CAG Health and Fitness Thread

[quote name='DrFoo']BUMP
Alright quick question. Are straight legged dead lifts good for you? My cousin did them for a couple of months and said he got to the point where you couldn't tie his shoe without sitting down and when I told my mom about them she started telling me not to do them (mostly because of the whole "lift with your legs" thing, she thinks it could mess up your back but she really doesn't know very much about exercising). Anyways do you think my cousin was just doing them too often or are they going to hurt your back either way?[/QUOTE]

Good question. They are a great exercise if done correctly. The key to doing them correctly is to start off with a VERY light weight and go for high repetitions since the lower back muscles are quite often undertrained and they need to build up tolerance to any kind of resistance training. Also, if you have longer legs (as I do), it may help to keep a very slight bend in your knees, just to the point where they are not completely locked out. As far as how often they should be done, I usually perform them once a week as part of a 3-day full-body routine. I don't think I would recommend doing them exclusively, but if you alternate between straight-leg deads and regular deads, you should be fine.

Again, I cannot stress how important form and technique are for any exercise, let alone exercises that involve a good deal of lower back stress (squats, deadlifts, straight-leg deads and good mornings). I've seen too many injuries involving the lower back resulting from poor exercise technique or using too much weight too early.
 
Yeah, straight legged dead lifts are a very good excercises--but EDiddy is 100% right. Form is absolutely crucial.

Another tip is keep your head up as that helps keep your back straight--i.e. do them in front of mirror and be sure you're looking at your self on each rep. If you look down at the floor it's easy to slump your back which can result in injury.

Other than that, do what he said and focus 100% on starting with light weight, focusing on form and being very gradual in increasing weight. And be sure to focus that mind-muscle connection on really squeezing through the hamstrings and glutes so you're not just working the lower back.
 
Thanks for the replies EDiddy and dmaul. Sounds like I will keep doing them. And be keep doing them I mean start doing them when I start working out again Christmas break. My god this semester has been brutal.

And I eat a good amount of brown rice. It's great for you. I'm not completely sure if I am completely correct but I think of it as wheat bread in pellet form.
 
[quote name='DrFoo']BUMP
Alright quick question. Are straight legged dead lifts good for you? My cousin did them for a couple of months and said he got to the point where you couldn't tie his shoe without sitting down and when I told my mom about them she started telling me not to do them (mostly because of the whole "lift with your legs" thing, she thinks it could mess up your back but she really doesn't know very much about exercising). Anyways do you think my cousin was just doing them too often or are they going to hurt your back either way?[/QUOTE]


SLDL's are definitely one of the harder exercises to master. As dmaul1114 & EDiddy0042 stated, getting the form down is crucial.
What helped me a lot is trying to keep your back arched and really concentrating on keeping the bar close to your
legs(basically touching) throughout the entire ROM. Also take it slow on the way down and only go till you feel that nice
stretch in your hammies and then power back up. Best exercise for hamstrings specifically by far. Practice, Practice, Practice........
 
Thanks for the response Ronzilla.

Alright I need a dumbbell routine in case I don't end up going to a gym while I'm at home for Christmas break (although I'm planning to go to a friend's dad's gym). How does this routine look:

Everyday:
20 minutes jump rope (in my garage or something... I really have no idea what to do for cardio in winter)

Tues/Thurs:
Sit ups
Leg raises

Mon/Wed/Fri:
Bench Press
Military Press
Bent Over Rows
Bent Over Lateral Raises
Upright Rows
Curls
Squats
Lunges
Some tricep exercise (most dumbbell tricep exercises like skull crushers or extensions hurt my elbows so maybe diamond shaped push ups if I can manage any)

Other things I could possibly add in include flys or side raises. I'll have plenty of time to do everything.

Everything would be done in 3 sets of ~5-6 reps. I'm always at such a loss as to whether to do a split routine or a full body work out. I know for more advanced lifters some sort of split routine is pretty much required but I always hear huge amounts of conflicting information for beginners. Any thoughts on this workout?
 
Time to update this thread for the new year. What are everyone's health and fitness goals for 2010?

For me, I'm trying to become more fit and athletic overall by incorporating boxing into my daily routine and placing an equal emphasis on cardio, diet and muscle-building. Prior to this year, I was all about just getting as big and strong as I could without focusing too much on cardiovascular health and what I ate. However, as I learned from playing hoops a few times over my Christmas and New Years break, a well-rounded athletic body functions much better in daily activities than does a bodybuilder's physique.

So, my goals are to work on developing a more functional, athletic body and to focus a lot on boxing training. Eventually I would like to get in the ring for some competitions, but that will be a few months away since I'm really just starting and getting the basic technique down.
 
Just be a bit better about getting into the gym 4 days a week--last fall it was hit or miss with only making it 2 or 3.

And to keep up doing some cardio after working out to get in better shape and get the body fat down a bit. Not to much as I'm 5'9, 160. But I was 153 or so this time last year and the 7 pounds isn't muscle! Mainly have some belly flab I need to lose through diet and cardio.

So far, so good about sticking to it since the new year. Diet could be a bit better though.
 
What are some good upper body exercises? I have a bench press and dumbbells, but forgot some of what I had learned in weight training.
 
argh Cooking Brown rice AND making Fiber pancakes are a pain in the butt :( It's like they require more time and attention to it then their sugar filled counterpart :(
 
[quote name='moon_knight']What are some good upper body exercises? I have a bench press and dumbbells, but forgot some of what I had learned in weight training.[/QUOTE]

With that equipment you could do:

Chest:
Bench (flat and incline)--barbell or dumbell
Chest Flys

Back
Dumbell rows
Bent over barbell rows

Shoulders
Dumbell shoulder press
Dumbel lateral raises (and/or front raises)
Bent over lateral raises

Biceps

Various types of curls--dumbell and barbell

Triceps

Overhead dumbell extensions
Close grip bench press
dumbell kick backs

Those are some solid exercises you could do--not an all encompassing list, but some examples of some good moves.
 
My main goal is to pick up cooking as a hobby so I can make healthy meals that I can stand eating for the rest of my life (and of course for the ladies). I also need to start going to the gym again. I'm thinking about doing cardio at least 5 days a week and doing some basic dumbbell/body weight exercises maybe 3 days a week. I also plan to pick up some more naturey hobbies like barefoot hiking/running, rock climbing, and skiing. I'm getting tired and depressed from seeing ugly buildings everywhere. Winter isn't helping. I mean snow is great and all but everything just looks dead.

Also maybe we could use a new thread for this year?
 
[quote name='DrFoo']My main goal is to pick up cooking as a hobby so I can make healthy meals that I can stand eating for the rest of my life (and of course for the ladies). I also need to start going to the gym again. I'm thinking about doing cardio at least 5 days a week and doing some basic dumbbell/body weight exercises maybe 3 days a week. I also plan to pick up some more naturey hobbies like barefoot hiking/running, rock climbing, and skiing. I'm getting tired and depressed from seeing ugly buildings everywhere. Winter isn't helping. I mean snow is great and all but everything just looks dead.

Also maybe we could use a new thread for this year?[/QUOTE]

Just don't over do it with the cardio. A lot of people just completely over do it, and stop seeing results. Your body can only take so much lol.







I'm getting bored with my workout music, anyone got anything decent that they could recommend?

edit: I don't listen to barely any rap, so keep that in mind. thanks.
 
[quote name='DrFoo']My main goal is to pick up cooking as a hobby so I can make healthy meals that I can stand eating for the rest of my life (and of course for the ladies). I also need to start going to the gym again. I'm thinking about doing cardio at least 5 days a week and doing some basic dumbbell/body weight exercises maybe 3 days a week. I also plan to pick up some more naturey hobbies like barefoot hiking/running, rock climbing, and skiing. I'm getting tired and depressed from seeing ugly buildings everywhere. Winter isn't helping. I mean snow is great and all but everything just looks dead.

Also maybe we could use a new thread for this year?[/QUOTE]

Just don't over do it with the cardio. A lot of people just completely over do it, and stop seeing results. Your body can only take so much lol.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']I'm getting bored with my workout music, anyone got anything decent that they could recommend?[/QUOTE]

Gallows' "Grey Britain" really helps me stay motivated when I'd much rather take a nap.
 
I'm getting bored with my workout music, anyone got anything decent that they could recommend?

edit: I don't listen to barely any rap, so keep that in mind. thanks.[/QUOTE]

You might give Tool a try to really get you focused for an intense weight-training session. As for a cardio workout, I find that nothing helps to keep a good running/biking/elliptical pace like some quality techno music such as Dj Tiesto.
 
[quote name='EDiddy0042']What kind of stuff do you normally listen to for workout music?[/QUOTE]

Songs with a pretty fast beat. Doesn't really matter the Genre. I have all the trendy POP songs on my ipod, lol.
 
[quote name='perdition(troy']I'm getting bored with my workout music, anyone got anything decent that they could recommend?[/QUOTE]

Old KMFDM, some of the speedier VNV Nation stuff, Blaqk Audio, Nachtmahr, Rotersand, Neuroticfish, Mindless Self Indulgence, Front Line Assembly, Ground to Dust, and Hanzel und Gretyl are almost always on my Gym Mix.

Basically, lots of fast, stompy, and occasionally dance-y EBM. Keeps me movin'. :bouncy:
 
Any suggestions for work outs that are light on the foot? I pinched a nerve in my toes awhile back and while iv been forcing myself to walk I just cant get the same work out from it since I cant move at the same pace or run at all anymore.

We have an exercise bike and iv been hopping on it, and in the summer ill try and swim a lot more...but in the mean time its pretty much the bike or nothing.

I am not looking to tone my body at the moment, just drop some of the pounds iv gained back(went from 350+ to 200 back to 290!).
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Any suggestions for work outs that are light on the foot? I pinched a nerve in my toes awhile back and while iv been forcing myself to walk I just cant get the same work out from it since I cant move at the same pace or run at all anymore.

We have an exercise bike and iv been hopping on it, and in the summer ill try and swim a lot more...but in the mean time its pretty much the bike or nothing.

I am not looking to tone my body at the moment, just drop some of the pounds iv gained back(went from 350+ to 200 back to 290!).[/QUOTE]

Change your eating habits first. You can likely lose the weight you want this way first. What does your doctor recommend for exercise? I broke a disc in my back (long story) late 08 and went through a bunch of PT for pinched nerves, etc. Walking or swimming (even if you're just treading water) were good options. I currently swim in an indoor pool due to the weather, and if that's an option, I recommend it.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']Change your eating habits first. You can likely lose the weight you want this way first. What does your doctor recommend for exercise? I broke a disc in my back (long story) late 08 and went through a bunch of PT for pinched nerves, etc. Walking or swimming (even if you're just treading water) were good options. I currently swim in an indoor pool due to the weather, and if that's an option, I recommend it.[/QUOTE]

Well losing the 150 pounds before trust me I understand the importance of changing eating habits. I lost the first 30-40 of it just eating soda, going for a 15-30 minute walk a day and cutting ice cream and pizza way down.

As I said I have still been forcing myself to walk, I just dont feel like its the best work out anymore. I used to walk at a much faster pace and now it freaking hurts even going at the slower pace thanks to the damn neurama.

Swimming would be amazing, wish I could but the gyms with pools around here are hella expensive less you sign up for multi year plans which we dont want to do since after the wife finishes school we might not stay here.
 
I wanted to post the following here. If it's in writing, I can be held accountable, and I want to make sure I stick to this.

I resolve to get back in "beach shape" by July 1st. I missed 9 months of gym time and dropped 40 pounds last year. I've put on another 15 or so since, weighing in at 156 pounds.

I've been back in the gym the past 2 weeks, and I'm both sore and only able to lift half (sometimes less) of what I did before. I'm going to be going in 4 days a week from now on. The biggest issue I have is that I need to do cardio to burn fat, but my knees feel like they're on fire when I run, even on the elliptical.

In the end, my plan is to lose 10 pounds of fat and gain 20 pounds of muscle. That would put me at a solid (I'm squishy now) 165 pounds. I'd still like to get bigger than that, but that's my 1st goal for this year.

Oh, if anyone is curious, I have been working legs on Tuesdays, chest Wednesdays, biceps and back Saturdays, and shoulders and triceps on Sundays. I've also been doing 10 minutes of pre-lifting cardio (all I can handle at this point) and I work abs all 4 days I'm in the gym.
 
[quote name='Matt Young']I wanted to post the following here. If it's in writing, I can be held accountable, and I want to make sure I stick to this.

I resolve to get back in "beach shape" by July 1st. I missed 9 months of gym time and dropped 40 pounds last year. I've put on another 15 or so since, weighing in at 156 pounds.

I've been back in the gym the past 2 weeks, and I'm both sore and only able to lift half (sometimes less) of what I did before. I'm going to be going in 4 days a week from now on. The biggest issue I have is that I need to do cardio to burn fat, but my knees feel like they're on fire when I run, even on the elliptical.

In the end, my plan is to lose 10 pounds of fat and gain 20 pounds of muscle. That would put me at a solid (I'm squishy now) 165 pounds. I'd still like to get bigger than that, but that's my 1st goal for this year.

Oh, if anyone is curious, I have been working legs on Tuesdays, chest Wednesdays, biceps and back Saturdays, and shoulders and triceps on Sundays. I've also been doing 10 minutes of pre-lifting cardio (all I can handle at this point) and I work abs all 4 days I'm in the gym.[/QUOTE]

Sounds like a good routine. Don't get discouraged about not being able to lift as much as before, as that strength will return quickly with hard training, especially if you have the main compound lifts on each given training day. Stick to it and use the image of that beach body as your motivation to keep driving yourself. You have a goal set in mind, so that will make the motivation factor much easier to achieve. Keep us posted.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Well losing the 150 pounds before trust me I understand the importance of changing eating habits. I lost the first 30-40 of it just eating soda, going for a 15-30 minute walk a day and cutting ice cream and pizza way down.

As I said I have still been forcing myself to walk, I just dont feel like its the best work out anymore. I used to walk at a much faster pace and now it freaking hurts even going at the slower pace thanks to the damn neurama.

Swimming would be amazing, wish I could but the gyms with pools around here are hella expensive less you sign up for multi year plans which we dont want to do since after the wife finishes school we might not stay here.[/QUOTE]

A general rule is, that if something hurts, don't continue to do it. Does your town have a YMCA? I joined mine, and they have an olympic sized indoor pool that is heated. It runs me about $45 a month, which isn't terrible.
 
Any tips for making time in an extremely busy schedule? I know that's hard advice to give...

I just need something consistent. Grad school has killed whatever free time I've had left. If it weren't for the 2 mile walk I do between labs, I wouldn't get any exercise in.

Tuesdays I have a break between clients and I get to the gym then, but I might just suck it up and start going Wednesday/Thursday nights no matter how tired I am :lol:
 
[quote name='seanr1221']Any tips for making time in an extremely busy schedule? I know that's hard advice to give...

I just need something consistent. Grad school has killed whatever free time I've had left. If it weren't for the 2 mile walk I do between labs, I wouldn't get any exercise in.

Tuesdays I have a break between clients and I get to the gym then, but I might just suck it up and start going Wednesday/Thursday nights no matter how tired I am :lol:[/QUOTE]

Don't force the issue when you are tired- your chances of injuring yourself are a lot greater. Plus, when your body is already worn down, pushing yourself through a workout will really kill your body's immune system.

As far as a set workout, its tough to recommend something with how busy your schedule sounds. If you're walking 2 miles per day, that should plenty take care of your basic aerobic fitness. As far as strength stuff, you might give a bodyweight circuit a try. Set a time limit (15-20 minutes to start) and use pullups, pushups, bodyweight squats and situps with a rep scheme of 5,10,15,20 respectively. Just keep moving throughout the entire time period and you'll work up a good sweat. The main benefits for this are an extension to cardiovascular training, very short workout time and you can do it almost anywhere since the only equipment you need is something to do pullups on. You could also probably get away with performing this routine every other day or even every day (depending on your current conditioning level, and as you stated, the amount of time you can find).
Best of luck to you. I'm an undergrad student and I feel overwhelmed with school work, so I can't imagine what a grad student's schedule looks like.
 
[quote name='Megiddo_CAG']Any advice on getting a set workout at a shitty gym, just got free weights at my community gym.[/QUOTE]

Gotta love training at those "shitty gyms".:D I'm in a similar situation where my gym has a bunch of rusty old barbells, benches and plates and I absolutely love it.

But, to your question- yeah, you can actually get a great workout if you have the most basic equipment. All you really need is a squat/power rack, standalone bench, barbells and plates and you are set. And even if all you have is a rack of dumbbells, a lot of damage can be done. With the stuff listed above, you can do any number of compound movements to really build size and strength as well as isolation stuff like curls and extensions.

Are you looking to build muscle and strength or just a basic fitness routine? And what is your current fitness level?
 
[quote name='EDiddy0042']Gotta love training at those "shitty gyms".:D I'm in a similar situation where my gym has a bunch of rusty old barbells, benches and plates and I absolutely love it.

But, to your question- yeah, you can actually get a great workout if you have the most basic equipment. All you really need is a squat/power rack, standalone bench, barbells and plates and you are set. And even if all you have is a rack of dumbbells, a lot of damage can be done. With the stuff listed above, you can do any number of compound movements to really build size and strength as well as isolation stuff like curls and extensions.

Are you looking to build muscle and strength or just a basic fitness routine? And what is your current fitness level?[/QUOTE]

:drool: Its shit, like 5 pieces of equipment in there, and its like, 2 steps your in, and that's the size of the gym. I am gonna start going there soon, I'll post back at some point, what equipment is there.

I am really more looking to get lean, and than maybe build muscle afterward. I was hoping to "lose weight" + "build muscle" at the same time, maybe you can shed some light on this?

My current fitness level is bottom of the barrel, sore legs after running for 5 minutes. I haven't worked out in a few years, so I'd like to get at the very least, some kind of work out plan. All help is appreciated.
 
[quote name='Megiddo_CAG']:drool: Its shit, like 5 pieces of equipment in there, and its like, 2 steps your in, and that's the size of the gym. I am gonna start going there soon, I'll post back at some point, what equipment is there.

I am really more looking to get lean, and than maybe build muscle afterward. I was hoping to "lose weight" + "build muscle" at the same time, maybe you can shed some light on this?

My current fitness level is bottom of the barrel, sore legs after running for 5 minutes. I haven't worked out in a few years, so I'd like to get at the very least, some kind of work out plan. All help is appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Hey, we all gotta start somewhere, and you can't get anywhere without those first steps. This is what I can recommend for you since you are just starting out. Rather than going right into weight training, just do bodyweight exercises for 2 or 3 weeks to get your muscles primed for the weight training later. Start off slow, just doing pushups, situps, bodyweight squats and pullups (if you have access to a pullup bar). Do this every other day, and on days where you aren't doing your BW exercises, do some light cardio. Run for 1 minute, and walk for 2. Alternate running and walking for 15 minutes. Gradually, your CV endurance will improve and you will be able to go for longer and longer. An alternative would be to start out on the bike which is a lot lower impact, so you can typically go for longer periods of time.

As far as losing weight and building muscle, once you get to the actual weight training after the 2 weeks of cailsthenics, that is when you will really start to build muscle. Once you start weight training and getting more muscle mass, your basal metabolic rate (resting metabolism) will increase as a result of the muscle burning more calories. I'll shoot you a pm in a week or two with your starting weight training routine. If you have any other questions (I know this seems like a lot but I feel like I may have left some info out), just post it here or shoot me a pm and I'll help you out. Best of luck to you.
 
[quote name='seanr1221']Any tips for making time in an extremely busy schedule? I know that's hard advice to give...

I just need something consistent. Grad school has killed whatever free time I've had left. If it weren't for the 2 mile walk I do between labs, I wouldn't get any exercise in.

Tuesdays I have a break between clients and I get to the gym then, but I might just suck it up and start going Wednesday/Thursday nights no matter how tired I am :lol:[/QUOTE]

It's tough, I had a tough time getting workouts in through grad school, and now still struggle working as an Asst. Prof.

The key for me was to stick to a routine and not worry about doing it certain days and times. I do a 4 day split of:

1. Chest/tris/abs
2. Legs
3. Back/Bis
4. Shoulders

With 20-30 minutes of moderate cardio following the lifting (usually walk on the treadmill at a brisk pace of 4-4.5 MPH).

I used to try to do in Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday, but just couldn't stick to it. Now I just get through it whenever and don't worry about days or times. I usually get the 4 workouts in every 7-10 days. I usually go mid morning before heading into the office and working late, or on Sat/Sun afternoons. It's not ideal vs. having a more set routine, but it's much better to get workouts in semi regularly than not at all. Especially now that I'm a little older and more just doing it to stay in shape and stay healthy vs. worrying about putting on muscle etc--that's just the icing on the cake of being in shape and feeling good rather than the other way around for me now.

Need to get back in the gym tomorrow morning, haven't made it the past two weeks. Was super busy two weeks ago with work, and had a cold last week that I'm pretty much rid of now.
 
Hey guys.

I've been able to live a pretty healthy life-style after college, working out fairly regularly and shedding 20 pounds in about 6 months (it's amazing what consuming less beer can do for you :)).

Now that I'm kinda realizing that this isn't a fad and rather just a new lifestyle, I was wondering if anyone could recommend me a daily vitamin or vitamins. I'm looking for overall health but it would also be great to boost my immune system.

I am a teacher so I often take Airborne, but it's pretty expensive to take everyday. Any help / insight / advice will be appreciated. Thanks dudes!
 
I take a good bit of Vitamins personally--have for years.

- A good multivitamin. Currently Kirkland's (Costco store brand) Premium Performance Multi Vitamin. Vitamin World's Ultravita Man or whatever it's called is a good cheap one too. Both are kind of like GNC's Mega Men vitamin for a fraction of the price.

-50mg Zinc.
-Glucosamine/Chondroitin--also use the Kirklands. Very good for joint health
-A Vitamin B Complex
-1000 MG of Vitamin C

I take the multivitamin, zinc and 1 glucosamine/condroitin in the morning after breakfast, the B complex, C and the second Glucasamine after dinner.
 
[quote name='EDiddy0042']Hey, we all gotta start somewhere, and you can't get anywhere without those first steps. This is what I can recommend for you since you are just starting out. Rather than going right into weight training, just do bodyweight exercises for 2 or 3 weeks to get your muscles primed for the weight training later. Start off slow, just doing pushups, situps, bodyweight squats and pullups (if you have access to a pullup bar). Do this every other day, and on days where you aren't doing your BW exercises, do some light cardio. Run for 1 minute, and walk for 2. Alternate running and walking for 15 minutes. Gradually, your CV endurance will improve and you will be able to go for longer and longer. An alternative would be to start out on the bike which is a lot lower impact, so you can typically go for longer periods of time.

As far as losing weight and building muscle, once you get to the actual weight training after the 2 weeks of cailsthenics, that is when you will really start to build muscle. Once you start weight training and getting more muscle mass, your basal metabolic rate (resting metabolism) will increase as a result of the muscle burning more calories. I'll shoot you a pm in a week or two with your starting weight training routine. If you have any other questions (I know this seems like a lot but I feel like I may have left some info out), just post it here or shoot me a pm and I'll help you out. Best of luck to you.[/QUOTE]


Not at all, I'll pm you sooner or later.

Thanks for your time and advice!
 
does masturbation counts as 'working out'?
if so, i been quite ahead of the game.


on a serious note,

Take Vitamin A (debatable?), Vitamin B6 (must) and Zinc (must) if you want to treat your mild case of acne.
 
I quit smoking and drinking and joined a gym on June 3, 2009. I am 6' and weighed 248 lbs. I now weigh 182 lbs and am in the best shape of my life. I feel great and I think I look good but I want to put on some muscle. I work out at least 5 days a week but can't seem to get my chest any bigger. I'm doing flys and bench, what else should I be doing?
 
you always gotta make sure you hit all the muscles (incline, decline, flat etc), and make sure you hit up your back as well. id go into more detail, but everyone needs to figure out what works best for their own specific body.
 
[quote name='n4styn4t3']I quit smoking and drinking and joined a gym on June 3, 2009. I am 6' and weighed 248 lbs. I now weigh 182 lbs and am in the best shape of my life. I feel great and I think I look good but I want to put on some muscle. I work out at least 5 days a week but can't seem to get my chest any bigger. I'm doing flys and bench, what else should I be doing?[/QUOTE]

Congrats on the positive changes. Put some incline presses into your routine- they help to develop the upper pectoral muscles and therefore add overall thickness and density to the chest when developed. Dips are good for creating the distinct separation between the lower pecs and the rib cage. As perdition(troy said, you gotta find what works for you. Every person will find benefit from different exercises.

As a more unconventional method (and one that I am personally a fan of) for expanding the chest, do a set of heavy squats followed immediately by dumbbell pullovers. This is how it works:

You are only going to do 1 set of squats, followed with 1 set of dumbbell pullovers. Take a weight you normally fail with at 10 reps. You force yourself (by pure mental will and deep breathing) to get 20 reps. This is the hardest thing you will ever do in regards to your strength training, but it is ridiculously effective. Plus, this exercise has a way of mentally making you one badass mofo.

I just gave a short explanation of it. Here is a full-length article on what it's all about: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/irontamer5.htm

As a disclaimer, if you are new to squatting (or weight training in general) DO NOT TRY THIS. Like I said, extremely simple in form, but challenging as hell to do.
 
I've been working out on and off for the last 3 years in my basement with some basic equipment my dad bought through at friend at a state college gym. I have a bench/incline/decline, preacher curl bench, two dumbells, a set of perfect push-ups, treadmill, and elliptical.

Lately my routine has been

Day A
15 inclined push-ups
(10 reps on bench, 10 curls each arm) x 3
15 inclined push-ups
(10 reps on decline bench, 15 tricep bench dips) x 3
15 inclined push-ups
(10 reps on incline bench, 15 barbell curls) x 3
1 mile jog on treadmill

Day B
2 mile run on treadmill

Anyone have any advice on how to mix up my workout routine? I definitely feel like I've been plateauing lately... I'm mainly looking to keep my arms strong and maybe drop some fat along the way. This whole routine usually takes me about 90 minutes, and I take a day off every three days or so.

Thanks for any and all help guys.
 
You need to work more body parts.

For one, you need to hit legs. Hard to do squats with that equipment, but you can at least do lunges and dead lifts, can do standing calf raises with dumbells probably as long as you have a step or something to stand on..

Also need to hit the back. Do some dumbell rows if nothing else (deadlifts will get the lower back along with the hamstrings). I'd do more for triceps too--some overhead dumbell extensions or dumbell kick backs.
 
I started the P90x today, doing back & chest plus the Ab Ripper X routine. I must say, anyone who buys it is a fool. Is it a decent workout? Yes, especially the ab part. But, if you're going to try it, either download it illegally or borrow it from a friend like I did. All the workouts were things I already was doing (save for a couple weird variations on pushups) and you could do all that at a gym plus much more. They're charging you $200 for stuff you can learn for yourself online at any bodybuilding website.

Oh, and a somewhat related note- my friend who let me borrow the P90x also lent me the Perfect Pushup. It's very uncomfortable for me. Tony Horton, in the P90x video, said that pushup bars take strain off your wrists, but the Perfect Pushup was very uncomfortable on my wrists. I'll stick to doing them the normal way.
 
[quote name='Matt Young']I started the P90x today, doing back & chest plus the Ab Ripper X routine. I must say, anyone who buys it is a fool. Is it a decent workout? Yes, especially the ab part. But, if you're going to try it, either download it illegally or borrow it from a friend like I did. All the workouts were things I already was doing (save for a couple weird variations on pushups) and you could do all that at a gym plus much more. They're charging you $200 for stuff you can learn for yourself online at any bodybuilding website.

Oh, and a somewhat related note- my friend who let me borrow the P90x also lent me the Perfect Pushup. It's very uncomfortable for me. Tony Horton, in the P90x video, said that pushup bars take strain off your wrists, but the Perfect Pushup was very uncomfortable on my wrists. I'll stick to doing them the normal way.[/QUOTE]

Just shows that the "testimonials" they give on TV are probably people who are paid to plug the thing. I've always thought the same thing about P90X. Thanks for the review. It seems that most, if not all of the "new advancements" in exercise science technology are simply money-making schemes to draw in those looking for a "quick fix" to something that takes a hard-working person months or even years to achieve.
 
i just got p90x with tony horton. No, i did not pay for this since i am a CAG.
also using the perfect pull up which is straight up beastly. i used to kill pull ups but i can only do 8-9 max on this and thats when im lucky.

The hardest thing is eating right and when to eat the foods. this takes the most control and i am having the hardest time with it.

i am going to do the 90 day thing with the p90x and see how it works for me. gotta buy some protein shakes and such. the nutrition guide is very good from what i have seen.

anyone here mess with creatine? I know this guy that is RIPPED and says it works well. but i have a good friend who used to do it (creatine, protein shakes, etc) and now he has cardiovascular problems (enlarged heart). but he did fall off of it pretty hard.
 
[quote name='mr_burnzz']i just got p90x with tony horton. No, i did not pay for this since i am a CAG.
also using the perfect pull up which is straight up beastly. i used to kill pull ups but i can only do 8-9 max on this and thats when im lucky.

The hardest thing is eating right and when to eat the foods. this takes the most control and i am having the hardest time with it.

i am going to do the 90 day thing with the p90x and see how it works for me. gotta buy some protein shakes and such. the nutrition guide is very good from what i have seen.

anyone here mess with creatine? I know this guy that is RIPPED and says it works well. but i have a good friend who used to do it (creatine, protein shakes, etc) and now he has cardiovascular problems (enlarged heart). but he did fall off of it pretty hard.[/QUOTE]

There haven't been many long-term studies regarding the use of creatine and its effects on the body. Some speculate that excessive use can lead to kidney and liver damage later on down the road, but again, speculation. I've never personally used it, but I know people who've had success with it, and I know people who have seen absolutely nothing come from it. Most creatine supps. will boost strength and size, but the majority of the size (from what I've heard) is water weight and the strength quickly goes away once you cycle off of it. If you are going to take it, go for creatine monohydrate (I think that is the right one), since it has a higher concentration of the stuff in a lower dose.

Naturally, your body doesn't need that much creatine, and I feel that taking a creatine supplement is overkill since your body can't really deal well with all the excess. Natural sources (red meat, chicken, fish) have the proper amounts proportioned right into the food, and you don't have to worry about gaining any kind of extra water weight. But give it a try: as I said, I've heard a broad range of individual results, so the only way you will know if it works for you is to try it.
 
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