Anyone big into lifting weights, or am I the only one? I've been big into it for about 10 months now. Before, I was in decent physical condition, but the dorm food and lazy behavior took it's toll. I'm 5'8 and was weighing about 165. So, started jogging 1-3 miles/day, lifting hard, and dieting properly, and working construction in the summer.

So, I have become obsessed with lifting. I currently weight in about 150 +/- a couple pounds, bench 275, do lots of dumb bell workouts for the chest/shoulders/traps, and a few good tri's/bi's circuits. Leg Sled/Calf Raises/Jogging/Jump Rope take care of the lower body. Also, trying to form up the 6 pack better and increase the V-shape of the midsection by working on lats and abs. I'm in better shape now than when I wrestled in high school.
I cycle creatine every now and then, I just don't like how bloated you get while taking it. Took some NO-Xplode for a while, and worked well. Currently trying out some No2 pills and increasing my diet to gain a little weight. Also drink a protein shake for breakfast and one after workout in the afternoon/evening.

So, anyone else lift? Any advice or good exercise plans,etc that you can offer? Anyone ever use supplements with good results? Lets hear what you have to say about lifting!

 

i lift 12 ounce bottles of heinekin everyday

i pick up metal and load machinery everyday for 10 hrs
so i dont need no stinkin gym

...zap!

 

I know what you're saying
My boss thought I was insane last summer working 10-12 hour construction days and then hitting the gym after work...thats when you know you're addicted

 

I have hit the big 40 and still at the gym 4-5 days a week.: Started lifting heavy in College and just kept at it. The thing that has really helped me is after a period of heavy lifting, dropping the weights but really jumping up on the reps. Got off of that for a while and then just got blah: dropped the weight, hit the “superset” style {ie: cable curls: 3 reps for each arm, with no stop and dropping 10# each switchover] and really felt much better. Do that for three sets and you can feel the difference [along with a few other things]. Do this lighter weight/higher rep for 6 weeks then go back to the heavier lifting.

Only other thing to add is be careful: I blew a disc 4 months ago doing something stupid [reverse bench and arched] and am still paying for it. Have a good spotter/partner and keep the form.

Woof
Bowser

 

thanks for the reply.
that's always been my strategy for lifting...medium weight, more reps.
Ive started doing more rigerous training on my bi's, tri's and abs, taking approaches such as 10 reps, drop weight, 10 more reps, drop weight, 10 reps. Rest 2 minutes, and repeat twice. So instead of doing a total of about 30 reps, I would end up doing about 90. Seems to help a lot more. I also enjoy doing dumb bell circuits--lining up 40's, 35's, 30's, 25's, and 20's. Start with the 40's; 10 reps each arm, rest 20 seconds, 35's 10 reps each arm, etc etc....

Anything else anyone would like to add?

 

At my best, I was benching 440 lbs...

I can do 12-15 reps with 315 after a warm-up set with 140 or so.

I grabbed 315 lbs cold last year (April 2005), and on my 8th or 9th rep I heard a little >snick< in my left shoulder... It hasn't been 100% since; but, I can still do 315, easy... (That shoulder was out of commission for weeks after that though)

That's usually enough to let my friends no that there is some strength behind all the size...

Used to:

Flat Bench-press: 440
Incline Bench Press: 345
Decline Bench: 315
Clean & Jerk: 250 (Stopped doing those a Loooong time ago)
Squat: 550 (Coach wouldn't let us go above that, so I don't know what I could really do)
Dead-lift: 505 (Never really liked dead-lifting, never quite felt right)
Leg-Press: 1,200 lbs (No BS, for real)
Military Press: 225
Dumb bell curl: 60 each.
Bar curl: 140
-------------------------------

I used to keep up with all that stuff when I was hitting the gym 4-5 days a week, in addition to doing aerobics 5 days a week (Seeing jiggling & tight asess for 60 minutes a day was a helluva motivator) and running 2 - 6 miles a day. But, now- I haven't seen the inside of a gym since Saturday, March 6, 2004 (I remember, because when I got home, my 9 mo. pregnant wife, needed to go to the ER, and we ended up spending 3 days in there. I haven't been back (to a real gym) since...

My last remaining good-looking physical asset (arms) are shrinking like un-watered violets...

I gotta find time to get to the gym again; summer's coming back, and I want the "guns" looking right- I'll work on the rest later.

 

There was a time a few years back that I lifted for a year. I felt great! Every morning before work I would work out for an hour. I felt so alive when I got to work and could do my job better.

Then I discovered I had a hernia. I don't know if it was caused by my work outs or something I did at work. I'll tell you, a hernia isn't all that bad. Surgery to correct it sucks big time! I haven't worked out since surgery. I had pretty constant pain for a couple years. To this day, when I lift something heavy I'm reminded of the surgery.

I think working out and lifting are great. Great for the body. Just make sure that you do things correctly.

 

Are you taking MRI NO2 or another no2 product? If you are taking MRI, you got screwed on price. Look at the ingredients in it and then go to some health stores and compare those prices. Stay away from BSN and find another preworkout amplifier. For the price, you could easily get another type and throw in some caffeine for nearly half the price.

 

actually it's "NOS"; available at Wal-Mart now...ingredients are comparable to No2, but less expensive.
I try to stay away from GNC and other stores like that because I could drop 200 bucks in there and not even blink...

 

Better throw some squats in there unless you like the chicken leg, big upper body look. I miss heavy lifting but too many joint injuries make that dangerous (not to mention extremly painful) now. At my best I benched 405 and squatted 650, used to be able to hang clean 250 as well. I miss football.

 

The 'snick' you'd hear when I picked up 315 lbs would either be my neck breaking as the bar rested across it or my elbows snapping the wrong way as soon as I had the weight....

(of course this couldnt happen cause I'd never get it off the rack, I could do it if you split it into thirds (half in my prime)....)

 

When I was younger I was fired from a construction company when they found out that I was going to the gym and working out.
The way they put it was like this:
“If you still have enough energy to go to the gym after work, then you are not working hard enough for us.”
They were right. (With my case!)
That changed my attitude and now I own a construction company.
The guys that work for me go home to rest (some to the tavern) but haven’t heard of them going to workout.
This boss may be cool with it, but maybe a boss in the future will not.

 

I dont go to the Gym but I have a bench set at home.....I bench 85 lbs counting the bar.

 

Kind of same story as BigHersh Only with MORE weight, just kidding a lot less weight actually. Kids and a family have a way to get in the way. But I am back at it now. I had to take a break a couple months ago though, I was doing bent over rows with 135lbs on the bar. I was in perfect position body wise but the bar was off center so I tried to jerk it up and readjust. STRAIGHT to me knees I went, I don't know what I did to my back but it was bad for a couple of weeks, the Dr. was kind of half axxing it but it feels fine now. I have also had four major knee problems get in the way of training. I'm talking bone sawing in half big time stuff, but know I just wear a brace when I leg press. I am back up to around 700 on leg press the rest is embarrassing. My phat axx is more into working cardio for know to lose weight..hmmmmmmm dooooonnnnnuuuutttttssss, is my major problem.

 

Oh man; I hadn't leg-pressed in about 13 years (When I was doing that 1,200 lbs) I didn't think one could lose leg strength, so I was trying to make myself feel better, so I attempted a 600 lb leg press. I was at the EDS Fitness Center (Which is now the YMCA in Plano, off of Tenneyson.)

There were some smaller guys there making all these "Klingon Mating Ritual" sounds, grunting to gain the attention of the females- as they leg pressed their meager 300 - 450 lbs. Groaning with sounds I didn't make when pressing the 1,200. But, anyway- after they left, I slapped on 4 more 35 lbs plates, taking their 450 up to 590 (Over 600 counting the weight of the machine.

I sat there and positioned my feet upon the press plate, and pressed the 600 up. A bit of a struggle, but not too bad (I thought), so I flipped the handles down. As I let the weight down I know I must've had a look on my face that said "GOT DAMM THIS IS HEAVY" Because it took my both knees straight to my ears. I found myself in the position that I loved placing my former girlfriends in... (The Buck)

I mustered up the strength, with the use of my hands upon my knee/thigh area, and got the weight back up. That was hard, but not impossible, so I did one more rep, tryign to save face- in case someone saw me get took the the mat the first time. That 2nd rep was almost impossible, and when I got it back up that time, I re-racked it.

I got of that machine with my dignity still intact, but my legs felt like wet noodles. I haven't leg pressed anything over 300 lbs (Except me) since that day. As stiff as I am now, you'll never catch me squatting again... Not unless Bill Parcels sees me, and recruits me on the spot to try out for the Cowboys.

That stunning loss of strength was proof to me that if you don't use it, you will lose it.