The get fit, stay fit thread

[Torpar]

40 minutes ago, ICTChris said:

Agreed, I don’t think a spotter would make a difference if you were squatting - I assume the guy isn’t going to lift 200kg off your back, he’s just going to help you drop it to the safety arms which is what you should do anyway. If you ever watch powerlifting, when they squat they have a spotter under each end of the bar and someone behind the lifter.

Bench is a different matter though. Although you’d still have pinged your bicep with a spotter it would reduce the risk of further dropping it on your bonce. 

I am a social phobic in the gym though so I get away with it by not putting clips on so I can tip it off if I need to.

If I'd have had a spotter I would have said to grab the bar when I knew I was struggling, instead I stupidly thought I can't be bothered trying to get out from under the bar so its keep pushing here. 

[Ron Aldo]

Any ideas wheres the best (i.e. - cheapest) place to buy protein from?

Have always used Myprotein but prices are ridiculous. Been about a year since I've bought a bag as I always try to get most of my protein from food meaning it tends to last me ages.

The last time I ordered a 2.5kg bag was £35. Current price for the same size is £91.99!

[Gnash]

3 hours ago, Ron Aldo said:

Any ideas wheres the best (i.e. - cheapest) place to buy protein from?

Have always used Myprotein but prices are ridiculous. Been about a year since I've bought a bag as I always try to get most of my protein from food meaning it tends to last me ages.

The last time I ordered a 2.5kg bag was £35. Current price for the same size is £91.99!

Just checked an my a 2kg bag of my favourite protein power (PHD whey protein) is currently £33 from OnBuy.  I think that's a Chinese site and you will likely have to wait a week or so for delivery (which is free), but I think that's excellent value.

I bought 2 bags from them fairly recently and that will last me at least a year.

[gav-ffc]

11 hours ago, Ron Aldo said:

Any ideas wheres the best (i.e. - cheapest) place to buy protein from?

Have always used Myprotein but prices are ridiculous. Been about a year since I've bought a bag as I always try to get most of my protein from food meaning it tends to last me ages.

The last time I ordered a 2.5kg bag was £35. Current price for the same size is £91.99!

If you know anyone with a Costco card I’d say there, the prices on MyProtein are mental.

[Bairnardo]

Just turned in a 25.47 on the triathlon. Think I benefitted from the Watt Bike being purpose built for basically road racing. The run was killer. Very stop start. The row and bike were OK. Reckon there's a 24 in me if I do it a few times in the coming weeks.

[Raithie]

On 11/11/2022 at 17:12, Torpar said:

I didn't want to get trapped and have to roll the bar off me so just kept pushing thinking I may still manage

 

On 11/11/2022 at 18:36, Bairnardo said:

On 11/11/2022 at 17:12, Torpar said:

Big lesson learned in the gym on Wednesday, always use a spotter.
I've been working out in our office gym for the past 6 months or so, it's a bit of a strange set up in that they have the main gym with fairly modern equipment including an adjustable bench and then there is another room with an old school bench and rack. I prefer the other room as I like working out on my own. Last week I managed 215lb (98 ish KG) bench press unspotted, so thought on Wednesday I'll go for 225lb, felt heavy but manageable when I unracked it, got it half way back up and started to struggle, I didn't want to get trapped and have to roll the bar off me so just kept pushing thinking I may still manage, then pop goes my right arm, awful shooting pain and I know it's bad right away.
Ruptured bicep tendon with a "popeye deformity" and the big purple bruising looks like pictures of old people in the papers that have been mugged. Always use a spotter!

 On Bench though, I always get a spot for heavy amd don't do it if I can't get someone. I have had to roll the bar off once. It wasn't fun or dignified.

Work around to that when you're benching is to not put collars on the bar and if you're toiling just let the weights fall off the bar at one side. 

[Raithie]

On 15/11/2022 at 11:30, Ron Aldo said:

Any ideas wheres the best (i.e. - cheapest) place to buy protein from?

Aye places like MyProtein and Bulk have seen a big jump in prices. Even with all their fancy discounts it still works out quite a bit of money. I've been using Bodybuilding Warehouse lately. Got myself a 5k tub of protein for £24.99.....just don't expect great tasting quality is all I'm saying. It does me fine though. Also they use Evri as their delivery method which can be a bit hit or miss, I've personally not had any issues with delivery though and ordered from them a few times now.

[Aufc]

I just ordered a top up from reflex nutrition. 2kg was £40 reduced from £66.50. It’s the best protein I’ve tasted.

[Aufc]

I got pelters off a lad at my work for hurting myself on a 200kg Squat. Indont see how a spotter helps you squatting tho. On Bench though, I always get a spot for heavy amd don't do it if I can't get someone. I have had to roll the bar off once. It wasn't fun or dignified.

200kg is a bit daft

[Bairnardo]

1 minute ago, Aufc said:

200kg is a bit daft

In what way?

[Aufc]

In what way?

I just feel unless you are professional power lifter then doing that weight is not really much benefit to the majority of people. The form is almost certainly going to be off (I’ve actually just read up and noticed you said you hurt your back). I can’t imagine normal gym goers will be doing much more than one rep so don’t really see the benefit

[Bairnardo]

50 minutes ago, Aufc said:

 

I just feel unless you are professional power lifter then doing that weight is not really much benefit to the majority of people. The form is almost certainly going to be off (I’ve actually just read up and noticed you said you hurt your back). I can’t imagine normal gym goers will be doing much more than one rep so don’t really see the benefit

 

I was training 5 3 1s, I wasn't going to hold back on the 1, what would be the point? 

Anyway, it wasn't the first time that I hurt myself and I was fine after a week or two. 

You might be right that my form was lacking, maybe that caused it, but I wouldn't agree that I shouldn't have been up there. I got to that weight by working up to it. 

[ICTChris]

Heavy lifting is good.  If you can squat 200kg safely then you should.  It's pretty heavy but there are plenty who could lift it.

[Gaz]

20 hours ago, Raithie said:

 

Work around to that when you're benching is to not put collars on the bar and if you're toiling just let the weights fall off the bar at one side. 

Yeah this is what I do. Or lift in a rack with spotter arms.

[Aufc]

I was training 5 3 1s, I wasn't going to hold back on the 1, what would be the point? 
Anyway, it wasn't the first time that I hurt myself and I was fine after a week or two. 
You might be right that my form was lacking, maybe that caused it, but I wouldn't agree that I shouldn't have been up there. I got to that weight by working up to it. 

Fair enough mate

[buchan30]

Albeit only one, managed a deadlift today. Over the past 15 months, i have tried it again and again as i was getting parts of it right, this morning all i was doing wrong was lifting with my arms, managed to take them out the equation and finally push through my heels and get my hips forward.

[Raithie]

For the people who do strength/hypertrophy training what is your go to training split? What is your set/rep ranges and the typical exercises you would factor in? I've tried push/pull/legs, lower/upper, bro splits with minimal gains however time is a factor for me so I can only really do 3 days weight training and then one night at 5's. Plumped for a full body split and I don't know if it's down to the fact the major muscles are being hit on each training day therefore accumulating in decent volume over the week but the progress I've made in the last 6 weeks has been great. I get nutrition/sleep/recovery plays a part but I think the added rest days have been hugely benificial by dialing down my training frequency and have found my sweet spot volume wise. 

[Bairnardo]

For the people who do strength/hypertrophy training what is your go to training split? What is your set/rep ranges and the typical exercises you would factor in? I've tried push/pull/legs, lower/upper, bro splits with minimal gains however time is a factor for me so I can only really do 3 days weight training and then one night at 5's. Plumped for a full body split and I don't know if it's down to the fact the major muscles are being hit on each training day therefore accumulating in decent volume over the week but the progress I've made in the last 6 weeks has been great. I get nutrition/sleep/recovery plays a part but I think the added rest days have been hugely benificial by dialing down my training frequency and have found my sweet spot volume wise. 

As far as quick gains, I remain convinced it is all down to body type (I pick up strength very quickly, but stamina/cardio is slow trudging progress) but I have trained 5x5s then 5 3 1s a couple of time over the years and can be assured I will always make pretty quick progress doing that

[gav-ffc]

12 hours ago, Raithie said:

For the people who do strength/hypertrophy training what is your go to training split? What is your set/rep ranges and the typical exercises you would factor in? I've tried push/pull/legs, lower/upper, bro splits with minimal gains however time is a factor for me so I can only really do 3 days weight training and then one night at 5's. Plumped for a full body split and I don't know if it's down to the fact the major muscles are being hit on each training day therefore accumulating in decent volume over the week but the progress I've made in the last 6 weeks has been great. I get nutrition/sleep/recovery plays a part but I think the added rest days have been hugely benificial by dialing down my training frequency and have found my sweet spot volume wise. 

If you’re seeing progress after 6 weeks I would say stick at your current routine! Rest days are key and the older I’m getting the more I appreciate them for recovery. 
 

 

[Ross.]

On 17/01/2022 at 11:37, Ross. said:

Last posted on this thread at the end of September, which I think was the last visit to the gym I had.

Picked up a heavy cold, was back home for a couple of weeks, had to isolate for 10 days on return as the missus tested positive for Covid, then when I was allowed back out I took delivery of the keys to the house we bought and spent a few weeks getting that in order so we could move, which we done the week before Christmas.

Spare room in the basement has been converted into a home gym, rather than the traditional Central European dungeon, which I have been using 4/5 times a week since Christmas. Fair basic, rowing machine, bench and dumbbells(2 sets only up to 14.5kg) but so far I have managed a routine which is challenging enough without over exerting myself.

Took delivery this morning of a more than decent cross trainer and managed to get a pair of Bowflex 25kg dumbbells, which will more than cover most of what I do for quite some time, just need to make sure I maintain the motivation to keep using it all.

Routine so far has consisted of a 5 minute row as a warm up, then a superset of curls, crunches, hammer curls, squats, press ups, vertical raises and leg raises, which I’ve been repeating 5 times, with an increase on reps in the 2nd and 3rd set, then decrease in the 4th and 5th set. Usually finish it with a few sets of chest presses, but with the new dumbbells I plan on adding that into the superset instead, as these fuckers are much quicker and easier for adding/removing weight compared to the existing set. Also plan on doing at least 5k on the cross trainer at the end as well, but I’ll see how that goes, mostly it will be time dependent.

How is everyone else getting on with things?

Searched back to this post just to see what I said and to compare it to how I’m doing now. Binned the rower, usually do 5k or 10k on the cross trainer post weights, and managing 4/5 times a week. Need to decide now whether or not to buy the bigger set of Bowflex weights, go up to 50 instead of 25. Not sure I will ever use the full weight of dumbbells that heavy but I do want to increase strength as well as continue building muscle. Routine is still very top heavy but my chest especially is now starting to show decent definition.