I don't have a fancy machine, so I actually have to slap another band on if I up the weight. I don't get so much excited as I do annoyed.
Thanks for the clarification on the resistance, I've read a lot of fitness books, and talked to a lot of people over the years, so I'm sure I've internalized some serious misinformation.

We call that stuff "Broscience." It's the accumulation of anecdotes, half-remembered "articles" from magazines that are mostly misleading advertising, and plain old made-up shit, shared between guys who call each-other "bro".

The basic human movements are squat, lunge, push, pull, bend, twist and gait (walk/run). Everything we do in day-to-day life or sports comes down to those seven movements or combinations of them.

When doing a push (for example), the muscles involved don't know the difference between 100lbs of resistance provided by a barbell, dumbbells, bands, a pushup, or whatever. The difference is whether other muscles come into it. For example, if you do a pushup, you have to use your abs and lower back muscles to keep your body stable and straight; if you do a bench press, the bench stabilises your body. Likewise with squats vs leg press.

Each means of providing resistance has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, a barbell squat offers more of a challenge to a person's balance and postural muscles - it's harder to stand up straight with a 45lb bar on your back than without - than does a leg press. So a healthy person can get more from barbell squats than from leg press. But an unhealthy or very deconditioned person may be physically incapable of doing a stable and deep squat, because of those very challenges. So if nothing else they have to start on leg press.

Then squatting with bands allows you to work out at home, cheaper and more convenient than going to a gym.

But then equipment used at home is always advertised as "folding away for easy storage", and that's where it usually ends up. Humans are ritual creatures, just as we can pray anywhere but most prefer to do it in a church or synagogue etc, so too can we do a workout anywhere, but most prefer to do it in the gym or on the track. So we consider motivation, coming back to: the best workout is the one you stick to.

What it boils down to is,

• the best workout is the one you stick to
• train movements, not muscles
• if over time you do more than you did before, you will get more better faster stronger, and your body may change
• there are no bad exercises, there are only exercises which are better or worse for your particular goals, choose appropriately
• 2, 3 and 4 are always compromised with #1.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;445874What it boils down to is,

• the best workout is the one you stick to
• train movements, not muscles
• if over time you do more than you did before, you will get more better faster stronger, and your body may change
• there are no bad exercises, there are only exercises which are better or worse for your particular goals, choose appropriately
• 2, 3 and 4 are always compromised with #1.

Yeah, I'm hip to this. I got hung up on doing it in the morning for a long time, because I've read (in Body for Life and elsewhere) it is the best time- but I've come to realize, that the best time is whenever I get off my ass and actually do it. As with everything else, perfect is the enemy of good.

Quote from: Aos;445901Yeah, I'm hip to this. I got hung up on doing it in the morning for a long time, because I've read (in Body for Life and elsewhere) it is the best time- but I've come to realize, that the best time is whenever I get off my ass and actually do it. As with everything else, perfect is the enemy of good.

Absolutely. I was obsessed with doing my workouts first thing in the morning and whatnot. These days I plan themcording ot my schedule, and as long as I train 3 times a week everything is OK.

A little bit of an update- I've switched from 3 times a week over to every other day. It's just easier to stay honest, and it results out to more workouts over time. I've also upped the intensity of everything I do, and i have subsequently turned into an eating machine (I''m pretty skinny, so this probably isn't a big deal).

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;445864Bulking up comes from doing more in each session than you did before, plus eating. Without the eating the bulking up won't happen. What form the resistance takes is irrelevant to the bulking up except in a motivational sense; people using machines tend not to progress the resistance as quickly as those who use free weights, since moving a peg in a stack isn't as exciting as slapping another plate on.

The difference between free weights and machines comes not in how much it makes you bulk up, but in other areas, like improving joint mobility, balance, working your postural muscles along with the others, teaching you correct movement, and so on.

But in the end the most important thing is not what stuff you use, but that you use it consistently over time, and progress. The best workout is the one you stick to.

I struggled to bulk up, when I went through an "I want to be bigger phase", and I definitely agree on the eating. Honestly the hardest part of gaining muscle for me was the eating. I had to eat all the time, and large amounts to put on any muscle. I was constantly drinking protein shakes or milk after work outs. I tried a number of approaches (small meals every few hours, huge meals three to four times a day, etc)

I have a small frame, so I was somewhat limited by that as well.

One thing I can suggest, is to know your body type and know how to work with it. I found there were some places (like shoulders, traps, chest) where I could bulk up quite well. So I found I could get sort of a pit bull shape, but looking like arnold was just out of the picture (I think my limbs were just too long and narrow to bulk up there that much).

Kyle, I just had two surgeries and have spent the last three months recuperating (i.e. sitting on the couch doing nothing). Any recommendations for getting back into condition after a three month lapse. THe doctor says I can work out again, so I am just worried about pulling something or taking on more than I can handle. I bascically want to get cardio and explosive power back. Not worried about muscle mass.

Speaking generally, if all the surgery has done is to keep you sedentary for a few months, then things are no different than if you'd have no surgery at all but had simply been slack and done nothing for a few months.

If the surgery has been on joints, bones or muscles, then you should consult closely with your doctor or physiotherapist on specific exercises to help your recovery.

If you've simply been sedentary but still wish to be cautious, then simply do one the same routine I've suggested in this thread, but instead of advancing every week, advance every month instead. Thus rather than 12 weeks it takes 12 months.

How is everyone doing?
 I'm in my fourth month with only one missed work out in recent memory (I missed a couple at the very beginning due to a sinus infection).
I'm up from one set of two chin ups in the early days to a set of 8 followed by a set of 7 last time I worked out (I'm about to start today's torture in about 2 minutes).

Quote from: Aos;459545How is everyone doing?
 I'm in my fourth month with only one missed work out in recent memory (I missed a couple at the very beginning due to a sinus infection).
I'm up from one set of two chin ups in the early days to a set of 8 followed by a set of 7 last time I worked out (I'm about to start today's torture in about 2 minutes).

Got a week and a half back into running and weights, but had to break for another surgery in April. However I've been very mindful of my diet even if I haven't been able to exercise much. Eating high fiber, lots of liquid, fruit, veggies, healthier proteins (mixing it up with fish, chicken, beans, etc). Plenty of garlic; no alcohol.

I've got to start running. I'm totally motivated with the weights, but running always something I'm going to start next week.

Quote from: Aos;459560I've got to start running. I'm totally motivated with the weights, but running always something I'm going to start next week.

Yeah, with running you are kind of committed to go the distance. Weights I like because I can watch tv, listen to music as I work my way through sets. But running always, always makes me feel like a million bucks.

Normally when its been a while I have to start slow. Begin with a 10-15 minute jog and some walking. Like to work up to 45-60 minutes.

I'm not doing too well for the last months due to us buying a place and the move-in, coupled with 3 hysteric weeks of work and travelling due to work. All in all, I missed 6 weeks and I've been irregular the last 2. I worked out today, and will get back at it tomorrow. Hope I get soon on schedule.

I have been not working out for this month due to a torn calf muscle. My doctor says I can start working out again, but I need to take it easy.

If anyone can recommend some good cardio exercises that can be done with an injury like this, I'd love to hear about it.

This is the injured leg, we were worried about the internal bleeding and the swelling.

EDIT: I should also ad that this is how my leg looked four days after the injury. The bruising and swelling has gone down significantly since then, which is why I want to start working out again.

Aos, well done on the chinups. Are you just building the total? That's the way to do it. Once you can do 1, do 5 in that session, even if it's just 1,1,1,1 and 1. Second session, do 6, third do 7. And so on. Once you get to a total of 50 you'll be pumping out 10 or so, and then it'll be time to make the exercise more difficult - hang weights from yourself, or do "rock climbers" like Rocky (pull to the left, then down, up to the right, then down), and of course vary the grip, wider is harder.

Brendan, if you can watch tv while lifting weights, you are not lifting heavy enough, or are fucking about too long between sets. Use more weight. As for rest, there are three stages to the fatigue after a set.

• "Phew! No way I can do that again."
• "I guess I could do it now if I had to, but I'll wait a bit."
• "Okay I'm ready now."

Start your next set at #2, not #3. And put another slice on the salami they call the barbell.

Ramon, life happens. The thing to remember is that we're working out for a lifetime, not just for some competition. We ARE going to go backwards sometimes, but we CAN go forwards again. So long as the overall trend is upwards, it's all good. I know you know this, but others reading might not - I see it heaps of times in the gyms I work at, smallest setback and people just give up.

Jeff, first get the doc's advice on what sort of cardio exercise will be good for you. If they give you no answer, then in a regular fitness centre you'd go first for swimming, and next for the cross-trainer - the one where the hands and feet are both moving. No running or cycling for some time.

A physiotherapist should give you exercises and stretches to work the calf, and recommendations on appropriate icing, compression, heating or whatever.

Exercise the rest of your body normally. Be careful with exercises involving bending under load or extending in a stretch on that knee, as one of the calf muscles is involved in that action.

Quote from: Kyle Aaron;459635Aos, well done on the chinups. Are you just building the total? That's the way to do it. Once you can do 1, do 5 in that session, even if it's just 1,1,1,1 and 1. Second session, do 6, third do 7. And so on. Once you get to a total of 50 you'll be pumping out 10 or so, and then it'll be time to make the exercise more difficult - hang weights from yourself, or do "rock climbers" like Rocky (pull to the left, then down, up to the right, then down), and of course vary the grip, wider is harder.

Right now I just do them until i can't do any more. Drop off wait for stage 2 and repeat. The second set is sadly always less than the first (usually by 1). I'm not sure I understand your suggestion about building the total. Please elaborate if you can.
Thanks. In other news, my shirts are all funky tight across my chest and my pants are falling off my waist.