Bought a workbench and weights...

Bought a workbench and weights...

Author
Discussion

Lozw86

874 posts

132 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
Well done, glad you are enjoying it

I have been training with weights just over 7 years now

I learnt most of what I know from www.muscletalk.co.uk - Loads of good info and knowledgeable people happy to answer questions on the forum

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
Lozw86 said:
Well done, glad you are enjoying it

I have been training with weights just over 7 years now

I learnt most of what I know from www.muscletalk.co.uk - Loads of good info and knowledgeable people happy to answer questions on the forum
Thanks for that, looks like a decent site.

My dad was a bodybuilder and he taught me when I was young (Had his own set of weights), and I trained from about the age of 13 to 18 - after that it was nightclubs, booze and girls..

I could never afford all the protein powders and other supplements back then, instead relying on raw eggs, milk and orange juice. I guess at a younger age, they're not really needed if diet is OK anyway..

I seem to remember recovering quicker back then, though... hehe

smiffy180

6,018 posts

150 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
I have two shakes a day and one meal (usually soup and wholemeal bread).
Is that really all you're having all day every day?

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
smiffy180 said:
Is that really all you're having all day every day?
Yes. I work from home, so don't use too many calories. If I didn't feel right, constantly hungry, problems training etc., I would consume more, but for now, 2 protein shakes (with water), supplements (capsules) and soup and bread seem OK.

Should I be consuming more?

smiffy180

6,018 posts

150 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
I may have this wrong but:
Long term you may cause malnutrition to yourself as shakes do not contain the necessary nutrients needed for the body to function 100%.
A multivitamin isn't going to fix this either. (Off topic, did you know a multivitamin serving is based on a 2k diet?)

Personally I would be using shakes as a supplement, not a meal replacement.

I heard a bodybuilder on a documentary say "preparation is the key, if you don't prepare your meals, then you've already failed."

I assume you have time to make food, if not, in your spare time such as weekends, make your meals for the week.
You say you feel fine but I'm quite confident you'd feel better eating food. Then again, I'm biased as I eat 4.5-5k cals a day hehe

edit: as for calories: how much do you consume?
Personally I think anything less than 1500 is too low

Edited by smiffy180 on Saturday 30th August 21:35

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
smiffy180 said:
I may have this wrong but:
Long term you may cause malnutrition to yourself as shakes do not contain the necessary nutrients needed for the body to function 100%.
A multivitamin isn't going to fix this either. (Off topic, did you know a multivitamin serving is based on a 2k diet?)

Personally I would be using shakes as a supplement, not a meal replacement, as they're meant to be.

I heard a bodybuilder on a documentary say "preparation is the key, if you don't prepare your meals, then you've already failed."

I assume you have time to make food, if not, in your spare time such as weekends, make your meals for the week.
You say you feel fine but I'm quite confident you'd feel better eating food. Then again, I'm biased as I eat 4.5-5k cals a day hehe
Perhaps you're right, I guess my primary aim is to get rid of my stomach above all else. It is working very well and feel strong during training. I guess we all have slightly different metabolism and dietary needs. For example, the 4.5-5k cals per day that you require may be too much for me! (am only 5'7"...)




smiffy180

6,018 posts

150 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
Perhaps you're right, I guess my primary aim is to get rid of my stomach above all else. It is working very well and feel strong during training. I guess we all have slightly different metabolism and dietary needs. For example, the 4.5-5k cals per day that you require may be too much for me! (am only 5'7"...)
Well yes you would bulk on that. I maintain weight lol.
I'm just concerned about the lack of proper food but I'm no diet expert so can only repeat what I've seen online smile

didelydoo

5,528 posts

210 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
quotequote all
I drink 90% of my calories! Drinking it isn't an issue, I don't know why folk stress about 'drinking' calories, all depends what the drink is made up off.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
didelydoo said:
I drink 90% of my calories! Drinking it isn't an issue, I don't know why folk stress about 'drinking' calories, all depends what the drink is made up off.
That was/is my thinking, too.

I would have thought that if I weren't consuming enough, and training the way I do, my body would have let me know if my diet was insufficient by now? I am not starving myself and rarely feel hungry.

As it is right now, I have lost a lot of my belly and even have new stretch marks on arms and chest. This was a surprise to me, as I thought it'd take a lot longer to see any noticeable difference.

I figured that perhaps after six months training and dieting, I would then start to eat more meals per day - but healthier food, rather than the pork pies and other crap I used to eat.

smiffy180

6,018 posts

150 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
didelydoo said:
I drink 90% of my calories! Drinking it isn't an issue, I don't know why folk stress about 'drinking' calories, all depends what the drink is made up off.
Your calories being blended food? not a protien shake though?

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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FredClogs

14,041 posts

161 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
I'd be worried about the amount of minerals and vitamins etc you get without eating proper food not to mention the lack of fibre...

Nezquick

1,461 posts

126 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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You definitely need to increase your food intake. Work on the premise that if it's been grown or been breathing, you're pretty much ok to eat it. Try to stay away from processed foods. Supplements are exactly that: supplements to go with a healthy diet.

In terms of your cycling, try doing high intensity bursts on the bike. For example, do 2 minutes to warm up and then go all out for 1 minute. Then start repeating: 1 minute nice and gentle and the next minute all out cycling. This will speed up your cardio workout and you'll see much better results.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Monday 1st September 2014
quotequote all
Nezquick said:
You definitely need to increase your food intake. Work on the premise that if it's been grown or been breathing, you're pretty much ok to eat it. Try to stay away from processed foods. Supplements are exactly that: supplements to go with a healthy diet.

In terms of your cycling, try doing high intensity bursts on the bike. For example, do 2 minutes to warm up and then go all out for 1 minute. Then start repeating: 1 minute nice and gentle and the next minute all out cycling. This will speed up your cardio workout and you'll see much better results.
Thank you for that.

Regarding the cycling, that's exactly what I have been doing! perhaps that's the reason why I seem to have lost my 'podge'! I peddle like crazy after 5-10 minutes until I cannot keep it up any longer, and then repeat at the end of the workout.

I will increase my daily food intake - had chicken and rice yesterday, and new potato's, mushroom and gammon tonight, after my workout, and perhaps a salmon sandwich a couple of hours beforehand, with the shake an hour before...

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
Coming up to my 4th month of training.

My weight training stuff is now starting to take over the garage:





(We haven't long moved house - and the garage is way down on the list of priorities to renovate right now - so apologies for the mess...)

I am now using heavier weights, and I think I made a mistake in the choice of squat stands, I really need a set that come with spotters, as when on the final reps, I bug out for fear of not getting back up, instead of trying..

I did the first three month training three times a week, and then changed to four times per week thus:

Monday and Thursday:

Bench Press x 5 sets of 6-12 reps (70-106kg)
Bench dumbbell Flys x 4 sets of 10-12 reps (25kg)
Bench Incline dumbbell Flys x 4 sets of 8-12 reps (20-25kg)
Bent over Rows (dumbbell) x 4 sets x 8-12 reps (38kg)
Squats x 4 sets x 6-12 reps 70-96kg)
Leg curls x 4 sets 10-12 reps (50kg)
leg extensions x 4 sets 12-16 reps (65-70kg)

Tuesday and Friday:

Military press x 4 sets x 6-12 reps (40-60kg)
Upright rows x 4 sets x 8-12 reps (40-50kg)
preacher curls x 4 sets x 8-12 reps (36-40kg)
Dumbbell curls x 4 sets x 8-10 reps (18kg)
Triceps extensions x 4 sets x 8-12 reps (36kg)
Dumbbell lateral raises x 4 sets x 8-12 reps (10kg)

Each session I start by using the bike rollers, and also after the arms and shoulders sessions, along with sits ups.

It is only now that I wish I had weighed myself before starting, and photographing my belly, which has now all but disappeared. I think a big part of this is down to a complete change in diet and cutting down on sugar significantly, and cutting out any crap altogether.

I have given myself a bit of Tennis Elbow, I think, it seems Preacher curls are the main culprit, so I have decreased the weight slightly and now it's not so bad (but still there..)

When I started, when I bought the first lot of weights and bench, a big part of me thought that the will to go through with this would recede quickly - but I am so pleased with the results and the way I feel, I am so pleased I bought those things on a whim all those months ago. I have enjoyed doing this more than I could have imagined. Sometimes, it is hard, and sometimes, I feel less than enthusiastic about going down to the garage to put my body through hell for an hour and a half. however, irrespective of how I feel beforehand, when I start, all of that apprehension disappears completely, and I love it - it must be a primal thing that wants us to push ourselves ever harder...

ETA - Just bought the 6'6" 'beefy-Bar', as the stands were still a little too close together for bench presses and squats...

LordGrover

33,539 posts

212 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
I agree re squat stands - power cage far safer and more flexible.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
I agree re squat stands - power cage far safer and more flexible.
Was thinking about getting this (when it's back in stock)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000WU26HI/ref=wl_it_dp...

But something like this maybe even better...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bodymax-CF375-Power-Rack/d...

Or this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bodymax-CF480-Heavy-Multi-...

Wonder if the spotters work for bench presses, too - I have lost count of the times I have failed on the last rep, and then had to push the bar to one side to get up from the bench....

LordGrover

33,539 posts

212 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
I have the CF475 and have been happy with it. Can't comment on t'others as I've not used them but expect they'd be fine.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
LordGrover said:
I have the CF475 and have been happy with it. Can't comment on t'others as I've not used them but expect they'd be fine.
Gonna have to get one - I failed twice on squats and once with bench presses tonight! Went down a little too far on my 5th rep using 100kg and couldn't get back up, so dropped the bar behind me. Tried again, but only using 70kg, just to make sure I was OK, and failed on the 8th! Hopeless!

When my next invoice is paid, I am going to invest in a better rack...

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

260 months

Friday 19th September 2014
quotequote all
OK, ordered this, should come tomorrow. So the York squat stands will be redundant..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001DUW51I/ref=...

Would have bought the Lat attachment, but currently unavailable. frown

legs and knees still ache after the disasters of yesterday evening..