Who here lifts weights?

[Invictus]

How do you do it? Machines, Barbell, Dumbell, Kettlebell, Bodyweight alone? What sort of routine do you follow? Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, Olympic Lifts, Strongman(woman)? Why do you do it? Aesthetics, athletics, general strength, a little of both, some other option I overlooked?

I pretty much stick to free weights, and I do a lot of power and olympic lifts. I do some kettlebell and strongman-style stuff for conditioning, and of course pullups and chinups. For me it's pretty much all about the athletic benefits, looks don't even come in second. Maybe 5th.

[Enishi]

I usually do stuff like pistols, chin-ups, one-arm push ups and against the wall hand stand push ups when I work out. Although I have a gym membership, I haven't been going recently. When I do go, I like doing squats, deadlifts and some overhead lifts. I avoid the bench press, the position makes me nervous and I hate always having to find a spotter. I used to do a shortened Olympic lift where I would pull the bar off the floor to my chest in one movement. I haven't done it in quite some time though.

[Homicidalheathen]

I used to. I followed a book, you have to do it EVERY OTHER DAy YOR MUSCLES do remember, change your routine, or do upper one day and bottom the next like I did or you won't bulk up.

Muscles remember and get used to the same thing all the time then they don't expand good.

Weights changed my physique somewhat permanently I have bigger arms now even when i don't lift.

Even though I hate it I can say EVERYONE should do it a bit, it changes you...revs metabolism so you use calories more efficiently

Right now I do so much yard work I don't really need to.

I have a weight machine and free weights in my basement.

did the weights for my upper and skate/bike for the lower for years and I was huge. Kinda masculine even. I never thought it could happen to me but it did/does.

[torn asunder]

How do you do it? Machines, Barbell, Dumbell, Kettlebell, Bodyweight alone? What sort of routine do you follow? Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, Olympic Lifts, Strongman(woman)? Why do you do it? Aesthetics, athletics, general strength, a little of both, some other option I overlooked?

I pretty much stick to free weights, and I do a lot of power and olympic lifts. I do some kettlebell and strongman-style stuff for conditioning, and of course pullups and chinups. For me it's pretty much all about the athletic benefits, looks don't even come in second. Maybe 5th.

i do - i don't have a safe area for oly lifts, nor do i have bumper plates, so i don't do those. i'm a freeweight guy, however, and have my own rack, almost 500# in plates, two full-size oly bars (45#ea.). i always stick to full-body compound movements, with some "vanity" lifts added in at the end.

lift 4 days/wk, run 2-3 days/wk, one rest day/wk. workout A consists of below-parallel squats, bench & seated cable rows, with some shoulder work tacked on at the end. workout B consists of deadlifts (currently romanian d/l's) OHP (overhead press), and lat pulldowns (or pullups, depending), with some arm iso's tacked on the end. am currently trying to come up with some GPP (strongman-type conditioning) to substitute on occasion. i've got a 200# log out back that i've been thinking of shouldering for laps around the house, but i'm not sure how it will work out.

i've been reading/studying this for a few years, although i've only recently starting actually lifting again, so if you'd like to discuss any of it, feel free to pm me.

[n0Mad]

I have a kettlebell that I try to use weekly. I really need to step it up to at least 3/week. I have a DVD with a routine on it I like so I generally just go through that. My primary interest is general health, though I am trying to increase my strength a bit, endurance a lot, and I like the way my pecs have become more defined.

[DropDeadGorgeous]

I lift weights 5 times a week. Run 6 times a week and knockout ab's and swimming 3 times a week. I like to luft and workout to help me stay in good shape.

My current split is:

Monday:

Chest

Triceps

Abs

Run

Tuesday:

Back

Biceps

2 mile run

Swimming

Hamstrings

Wednesday

Run

Ab's

Thursday

Quads

Calves

Swimming

Friday

Shoulders

Traps

Abs

Run

Saturday

2 mile run

swimming

Sunday

Rest

[TitsMcGee]

I lift weights 5 times a week. Run 6 times a week and knockout ab's and swimming 3 times a week. I like to luft and workout to help me stay in good shape.

My current split is:

Monday:

Chest

Triceps

Abs

Run

Tuesday:

Back

Biceps

2 mile run

Swimming

Hamstrings

Wednesday

Run

Ab's

Thursday

Quads

Calves

Swimming

Friday

Shoulders

Traps

Abs

Run

Saturday

2 mile run

swimming

Sunday

Rest

God that made me tired just thinking about it.

[candyman]

Weight lifting has been turned into a joke in most of the world. Unless you are looking to wedge yourself into doorways or lift small cars with you big toe most of the training programs are going to be of little to no use for you at all. People are lifting weights that are too heavy and they are doing it too many times.

Look at how the Russians do it. Those dudes are strong, regardless of weight, and they are stong according to their own personal bodies...not some stupid training program. You send a bunch of Russians into the middle of nowhere with no lifting equipment and they will come out of there stronger, faster, and more well rounded than anyone in a "professional gym".

[Black Jack (1)]

My kind of topic. Daily I spend about 3 hours at the YMCA in the heart of Detroit. The machines are self explanatory which leaves only one option to do or not do. My upper body is my target area my max is about 150 lbs so I go to a third of it or less to get a longer work out. To me this seems to be better in the long run more time at doing the little things add up. For now I lost about 10 lbs a week and gain about 1 lbs of muscle a week. I use to get tired but now its fun. As far as the before and after pics just wait till I'm finished lol don't want to spoil the fun.

[Invictus]

Alright, let's add another question. Who lifts with music, and who lifts without? Some people actually seem to be stronger one way or the other. Not having any sound in the background helps me to focus on moving the weight. I honestly can't imagine lifting with music anymore. Now grappling on the other hand, I don't mind having some music in the background, it helps to drown out the advice yelling peanut gallery.

[n0Mad]

I do my kettlebell routine with music. It just makes me feel more energized. The hard part is when a song comes on that I try to sing along with. Then I get really winded.

[StormKnight (1)]

Alright, let's add another question. Who lifts with music, and who lifts without? Some people actually seem to be stronger one way or the other. Not having any sound in the background helps me to focus on moving the weight. I honestly can't imagine lifting with music anymore. Now grappling on the other hand, I don't mind having some music in the background, it helps to drown out the advice yelling peanut gallery.

Transformers soundtrack and SAC: 2nd Gig soundtrack for me.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

Just free-weight dumbbells every other day (push ups, squats etc along with it) . Couple different routines that take about 35 minutes. Been slacking off lately though. Letting real-life drama sapping my motivation. Bad combination since i should probably be exercising more at such times, not less. Really need to focus more on the cardio to get rid of this spare tire I've developed over the last year or so.

Just music doesn't seem to work too well for me when Im trying to do spefic things. Its so damn boring to me (the exercising) that i lose concentration and start slacking off. I need an instructor/partner/DVD going over the routines to stay focused on it.

[Invictus]

I was a little lazy last week and missed a session, then I tweaked my knee doing Jiu-Jitsu and missed another session. I'm getting back to it today.

[DarkVampire]

I used to for about ten years. I did mostly power lifting type of exercises to get strong. I would like to get back into it because it made me feel emotionally better and not so damned depress all of the time. If I could afford it I would join a gym again.

[Enishi]

I wish there was a gym closer to my house. There isn't any space at my parents place now for barbells and a squat/dip rack, and the Balley's I tend to go to is to far from my house. It would be nice if I had a friend I could go with, that tends to give one more psychological motivation...

[torn asunder]

I used to for about ten years. I did mostly power lifting type of exercises to get strong. I would like to get back into it because it made me feel emotionally better and not so damned depress all of the time. If I could afford it I would join a gym again.

before you sepnd money joining a gym, try this to see if the commitment is really there. (if it's not, you're just throwing money away)

pushups, pullups, situps (or some variation of those) 3-4 times a week, for 6 weeks. maybe add in some calesthenics or running/jump rope, etc in the last two weeks.

if you can't commit to that, you'll likely quit the gym too, and then you'll be upset at yourself for throwing money away!

(can you tell i've done this before!)

[torn asunder]

I wish there was a gym closer to my house. There isn't any space at my parents place now for barbells and a squat/dip rack, and the Balley's I tend to go to is to far from my house. It would be nice if I had a friend I could go with, that tends to give one more psychological motivation...

do you have rafters in the garage? buy a set of "olympic" rings to hang out there! you can do pullups, dips, muscle-ups on the rings, and pushups on the floor. body weight squats, or pistol squats will round out the workout!

[Enishi]

Hmm, good idea. Come to think of it, I saw a good bodyweight/pullup device listed on a site which although tall, didn't take up much horizontal space. I'll have to find it again, along with another other good website I've seen.

[n0Mad]

before you sepnd money joining a gym, try this to see if the commitment is really there. (if it's not, you're just throwing money away)

pushups, pullups, situps (or some variation of those) 3-4 times a week, for 6 weeks. maybe add in some calesthenics or running/jump rope, etc in the last two weeks.

if you can't commit to that, you'll likely quit the gym too, and then you'll be upset at yourself for throwing money away!

(can you tell i've done this before!)

Quoted for truth.

[DarkVampire]

before you sepnd money joining a gym, try this to see if the commitment is really there. (if it's not, you're just throwing money away)

pushups, pullups, situps (or some variation of those) 3-4 times a week, for 6 weeks. maybe add in some calesthenics or running/jump rope, etc in the last two weeks.

if you can't commit to that, you'll likely quit the gym too, and then you'll be upset at yourself for throwing money away!

(can you tell i've done this before!)

Yes one has to be committed or its just a waste of money. I used to work out 3-4 times a week. Ah I miss dead lifts and clean and presses.

I have good legs, I could slack off on them and still get big and strong there. Too bad my arms didn't follow the genetics of my legs.

[Invictus]

Yes one has to be committed or its just a waste of money. I used to work out 3-4 times a week. Ah I miss dead lifts and clean and presses.

I have good legs, I could slack off on them and still get big and strong there. Too bad my arms didn't follow the genetics of my legs.

Deadlifts are pretty much the greatest thing ever. I'm pretty much the same way with the arms, my problem there is that my arms are way too long compared to the rest of my body. Not so good for aesthetics, great for kickboxing.

[Enishi]

Beast Skillz! Edited April 23, 2009 by torn asunder
fixed link! :-)

[Invictus]

The URL has a bunch of extraneous "http:'s". I can do some of these. My brother can do more. Of course, he's 140lbs and I'm 250, so I guess that's alright. Get some gymnastic rings, build yourself some parallelettes and get going. Of course be careful about it, a lot of these have great potential for catastrophic failure.

[TheGimp]

nuttin at the moment but me and my bro are starting P90X in the summer my buddie didn it and got some good results