Am I an idiot?

[tapeworm]

I been pumping some iron for 6 months, got lazy and stopped adding weights,got used to the weight I was lifting and as a result had no soreness at all. I only added 5kg this week to the barbell and am a full blown cripple, haha. It's amazing how the body gets used to things and adapts.

[Duke]

Originally Posted by tapeworm

I been pumping some iron for 6 months, got lazy and stopped adding weights,got used to the weight I was lifting and as a result had no soreness at all. I only added 5kg this week to the barbell and am a full blown cripple, haha. It's amazing how the body gets used to things and adapts.

Adaptation happens very quickly and therefore I change my lifting techniques and sets/reps every few weeks.

I'm old but bugger me I'm strong. Gotta keep the young fella's in line.
They wanna be leader of the pack, they have to knock me off the perch first and that's not going to happen for a good while yet.

Sourbastard - you nailed it again! Gotta have some pain every day just to know you're alive!

[xbgs351]

Originally Posted by JAYBA

who told you that?

Coaches, physiotherapists, magazines etc.

At a minimum wait until you are sweating before doing any stretches, but when cycling stopping to stretch isn't all that practical.

[InTrail]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

i really wanna get my own bike as this one has a few issues (gears jumping, front brake constantly on, seat doesnt stay still). but hopefully i stick at it

If you seriously want to stick at it, get a better bike ASAP. A poorly maintained/riding bike will be a disincentive b4 you even get on the saddle.

No need to spend a fortune either. Plenty of quality name brand bikes are sold after only a year or 2 with hardly any use. I'm sure in Sydney you'll find plenty of good options on the second hand market.

[GRNKPR]

if you put your mind to it you can be anything you want to be !!!! if thats an idiot good luck Champ !!!!!!!

[FPV GT40]

Originally Posted by Duke

Sergeant Bourne!,
I spend up to 2 hours or more in the gym nearly every day - and pain is my friend, my only friend - get used to it Pilgrim and get back on that damn saddle! That's an order!

Seriously though, you're to be congratulated for taking the plunge and making an effort. Enjoy the pain, it's your indicator that your body is working toward a better you.

Well done and keep it up!

What could you possibly be doing training for 2 hrs plus a day in the gym???

Must be a lot of standing around, scratching your balls and perving not training

Come to the gym with me and I doubt you will want to train any longer than 20 minutes, if you last 30 minutes without puking all over the gym floor you are ready for the Australian Olymic team. : _2:

And I doubt that after 20 minutes you will be back the next day, as it will take you at least 1-2 days before you will dare step back into the gym

[FlipXW]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

thanks for all the replies.
and thanks phil for giving me a heads up on the gouch.. i was thinking " this will hurt next ride"

i really wanna get my own bike as this one has a few issues (gears jumping, front brake constantly on, seat doesnt stay still). but hopefully i stick at it

No worries .

Yes if you want to stick at it I highly recomened getting your own gear. Riding a bike as you described would be very frustrating i'd imagion. If you get your own bike you can set it up to suit you, and also get the right size bike for you. I also recomened a pair of clip shoes. If you keep at it soon you will riding 50km a day.

I picked this one up brand new about a year ago for $1200. And the shoes wern't to expensive either.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by FPV GT40

What could you possibly be doing training for 2 hrs plus a day in the gym???

Must be a lot of standing around, scratching your balls and perving not training

Come to the gym with me and I doubt you will want to train any longer than 20 minutes, if you last 30 minutes without puking all over the gym floor you are ready for the Australian Olymic team. : _2:

And I doubt that after 20 minutes you will be back the next day, as it will take you at least 1-2 days before you will dare step back into the gym

I agree, 2 hrs is total overkill. Even the pro bodybuilders only do about an hour.

[Duke]

Originally Posted by FPV GT40

What could you possibly be doing training for 2 hrs plus a day in the gym???

Must be a lot of standing around, scratching your balls and perving not training

Come to the gym with me and I doubt you will want to train any longer than 20 minutes, if you last 30 minutes without puking all over the gym floor you are ready for the Australian Olymic team. : _2:

And I doubt that after 20 minutes you will be back the next day, as it will take you at least 1-2 days before you will dare step back into the gym

Warm up sets, timed pauses, submaximal lifts, maximal lifts and depending on the routine I happen to be doing, heavy lifting can easily take 2 hours plus.

Any moron can do drop sets of squats until they puke within 15 minutes. But you see, my goal is to build mass and strength, vomiting doesn't achieve this. Perhaps you should train with me and learn something!

If you think it's overkill - don't do it, if you think I overtrain - it's not hurting you is it? why stress about it. And Boss - if you seriously think that pro body builders spend less than hour in the gym - you really need to get out more or read different books. It might be your opinion, but that doesn't make it a fact.

[Sourbastard]

Originally Posted by yzfr101

Sex is supposed to be up there as a top cardio exercise.
Change positions to workout different muscle groups.
You won't feel like an idiot afterwards either.

Excellent Idea! I'll be right round with my overnight bag.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by xbgs351

Coaches, physiotherapists, magazines etc.

At a minimum wait until you are sweating before doing any stretches, but when cycling stopping to stretch isn't all that practical.

Yep, a proper gradual warm up is imperative before any stretching...

[xr8chick]

Nah, it usually hurts the first two or so times.

Like the Gym, doesnt hurt till the next day.
But you get used to it.

No pain, no brain eh.

[Feathers]

I ask myself the same question every time I go to the gym, for the first 5 minutes of cardio.

Once you get into it it's fine.

[FPV GT40]

Originally Posted by Duke

Warm up sets, timed pauses, submaximal lifts, maximal lifts and depending on the routine I happen to be doing, heavy lifting can easily take 2 hours plus.

Any moron can do drop sets of squats until they puke within 15 minutes. But you see, my goal is to build mass and strength, vomiting doesn't achieve this. Perhaps you should train with me and learn something!

If you think it's overkill - don't do it, if you think I overtrain - it's not hurting you is it? why stress about it. And Boss - if you seriously think that pro body builders spend less than hour in the gym - you really need to get out more or read different books. It might be your opinion, but that doesn't make it a fact.

Not hurting me one bit, but unforunatly I been training for over 25 years, including about 15 years of instructing, and a few years of making a living out of it, with trips overseas representing Australia in my choosen sport.

There is no way anyone can train effectively for 2 hours to build mass especially, to build mass very short, and very high intensity work is required abour 2-4 minutes MAX on the muscle group, with a long rest period of at least 2-4 days between workout so that the body will actually get a chance to build mass, training for mass will be 3x20minute workouts per week, probably only twice a week for the beginner, as he will not be able to handle any more than that. Even with that most people will feel like they been hit by a truck most of the week.

The last person I trained gained more mass in 3 months, than what most gym junkies will gain in 2 years of 2 hour daily sessions. and he was training 20-30 minutes 3 times a week and sometimes twice a week, as he would beg me for another days rest,( his wife used to call me and complain as he was too sore to have sex most of the time).

But after about six weeks of training other people in the gym approached him asking where he was buying the growth hormones from (i am not joking).

Like I said after 30 minutes you will be struggeling to drive home, you will not be able to lift your arms to wash your hair, brushing your teeth will be agonising.

Timed pauses, submaximal lifts, maximal lifts and depending on the routine I happen to be doing.....wtf What jibberish, all fancy words, the things you should be concerned about when building mass are are HONEST HARD TRAINING.

Face the facts,

You can either train HARD or you can train LONG, you can not do both!

Hard work builds mass, long work enhances endurance and hampers mass building, you never see huge marathon runners or other endurance athelets do you?

Just my opinion of course, but it does work time and time again.......

[Duke]

In response to FPV - firstly I'll apologise for my tone - my partner of 15 years moved out yesterday and my mood was a little less than amiable.

Now, as for the training, you may think the words I use are jibberish or fancy but interestingly, they are REAL words and they describe the various aspects of a training regimen - you may not understand them, but the fact remains.

I notice you also left out part of the quote, instead using the parts you wanted to use in order to make your point, clever, but incorrect to take a quote out of context or use it partially.

A fella with your experience ought to know that the general rule of life applies to weight training too - different strokes for different folks. What works for one may not work for others. Training needs to be designed for an individuals specific use. Surely you can admit that?

There is a method of training for instance whereby you only do one maximum set, however this is preceded by warm ups, submaximal sets and timed rest periods (careful, don't trip over my fancy words again) this type of training whilst brief in its actual hard lifting - is relatively lengthy when done according to the procedure, in fact, it states up to 1.5 hours to fully complete the program.

I think you need to question why you thought it appropriate to attack my initial post. You're a self professed expert on everyone's training, even those you've never met, regardless of their current stats, lifting achievements, weight, size or years training.

Congratulations on your psychic abilities, congratulations on your ability to train some people well, but I won't congratulate you on your ability to think outside the limited box you seem to be in.

Again, forgive my mood, this isn't meant to be offensive, I'm just defending my positon in relation to your unwarranted attack. It's my training schedule and if you think I stand around scratching myself or perving - what can I say, your thoughts are not necessarily the facts!

[FPV GT40]

No offence taken, and I agree that everyone responds differently, I have had one guy that refused to gain weight no matter what, in the end he was having 3X2000calorie shakes, plus about 4-6 meals a day and still only minor gains, while some (most) people respond quite positively with less training and much less callories, if I personally had the food this guy was having in a day I would look like the Michelin man, as I tend to gain body fat easily, and I have to do cardio training between weight session up to 2-3 cardios between weights.

While some people have to avoid cardio as much as possible to be able to gain mass, I am not talking about being fit and health, but simply gaining muscle mass, also two very different things. Just because you look fit (or full of muscle) does not make you healthy.

The reason I attacked your initial post was to let you (and other people) know that there is no need to train 2 hours a day, all that is required is about 20 minutes of high intensity heavy training 2-3 times a week to get excellent gains and may be 20 minutes of high intensity cardio or interval training to cut up between work outs. Most people including myself have trouble finding 20 minutes a day, and telling people that you need to spend 2 hrs a day in the gym to see results will make a lot of people think, 'well what is the point I will never be able to find the time with my work, family etc etc', if I went to the gym 2 hrs a day I would be divorced, and I would never see my kids.

People do not need to take it too seriously and if the 20-30 minutes are used effectively with correct high intensity training the gains can be just as good and most of the time they are better than training 2 hrs a day...try it for a month and see how you go, I used to go to the gym every day for hours at a time, usually straight from work and get home hours later when I started, but then I learned better methods to achieve the same and better results in a fraction of the time.

I dare you to take the challenge, and enjoy all the extra time you will have doing something you always wanted to do but never had the time. By the way I admire your dedication to be spending so much time in the gym, as I would never do it, life is too short.....

[mattp]

Originally Posted by FPV GT40

I dare you to take the challenge, and enjoy all the extra time you will have doing something you always wanted to do but never had the time. By the way I admire your dedication to be spending so much time in the gym, as I would never do it, life is too short.....

Maybe he enjoys spending his time in the gym?

As has been pointed out, everyone is different, in response to training, in psychological approach to training, and in infinite other ways.

I think the only way to settle this is an arm wrestle.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Duke

Warm up sets, timed pauses, submaximal lifts, maximal lifts and depending on the routine I happen to be doing, heavy lifting can easily take 2 hours plus.

Any moron can do drop sets of squats until they puke within 15 minutes. But you see, my goal is to build mass and strength, vomiting doesn't achieve this. Perhaps you should train with me and learn something!

If you think it's overkill - don't do it, if you think I overtrain - it's not hurting you is it? why stress about it. And Boss - if you seriously think that pro body builders spend less than hour in the gym - you really need to get out more or read different books. It might be your opinion, but that doesn't make it a fact.

I've read plenty of interviews with the top pros like Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman etc, and many pro trainers too, and a high intensity workout of around a hou seems to be the norm. They say if you need to workout for longer than that you either aren't working hard enough or you're wasting your time. 2 hrs is nothing but overkill.

[Duke]

At the end of the day - this isn't my thread, I'm missing the missus and I've had enough scotch to mellow me out.

Apologies to Boss and FPV. My attitude sucks **bows humbly and begs forgiveness**.

Whilst I still don't consider 2 hours to be too much for me, circumstances will dictate that my time be cut far shorter anyway, so like it or not, I'm now going to be in the gym a lot less and FPV, your type of training may very well get used within the next month.

Note: they say money can't make you happy. I'm now rich and unhappy with life... it's still far better than being unhappy and broke.

My glass is empty, going for a refill folks - forgive an ol' fella for taking things too seriously - lesson learned from Geez Louise.

[XRQTOR]

Now i know nothing about weights training but for the last month and a half i have been going to the gym with my best mate, we usually do an hour a day at the most 5-6 days a week. Every now and then we work with a trainer who really knows how to push us and we are usuall to buggered to finish the full hour, again nothing but weights. In this last 6 odd weeks i have put on 1o-11kg's, funny part is i cant stop eating but have been munching down maccas and KFC 2-3 times a week. The closest thing i get to a decent meal is when i go out for dinner which is 2-3 times a week.


I think that iv'e done fairly well considering iv'e been eating rubbish the whole time, i just need to find someone that can cook and clean so i can get some decent meals more often lol.

[JC]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

Well this week I decided that I should start riding a bike to get fit.

The blokes at work are mad-keen cyclists so I said to myself I would ride around work for a while, then join them on the trail.

Anywhoo.. my brother in law lent me one of his bikes this morning. So I got up @ 5:50am. Drove to work, (in cycle gear, work clothes were in a bag) and rode around work.

Now to say I am unfit is a nice way of putting it. So I was buggered almost at even the thought of having to peddle!

I managed to do a few laps of a little circuit I constructed in my head which resulted in about 25-30min of cycling.

Only now, my legs are rooted, im sitting @ my desk an hour early and thinking "god that was silly.. you're an idiot"...

so I thought I'd put on my emo hat and ask ffau if I'm an idiot for doing this?

I reckon I'd be the same. My brother (at 36 yo) decided he would be better off in many ways if he started riding to work; he bought a bike, all the gear and is now committed to riding 19km each way at least twice a week. He reckons the savings in fuel etc will mean the bike pays for itself in around 4 to 6 months, and he's been told that if he doesn't keep it up, his missus gets to spend $1k on anything she wants. He's been doing it now for about 5 weeks, and his legs have just stopped hurting every time.

[DBourne]

thanks for all the replies guys.

I ended up going out and buying my own bike. (i'll post pics later on). It's a Raleigh mojave 2.0

21gears, slick(ish) tyres.

Was so much nicer to ride on this morning and I was really happy, I managed to ride 50minutes (granted it is a flat track) but for me that was tops!! tomorrow going for an hour plus adding more n more onto my circuit.

Once again, thanks heaps for the replies! I think if I loose motivation i'll just re-read this thread

[mrgo40rd]

yer keep it up its hard work (2 dam cold at the moment) to ride you are a idiot ha ha

[FPV GT40]

Good to see.

Duke, I never took offence to anything you said, it is just that I wanted to point out different ways of doing things. And that people who can only find one or two hours a week can still make good gains.

So if you run out of time up the intensity, get rid of all the isolation excercises that are mostly a wast of time and spend 30 minutes training heavy with the big main compound exercises.

Good luck with your training, as I am just starting to get serious again after having had some work issues and other problems that prevented me from training.

And for the sake of health and fitness try and fit some high intensity cardio and/or interval training...mix it up.

And when exercising keep in mind what people are designed to do..ie walk and run....riding bikes should in my opinion not be overdone as it hampers flexibility and encourages un-natural muscle development in the legs.

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by FPV GT40

....riding bikes should in my opinion not be overdone as it hampers flexibility and encourages un-natural muscle development in the legs.

if it gets rid of the gut and moobs ill do it

[FlipXW]

As long as this doesn't happen to you. It happened 2 hours ago about 35km from home. My rear derailleur sheared off while changing gears ending up in the spokes. Not very happy right now.
Normal position.

My bike now.

[DBourne]

holly farken!

[FlipXW]

Indeed haha. Was lucky not to get hurt as it locked the rear wheel when it got thrown into the spokes.

[FPV GT40]

Originally Posted by SgtBourne

if it gets rid of the gut and moobs ill do it

It should help with that....but mix it up, of you like the bike concentarte on that and occasionally mix it up with running, walking or some cirquit work, just to keep the body guessing.

I hate bikes, I have a very nice bike and only ride it very occasionally as I do not like the feeling in my legs, other people love it, I would rather run any day than ride a bike.

The most amazing excercise is a rower, a quality rower such as a concept 2, as used by the police riot squat and other high risk special operations units, firebrigades and even the Australian institute of sport will set you back somewhere between 1-2K, but it will strip the fat, rip your body to shreads, and exercise every part of your body in record time. Best of all you can watch TV while you are doing it, I will be getting one very shortly, just shopping around for best price at the moment

[StAndArdAU]

Will cycling help with 'strengthening' my hamstrings?! Have pulled both R & L hammy's in the past two years and still feel undercommitted (almost afraid to fully push myself) when i run.

sorry to hijack.