lifting weights

Options
245

Replies

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Options
    This is my internal struggle. When I lifted hard, I never did the high rep thing, I was all about strength.

    Now that my interests have changed and I run a lot and train for marathons, I only do body weight exercises because I can't justify to myself a gym membership for one day a week to do an exercise counter productive to my main goal. I still like being at least somewhat muscular, so the bodyweight thing at least allows me that. But after a point I'm doing a boatload of reps which just gets boring.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    Options
    tumblr_m0611ldbfy1qcukfzo1_500.jpg

    happy-i-see-what-you-did-there.jpg

    me-gusta-creepy-me-gusta.jpg
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
    Options
    Since we're on a forum I'll add to this that if you're lifting more than once a week you're wasting your time. And if you're doing more than one set you're not working to true failure. High Intensity Training works and I think everyone should put their lifting routines away for two weeks, read the book by Dr. Ellington Darden called "The New High Intensity Training" and experience your true genetic potential in less time. Doubt this? Ever see a lion doing push-ups? A cheeta jogging? A gorilla doing pull-ups? Fact is most lifting is over done and sleep is lacking. Enjoy the read...otherwise, enjoy your time in the gym.
    There isn't enough peer reviewed clinical study to back this. Working to true failure would mean not walking out of the gym at all. Sorry, but if you're going to tout it, then it has to be total. If you can do another set of reps after resting a minute or 2, was it true failure?
    This is broscience and has been around since the Mike Mentzer and Darden got together. Darden also touted "Nautilus" machines over free weights with Arthur Jones.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
    Options
    Do you think there are benefits to doing Body Pump? I am trying to lose weight (another 50 pounds) and am not strong enough to lift heavy at the moment (been doing 10kg clean and press and 8-12kg kettlebells).
    If you want muscle endurance and some extra cardio, then it's beneficial.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • CarrieAnne22
    CarrieAnne22 Posts: 231 Member
    Options
    There's lifting heavy and then there's wasting your time!

    Ladies! This counts for you too! I'm lifting heavy (well, heavier) and only getting smaller!

    ^^^This is why I love you, girl!! :love: I completely agree. I feel blessed that I started off lifting with some guy friends because I'm so competitive that I felt like while I may not have been able to start off keeping up with them pound for pound (they've been doing this together since WAY before I joined in), I did have to prove that I wasn't some insepid girly girl who couldn't hold her own. It's been less than 2 months and they continue to be impressed and so very encouraging as my abilities & weights continue to increase.

    I think of it in these terms...the more weight I can lift, the more weight that's coming off me. I'd rather bust my butt lifting those weights a couple nights a week than carry it around on my body for the rest of my life.
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
    Options
    i am squating 315.. am i doing it right?
    Full parallel squats or 1/4 squats? See it all the time in the gym.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Here's a question....parallel squats aren't useless are they? Because I just started lifting heavy about 4 weeks ago, and I think I'm getting almost down to parallel, but there is no mirror by the rack so I can't really tell? I'm sometimes afraid to go down any farther or I might fall on my *kitten*. I am feeling it in my quads big time, so something is working. I'm only lifting about 85 lbs....
  • CarrieAnne22
    CarrieAnne22 Posts: 231 Member
    Options
    Since we're on a forum I'll add to this that if you're lifting more than once a week you're wasting your time. And if you're doing more than one set you're not working to true failure. High Intensity Training works and I think everyone should put their lifting routines away for two weeks, read the book by Dr. Ellington Darden called "The New High Intensity Training" and experience your true genetic potential in less time. Doubt this? Ever see a lion doing push-ups? A cheeta jogging? A gorilla doing pull-ups? Fact is most lifting is over done and sleep is lacking. Enjoy the read...otherwise, enjoy your time in the gym.

    No, but I've never seen them sit at a desk punching at keys on a keyboard all day either. If I were still a wild thing in my natural habitat I wouldn't have to exercise because my lifestyle would show on my body, but as it stands I have to earn money which means sitting on my *kitten* all day, so I have 1 hour per day to get in what my ancestors would do to survive. The arguement goes both ways and I don't think it holds much water.

    Kudos, sister!! You rock!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Options
    i am squating 315.. am i doing it right?
    Full parallel squats or 1/4 squats? See it all the time in the gym.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Here's a question....parallel squats aren't useless are they? Because I just started lifting heavy about 4 weeks ago, and I think I'm getting almost down to parallel, but there is no mirror by the rack so I can't really tell? I'm sometimes afraid to go down any farther or I might fall on my *kitten*. I am feeling it in my quads big time, so something is working. I'm only lifting about 85 lbs....

    They're worse than useless; they're dangerous. You will hurt your knees. It is critical to break the parallel. Your hip crease should go just below your knees. A mirror will not really help you. You will need someone watching you and/or a video recorder. Recording yourself doing these lifts is always an eye-opening experience.

    Practice with body weight. Increase the weight very slowly. Form comes first, weight comes second.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    Do you think there are benefits to doing Body Pump? I am trying to lose weight (another 50 pounds) and am not strong enough to lift heavy at the moment (been doing 10kg clean and press and 8-12kg kettlebells).
    Yes, there is definitely benefit to cardio workouts. My point was simply to not confuse high rep workouts (which is effectively cardio) with high resistance strength training.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Options
    i am squating 315.. am i doing it right?
    Full parallel squats or 1/4 squats? See it all the time in the gym.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    Here's a question....parallel squats aren't useless are they? Because I just started lifting heavy about 4 weeks ago, and I think I'm getting almost down to parallel, but there is no mirror by the rack so I can't really tell? I'm sometimes afraid to go down any farther or I might fall on my *kitten*. I am feeling it in my quads big time, so something is working. I'm only lifting about 85 lbs....

    My life right now, exactly. Damned squats are killing me. No, parallel is far from useless... Get someone to video you squatting and/or sit and watch you... when you get parallel, have them let you know... it will start to stick then. I had my husband do this for about a week or so. He got tired and nearly fell asleep on me several times, but I yelled at him to stay awake... it's helped me know when I'm far enough down. Then, I try to go just a bit lower if I can.
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
    Options
    edit
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
    Options


    Here's a question....parallel squats aren't useless are they? Because I just started lifting heavy about 4 weeks ago, and I think I'm getting almost down to parallel, but there is no mirror by the rack so I can't really tell? I'm sometimes afraid to go down any farther or I might fall on my *kitten*. I am feeling it in my quads big time, so something is working. I'm only lifting about 85 lbs....
    I have much more respect for a person doing parallel squats with weight they can handle, then someone who just loads up the barbell and does a 1/4 squat and tells themselves they squat heavy.
    If you're not sure, try using a bench that's about the height of your parallel squat. Squat down and gently touch the bench then pop right back up. After a while, you'll "feel" what's the right position for a parallel squat for you.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    Getting beyond parallel is A LOT harder than it seems like it should be. I've backed way off on the weight and am just barely getting to parallel now.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
    Options
    Ever see a lion doing push-ups? A cheeta jogging? A gorilla doing pull-ups? Fact is most lifting is over done and sleep is lacking. Enjoy the read...otherwise, enjoy your time in the gym.
    I don't want to make sweeping generalizations, but cheetahs *never* wipe off the machines after using them. So selfish!
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
    Options
    K....thanks for the info on the squats. I think I'm parallel, and that's what I've been trying for all along, but just not quite sure by the feel of it. I will have a trainer take a look at my form next time to be sure. Thanks again.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Options
    Getting beyond parallel is A LOT harder than it seems like it should be. I've backed way off on the weight and am just barely getting to parallel now.

    Hell yes. I was ticked off all last night because I didn't get below parallel on some of my working set. It puts me in a bad, bad mood.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Options
    FWIW, when I recently switched from the high-bar position to the low bar, I am finding it much easier to break the parallel for whatever reason. In the high bar position, I always "felt" like I was going deep enough, but recording myself showed otherwise.
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
    Options
    ...and dammit...I meant "are quarter squats useless" in my first post...not parallel squats.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
    Options
    They're worse than useless; they're dangerous. You will hurt your knees. It is critical to break the parallel. Your hip crease should go just below your knees. A mirror will not really help you. You will need someone watching you and/or a video recorder. Recording yourself doing these lifts is always an eye-opening experience.

    Practice with body weight. Increase the weight very slowly. Form comes first, weight comes second.
    Will you explain the first part more? "Critical to break the parallel" specifically. Are you saying you need to go past parallel?
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Options
    FWIW, when I recently switched from the high-bar position to the low bar, I am finding it much easier to break the parallel for whatever reason. In the high bar position, I always "felt" like I was going deep enough, but recording myself showed otherwise.

    I'm gonna have to look into low bar... I nearly bit my husband's head off last night at dinner after not getting deep enough in the squat.

Categories