Originally posted by ragesRemorse
aww, dude, yeah, when my arm gave out i didn't know what to think. There was no pain what so ever. Since i didn't feel any pain i wasn't worried about a tear but i was worried to say the least. It was hell playing Hockey with that pulled deltoid. I couldn't raise my stick past waist level
I know stretching after workouts is more important than stretching before workouts but i can never be bothered. I'm sure it's a discipline problem but depending on the severity of my workouts, i never notice any type of benefit from stretching afterward. Maybe it's because i always go through 20-40 minutes of stretching before i lift but yeah, do you get any benefit from stretching after a workout? I read that you stretch in between sets but i'm not to concerned about toning as much as i am about stamina so i don't like to break rhythm to much in a way that will lower my heart rate but has stretching afterwards ever done more for you than stretching in between sets?
What are you doing to work your legs, strength or endurance training and what exercises?
That story still sounds scary about the delt incident. I'm glad it didn't tear your shit up.
The scientific data says to only stretch at the end of a workout. Not the beginning.
Muscular Development, July 2007. I forgot where, but I found it on the internet.
Here's an article that is close.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x1125288406/Stretch-at-the-end-of-your-workout-instead-of-beginning
It reduces power and increases ROM. (Range of Motion) UP to a certain point, that's good, but then it can cause the joints to dislocate or tendons to tear at the insertion.
Stretch at the end after your done.
I don't think Kosta and I are doing wrong by doing those short little stretches throughout the workout. They aren't long static holds, and I don't bounce the stretch. (I'm not sure about Kosta...but I highly doubt he would do that dangerous bouncy stretching.)
I rarely do cardio. But I'm starting to do it again for just the "in-shape" benefits so I don't get winded throughout the workout.
My leg workouts seem rather simple, but I work so hard that no one I've trained with can do them.
I simply do front squats, leg presses, and dumbbell lunges.
I then do straight legged deadlifts (for the erectors and hamstrings) then seated leg curls (for hams) and then standing leg curls on a pulley machine (for stability and the oh-so painful nice contraction at the top.)
I have been hitting calves harder lately because I have shit genetics there. I do uni-lateral standing calve raises on the platform for the spotter on incline bench. (I use the left and right upright columns to hold on to for stability and I pick up the unworked foot so I'm not tempted to assist the working gastrocnemius while doing the raises.
After that, I rest up for a bit and then use the same exact location to do both calves at the same time for one or two utter burn sets. (I can barely walk after the last set like this...it is outrageously difficult..lol)
I then finish calves off with some seated calf raises to hit the soleus nice and hard...I vary that up with reps and weight to keep them guessing...of course.
The main thing I do for legs is front squats. I am doing about 245 for 10 reps lately...dude...if you can find ANYONE at your gym that can do front squats with 245 for 10 deep reps for 2 or 3 sets, I'll be shocked.
Let's put it this way, before when I was doing back squats, I stopped with 455 for about 4 sets of 8-10. I've gotten a lot stronger since I did back squats, on legs. Now I can barely eek out 10 reps with 245 on front squats. My quads are ALWAYS sore after working out now whereas before, I would barely get sore if at all. I also have shitty leg-hip anatomy so I'm not built for back squats too well.
Anyway, that would be nice if you, Kosta, and myself could get together and workout. I would love to work out with my KMC homies.
Originally posted by Kosta
I live at home still cuz I'm at uni, because I'm studying my parents refuse to take any rent that I offer them, and up until a couple of weeks ago I was working a job that gave me $400 a week pocket money. Because of this I was able to afford to buy a shitload of supplements. Also, the guy I train with, Carlos Azveda, works at a supplement store, and gives me really good prices. That's an awesome back and bicep routine, mine is very similar.
That is great, on both accounts. You're lucky
Originally posted by Kosta
As far as weight is concerned, what you're pulling there is really good. It's all relative anyway, it's how much you can lift in relation your body weight.
Sort of. If you're going for ninja fitness or something.
Since neither of us are lifting for a strength to weight ratio, it doesn't really matter, except for ego.
At 219, I can do 10 pull ups with no problem...so I guess I'm fine with biceps/back strength.
Originally posted by Kosta
I train, and watch these retards come in and try to impress everyone by lifting as heavy as possible and grunting like f*cking gorillas, having really poor form/technique, thinking that everyone is awestruck because of how 'strong' they are, when in fact anyone in that gym that has any clue thinks they're idiot and they're likely to hurt themselves.
I know EXACTLY the type you're talking about. I am dead serious when I say that I grab the 2 and a half pound dumbbells and sit right next to them curling while grunting really loud. I've done that twice. The first one just ignored me. The second was a buddy I knew so he just laughed it off with a "you a**hole, that shit is heavy." It is quite funny to watch those grunters go to town with their mediocre weight.
However, I could care less, in the end. I'd rather them be at the gym grunting that be at home loafing on the couch.
Originally posted by Kosta
I changed my training from strength to bulk and conditioning a couple months ago. I got pretty strong by the end of it. I was weighing 235 lbs, dead lifting 420 lbs at 6 reps (with wrist straps), squatting 286 lbs at 6 reps, leg pressing 615 lbs at 6 reps and benching 245 lbs at 6 reps.
Cool. Yeah, I used to do the powerlifting thing. At one point, I was going to play football at a division 1 college. An ankle injury changed that plan. I then started to pay attention to the older guys and talked to two orthopedic surgeons. Apparently, powerlifting is a dumbass idea if you plan to sleep through the night after 30. lol!
Originally posted by Kosta
I got bored with power lifting, because although it was awesome to be able to lift so heavy, I wanted to condition my body more to look a bit leaner and more athletic.
Agreed. The joint damage coupled with not having a nicely proportioned body were my reasons.
Originally posted by Kosta
At this point I dieted and changed my training so that my work sets were 10 - 12 reps, as apposed to 6 - 8. My strength has decreased by about 10 - 15% on my work sets depending on which exercise it is, but I'm much preferring training this way.
Have you considered 8-12 reps? Many professional body builders always do between 8-12 reps per set for years and years. They vary up how they do those reps, though.
Originally posted by Kosta
I get better pump and I'm getting better gains. I went from 25% body fat to 12% and now weigh 215lbs. I've stopped dieting and now have an equal intake to output diet so that I can maintain what I have, as I don't really want to get much bigger than this. Not for the moment anyway.
Agreed. Looking pretty is better than lifting a shitload of weight.
) ... and it is pretty bad, I also remember that sometimes, when lying on my stomach and having my legs in an angle I get cramps in my thigs. Those are not as bad as in the calfs though and easier to fix.
Isnt that greedy of me?