How to Workout...
GuitarJerry
Posts: 6,102 Member
With the new year, the revolutionists will be hitting the gym like crazy. For me, it's a double edge sword.
Most of the people working out in the gym on Jan 1, will be long gone by March. Therefore, it's a bit of a waste of my time to have to wait for the squat rack. It's just so unnecessary. But, every year, I see a couple of those people regularly in the gym after March. And so the struggle at the beginning is worth it.
The next thing I'll see, is my news feed filling up with people doing 20 variations of bicep curls, 16 different leg exercises, 25 Triceps extensions, 100 crunches, and 2 hours on the elliptical.
I really do want to help. But, if you're doing the above, or any slight lesser variation, instead, try something more like this. I encourage you to read the entire article.
https://stronglifts.com/5x5/
Most people over work themselves. This is a simple but effective work out. There's a phone app too that makes it really easy to follow.
I encourage you to work smart. Get the results you want by being smart about how you approach your workouts.
Stop doing isolation work, which seems to be everyone's "go-to" program. Also, I beg you to not wing it in the gym. Have a plan, follow it, don't deviate, and get the results you really want.
Cheers, and Happy New Year
Most of the people working out in the gym on Jan 1, will be long gone by March. Therefore, it's a bit of a waste of my time to have to wait for the squat rack. It's just so unnecessary. But, every year, I see a couple of those people regularly in the gym after March. And so the struggle at the beginning is worth it.
The next thing I'll see, is my news feed filling up with people doing 20 variations of bicep curls, 16 different leg exercises, 25 Triceps extensions, 100 crunches, and 2 hours on the elliptical.
I really do want to help. But, if you're doing the above, or any slight lesser variation, instead, try something more like this. I encourage you to read the entire article.
https://stronglifts.com/5x5/
Most people over work themselves. This is a simple but effective work out. There's a phone app too that makes it really easy to follow.
I encourage you to work smart. Get the results you want by being smart about how you approach your workouts.
Stop doing isolation work, which seems to be everyone's "go-to" program. Also, I beg you to not wing it in the gym. Have a plan, follow it, don't deviate, and get the results you really want.
Cheers, and Happy New Year
7
Replies
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I did it for a year. It absolutely works.0
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I would like to suggest, to the gym regulars who find that the equipment they need is often in use due to newbs in January /February, that this is a good time of year to switch things up and try different programming or exercises for 6-8 weeks. Obviously it doesn't work if you're competing in specific lifts but if you aren't, it could work well. You might also discover a new exercise or two that you end up keeping in your program all year.
Good advice for newbs, OP.5 -
I can't stand people who tell others what is superior for "them".5
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This time of year, I stay clear of my gym and find other forms of exercise. I like your advice to newbies though, StrongLifts is a great program.1
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GuitarJerry wrote: »I can stand people who tell others what is superior for "them".
Not sure what you're trying to say? Did you mean, "can't"?
If that's what you meant, which I think it is, you can cool your jets. No one has to do anything. It's a suggestion. Go do crossfit, do 1,000 bicep curls in the squat rack if you want. I don't care. Many newbies in the gym don't know what to do, and they fall back to what they learned in high school or what ever.
Stronglifts is a legit beginners program that will provide a solid foundation for more advanced lifting later on. If you disagree with that, then post your own ideas on your own thread.
I'm not saying stronglifts is not a good program. There is more than one way to reach ones goals. Fitness is not one sizs fits all.2 -
GuitarJerry wrote: »I can stand people who tell others what is superior for "them".
Not sure what you're trying to say? Did you mean, "can't"?
If that's what you meant, which I think it is, you can cool your jets. No one has to do anything. It's a suggestion. Go do crossfit, do 1,000 bicep curls in the squat rack if you want. I don't care. Many newbies in the gym don't know what to do, and they fall back to what they learned in high school or what ever.
Stronglifts is a legit beginners program that will provide a solid foundation for more advanced lifting later on. If you disagree with that, then post your own ideas on your own thread.
I'm not saying stronglifts is not a good program. There is more than one way to reach ones goals. Fitness is not one sizs fits all.
Of course it's not. But I would say that it's accurate to say that a large number of gym newbs show up and do a random mishmash of the few exercises that they've seen/heard of--curls, bench press, and crunches--and would be better of following a well rounded plan instead. I took GuitarJerry's post to be encouragement to seek out such a plan, not necessarily a suggestion that SL is the one and only way to reach one's goals.0 -
Another option is to hire a good personal trainer and get a customized plan that might be superior to cookie-cutter programs.
Title should be "How to do strength training"
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And didn't we all start somewhere? Weren't we all new at some point? And didn't we all learn along the way?
This is a silly post.7 -
GuitarJerry wrote: »I can stand people who tell others what is superior for "them".
Not sure what you're trying to say? Did you mean, "can't"?
If that's what you meant, which I think it is, you can cool your jets. No one has to do anything. It's a suggestion. Go do crossfit, do 1,000 bicep curls in the squat rack if you want. I don't care. Many newbies in the gym don't know what to do, and they fall back to what they learned in high school or what ever.
Stronglifts is a legit beginners program that will provide a solid foundation for more advanced lifting later on. If you disagree with that, then post your own ideas on your own thread.
I agree with you that stronglifts is a great program, and that it's always better to have a plan than not. Beyond that the similarities end. You sound angry and conceited in this post. You are starting a thread, which typically means you're inviting discussion, yet telling anyone who disagrees with you to go start their own thread.
I personally think my way is the best way, but it might not be for you or him or her. Stronglifts is a great idea but it's not for me, and I hit all my goals without ever using it.
You continue to show your inflexibility by suggesting you can't squat without a rack. Ever done Bulgarians? Goblets? A leg press? You won't melt if you divert one day from your rigid regimen. If you do, there's only one thing to do to prevent it: buy your own stuff. Amazon has a 1000 pound squat rack for $190.
Newbies are just that. They often don't know what to do, nor do they know not to curl in the squat rack. Hopefully someone else explains it to them in a cordial manner instead of getting bent out of of shape as I imagine you would.
I personally can't stand many things about the gym so I stay out of there. I have everything I need at home. It took a few years to get there. To all the newbies out there, learn the rules, learn to lift safely and effectively, and keep at it! I for one am happy you're trying.4 -
The words in OP's posts must be showing up differently on my phone because I haven't read anything insulting or rude or dismissive in this thread other than the comments from people complaining about them. Must be the Assume Positive Intent filter I use.3
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The words in OP's posts must be showing up differently on my phone because I haven't read anything insulting or rude or dismissive in this thread other than the comments from people complaining about them. Must be the Assume Positive Intent filter I use.
I typically have the same filter, but I'm seeing complaints about newbies, criticism of certain types of workouts, and telling people who don't agree to start their own threads.
I think Jerry's intentions were good, I just don't necessarily agree with his execution.0 -
That's one way to go, and not a bad one. But others might prefer to dip a toe in the water and get used to the atmosphere with machines, classes, swimming, or a trainer. Yeah, to you it might look like dicking around, but to me it's about building up a level of comfort.0
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They should double the price of the gym so they can't enter. (Sarcasm emoticon)0
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To me it's negative to tell people they're doing their workout wrong (unless they asked, which no one did).
It's negative to say the newbies will be gone by March. It's negative to then tell people to start their own threads if they disagree with you about something, or to complain about waiting for a squat rock while said newbies find their way.
I'm "unstarring" this thread because it's gotten ridiculous and I typically don't do the online back and forth thing. As in most cases, I would bet if Jerry and I were discussing this in person over a beer (or protein shake) that it would be much different.
So I would be happy to kick the topic around message style but I won't post anymore here about it. Peace to all and good luck hitting your goals, newbie or veteran.6 -
GuitarJerry wrote: »I really do want to help. But, if you're doing the above, or any slight lesser variation, instead, try something more like this. I encourage you to read the entire article.
that's just gonna put more people in the squat rack
idk, i'm a woman and i was lucky enough to catch the bug in mid-year, but i remember how intimidating that entitled my-workout-is-more-valid-than-yours attitude was even in june and july from a few regulars. now i get the frustration as well, but i'm trying to see january as my time to take a bit of a break and just do whatever until things calm down. maybe this year i'll invent myself a do-a-thousand-turkish-getups challenge or something and spend the month in some happy little corner of my own, just working on that. it's only a month or two and then life carries on.1 -
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