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Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts

Joined the gym

I have a local gym near me, so have joined it tonight. It's 5 minutes from my house and so I am going to there before work

Any tips on how to start off simple?
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GHoosdum
tequilavangelist
GHoosdum
10,277 Posts
What are your goals?
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Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Tone up my tummy and general body.. and improve my general fitness
CB
Doktor Schnabel von Rom
CB
5,964 Posts
Join the aerobics class to start.
__________________
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Was in there at 6.30am this morning. Did 15 minutes on the crosstrainer and 10 minutes on the running machine. Very tough and reminded me it's been a while since I have probably exercised in that kind of fashion (I do walk a lot and I am an active person).

Got my first person trainer appointment on Monday night to walk through my goals and help build a plan

6.30am tomorrow morning, here we go
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Update (for anyone who cares)

Have a daily exercise routine for the gym. Mon, Wed, Fri is Cardio, resistance. Tues and Thurs is weights. I am also doing Krav Maga self defence on a Tuesday night.

A litte over 3 weeks and I can feel a mainly mental benefit. Feel a lot more energetic and alert. Also considerably calmer.
GHoosdum
tequilavangelist
GHoosdum
10,277 Posts
Definitely a good thing to hear!
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
I know it's a slow process and I won't see instant progress but I have also changed my diet too. Dropped off the bacon sandwiches for breakfast and that's definitely helping!
Clutch
I'm the man in the box
Clutch
4,805 Posts
Keep at it man. It's not an overnight thing but if you put in the time and effort then it will pay off.
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UPSLynx
The Dean of Computer Graphics
UPSLynx
2,140 Posts
A litte over 3 weeks and I can feel a mainly mental benefit. Feel a lot more energetic and alert. Also considerably calmer.

I've been running/working our for almost a year now (running's dropped off with the cool weather, I don't have a gym or treadmill to run in) and that's one of the best benefits. Other than the eventual body progression, the extra energy and boost to mood is astounding. Keep at it, it's very worth it.
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Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
A few more months down the line now. Making a more noticable difference. I have muscles developed in places that I didn't know I could get them and now clothes I bought last year are too big for me

Feeling a whole stack healthier. Diet has totally changed, no more running out of breath and just generally got a lot more drive & enthuiasm. Still going pretty much every day and time to start setting some new goals!
GHoosdum
tequilavangelist
GHoosdum
10,277 Posts
Awesome progress, Dan! Keep it up, and I lol'd when I read your clothes were too big!
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
I intend to! I had a "refocus" session with a trainer today. I have not hit a brick wall because I have increased my cardio routine and upped the weights as they started to get too easy. But it was useful to get a fresh perspective. I am off machines and onto free weights now. Definitely going to be a whole new challenge there as well as a tougher rowing routine.

I am serious, I saw some snaps of me from my works xmas party last year, I looked terrible and those snaps of me at the last LAN, same again. Never want to look like that again!!!
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Nearly a month since my last update and definitely getting into free weights well

Can now do 4 pullups with no supporting weight (just lifting my body weight) and the same in dips
22LB per arm bicep curls
66LB bench press
26LB per arm shoulder press
44LB squats
55LB leg extension

I know thats not huge weights but I am only 5ft 2 and have never lifted weights before. I have always been scrawny so have some serious work to do! I am still doing 20-30 minutes cardio per session (10 minute warmup plus another 10-20 post weights), so fat is coming off. I also have a set of body core exercises as well which alternate on days to allow muscle sets to rebuild and allow me to go to the gym 6 days a week
GHoosdum
tequilavangelist
GHoosdum
10,277 Posts
Your progress is great. Don't ever be ashamed of the amount you can lift. You're working and improving and that's the key. Pretty soon you'll be lifting more than sedentary guys twice your size.
Nomad
-
Nomad
3,503 Posts
Try to get your squat up more, it should begin to increase over your bench and then go far beyond it. Being that you're shorter, you're at a mechanical advantage in your squats.
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Try to get your squat up more, it should begin to increase over your bench and then go far beyond it. Being that you're shorter, you're at a mechanical advantage in your squats.
My trainer commented on that as well so I am assuming that's an important goal to reach?

Your progress is great. Don't ever be ashamed of the amount you can lift. You're working and improving and that's the key. Pretty soon you'll be lifting more than sedentary guys twice your size.
I am not ashamed at all. I am only short after all and have never lifted before. I consider my progress to be pretty good. It will come in good time
Nomad
-
Nomad
3,503 Posts
My trainer commented on that as well so I am assuming that's an important goal to reach?
I would say it's a good goal, balanced fitness is important. Your legs are stronger than your upper body, they always will be, you just need to think about utilizing them in a different way.

Consider some mental imagery next time you go for squats, think about trying to push through the floor with your feet, or driving with your heels. Also, don't keep the bar so high that it's right where you neck meets your shoulders, have it slightly lower on your traps and shoulders. It might take a few times to get adjusted to.

Other simple positioning can help too. Try keeping your feet a bit wider than shoulder width apart--which is wider than you might think. Toes pointed slightly outward. Make sure your knees are pointing out when you're coming up on the lift. Knees have a tendency to go inward and that doesn't help.
Bubbleman
Bubbles of Lethal Annihilation
Bubbleman
587 Posts
I lost 60 pounds on my bow flex with some good cardio on the side in 4 months, now for some body building!

Yeah I summarized a essay into a sentence, but if you want the bigger scoop you can PM me...
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Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
I haven't updated in a while, so I will post my update later on, I am on a 3 day split + 1 day rest and made some great progress. Still hitting the gym almost everyday and working hard
Clutch
I'm the man in the box
Clutch
4,805 Posts
Awesome! Good to hear you are still sticking it out, I love going to the Gym, and after a good workout, I feel so good.
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Day 1:

Deadlift - 90lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Incline Bench Press - 90lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Back Squat - 90lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Decline Dumbell - 90lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
Dips - body weight (121lbs) - 4 sets x 10 reps

Day 2:

Neutral chinups - body weight (121lbs) - 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumbell push press - 35lbs (each DB) - 5 sets of 6 reps
Neutral pull downs - 98lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Side Raise - 14lbs (each DB) - 4 sets of 8 reps
Single arm row - 40lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps
Plate front raise - 22lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps

Day 3:

EZ scott curl - 26lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
EZ reverse curl - 11lbs - 5 sets of 8 reps
Flies (cable) - 5lbs (per cable) - 4 sets of 10 reps
EZ french press (decline) - 34lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
Close neutral press - 5 sets of 6 reps
Pullups - body weight (121lbs) - 4 sets of 8-10 reps

Day 4:

Rev crunch - 4 x 10
Medicine ball situps - 4 x 10
Woodchop - 78lbs
Plank - 2 x 60 seconds

... I also do between 3 to 4 sets of 15 pressups in the morning or evening (depending on which part of the day I attend the gym). None of these days actually include the 10-15 minute cardio warmup or the post workout cardio. I also drum on average 12-15 hours a week in band practice/gigs.

I also rest after day 4 for a day (or two depending on how I am feeling and life stuff)

How is it?? Bloody hard work!!!
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Things are progressing well. I can now squat, deadlift, pulldown, pullup, chinup and dip my own body weight over 4/5 sets of a minimum of 5 reps

Day 1:

Deadlift - 120lbs (my body weight!) - 5 sets of 6 reps
Incline Bench Press - 95lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Back Squat - 120lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Decline Dumbell press - 90lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
Dips - body weight (120lbs) - 4 sets x 10 reps

Deadlift, squat have gone up massively. Small improvement in chest exercises, need to focus on those as they have no moved so quick. Will add weight belt for dips from next week.

Day 2:

Neutral chinups - body weight (120lbs) - 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumbell push press - 40lbs (each DB) - 5 sets of 6 reps
Neutral pull downs - 120lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Side Raise - 18lbs (each DB) - 4 sets of 8 reps
Single arm row - 48lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps
Plate front raise - 33lbs - 4 sets of 8 reps

Chinups are still horribly tough! Neutral pulldowns are now body weight. Everything else continues to go up nicely.

Day 3:

EZ scott curl - 50lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
EZ reverse curl - 24lbs - 5 sets of 8 reps
Flies (cable) - 16lbs (per cable) - 4 sets of 10 reps
EZ french press (decline) - 38lbs - 4 sets of 6 reps
Close neutral press -40lbs (each DB) - 5 sets of 6 reps
Pullups - body weight (120lbs) - 4 sets of 5 reps

Massive increases in biceps and triceps in general. Last sets of pulls are still very tough.

Day 4:

Rev crunch - 4 x 10
Medicine ball situps - 4 x 10
Woodchop - 77lbs
Plank - 2 x 60 seconds
Crazy Joe
Cousin Zeke
Crazy Joe
1,573 Posts

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Things are progressing well. I can now squat, deadlift, pulldown, pullup, chinup and dip my own body weight over 4/5 sets of a minimum of 5 reps
That's what, like 75 lbs? Just messing with ya Shorty, congrats!!
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Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Yesterday - Day 1:

Deadlift - 130lbs (+10lbs) - 5 sets of 6 reps
Incline Bench Press - 95lbs - 5 sets (+1 set) of 5 reps
Back Squat - 130lbs (+10lbs) - 5 sets of 6 reps
Decline Dumbell press - 90lbs - 5 sets (+1 set) of 6 reps
Dips - body weight (120lbs) - 5 sets (+1 set) x 10 reps

Deadlifts and squats are up again, now past body weight (RESULT!).

Haven't increased chest weights yet, just gone to another set to 5 sets (which is really hard at the end of the decline sets). Weight up on Friday for those. Time to add weight to the dips
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Refresh time

Time to move all the weights up. My trainer is dropping to 3 x 5 sets but going to start really packing on the weights. First run through will my day 3 routine tonight
GHoosdum
tequilavangelist
GHoosdum
10,277 Posts
You're going to be like a miniature Arnold when this is all over!
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
EZ scott curl - 60lbs - 4 sets of 5 reps
EZ reverse curl - 37lbs - 4 sets of 5 reps
Flies (cable) - 22lbs (per cable) - 3 sets of 8 reps
EZ french press (decline) - 44lbs - 3 sets of 5 reps
Close neutral press -48.5lbs (each DB) - 4 sets of 6 reps
Pullups - body weight (125lbs) - 4 sets of 5 reps
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Deadlift - 145lbs - 5 sets of 6 reps
Incline Bench Press - 110lbs - 3 sets of 5 reps
Back Squat - 145lbs - 4 sets of 5 reps
Decline Dumbell press - 96lbs - 3 sets of 5 reps
Dips - body weight (123lbs) - 5 sets x 10 reps

I can almost... ALMOST bench press my body weight. I WILL get to that goal... Mr Robert Hallock .. I am coming for YOU.
Thrax
Cad
Thrax
23,409 Posts
Bring it, diminutive one.
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RyderOCZ
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RyderOCZ
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I will own the both of you when I bench MY body weight
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Routine changed again. Going well. Refocussing for the new year, going to amp up the visits from 3 to 4 a week. Got lots to achieve in the coming months. Might even post a snap if I feel brave enough!
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Up we go...

Bench press - 121lbs - 5 x 5
Hang clean and jerk - 78bs - 5 x 6
Deadlift - 145lbs - 5 x 5
Chinups - body weight - 5 x 5 supersetted with side raise 5 x 8

My trainer left the gym and my new trainer dragged me back down a bit. Fortunately my old trainer is back and has me refocussing. Moving to power compound exercises to get me back to where I was
Thrax
Cad
Thrax
23,409 Posts
Woot! Keep goin'!
Khaos
King Kretin
Khaos
694 Posts
Moving to power compound exercises to get me back to where I was
Excellent! Your rep/set counts look very reasonable. Power compounds are the most important. To build strength and mass, the ticket is high intensity compounds with lots and lots of food and rest. Great work, Dan.

What is your body weight now?
__________________ Revisionist Far-sighted historian.
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Khaos,

I should really weigh myself. It's 56kg/123lbs (remember I am 5ft 2in tall!).

Last night I managed:

Squat - 5x 60kg/132lb // 65kg/143lbs // 70kg/154lbs // 70kg/154lbs // 65kg/143lbs (that's a serious personal best of 5 sets at all above body weight)

Clean and press (from the floor) - 5x42.5kg/93lbs (5 sets)

Seated shoulder press (20kg dumb bell per arm) - 5 x 40kg/88lbs (5 sets)

Preacher Curl (barbell) - 5 x 24kg/52lbs // 24kg/52lbs // 24kg/52lbs // 19kg/41lbs // 19kg/41lbs

Flat bench - 5 x 55kg/121lbs (5 sets)

Dips - 5 sets body weight + 8kg/17lbs weight

Deadlift - 5 x 65kg/143lbs (5 sets)

Decline crunch - 7 x 7 x 7 (different angles) - 4 sets

Prone rolls - 5 x 20kb/44lbs (5 sets)

French Press - 5 x 24kg/52lbs (5 sets)

I ache all over today.
pseudonym
Faster than you!
pseudonym
2,318 Posts
Crap, Shorty is going to beat me up next time he visits!

Nice work buddy, I need to get my routine going.
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Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Lets see where I am right now.

On a power cycle at the moment. 1-3 reps max. All at my close to my 1rep max. This cycle finishes in about 3 weeks...

So Monday was:

Close grip bench press (triceps targetting) - 5 sets of 3@132lbs + 2 x sets of 1@143lbs

Swing curls - 5 sets of 3@lbskgs + 2 x sets of 2@110lbs

Chinups - 5 x 5 @ body weight + 13.5lbs weight. These really suck as I have to let go of the bar and catch myself on the negative.

3 sets of:
10reps@60lbs French press + 5reps@60lbs californian rolls + 5reps@60lbs press (supersetted as one set)
primesuspect
The Icrontic Guy
primesuspect
27,798 Posts
French press and california rolls mean entirely different things to me
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GHoosdum
tequilavangelist
GHoosdum
10,277 Posts
I couldn't help but think in terms of food there either.

What are these when they're exercises?
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
French Press

A california roll is a combo. Perform a french press, move the bar down your chest and up into a close grip chest press. Repeat until you feel really sick.
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Todays workout (yay for morning workout, working locally so can have a 6am start):

10 x minutes rowing (5 minutes warmup and then at max output for 5 minutes).

Flat bench press - 3x5@122lbs, 2x3@132lbs, 2x2@143lbs

Sternum pullups body weight 132lbs + 9lbs additional weight - 5x5

Dumbell chest press - 52lb per dumbell - 3x5, 57lb per dumbell - 2x3, 35lb per dumbell - 2x15

Bent over one arm row - 52lb per dumbell - 3x5, 57lb per dumbell - 2x3, 35lb per dumbell - 2x15

Push press barbell - 5x5@77lbs

Plyometric press-up - 3x10

Reverse crunch - 3x10

I was BOLLOXED afterwards but damn it was a good workout!
Nomad
-
Nomad
3,503 Posts
Americans call a 'French Press' a skull crusher. Typically it's done with an EZ-bar.
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Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Americans call a 'French Press' a skull crusher. Typically it's done with an EZ-bar.
That is the bar I do the exercise with. It's effective.

Legs and shoulders tonight. That means I am going to be hobbling tomorrow then...
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Friday night:

Back Squats - 5x5@154lbs, 2x3@165lbs
Clean and press - 5x3@110lbs, 2x2@121lbs
Rope Pulls - 3x20@44lbs
Plate raise - 3x20@44lbs
and crunches and pressups etc...

This morning:

Close grip bench press (tricep target): 2x5@110lbs, 2x3@121lbs, 2x2@144lbs, 2x1@154lbs

Swing curls - 4x3@110lbs + 3x2@121lbs

Chinups - 5x5@ body weight + 13.5lbs weight.

3 sets of:

10@60lbs French press + 5@60lbs californian rolls + 5@60lbs press (supersetted as one set).

All I can say is OUCH.
Shorty
Sniping teh enterpwise!
Shorty
9,543 Posts
Been slacking in updating this and just had to have 5 days off due to a shoulder injury (strained my traps). But.. Back tomorrow
lordbean
King of Spray'n'Pray
lordbean
879 Posts

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I feel a bit embarassed thumbing through this thread. At 5'2" you weigh more than I do, and I'm 5'11.7". I'm slowly adding some mass with my at-home dumbell workouts, but my routine obviously isn't diverse enough - I don't even know what half the exercises you list are.
Thrax
Cad
Thrax
23,409 Posts
1) Go to the gym.
2) Go to the gym.
3) Go to the gym.
4) Go to the gym.
5) Go to the gym.
6) ???
7) Go to the gym.
ardichoke
King Banana Spanner
ardichoke
1,090 Posts
You forgot step 0 Thrax... Whey protein shakes.
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lordbean
King of Spray'n'Pray
lordbean
879 Posts

» Subscriber

I use whey protein shakes already.

Unfortunately I don't have a gym nearby and I don't have a car. Bad combination of circumstances.
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