So..no barbells at gym

ilovedeadlifts

That doesn't make any sense. Most people are here because they are trying to get back into their peak condition, but have gotten older, gained weight (like you have), or they had children, or experienced injuries, any number of reasons. So, you can't look through their pictures to determine what physique they had at their peak.

I'm getting taken out of context.

My arguement was that the bodyweight excercise guy claimed to be 205 with a 6 pack.....


There is a difference between gaining weight and losing your edge, and gaining weight for competitive reasons.

hesn92

i would get a new gym....

Baloostika

I had pretty good results using the machines at the gym.

But I had amazing frickin' results using free weights instead.

So I'm not going to say, "Ew, you must change gyms." I was completely happy with my results from using machines. I mostly switched to free weights because I hated the act of going to the gym, and bought free weights for home.

Hi there, what's the difference btw free weights and dumbbells. I need ur advise on how heavy i should lift, my neighbor has a 30kg weight I want to stat lifting, how many reps and sets do u advise for a beginner. Am hoping to tone my body and look hot, lol.

Baloostika

I had pretty good results using the machines at the gym.

But I had amazing frickin' results using free weights instead.

So I'm not going to say, "Ew, you must change gyms." I was completely happy with my results from using machines. I mostly switched to free weights because I hated the act of going to the gym, and bought free weights for home.

contingencyplan

I had pretty good results using the machines at the gym.

But I had amazing frickin' results using free weights instead.

So I'm not going to say, "Ew, you must change gyms." I was completely happy with my results from using machines. I mostly switched to free weights because I hated the act of going to the gym, and bought free weights for home.

Hi there, what's the difference btw free weights and dumbbells. I need ur advise on how heavy i should lift, my neighbor has a 30kg weight I want to stat lifting, how many reps and sets do u advise for a beginner. Am hoping to tone my body and look hot, lol.

Dumbbells ARE free weights, just like barbells. It's the machines that aren't.

anemoneprose

What the jalapeno happened to this thread??

2 more of my cents: like another poster, I'm hypermobile, injury-prone, & in my 30s.

I've been using DBs for the past year. Until now, I've taken a deliberately conservative approach to progression in weight, focusing instead on getting form as perfect as I can manage, & working on proprioception, stability, etc, with a mix of movements (single footed, double footed, etc - have avoided twisting, though.) I'm stronger too, for sure.

I now feel able to confidently address the BBs to which I do have access, & I'm not so afraid of pulling or straining things. The BBs feel LOTS easier to control than they did when I first tried them (before my DB efforts).

It`s been a great education in my particular body's functioning, really. I've been learning where my limits are, & pushing them, without the kind of cost I've paid in the past.

heybales

Hi there, what's the difference btw free weights and dumbbells. I need ur advise on how heavy i should lift, my neighbor has a 30kg weight I want to stat lifting, how many reps and sets do u advise for a beginner. Am hoping to tone my body and look hot, lol.

No difference, same thing. Barbells and dumbbells both free weights, not machine.

Lift as heavy as you can that still allows proper form to avoid injury, 2 or 3 sets of 5 to 15 reps, whatever you can do.
It's the lifting to failure that studies have shown gives the results, not number sets and reps. Your time factor comes into play there.

For first doing the lifts with proper form, 3 x 15, then keep increasing weight until you can only do 3 x 8 or 10, with last rep of last set having good form.

arcticfox04

Personally I'd look at a new gym. It took me 5-6 tours of a couple places till I found place that had everything I wanted *pool*.

Baloostika

Hi there, what's the difference btw free weights and dumbbells. I need ur advise on how heavy i should lift, my neighbor has a 30kg weight I want to stat lifting, how many reps and sets do u advise for a beginner. Am hoping to tone my body and look hot, lol.

No difference, same thing. Barbells and dumbbells both free weights, not machine.

Lift as heavy as you can that still allows proper form to avoid injury, 2 or 3 sets of 5 to 15 reps, whatever you can do.
It's the lifting to failure that studies have shown gives the results, not number sets and reps. Your time factor comes into play there.

For first doing the lifts with proper form, 3 x 15, then keep increasing weight until you can only do 3 x 8 or 10, with last rep of last set having good form.

Thank you, this is helpful as I can only do ten reps with a lot of effort, the weight is about 30 or 35kg or so I was told. 3 x 10 doesn't take much time so I tink I will do different types of lifts 3 times each. Ciao

ArroganceInStep

If all you did when you worked out was deadlift...you'd get really good at deadlifting, but you might have some trouble trying to do some of those crazy gymnastic pull movements Waldo mentioned.

If all you did was one armed chins, you'd be amazingly strong at pulling but you probably wouldn't be able to pull as high a deadlift as the guy doing that strictly right off the bat, and the same would be true vice versa.

If your measure of strength is an exercise itself, of course practicing that exercise is going to be the fastest and most efficient way to develop said strength.

Not everybody has the same measure though. Myself personally, I look at the big-3 as a strength measure. I want to get my total as high as possible. You know what I'm going to do to get there? The big-3 (squat, bench, deadlift for folks that aren't familiar with the term). There's tons of carry over to other things with the strength I'll gain, but I can't and probably never will be able to oly lift worth a damn and I'll certainly never be doing things like muscleups or whatever other gymnast stuff you might think of; that's ok with me.

Some people value the strength gained from bodyweight exercises more, and that's fine. If you do yoga, or capoeira, or parkour, or race in obstacle courses like tough mudder and such, those bodyweight exercises are probably going to be a lot more useful to you than my powerlifting work.

First, figure out what your goals are. Ripped and strong isn't a goal by the way, make it specific. How ripped do you want to be and what practical applications will you find where you need to be strong?

Second, look at what you have access to and the time you have to do it in. Be realistic. If you're 30% BF and can't do a single pushup yet, but want to get down to 0.00000001% and do a million pullups in a year...you better have all day every day to dedicate to training, and you still won't get it.

Third, plan accordingly. Whatever you want to do, getting a full body workout will help you. That can be done with bodyweight, with dumbbells, with a barbell, with machines, or with some combination of the four. Use what you have access to and make sure you train safely, with high intensity, and consistently. We can argue all day about the efficiency of one vs the other, but if you don't have access to a barbell that's not very efficient for a workout now is it? You can get very strong with just about any style of training, what matters is your consistency and the effort you put into it. That'll trump the absolute efficiency of any program any day of the week.

All of that being said, a lot of people strength train with barbells. Unlike dumbbells and bodyweight exercises there's an essentially limitless amount of weight (resistance) that you can add and you don't need to change the movement in order to advance. That's not to say it's better, just that progression is a bit easier. Since barbells are a perfectly acceptable method for strength training, it's useful to go to a gym with access to these things (not because you HAVE to use them, but because having the option to do so is better than not having that option). If you have the ability to change gyms to one that has such equipment, it's a good idea. If not, though, don't worry about it. Do what you can with what you have access to.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2116747/Manohar-Aich-turns-100-Indias-Mr-Universe-Pocket-Hercules-celebrates-100th-birthday.html

He trained in jail.

ilovedeadlifts

^^Post of the year.

thread closed.

WendyTerry420

Hey, if that's your goal, that's your goal.

I intend on doing something with my strength, once I've got it. Looking good is just a bonus side-effect. Mind you, I'm going for smaller muscles/more strength/more endurance. I don't want or need bulk.

This is my goal too! I have never been the type of lady to worry myself over my looks. I just want to be able to move my body when the time comes for it. I hate that I can't do so many things that I could do when I was young, only because I let myself go and stopped being active.

And for the record, I think the term "six pack" when referring to abdominal muscles is retarded. A six pack is a nicely sized package of dark lager intended for relaxation and smiley faces. jmho

heybales

No difference, same thing. Barbells and dumbbells both free weights, not machine.

Lift as heavy as you can that still allows proper form to avoid injury, 2 or 3 sets of 5 to 15 reps, whatever you can do.
It's the lifting to failure that studies have shown gives the results, not number sets and reps. Your time factor comes into play there.

For first doing the lifts with proper form, 3 x 15, then keep increasing weight until you can only do 3 x 8 or 10, with last rep of last set having good form.

Thank you, this is helpful as I can only do ten reps with a lot of effort, the weight is about 30 or 35kg or so I was told. 3 x 10 doesn't take much time so I tink I will do different types of lifts 3 times each. Ciao

Just don't do the smallest muscle first. Biggest first.
For instance, if you wear your triceps or biceps down working them first to failure, how can you possible use them to work the bigger chest or back muscle to failure, your arms will give up first.

Yogi_Carl

Great post rtalencar85 - says it all. thank you.

JNick77

Went to the local gym for an induction this morning, they have various machines and free weight dumbells, but no barbells. Point me in the right direction for exercises for these please

No offense dude but didn't you take a tour before you signed on the dotted line??? If you can get out of the contract do it, that's not a gym. You can get adjustable dumbbells, an adjustable bench, dip/chin unit, and treadmill at home. "F" that, leave.