The Hitting the Weights Thread

[Matthew Strongin]

There seems to be some interest from folks here on weight lifting, myself included as a former and sometime still gym rat, so this thread could be a good place to start.

Any favorite routines?

Strength or size?

Machines or free weights?

Leave'em loaded or put back those plates? (This one's a trick question.)

Personally, I love the big movements, deadlifts in particular. I'm more arm than leg, so it's like cheating. Bench, on the other hand, leaves me at a distinct disadvantage.

[Brandon White]

On/off gym rat here.

I work out in a very small gym at the yacht club that has one multi-use machine, a smith machine, a leg press, dumbells, and a barbell (with various weights). I can easily piece together a good 30 minute workout that leaves me wasted. Any workout that typically requires a bench (which they have), I do on a stability ball.

I always go for strength and not size - I don't want to outgrow my clothes.

I've always been a leg guy - even in HS, I was squatting more than my offensive line.

Hitting the gym a couple days a week makes me feel much better overall than riding everyday and puts me in better overall health to fend off old man injuries. I'm not a racer, I'm not going to be a racer, no need to try and look like The Chicken.

[defspace]

weights are fun.

Routines: Squat and deadlift. I want to incorporate cleans into the mix, but I'd like to get some instruction on that before I start throwing things around.
Strength.
Free weights.


I enjoy the feeling of a good squat/deadlift day. The next day soreness is a pleasant reminder of hard work accomplished.

It's also really nice to see rapid gains. I added 100lbs to my squat in 3 months. Though to be honest, that's probably more a factor of adaptation to eccentric contraction than true gains in strength, but whatever.

Sometimes I wish I could do nothing but lift weights and still ride my bike the way I want to ride my bike.

[Brandon White]

snip...
Sometimes I wish I could do nothing but lift weights and still ride my bike the way I want to ride my bike.

Since I got back into the gym, playing soccer 2 days a week, and some casual running - I haven't had a strong day on the bike. My legs are constantly sore from 4 different activities, 3 are leg intensive. I keep thinking I'll get past it - but it's been 7 months.

[MarkC]

Basement gym (see old thread on this topic).

Have gotten back to lifting this fall/winter as a way to regain some strength and to balance all the bike-only training and racing. As an almost 50 year old guy with a demanding work schedule found I'm not doing yard work or other things that helped with upper body strength. Due to time we've outsourced all that stuff.

My routine is 3-4 times a week to do a couple quick circuits. Set up several bars with the right weights and just leave them ready to go. Couple 1" bars and an Oly bar on the half-rack. Bench press, military press, overhead press, rowing, triceps, curls all done with barbells or dumbbells. Will mix it up and and do different exercises but mid weight higher rep stuff. Also have a pull up bar and I like using that as its a fun excercise. No heavy weight work for both joint preservation and also safety as it's just me in the basement.

Have also thrown in a ton of core. Planks, mountain climbers kettle bell type stuff.

I don't squat, deadlift, box jump or do a lot of lunges any longer. I like them but worry too much about knees.

Although it's not lifting, like to hit the Concept 2 a few times a week. Often do 3-5K before or after an indoor roller ride. Sometimes 10K or a hard 5K effort.

On Edit -- if I had the time and need, my favorite "lifting" is not lifting at all but chopping wood. Turning a pile of rounds into split wood for the fireplace is great workout and useful too. Used to heat with wood in NC and split a lot of wood. Here in NJ when I do have a tree come down I split it and give it to a friend who burns it up.

[Matthew Strongin]

<snip>I want to incorporate cleans into the mix, but I'd like to get some instruction on that before I start throwing things around.<snip>

You should try to find someone qualified to teach you. Cleans and snatches are such awesome exercises that translate well into explosive power. I don't do them heavy anymore since a couple of bad shoulder and collarbone injuries (bike crashes, not lifting injuries) led me to taking more caution with how I lift. I regularly do 1-arm dumbbell/kettlebell snatches, though, since I can work on the "pop" while using lighter weights. They lead to that really good soreness along the entire posterior chain.

When I was lifting heavier weights, I also found the power gained from cleans helped with my deadlift quite a bit.

[Chad]

I've recently started using the medicine ball in my routine. Slams and wall throws mainly, researching other uses. Looks like a great item to take on the road when traveling.

Anyone using a med ball regularly, love to know how you use it.

[Brandon White]

I've recently started using the medicine ball in my routine. Slams and wall throws mainly, researching other uses. Looks like a great item to take on the road when traveling.

Anyone using a med ball regularly, love to know how you use it.

I've tried that at my gym and almost broke their shitty walls. I need a good wall to go against, preferably something in private.

[rec head]

I've always found the strength not size discussion on lifting funny. As you get stronger, you will get bigger. The guys that have size as a rule, are pretty effing strong.

When you just start lifting, the early gains are usually from just improved coordination in the lift not from necessarily getting stronger.

You have never moved furniture with my brother in law. He goes to the gym, lifts and looks like he is in great shape but is next to useless moving furniture.