of weight. But my arms are so short I only lift the weight half the distance of a 'normal' person)

I tend to alternate (push v pull, curl v extend) too, gives the muscles an extra bit of time to recover. Rather than just doing a full run of bicep exercises, for example

I'd suggest you should actually try doing a split system and giving each muscle group a proper rest time, i.e a week. If you're training 4 days a week, you should try a 2 day or 4 day split. At the moment I'm on 4 Day split as follows:

• Chest and biceps
  
• Legs
  
• Ride (this ride is nearly always very slow due to state of legs)
  
• Back
  
• Shoulders and Triceps
  
• Ride
  
• Ride
  

I was working out with Chainbreaker this morning. Suffice to say there was an arm and shoulder emphasis today.

The bench press machine has independent bars on it. That is, there is a pulley mechanism whereby each arm takes an equal weight, although it misses out the balancing aspect. Was doing dumbbell presses this morning, I much preferred those.

It would be interesting to know what my max is on all the standard exercises (bench, deadlift, squat etc.) So I can work to increasing those. Will try to get in on the racks at some point.

This is all gearing towards next rugby season so I've got a good 5 months of prep.

Plus, I would like a spotter for the heavy reps on a barbell, today was the first time I've been at the gym with someone I know.

Done a few sets of press ups and dips last night. Kept me surprisingly warm and I can feel it today.

Also not eating breakfast until I arrive at work now. Will cycling to work before eating anything work with fat burning we're only talking 4 miles to work.

Also not eating breakfast until I arrive at work now. Will cycling to work before eating anything work with fat burning?

It is beneficial (i've read) to get out of bed and do 20 mins cardio before eating in the morning.
Anything over 20mins and your risk breaking down muscle and going into 'starvation mode'.

It would be interesting to know what my max is on all the standard exercises (bench, deadlift, squat etc.) So I can work to increasing those. Will try to get in on the racks at some point.

This is all gearing towards next rugby season so I've got a good 5 months of prep.

Thats the thing. You want to be slowly increasing the weight.

My rugby season starts in 3 days.

Plus, I would like a spotter for the heavy reps on a barbell, today was the first time I've been at the gym with someone I know.

I never have anyone to spot me anymore . False pride has left me painfully rolling a barbell down my cheast to my hips and climbing out before.

Plus, I would like a spotter for the heavy reps on a barbell, today was the first time I've been at the gym with someone I know.

Dumbells are your friend. Not only far better for engaging all the smaller stabilising muscles in the bench press and allowing your hands to rotate through the pressing motion you can also max out without ending up getting crushed under a barbell.

First game of rugby in 18 months for me this weekend (Australia). I've gone from an unfit 128kg down to a very fit 105kg (6'6"), and size 38" pants down to a 34". I've also managed to avoid having double shoulder reconstructions after being a week away from surgery this time last year. Changing to neutral grip dumbell work for bench, shoulder press etc and lots of rotor cuff exercises have stabilised my shoulders to point I no longer need surgery. Having said all this I'll probably destroy myself on Saturday and spend the next 12 months recovering.

Dumbells are your friend. Not only far better for engaging all the smaller stabilising muscles in the bench press and allowing your hands to rotate through the pressing motion you can also max out without ending up getting crushed under a barbell.

Setting up for dumbell press on a bench is a bit of a faff with bigger weights though - also a bit of a pain if you're doing a hypertrophy routine and want to include reps to failure/include negatives.

Neither is better, just different.

Setting up for dumbell press on a bench is a bit of a faff with bigger weights though - also a bit of a pain if you're doing a hypertrophy routine and want to include reps to failure/include negatives.

Neither is better, just different.

One is definetly better for your shoulders, and also better if you don't have a spotter. No way you're going to be doing negatives or failure with a bar. You can go to failure with dumbells though without any fear of crushing yourself with a bar. As for setting, its not that hard once you get the hang of it. Only real problem is finding dumbells big enough, the ones at my gym only go up to 50kg.

This has turned into a weight lifting thread :(

I'm putting on weight at the moment, about 500gm in the last 2 weeks but getting skinier, I don't really mind this, but losing weight is more motivational than clothes getting looser...

This has turned into a weight lifting thread :(

Do you even lift bro?

You're still free to talk about weight loss and fitness...and others are still free to talk about lifting.

79.2 kg this morning, I am getting heavier

74.5kg this evening, I am getting lighter

^^ (sorry)

90kg just now... :(

Started the 'detox' PT thing last Tuesday.
I was 75.2kg. A week of no gluten, dairy (except live yogurt), caffeine, sugar, alcohol) and I'm down to 72.8kg. That's 2.4kg in a week.
Can this be right? I don't feel like I've lost anything. I hit the gym pretty hard til Saturday but then Sunday I got hit by some viral flu thing that left me a trembling sweaty mess and I'm only just made it off the sofa today.
Interesting. Keen to get better and get back on the exercise. 21 days to go!