Anyone Here Strength Training?

Moxy

Moxy

Joined
Oct 30, 2011
Messages
1,648
About a year ago I finally stopped dicking around in the gym and started a proper strength training program with heavy compound barbell exercises (squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, chinups, barbel rows). I've tripled my strength and lost roughly 60 pounds in the first 6 months and kept if off since. Not being fat and lazy... highly recommended.

Anyone else on here into strength training? What's your experience like?
 
Moxy said:
1. Anyone else on here into strength training?
2. What's your experience like?
Click to expand...

1. Sort of
2. Bleh

I joined Planet Fitness about 9 months ago. I let myself get in horrible shape. Too much time sitting behind a desk staring at a computer. Most of my time was working on cardio to get up and moving and start the fat purge. I have recently been working in some strength training to burn more fat and increase my strength. Redid the diet (work in progress) and other lifestyle changes. At 47, it's a slowwww process. I've lost about 40 lbs and down to 320 lbs on my almost 6'8" frame. My goal is 250 or so. I'm curious to see what I weigh at Xmas 2018.

Not letting yourself get fat and lazy...also highly recommended.
 
Good shit man! Training is better than exercise because chasing those performance improvements gives you something positive to work towards rather than just fighting the number on the scale. Give heavy sets of 5 a try and try to add a little each week. If it hooks you then you're set!
 
I've been power lifting for about 10 years now and have seen all sort of weird training trends and fads come and go at gyms. I used to do all sort of lifts targeting specific muscles and never really progressed like I wanted. I switched to more of a power lifting routine and have gained a ton of strength. In the end, the lifts you mentioned above are really all you need. They are functional lifts that apply to everyone's day to day activities. Keep it simple and progress.

In the last year or two I've backed off the heavier weights a bit. At 47, it just becoming too hard on my body and recovery is a bitch. I've decreased most lift maxes by about 25% and light days involve maybe 50 to 60% of max training. I still bump it up from time to time to test myself though. Gotta teach the younger guys a lesson every now and then! :p I've also had to really cut back on bench due to a weird shoulder issue. I can still overhead press with no issues but bench causes pain. I prefer to cut back than do more damage that could result in surgery.

For something "fun", run a cycle of the Smolov Squat program. If you really push yourself, you will be begging for mercy during the "intensity" section. I added about 125 pounds to my squat with this. You won't keep 100% of the gains but you can definitely keep 50% or so long term. There is just no way to keep up this kind of pace long term.

https://stronglifts.com/how-to-add-100-pounds-to-your-squat-smolov/
 
Last edited:
gazz98 said:
1. Sort of
2. Bleh

I joined Planet Fitness about 9 months ago. I let myself get in horrible shape. Too much time sitting behind a desk staring at a computer. Most of my time was working on cardio to get up and moving and start the fat purge. I have recently been working in some strength training to burn more fat and increase my strength. Redid the diet (work in progress) and other lifestyle changes. At 47, it's a slowwww process. I've lost about 40 lbs and down to 320 lbs on my almost 6'8" frame. My goal is 250 or so. I'm curious to see what I weigh at Xmas 2018.

Not letting yourself get fat and lazy...also highly recommended.
Click to expand...

I'm the same edge and can definitely recommend keeping cardio in play. I tend to neglect it and it's a bitch to catch back up. Our "older" bodies just can't survive on weight alone.

One trick I do is to lift first then do cardio. I usually do about 15 to 20 minutes max after heavy lifting and 30 to 45 after light days.
 
What are you doing for cardio after lifting? I always read that it is preferable but I cannot seem to make myself jog after any kind of leg exercise. I can lift after jogging. I just go for 2 miles at a 10 min/mile pace on a 1% incline. I think my lifting may suffer a bit in max weight, but not much.
 
bofe954 said:
What are you doing for cardio after lifting? I always read that it is preferable but I cannot seem to make myself jog after any kind of leg exercise. I can lift after jogging. I just go for 2 miles at a 10 min/mile pace on a 1% incline. I think my lifting may suffer a bit in max weight, but not much.
Click to expand...

I generally do the Stair Climber Tread Mill looking thing (sorry no idea what it's called) or bike. Usually bike on heavy leg days and a combo of the two on light days. Overall though, it's mainly bike. I need to do more. I also hike when I can. I'm in Seattle so hiking it easy.

Some guys I work out with do cardio in between lift days. I don't. Off days are off days for me.
 
I find it hard to do any significant amount of steady state cardio without it compromising my performance/progression in strength (while in a calorie deficit). Although it's likely because I am not conditioned to it. In any case, in my experience HIIT cardio is more effective than steady state. It burns more calories in less time, has a greater effect of revving up your metabolism post workout, and improves performance (not just endurance).
 
Moxy said:
About a year ago I finally stopped dicking around in the gym and started a proper strength training program with heavy compound barbell exercises (squat, deadlift, overhead press, bench press, chinups, barbel rows). I've tripled my strength and lost roughly 60 pounds in the first 6 months and kept if off since. Not being fat and lazy... highly recommended.

Anyone else on here into strength training? What's your experience like?
Click to expand...

January 2016 I decided to start strength and cardio in earnest. Meal control was what lost the weight for me- I went from 215 (5'10") to 150 in a year. I am lean and not heavily muscular. Still need to build arms more, I think.

I mostly did relatively light-weight, high-rep sets with very little rest for 30-45 minutes three days a week in a group fitness class meant for whole-body strength development. Then I started adding miles- fast run half mile before strength training turned into a fast mile, and on three of the non-strength days I started at 1.5 miles and then worked up to 4 miles on the weekdays and from 6 to 10 miles on Saturday.
 
Moxy said:
I find it hard to do any significant amount of steady state cardio without it compromising my performance/progression in strength (while in a calorie deficit). Although it's likely because I am not conditioned to it. In any case, in my experience HIIT cardio is more effective than steady state. It burns more calories in less time, has a greater effect of revving up your metabolism post workout, and improves performance (not just endurance).
Click to expand...

If you're in a calorie deficit state, then cardio can be hard to maintain. The cardio I do is more geared toward HIIT. I do high intensity burst followed by short lower intensity rest periods. I also, weather permitting, will do tire flips for about 15 yards back and forth.
 
I am and I’m sick of it but if I don’t lift for 4 days I feel guilty. Man they need to make a pill for building muscle mass! I never start at less than 225lb warm up and work my way up to about 315 within 5 sets then back down to 225. I’m really tired of it all but I like the brute strength results, I’m pushing 46 in a few months so my goal is to stay above or at a 315 bench press for as long as possible as it helps keep my weight down...( Hulk like pizza and beer too much ) I have to admit it makes me feel better after seeing so many of today’s youth not even able to bench their own weight.
 
I feel like when I used to powerlift and go for maxes, the gains were more significant. Doing heavy weights over and over is very hard on your joints though... I want to be able to move around when I get older (I’m 27). I typically do 3 sets of 33 reps a piece at about 45% of maxes. On a good day, I’d hope to do cardio and strength training for 1.5-2 hours total, but with a 2 year old and one due in a month with a career, I need to work on my time management.
 
I am a competitor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling. I realize that strength training could be extremely beneficial to me, especially in my weight class. However, every time I begin strength training it seems to hurt my joints and make them feel unstable. I have a strength coach who has tried to implement a program for me, but it was the same. I recently got injured so maybe as part of my pt I will try to implement a strength program through a friend/teammate who is getting his Phd in pt.
 
L.H.S said:
I am a competitor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling. I realize that strength training could be extremely beneficial to me, especially in my weight class. However, every time I begin strength training it seems to hurt my joints and make them feel unstable. I have a strength coach who has tried to implement a program for me, but it was the same. I recently got injured so maybe as part of my pt I will try to implement a strength program through a friend/teammate who is getting his Phd in pt.
Click to expand...

Not sure what your strength coach has tried to implement but doing the core basics exercises is the place to start. Squats, dead lifts, barbell over heads presses, barbell rows, bench press and some pullups. Don't go crazy starting out. Keep the weight light at first and build slowly. Many times lifters start out way to heavy and experience set backs with injuries and even feeling of instability like you mentioned.

Look at a program like Starting Strength 3x5. It will start you light and build you up. It will take some time but it will get you there safely with real and lasting gains in strength. Again, start light. You have to condition your muscles, big and small, to lifting.
 
madcap_magician said:
January 2016 I decided to start strength and cardio in earnest. Meal control was what lost the weight for me- I went from 215 (5'10") to 150 in a year. I am lean and not heavily muscular. Still need to build arms more, I think.

I mostly did relatively light-weight, high-rep sets with very little rest for 30-45 minutes three days a week in a group fitness class meant for whole-body strength development. Then I started adding miles- fast run half mile before strength training turned into a fast mile, and on three of the non-strength days I started at 1.5 miles and then worked up to 4 miles on the weekdays and from 6 to 10 miles on Saturday.
Click to expand...
What exactly did you eat, if you don't mind me asking? I'm ever so slightly taller than you and a few dozen pounds heavier than your previous weight... I can manage to exercise but diet is my ultimate weakness
 
lieferung said:
What exactly did you eat, if you don't mind me asking? I'm ever so slightly taller than you and a few dozen pounds heavier than your previous weight... I can manage to exercise but diet is my ultimate weakness
Click to expand...

What worked for me was not changing my diet, just being very careful about portion control. I assumed I burned about 2000 kcal a day with normal activity and between 300-1200 additional calories as a result of the different exercise. I kept my caloric intake under 2000 kcal a day every day and aimed for 1800. Once a week on Saturday I'd have a splurge day and eat one meal with just about anything I liked, but that day coincided with my long run day, and if you're limited to one meal, eating a whole takeout pizza is not a big deal if you also ran ten miles.

I think trying to radically change the kinds of food you eat is substantially harder than gradually reducing the amounts. Probably 40% of my diet by calories was still junk food. I just ate less.
 
Been training for over 40 years. The best routines I have found ALL include nothing less than perfect form for every rep......period.
I have watched ‘power’ lifters for many years and haven’t seen much attention paid to form. Most ‘cheat’ horribly. Seen many bad injuries from improper form to force too much weight up.
Extremely rare to get injured if form is correct. Injuries happen when backs come off the bench while benching, backs ‘bow’ during heavy shoulder presses and jerky motions during the motion of a rep.
Heavy weight is fine IF form is good. If not, go lighter.
Joe
 
Ive been a member at planet fitness for a few years. I was using the Vshred program on and off for a few months halfassed it.
Found out the vince was copying Athlean-X vids. Quickly stopped using it.

I started the Athlean-X program 6 days ago, and am buckling down and giving it 100%. So far im more sore than i ever have been. Im slowly getting better with nutrition.
The plan is to be in much better shape by summer. Lean out and build muscle. So far the Athlean-X program kicks ass.
 
Kudos to everyone who has weighed in (no pun intended) with their efforts to stay healthy. I’ve always found it an interesting that many folks who are heavily intro survival gear and survival related activities ignore perhaps the most important aspect of survival - their personal health. No knife, no gun, no amount of gear will fend off a heart attack.
 
ShannonSteelLabs said:
Ive been a member at planet fitness for a few years. I was using the Vshred program on and off for a few months halfassed it.
Found out the vince was copying Athlean-X vids. Quickly stopped using it.

I started the Athlean-X program 6 days ago, and am buckling down and giving it 100%. So far im more sore than i ever have been. Im slowly getting better with nutrition.
The plan is to be in much better shape by summer. Lean out and build muscle. So far the Athlean-X program kicks ass.
Click to expand...
I'd be curious to know your end results. Jeff has always impressed me with his free knowledge he offers in his many videos that aren't even part of his paid program.
 
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