These things are NOT part of your weight lifting routine (also known as strength training)
Just saw another thread about balanced routines and I started thinking about this. As you probably don't know, I'm too lazy to Google for you. I'm a big fan of weight lifting forums, books and actually lifting weights. There is A LOT of misinformation out there so don't take my word for it, although it would be cool if you did.
As they say, the best exercise is the one you're doing. Many things are better than doing nothing. Using an iron lung is better than not breathing. Then there's the next step: there are things that awesome uses of your gym time.
This thread is assuming you know how important a weight routine is to your overall health, especially if you're a woman. If you're a woman over 30 and not doing weights three times a week, GET OFF THE COMPUTER AND GO START THAT RIGHT NOW.
Note: If you are getting your info from any of the following, please start the research process over: Cosmo, Shape, Self
1. Pilates and yoga: not weight lifting.
2. Weight lifting classes: this is tricky because they lift weights in there. They lift light weights for countless reps. This is NOT an effective weight routine. Is it an easy class? No. Is it the best use of your time and energy? Hell no. Put that sort of effort into a weight routine not set to music and you'll shock yourself at the progress
3. Running. I can't believe I have to say this. Do you build muscle when you run? I dunno perhaps. Is it a substitute for a weight routine because you feel your legs are getting more muscular? NOPE.
4. Machines: this falls in the category of better than nothing. There are rants about free weights vs machines all over the place. If you're going to be at the gym anyway, do what works best and that's free weights.
spirochete, I hate you. With that said, I don't have access to a gym. I can't follow your sucky advice!
There are many posters here that have great advice about home gym alternatives. There are many heavy, weighted things you have, you can make or you can buy. I saw one poster talk about doing curls with soup cans. Do NOT do that. I think that had to be a joke post but you never know
If you post about toning and not bulking up, I'll probably show up at your door and you're not gonna like that.
Well the psychology world also works that way with the peer reviews. And there is clear corruption there as well. How about the different studies that come out every other week (published in journals) completely contridicting each other? I refuse to take any of that at face value.
Why all the hostility? It's spreading around this whole community. It's like no one can have success doing anything, without someone coming after them, because it's not the way they do it. Damn, everyone has success in their own way, and science shmience, if what works for you, isn't published somewhere, who cares? I've only been a member here a short time, but this pile on mentality, is disturbing, to me.
Original Post by xzcandizx:
And let me just add: http://www.equinoxfitness.com/Home/PersonalTr aining/Metatraining.aspx
exactly what do you find "wrong" about this cardio plan? I have started it recently but there have been many success stories at my gym. Even with the trainers. To all of you: do you JUST do weights? no cardio?
I don't have time for cardio in between bulking up like a monster, gulping down sleeping pills and being middle aged. Those things take up a lot more time than you'd think!
Original Post by spirochete:
Original Post by xzcandizx:
And let me just add: http://www.equinoxfitness.com/Home/PersonalTr aining/Metatraining.aspx
exactly what do you find "wrong" about this cardio plan? I have started it recently but there have been many success stories at my gym. Even with the trainers. To all of you: do you JUST do weights? no cardio?
I don't have time for cardio in between bulking up like a monster, gulping down sleeping pills and being middle aged. Those things take up a lot more time than you'd think!
They must! Especially when you take the time to edit your profile just to feature moi!
Original Post by curtinks:
Why all the hostility? It's spreading around this whole community. It's like no one can have success doing anything, without someone coming after them, because it's not the way they do it. Damn, everyone has success in their own way, and science shmience, if what works for you, isn't published somewhere, who cares? I've only been a member here a short time, but this pile on mentality, is disturbing, to me.
If there is a thread on pilates, chances are I am not going to post in it. If there is a thread asking efficiency of pilates vs weights, well I'll answer that. There are plenty of love fests for running, work out DVDs, cycling and whatever else. I don't post there, either. Apparently Pilates and yoga zealots are so offended by weights that they can't stop themselves.
Search my 5 billion posts, I have always said the same thing. The best exercise is the one you're doing. Bottom line. If you want to do more, well people can help you with that.
Original Post by xzcandizx:
They must! Especially when you take the time to edit your profile just to feature moi!
Sorry girlie, that takes about 4 seconds. I'm sure you know how to log four seconds of typing so maybe you can show me that later? I would do it if it took 30 minutes. Those quotes are f'cking gold.
Original Post by spirochete:
Original Post by curtinks:
Why all the hostility? It's spreading around this whole community. It's like no one can have success doing anything, without someone coming after them, because it's not the way they do it. Damn, everyone has success in their own way, and science shmience, if what works for you, isn't published somewhere, who cares? I've only been a member here a short time, but this pile on mentality, is disturbing, to me.
If there is a thread on pilates, chances are I am not going to post in it. If there is a thread asking efficiency of pilates vs weights, well I'll answer that. There are plenty of love fests for running, work out DVDs, cycling and whatever else. I don't post there, either. Apparently Pilates and yoga zealots are so offended by weights that they can't stop themselves.
Search my 5 billion posts, I have always said the same thing. The best exercise is the one you're doing. Bottom line. If you want to do more, well people can help you with that.
The whole mentality of one vs. the other is your problem. You could be a much more pleasant person if you politely expressed your views, instead of shoving them in other peoples faces. Not everyone has the same goals or same mentalities. And at this point it doesn't look like you will learn that any time soon. But your life would be a hell of a lot easier if you just accepted it and reacted accordingly.
Well, for biochemistry and sports science at least - I'd assume the state was even more complicated for psychology since we're even better at being a mess of contradictions on a mental level.
I'd certainly want to see a second and a forty-third opinion on any study Merck funded on the efficicacy and safety of their drugs in that field, considering their track record.
Exercise physiology and sports science is vastly easier in some respects since you aren't dealing with the reality-distortion field emanating from the corporate money of the drug companies.
There's nothing in particular wrong with that cardio plan by the way, it looks like a needlessly complicated way of doing things but aside from that, yes, doing a metabolic profile and assessing the client's fitness level before starting any workout program is only sensible. EFTI isn't bad - for a commercial club, anyway.
My life is pretty easy since I'm taking sleeping pills all day, right? I mean that was your find, you should know this.
Original Post by spirochete:
Original Post by curtinks:
Why all the hostility? It's spreading around this whole community. It's like no one can have success doing anything, without someone coming after them, because it's not the way they do it. Damn, everyone has success in their own way, and science shmience, if what works for you, isn't published somewhere, who cares? I've only been a member here a short time, but this pile on mentality, is disturbing, to me.
If there is a thread on pilates, chances are I am not going to post in it. If there is a thread asking efficiency of pilates vs weights, well I'll answer that. There are plenty of love fests for running, work out DVDs, cycling and whatever else. I don't post there, either. Apparently Pilates and yoga zealots are so offended by weights that they can't stop themselves.
Search my 5 billion posts, I have always said the same thing. The best exercise is the one you're doing. Bottom line. If you want to do more, well people can help you with that.
That does nothing to explain why so many posters on these boards, feel it's easier to mock, and attack others, who don't think like them.
Original Post by melkor:
Humans are complicated creatures, and sometimes condradictory things can be right at the same time, depending on the individual in question.
Well, for biochemistry and sports science at least - I'd assume the state was even more complicated for psychology since we're even better at being a mess of contradictions on a mental level.
I'd certainly want to see a second and a forty-third opinion on any study Merck funded on the efficicacy and safety of their drugs in that field, considering their track record.
Exercise physiology and sports science is vastly easier in some respects since you aren't dealing with the reality-distortion field emanating from the corporate money of the drug companies.
There's nothing in particular wrong with that cardio plan by the way, it looks like a needlessly complicated way of doing things but aside from that, yes, doing a metabolic profile and assessing the client's fitness level before starting any workout program is only sensible. EFTI isn't bad - for a commercial club, anyway.
Why the need to try to create a blow at the end. Personally I couldn't imagine anything else. I love my beautiful showers and clean equipment. I like clean. To each his own, I guess.
Original Post by curtinks:
That does nothing to explain why so many posters on these boards, feel it's easier to mock, and attack others, who don't think like them.
I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and say a lot of posters are very thinned skinned and feel attacked when someone is just trying to correct something without meaning any ill will at all.
Me, however, attack away. Mock even!
If you wish to discuss the mismatch between your goals and anyone elses - gyms are not designed to help you reach any fitness goals, they're designed to help their owners make money. Any results you have are quite incidental to the main purpose of a commercial gym.
Original Post by spirochete:
Original Post by curtinks:
That does nothing to explain why so many posters on these boards, feel it's easier to mock, and attack others, who don't think like them.
I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and say a lot of posters are very thinned skinned and feel attacked when someone is just trying to correct something without meaning any ill will at all.
Me, however, attack away. Mock even!
I have no problem with it, as well. I didn't join this community to have my mind changed, but I'm sure plenty will try. I think where the rub is, in many cases I've read, posters are trying to correct things, based more on their point of view, than anything else, and don't really need to be corrected. On another thread, I said that all the online calculators were putting me at far more calories than I know my body needs, and many posters tried to "correct" me, even though they knew nothing about my body. That sort of mentality, doesn't further anything, and just creates tension.
Original Post by melkor:
Uh, excuse me but what does clean have to do with anything? I work out in my home, and I can assure you that I both vaccuum, dust and wash my home on a regular basis thankyouverymuch :-)
If you wish to discuss the mismatch between your goals and anyone elses - gyms are not designed to help you reach any fitness goals, they're designed to help their owners make money. Any results you have are quite incidental to the main purpose of a commercial gym.
Ok well for those of us who lack the room for equipment or any other reason and cannot have a home gym, what do you suggest?
And clean is also good, because I'm not the one who has to dust, wash etc. the gym. The main purpose of any commercial anything is to make money. Why don't you just grow all your own food and make your clothes then? It's kind of an odd thing to pick at. The customer service is what it's all about. Sure every business is there to make $, but if good customer service is there too, then I'm sold. (At least until I can figure out how to make my own clothes, food, shelter, etc.) And no that isn't sarcasm (for the most part). I would love to live without the corporate, it's just not realistic in the day, age, and location that i live in.
Any business, from a restaurant to a gym, to a shoe store, is only there to make money. That doesn't diminish their value to the customer, howerver. A gym may be opened to make money(although I would argue some gym owners do open their gyms, at least in part to give people a vehicle to reach their fitness goals, money is secondary), but the fact that people do use the gym, and reach their goals, reinforces it's value. For me personally, I'd much rather work out in a gym, whether it's a hole in the wall powerlifting dungeon, or a high profile commercial gym. I enjoy the variety it offers, as well as the competition, it creates whether intentional or otherwise.
I've since upgraded my collection of weights to include an actual barbell and weight plates, but my "home gym" lasted me about 5 months before that became neccesary. And even the upgraded version stores easily under my bed when not in use.
Gyms are a lifesaver for many, given the increasingly sedentary nature of our lifestyles in general and there's nothing wrong with running a business, certainly. However, it's always good to rememeber that you're dealing with a business whose goal it is to keep you paying their membership fees, not neccesarily reach any fitness goals.
(edited to add:) And the jump rope was mostly a waste of money :)
No money for equipment? Gym membership average of $50 a month = $600/year. Membership of $30 a month (cheapest I've ever seen) = $360/year. Both more than enough for a decent starter set!
As for space, well - usually the thing that takes up the most space is a bench and most people can get by without it. For myself my bench is also a squat rack and dip stand. Takes up a bit of room in my bedroom, but I make space by removing the leg curl attachment... (Never use the thing...) Altogether I have about $450 worth of equipment and I've collected that over a good span of time as I only buy enough plates for what I can actually lift.
Early morning and I'm about to go lift... I see a lot of debating back and forth, but really it reminds me of the debates I have with my close friends about life, love, and the pursuit of political happiness. Minus the tea shop atmosphere - HAHA, you guys are great!
What kind of certification do the trainers have. Just like pilates instructors you can get a certification online or you can go through intensive schooling that includes things like biomechanics. There are a million certifications out there so saying that a "board" certified trainer said something does not make it so.
I have lost weight only weight lifting. I hate cardio and maybe get in 20 min a week, if I am really trying. I am most certainly not bulking up even though I lift close to what Spiro does. Its all about diet, if you eat too much or not enough you are not going to lose weight.
I wouldn't want to accumulate the weights needed in my home. It would be expensive, and take up a ton of space. I love being able to go to a gym and train. It isn't about money, for me. It's $35 a month well spent, as opposed to the alternative of a living room full of plates, dumbells, and a power rack. I'd always train harder at a gym, as well.
As I said in another thread, I much prefer weights to cardio, and the fat burning aspect of it, is secondary. I don't dislike cardio, but mine has to be incorporated into an activity, like taking my girls biking at some local trails, or going running with my oldest daughter.
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