The Gym Thread...

[Peperami]

Your tailbone shouldnt move mate, it should be glued to the floor! Tuck your feet under the edge of the sofa or bed, keep your knees together, and just move your body up and down... if you're moving your bum thats too much movement.

Try correcting form first, and if that doesnt work, put a scatter cushion under your bum.

Half sits are a good alternative, where you aim to curl your upper body up as tight into itself as you can, almost seems liek you're just lifting your head and shoulders off the ground.

[Caleb]

I meant a weight plate, as in what you put on the bar lol.

how would i keep it on my chest ?

If sit-ups/ leg raises didnt do much, id say incorrect form or not squeezing with your abs enough were the reasons, rather than any fault of the exercise.

On leg raises dont let your body come off the floor, and really concentrate on keeping everything strict, rather than just going for numbers. Same drill with sit-ups too fella. Elbows out and to floor, elbows in and to kness (no need to go any higher) and squeeze the abs on every set when you come up, up down up down...

Clap press-ups will work explosive strength (which i guess may be good for trials ) but at the risk of face planting and damaging muscles should you land incorrectly, lol. On that note, always look ahead when you do press-ups...

just two quickies, given them both another shot to refresh my memory, on the leg raises i have my hands under my arse my neck up off the floor, one foot an inch off the floor and the other , sole of my foot to the roof and hold for about 15- 20 seconds then switch leg

with the sit ups i assume bended legs from flat on my back and elbow to knee?

i used to do them flat out but my feet dont fit under the sofa or bed and i used to have one of them that slips under your door . .

its not that the sit ups etc dont do much, i can feel pain etc after pushing myself just i dont notice much difference. also im not really that outta shape and quit ehappy with my physique, just like i say, always room for improvement and i o have quite a bit of time on my hands.

cheers for the advice so far

Edited April 24, 2008 by Larry David

[Bluegrass]

Half sits are a good alternative, where you aim to curl your upper body up as tight into itself as you can, almost seems liek you're just lifting your head and shoulders off the ground.

aka, crunches?

[zoo]

Like go up, twist to the left, then the right, then go back down? I've started doing them, very painful.

I know kennard told you how to do the different ones, but the ones you are on about are boxers sit-ups.. start down go up and twist both sides as fast as you can, down, and repeat as many times as you can. I've always found crunches + twisting to work my stomache most . As if you can only do 7 push ups lol

[Peperami]

No worries fella. Yup, sit-ups have knees bent and feet wedged underneath something, back flat on the floor, hands touching temples. When you're down your elbows touch the floor with hands on temples, when you're up elbows touch your knees, hands on temples.

Leg raises, hands go under your head, head flat on the ground, and you do both feet at once, keeping your legs straight, and small of your back on the floor (pointing your toes helps keep legs straight, lol)

Bluegrass - a lot of people call crunches the exercise where you crunch your body into a ball (bring knees in to chest, and bring elbows up to knees with hands on temples. Things have so many different names! lol

Edited April 24, 2008 by Peperami

[Ash-Kennard]

anyone reckon strapping feet to ceiling above my bed would be a good idea?

[Peperami]

anyone reckon strapping feet to ceiling above my bed would be a good idea?

Ceiling wouldnt hold your weight, and if it did would start cracking the plaster... what for anyways mate?

Edited April 24, 2008 by Peperami

[Fish-Finger-er]

bench presses, its one of them big york bars with the spiral lock.

whats a good excercise to build lower abs too? ive been doing push ups and squats and squat thrusts for months now and just keeping toned, but my lower abs just stay hard but with no definition?

as i just noticed its already been mentioned, but leg raises, do them straight for the centre, and to bring the obliques in it, do them at V's ( up to the left, down to the centre, up to the right, repeat).

but like everything to build mass the best, lower the reps, so try sticking a dumbell between your feet when doing it.

weighted crunches, and decline crunches will also benefit you.

also theres a lot to be said for using your core muscles more in the rest of your exercises, tense your abs when doing bicep curls, do your shoulder presses, tricep extensions etc, standing up with your feet planted.

ah, just noticed your last post. correct form for leg raises, basically involves back flat on the floor, hands either down by your side, or crossed on your chest, or pushin against a wall behind you. basically use your abs to lift your legs up to a 45 degreee angle, then come back down, you can go higher, but by that time you got momentum, and it doesnt give you much benefit.

as for keeping a plate on your chest, just hold it there.

im currently doing weighted crunches on a ball, crossing my hands over my chest, so my palms are by my shoulders, facing into my body, holding 5kg dumbells (using girly reebok ones out of the aerobics studio, as there more compact and dont have bits sticking out of them).

heres one for the more advanced of you. protein on a cut, keep my protein intake high (150g(ish) a day, 90kg body weight) on a cut, in some hope of preventing muscle loss, or drop it right down, to minimize calories.

further restricting the calories seems like a bad idea, but a bloke said to me in the gym yesterday, whose been on the gear for a fair few years, (and apparently used to be in super good shape) that your protein intake has little to do with your bodies metabolism, so dropping 350 or so calories out of my diet, by halving my protein intake, wont slow my metabolism down any further, and will mean theoretically speaking, ill be dropping a further 3lb a month or so.

Ceiling wouldnt hold your weight, and if it did would start cracking the plaster... what for anyways mate?

his missus has a domination fetish....

[Peperami]

Protein has a tiny amount of calories compared to what it does mate. On a cut you want to keep your protein high, and drop more of the carbs. Will make you grumpy as hell though.

[Fish-Finger-er]

Protein has a tiny amount of calories compared to what it does mate. On a cut you want to keep your protein high, and drop more of the carbs. Will make you grumpy as hell though.

thats pretty much what i done. but he seemed adament that dropping my protein would help, but to me, he seemed to be talking out of his arse, just with the size of him, hes obviously done something right at some point.

[Ash-Kennard]

Ceiling wouldnt hold your weight, and if it did would start cracking the plaster... what for anyways mate?

dunno saw it on tv once, looked pretty cool, wanna try it haha

his missus has a domination fetish....

LOL i wish

[Gavyn.]

G4vyn - what are the respective distances in your triathalon dude?

760m swim, 20k bike, 5k run

I went for a semi reasonable one I don't want to be entering an iron man one yet lol it's the last race of the season in the local series so if enjoy it then i'll get booked up for the whole of next season and train like hell over the winter months.

I can already put in a respectable time on each of those things individually so I just have to combine them over the next few months which should be Ok I'm quitting lifting heavy weights for now anyway, as it's damaging my already dodgy knees and causing me back pain. so just working on specific areas and cardio from now on.

[Fishy]

760m swim, 20k bike, 5k run

I went for a semi reasonable one I don't want to be entering an iron man one yet lol it's the last race of the season in the local series so if enjoy it then i'll get booked up for the whole of next season and train like hell over the winter months.

I can already put in a respectable time on each of those things individually so I just have to combine them over the next few months which should be Ok I'm quitting lifting heavy weights for now anyway, as it's damaging my already dodgy knees and causing me back pain. so just working on specific areas and cardio from now on.

You're training for special forces aren't you?

[Gavyn.]

nah I was training for the army but i've up on that idea for just now. I don't think i could hack army life yet so I'm going to do my training as an electrician then join the ta's if I still want to join the uksf then I'll apply then.

[Bluegrass]

Sorry to be an arsehole and post this up for the second time in 2 days, but I didn't get any feedback cos you were all too busy talking about bloody sit ups So...feedback on my work-in-progress routine?

Can i run my new routine through with you geeks...

Sunday:

Chest - flat bench press. 3 sets, rep to failure

dumbbell flys 1 set, 12 reps (straight after bench, no rest to give muscle a good stretch)

Shoulders - dumbbell shoulder press 3 sets, 8 reps

Triceps - dumbbell extensions 3 sets, 8 reps.

Tuesday:

Back - deadlifts 3 sets 8 reps

bent over rows 3 sets 10reps

Biceps - standing alternate dumbbell curls 3 sets 8 reps

Standing barbell curls 3 sets 8 reps (lower weight)

Abs - toe touches 3 sets 20 reps

Thursday:

Legs - squats 3 sets 15 reps (medium weight)

Abs - usual

Back - deadlifts 3 sets 8 reps

bent over rows 3 sets 10 reps

Also a bit of cardio here and there. How does that routine sound? Quite new to weight training so im going to find out what weight (kg) is best to use for each exercise as I start my first few weeks.

p.s I don't have room for a bench so im substituting it with an exercise ball, rock on.

[manxrider]

Seriously, on the squats 5 reps and a higher weight and do them 3 times a week.

[Bionic Balls]

a little tame for some of you i reckon...but i want to get a chin up bar in the house.....

anyone recommend one that doesn't need fixings?

cheers..

[jeff-jeff]

well the one in argos works great. (I know as i have it)

You can use it without fittings as they are mainly there so you know where to put it, but it will leave rather large black marks which i havnt worked out how to get rid of. I cant remember what weight it can take but im pritty shore that its a fair amount.

it goes on the door frame by you tuning it so the more you weigh the more it should be tightened.

its pg 205 in argos book and at £7.97 its well priced

jeff

sorry for any spelling mistakes comp wont download anythig

[Bionic Balls]

sounds good...would a bit of old inner tube help with the marking you reckon?

[Muel]

well the one in argos works great. (I know as i have it)

You can use it without fittings as they are mainly there so you know where to put it, but it will leave rather large black marks which i havnt worked out how to get rid of. I cant remember what weight it can take but im pritty shore that its a fair amount.

it goes on the door frame by you tuning it so the more you weigh the more it should be tightened.

its pg 205 in argos book and at £7.97 its well priced

jeff

sorry for any spelling mistakes comp wont download anythig

Don't use it without the cups in the door frame, I tried it when it was lamped up solid and it slid before my feet left the floor.

[Bionic Balls]

oh...

[Rusevelt]

Free weights training is best for participating in sports that require dynamic use of muscles, because you can mimic the specific body movements in trials riding to your weight training routine. for example when performing squats, instead of positioning your feet parallel to each other, its better to place them in your favored riding pedal position then perform the squat movement. another one is doing reversed bicep curls by gripping/holding the barbell in your regular handlebar position with your brake finger free from gripping the barbell, then start performing the curls. you only need to weight the barbell slightly heavier than the weight of your rig (between 8-11kg of barbell weight). at the end of the day, its all resistance training to help make your riding easier and effortless.

[Muel]

Just did 9 press ups tonight! I'll get 10 by Monday.

[Bionic Balls]

you are taking the piss aren't you...?

is this a massssssssive waste of money http://www.ukfitnesssupplies.co.uk/mall/pr...CFQxNQwodflUcDw

[Muel]

you are taking the piss aren't you...?

is this a massssssssive waste of money http://www.ukfitnesssupplies.co.uk/mall/pr...CFQxNQwodflUcDw

No, read the last page.