The get fit, stay fit thread

[Reynard]

At the minute I'm probably the least fit I've been in about 5 years. I'm not overweight, I weigh about twelve and a half stone and I'm six foot two but I feel pretty sluggish. Over the past year or so my diet has gone right downhill, I eat from too many bad carbohydrates and up until about a month ago wasn't exercising enough either. I've started going swimming at least a couple of times a week but ideally just as much as possible, I don't know if that's the best option but I find it infinitely more enjoyable than going to the gym. Anyway, come Tuesday I'm going to have to start shopping for myself too (I realise that's my own fault for being lazy and I always had the option to buy and cook for myself) so this seems like as good a time as any to change the things I eat and lean up my currently doughy physique. I quite fancy this quinoa stuff, what do you eat it with?

It's the best option for you in that case. I fucking hate gyms, I have only been in them a few times, didn't enjoy it, found other stuff to do on my own. If you don't enjoy whatever exercise you are taking the chances are you will stop doing it at some point and go back to lying on the sofa eating doritos.

[Thistle_do_nicely]

What are the best exercises to do if you're just starting out? Looking to build some muscle so what exercises should I do with dumbells?

Compound exercises i.e. exercises that use more than one muscle group.

http://newbie-fitnes...ripped-5x5.html

Here's the routine I'm using, it has handy wee .gif links showing how to carry out the exercises in proper form. Edit: and it has dumbell alternatives for most of the exercises, though there are some which can only be properly performed with a barbell.

Edited September 7, 2012 by Thistle_do_nicely

[Reynard]

And get a chin up bar, that's one exercise that will sort you out quickly when you are starting out, once you get used to it then you can add weights to a weight belt or something like that to make it tougher. It's a brilliant exercise and one you can do at home.

[Mak]

And get a chin up bar, that's one exercise that will sort you out quickly when you are starting out, once you get used to it then you can add weights to a weight belt or something like that to make it tougher. It's a brilliant exercise and one you can do at home.

A chin up bar is a must, definitely. Quite apart from your standard chin-up and pull-up and adding weight to those there are also loads of variations you can do to toughen them up as well as adding extra weight. They can also be used for challenging core exercises like hanging leg raises, hanging windscreen wipers (which are fucking torture), etc.

They're also something that you need to get started on quickly, no matter how difficult they might seem; I neglected them a wee bit when I was starting out and now I'm shite at them.

[Reynard]

A chin up bar is a must, definitely. Quite apart from your standard chin-up and pull-up and adding weight to those there are also loads of variations you can do to toughen them up as well as adding extra weight. They can also be used for challenging core exercises like hanging leg raises, hanging windscreen wipers (which are fucking torture), etc.

They're also something that you need to get started on quickly, no matter how difficult they might seem; I neglected them a wee bit when I was starting out and now I'm shite at them.

I had never bothered my arse with them up until a couple of years ago. It was a guy I played squash with that suggested it to me so I got one. The forst time I did it I could maybe crank out a dozen or so straightforward pull ups and I thought that wasn't too bad for a first effort. The following coule of days was hellish. Pecs, shoulders, and particularly my stomach muscles were giving me the worst doms I've ever had. I tried to plough on with it but couldn't crank out a single rep until a few days had passed. I reckoned at that stage it was probably something to persevere with. I reckon I could swing through the branches like a chimp after a banana nowadays.

[Thistle_do_nicely]

A chin up bar is a must, definitely. Quite apart from your standard chin-up and pull-up and adding weight to those there are also loads of variations you can do to toughen them up as well as adding extra weight. They can also be used for challenging core exercises like hanging leg raises, hanging windscreen wipers (which are fucking torture), etc.

They're also something that you need to get started on quickly, no matter how difficult they might seem; I neglected them a wee bit when I was starting out and now I'm shite at them.

As a complete beginner is it better starting with something like a lat pulldown machine for the first few weeks along with squats, deadlifts etc. and then moving on to chin-ups/pull-ups? Obviously I'll still need to be lifting a fairly heavy weight in order to see any benefits and I've read that most machine exercises are inferior to more dynamic exercises, but they seem quite daunting, particularly in a gym setting which would be pretty embarassing if you were a fat fecker that seriously struggled to manage even one pull-up. I've not tried yet for fear of this but to be honest I doubt I could manage even one pull-up with the excess fat I'm carrying and lack of muscle.

Edited September 7, 2012 by Thistle_do_nicely

[Drooper]

What do folk reckon to this:

Powerbar 2

I'm thinking this is preferable to screwing something onto the door frame.

[Reynard]

As a complete beginner is it better starting with something like a lat pulldown machine for the first few weeks along with squats, deadlifts etc. and then moving on to chin-ups/pull-ups? Obviously I'll still need to be lifting a fairly heavy weight in order to see any benefits and I've read that most machine exercises are inferior to more dynamic exercises, but they seem quite daunting, particularly in a gym setting which would be pretty embarassing if you were a fat fecker that seriously struggled to manage even one pull-up. I've not tried yet for fear of this but to be honest I doubt I could manage even one pull-up with the excess fat I'm carrying and lack of muscle.

Naw, Get fired straight in to the chin ups. And do the other weight stuff as well. I found the heavier I could do the likes of an overhead press the easier I found chin ups, although I still got doms in random places that the weights never reached. So it is obviously working slightly different muscles. It will help your general fitness regardless, if you can do maybe fifteen to twenty proper pull ups with the right form then you are pretty strong. Try and make the chin up bar a part of your routine if you can, it's genuinely a great exercise to do.

[Reynard]

What do folk reckon to this:

Powerbar 2

I'm thinking this is preferable to screwing something onto the door frame.

That's more or less the thing I have, it will do the job fine. If you are in a Victorian house with huge architrave round the door frames then it won't clip over the door frame and you will need to get a screw in effort. I have mine in a kitchen bit in the extension. I also have an iron bar I used to put over the beams in the garage, which was better from my point of view because I could hang full length but in the door based one I need to keep my knees bent or I cant get a complete rep done properly.

[Drooper]

That's more or less the thing I have, it will do the job fine. If you are in a Victorian house with huge architrave round the door frames then it won't clip over the door frame and you will need to get a screw in effort. I have mine in a kitchen bit in the extension. I also have an iron bar I used to put over the beams in the garage, which was better from my point of view because I could hang full length but in the door based one I need to keep my knees bent or I cant get a complete rep done properly.

Cheers - I'm a short arse, so no problems with the height issue. I'll stick it in the dressing room off my bedroom, so I won't be in the way, and if I can easily remove it, I won't incur the wrath of the missus

[Mak]

I had never bothered my arse with them up until a couple of years ago. It was a guy I played squash with that suggested it to me so I got one. The forst time I did it I could maybe crank out a dozen or so straightforward pull ups and I thought that wasn't too bad for a first effort. The following coule of days was hellish. Pecs, shoulders, and particularly my stomach muscles were giving me the worst doms I've ever had. I tried to plough on with it but couldn't crank out a single rep until a few days had passed. I reckoned at that stage it was probably something to persevere with. I reckon I could swing through the branches like a chimp after a banana nowadays.

I think part of my problem with the fuckers is that with the majority of my training over the past couple of years having been in Muay Thai and kickboxing, with me even having basically stopped lifting weights etc for a while, I became really imbalanced as an athlete with great endurance and good strength in certain areas but severely lacking in others. My lats were basically non-existent and are still pretty fucking weak.

I make sure to do pull-ups and chin-ups at least once a week now, but it's still pretty slow going to be honest. I'm getting there.

As a complete beginner is it better starting with something like a lat pulldown machine for the first few weeks along with squats, deadlifts etc. and then moving on to chin-ups/pull-ups? Obviously I'll still need to be lifting a fairly heavy weight in order to see any benefits and I've read that most machine exercises are inferior to more dynamic exercises, but they seem quite daunting, particularly in a gym setting which would be pretty embarassing if you were a fat fecker that seriously struggled to manage even one pull-up. I've not tried yet for fear of this but to be honest I doubt I could manage even one pull-up with the excess fat I'm carrying and lack of muscle.

As I said, pull-ups are my own biggest weak point (not saying they're the only one, btw), but my personal opinion would be that you're better off doing negatives (jumping up to the top and then controlling the descent) rather than using the lat pulldown or even assisted pull-up machines. In your average commercial gym there'll be loads of people who'll struggle with pull-ups; in my experience, people aren't generally watching you as much as you think they are, and even if they were they'd probably be more likely to respect the fact that you're at least giving it a go! The bottom line is that people who look down on other people in the gym are generally roid raging spongos whose opinions aren't worth valuing anyway.

[RiG]

The bottom line is that people who look down on other people in the gym are generally roid raging spongos whose opinions aren't worth valuing anyway.

Agree with this. I'm not a big guy but I tend to eat well (although I have noted some interesting points on this thread) and keep fit. I go to the gym to maintain my fitness and, if possible, bulk up a wee bit in some areas and target them accordingly.

This morning there were a couple of "lads" in the gym in complete Liverpool () replica kits doing some bench presses. I started doing some on another rack and wasn't lifting much compared to them but it was what I needed to lift to get enough from the exercise.

Cue a couple of sniggers from them in my direction. It was only when I looked at them more closely I realised that, whilst these lads were benching a reasonable amount, they were both fat as f**k and probably in pretty poor physical condition.

As Mak says, gym fannies tend not be worth worrying about. I just do what I can do at the gym. If it means lifting less weight to start with then so be it. Form is more important and ensure you get the exercise right rather than try and lift too much.

Edited September 7, 2012 by RiG

[ICTChris]

I love the guys who drop weights or slap each other on the back or make massive groans in the gym all while wearing a vest four sizes too small. Hilarious stuff.

I was in the gym early one morning a few weeks ago, on the cable rower machine rower. A guy came along and started doing pulldowns on themachine right next to me and every time he pulled he said, really loudly, "YEAAAAAAAAH". He did about ten reps and walked off.

[TheScarf]

The kind of guy RiG mentions are ten a penny in Inverness. 'It's all very well having big arms pal, but are you going to do something about your tits and beer belly?'

Edited September 7, 2012 by TheScarf

[woodside]

I love the guys who drop weights or slap each other on the back or make massive groans in the gym all while wearing a vest four sizes too small. Hilarious stuff.

I was in the gym early one morning a few weeks ago, on the cable rower machine rower. A guy came along and started doing pulldowns on themachine right next to me and every time he pulled he said, really loudly, "YEAAAAAAAAH". He did about ten reps and walked off.

The worst. If you have set times you go to the gym and they clash with a couple of these fuckers it wont take long for murderous fantasies to form in your head every time they walk in. I can accept some of the really big lads sometimes need to drop the weights but most decent folk will do the best they can not to. The ones who do it after 4 reps incline press with 30kg or something can die in a fire.

I only really had this problem when I used the gym at my old work Ive got a proper bodybuilders gym I use now to get whatever strength work I dont get done at muay thai. There are some ridiculous looking characters cutting about but theres no hassle and the facilities are excellent.

mhak if you dont mind me asking have you had many fights and what sort of weight class do you fight in?

[RiG]

The kind of guy RiG mentions are ten a penny in Inverness. 'It's all very well having big arms pal, but are you going to do something about your tits and beer belly?'

I also see wee lads who are trying to bench far too much and their form is dreadful as a result. As soon as they try and push the bar back up their backs are arched badly and the lift is lop sided. No point trying to bench 40kg if you can't do it right. Just take it right down and get your form right with a lighter weight.

My gym isn't too bad for lads moaning like they're having a dump after a heavy night. I did go to one gym where some guys were keen on the whole "Tsssshhhhh.....ooffff......HUH!" thing.

I'm off to drink a protein shake and do some sit ups to get a six pack.

[ICTChris]

I'm off to drink a protein shake and do some sit ups to get a six pack.

I sometimes eat a protein bar for breakfast if I go to the gym first thing in the morning before work. Normally, I'd have some eggs but my work doesn't do eggs in the breakfast canteen. Otherwise I just try to eat high protein foods following a workout.

I do hear that Raoul Moat Protein Death Shakes are the best ones.

[Mak]

mhak if you dont mind me asking have you had many fights and what sort of weight class do you fight in?

I haven't actually fought yet, but it's been more down to a lack of having a convenient time than anything else to be honest. I started training maybe a year and a half ago, got to a level where I felt like I could've done myself justice and then went out to France where I was training at a club that was more kickboxing / K1. They didn't really match anyone much, and I was actually surprised at how different it was anyway. Since getting back I've got back into training MT, but due to work times wasn't really able to spar as much as I'd have liked (we only spar later in the evening where I train, which is fine normally but not when I'm working nights). Been able to spar more again recently, but moving back over to Stirling. I'll be training at the uni club, which is fine but the best I'll get through them's an interclub event. Bit frustrating, to be honest, but I'll be back in Edinburgh between December and February so I'll try to get matched at some stage then. I definitely feel ready. I walk around at about 67-70kg, so would be fighting somewhere below that.

How about you? I remember seeing you saying on here before that you've had a few fights?

[Thistle_do_nicely]

I also see wee lads who are trying to bench far too much and their form is dreadful as a result. As soon as they try and push the bar back up their backs are arched badly and the lift is lop sided. No point trying to bench 40kg if you can't do it right. Just take it right down and get your form right with a lighter weight.

My gym isn't too bad for lads moaning like they're having a dump after a heavy night. I did go to one gym where some guys were keen on the whole "Tsssshhhhh.....ooffff......HUH!" thing.

I'm off to drink a protein shake and do some sit ups to get a six pack.

This is something that concerns me; having never really lifted weights I'm worried that my form will be utter shit, so when I start I'm going to start on fairly low weights to perfect form for squats, deadlifts, seated rows etc. and then just try to lift slightly heavier the next week, keeping a wee notepad of how many sets of each exercise I've done + at what weight.

How useful/friendly are gym staff, generally? I know this sounds daft, but would I be able to explain how green I am on all this and get someone to watch my form?

[RiG]

I sometimes warm up with a completely "empty" bar with no weights whatsoever on it before I do certain exercises and just get used to it before adding weight on thereafter.

The staff at my gym are fine. To be honest I see no reason why any gym staff member should be anything but helpful to you otherwise they may lose you as a customer. Might be worth seeing if your gym has some kind of accreditation where the staff gets you familiar with the set up and you can also ask them questions about certain exercises? I'm not sure if every place will do that but I know my gym does. Otherwise they get folk coming in having seen exercises on YouTube and potentially injuring themselves by doing something wrong.