Strength Training Club

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Well done with your progress so far :)

Your stamina should continue to improve as you keep loosing. A true plyometric session can be intense and should be part of a carefully planned session to avoid over training. A 90 minute class is too long if it includes plyometrics unless you are very fit.
 
Tru, can I ask your opinion about two things?
1. The exercise where you lie on the floor and "bicycle" upside-down. Is this useful? What is it most useful for? Arethere any problems to watch out for?
2. Is this video a good one to follow:
(I am not doing it right now - for one thing I'm still running on empty with this coldy thing.)

Sorry if I am asking this in the wrong place.
 
aiminglow said:
The exercise where you lie on the floor and "bicycle" upside-down. Is this useful? What is it most useful for? Arethere any problems to watch out for?
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Abs tend to respond well to Isometric hold and nice slow movements. While this exercise is an ab exercise it puts a lot of pressure on the lower spine, I would suggest you not do these unless you have reasonable thoracic spine mobility so your lumbar spine can stay stable. T-Spine Rotation with Rib Grab | Functional Movement Systems this is a basic exercise to begin developing T-Spine mobility. Mountain climbers may be a better option giving you the same type of ab movement without the rotation and the same cardio effect.


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aiminglow said:
2. Is this video a good one to follow
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I found it Painful to watch lol, It is not completely terrible for a beginner video but from a coaches perspective I felt like correcting his posture (core and Glute engagement) throughout the video. He seems to be targeting this video as cardio and not strength or hypertrophy. A beginner would get more benefit slowing down the movements. Speed tends to hide movement problems and exacerbates any existing issues you may have. Speed work has its place but this video isn't it. As a beginner you could get a couple more muscle groups worked ( 1 set each) in 12 minutes rather than just targeting 2 muscles. You do not need to target separate muscle heads in a beginner workout. If you want cardio do cardio, not lifting weights quicker.
 
Made it back into the gym today to relax, it was nice to get a light session in without pain, the hip injection has worked great. Still have very limited movement in left shoulder from the Adhesive capsulitis but I am past the pain, and working hard to get full ROM back. With only one exam at uni left for the semester, I will have a few months to try and rebuild my conditioning, before more very physical subjects next semester.
 
Last night hubby had a bit of a dig at me for all of the fitness shit I keep in my car, so thinking about personal equipment what do you keep in your bag when you go to the gym ? 1574135816519.png
 
Oh, Tru! Just gym-clothes and shoes. I mean, water, if it's not supplied at the gym, but otherwise - it's because they've got the equipment that I'd go.
 
aiminglow said:
Oh, Tru! Just gym-clothes and shoes. I mean, water, if it's not supplied at the gym, but otherwise - it's because they've got the equipment that I'd go.
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it is just a fun lighthearted question, I know most people do not take too much to the gym, but for those who have never been to a gym it is often helpful to get an idea of what they should take.

If I am just going to relax, then I may just show up with a towel because it is a gym rule that a towel must be placed on any benches you use. On the other end I may take a full bag that includes such incidental things such as chalk, powder, super glue and a screwdriver. Then there is the clothing aspect, I have 2 pairs of shoes in my regular bag and my belt. I am not a keen spa type person but If i wanted to use the spa or sauna I would probably pack in a swimsuit. I prefer to go home and shower after a training session, so I don't usually have a full change of clothing in my bag. On occasions I will take some specialty equipment with me because the gym is a commercial gym and should not be expected to have some specialty items. Lack of specialty equipment is one of the major reasons I am building a gym at home, a very expensive process that will not eliminate going to regular gym until it is complete.
 
I would like to get motivated to add some strength training. I would like to do it at home without weights or equipment. I found a couple of suggestions on-line about this. So doing a routine of squats, lunges, plank-taps, pushups, a couple of other things...
Now my arms are pretty weak and i find push-ups too hard, so looking for things to replace that.
Also wonder about buying some small weights and adding some curls or something--any suggestions for a small simple set of weights that could be stored away easily in a small apartment and an easy routine to use them?
 
liza said:
i find push-ups too hard, so looking for things to replace that.
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Building up to be able to complete a Pushup

Start with Wall Pushups - the Plyo version can also be done https://exrx.net/Plyometrics/WallPlyoPushup
Gradually move feet further away from wall and move hands lower
Swap to Incline Pushups - https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/BWInclinePushup
Gradually move to using a lower support for your hands
Negative Pushups -

Full Pushups


Don't bother with knee pushup, most people struggle to transition from knees to full pushups, you will get more benefit from the above progression than you will from knee pushups.


As for weights to use at home, a basic set of Dumbbells are good, however you can get a great strength workout at home using bands, and on the up side, they don't take up much storage space in a small apartment.
 
Thank you--that's super helpful. I've realized I'm trying to add in too many changes too fast so won't start on strength training yet. Maybe in the next week or 2 once i get used to my reduced calories and increased walking. But that will come in handy when I'm ready to begin!
 
The Myth of Perfect Form

This article written by Greg Nuckols is worth a read, and one of the reasons I am reluctant to coach online, assessing the anatomical differences for an individual is far better to be done face to face.
 
Bench Press at Full Range of Motion Produces Greater Neuromuscular Adaptations Than Partial Executions After Prolonged Resistance Training. - PubMed - NCBI

While the principle of specificity is a cornerstone of training theory, it’s important to remember that it’s a principle, not an iron-clad law. Specifically, range of motion specificity may not hold up quite as well in the bench press as in the squat.

There is a range of exercises where doing partial reps are actually more beneficial to reaching specific training goals than doing full range of motion movements, a good example of this is 1/2 squats have been shown to be more specific to developing jump height compared to a full or deep squat.

Bench press is however an exception as per this study from late last year.

There were a couple of aspect to this study which are outside the norm for bench, the testing was done on a smith machine to improve accuracy of velocity measurements and groups had the bar rest on the safety pins at the correct height to ensure all reps were of the correct depth, paused for 2 seconds again to improve accuracy of the study.
 
I just started a strength/weight training thing last Friday, second session yesterday. Do I qualify for membership here?

I engaged a trainer for my first few sessions and just doing what she tells me to do right now. I like her, she is very attentive and seems to know what she is talking about. This is my first time in a gym in many years, I need some guidance to start, did not even know what the machines were when I looked around. My plan is to learn how things work so I can do it more independently with time. I committed to 15 sessions, 13 left, after that we'll see. I do like the trainer, but can't afford to keep her on for every session in the future, maybe once in a while.

I am still in the sore muscle shock phase right now, but I'll be OK and I know that part will get better.
 
Getting familiar with machines is a good start, As you adapt you will get less DOMs on familiar exercises.

It does not take long to learn the machines, after a few sessions, you should be able to have session with the trainer less often, a good trainer should be able to not only motivate (sound like she does) but also teach you enough to train independently of her guidance.

Also age has an effect on ability to recover (unfortunately) so don't try to push for too many training sessions per week. It is about training smart not exercising like a madman and not being able to recover adequately between sessions. (I am guilty of this, despite my education lol)
 
Thanks Trusylver, good advice. I have a couple of questions, if you have the time:

How many training sessions a week would make sense? Tomorrow she is going to start me on lower body only to be alternated with upper body only on another day, does that make a difference? I am 67 and probably not in great shape, but so far I feel like I can do this, no pain other than the normal soreness and that's getting better. No limitations I have found so far other than the limits on my own strength. I feel like I could do this every other day.​
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What's a DOM?​

You are right about the machines, they are pretty simple, but the trainer is teaching me a lot about form. She pays close attention and is always telling me where my elbows should be, the movement ranges I should use, that kind of thing. It will take a bit longer to get all that right.
 
I am at uni on my phone, so will get to your questions tonight when I get home. DOMs is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and is normal, 2nd day after training is when most painful, if it lasts more than 3 days the intensity of training is too high.
 
alligatorob said:
How many training sessions a week would make sense? Tomorrow she is going to start me on lower body only to be alternated with upper body only on another day, does that make a difference?
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The number of training sessions depends on the exercise split, the intensity, your individual ability to recover etc.

Most older beginners will start with a low to moderate intensity doing full body sessions 2-3 times per week, allowing you to train must muscles 2 x each week. with the drawback that you may be sore over the whole body at once. A split routine (there are lots of different ways to split) is usually shorter and more intense way of working the target muscles on that day. An upper/lower split is often done 4 days per week, allowing you to work all muscles about as much as if you had done 2 full full body sessions. Shorter sessions are a benefit if you are time poor, but makes it easier to push intensity too high.

Other common splits include push/pull and a variety of other Bro splits. As a powerlifter, my split is divided based on the target lift and the differing training methods. For example I have a heavy bench press day for developing strength and a light bench press day which includes speed work to develop explosive power, with a similar split for Deadlift and Squat (Light squat is done on heavy deadlift day)

The key with strength training is that almost any program will work for a healthy beginner, but for the program to be optimal a lot if individual factors come into play and that is where having a face to face trainer or coach is of most benefit so long as they are not just providing a cookie cutter training session that is the same for all of their clients.
 
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