The Fitness Thread

[HamaTime™]

I usually use smith, but it was busy for ages with a couple of stupid school kids on saturday, so I did a recliner bench (the adjustable ones you can use for everything) and put that on decline and did 20kg dumbbells. I didn't feel it was very effective...definitely need a spotter to help get heavier weights up

 

[Jarp]

Is the Smiths Machine the one that you can fly forwards or backwards? This has been a learning curve for me. At 40odd it has taken my muscles quite a long time to start working well again and now only just starting to reap some gains after 2 years of slog. Also technique is most important so taken a while to workout what works for me and learning every day I go just watching what others do and then trying that out.

 

[HamaTime™]

Is the Smiths Machine the one that you can fly forwards or backwards? This has been a learning curve for me. At 40odd it has taken my muscles quite a long time to start working well again and now only just starting to reap some gains after 2 years of slog. Also technique is most important so taken a while to workout what works for me and learning every day I go just watching what others do and then trying that out.

Good work for getting back into the gym mate.

A tip I can pass onto you is that remember whilst choosing your exercises and most importantly your technique and form, that natural movement is key.

Alot of people hyper extend their limbs whilst doing an exercise which is both dangerous (for injuries) and unnecessary, i.e. bench press, arms should come down to 45 degrees (upper arm and forearm at right angles) which should leave the bar a good 4 inches or so (depending on your body) off your chest. See alot of people loading up huge weight and letting the bar hit their chest, by which time their arms/shoulders are hyper extended.

One revolutionary point that will transform your workout if your not doing it already, is whilst doing any exercise, (don't swing - obvious point) keep the weight fully on your muscles at all times during the set (don't let the weight hang and the muscle group the exercise focuses on, rest whilst in the middle of reps). I.e. bicep curl, through the 8 reps, make sure your bicep is controlling/holding the weight the whole time throughout the set.

Also at the end of each rep, hold the weigh for 1-2 seconds and have emphasis on your negative reps.

Forgive me if you knew any of this, trying to be helpful

Smith's Machine is below.

 

[discomat]

Smith machine is a barbell that is fixed within steel rails, allowing only vertical movement. The benefit is that it does not need to be re-racked so good when exercising alone.

 

[some_guy]

Alot of people hyper extend their limbs whilst doing an exercise which is both dangerous (for injuries) and unnecessary, i.e. bench press, arms should come down to 45 degrees (upper arm and forearm at right angles) which should leave the bar a good 4 inches or so (depending on your body) off your chest. See alot of people loading up huge weight and letting the bar hit their chest, by which time their arms/shoulders are hyper extended

Some good info in that post hamma, however, just one thing.

I don't think hyper extension is the term your looking for. Hyper extension is the movement of the joint beyond its normal range of motion. So using your example to hyper extend you arms you woul have to have the barbell at the top of your rep and your elbows would be bowing in wards.

Another example could be you knee joint folding backwards (see image)

And as for dropping the bars height in relation to your chest, doing as deep as possible is desired, however this motion must be controlled I.e. slowly lowering the weight to your chest rather than dropping it quickly and then trying to power upwards.

4 inches is roughly 10cm you should be doing bench at at weight where the bar can bottom out about 1-1.5cmoff your chest.

 

[Jarp]

Nah HammaTime I'm more than happy to listen to others and take advice so thanks. I work in a Veterinaray Clinic and see and learn new stuff everyday. Is good to expand ones knowledge. I have sussed out over the last couple of years that it is important to keep your muscles engaged in all parts of the exercise. I tend to go from one exercise to another quickly but try hard to stay focused during the exercise and maintain form...this usually means a slow application of push and pull resistances which in effect keeps the muscles loaded in one direction or the other...if that makes sense.

 

[Essassin]

I do standing Military press in front of head as well.

I have decided to step things up when I get back from 3 months work overseas coming up soon. I haven't been back into training that long but I'm already getting pretty motivated about it.

So, when I'm back, I will be training 5 days a week with the chest/tris and back/bis split twice a week, shoulders and legs once. I will also be starting on mesomorph and a BCAA supplement, as well as a whole new diet plan. I'm really looking forward to getting more serious and hopefully reaching my goals by next summer. All this will start happening when I get back to Aus in March.

I should still be able to train while I'm overseas but probably not 5 days a week as I will be busy with work. I'll update when I've made some noteworthy progress.

 

[Jecs]

ok finish my mesomorph cycle and ive noticed comin off it ive lost alot intrest workin out hard. i still work out but not pushin it as hard cause everythin feels alot heavier. dont know if its a placebo effect or its my body coming off it.

 

[Essassin]

It could be either, but just like when you stop using any drug/supplement/medication legal or otherwise, your body needs time to adjust. Maybe there's something else you could take for pre workout energy in the mean time?

 

[slutvs]

im starting my new pre workout cycle tomorrow cant wait! jecs when you came off could you still lift the same amount of weight and maintain the same amount of reps if you get me? im the same, was like depressed in the gym without a pre-workout in my system and struggled to lift with the intensity you get when you have your pre's. its good to lift naturally though AND you will probly find that next cycle you will be pushing alot more weight. thats what i found on my second one anyway..