Anyone else lift weights?

[MrsJamin]

It just seems to be about running on here, which is not my bag. Anyone else want to talk about lifting weights? Share tips, frustrations, ideas?

Ouch! Is it better now?

Pull-ups are such hard work....I had a shoulder injury and the rehab for that included a lot of negatives and holds, which all helped too. And doing band-assisted ones and lat pull downs as often as possible, even if not time for many.

@MsMartini - crikey! Well done.

@GodwinsRulebook - I'm in the same boat. 2020 WILL be the year I get one. Those underarm muscles are tricksy little things. I've not pulled one but got horribly sore once. Hope it's better now. I was set back last year by tendonitis in my right elbow caused (I suspect) by trying to do too many pull ups! I've also recently done one of those DNA health things which told me that my natural ability to build strength is lower than average, which would explain why it is taking me so long to achieve the pull up (and press up, which I also can't quite do yet). Just keep at it. You will be over the moon on that day when you discover that you can do one at last.

I'm getting almost competent at press ups - two years ago I couldn't do one.Now I can do 10 hand release press ups in one go. With imperfect form but I'm getting there. Full arm planks are easy - it's the lowering down that's hard!

Yay @GodwinsRulebook!

Does anyone use a fitness tracker while strength training? I use Google Fit and while it does a great job tracking reps and guessing what I’m doing, I’m always surprised by how very, very low a calorie burn estimate I get for strength sessions.

I went to the gym today and my trainer was there working out himself. The fear of being judged meant I did half my routine and then left to finish at home instead 🤦‍♀️

I was fine with the teenagers in there last week. And I'm fine (ish) when I've got an actual session with him. I don't know. What an idiot I am!

I think maybe it's related to him being very young? It's a weird dynamic (for me)

Don't neglect active and passive hangs. I'm also working up to monkey bars but no exercise will make me taller than 5'2".

I want to be able to hang for a whole minute.
AthleanX has a whole range of progress exercises that will help you work up to a pull up.

Does anyone use a fitness tracker while strength training?

I wear a myZone belt. It works with a phone app and also automatically adds your results to the leader board in the gym, plus anyone else with the app that you choose to share it with.

It can get quite competitive towards the end of the month.

@PhoneLock I've got one of those too! Its a brilliant motivational tool for me but yes, very competitive. We have one chap at our gym who is consistently top of the leader board because he's an amateur time triallist so cycling hundreds of miles a week around the world. Makes me feel very inadequate as in a good month I get maybe 4000 MEP's whilst hes on 10-12000!

We have one chap at our gym who is consistently top of the leader board

Yes, we have one of those too. I've managed to get in the top ten a few times.

Agree about the motivation. I couldn't get to the gym at Christmas because we were away in Australia. I ended up going out running and cycling in 30 degree plus temperatures just to keep my Gold status. My husband thought I was mad.

Godwin I managed to pop a rib out attempting assisted pull ups! Was horrible, I had to have it manipulated back but it's still protruding a little. I will never attempt a pull up again

I wear a myZone belt. It works with a phone app and also automatically adds your results to the leader board in the gym, plus anyone else with the app that you choose to share it with. It can get quite competitive towards the end of the month.

Looks good but as skating is my primary 'exercise,' I can't really wear anything on my torso. If I fall during a spin or jump, or come off a ramp, something on my body would increase my injury risk quite a bit. As it is, I have to keep my watch loose and high above my handguards, so it doesn't break my wrist if I go down badly.

Looks good but as skating is my primary 'exercise,' I can't really wear anything on my torso

How about this?

www.myzone.org/media/blog/press/the-new-smart-sports-bra

@PhoneLock I'm on Platinum with 4 months to go to get to HoF!! My friend who got her belt at the same time as me has been HoF for 4 months already. But yes it encourages both of us to do enough to get the minimum 1300 MEP's a month to keep our status

Another Myzone devotee here!

@alittleprivacy - fitness trackers get their estimated calorie burn from your heart rate. I also get low readings from weights sessions as my heart rate does not go very high unless I'm doing heavy compound lifts.

I've been lifting on and off for 20 years. I love it. Lifting's the source dude! Change your life, swear to god.

Yep, I've got cooked spaghetti for arms today after a good session in the weights room. I love the cable machine for really isolating different muscles. Just back to it after injuring my knee so leg days are a bit limited for now. Before I did it I was doing 2 × 15 sets on the inverted leg press of 175kgs, it feels like such an achievement every time I load it.
Weight just isn't shifting and I am being so focused which is annoying me hugely!

What is everyone doing now that we are all confined to barracks? I want to take this opportunity to strengthen my arms, shoulders and back muscles, but don't know what is best to do?

I have an Amazon basket ready to pop stuff into if any suggestions are forthcoming

I'm using dumbbells for online workouts, but can't get heavier ones online anywhere . I'm also using resistance bands in workouts.

Have enjoyed a few YouTube bodyfit with amy workouts for strength, using dumbbells or kettlebells.

@nonsensicalmess what sort of weights are you looking for?

@MrsGarethSouthgate, I've got an over-the-door pull up bar which I also use on the floor for push ups with different grips. I've got resistance bands and just acquired some low parallette bars which I use on tables for dips and knee raises and L-sits and on the floor for other stuff. I've found some good strength classes at eg Barry's UK on insta and also trying out routines from Paul Sklar and others. And some dumbells.

How is everyone doing without the gyms open? I've been doing some decent workouts in the garden, I had a good few dumbbells, kettlebells, decathlon version of the TRX and resistance bands so it's not been too bad really. I am missing doing some barbell work but I have been creative with a resistance band and the end of the mop so I can do a version of Romanian deadlift now!

resistance band and the end of the mop so I can do a version of Romanian deadlift now!
Very creative!
We’re lucky to have some weights at home, but motivating myself is another issue.
I’d set a target of a minimum of x4 sets of x4 exercises a day, followed by a body weight blast like burpees or bear crawls. However, struggling to get past this minimum knowing that the sofa is in the next room
Running motivation is easier, because once I’m out, I’m out.

I do kettlebells in the form of kettlercise. My god, does it make you sweat. Have been doing it regularly for about 5 weeks now. Also have started a low carb diet. Got my husband to take photos of me before I started, then again at the weekend am beginning to see results. I love kettlebells

@cocomelon23 @AntennaReborn can you tell us a bit about your journey to competition
Level?

I would like to get a bit more focussed and need real world inspo!