• Introduction to Strength Training
    132 replies, posted
Hello Facepunch, I’m glad to introduce you skinny bastards (majority, anyway) to strength training. I have no idea if presenting this to you will have any impact on your decisions in your future regarding exercise, this is most likely something very new to you. I acknowledge that a lot of you are people who won’t even consider exercise, especially something as intensive as strength training, but I’ve decided to go ahead with it anyway to hopefully spark some interest and change people’s lives for the better. So here it goes… In minimal terms, Strength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles (Wikipedia). It is nothing like bodybuilding, which main purpose is to increase muscle mass as much as possible and have a perfectly symmetrical body, while strength training is focussed on strength. The most popular and by far effective strength training is with the use of an Olympic barbell; they are much quicker and provide more potential for building strength than with bodyweight exercises or dumbbells. The exercises using barbells are also harder, but harder means much more benefits. [IMG]http://shop.liveleantoday.com/media/images/adjustable%20barbell.jpg[/IMG] The main exercises for strength training are the Squat, the Deadlift, Bench Press and Overhead Press. Any strength training program should contain these 4 lifts, and should indefinitely consist of frequent squatting. Here are some videos of the Squat and Deadlift (I'm sure you know what the bench press looks like). This first video is a recording of the old world record squat video, just to give an example of what the squat actually is, and how tremendously heavy the weights can get when you have awesome genetics, dedication and you are on the juice. [media][URL]http://youtube.com/watch?v=L0lF4lm3efA[/URL][/media] Oh what the heck, here's the current deadlift world record video (entertaining to watch) [media] [URL]http://youtube.com/watch?v=5groVHlMkRE[/URL][/media] Most of you (In fact, all of you) would of heard of the bench press before, but I’m guessing much less of you would of heard of the squat/deadlift. The squat and deadlift are considered the best exercises for building muscle mass in the world. Mark Rippetoe (Performance Sports Conditioning Coach) describes the squat as: “There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that produces the level of central nervous system activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic* conditioning than the correctly performed full squat.” These are just some of the benefits of squatting, I’ll explain all the benefits of strength training off of the top of my head a bit later on (most of the benefits come with squatting). The downside to strength training is: 1) It’s fucking hard, especially squatting/deadlifting when the weight becomes heavy 2) You have to be consistent, you have to train hard , you are recommended to go to the gym to strength train 2-3 times a week 3) When starting out, you’re going to be expected to build good habits, such as eating healthily (this becomes a huge benefit for the future), eating enough protein, cutting down on alcohol, eliminating smoking. So if you do decide to uptake strength training, you’re going to have to make many sacrifices, but in the end, these sacrifices are worth every ounce of effort. 4) You're going to have to eat more to gain weight. So what do you need to strength train? - A piece of equipment called a ‘power rack’ or ‘squat rack’. Guess what you do in there… ( You also bench press inside here if it’s a power rack). - An Olympic 7ft barbell with at least 150kg of weight plates, for those serious enough you will go beyond/well-beyond these weights for squat/deadlift/possibly bench in months/years to come, but this is certainly enough for a long time. - A bench for bench pressing. - For the above equipment, you are obviously going to need a gym (since strength training/powerlifting is not so mainstream, this may be a big task, it’s worse in the UK). For the following equipment you’re going to need to get it yourself - Hard-soled shoes, such as converse’s chuck taylor’s. - Suitable clothing. - Chalk for when the weights get heavy. (cheap) - Will power So, why the fuck would I want to strength train? From Mark Rippetoe again (regarding the squat, which is the basis of strength training) - “There is simply no other exercise, and certainly no machine, that produces the level of central nervous system activity, improved balance and coordination, skeletal loading and bone density enhancement, muscular stimulation and growth, connective tissue stress and strength, psychological demand and toughness, and overall systemic* conditioning than the correctly performed full squat.” Exercises included in strength training such as squatting (mainly) and deadlifting are well worth the pain. Here’s a list of benefits. -Increased muscle mass. I personally gained 3 stone (42 lbs) of lean mass in 6 months. Obviously a big calorific excess is required. -Increased confidence, with a good body and knowing that there is a high chance you are the strongest man in the room, you can’t help but feel confident (not that strength training egotistical or vain, leave that to bodybuilding). - Shit load of endorphins, you are most likely thinking “yeah, you get that with any exercise” but since lifting heavy weights progressively ranks high in one of the most physically intensive exercises ever, the feeling of satisfaction after making a personal record and the relief of taking 225lbs off of your back after a heavy squat set is a lot more intense than completing a shitty boring aimless run/jog. - It’s fun. You’ll begin to look forward to going to the gym, possibly because of the endorphins, or possibly because of the actual exercises. - Increased bone density, sports performance, co-ordination, balance. - Daily physical tasks become a lot easier. - Accompanied with healthy nutrition – less chance of heart problems, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and other bone problems (because of increased bone density) and any other serious/terminal illness. Stronger immune system. - You can become stronger and stay at the same bodyweight, which is pretty awesome. Alternatively, over a few years you could become a 220lb+ man mountain whose presence precipitate's everyone into shitting their pants. - You most definitely don't have to take steroids to become big and strong, this is only at an elite level and for losers who can't be assed to put in the effort to gain strength/muscle mass. Although effort still needs to be put in to gain mass/strength while on roids, it's just that your potential is higher. I hope I have persuaded some of you to look deeper into strength training, and I hope even more that some of that read this end up falling in love with it like I did. The beauty of it is, anyone can do strength training, and the feeling of getting stronger is unbeatable. I got the majority of this information from stronglifts.com, so please go there for loads of free, legitimate content and to get yourself on the track to starting. Also, I recommend the book “Starting Strength 2nd edition by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore”, for those of you living in the UK, you’re probably going to have to order from the US.
I want to start doing some strength training over the summer to drop from fat off of myself.
I would do strength training at my gym but you have to be over 18 to use the free weights, so I will just have to do with the weight machines.
I have an easy way to exercise my left arm. :q: [editline]22:00[/editline] :fappery:
[QUOTE=CoolCorky;22666942]I have an easy way to exercise my right arm. :q: [editline]22:00[/editline] :fappery:[/QUOTE] Fixed
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4FzCCilV40[/media]
I'd do it but I'm a jobless cash strapped student and can't even afford barbells :suicide:
[QUOTE=bravehat;22667005]I'd do it but I'm a jobless cash strapped student and can't even afford barbells :suicide:[/QUOTE] Get a job at a gym; I've got a part time just cleaning the place up (maybe 3 hours a week on the weekend) and they let me use it for free it's a great deal, and gym jobs usually aren't too competitive
[QUOTE=bravehat;22667005]I'd do it but I'm a jobless cash strapped student and can't even afford barbells :suicide:[/QUOTE] calisthenics
I'm doing it but the problem is my metabolism is so shitty I can't gain any weight. I eat like a horse. :saddowns:
[QUOTE=BrickInHead;22667028]Get a job at a gym; I've got a part time just cleaning the place up (maybe 3 hours a week on the weekend) and they let me use it for free it's a great deal, and gym jobs usually aren't too competitive[/QUOTE] Good idea actually.
[QUOTE=BrickInHead;22667028]Get a job at a gym; I've got a part time just cleaning the place up (maybe 3 hours a week on the weekend) and they let me use it for free it's a great deal, and gym jobs usually aren't too competitive[/QUOTE] That actually sounds like a great idea.
I'm trying to do this thing where you train to do 100 pushups, Im still pretty far since i can only do like 60 [QUOTE]I think a lot of people would agree with me that being able to push 100kg over your head (20kg heavier than the average man) is a lot more impressive than being able to do 100 push ups. Switch to strength training my friend ;). There's a better sense of achievement[/QUOTE] Yeah, trying to work for some money though
What's the easiest way to simply tone fat? I've been going out for a bike ride/jog, then doing some sit-ups, with no real effect so far. What else should I do?
[QUOTE=titopei;22667243]I'm trying to do this thing where you train to do 100 pushups, Im still pretty far since i can only do like 60[/QUOTE] I managed to that but without the whole going up in like tiny increments, and then gave up push ups for ages and lost a bit of the muscle. Bad times man, bad times :saddowns: [editline]10:18PM[/editline] [QUOTE=100chaz;22667283]What's the easiest way to simply tone fat? I've been going out for a bike ride/jog, then doing some sit-ups, with no real effect so far. What else should I do?[/QUOTE] Rowing. Lot's of it.
[QUOTE=bravehat;22667374] Rowing. Lot's of it.[/QUOTE] I don't have an access to a rowing machine right now, and I'm not going to sign up for a gym as I'm going away for five weeks next month. Any other ideas? All I have at home is an exercise bike, unfortunately. When I go back to school next year, my school has a pretty well equipped gym, so I can go in there.
Swimming and just in general lots of cardiovascular exercise, and keep going when you get tired, that's your body used up it's glucose stores and switching it's fuel supply over to fat.
[QUOTE=DarkSpirit05er;22667105]I'm doing it but the problem is my metabolism is so shitty I can't gain any weight. I eat like a horse. :saddowns:[/QUOTE] Your metabolism isn't 'shitty', you're just not use to eating a big amount of food. You think you are eating a lot, but really your not, otherwise you would be putting on mass providing you are strength training. Gaining mass at the beginner stage of strength training is so fast providing you are eating a calorific excess and squatting. Make sure you drink a few litres of full fat milk a day, a shit load of eggs and meat, and there's no way in hell you're not going to gain any weight. [QUOTE=100chaz;22667283]What's the easiest way to simply tone fat? I've been going out for a bike ride/jog, then doing some sit-ups, with no real effect so far. What else should I do?[/QUOTE] 'Toning', or 'Spot reduction' is a myth, you can't work your arms to burn fat off your arms, and you can't do isolation exercises for your abs to burn fat off your abs. It just doesn't work like that at all. Fat is allocated around the body differently for everyone (although predominantly belly for males and ass/thighs for women). Fat is removed randomly from the body when a calorific deficit is present. So if you want to lose weight cut down on your food intake for a long time, or a better alternative is to gain a shit load of muscle mass so that your base metabolic rate rises to above 3500kcal's a day. This way you'll be struggling to meet your calorific needs, therefore being in a calorific deficit. As long as your strength training also, most of the energy will be taken from fat and 2-3% from muscle. If you're not strength training and on a calorie deficit, 25% of the energy is taken from muscle. Also, there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat and 600 calories in a pound of muscle. You will have to have a calorific deficit of 500kcal's everyday for a week to lose one pound of fat, which as I stated previously will be removed randomly from the body.
[QUOTE=Kingtendo7;22667591]'Toning', or 'Spot reduction' is a myth, you can't work your arms to burn fat off your arms, and you can't do isolation exercises for your abs to burn fat off your abs. It just doesn't work like that at all. Fat is allocated around the body differently for everyone (although predominantly belly for males and ass/thighs for women). Fat is removed randomly from the body when a calorific deficit is present. So if you want to lose weight cut down on your food intake for a long time, or a better alternative is to gain a shit load of muscle mass so that your base metabolic rate rises to above 3500kcal's a day. This way you'll be struggling to meet your calorific needs, therefore being in a calorific deficit. As long as your strength training also, most of the energy will be taken from fat and 2-3% from muscle. If you're not strength training and on a calorie deficit, 25% of the energy is taken from muscle. Also, there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat and 600 calories in a pound of muscle. You will have to have a calorific deficit of 500kcal's everyday for a week to lose one pound of fat, which as I stated previously will be removed randomly from the body.[/QUOTE] Thanks man, that's really helpful.
[QUOTE=100chaz;22667541]I don't have an access to a rowing machine right now, and I'm not going to sign up for a gym as I'm going away for five weeks next month. Any other ideas? All I have at home is an exercise bike, unfortunately. When I go back to school next year, my school has a pretty well equipped gym, so I can go in there.[/QUOTE] a.m. cardio workouts; right after you wake up.
[QUOTE=100chaz;22667666]Thanks man, that's really helpful.[/QUOTE] No problem. If there's anything else you're unsure about, just ask. [QUOTE=titopei;22667243]I'm trying to do this thing where you train to do 100 pushups, Im still pretty far since i can only do like 60[/QUOTE] I think a lot of people would agree with me that being able to push 100kg over your head (20kg heavier than the average man) is a lot more impressive than being able to do 100 push ups. Switch to strength training my friend ;). There's a better sense of achievement
-snip-
[QUOTE=Kingtendo7;22667725]No problem. If there's anything else you're unsure about, just ask.[/QUOTE] Just to get this straight, the best way to reduce fat is by building muscle mass? Or am I missing something?
[QUOTE=Pantz76;22667804]:downs:[/QUOTE] I noticed that after I posted but forgot to do anything about it, thanks for pointing it out. I did this because originally it was the squat, bench press and deadlift, and not the overhead press, not because I can't count. [QUOTE=100chaz]Just to get this straight, the best way to reduce fat is by building muscle mass? Or am I missing something? [/QUOTE] Exactly! By increasing your muscle mass, you need more calories daily to maintain weight. Needing more calories each day means you can lose fat quicker because it is possible to have a bigger calorific deficit. Plus, after you've burned the fat (I think the best way to lose fat after you've gained muscle is through fasting, google EatStopEat, and make sure you visit stronglifts.com and download the free ebook), You'll have an awesome body. I must warn you, by gaining muscle with a massive calorific surplus, you're going to gain a bit of fat aswell, it's inevitable. You can reduce this by having a smaller calorific surplus each day.
Lol I'm not judging you, just normal FP sprit. I lift in Football Camp by the way. Great thread.
[QUOTE=100chaz;22667820]Just to get this straight, the best way to reduce fat is by building muscle mass? Or am I missing something?[/QUOTE] No, cardio is, it forces your body to break the fat down for energy to keep going where as strength training stresses muscle fibres which mainly use glucose and the like. Basically cardio forces your body to work of it's back up supply fat so it tears through it to keep you going, working your muscles with weights and the like just strengthens the area of the muscles. Of course you should do both in differing degrees depending on the desired effect. Strength/muscles --> strength training and Fat loss --> cardio.
[QUOTE=bravehat;22667910]No, cardio is, it forces your body to break the fat down for energy to keep going where as strength training stresses muscle fibres which mainly use glucose and the like. Basically cardio forces your body to work of it's back up supply fat so it tears through it to keep you going, working your muscles with weights and the like just strengthens the area of the muscles. Of course you should do both in differing degrees depending on the desired effect. Strength/muscles --> strength training and Fat loss --> cardio.[/QUOTE] Ok, thanks.
Push ups and (regular) Sit ups are kind of useless, it's mainly to show off. They don't really train your muscles well. Switch push ups to bench pressing or dumbbell lifting over your chest, keep tension all 8-10-12 pushes and have 3 sets. Begin at a low weight the first set, and build it up to a high weight at the last set. Switch (regular) sit ups to half-situps with weights on your chest. People tend to lie down, then get up until they sit and then lie down again, which isn't smart nor effective. Sit up half-way, don't lie fully down (keep tension the whole time), and hold weights on your chest. Don't start with weights too heavy for you, you'll exhaust your muscles and won't be able to properly train for a long while. If, in the middle of your exercise, you notice your muscles just won't work anymore, stop for a few minutes. Don't push it if they stop working, but push it if they barely work. Shoulders are also important, and it's kind of simple (you can [I]easily[/I] do this at home). Just grab a dumbbell set, give it some good weights (generally a tad more than the double of what you use for your biceps (regular arm training)) and simply pull your shoulders up, like the "I don't know" gesture. Remember; triceps makes your arm bigger/wider more than your biceps. [editline]Addition:[/editline] Oh and for fat loss, you'll need to do things that fully exhaust your body. I myself mountainbike every sundaymorning for a good 2-3 hours, it's really intensive if you do it properly and have a good course, and it works out really well for fat reduction, stamina and it exercises your arms, legs, back and stomach as well. If you don't have the availability in your neighborhood to do so, go out and jog or something similar. As final, don't forget about your legs. I saw this guy who completely ignored them and he turned out like a cartoon character. Really wide chest and skinny legs.
I don't see why you're being so high and mighty, if you're going by "wow that's impressive" then you might as well do boxing instead as I'm sure a professional boxer can knock out a strength trainer. That said I think any type of weight training or form of exercise is good and they're equal so if you enjoy this then keep doing it, I'm just saying there's no need to look down on bodybuilders/stamina training.
I recently decided that I will take up step aerobics (where you step up onto a step and down again :v:) to lose fat. Since I can do it in time to my favourite music I figure I will push myself further without realising it. I'll also be holding onto some weights at the same time to work my arms as well. Anyone else done step? It's supposed to be good. Next up will be joining the uni gym in september to get strength training probably.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.