The Official Hype Fitness Thread 6.0

[Anita18]

went to the gym tonight, ran a mile, did some ab work and some leg work

really not liking that since switching departments i'm starting to get a muffin top. going from a very active job to a very sedentary immobile job and not changing my diet or upping my workouts/activity have really shown. i'm realizing this now and trying to fix it.

ideally, i'd love a department switch, but thanks to congress and furlough, there is no way that will happen anytime soon

CC, don't let someone else dictate your fitness level. :

I've gotten the bug, guys. Gone to the gym twice in the past 3 days. It's just that even after just a week off, I couldn't do my squats in the weight I was supposed to do it at and I was like .

I'm also hanging off the pullup bars to try and improve my grip. It still sucks, but slowly yet surely...

I also went clothes-shopping for the first time since I hit the weights pretty hard. Or at least it was the first time I had a good look at myself in underwear in a large full-length mirror. And holy crap, I'm gaining some Chun Li thighs here.

 

[NickNitro]

Another great workout Anita to improve your grip

Take the heaviest dumbells you can lift, hold them to your sides, arms hanging down, and walk for as far as you can.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

^Farmer Walks FTW

 

[NickNitro]

Yeah thats what they are called haha. I forgot the name.

I did toes to bar yesterday and I have to say my abs are sore. I need to do more core workouts.

People tend to workout their "beach" muscles, your shoulders, arms, chest....having a strong core is the foundation of being a strong person. I need to focus more on that.

Anyone know of really good core workouts? Not just situps and whatnot.

 

[Anita18]

Pilates?

To work your core you have to work your whole torso. Situps do a pretty crappy job of that. Not to mention they're horrible for your neck.

My abs are actually starting to show more now that I'm doing StrongLift 5x5. You do need to use your core to stabilize the barbell for squats and overhead presses.

I find it amusing when guys use towels around their necks for back squats, even at weights lower than what I'm using. Hey, man up and put your trapezius to work! :

 

[ComicChick]

CC, don't let someone else dictate your fitness level. :

you are totally right Anita, i've just been trying to have some epiphanies of late to break my cycle. i'm very time oriented in weird ways, and i've noticed my gains have come during times of stress and that, compared with my departmental swap have caused me to gain back 15 or so pounds i'd initially lost. so i'm a muffin top now and i absolutely hate it

i've got to get tougher on myself mentally. now that i'm in a much less active job, the stress level is actually far far higher. i always have a bag of workout clothes in the car, fully intent on going after work. more times than i'd like to admit, i'm so emotionally exhausted after work sometimes that i just talk myself out of going to the gym and drive myself home.

i need to personally start making an effort to make up for the exercise i'm no longer getting at work and try to incorporate it into what little free time i have. and i have to adjust my diet as well. diet is my #1 thing that i've not gotten under control yet.

 

[Anita18]

you are totally right Anita, i've just been trying to have some epiphanies of late to break my cycle. i'm very time oriented in weird ways, and i've noticed my gains have come during times of stress and that, compared with my departmental swap have caused me to gain back 15 or so pounds i'd initially lost. so i'm a muffin top now and i absolutely hate it

i've got to get tougher on myself mentally. now that i'm in a much less active job, the stress level is actually far far higher. i always have a bag of workout clothes in the car, fully intent on going after work. more times than i'd like to admit, i'm so emotionally exhausted after work sometimes that i just talk myself out of going to the gym and drive myself home.

i need to personally start making an effort to make up for the exercise i'm no longer getting at work and try to incorporate it into what little free time i have. and i have to adjust my diet as well. diet is my #1 thing that i've not gotten under control yet.

Stress can actually make you gain weight all by itself. The hormones your body releases can actually do that.

But for many people, stress makes them emotionally eat too. My coworker is studying for the MCAT and stressed beyond belief (well, on top of being a single mom and all that). She has a couple of full-size candy bars every day, and is starting to gain around the middle.

Is there anything you could do to make your job less emotionally exhausting? I mean, I sit on my ass all day for work for sometimes 12 hours and I'm probably the least stressed person ever. I have terrific people I work with and we do get a lot of time to ourselves. I'm certainly not working 12 hrs straight on lab stuff. Sometimes you have to nip the problem in the bud, instead of piling on more stuff that's supposed to make you less stressed.

My sister is stressed at her job, and often does social things after work. She's starting to see the physical signs of being burnt out - namely, she'll need gum surgery soon because of her teeth grinding. She told me she signed up for yoga. I told her, "That's just another thing for you to go to!"

 

[conan69]

Something else to consider for your grip....

-Dont wrap your thumb around the bar, keep it with your other 4 fingers... this is for everything from pullups, to bench presses to curls. It will take stress off your wrists and more directly work target muscles.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cp9IZjqg7...+Lee+Priest+EZ-BAR+CLOSE-GRIP+BENCH+PRESS.jpg


-Use straps. I use straps for all my back exercises.


For squats, you can use the self spotter and put a bench under your butt.

For pullups, you can also do them this way until you get stronger...
http://cathe.com/images/post-images/supinePullUps.jpg

You can do them with your feet on the ground or on a bench.

 

[ComicChick]

Stress can actually make you gain weight all by itself. The hormones your body releases can actually do that.

Is there anything you could do to make your job less emotionally exhausting? I mean, I sit on my ass all day for work for sometimes 12 hours and I'm probably the least stressed person ever. I have terrific people I work with and we do get a lot of time to ourselves. I'm certainly not working 12 hrs straight on lab stuff. Sometimes you have to nip the problem in the bud, instead of piling on more stuff that's supposed to make you less stressed.

i don't really know how to manage the stress at work now, since the furlough is brand new to us. it means less hours on pay, less hours working, more work for less people so we're all trying to manage. we've lost 5 people since the beginning of May who have resigned because of this and we're on a gov't hiring freeze so we can't replace those people right now.

 

[DeGenerate10]

Something else to consider for your grip....

-Dont wrap your thumb around the bar, keep it with your other 4 fingers... this is for everything from pullups, to bench presses to curls. It will take stress off your wrists and more directly work target muscles.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cp9IZjqg77Q/TSM7XA2Z4iI/AAAAAAAAAQs/LK9ACEGwGH0/s1600/003+Triceps+Lee+Priest+EZ-BAR+CLOSE-GRIP+BENCH+PRESS.jpg

I was reading on Muscle and Fitness' website that there really are no advantages of doing that on the bench. I think they called it the suicide grip.

 

[conan69]

I disagree and can prove it in 3 seconds if you were here in person. Was talking to a newbie recently used this example. I had him make a fist, then open it. I then pushed on his hand at the knuckles and was able to push his hand backwards at will. I then had him make the "suicide grip" (as you called it). and I pushed with force against the palm of his hand, trying to force it backwards. I had to push much harder. I asked him which grip did he felt he had more control and was able to resist me pushing and he said by far the "suicide grip". He switched his grip and prefers it.

Its only a suggestion. I can tell you that I find the traditonal grip unbearable and uncomfortable now. Bench press, military press, tricep and biceps exercises... ALL of them went way up after altering my grip. Try it out.. be careful and decide for yourselves.

Thats suprises me that a article said there was NO advantage to the altered grip. Thats why I dont read those magazines

 

[Manic]

Using a thumbless grip on a bench press strikes me as an excellent way to drop a heavy bar on your chest, throat, or face.

 

[conan69]

You actually have more control of the weight. The pressure of the weight on on the palm of your hand and forearms, not your wrist.

If anything it should slow you down, which is how you should be performing your movements anyway.

As I said, its up to you to try it. Give it a shot on the smith machine/self spotter. Ive been using it exclusively on everything upper body since the early 90s and never had a accident.

I promise once you get it down, your weights will go up.

 

[Manic]

I'm gonna pass. It's not worth the risk of injury.

 

[conan69]

I was nervous too when I first tried it.

As for safety, when your benching 350 pounds, your thumb isnt gonna stop the weight from coming out of your hand if you lift improperly. Thats why you need good form, have work out partners/spotters and smith machines/self potters.

BTW,your wrist will fail before your forearm will.

IMHO its actually the safer grip, gives you more control, and certainly the one that will make you stronger.

Anyways....

 

[Manic]

I go to the gym at like 1-2am. Workout partners aren't really an option for me.

 

[conan69]

I just checked out a few videos on youtube under suicide grip...

Your supposed to bend your hand downwards, your knuckles facing you, not keep your wrists straight up... and then wonder why the weight slips out of their hands. Whats wrong with these people....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVtLW6je21Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHAh8gQeRKA
^ 2 examples of how NOT to lift weights.

Heres a false grip vid...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOBKGesyFwk


Manic.. I lift alone, so I use the smith/self spotter for chest, shoulders, triceps and some trap stuff.

 

[Manic]

I take it you've seen the videos of people dropping the bar. Pretty scary stuff. I'd rather just err on the side of caution.

 

[conan69]

Yea again... its like boxing. The first rule is safety. Anyone can get hurt if youre not careful or have crappy form. Those examples above = crappy form.

My favorite tricep exercise the one that put the most muscle on my arms is a reverse grip/false grip press on the smith/self spotter on a decline bench.

Again,I love the false grip, use it exclusively for 20 years and have never had a problem.

Everyone has to decide whats right for them.

 

[Anita18]

i don't really know how to manage the stress at work now, since the furlough is brand new to us. it means less hours on pay, less hours working, more work for less people so we're all trying to manage. we've lost 5 people since the beginning of May who have resigned because of this and we're on a gov't hiring freeze so we can't replace those people right now.

That sounds rough. Yeah exercise is supposed to help with stress. Even when I'm tired, I go and still feel better after I do.



Also, with the grip discussion on bench press, I actually stopped doing bench press entirely. I sit in front of a computer most of the day, and my pecs don't need to be shortened any more than they are now!

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I use both suicide and pistol grips while benching, but never suicide when I'm going really heavy.

 

[gohei_]

I've already done research as to how not to undo all of my hard work if I get pregnant. Apparently women's ligaments get super-soft, so going for personal maxes is a decidedly bad idea, but 80% of what you could do before seems to be a safe amount. That's already 100 lb squats for me, which isn't bad.

[YT]PYGFpXpj1Kg[/YT]

 

[Anita18]

[YT]PYGFpXpj1Kg[/YT]

That is one awesome lady. And I bet that baby will be super-healthy when it comes out!

I still have not tried to do even one pullup. Although hanging off the pullup bar....it didn't look too hopeful. My arms are really THAT weak.

 

[gohei_]

That is one awesome lady. And I bet that baby will be super-healthy when it comes out!

I still have not tried to do even one pullup. Although hanging off the pullup bar....it didn't look too hopeful. My arms are really THAT weak.

Haha t: You should just try superslow negatives or assisted pull-ups until you can manage a few on your own

 

[Anita18]

Haha t: You should just try superslow negatives or assisted pull-ups until you can manage a few on your own

Yeah...still not happening for me. I don't even know which muscles to use, yeesh!

I did some farmer's walks today, and my hands are gonna toughen up soon, I can feel it.

And I did squats with 45-lb plates today, total 135 lbs. Guys will start to look at you like when you're squatting the same amount they are. Especially when you really don't look like you should be able to....