2015 Fitness and Working Out Thread

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I love what you've become Neb

You've created a monster.

Yep, it's all his fault!

Squats, bench, and deads today. Still going with my brother, and that's been a ton more rewarding than going by myself as I get to pass on the knowledge you all have helped me gain, and get to see him start his journey to better health. 1st HIIT session in way too long tomorrow (hopefully morning, but we'll see how I feel when the alarm goes off). I let the holidays get the better of me and I ate away my gains, literally, and damnit I'm going to get them back and then some.
 
We finally got home today and my wife thought I was crazy for going to the gym. Squat workset were over my body weight for the first time and they felt great, despite the little sleep we got last night and the crazy day of travel. Press was tough, and deadlift was good. Earned these next two days off before the battle with January warriors begins.
 
Thought this was interesting:
T Nation: To switch gears, even though you're primarily a strength coach, summer's here and we all get a little 6-pack happy. Do you have any tips about fat loss for recreational lifters or athletes?

Coach Rippetoe: Oh, sure... Zone Diet.
T Nation: No, seriously.

Coach Rippetoe: Barry Sears' Zone Diet works every time I've seen it tried. I know lots of people in Crossfit that need to gain weight, in my opinion. But I also know lots and lots of people in Crossfit that are carrying 8% bodyfat, and they all got there by doing Crossfit-type training and the Zone Diet.

It's weird how fast it works. Every time I put people on the Zone Diet, their Crossfit performance improves and their bodyfat goes down. If you want to drop a bunch of fat in two months, go straight to Crossfit and the Zone Diet. Say what you want to, but it works better than anything else I've ever seen.

from: https://www.t-nation.com/training/starting-strength
 
The Hackers Paradise team has been created on the Concept2 website.

All are invited to join !
 
So you're telling me I should focus more on the weight on the bar and not the weight on the scale to get the results I want? Makes sense.
I ain't tell you shat. You're a grown ass man. You can make your own decisions.

But yes. That's what I'm telling you.
 
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I ain't tell you shat. You're a grown ass man.

But yes. That's what I'm telling you.
Channeling your inner Rip, huh?

In terms of performance goals, what are some good ones? A near-term one is body weight squat (about 40 lbs to go on that one), but where should I be setting my sites for long term goals? What goals are you working towards, Blu?
 
Plan was to go to the gym this morning, but work got in the way - they're only open until 12. While I would have liked to go before NYE celebrations, my legs are shot from yesterday, so that's probably a good thing. I don't really love lifting two days in a row anyway, I'll probably get some conditioning work in today instead.
 
Channeling your inner Rip, huh?

In terms of performance goals, what are some good ones? A near-term one is body weight squat (about 40 lbs to go on that one), but where should I be setting my sites for long term goals? What goals are you working towards, Blu?

I honestly think the safest goal for somebody like you, is just to progress. It may be a 3x a week progression, it may be weekly progression, it may even be some sort of day to day progression. Progress doesn't have to be weight on the bar mind you. It just has to be something measurable and obtainable.

I personally like to think short term. 10 weeks ago I tested my 1rm on the bench press, squat, press and deadlift. My program was designed to hit 3x3 at 100% this week on the bench, squat and press while hitting a single set of 3 on the deadlift. That was my goal. I did that with squats, barely missed it on the bench and have to see on the press and deads, I am doubtful on the deads just because Christmas and New Years cut into my training time. Deload next week, volume work and then in two weeks, retest that 1rm and go again. I don't think about "450 lb squat by May" or anything like that. That's counterproductive thinking, in my opinion.

I'm not training for a powerlifting meet or any other kind of competition, that's a different mentality completely.

tl;dr - Set short term goals that are reasonable. Progress is progress.

Neb, what are your weights right now? Squat, bench, dead, press?
 
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I honestly think the safest goal for somebody like you, is just to progress. It may be a 3x a week progression, it may be weekly progression, it may even be some sort of day to day progression. Progress doesn't have to be weight on the bar mind you. It just has to be something measurable and obtainable.

I personally like to think short term. 10 weeks ago I tested my 1rm on the bench press, squat, press and deadlift. My program was designed to hit 3x3 at 100% this week on the bench, squat and press while hitting a single set of 3 on the deadlift. That was my goal. I did that with squats, barely missed it on the bench and have to see on the press and deads, I am doubtful on the deads just because Christmas and New Years cut into my training time. Deload next week, volume work and then in two weeks, retest that 1rm and go again. I don't think about "450 lb squat by May" or anything like that. That's counterproductive thinking, in my opinion.

I'm not training for a powerlifting meet or any other kind of competition, that's a different mentality completely.

tl;dr - Set short term goals that reasonable. Progress is progress.

Neb, what are your weights right now? Squat, bench, dead, press?

Squat: 250
Bench: 155
Dead: 345
Press: 105

I guess my goals right now are getting to the next plate. That seems to be very rewarding to me and keeps me pushing to "level up". Maybe that's all I need, but wasn't sure if I should set specific weight goals for long term; doesn't sound like it.

Also, I have no idea what my 1 rm is, should I worry about that at all or just keep going with my 3x5s?
 
Neb I set my initial goals for the first year to just progress each month, gain weight and hit my body weight for bench, squat and deads. I didn't think so much about the end goal as much as just making small steps towards it. Im around 5 months in and easily went past the squat and deads and bench is almost there. So for the next 6 months ill do the same thing and try for 1.25 bodyweight. Once again I won't focus on the exact number but progressing slowly but surely im hoping once again the numbers will just come before I know it.
 
Squat: 250
Bench: 155
Dead: 345
Press: 105

I guess my goals right now are getting to the next plate. That seems to be very rewarding to me and keeps me pushing to "level up". Maybe that's all I need, but wasn't sure if I should set specific weight goals for long term; doesn't sound like it.

Also, I have no idea what my 1 rm is, should I worry about that at all or just keep going with my 3x5s?

For right now, only worry about 3x5. Once you get to a point that you can't hit all your reps, we are going to modify your rep ranges, a little. After that, then we are going to alter your program, almost completely. For right now, milk all of the linear progression you can.
 
 
I really can't stand that people need to be reminded of these fundamentals. There really should be a test to access the free weight area is the gym. You can't do it right? Fine. Go get some lessons until your mechanics are sound without assistance.



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I really can't stand that people need to be reminded of these fundamentals. There really should be a test to access the free weight area is the gym. You can't do it right? Fine. Go get some lessons until your mechanics are sound without assistance.



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Granted my gym is a bit different, but they won't write a program for you if they don't think you have a grasp of the basics. They'll steer you to the group classes.
 
At the YMCA it's pretty much anything goes if you have the confidence.
Granted my gym is a bit different, but they won't write a program for you if they don't think you have a grasp of the basics. They'll steer you to the group classes.


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At the YMCA it's pretty much anything goes if you have the confidence.



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I saw some pretty crazy stuff at the gym I belonged to after school. People definitely had a lot of confidence.
 
I saw some pretty crazy stuff at the gym I belonged to after school. People definitely had a lot of confidence.
One mans confidence is another mans wtf are you even doing lol!
 
I really can't stand that people need to be reminded of these fundamentals. There really should be a test to access the free weight area is the gym. You can't do it right? Fine. Go get some lessons until your mechanics are sound without assistance.



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Now, Wichita Falls Athletic Club is a bit different, since it is Mark Rippetoe's gym. Every member gets taught the basic barbell movements. by Mark or another member of his staff.

Most Globo Gyms have personal trainers who teach things like this:
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And this:
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Or this guy:
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Who gets to design the lessons or the test. I now that squats below parallel are not harmful, but every NSCS Certified trainer is taught to go to 90° and come back up while looking at the ceiling and inhaling on the way down and exhaling on the way up.

I know enough to call them out on their stupidity, but my mom doesn't. So then my mom goes to take one of those lessons and complains that squats hurt her knees so she isn't going to go to the gym anymore.
 
Ugh you should have seen the "squats" I saw going on at the gym last night, monitored by one of the "trainers" getting her masters in whatever fitness related thing she was studying.
 
I still don't understand why in the fk you would do smith machine rows lol is his thought that they are easier for her? Just go lighter on the bar
 
Like anything, there's a lot of trust you place in whoever is teaching you lifts. It's like golf coaches. The good thing about golf is that a bad coach will just wreck your swing and not your body.

The Internet is a double edged sword on Health and fitness stuff. It's amazing how much nonsense I see posted on Facebook daily.
 
Like anything, there's a lot of trust you place in whoever is teaching you lifts. It's like golf coaches. The good thing about golf is that a bad coach will just wreck your swing and not your body.

The Internet is a double edged sword on Health and fitness stuff. It's amazing how much nonsense I see posted on Facebook daily.
Yeah luckily I dont see any Facebook nonsense for fitness anyways haha all my buddies have been at it awhile and lift properly. Thankfully lol
 
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