Fitness and strength

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Fitness and strength

Postby Tesseracts » Mon Oct 09, 2017 12:29 am

We already have a thread on weight loss, and some of us have been using this thread to discuss our fitness goals. However I think it deserves it's own thread, especially when it comes to strength training. Strength training is an underrated exercise. I rarely see women doing it, and even men too often just try to bulk up their arm while neglecting their legs and back. It's important to be strong all over. I get pain from doing simple tasks, and it's because I'm weak. Having weak muscles leads to bad posture, which makes me walk slow and hold pencils wrong. Larger muscles also burn a lot of calories, and improve your athletic performance in every way.

About a week ago my uncle started taking me to the gym to teach me how to build muscle. He is extremely strong and knows a lot on this subject, so this is basically like getting a personal trainer for free. He actually offered this 3 months ago, but I did too much stuff this summer so never took him up on the offer. Now he has a demanding full time job and parenting but he still takes the time to teach me.

Last Saturday we started with legs. I was incredibly sore for days after that, but I already felt stronger in my legs. I have been told the first day is really bad but once you get used to it it doesn't feel that bad. This makes sense because I haven't done a real workout since my teens, and I have never done serious strength training in my life. Then Sunday we did arms. I took a break, and for the last 4 days I kind of went nuts and did 4 days in a row of workouts. I did arms and legs again with him, then on Saturday and Sunday we did chest and triceps, and back. These are all the major muscle groups he said I should focus on right now.

Other than normal soreness I haven't had any bad experiences, except my left trapezius is currently in a lot of discomfort from shrugging the wrong way. It feels warm, like a sunburn. You can get seriously hurt by lifting weights with bad posture, but it's difficult to have good posture without good muscles, so it's kind of a catch 22. Overall I feel great, much better than I feel after most forms of exercise, except today I just feel exhausted because I pushed myself too hard.

I'm also going to physical therapy to fix my shoulder posture issues. My right shoulder is much less flexible than my left, and my shoulders hunch forward too much. This is because my front muscles are stronger than my back muscles. This posture causes me to get pain in my trapezius when I draw.

Everyone share your experiences, progress, and questions here.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby DoglovingJim » Mon Oct 09, 2017 12:59 am

And now I don't need to talk about my training in the weight-loss thread anymore, I found my true hommmeeeeeee.


I'm getting back into training now that it's getting warmer here in Australia, started skipping 3 minute rounds with work boots and added push-ups and sit-ups to my usual routine which previously consisted of pull-ups, swimming on Tuesdays and sparring on Thursdays.


EDIT: I'm also infuriated that I still can't close that Captains of Crush hand-grip (obviously since I stopped using it for months) and now gotta try to build my grip strength up because it is very important and yet many people neglect it.

EDIT-EDIT: Since now we have this thread and the other one on weight-loss (and another one currently broadly on sports but really deserves individual threads for each conversation since it's going everywhere), isn't it time for you guys to create a sports (and fitness) forum like I once asked for?
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Grimstone » Mon Oct 09, 2017 5:23 am

I remember when I was in junior high they made us do weight training during PE, went from not being able to lift the bar to benching 150~ that year(testosterone is a hell of a drug). Anyway, I haven't really weight trained since my early 20's but it remains pretty simple: lift heavy stuff, eat lots of protein.

Edit: btw, weight lifting doesn't burn a lot of calories like cardio does and people looking to gain muscle mass usually run a calorie surplus.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Tuli » Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:43 am

Strength training is something that can be intimidating and confusing when you're a novice, so having a personal trainer or knowledgeable friend to show you the ropes is a big plus. I never knew what to do in the gym and preferred to go for group classes instead until I trained together with my friend (who's also a trainer) a few times. Now I prefer working out on my own in the gym because I can set my own goals, and work around my limitations.

My current program is simply alternating lower and upper body and I try to train at least 3-4 times a week. Still working on those pull-ups. I've noticed that there's some kind of unevenness in my hips when I do squats, in that when I try to go below parallel one hip inadvertently drops lower than the other. Not sure what to do about that, so for now I'm just trying to keep my squats above the level where this breakdown happens. I wonder if this hip thing is the root cause of my lower back problems or vice versa.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby sunglasses » Thu Oct 19, 2017 2:13 pm

Tuli wrote:I wonder if this hip thing is the root cause of my lower back problems or vice versa.


Probably, you may also want to mention it to your dr. the next time you see them.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Lindvaettr » Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:20 pm

It bears mentioning that not only can you not build muscle on a calorie deficit, regardless of protein, but that when you get to a point where you're trying to burn fat instead of build muscle, you need to crank your protein intake through the roof to avoid your body consuming your muscles for energy. The usual guideline is something like 1g protein per lb of body weight when cutting, so if you're 150 pounds, you need 150 grams of protein per day to maintain muscle mass.

This can make cutting, especially significantly, a pretty tricky thing. A protein shake is about the most protein you can get per calorie, and the good ones are usually 110-130 calories per 25g protein, so you're looking at AT LEAST 700 calories purely of protein (assuming you only get protein from shakes, which you absolutely should not).

When bulking or when cutting, you really need to build your diet around protein, protein, protein.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Kivutar » Fri Oct 20, 2017 1:26 am

Not that I don't believe you Lindvaettr, that makes a lot of sense, but do you have sources for that? I want to make further and more detailed reading on that.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Grimstone » Fri Oct 20, 2017 1:42 am

Tuli wrote:I've noticed that there's some kind of unevenness in my hips when I do squats, in that when I try to go below parallel one hip inadvertently drops lower than the other. Not sure what to do about that, so for now I'm just trying to keep my squats above the level where this breakdown happens.


Can you do a full squat without this unevenness if you lower the weight/use no weights at all?
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Lindvaettr » Fri Oct 20, 2017 1:57 am

Kivutar wrote:Not that I don't believe you Lindvaettr, that makes a lot of sense, but do you have sources for that? I want to make further and more detailed reading on that.


Which part, exactly? The protein intake? Here's one that lists sources. Note that it actually explicitly focuses on dispelling the idea that you need to consume 1g/lb protein, even when cutting, and that's very likely so. Personally, even if scientifically you can get by on .82g/lb, I've found that personally, when I'm burning fat (especially when I get down to 11% or 10% body fat), it becomes so easy to focus on pure low calories that protein intake becomes a second priority. If I'm supposed to consume .82g/lb, but I've hit .75, I'll say "Well, good enough". It's not bad once or twice, but if you overestimate your protein intake for too long, pretty soon you see all your work disappear as your body cannibalizes your muscles for necessary protein.

So scientifically, I may be wrong by saying 1g/lb (although other sources, and common guidelines, would dispute the .82 figure), but you're going to get farther by consuming too much protein than too little. I spent years working out every day, but consuming neither enough protein nor enough calories, and all I got was some tone and some big veins. Since dedicating myself to always (or at least 85% of the time) consuming 1g/lb protein, and consuming a lot more calories, I've seen pretty rapid progress.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Anglerphobe » Fri Oct 20, 2017 5:11 pm

I'm putting a lot of hours into flexibility at the moment. I'm not stiff (for someone of my size, anyway) but getting more out of my various joints is something I've been meaning to work on. Good for the joints, feels fantastic, and helps with power.
The other priority is endurance. As I've mentioned in the other thread, I have had my weaknesses exposed by hard bike rides in the last few months. For that kind of thing, my cardio proved woefully lacking. While it is improving, I'm trying to find more time for it. If nothing else, so I don't have to feel like an old man playing with a border collie on these things.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Tuli » Sat Oct 21, 2017 8:52 am

Grimstone wrote:
Tuli wrote:I've noticed that there's some kind of unevenness in my hips when I do squats, in that when I try to go below parallel one hip inadvertently drops lower than the other. Not sure what to do about that, so for now I'm just trying to keep my squats above the level where this breakdown happens.


Can you do a full squat without this unevenness if you lower the weight/use no weights at all?


Good question, unfortunately it looks like the answer is no at this time. I probably need to get a PT to look at this stuff...
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby mancityfooty » Sun Oct 22, 2017 10:42 pm

I somewhat, kinda, maybe in an offhand way, promised that a year from two weeks ago I would be more than ready for a 5k.
shit.
I gotta get to the gym.
oh, and we took a walk around her neighborhood this weekend. she's 5'5" (165cm), and I'm taller. I had trouble keeping up with her pace for a minute or so.
I'm not doomed, but I really need to get started.
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby Grimstone » Mon Oct 23, 2017 12:05 am

Tuli wrote:
Grimstone wrote:
Tuli wrote:I've noticed that there's some kind of unevenness in my hips when I do squats, in that when I try to go below parallel one hip inadvertently drops lower than the other. Not sure what to do about that, so for now I'm just trying to keep my squats above the level where this breakdown happens.


Can you do a full squat without this unevenness if you lower the weight/use no weights at all?


Good question, unfortunately it looks like the answer is no at this time. I probably need to get a PT to look at this stuff...


Have you tried doing assisted squats?
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby DoglovingJim » Mon Oct 23, 2017 2:22 am

mancityfooty wrote:I somewhat, kinda, maybe in an offhand way, promised that a year from two weeks ago I would be more than ready for a 5k.
shit.
I gotta get to the gym.
oh, and we took a walk around her neighborhood this weekend. she's 5'5" (165cm), and I'm taller. I had trouble keeping up with her pace for a minute or so.
I'm not doomed, but I really need to get started.

What's a 5k? (Good luck, I'm sure you'll get fitter in no time with the proper motivation and if you put your mind to it).
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Re: Fitness and strength

Postby jbobsully11 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 4:04 am

DoglovingJim wrote:
mancityfooty wrote:I somewhat, kinda, maybe in an offhand way, promised that a year from two weeks ago I would be more than ready for a 5k.
shit.
I gotta get to the gym.
oh, and we took a walk around her neighborhood this weekend. she's 5'5" (165cm), and I'm taller. I had trouble keeping up with her pace for a minute or so.
I'm not doomed, but I really need to get started.

What's a 5k? (Good luck, I'm sure you'll get fitter in no time with the proper motivation and if you put your mind to it).

5k = 5 kilometers

Good luck, mancityfooty!
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