The get fit, stay fit thread

[Raithie]

9 minutes ago, Stellaboz said:

I'd recommend a punchbag with a picture of Josh Falkingham 

I'd feel like I'm punching a child. That's not cool.

[Shandon Par]

7 hours ago, Raithie said:

I'd feel like I'm punching a child. That's not cool.

What of that child was Josh Falkingham? 
 

That’s like the moral dilemma of “would you go back kill the baby Hitler?”

[gav-ffc]

On 22/12/2020 at 10:31, gav-ffc said:

Have shifted well over a stone since the start of November after piling it on when my dad passed.

Couldnt run the length of myself to begin with and never been a runner, in the past week I’ve done a 13k last Wednesday, Thursday was a slow 5k, Friday was a rest day due to work, Saturday some resistance band/light weight work and Sunday another 10+k in the bag. 
 

Genuinely enjoying it ( well after mile 2 usually) and hope to keep it up. 

Adding to this.

I’ve taken up the 50 miles for Maggie’s centres in January, sadly my mother in law has had to use them after her recent diagnosis and thought it would keep me motivated throughout the months to keep at it.

Kicked off the year with a run 10 minutes after the bells seeing as was working New Year’s Day anyway and got 6 miles on the clock, went out again New Year’s Day night after my shift with a mate and got 4 taking me Up to 10/50 for the month on day one.

Out again yesterday for a 8.5mile run, can feel my technique improving with every run and while I am not that bothered by time I can see the time per mile dropping despite running more often and further. Hopefully get out on the roads tonight when I’m home and get close to 25/50 for the month.

Edit to add I’ve raised over £250 already which is mind blowing in the circumstances.

Edited January 4, 2021 by gav-ffc

[ICTChris]

Bought an 80kg plate set on eBay.

Am currently looking for a few 20-25s to top that up.

[D.A.F.C]

Has anyone followed the 5x5 app?

Trying to find an effective way of tracking gain on weight.
It seems pretty good. I'm going up pretty slowly atm until I get used to the exercises and how it effects me over time.
Squatting is the hardest for me, going for more reps than higher weight as it feels a bit unsafe.

[Boostin' Kev]

56 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

Bought an 80kg plate set on eBay.

Am currently looking for a few 20-25s to top that up.

@super_carson was selling some from his gym in Edinburgh a while back.

[super_carson]

6 minutes ago, Boostin' Kev said:

@super_carson was selling some from his gym in Edinburgh a while back.

Sadly all those plates have gone I'm afraid.  

[ICTChris]

14 minutes ago, D.A.F.C said:

Has anyone followed the 5x5 app?

Trying to find an effective way of tracking gain on weight.
It seems pretty good. I'm going up pretty slowly atm until I get used to the exercises and how it effects me over time.
Squatting is the hardest for me, going for more reps than higher weight as it feels a bit unsafe.

I used it when I first started barbell lifting.  I do my own modified version of it now as I can't always consistently stick to their version of it.  It worked really well for me, it's simple and easy to follow.  One of the things I find about a lot of gym programmes is that they can be overly complicated, take too much time and are hard to stick to.

Regarding squatting, and any other lift really, I wouldn't go for volume over weight.  LIft as heavy a weight as you can safely, go up as slowly as you can but you do have to go up.  Focus on form, get that right and the weight will come.  Also, if you are feeling unsafe make sure you have a safe set up, with pins and safety bars.  Even practice chucking the bar off if you need to.  

[Boostin' Kev]

Things like 5x5 are time tested and apps make it easy to monitor progress.  It's good that it takes focus away from bodybuilding things like  things like tricep kickbacks/preacher curls etc. Ironically enough it was 5x5 that moved my focus away from things like heavy squat/bench/dead, I found it pretty boring and once I reached my plateau of about 5x5 120kg on squats I was just picking up injuries trying to add another increment onto the weight, even using tactics detailed in the program like dropping 20% and trying again.  Ended up thinking what's the point and moved into the kind of training I do now.

Starting Strength is another one to look at.  I actually read the book by Mark Rippetoe which is interesting, very in depth with a 60-70 page chapter on squats alone.

[super_carson]

Squats are probably the main exercise to avoid volume on - it's a very technical lift, and as you fatigue you'll no doubt lose some form and that can lead to a pretty nasty back injury.  I quite enjoy super-setting my squats if I'm on a hypertrophy block, or modifying the squat movement.  For example,  if I was doing strength I'd probably be working on increasing weight using the 6,4,2,2 rep range.  If I was going for hypertrophy I may only do 5 x 6, but I'd super set with something like squat jumps or goblet squats in-between to get a bit more 'damage' into the muscle without having to knacker my lower back (which is already buggered after nearly 15 years of Prem rugby).  

I think I said this last time, but get yourself some proper resistance bands - not those crappy tube things off of amazon.  The variable resistance, coupled with concentric and isometric movements will give you a surprising amount of resistance and tension.  I'm fortunate to have some of my club's equipment in the dining room, but I'm enjoying using the bands to add some variety to my program.  

But running?  Get that in the sea...

 

 

[D.A.F.C]

I used it when I first started barbell lifting.  I do my own modified version of it now as I can't always consistently stick to their version of it.  It worked really well for me, it's simple and easy to follow.  One of the things I find about a lot of gym programmes is that they can be overly complicated, take too much time and are hard to stick to.
Regarding squatting, and any other lift really, I wouldn't go for volume over weight.  LIft as heavy a weight as you can safely, go up as slowly as you can but you do have to go up.  Focus on form, get that right and the weight will come.  Also, if you are feeling unsafe make sure you have a safe set up, with pins and safety bars.  Even practice chucking the bar off if you need to.  

Thanks, I started out with just the bar for the first week until I got used to it.
Never squatted before with a bar, just dumbell squats.
I've got safety bars so set them a little lower than my squat and I haven't done it yet but aiming to just let the bar roll off backwards.

Rack is like this but more sturdy.

Can the safety bars be incorporated into bench press? I feel much more confident on that and shoulder press. Guess I need to stick with it and as you say will get easier with squats.

[ICTChris]

Mark Rippetoe seems a massive dickhead in many ways but is very knowledgable about lifting.  One thing I like is that he focuses on training ordinary people, he says his favourite people to train are the elderly as they get the most benefit from training.  So much fitness is based on trying to replicate the workouts of people like LeBron or Beckham and they are, with all due respect to them, genetic freaks.  If you do LeBron's workout you won't end up looking like him.

Here is a funny video about Starting Strength

 

[super_carson]

Just now, D.A.F.C said:

Can the safety bars be incorporated into bench press? I feel much more confident on that and shoulder press. Guess I need to stick with it and as you say will get easier with squats.

Absolutely, yeah.  You can work on eccentric bench as a valid strength building exercise.  Overload the bar to the point where you'd probably not be able to push it back up but lower it slowly and controlled onto your chest/rack.

If you're looking to develop power, you can start your rep with the bar on the bench and power straight up before lowering again.  

[D.A.F.C]

Squats are probably the main exercise to avoid volume on - it's a very technical lift, and as you fatigue you'll no doubt lose some form and that can lead to a pretty nasty back injury.  I quite enjoy super-setting my squats if I'm on a hypertrophy block, or modifying the squat movement.  For example,  if I was doing strength I'd probably be working on increasing weight using the 6,4,2,2 rep range.  If I was going for hypertrophy I may only do 5 x 6, but I'd super set with something like squat jumps or goblet squats in-between to get a bit more 'damage' into the muscle without having to knacker my lower back (which is already buggered after nearly 15 years of Prem rugby).  
I think I said this last time, but get yourself some proper resistance bands - not those crappy tube things off of amazon.  The variable resistance, coupled with concentric and isometric movements will give you a surprising amount of resistance and tension.  I'm fortunate to have some of my club's equipment in the dining room, but I'm enjoying using the bands to add some variety to my program.  
But running?  Get that in the sea...
 
 

Thanks, can you show me a pic of how to setup with resistance bands the next time you do it.
I got a decent one for one arm pullups so will try it.
Looking to do 5x5 three times and smaller more cv type workouts in between using pullups, dips and chinups.
I really enjoy the calisthenics stuff so want to continue even if it might effect the weights progression.
I try to do supersets in-between the heavy stuff as well, z-bar curls and dumbell curls things like that as a sort of warmup. I'm not really progressing in weight with them just isolation and warmup.
Does this sound doable long term?
Appreciate the advice.

[Boostin' Kev]

11 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

Mark Rippetoe seems a massive dickhead in many ways but is very knowledgable about lifting.  One thing I like is that he focuses on training ordinary people, he says his favourite people to train are the elderly as they get the most benefit from training.  So much fitness is based on trying to replicate the workouts of people like LeBron or Beckham and they are, with all due respect to them, genetic freaks.  If you do LeBron's workout you won't end up looking like him.

Here is a funny video about Starting Strength

 

He's a Texan.

Edited January 5, 2021 by Boostin' Kev

[Gaz]

Rippetoe is indeed a knobber but knows his stuff.

Alan Thrall is excellent.

[Boostin' Kev]

3 hours ago, D.A.F.C said:

Thanks, I started out with just the bar for the first week until I got used to it.
Never squatted before with a bar, just dumbell squats.
I've got safety bars so set them a little lower than my squat and I haven't done it yet but aiming to just let the bar roll off backwards.

Rack is like this but more sturdy.

Can the safety bars be incorporated into bench press? I feel much more confident on that and shoulder press. Guess I need to stick with it and as you say will get easier with squats.

Not sure if this is to be recommended but I've always faced the opposite direction when using those racks.  Don't think it's a good idea racking a squat bar going back the way.

[D.A.F.C]

First one done.
Pretty sure I can do more on squat and row. Bench I've done before years ago.
Failed the bar only on squat to practice.
Its more of a mental thing to overcome for squat, still feels difficult. Full body exercise.

Did a couple of isolation exercises along with this. Nothing heavy.

[Leicesterlichtie]

Had first little run today following 5 weeks off recovering from a stress fracture to foot. Boy, amazing how much fitness has dropped in that period of time.  

[Bairnardo]

Got the heavy bag out and did 2 minute round, with 10 slam balls and 50 skips between rounds. 10 of them to get the cobwebs blown away. Probably will continue with this mixed in with some running until the glorious return of tier 3