Weight Lifting

[Niger Angelus]

I am getting fatter as the days go by. Pain fills my heart.
*looks at gut
*cries

[VOL]

Do my daily regiment, that will get you to stop wimpering.

[Pliedes]

Originally posted by VOL:

I think you got maybe about 170 going for you right now.

You're saying I can bench 170 right now? Try about 100 lbs less...

[Ugly Bastard]

Yeah VOL, for the record, no way in fuck Pliedes can bench 170. That's nothing against him or anyone else. I know you're used to lifting with football players and shit, but ya gotta remember, for us non-atheletes, benching 170 is a fuckload of weight.

-Ugly Bastard

[Pliedes]

Right now I seriously can only bench about 65 lbs. What would be a good goal to be able to do by spring break?

[Ugly Bastard]

Go for 25lbs on each side (95lbs total).

-Ugly Bastard

[BigDongedHoe]

I started lifting in October of 2002 and quit in May of 2003. In 8 mos. I increased my bench (doing 8-10 reps at these weights) from 85 lbs. to 145 lbs. I just started lifting last month again. Take it from somebody who's skinny as fuck and started it will take a very long time to put on some good bulk and/or weight. I found that doing dumbells helped my bench out a lot. I do fly's before I bench because it feels like I use my pecs more while doing bench afterwards. Don't get discouraged if you aren't putting on the type of weight you think you should. Shorter stalkier guys can build muscle much faster than taller lankier guys. Partly because of there natural build as well as how hard there muscles contract while working out.

I also do what UB and Gaz' do. It's called a 3-day split. You use the same muscle groups in each day. Tri's, Shoulders, and Pecs are all complimentary groups along with Lats, Lowerback, and Biceps. I would throw in abs every other day or every 3 days. Abs you can do with any workout it just depends when you feel like it.

I think UB is pretty reasonable with that. I started by putting up 2 10's on each side and was up to 35's on each side after a couple of months. After the first 2 mos. it went extremely slow.

Once you get into a routine with lifting your going to feel great. I love going to the Y to lift and look forward to it. When you wake up it even feels like your clothes fit better and you feel like a more self-confident person.

Last year I quit lifting in May but would like to continue all through this summer, if all of you are interested I wouldn't mind getting a group of us to go lift at the Y together. It would keep us true to the routine and also be fun.

[Pliedes]

BDH, thanks for your advice. You're a similar build as I so I'm glad you've commented. As far as getting bigger, I don't care so much about bulking up, just building strength and getting nice and toned.

As far as the YMCA thing, I have a membership and am definately up for going with you any time I'm in town or whatnot. Let's definately get a group together, because I'm sure we can all help each other out in some way (ie - I'll run you all into the ground if you want to )

[St. Anky]

How you feelin Pliedes? Sore at all?

*am blazed at the moment, just finished my homework.

[VOL]

Originally posted by Pliedes:
Right now I seriously can only bench about 65 lbs. What would be a good goal to be able to do by spring break?

140 lbs. That's ideal. I believe you can achieve it.

[Pliedes]

Originally posted by VOL:
140 lbs

People I trust more than you have already set me a goal of 95-105 lbs, so I'm going with that.

Anky, I'm not that sore, but I was dead as fuck for classes today. I'm sure if attempted, a 9 year old girl could have beaten me up and stole my wallet.

[VOL]

Why set your goals so low Pliedes? You can reach 140 with no problem if you get into a good routine. Do you still run along with your weight workout?

[Pliedes]

Originally posted by VOL:
Why set your goals so low Pliedes??

Actually, I didn't set them. Ugly and Buckeye, a couple of weight-lifting studs, told me that would be a good goal.

Originally posted by VOL:
You can reach 140 with no problem if you get into a good routine.

Sure, eventually, but not by spring break.

Originally posted by VOL:
Do you still run along with your weight workout?

Yes.

[Saint DH]

I agree w/ ugly and buckeye that a 95-105 goal would be perfect.

[Niger Angelus]

Once Pliedes gets over that 100 hump, then the 125 hump he will start rapidly increase his weight. He will also, within a short bit see a large increase of 10-15 pounds as he first starts, but as BDH said, don't forget the auxillary lifts; those help a ton.

[Kra2h]

Pliedas, what grade in HS you in, I would like to know to see if I'm feeling stupid for being about the same weight lifting range as a freshman or not :-/ I need to lift too, I took weight training last year and my max was a plate on each side so thats uhh 135 so we could lift together if your not some dinky freshman that would make me feel like an idiot [img]smile.gif[/img]

[St. Anky]

Originally posted by Niger Angelus:
Once Pliedes gets over that 100 hump, then the 125 hump he will start rapidly increase his weight...

Actually, once he gets up to about 100, it will be more difficult to reach a higher max. These next couple weeks he'll begin to see a dramatic increase in strength, and then it will taper off and get harder to increase. Guess that just means we'll have to work harder though.

[Ugly Bastard]

Originally posted by Kra2h:
Pliedas, what grade in HS you in.

He's a freshman in college, Kra2h.

-Ugly Bastard

[ProfessorNumber]

Even though it sounds like Pliedes has all the help he needs, I have a few tips that might be helpful.

First, many people will tell you to lift weights every day of the week. Don't. Even if you are alternating between lower and upper body, it's just not a good idea. In fact, many people recommend only lifting twice a week period. However, I find that three is the ideal number for me.

Second, work out the core muscles. Before you get big pecs, you need a strong lower back and abs. They are the foundation, and often times when somebody injures themselves weightlifting, its their lower back that gets hurt. Chicks also like abs.

Third: Form is always more important than weight. It's better to put on a weight you can do without a great deal of help, than to put on a plate and have your spotter do all the work. It seems as though many people have a inferiority complex when they are in the weight room, and they try to compensate for it by trying to rep too much weight.

Fourth: Get supplements. If you really want to ad bulk then buy creatine. Also, I'd recommend getting whey protein. Of course you could get soy protein or egg protein, but both taste like shit. I would also recommend L-Glutamine if you are just starting, since it helps your muscles recover faster and reduces soreness. B vitamins are good as well (particularly B12)

Fifth: Every muscle has a corresponding reverse muscle (ie. biceps and triceps). If you work one out, you should work the other out. For instance, if you do bench press but you don't do upper back then it can make you look funny or unbalanced.

Sixth: When you work out in an anaerobic way, then keep your actual lifting time under 45 minutes. Although I've heard different times, they are all in that general area. Basically anything after 45 minutes doesn't have much of an effect.

It sounds like you don't need a plan anymore, but since I'm bored... My basic upperbody workout consists of:

Bench (pecs and triceps)
Weighted row (upperback and biceps)
Machine Fly (pecs and triceps)
Lat pulldown (upperback and biceps)
Abs/lower back (Abs and Lower back)

[ January 23, 2004, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: ProfessorNumber ]

[Pliedes]

Proffesor, thanks for your additional info, I do appreciate it. You had some good advice in there. If you ever get bored again, feel free to throw more info my way.

If anyone finds good websites for weightlifting, those also would be appreciated.

[Pliedes]

My ability to double-post must be a side effect of getting stronger...

[ January 23, 2004, 05:57 PM: Message edited by: Pliedes ]

[St. Anky]

Originally posted by ProfessorNumber:
Get supplements. If you really want to ad bulk then buy creatine.

I dont know about this one. There isn't a lot of research out there yet for long term effects of creatine. I used to be on it back in freshman and sophomore year and after coming off of it, I lost my mass very very fast. It just feels really synthetic.

Originally posted by ProfessorNumber:

Abs/lower back (Abs and Lower back)

What workouts do you do for lower back? I was just thinking trunk extensions and probably squats/power cleans. Maybe some dead lifts?

I got Pliedes into the squat cage for I think his first time. How you feeling by the way?

[ProfessorNumber]

St.Anky- What you are saying about creatine is entirely correct. There isn't a huge amount of scientific research for or against creatine. However, safety is a relative term and as far as supplements go creatine is about as safe as they come (for its particular category of supplements). However, I have personally never used creatine for that very reason of safety. I'd rather keep things natural than take chances.

For abs I do machine crunchs or occasionally I hit up the A-bench. For lower back I either use the reverse crunch machine or the one where you are half hanging off and your upperbody is lowered then you raise it using your lower back (the name of the machine slips my memory).

[Saint DH]

Creatine isn't supposed to make you bigger you fucking stupid asses. All creatine does is allow your body to produce more ATP units, which is what your body uses for energy. So when your body produces more ATPs, it means your body has more energy, thus enabling you to workout harder and longer. That's how it "makes" you big. Also, St. Anky, you think Creatine feels too synthetic? It's 100% natural, it's in your fucking body. My god people are stupid.

[Pliedes]

I'm not too interested in bulking up, so much as I am really toning all my muscles (except my chest, it needs some mass)...

Prof, I'm familiar with the reverse crunch machine you're talking about, it's pimp.