I've been training forever and consider myself to be one of the more knowledgeable gym rats at my gym, but even I plan on hiring a trainer for a few weeks before I plan on doing a show this year. I'd like to have the opinion of someone who's stepped on stage before and can give me an honest critique of where my body is.

1/10/2012 10:50:05 PM

I been w the same trainer for 2.5 years. I don't think I'll ever quit unless I move away or something. I just can't motivate myself to bring the same kinda intensity on my own and I'm too afraid to ask one of the big guys to be my workout buddy

1/11/2012 12:20:52 AM

eleusis, i don't think this:

Quote :

"but even I plan on hiring a trainer for a few weeks before I plan on doing a show this year. I'd like to have the opinion of someone who's stepped on stage before and can give me an honest critique of where my body is"

is the same as someone who has someone hang around for too long who isn't really motivated to see them perform as much as they are making some $$$.

i would pay louie simmons to train me (for about 3 months, the same as one cycle). but after a while, the law of diminishing returns would make it no longer fruitful and there wouldn't be much he or any trainer could give me that wasn't ultra specialized for a specific, time sensetive purpose (much like eleusis is doing).

i am talking about the dog shit guys at big box gym who "work" with you on swiss ball crunches and have people brainwashed that they could never workout hard without someone who cares more about the chix in hot pants than the client they are "helping."

1/11/2012 7:46:00 AM

^ I'll agree with you on this...

If you are hiring a pro to train you, then you need to be hitting quantifiable and qualitative goals.

Are you losing weight? Is your strength increasing? Is your work capacity greater? Do you look, feel and perform better than a month prior?

A trainer helps you set up a program to produce specific goals and teaches you correct technique. If they don't, then they are more of a baby-sitter than anything else.

1/11/2012 8:28:22 AM

ate a cleaner dinner than i have in the past month or so.
mixed with doing the bodyrock day 3 challenge.

have been hoping to start to put 1 lb a week until the end of the month, but it looks like it might be harder to get used to doing. will have to incorporate more healthy snacking around brunchtime.

1/11/2012 9:25:40 AM

Quote :

"A trainer helps you set up a program to produce specific goals and teaches you correct technique. If they don't, then they are more of a baby-sitter than anything else."

I completely agree with this. I started with a trainer because I had no idea where to start on my own, or what technique would be best for achieving my own goals. My first trainer was good, but he didn't set specific goals and he let me get away with too much on the technique side. The new trainer pushes me, has set goals to reach by a certain point, and no matter how exhausted I am, I can't slip up and fudge on my hand/feet position, etc.

1/11/2012 9:37:52 AM

grimx if you are looking to get bigger and stronger, I'd recommend something better than BodyRock work outs.

You simply can't create the stimulus your body needs to grow and adapt with 20minute body weight or low load workouts a la body rock.

Getting bigger and stronger requires incrementally adding weight and/or reps to full range compound movements. Best done with a barbell.

1/11/2012 9:51:30 AM

bodyrock is going to be a cardio supplement, i'd like to try and burn off a little more fat around my stomach.

i'm still continuing to do weights 3 days a week.

1/11/2012 9:57:01 AM

Quote :

"My Goals for this year(2012): Do another 8k, hopefully two Do the Broad Street Run May 1st (10k) Run the Philly Rock & Roll half marathon September 16th Trim my body down some more, get down into the 120s"

I also want to add another goal and that is to be in the best shape of my life by the time I hit 30 years old (June 27th) It's a bit ambiguous, but I want to be strong, lean, and toned. And I have less than six months to do it

1/11/2012 10:27:54 AM

I workout with a trainer (who also works out with a trainer) about once a week and i love it - especially because she has a style different from my own. It keeps my workouts interesting and gives me ideas to use in my classes.

1/11/2012 1:37:56 PM

Having a coach and a trainer are two different things. You can have a coach who lays down ground rules and options, but doesn't hold it while you pee like trainers do.

Again back to Louie; you don't have to have him monitor your workouts, but he'll gladly help you if you ask and lay down what's expected from his program. Of course, you would have to be accepted in his gym...

1/11/2012 2:48:48 PM

I'm back for another round. Been eating way too much this winter. The Porky Pig look doesn't work for me.

1/11/2012 2:51:18 PM

Quote :

"bodyrock is going to be a cardio supplement, i'd like to try and burn off a little more fat around my stomach."

It's probably not going to work. Unless you get down to 5-10% body fat, you're going to have some extra fat there.

You need to build muscle all over. Once you do, the small amount of fat you have in your midsection isn't going to look bad. It took me a long time to realize this, myself. Not sure what kind of strength training you're doing, but isolation exercises will only take you so far.

[Edited on January 11, 2012 at 3:53 PM. Reason : ]

1/11/2012 3:51:07 PM

well, i'm working on putting on the weight now and hopefully it will help even out. i figure it'll take about 3 months or so before i get into that range though

1/11/2012 3:52:18 PM

Hopefully I can focus when I get home and get a workout in before the NCSU game at 9

HOPEFULLY

1/11/2012 5:27:51 PM

where are the pics so i can fap to them

1/11/2012 5:57:14 PM

Quote :

"I'm too afraid to ask one of the big guys to be my workout buddy "

I tried this and well

eleusis + Quinn workout team RIP.

1/11/2012 6:50:12 PM

pick a time this weekend and I'll train with you.

1/11/2012 8:04:46 PM

Great workout tonight! I've been making sure to get the right kinds and amounts of food all day, so I had enough energy to give it my all. I'm going to be soooo sore tomorrow, which is exciting.

1/11/2012 8:20:16 PM

good workout for me as well.

started in on a higher weight for one arm rows and bent rows.

i imagine i'll be feeling it more later today or tomorrow though

1/12/2012 8:18:34 AM

I've been getting considerable elbow pain after squatting, bench press, shoulder press and chin ups. And before you people chime in with "poor squat form" it also hits during my other movements and I make sure to keep my elbows in position to where they aren't bearing the load of the bar. At first it was in just my right elbow but as I've moved up in weight it's migrated to my left elbow too. It usually subsides a few hours after my lift session but is pretty intense as soon as I start even with just the bar for warmups. Today I got fed up with it, as it started to effect performance, and looked online and found that it could actually be a shoulder inflexibility issue. Has anyone ever heard of this or experienced it? They recommended shoulder dislocations to stretch out the shoulder. These things look pretty freaky though.
http://stronglifts.com/shoulders-dislocations/

1/12/2012 3:36:29 PM

It actually probably is your squat form, specificlly wrist position and bar placement on the shoulders.

I've suffered the exact same symptoms and they were fixed by following this video to a tee: http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/platform_the_squat_bar_position

1/12/2012 4:08:34 PM

^^nobody has perfect squat form. it's what we TRY to acheive. without a lot of
gobble-dee-gook, i would advise just a few things.

1) make sure your back is tight around the bar from all four directions, with your neck driven back and your blades pulled in tight. this applies to low AND high bar

2) try to bend the weight around your back. you can't, neither can the world's best squatter. it's activating those muscles and getting the right arm position that is what matters.

3) try some behind the neck presses (light ones) before you squat. it's recommended for the smolov squat routine and will limber up your shoulders and upper-upper back.

1/12/2012 4:16:30 PM

Well I'll be damned.

1/12/2012 4:38:40 PM

Quote :

"You didn't lose fat. You lost water weight."

this is probably true, especially in the beginning but there's only so much water weight to lose. I'm down to 167 now (11 days; 10 lb drop). Hopefully I lost some real fat in there somewhere.

1/12/2012 6:04:55 PM

If a pound is worth 3500 calories, do you think you've got a calorie deficit of 35,000 in 10 days?

Probably be pretty hungry.

1/12/2012 7:03:54 PM

1/12/2012 7:09:45 PM

Are grip trainers worthwhile at all in any circumstances? My off-hand grip gave out on the way down from the 3rd rep of my deadlift today (after almost giving out on the last rep last workout); I don't want to use straps, though, because I do want my grip to get stronger. Should I just keep the same weight for a few workouts and let my hands catch up, or would it be worth it to get one of the little handheld grip trainer things?


Weighed in at 192 again and did

Squats: 185x5x3
Bench press: 120x5x3
Dead lift: 285x3x1, 275x2x1

1/12/2012 7:40:51 PM

Quote :

"this is probably true, especially in the beginning but there's only so much water weight to lose. I'm down to 167 now (11 days; 10 lb drop). Hopefully I lost some real fat in there somewhere."

That's a BIG drop in a week and a half. It's probably mostly water, but if you're starving yourself, you might be catabolizing some muscle too. Be careful not to try and go too quickly.

1/12/2012 7:43:47 PM

Captains of Crush. Their hand grips will make you STRONG. Strong hands make all your pulls and pushes stronger. The more stress you take off your biceps during a push, the better.

Remember, you're supposed to squeeze the blood out of the bar in strength training and strong grips tighten your biceps brachi.

I wouldn't advise some WalMart grips, I'd get a captains of crush "1" and work up to the "2." Close a "3" and you're a better man than me (and most).

1/12/2012 7:49:33 PM

So....I checked out this Body Rock thing mentioned in this thread. Really though? Is it really necessary to be that scantily clad to perform these movements for your viewers?

No doubt she has a rockin' body....but come on.

Some of the videos are 1 to 6 million viewers. It's pretty close to being porn lol

1/13/2012 5:07:57 AM

She wouldn't be such an internet sensation without it.

And to be honest, all her work outs are basic loaded aerobics and circuit training. Nothing groundbreaking.

1/13/2012 5:29:40 AM

Don't knock the hustle

1/13/2012 7:55:00 AM

3 yoga sessions this week, 1 spin class, running today, MTB and hiking tomorrow.

I've already noticed I can hold my planks and pushups better, my arms are slowly returning from their
gelatinous state.

A few more weeks until I can see some toning, maybe.

1/13/2012 8:27:38 AM

So last night during dodgeball I'm pretty sure I pulled a thigh muscle or something it felt like something ripped when I took off on the first sprint and I almost passed out from the pain (it didn't rip though, so idk what to think of that sensation). Anyway, couldn't play the entire night thankfully my thigh feels better this morning and I can actually walk on it, but now I'm worried if I try to go hard again next week it'll do the same thing

SO

Would a foam roller help me out? Would it do more damage to force myself to do some sprints this week and build up to an appropriate speed?

1/13/2012 8:31:41 AM

^ i'm not really sure how to help on that. i'd definitely throw in stretches even if you think its back to feeling 100% though.

back up to ~180 lbs, going to see how well i can maintain in the range before continuing on to monthly goal

1/13/2012 8:38:11 AM

The thing that sucks is I had been stretching, but I guess it wasn't enough... My body obviously isn't used to sprinting

1/13/2012 8:46:21 AM

I'll defer to someone smarter than me, but I think I've read that "stretching" before you do something is not advised. Instead, you should be doing more of a warm-up type movement, rather than standing still and stretching out muscles that haven't been used yet.

1/13/2012 8:51:18 AM

Thigh or a hamstring?? I feel like it's pretty difficult to pull a thigh. Maybe it's just a really bad cramp. Either way...you gotta rest it. Then be careful as you ease your way back.

1/13/2012 9:00:00 AM

^^Yes, I've always been told to warm up, then stretch, then workout.

1/13/2012 9:17:19 AM

Quote :

"She wouldn't be such an internet sensation without it. And to be honest, all her work outs are basic loaded aerobics and circuit training. Nothing groundbreaking."

Zuzana doesn't host anymore. She's gone MIA since November. Her ex-husband has found some other people to substitute in as hosts but I don't know what the long-term plan is.

i enjoy the work outs - they're quick and to the point. i've learned a lot of new work out moves that i would have probably never tried before and have definitely seen a difference in my work out performance.

to each is own though - what works for one might not work for another

1/13/2012 9:26:47 AM

Had a great bodypump class last night and I definitely feel that I can start taking on more loads, especially with my legs and shoulders.

warmup- 5kgs
squats- 10kgs
chest- 5kgs
back- 8kgs
triceps- 5kgs
biceps- 5kgs
lunges- 10kgs
shoulders- 3kgs

I think this is right, it's hard when all the plates are called small, medium, and large and in kilograms

Measurements
waist= 31"
hips=38.5"

Weight has gone down 1.1 lbs

1/13/2012 9:27:47 AM

i'll get behind and put some support into anything that might get more people to actually participate in getting healthier

1/13/2012 9:28:25 AM

Classes called bodypump seem funny to me.

1/13/2012 9:35:55 AM

Quote :

"My off-hand grip gave out on the way down from the 3rd rep of my deadlift today (after almost giving out on the last rep last workout)"

are you resetting between reps?

this helps me a lot

that and when i came to the realization that the descent is really just a controlled drop

1/13/2012 10:15:44 AM

Well I meant stretching throughout the week - I somewhat warmed up before we played, but nothing too serious because well... I figured, hey it's dodgeball. It's the front part of my thigh, up near my hip (but more in the center). It feels so much better than last night, but still hurts. Thank goodness for biofreeze. Now that I have been moving around I guess it could have been a ridiculously bad cramp.. But it never felt like one

1/13/2012 10:26:39 AM

foam rolling couldn't hurt it. but if you think it's serious, look to legit medical help instead of the internet.

even beer league dodgeball can have pretty serious injuries.

the last season i played in delaware our group had 2 torn acls and a broken fibula happen during games.

i blame most of this on the binge drinking done beforehand though.

1/13/2012 10:31:53 AM

Hit some new PRs today...

Power Clean 225x1. This felt great, probably had another 10lbs in me.

Squat 315x6. This felt great too, probably had another 2reps in the tank.

Body weight: 177lbs

1/13/2012 11:02:42 AM

baus

1/13/2012 11:05:16 AM

Thanks!

I've finally figured out the clean. My issues, and they are probably common ones, were executing the second pull, aka the scoop, way too early and not getting myself set tight, taking all the slack out of the kinetic chain.

1/13/2012 11:19:07 AM