Workout: What did you do today?

[DJChameleon]

What do you guys usually do for warm ups?

When I work out with my trainer, we just do warmups on certain machines but its like lighter weight for two sets then bump up the weight for two more sets.

[jimmy jazz]

I'd have to check the notes to be sure, but I think I started at 30 kgs x 8 reps, then added 5 kg and went down to 3 x 7 reps (no real improvement). All I've improved since then is form, so those 7 x 3s are working nicely  now, so will increase reps to 3 x 8.

I'll admit I'm at that weight because I started squatting around there and found it dull to switch the weights around. For squats, I started 3 x 8, then steadily increased to 3 x 12 and have added an extra 10 kgs.

I probably started a bit easy with squats and a bit heavy (for me anyways) with bench 🤔 dropping 5 kgs and aiming for more reps might be better?

Yes if you feel comfortable then increase reps. Remember don't use collars or clips on your barbell when benching in case you fail and can't get it off you. Also look at the roll of shame and learn how to do that.

Messing with weights for each exercise is annoying, maybe you could do squats and bench on different days?

How long have you been lifting now mate?

[Guybrush]

Yes if you feel comfortable then increase reps. Remember don't use collars or clips on your barbell when benching in case you fail and can't get it off you. Also look at the roll of shame and learn how to do that.

Messing with weights for each exercise is annoying, maybe you could do squats and bench on different days?

How long have you been lifting now mate?

I'm in my third week and have had 8 compound workouts so far where bench is one of my exercises.

Today I did feel like I'd had some progress because I upped from 7 reps to 3 x 8 and it was perfectly fine. The progress is just a little slower, but I think I'll up to 3 x 9 next time. Possibly, bench presses have been a little less intense because I don't wanna get choked or hurt by the bar and so I've been a little more careful when approaching failure. I'll check out the roll of shame.

My wife also did my compound set today (she got inspired and finally started) with less weights on. I used her settings for some burn reps after my main workout, just getting as many reps in as I could with those lower weights. As a result, I feel more sore/spent, though I'm unsure what the science would say about it in terms of building muscle.

I also tried the Bulgarian split squats. They were great! Did 3 x 15 on both legs and felt spent afterwards. I'll feel them tomorrow still, I'm sure. I discovered that my left leg is a little weaker than my right, but I'm guessing that's normal.

[jimmy jazz]

Yes mate that's normal. I suggest starting with your weaker side, that's what I do. Which is my left side also.

Enjoying reading your progress, keep going mate. As long as your muscle aren't too sore and you're comfortable what you're doing feel free to increase. You'll pick up the hang of it as you go along and you'll know when enough is enough and when to add weight or whatever.

[DJChameleon]

So question, do you guys feel tired after doing a heavy workout?

It's strange because before working out most people say they feel sluggish and have more energy when they start a workout routine but whenever I work out with my trainer and he really pushes me. I feel super tired.

It's probably from the new tears in muscles as it is growing but man I feel drained so much lately.

Also I saw this guy that I was going to compliment because he looked like a brick house and super stocky. I asked how much did he bench and homeboy tried to tell me it was all calisthenics. I told myself bullshit he benches AND uses steroids. I didn't give him a compliment at all.

He was way too stocky to look the way he did from strictly pull ups and push ups. His body looked like he was cutting weight for a competition super bulky though.

[jimmy jazz]

I can feel tired before working out but once I'm a few sets in I feel good. I'm usually exhausted after a workout especially if I'm doing legs. They really take it out of me.

[jadis]

Tired is good but it's important to make sure it's not a painful chore, you know? Otherwise your motivation will drop, no matter how much you know that you must go on for your health.

Tore, it does sound a bit like you have an expectation of quick and uninterrupted progress. The main thing is consistency, developing mind-muscle connection, making sure your form is always on point. Once you have those down, the increase in weights follows naturally.

[Guybrush]

Tired is good but it's important to make sure it's not a painful chore, you know? Otherwise your motivation will drop, no matter how much you know that you must go on for your health.

Tore, it does sound a bit like you have an expectation of quick and uninterrupted progress. The main thing is consistency, developing mind-muscle connection, making sure your form is always on point. Once you have those down, the increase in weights follows naturally.

I have had quick, uninterrupted progress, just not in every exercise.

Looking at studies, as far as I can see, gains/progress from exercise is dramatic the first few months and then the slopes start to even out. I understand I'm at a place where the slope is steep and that if I can turn this into a lasting lifestyle change, progress will slow down or even stop at some point. I'm also in my 40s.

I'm not actually worried about progress as much as it may seem here. What I'm most interested in is not getting hurt because I fear a prolonged break could change me back into a slob and I want to find motivations to keep me going. Getting a sexier bod is just the easiest one right now 😄 but more importantly for the long run, just being healthy and feeling better (my mood has improved) will be enough for me, I hope.

[jadis]

Yep. Great, then you already know what I was saying.

Is there a gym in your town btw?

[Guybrush]

Yep. Great, then you already know what I was saying.

Is there a gym in your town btw?

There are several, but I haven't gone to one since I became a parent. I also okayed buying gym equip for one of the empty rooms in our biggest wastewater facility and gave it a small yearly budget. The guys have been buying stuff over the years. I checked that out last week. It looks pretty good, so I'll see if I can spend some time there between office hours and having to pick up the kids.

There's a couple of rowing machines, a huge range of manuals and a really neat rack thing where a bar is locked in these tracks and you can easily secure it at whatever height with these attached hooks thingies. A little hard to explain, but probably common in gyms. It looks like just the thing for squats.

Today, I swam a kilometre in the pool. My daughter has a swim course, so we brought the whole fam and I got tome off from dad duties to swim a bit. I'd forgotten goggles, but it was still really good. It felt like it was going to be hard at first, but then I found a rhythm and I felt like I could keep going for quite a while.

There was a guy there, quite hot and with a super trained upper body. Big arms and chest, yet lean. His legs were kinda like mine, though, so a little unproportional 😄

Still an impressive physique.

[grindy]

Been doing a PPL split for the past two years or so, best split for me so far. I like working out almost every day but don't like long workouts so this is perfect for me. Focus on compounds (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, rows, pull ups) with a bit of isolation after that. Have a workout room in my cellar now with a proper squat rack, helps a lot.

[jadis]

There are several, but I haven't gone to one since I became a parent. I also okayed buying gym equip for one of the empty rooms in our biggest wastewater facility and gave it a small yearly budget. The guys have been buying stuff over the years. I checked that out last week. It looks pretty good, so I'll see if I can spend some time there between office hours and having to pick up the kids.

There's a couple of rowing machines, a huge range of manuals and a really neat rack thing where a bar is locked in these tracks and you can easily secure it at whatever height with these attached hooks thingies. A little hard to explain, but probably common in gyms. It looks like just the thing for squats.

If I were you I'd check them out to see if there's one with an experienced and friendly trainer who can check your form and give you tips, for instance with the exercise where you feel your progress is relatively slow. But emphasis on if I were you... cause I enjoy the social aspect of the gym, esp right now that my social life is pretty limited. And since I don't know anything about the anatomy and physics behind it, I don't trust myself to get everything right even with the exercises I know inside out.

But since you are science-oriented and treat working out as "me time" maybe you don't need to. 

[jimmy jazz]

Been doing a PPL split for the past two years or so, best split for me so far. I like working out almost every day but don't like long workouts so this is perfect for me. Focus on compounds (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, rows, pull ups) with a bit of isolation after that. Have a workout room in my cellar now with a proper squat rack, helps a lot.

Nice work. I'm doing PPL but I added an extra day for calves and shoulders because they weren't getting hit enough during their days.

One of the benefits of training alone or at home is you can strip down to your underpants. Really prefer it.

[grindy]

Nice work. I'm doing PPL but I added an extra day for calves and shoulders because they weren't getting hit enough during their days.

One of the benefits of training alone or at home is you can strip down to your underpants. Really prefer it.

Calves are probably my biggest weak point. I do single leg calf raises twice a week really emphasizing the eccentric and stretch but due to my build and insertions they still look really small. What do you do for them?

[jimmy jazz]

Calves are probably my biggest weak point. I do single leg calf raises twice a week really emphasizing the eccentric and stretch but due to my build and insertions they still look really small. What do you do for them?

Same but with weight also, on a slant board. I've seen people say doing them every other day helps them but I haven't tried that and don't know if I care about them enough to do that.