Weightlifting people, here! Ongoing chat thread...

[MaidOfStars]

We are a bit cut off in the designated forum so here's a shiny new thread to populate.

Hello to anyone that hasn't ventured over to The Weights Room but is lifting/resistance training.

[NC4now]

Oh god yes, the 'how does that feel?' question 😂

Can I ask- what do you all do about diet and nutrition? I'm losing weight but I've hit a massive plateau lately. I'm working on increasing my protein at the moment in the hope that switching my energy source will get things moving again.

[FindoGask]

Over the couple of years since I started weight training I've put on over a stone - I think about half and half muscle and fat. I was eating more and lifting every other day as per my programme.

Now like you I'm losing some weight. Mainly because I want to see some of the muscle I've been growing. It's occurred to me that I'm following my own bulking/cutting cycle, by accident really. I'm tracking what I eat with myfitnesspal, staying in a calorie deficit, and have added in two days of cardio/HIT amongst my lifting days.

Like you I'm keeping protein high but in my case just to ameliorate any muscle loss; other than that I'm not being too scientific about it, just eating what I usually would but smaller portions and not snacking.

[JustGettingStarted]

Who else doesn't do cardio and sort of feels bad about it?

[FindoGask]

I didn't do cardio for ages but I didn't feel bad about not doing it. I was concentrating on getting strong like warrior!

This morning: deadlifts, strict presses and rows:

Deadlifts:
Worked up to 3 sets of triples at 95%
2 sets of 5 at 85%
2 sets of 6 at 75%

Strict press:
6 sets of 6 at 75% (wanted to go heavier but buggered from deadlifts)

Yates row:
5 sets of 10 at 80%

[MaidOfStars]

I'm just at the gym. Am a wee bit hungover so could go one of two ways...

[MaidOfStars]

Bizarrely, after the conversation this week about me always using a trapbar for deadlifts...

Barbell deadlifts. 52kg (105% BW). 3 x 10. Much weaker than on trapbar but big range of motion, which is always tricky for me.

Squat press. 24kg. 3 x 10.

Inverted rows. Feet right up on wall today, and he wanted to put a plate on me. Is that the progression here or is there another exercise I should switch to? Rows?

Agility work, crossfit shit.

Feel nauseous

[Tomorrowisanewday]

I've been really quite poorly for the first half of this year, but am finally getting back to normal. I knew I was feeling much better when I said to my PT last week "that was a much better session, I feel like I'm going to spew"

Strange way of looking at progress!

[FindoGask]

well done for showing up, Maid!

Glad you're back on fighting form, Tomorrow.

[JustGettingStarted]

Today is upper body day. I do an upper/lower split, 4 or 6 days a week.

I think perhaps I ought to do 4 days a week and then cardio on the other two, as it's good for me to exercise 6 days a week. What happens is that something comes up and the intended 6 days turns into 4.

I've been working out religiously for 10 months, missing only for holidays, but recently my motivation is slipping and so I'm only doing 4x a week.

[NC4now]

It's cardio day for me today. I'm planning on going to spin tonight but I have DOMS in my bum and hamstrings from legs day yesterday.
Also, my kids are away. Must. Resist. Wine...

[Ollivander84]

Just ridden the horse and sweating like crazy
Sports massage tonight, can't wait

[Lazyi]

Warm up
Front squats
RDL:bent over row:split Squat:military press circuit.
Front Squat, military press, pull up circuits
Arse medley, including the hated one leg hip thrusts.
Good session this morning. Off to gymnastics tonight, second time! :)

[FindoGask]

Cool - what sort of stuff do you do at gymnastics, Lazyi?

Hard kettlebell class this morning, which I joined on a whim as it happened to be starting when I got to the gym and I was going to do kettlebells anyway. It was great. Then ten minutes on the stairmaster and 15 doing 'rolling hills' setting on the elliptical.

Feeling a bit sorry for myself cos I fell off my bike yesterday in busy traffic on Princes Street in Edinburgh - luckily neither the bike nor I was hurt but feel very lucky to be able to go to the gym this morning.

[Tomorrowisanewday]

Oh, that must have been frightening Findo - i often think cyclists are taking their lives in their hands on princes street. Glad you weren't badly hurt

[Urglewurgle]

Peacemaking. I usually lift but lost my way a bit but this time last year, then found our j was expecting. I'm 37 weeks pregnant and hoping to get back to lifting when (if?) I can.

[Urglewurgle]

Place marking even.

[FindoGask]

It was my own stupid fault, Tomorrow. I wouldn't usually go near that route but I was going to the book festival on Charlotte Square and it seemed the best way. I misremembered the road layout, and ended up in the same lane as the tram tracks - tried to avoid, but skidded on to them off a wet drain cover. Just feel so lucky it wasn't worse. A cyclist was killed at the other end of Princes street a few months ago.

Someone at the barbell club I used to go to was about 6 months post partum Urglewurgle - she was pleased that a lot of her baseline strength was still there.

[Lazyi]

Findo, that's scary, glad you are ok. The gymnastics is a class where you can do all sorts, we did roundoffs (like cartwheels yesterday). It's Got a hardcore warm up and cool down, and I can tell I am able to cope because of lots of strength training, but my skills need a lot of improvement! Really good fun.

[FindoGask]

That sounds great fun, Lazyi. I've been working towards doing an unsupported handstand for what seems like ages. I've got the shoulder strength but not the core strength or balance yet - can only manage a couple of seconds.

This morning:
Back squats at 85% (75kg)
4 x 5,
1 x 3 (missed two reps of last set)

Close grip bench press - 40 kg
5 x 10

Glute kickbacks on Smith machine - 30 kg
3 x 10 each side

Lat pulldown - 40 kg
4 x 10

Going along to see a local powerlifting coach this evening to see if he'll do me a programme - been noodling along on my own for a few months but think I need a new focus.

[longdays]

Sorry not rtft yet..

RJ I've wanted to do Kettlebell sport for ages, but I'm in Cambridge and there isn't anyone around here. Where do you compete and train?

I'm just doing Dan john 30 day bus park programme at the moment so I don't have to think too hard during the summer holidays

[longdays]

I should say I used to do a lot of heavy lifting about 4 years ago, but then I got divorced and ate loads of cake .

I'm getting back into it now, but it's much harder as a single parent

[JustGettingStarted]

It is hard to make time for yourself.

[hazelnutlatte]

Hello, nice to see an active weights thread again - I'd been lurking in the weights room but didn't want to post for fear of getting no replies!
Just wondering if everyone follows a program or do you do your own thing? And if you do your own thing then what 'rules' do you tend to follow? I was originally following a program a personal trainer did for me but It took ages to do and there was lots of stuff in it that I've since read is a bit pointless unless you're a bodybuilder (biceps curls etc) so I've been vaguely doing a full body workout each time I train including a push, pull and lower body movement (e.g. bench press, pull ups and squat.) I'd like to see what others do as I'm not sure I really know what I'm doing!

[JustGettingStarted]

I do my own thing, because I travel a lot and use different gyms and I don't know what will be available. This morning I skipped deadlifts but did hip thrusts with a 30kg sandbag for high reps because that was what was available.

I felt like doing step-up lunges instead of squats (I do either lunges or squats but not both). Then I noticed they had resistance bands so I did crab walks instead of cable hip abduction.

I also have decided to eschew all the expert advice and I now do leg extension machine and hip addiction machine... Since I have started doing these, my right knee has stopped bothering me during squats and lunges.

I'm pressed for time so I don't wait for equipment. I do my thing and get out!

I also do all upper body on one day. Chest, back and shoulders. I alternate between putting chest and shoulders first, because whatever I do after will suffer.

I think it's possible to work things out on your own, with common sense.

[Lazyi]

PBs today...

Deadlift 87.5kg
Push press 40kg

Woo!