Any one else hit the gym?

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My thoughts are "its not nice to fool with mother nature." Creatine works if you want power and size, but be prepared to take it as long as you want to maintain that power and size. What you wind up with in the long run is ruined joints and a puffy look to your body when you can't keep up that level of work-out regimin. I suggest you keep it natural.
 
By the way, a wife, five kids, a managment job and a propensity to sit on your butt smoking pipes will also give you a "puffy" look to your body. :D
 
The only limitation I have is my job. Only reason I asked, I did it naturally for most of my life. Recently, I began taking protein. What this did for me was helped me recover for my next work out.

Before, the motivation was there, but not the ability to lift. This seems to let me recoop a little quicker. When I mentioned this to a trainer, he recommended L-glutamine, also for recovery. Sure enough, I can easily do 5-6 days work permitting.

What exactly does creatine do?

Oh how about this for a split:

Mon: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Abs (cardio optional)
Tues: Off (just cardio)
Wed: Thighs, Back, Biceps, calves (cardio optional)
Thu: Off (just cardio)
Fri: Chest, Shoulder, Triceps, Abs (cardio optional)
Sat: Off (just cardio)
Sun: Off: Total rest day
Repeat cycle beginning with day two workout

Or keep my 5 day split?
 
From what I understand and experienced, creatine increases the volume of muscle cells, it aids in recovery and limits acid build up which is what makes your muscles sore after intense workouts. You will gain 5 to 15 pounds depending on your BMI at first, this is all water weight from the cell volumizing effect. Soon after you will feel as though you cant workout enough to get a good "burn". You will love the results but, be warned, if you are a work-out addict you will do permanent damage. Your bones and joints dont grow to keep up with extra mass and rigorous abuse. Your work-out routine looks fine to me, just mixit up every 4 to 5 weeks
 
jmallen5":qunj97ww said:
By the way, a wife, five kids, a managment job and a propensity to sit on your butt smoking pipes will also give you a "puffy" look to your body. :D
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I can attest to that my friend! :lol:

Love your sig line by the way, McManus is one of my all time favorite authors. Reading his stuff takes me immediately back to my childhood. Everyone should have a little Crazy Eddy Muldoon in him :D
 
Been working out for a couple of years now and am currently trying "menshealth" fatburner workout. Basically 4 super sets of upper lower body workouts and then two sessions of interval cardio three times a week.

Here is the first days circuit, sets are to be done immediately after another

A-1 leg press 10-12
A-2 Push-ups max reps you can do

30 second break

B-1 Chin-ups or lat pulldown 10-12
B-2 Dumbell lunges 8-10 per leg alternating

30 sec. break

C-1 Dumbell shoulder presses 10-12
C-2 Dumbell step-ups 8-10 per leg

30 sec break

D-1 Dumbell wood chopper 10-12 per side
D-2 Back extensions 10-12

then 5-7 minutes of interval cardio which means for the first 30 seconds you go full out on cardio machine of your choice and then next minute you slow to a steady pace and then after that minute you go full out for another 30 seconds until your time is up.

After you do all this you go again!

It doesn't sound like much because the exercises are big and simple but the pace you must keep works your body incredibly hard. You do this exercise the first day and then there is a different set for alternating days. My muscles and body are exhausted after this but I really feel better and more energized!
 
Puff Daddy":xe0bpp6j said:
jmallen5":xe0bpp6j said:
By the way, a wife, five kids, a managment job and a propensity to sit on your butt smoking pipes will also give you a "puffy" look to your body. :D
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I can attest to that my friend! :lol:

Love your sig line by the way, McManus is one of my all time favorite authors. Reading his stuff takes me immediately back to my childhood. Everyone should have a little Crazy Eddy Muldoon in him :D
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Puff Daddy, have you read his mystery novels? If you like his short stories you should enjoy them. Rancid Crabtree could have been my grandfather!
 
Tweed,
that looks awesome, problem is I'm too big to do some of those (push ups, chin ups), so I have to find substitutes.

My shoulder is getting stronger, I did military with a bar for the first time in 8 years today. Then went to delt isos. I completed 48 min of cardio for the first time, burned 350 calories. And my ass hurts. I may have pulled a glute yesterday on the leg press (540 lbs).

I'm getting good motivation as some of the gym bunnies are giving me some attention, which is very sweet because I know they are doing it to help with motivation.
 
I hear you TO,

These exercises are fairly rigourous on the shoulders and kness as well as the glutes.

I also keep my weight fairly low for right now but will probably add more in week three. only doing 100lbs on the leg press, and using 15lbs for the dumbell exercises. Works for me but i don't think i have your natural size so it makes sense for me to use a weight i can control.

I'm an average size 6'1" 200lbs guy so i can't fathom 540lbs! on the leg press. imPRESSive to say the least :twisted:
 
SmokeyTweed":xl9nm062 said:
I'm an average size 6'1" 200lbs guy so i can't fathom 540lbs! on the leg press. imPRESSive to say the least :twisted:
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I feel pretty good, just soreness. Which is what I wanted to ask you guys about. Some of the gymheads that I work out with say that you should always be sore or you aren't working hard enough.

Some body building sites say to take a day off in cases of extreme soreness. What do y'all think?

One other thing: I've been told that I do too many reps per set, that if I can do 10-12 reps I should be using more weight. It depends on the muscle, no? If doing isolation, too much weight would strain the muscle?

Today is arm day: I'm pumped! Gonna put in 21s today.
 
Its always been my opinion that your muscles should be a little sore as i feel it lets you know they are being worked. I always allow time for my muscles to rest as the rest period is where the muscles rebuild and get stronger. Its just like smoking a pipe in that regards, to make a decent smoker you must allow the pipe to rest and build muscle "cake" so it can be the best it can be so it can be ready for that next workload.

If you rest your muscles regularly you'll find you'll be able to control more weight in your exercises and your body will increase its metabolism.

This is just my opinion though. :study:
 
That's a great analogy. I am going to build some big cake on my bi's and tri's today!

With this 5 day split that I'm on right now, I train a muscle part once a week. Really for small muscles such as biceps and triceps, I am training them twice a week, once directly and once indirectly.

During chest workout on Mondays I am also working triceps indirectly, same with biceps during Tuesday's back workouts. Then I let them rest until Friday and isolate them (train them directly).

I guess I really need to see if I can get squats in, but the stress on knees and lowerback scares me. This exercise is supposed to make your body release some kind of chemical that benefits all muscles. Not sure if the leg press is enough.

I never considered a body builder. But as part of my body begins to develop and look good, I find myself wanting to balance out the other parts. Lately, it's traps. My arms and shoulders are getting there, but my traps need work, so I've been concentrating on them.

At the end of next week, I'm considering changing my setup and supersets. I know one thing many do is train Chest/triceps together and then Back Biceps the next day.

I've always liked antagonistic pairings though to ensure a proportionate gain (i.e. a huge bicep with a substandard tricep).
 
Wonderful thread guys (and gal ;) ) You all put me to shame. After reading this, I got to go lay down and have a nap :lol:

My wife suggested I start riding my bike more this summer... I'd probably do better just simply walking (especially around the golf course) and taking my grandson swimming...
 
Slow Puffs":ixwlvrn4 said:
Wonderful thread guys (and gal ;) ) You all put me to shame. After reading this, I got to go lay down and have a nap :lol:

My wife suggested I start riding my bike more this summer... I'd probably do better just simply walking (especially around the golf course) and taking my grandson swimming...
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One thing that will help you get some exercise is talking about it. All my reading and theorizing about working out is to keep my motivation up so that I can actually do it after work.

I'm phsyched about working out when I leave work in an hour, but I'm dead tired as well. I keep telling myself, take today as an off day and I can work out tomorrow, but I am smart enough to know stuff has a way of "coming up" on Saturdays.

Many of my RL friends have begun working out or walking or something that counts as exercise. I've also learned taht once I get in the gym and get testosterone running through my body, I don't want to leave the gym.

Also, I thought I was in a plateau, but I've also had some increase in weight. I have the motivation and desire, but it sure is tough to be on your feet for the most of 9 hours then hit the gym.

It gets better as I get in better shape, right?
 
I try to get to the gym three times a week. One of the perks of where I work, we have a very nice Hyper Center and it's free for faculty. There's a group of us old profs that do a lunch work out every M-W-F. But I've been reffing a lot of soccer the past few years, so I don't hit the gym as much during the season.

Whenever I go backpacking or on a long hike in the woods, I sure realize how miserable my condition is!

Dang, I miss the day when I had two knees that actually bent in the same direction.

Natch
 
Tough work out today. Burned out quicker than usual. Could be cause it's my 5th day. I did put in 21s, was hoping to get 4 sets. I did 2 complete. I started the 3rd and took it so failure.

Did 20 min of cardio only because the ac guy was coming to check my unit. He thinks it's as simple as replacing a motor.

BTW, it's 90...IN THE HOUSE!
 
Decided to start on the incline bench yesterday becuase there is one incline and 7 flat benches to make sure I got to it without waiting in line.

Good thing I did. This is the most people I've ever seen in my gym. I had a stronger workout on bench even though I dropped from 4 sets to only 3 because I intended to put in some new exercises.

Problem was, all 7 flat benches were occupied when I was done. The only decline was also being used.

Still got a decent 50 min chest workout + 30 min of LIT cardio.

Today is back day!

I got a crazy idea in my head: I want to try squats and deadlifts again. For the love of God, someone talk me out of it!

Oh, one other thing, I've been consuming so much protein and glutamine that I decided to purchase them online. Saved me about 90 bucks, probably more if you consider that the amount online is larger than at my local fitness store.

Oh and yet ANOTHER thing, some dude at the gym was talking about taking viagra before working out. I dismissed him as a fool. Then I'm reading about Nitrous Oxide sold as a pre-workout supplement: it has the same active ingredient as....
 
I believe that nitrous oxide is also known as "Laughing Gas".
 
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