The Weightlifting Thread

So I've taken up weightlifting as a hobby in an effort to feel better about myself and hopefully compete for Stang's flirting.

In the past 5 months or so I've put on about 25 lbs of muscle. It really is a great feeling, and everybody should give it a shot, even you cardio freaks.

 

So anybody else around here crazy about pumping iron?

 

Working out with powerlifters makes me feel pretty crappy about my numbers, but here goes:

225 x 2 bench

245 x 3 squat

325 x 3 deadlift

 

What I'm shooting for by the end of summer:

250 x 5 bench

315 x 5 squat

405 x 5 deadlift

 

Feel free to give numbers for different lifts, I just use those as a gauge since they are the official powerlifting lifts.

I also have picked up weight lifting as a hobby recently and am currently on a 30 day cycle in which i hope i'll notice something by the end...

 

I'm keeping logs of my daily workout routine so i can have that handy as well by the end. I'll be sure to put up some pics at the end also for visual results

 

The thing that i might have to take into consideration is that i'm doing nearly all of my lifting on a bowflex and i'm not really sure what the actual accuracy is for the amount that the flexible bars say they are.

 

I'm on day 15 right now and am about to go do my legs but be sure to expect a post about my final results around the 18th

Are you taking any supplements, i.e. protein, creatine, etc? If you want to maximize your gains, you should be consuming 1g of protein per lb body weight each day. Turns out when you weigh 230 this is really hard to do haha...

Yeah i know about the 1g of protein per day in body-weight and im 200 lbs but im not finding it hard at all to do 200+ g of protein a day. But yeah im drinking your basic weigh protein shake from gold standard as well as superpump 250. I've cut out basically anthing that could be sonidered unhealthy from my diet so this is a pretty intense month to deal with.

One of my friends just competed in a competition this past weekend in Indy. Before that he was under the supervision of a doctor and nutritionist from the area. I only know the guy as Dr. Joe but apparently he was involved in the last few Mr. Olympias. He had my friend who was about 6'3" 200lb when he started on 400g protein, 400g carbs and 40g fat per day.

 

They tried to talk me into starting a program with them because I seem to have a pretty good genetic makeup to put on muscle when workingout (I just never work out ) but I'm not into measuring out food for every meal. My friend said it would take like an hour a night to plan and prepare the meals for the following day. Not my cup of tea.

 

Just thought I'd throw that out there as what a professional (that cost about $1k for the last 6 months) would have people looking to cut and pump shoot for in the nutrion department.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Daghostmaker

Well it depends on what you are going for. If you are looking to be a bodybuilder, then yeah, you really gotta plan out your meals. If your goal is to get stronger and bigger, and not necessarily super cut, its not that complicated. Just eat ridiculous amounts of things that are good for you - chicken, fish, veggies, fruits, grains. I've found that I can eat as much as I want, as long as I'm eating the right stuff.

 

I also eat about 6 small meals a day, which will speed up your metabolism vs. three big meals.

 

My plan is to bulk up as much as possible, then cut down to 10% body fat. It's easier than trying to balance a strict diet all the time. And any way you shake it, unless you're on the juice, losing fat means net negative calories which = muscle loss.

Are you taking any supplements, i.e. protein, creatine, etc?

 

 

Just my quick 2cents...but anyone that generally ways over 200lbs and is under 6'2 DONT TAKE SUPPLEMENTS!!! its the eaisest and fastest way to gain that unwanted weight. Stick to that low carb diet, and running 2 miles a day for bout 3 months.... then consider those silly pills/protien shakes. I'm sure you'll find much better results.

 

elunes

I do really light weight lifting to cpmplement my swimming routine. Usually a combination of 30 - 35 pound dumbbells in series of curls, benchpress, inclined miliary press, and some over head thing that I can't really describe that works the tris.

 

Rather than increase the weight, I try to increase the number of reps per set to help me work on my endurance in the pool. I've always been a sprinter so I run out of gas real fast on distance sets. This low weight / high rep workout seems to help with that problem.

damn freaks

 

smoke weed r healthee

I was pretty into weight lifting about 4 years ago, I'm looking to get back into it now that I'm in a house that has a basement. We got a really nice weight lift machine for free just have to spend the 3 weeks putting it together. >

Yea ive been into lifting for a long while now and its started to become an everyday thing since football season is beginnig to come around. Back on the protein and creatine which are the worst tasting drinks that ive ever tasted. But yea, if anyone is interested ina a Cardio workout let me out, i got a pretty good one which isnt that hard.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Flash

I haven't lifted weights routinely since high school when I played lacrosse.

 

Too many hours at work + too much WoW = lazy, out of shape Lyssa.

Too many hours at work + too much WoW = lazy, out of shape Lyssa.

 

soulmate

 

soulmate <3 XD

 

OMG we can eat chipotle together...forever.

OMG we can eat chipotle together...forever.

 

 

*rolls around in cilantro lime rice*

 

 

errrrrr..... >.>

The actual conversion is 0.73g per pound. Protein is one of the hardest things for the body to break down and use, but it's impossible to overdose on it. But, after that you hit your limit you are just wasting it...literally. Have you ever had a nasty protein dump? The gas is bad enough, but try being on a date during your lifting cycle and get an onset of protein poo.

 

I'm just a little guy(5'8" 170) so I only take about 150g per day. I also have a metabolism like a rabid squirrel on speed, so when I am lifting heavy I have to eat almost all day just to see any size gains.

 

I usually set goals based on a one rep max, and then customize my workout from there. Lately I have only cared about my bench max, since squats started hurting my distance running. One thing I like to do in some of my my workouts is turn the first have into a cardio lifting session, by not taking breaks longer than 30-45 seconds between sets and moving straight from exercise to exercise.

 

But, grats on your excellent decision. Lifting is fun and does wonders for your body and mind. Don't ever let someone else's numbers get you down though. If anything, use them as a source of motivation.

Hmmm just recently started doing some lifting / strength training with a trainer. (6'3 260...insert fatty comments here )

 

For now I'm more in Gryph's boat. Lighter weights for more reps (I am not under the dillusion that I personally can lift 250 lbs yet )

 

Rowing, biceps/triceps, overhead pull, roman lunges with a bar - upper body

Crunches, reverse crunches, sit ups - core

Leg press, inclined leg press, calf lifts, knee raises - lower body

 

It's a pain but I'm starting to see more definition, particularly in my shoulders/upper arms.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Ryee

I need to get back to 7% body fat again. This extra 5 pounds and lack of muscle mass isn't that uber.

Don't need weights when you spend your free time trying to ride a psycho mare.

I don't do cardio that often, but when I do it's usually interval training on the elliptical (I have knee problems so less impact = good). Sometimes I also do a "mountain climb" on the treadmill, set it to like 85% of the max ramp, and 3.5 - 4 mph for half an hour. It doesn't sound that bad until you try it!

 

Also, I urge anybody trying to gain mass to do barbell squats. They aren't just good for your legs, they build muscle everywhere! I usually work up to a heavy 3 rep, then drop down to 135 and go for as many reps as i can. If you don't feel like you're going to puke after that, you aren't doing it right haha.

 

For folks that are interested in building strength, check out the 5x5 program here: Stronglifts Beginner 5x5

Doing squats 3 x a week sounds brutal, and it definitely is. But if you're just starting out, it's a great way to pack on a lot of muscle in a short time span.

Yeah, squats are great for promoting muscle growth in the whole body. Back in my college days I was squatting 415 but my legs got so dang big I started losing time on my distance running. These days I only squat to keep the rest of my body growing. I do more tone and definition work on my legs, since it compliments my running routine.

 

Another great cardio workout is FIGHTING. Some of my buddies and I grapple and fight a few times a month...sometimes as a result of a drunken headbutt. I wrestled all my life until college, and I think that was the best total body conditioning I have ever had. Maybe one of these days I'll quit WoW and start training for amateur fights.

I also eat about 6 small meals a day, which will speed up your metabolism vs. three big meals.

 

What happens to you if you just eat once a day

Pretty sure your body slows the metabolism way down because it thinks you're "starving" and is trying to conserve fat to convert later to energy in case you decide not to eat again.

Yeah, if you only eat one meal a day your metabolism slows to prevent your body from burning itself up. One meal a day during intensive training equals a very tired, unrecovering body.

 

A good habit to get into is to drink alot of something carb-heavy immediately after your workout. It replenishes your fluids lost during the workout and loads your body with the nutrients needed for a swift recovery. I usually go for a gallon of gatorade mixed with a carb/recovery powder. I use gatorade powder and mix it myself(a little heavier on the water) so that I don't OD on sugar when I mix the recovery drink in.

2 mile jog every day, but sadly I haven't lifted weights hard core in years. My record on a squat machine is over 1000lbs, but there's no way I could stabilize that as a free weight. I think my bench record is somwhere aroudn 225 x2. That second rep was a BITCH!

 

Makes me want to get hard into it again. I've still got most of my equipment where I can get to it, but I don't have a backyard anymore and I'm too poor to pay for a gym membership. So home gym here I come!