The Fitness Thread

[kmay]

how tall is everyone that posts in here?

[Syhto]

you learn these types of things from experience rubix. just watch the vids and work on your form, and get that mind/muscle connection going. youll learn most from the time put into training hands on

[Jerry DB]

Squats- look straight ahead, keep your chest our and back arched, go until your legs are parallel to the ground. Aim for reps of 12-20 if you want true athletic legs, if you just want to be big and **** up your joints someday then sure go for reps of 8 lol. Your legs are endurance muscles though more then anything.

Bench press. bend your knees so that your pushing with your toes. Helps you get more leverage, just keep your butt and shoulder blades firmly on the bench. Remember to get your energy from the ground at first and transfer everything over, it will boost your numbers and allow you to go for more reps. Try to get in the habit of touching your chest. Some people can't touch their chest but I feel like everyone should be able to if they train properly. Also try to grab the bar like your trying to bend it. What I mean by that mostly is just to have a firm grip which helps recruit your muscles better

Bent-over rows- Go to an incline bench and raise is just enough to where the top of the bench is just above waist level. Put your chest on the incline bench and do the rows from that position. Pull the bar to your stomach, feet shoulder width apart

Military press/overhead press-I would recommend doing it standing unless your really sore every where else and want to isolate your shoulders. I would use a barbell standing 80 percent of the time, and 20 percent with dumbells sitting with back support preferably. When standing just remember to keep good form and don't go for like 4 reps standing ever. If you have to powerlift use fat dumbells and sit with back support.

Stiff-legged deadlifts- Drive up with your heels, never should the pressure be towards your toes. Keep that arch in your back and look ahead as you would squatting. This I would try not to do reps of 8, although if you have good form it is ok, just don't overdo this exercise. When I first started I did reps of 10-16 until my form was good and now I just switch it up comfortably

Barbell curls-just make sure you aren't swinging, there are different types of curls but you should generally keep your elbows towards your sides. I don't know how to explain it that much more haha, pretty basic exercise, just keep your back straight, a good way to start is with your back against the wall if you really have trouble with how it feels, just make sure it's as flat as possible.

Calf raises- This is going to suck for you lol, you don't have to do it this way but your calves will get so strong this way so just trust me. Do 15-20 reps in normal positioning where your feet are around shoulder width apart. Remember to go up and down as far as you possibly can, stay controlled don't explode from the bottom unless you have to for the last few reps. Then rest for about 15 seconds if needed or if you can jump right into calf raises with your toes touching each other, I don't remember if it's inward or outer but either way your doing both. Do the same amount of reps and rest for 15 seconds if needed. Then do it with your heels touching each other and your toes going outwards. The first time doing this 2 sets at the most in going to destroy you, but work your way up to 3-4. You can rest like 5 minutes between sets if needed because this is killer. You can also just switch it up and go heavier and do it normally for reps of about 15-30, but if you do the way I said you will see the quickest improvement. Either way you wanna switch things up though

[infinity.]

Originally Posted by kmay

how tall is everyone that posts in here?

6'4 157 7% body fat

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Can anyone share tips about the following exercises I posted a while back (angles, grips, any other misc. tips worth keeping in mind, etc)

Squats
Bench press
Bent-over rows
Military press/overhead press
Stiff-legged deadlifts
Barbell curls
Calf raises

Basically the more I know the better I'll feel :X I'm looking up videos online but still feel totally unprepared... anything helps!

I'll take a shot at some of these

I'll cover only the biggest beginner mistakes.

Squat:

Don't use a grip that is too wide. Bring your hands together as close as they'll go, elbows back, and squeeze your trapezius. Trust be on this one. As a beginner, you have almost no muscular padding on your back for the bar. If you don't do this you'll complain that the bar is having a field day with your cervical spinous process and it will hurt for days. Make sure it's comfortable, because if it isn't, you aren't doing it right.

Feet about shoulder width apart, and most importantly, toes pointed out at about an angle of 45 degrees from straight ahead.

Now - practice squatting with just the bar for awhile in this position. Sit back as you go down, go down until your quads are parallel with the floor for starters, keep everything tight (abs, back, butt), and push with your heels, not your toes.

Don't put any damn weight on the bar until you're really comfortable with the technique, and when you do add weight, start light. Don't go too heavy until you're comfortable.


Bench:

Olympic bars have little notches laterally; put your pinkys on them. This is a fairly standard grip width. If you find it's slightly too far apart for you, move your hands in slightly, but a big beginner mistake is a narrow grip, which will work primarily your triceps.

Pin your shoulders back and push your chest out. Bring the bar down in a controlled manner and touch your chest. This is a must. The top portion of the movement is mostly triceps; you have to go deep if you want to work your chest.

Use the safeties if they have them. You can set the safety to where you can comfortably touch your chest with the bar, but so that you can let go of the bar if needed and it won't crush your neck, allowing you to slide out. Now you never have to worry about getting stuck and can always push yourself to failure.


Calf raise:

The gastrocnemius muscle is what makes your calf appear large, and in order to work it, flexion and extension are required with a *straight* leg. Bent leg raises work your soleus, which is underneath the gastrocnemius. It doesn't hurt to do both (as Senip pointed out), but do NOT do only bent leg raises.

So basically, just keep your legs straight, full flexion and extension of the foot, feel free to hold on the extension.

Barbell curls:

Keep your back straight and don't swing it, at least not until you know what you're doing.

Go through the full range of motion, at least until you know more; all the way up and all the way down. Don't pause though to take the tension off the muscle; keep it going. Squeeze at the top. Don't lift more than you can do with good form.



I suggest watching videos on youtube after your first session so you can see more directly how things are done, after familiarizing yourself with the equipment.


Also, I'm 5'11.

[Senip]

Originally Posted by Reach

I'll take a shot at some of these

I'll cover only the biggest beginner mistakes.

Squat:

Don't use a grip that is too wide. Bring your hands together as close as they'll go, elbows back, and squeeze your trapezius. Trust be on this one. As a beginner, you have almost no muscular padding on your back for the bar. If you don't do this you'll complain that the bar is having a field day with your cervical spinous process and it will hurt for days. Make sure it's comfortable, because if it isn't, you aren't doing it right.

Feet about shoulder width apart, and most importantly, toes pointed out at about an angle of 45 degrees from straight ahead.

Now - practice squatting with just the bar for awhile in this position. Sit back as you go down, go down until your quads are parallel with the floor for starters, keep everything tight (abs, back, butt), and push with your heels, not your toes.

Don't put any damn weight on the bar until you're really comfortable with the technique, and when you do add weight, start light. Don't go too heavy until you're comfortable.


Bench:

Olympic bars have little notches laterally; put your pinkys on them. This is a fairly standard grip width. If you find it's slightly too far apart for you, move your hands in slightly, but a big beginner mistake is a narrow grip, which will work primarily your triceps.

Pin your shoulders back and push your chest out. Bring the bar down in a controlled manner and touch your chest. This is a must. The top portion of the movement is mostly triceps; you have to go deep if you want to work your chest.

Use the safeties if they have them. You can set the safety to where you can comfortably touch your chest with the bar, but so that you can let go of the bar if needed and it won't crush your neck, allowing you to slide out. Now you never have to worry about getting stuck and can always push yourself to failure.


Calf raise:

The gastrocnemius muscle is what makes your calf appear large, and in order to work it, flexion and extension are required with a *straight* leg. Bent leg raises work your soleus, which is underneath the gastrocnemius. It doesn't hurt to do both (as Senip pointed out), but do NOT do only bent leg raises.

So basically, just keep your legs straight, full flexion and extension of the foot, feel free to hold on the extension.

Barbell curls:

Keep your back straight and don't swing it, at least not until you know what you're doing.

Go through the full range of motion, at least until you know more; all the way up and all the way down. Don't pause though to take the tension off the muscle; keep it going. Squeeze at the top. Don't lift more than you can do with good form.



I suggest watching videos on youtube after your first session so you can see more directly how things are done, after familiarizing yourself with the equipment.


Also, I'm 5'11.

Squats: Push your knees out when you go down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ME8gEN54Ao

Bench: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHx1gYTA-Rw
Make sure, since you're tall like me, (over 6 feet) that instead of putting your pinky fingers on the first etch, put your thumb on it then stretch out. Some bars have two etches, you want your pinkys on the second bar etch. If you go wider hand width, you'll work the power in your chest/back at the bottom, go narrow one hand width and you'll hit tris like Reach said.

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E x pe r i m e n t .
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Deadlifts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp8Sx9dX9LM

I like to do a narrow stance (feet closer than shoulder width), and split my feet with the bar. Reach down and hold the bar by your legs, then squat down...like a squat, and pull it to your feet. Drive with the heels.

Barbell Curls: Hold your elbows tight so you dont swing your arms, thatll cause shoulder use. You can also use barbell drags, where you pull it up your body instead of curling it. Some people think it's more mechanically suited for biceps, all I know is I get a huge pump.

Calf Raises: let it fully stretch at the bottom, dont ****in bounce.

Barbell Rows: Bend so that you have a 45 degree angle between your stomach and legs, then grip the bar a llittle bit more than shoulder width apart. pull the bar into your lower stomach, you wont have to pull very far to squeeze the lats. Try to squeeze your shoulder blades together for every back exercise.

Military Press: Seated will let you work more weight, while standing will do full body. But if you ever get really heavy in MP, you'll thicken your waist out. Do high reps with your shoulders, because we all use our shoulders a lot. high reps of 12-15.

Stiff Legged Deads: Push your ass out while keeping your chest up, drag the bar down your legs to your knees. Do higher reps, 8-10ish.

[SCWolf]

Originally Posted by Syhto

you learn these types of things from experience rubix. just watch the vids and work on your form, and get that mind/muscle connection going. youll learn most from the time put into training hands on

Pretty much.

[Reincarnate]

errrr

[Reach]

Asians can take steroids too.

[Reincarnate]

Fact that he's Asian is irrelevant -- I just think the abs look ridic XD

[Bahamut-X]

Looks like he has some of this going on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgYaWxHsERM

Another reason to stay away from steroids. I forget the technical term for it, but it is permanent.

[Reach]

Originally Posted by Bahamut-X

Looks like he has some of this going on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgYaWxHsERM

Another reason to stay away from steroids. I forget the technical term for it, but it is permanent.

That's caused specifically by insulin, usually in combination with HGH (but HGH in and of itself does not cause this). The causal factor appears to be organ growth and visceral fat deposition.

Use of androgenic anabolic steroids will not cause this.

Another reason never to take insulin, but whether or not you can actually win on the pro circuit nowadays without it is debatable (The difference between Schwarzenegger and modern bodybuilders is largely Insulin and HGH).

[Senip]

lol, was going to say "Thats insulin and hgh bro, not the roids". Ronnie and kai both suffer from that, Kai doing his rear lat spread looks like he has a gut going. At least Phil seems to be transitioning BBing away from that mentality of "I've got to be the BIGGEST EVER to win"

That shirt is coming in the mail though


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGvsZ9eRyeM

That guy's pretty cool, he just won his IFBB Pro card for winning the Mr. Canada or whatever thing. He always looks really lean but he's ****in massive.

[SCWolf]

So I'm allergic to peanuts. Looks like I'll be eating almonds instead.

[Reincarnate]

Interesting -- opposite for me XD

I eat almonds and suddenly my throat itches like mad and tries to close up. XD

[SCWolf]

Originally Posted by Reincarnate

Interesting -- opposite for me XD

I eat almonds and suddenly my throat itches like mad and tries to close up. XD

WeIrD~! I shit like a ****ing **** when I eat peanuts. Also it makes me sick to my stomach and I shake uncontrollably. What's funny is I've just been dealing with this since last night when I found out I was allergic lmao.

[SCWolf]

These are my supplements by the way. I just put the creatine in with the weight gainer.

[Senip]

I wish I had the need for a weight gainer...

[SCWolf]

Originally Posted by Senip

I wish I had the need for a weight gainer...

For me, it's definitely a need lol.

[Bahamut-X]

Originally Posted by Reach

That's caused specifically by insulin, usually in combination with HGH (but HGH in and of itself does not cause this). The causal factor appears to be organ growth and visceral fat deposition.

Use of androgenic anabolic steroids will not cause this.

Another reason never to take insulin, but whether or not you can actually win on the pro circuit nowadays without it is debatable (The difference between Schwarzenegger and modern bodybuilders is largely Insulin and HGH).

Yikes! Spoke too soon.

Planning to do legs today. Leg press, lunges, and calf raises. Anyone else use a smith machine for calf raises? I find it is a safe, convenient way to add a large amount of weight to calf raises. I just load up the squatting mechanism, stick some 45's on the ground for a makeshift step stool, place my toes on the edge of the 45's and have at it.

Also, any cool ideas for forearm exercises? I've been doing wrist curls but that's about it.