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Another workout thread

314 views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Ninky Nonk 
#1 ·
Right gents. In eye of the new year, I've just joined a gym (like many others)
I will be doing weight training (with two friends that have gone for two years)
Topped off with some cardio.

My goal, isn't to gain bulk, but to become stronger and fitter. I've also started eating healthy.

Now my question is. Saturday when I went we trained tri's and bench. This involved bench pressing and various tricep exercises.
With the other lads having been before, they pushed me right to the limit, and as a consequence of that I'm still sore today.

Today being Tuesday, it is now their regular time to revisit the gym tonight. Obviously we will be exercising another muscle group but I'm still sore. Should I really be going whilst still sore? Or should I leave it a couple more days?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Right gents. In eye of the new year, I've just joined a gym (like many others)
I will be doing weight training (with two friends that have gone for two years)
Topped off with some cardio.

My goal, isn't to gain bulk, but to become stronger and fitter. I've also started eating healthy.

Now my question is. Saturday when I went we trained tri's and bench. This involved bench pressing and various tricep exercises.
With the other lads having been before, they pushed me right to the limit, and as a consequence of that I'm still sore today.

Today being Tuesday, it is now their regular time to revisit the gym tonight. Obviously we will be exercising another muscle group but I'm still sore. Should I really be going whilst still sore? Or should I leave it a couple more days?

Thanks.
Yes, because you're exercising a different muscle group.

I would say that, if you're only starting out, that it's too early to start with isolation exercises. Personally I would stick with compound exercises for the time being.
 
#3 ·
Right gents. In eye of the new year, I've just joined a gym (like many others)
I will be doing weight training (with two friends that have gone for two years)
Topped off with some cardio.

My goal, isn't to gain bulk, but to become stronger and fitter. I've also started eating healthy.

Now my question is. Saturday when I went we trained tri's and bench. This involved bench pressing and various tricep exercises.
With the other lads having been before, they pushed me right to the limit, and as a consequence of that I'm still sore today.

Today being Tuesday, it is now their regular time to revisit the gym tonight. Obviously we will be exercising another muscle group but I'm still sore. Should I really be going whilst still sore? Or should I leave it a couple more days?

Thanks.
Theres some good tips at the bottom of this link http://muscle.iuhu.org/2012/09/back-to-the-gym-top-tips-to-restore-your-hardcore-training-sessions/ You shouldnt be looking to push your body to the max at the mo, more a slow progressive build up of strength and fitness, otherwise you'll be looking at injuries which will hamper your progress anyway.
 
#5 ·
Theres some good tips at the bottom of this link http://muscle.iuhu.o...ining-sessions/ You shouldnt be looking to push your body to the max at the mo, more a slow progressive build up of strength and fitness, otherwise you'll be looking at injuries which will hamper your progress anyway.
thanks for the advice gents. I'll see how i go on later. Thanks for the link too Geoff
 
#4 ·
I'm not expert but I do like to keep things in check.

What does your diet consist of?

70% of you progress is down to diet, so if you can get that right your body will react considerably quicker than if your diet was poor - mediocre.

I wouldn't base you diet around RDAs. They are considerably under what your body needs when excersizing.
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
If you're training for bulk you should train each area once every 5 days.

For muscular endurance more often but sounds like your friends are the body building type.

As said already, stick to compound exercises and make a point of not pushing yourself too hard for the first 3 months otherwise you'll pick up ligament injuries.

Avoid creatine as you'll just get injured more quickly, injury will be the main issue if you're hitting the weights hard.

Ideally, if you're fairly new to weights - do a compound routine once every 5 days, you'll get plenty of results from that for the first 3 months.

Cardio - if you're combining with weights, probably Heart Rate zone training IMHO (although High intensity training is a big fad at the moment)

60% of your Max hate rate (prob around 140BPM) for 40-60 min will give you heaps of baseline adaptation, use your weights as the HIT interval training with deadlift or powerclean. I'm a fan of the rowing machine for HR training, as it'll give you grip strength and lower back strength, which are the two most radiative kinds of strength training (meaning it'll make you all round stronger).

Make all weights exercises last 45-60 seconds with a 45-60 second rest, 2-5 sets

(I'm a personal trainer and sports conditioning coach)
 
#11 ·
Ill give my opinion on the matter, but its upto you if you want to follow my advice.
Im a fit bloke and do a mixture of weights and cardio during the week.

As someone new to weights, go with your mates..... but do your own thing. The reason is because as men, we naturally want to compete. And you'll try and do more than you should, and they will want to show off to make themselves feel better.

Personally, i think compound exercises are best.
So, for example, you decide you want to have massive biceps.... guns for the wife to touch ;-)

Pull ups is a great compound exercise as youll work biceps, and your back. And if you cant do pull ups the lat pull down machine/cables is a great alternative.
Bent over row etc
Any back exercises are going to involve a pulling exercise, so will work the biceps too.
Bicep curls will isolate your biceps, so are good to finish off your workout with. But the key is to do them correct. elbows at your sides, only movement should be at your elbow joint.
I see so so many people swinging their arms and leaning backwards because the weight is too high.

Do it correctly and you'll get better results over a given time than someone trying to lift weights that are too heavy.

Same goes for chest/triceps etc. Push ups, bench press, dips - all good compund exercises to fill your workouts with, then finish with some isolation exercises.

Thats how i do weights.

Oh and i normally do my reps as follows: 2 seconds up, pause 1 sec tensing, 4 seconds down.

But thats what works for me. Youll find out what works for you
 
#12 ·
If I ache before a session due to an absolutely crazy session a few days earlier I always spend 5/10 mins on a cross trainer, or machine that targets the affected area, warming up. I find the worst thing to do is a heavy chest session, and then doing shoulders or back 2 days later
aches like crazy!

Just don't go too heavy too quickly. The most important thing, is to get your body used to doing weight training, and concentrate on your form/technique as apposed to hitting them heavy like most seem to. Although it is always nice to see groups of younsters coming in and loading 80/90kg onto a bar and then seeing them struggling and resting the bar on their chest with their mates attempting to lift it off. I was always told to do weights before hitting the cardio machines when I was training for my half marathon. But then again a 5/10 minute warm up/stretch will always help, the same as a 5/10 minute cool down and stretch will help clear the muscles of some lactic acid.

Most importantly if you find something hurts, DON'T CONTINUE!!
 
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