the individuals that are as dedicated to their sports as the people in the gym hitting PRs are probably on par with the injury rate.

2/18/2014 5:07:55 PM

Jbrick, This study says you are wrong. It is just one study, but it at least presents real evidence instead of your anecdotal evidence.
http://www.velocitysp.com/multimedia/docs/lehi/Hamill,_Relative_Safety-3.pdf

Quote :

" The argument that weightlifting is inherently more dangerous than weight training because it involves single, maximum efforts (2,4) implies that other sports, considered safer, do not.  In fact, jumping, kicking, striking, tackling, and throwing are often single maximum efforts.  The last repetition of a set in weight training is frequently a maximum effort.  Jumping from  a height of 80 cm is said to impart a force 20 times that of body weight on the ankles (20).  No such impact occurs in weightlifting. "

In a simple Google search, I saw numerous studies that came to the same conclusion.

2/18/2014 5:14:53 PM

I think you guys are missing jbrick’s point. I don’t think he is saying not to lift and take up geriatric activities, but what is the point of trying to go max at every lift, or even go above 60% or whatever effort if it’s just a hobby and not a career. Who are you trying to impressive? What is there to gain?

I am not taking anything away from lifting, as most of you who do lift, understand the protective benefits, but if you’ve been lifting since your 20s and lifting heavier and heavier, don’t tell me that over time, it’s not going to catch up to you; tendons get frayed the same way a rope does from stress, from overuse, over time and they don’t heal like your skin. It doesn’t matter how perfect your form is every time.

2/18/2014 5:23:27 PM

^^^But a lot of people who hurt themselves exercising are not athletically impressive or even all that strong. Beer bellied dudes who never played ball anywhere and complain of bad knees and a bad shoulder at 34...it's not a good thing.

And at least people who are dedicated to a sport actually win stuff.

[Edited on February 18, 2014 at 5:24 PM. Reason : ]

2/18/2014 5:24:20 PM

Strength training is worth doing even as you get older. You don't have to shoot for massive PRs. In fact, you'd probably be better off doing closer to a bodybuilding routine (still centered around compound movements, just at a lower percent of 1RM at higher volume) rather than powerlifting.

You can be strong without taking your body to the limit. Not everyone needs or wants to squat 500 pounds, but as a male, you should probably be able to squat 1.25-1.5 of your bodyweight. That kind of weight can be managed safely with a very low risk of injury, and the benefits are well worth it.

It is possible to strength train intelligently. I've done it for several years now with no major injuries, but I'm also not afraid to back off when something doesn't feel quite right.

2/18/2014 7:23:44 PM

Gains 4 life.

2/18/2014 8:24:11 PM

Do everything in moderation is my mentality.

2/19/2014 11:15:54 AM

Got in an excellent session today...

A. Power Cleans 5x3
B. Front Squats 6x2 in 15 Minutes at 255lbs
3 Rounds:
C1. Prowler Push +180lbs x 20yards
C2. 60#KB Swings x 15

Body weight is down to 175lbs. Started at 183 Feb 1.

2/19/2014 12:32:48 PM

1) I had 60 grams of protein at breakfast (BW 151 lb). Did ~20 grams of that go to waste?

2) The soreness I got from my calf workout for 2 days after the workout was asymmetrical. Right leg 95% of the soreness was in the gastrocnemius. Left leg 95% of the soreness was in the soleus. I found that to be interesting and strange. Any possible explanations? Hasn't happened before. I did calves on the leg press and also seated calf raises.

2/24/2014 4:23:45 PM

There's a trainer at my gym who often wears an ITB Fitness tshirt and has recently started doing "15 in 15" with his clients.

2/24/2014 4:27:55 PM

Quote :

"There's a trainer at my gym who often wears an ITB Fitness tshirt and has recently started doing "15 in 15" with his clients."

That's interesting. I wonder how closely his program resembles mine. I don't recommend my program to beginners. It's designed to be effective for intermediate lifters, who know how to lift circamaximal safely.

Does it get them results? What lifts are they doing?

I may know who you are referring to. Is his name Chris? I used to work with him a long time ago, back when I first started training professionally. He's a really nice guy!

Training Today:

A.60#KB Goblet Squats 5x20
B1.Hip Thrusts 225lbs 2x8
B2. Glute Ham Raises 2x15

Tweaked my knee blasting back flips at Defy Gravity yesterday. Decided to go light on the squats and hit higher reps. Knee should be back to 100% in a week or so. Slight hyper-extension trying to nail some sick jumps.


[Edited on February 24, 2014 at 9:23 PM. Reason : Moar]

2/24/2014 9:10:42 PM

Quote :

"1) I had 60 grams of protein at breakfast (BW 151 lb). Did ~20 grams of that go to waste?"

That's not how it works.

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

Go to Myth #5.

2/24/2014 9:52:13 PM

^ thanks for that, that's reassuring, because my dinner had 75 grams of protein

Great page, I have bookmarked it, will read all in detail another time.

2/25/2014 5:26:14 AM

^^ WOW I just spent a couple hours reading that website. Makes me want to try a 16/8 fasting routine. I've pretty much plateaued in my weight loss (i've lost about 4 lbs in the last 2 months even while on a calorie deficit). I did weigh my lowest yesterday at 164.6 lbs but my goal is 160 lbs and it seems like the last few lbs are the hardest to loose. I'm gonna give this fasting routine a shot.

2/28/2014 11:31:37 AM

I've been IFing since December 28th and I like it a lot. I usually try to do a 14-16 hours fast depending on how I feel. I did it originally to get out of a stall and it worked great and was easy, so I kept with it. Down 22 pounds since December 13th and have gotten a lot stronger. ^.^

I've started benching and squatting last week and it hasn't been has hard as I thought it would be. My shoulder still hurts during squats, but it's definitely manageable.

2/28/2014 12:19:15 PM

good to know...thanks.

2/28/2014 3:26:52 PM

^^Yay bmel!

Did you follow a specific IF program or do you have any good links for more info?

3/2/2014 1:42:19 PM

^ I too am curious

3/2/2014 7:16:21 PM

The combination of injuries preventing me from lifting much and thus not bulking has dropped me from a high of 245 down to 217 this weekend with little actually watching what I eat. I know I have lost a lot of muscle but definitely a decent amount of fat too. I am just going to keep losing while I can't hit the weights hard and try to keep my protein up to keep whatever I can. I can tell a huge difference being close to 215 now compared to the last time I was at this weight (especially in the shoulders) so the bulk was not a total waste.

3/2/2014 10:04:03 PM

I read this http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/08/06/a-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting/ and played around with this http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

I also read some on the xxketo subreddit and joined the Facebook group slappy1 recommended.

I did hang cleans yesterday for the first time in years. My shoulders and back are pretty sore today. /feelsgoodman

[Edited on March 3, 2014 at 10:39 PM. Reason : I love cleaning ]

3/3/2014 10:38:10 PM

cleans (off the ground, full depth)are my fave! Hope you're working on FS for cleans.

3/4/2014 12:07:41 AM

so i know i just started but have been IFing for 4 days now and i really like it. scale says i've dropped 2 lbs (163.4 lbs) but that has got to be mostly water weight. on a side note i haven't weighed under 165 since my freshman year in college...that's 16 years ago. i'm also able to fit into some pants that i have never been able to wear (was one of those sale items i bought thinking oh I can fit in this in a couple months and here it is 6 years later). anyway things are looking good for the summer. hope i can hit my 10% BF goal. at about 12% right now. once i hit 10% i may set a new goal and shoot for 8% but we'll see.

3/4/2014 9:20:29 AM

Congrats, sparky! That's awesome. Glad IF is working out for you.

^^Yeah, not going crazy with the front squats, but trying to adapt my body to them.

3/4/2014 12:42:13 PM

I've been practicing stiff legged deadlifts with light weights in private. I do hundreds of them just trying to get the motion right. Anyway, my hamstrings, and only my hamstrings, end up remarkably sore for several days. Is this primarily a hamstring exercise? Besides the general benefits of having more muscle, what are the specific benefits of developed hamstrings?

[Edited on March 4, 2014 at 10:24 PM. Reason : ?]

3/4/2014 10:23:56 PM

a well shaped ass is the only goal of stiff-legged deadlifts, or at least it should be.

3/4/2014 11:17:22 PM

Glute and ham development. It's a hip-hinge movement, I've seen people trying to bend with their back though, just asking for an injury. Everything should be tight, do not drop your belly. You should be squeezing your glutes when you come up at the top so that your back doesn't take the load of the bar.

Here is a good primer on what it means to move with your hip joint. People who use their backs don't understand proper hip joint movement.

http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/establishing-your-drive-train-screening-and-correcting-hip-hinge

[Edited on March 5, 2014 at 12:08 AM. Reason : .]

3/5/2014 12:01:36 AM

took one of MattJMM2's great ideas and put protein powder in my morning coffee

HOLY CRAP THIS IS DELICIOUS! Why have I not done this sooner?! Thanks Matt!

3/5/2014 7:19:46 AM

You're welcome!

If you like greek yogurt, go ahead and throw a scoop in that too and make a little puddin.

3/5/2014 10:31:17 AM

does it sip well or more a chugger?

3/5/2014 10:43:26 AM

I feel like you guys are just ruining good coffee and Greek yogurt

3/5/2014 11:05:37 AM

I've done the coffee and protein powder before...it worked out well.

3/5/2014 11:49:17 AM

I would never admit to using protein powder, but creamy vanilla Isopure in cold coffee is delicious.

It's basically fat-free, carb-free protein coffee. But, to get the best price at GNC, you have to sign up for the stupid card. So, whilst trying to hide your penchant for protein powder, you will receive body-building magazines in the mail.

3/5/2014 1:27:36 PM

how likely is it that my body has become accustomed to my regular workout (or exercise level, rather) and is causing me to plateau despite (supposedly) burning more calories than i'm taking in?

i use the fitbit to measure what i'm burning and myfitnesspal to keep track of what i'm eating...i do an hour on the arc trainer (not the elliptical) 5-6 days per week (which is maxed out on the highest cardio level and leaves me soaked) and i'm honest when putting food into myfitnesspal

i was losing weight pretty steadily (11lbs in 2 months), but the past 4 or 5 days have had me creep UP from 193 to 194 and i SHOULD have a calorie deficit of ~500 every day

i realize that the fitbit is a very rough estimate and myfitnesspal isn't perfect, but given that i've been very steady lately, i don't understand why i'm gaining weight (albeit slowly)...even if the fitbit/myfitnesspal estimates are off, i don't feel like they should be off that much given that my intake and exercise has been so consistent

it's gotten harder to keep my heart rate in the cardio range, so i'm wondering if it's just that my body's all, like, "i got this" and isn't burning as much with the same exercise

thoughts?

[Edited on March 5, 2014 at 3:06 PM. Reason : .]

3/5/2014 3:04:26 PM

how are you calculating calories burned through cardio? I found out that the elliptical machines I like to use were way off base; they'd show an expenditure of 1200 calories an hour when my heart rate monitor was only registering 500-600 calories per hour. That's enough of a discrepancy to cause a pound a week error in calculating weight loss.

[Edited on March 5, 2014 at 4:23 PM. Reason : heart rate is a great indicator of energy expenditure; sounds like you've adapted to your training]

3/5/2014 4:22:09 PM

If your cardio isn't easy for long periods of time while fasted, or short, intense and borderline punishment; then it's not optimized for fat loss.

3/5/2014 7:55:51 PM

I'm slowly migrating towards the camp of cardio not being optimal for fat loss, period. Do cardiovascular work for cardiovascular health; strength training and caloric restriction are much more important for fat loss. Additional cardio work just taxes your recovery abilities and encourages you to overeat.

3/5/2014 8:54:11 PM

^I agree with you 100%

There is a place for some "cardio". Although it depends on how you are defining it. Some people have to increase their activity moderately, because bringing calories much lower isn't feasible.

Doing something active like walking, gardening, or just basic movement is great to up your NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) which has the biggest effect on your metabolic rate.

Using well designed/programmed HIIT can help target, release, and burn "stubborn" body fat. This is only really useful if you are already fairly lean (<12% bodyfat for men, <~17% for women.)

Doing anything longer than ~20minutes (steady state) above a walking intensity is suboptimal if retaining muscle mass is your goal.

##

In other news, my spring lean down is coming along smoothly. Averaging about 1lbs week in weightloss and my strength is doing well. This is the first time I've tried moderate, flexible dieting and it's been pretty easy so far. The hardest part is saying no to cookies and stopping after 1 or 2 beers/mixed drinks.

I've upped my training frequency to almost doing some kind of workout every day. But I usually keep them <30minutes half the time. I'll go do 15minutes of prowler pushing and battle ropes to get my heart rate jammin, or something similar.

[Edited on March 6, 2014 at 9:03 AM. Reason : moar]

3/6/2014 8:56:14 AM

I'm currently trying the Whole30, with the exception of I'm still taking in whey protein. I'm losing weight on the diet, but my energy levels are way down. I'm going to try adding more sweet potatoes to my diet to see if it's a lack of carbohydrates causing the issue. Usually my energy levels went way up on a ketogenic diet, but I think the occasional dried fruit I'm eating on paleo is causing my brain to jump back and forth between glucose and triglycerides as a fuel source. This diet shouldn't require being in ketosis to work, so I'll try to add in some starchier vegetables.

I like this diet a lot, with the exception of not being able to drink on it. Sometimes I just want a bourbon to wind down at the end of the day.

3/6/2014 3:32:54 PM

I did the Whole 30 a couple years ago, pretty tough if you follow it to the letter. props to you

3/6/2014 3:52:26 PM

I think I might tackle an Olympic triathlon this June. Triangle Orthopedic has a 750 meter swim/16 bike/3 mile run in late April that should be a good stepping stone for the one in Little Washington, NC at the end of June.

I saw 1000 yds this morning (916m) and was happy with my pacing. It is something though to get off that bike and run.

3/6/2014 3:56:02 PM

I think I'm going to try Starting Strength 5x5 weight lifting program. I like how simple it is to follow, but I'm not really sure about adding 5 pounds to every workout. :-/ He doesn't have a lot of information about women doing his program from what I could find. His reasoning is that 93% of his clientele are men. I've heard some say that there isn't any difference between men and women and lifting weights. Maybe I'm taking it too literally, because we definitely have different hormone levels and different shaped skeletons, so I cant' believe that is totally true.

3/7/2014 12:19:55 AM

It's strong lifts, not starting strength

3/7/2014 1:07:14 AM

Quote :

"I saw 1000 yds this morning"

see the swim, be the swim

3/7/2014 7:10:39 AM

5x5 is unnecessarily high in volume for beginners. 3x5 is better. With training, you want to use the minimum effective dosage. 3x5 with the right intensity and hitting your reps across is good enough to make your progression.

I like doing 3x5+ (+ being max reps on your last set, using that as indicator of how to progress).

For example, with the squat, say you are doing 85lbs 3x5+. If you get all your sets, and then 10 on your last set, you are probably good for a double progression so add 10lbs.

If you only got 5-9 reps on your last set, take a single progression of 5lbs. If you couldn't get all your reps, stay at that weight and progress your reps next workout.

[Edited on March 7, 2014 at 8:38 AM. Reason : wordz]

3/7/2014 8:38:14 AM

I plan to start with low weight (the bar) to make sure I have my technique perfected before I start lifting heavy. I've never done deadlifts or barbell rows, so I want to make sure I'm doing it right before I go hard. I plan to use more than the bar for these two since it would be awkward otherwise. Not really sure how much weight to start with, but I guess I'll just test the waters and see what feels good.

Right now my bench max is 85lbs and ~100lbs for squats. I don't know what it is for the others since I've never done them. Should I start out doing 5x5 since its a low weight and then move over to 3x5 when I get back up to my current max?

3/7/2014 8:50:09 AM

I would just do the 3x5+. That last set of max reps will bump up the volume to make up for any lack of intensity.

Going light and working on technique is great. BUT, there's a big difference in technique when using a weight that barely challenges you compared to a weight that requires focus and controlled stability to perform correctly.

3/7/2014 9:07:34 AM

Quote :

"You're welcome! If you like greek yogurt, go ahead and throw a scoop in that too and make a little puddin."

That sounds delicious, but I like my coffee hot. Even in the summer. I just can't do iced/cold coffee anymore.

Plus I use greek yogurt in my second meal of the day - cold oatmeal.

1/3c dry old fashioned oats
1/3c 2% milk or added protein almond milk
1/3c plain greek yogurt
1T chia seeds
1/2 scoop protein powder

Mix and leave in the fridge overnight. AMAZING.

3/7/2014 9:14:37 AM

^^ Alright, I'll give that a try. Thanks for the advice.

I checked out your website and it looks great. I hope the gym is going well and gaining popularity. I also appreciate all the information you have for women on there. I read most of the articles in the Member Zone section, although I'm not sure I was suppose to. Hopefully I can find a job in Raleigh soon and maybe sign up for some private sessions or something. Your team looks really legit.

3/7/2014 9:31:53 AM

IMO, I don't think there is a difference in training for men and women. Where it matters is probably diet manipulation.

3/7/2014 11:02:55 AM

I think you should definitely add weight to the bar for the lifts you mentioned (given what you've said about your PRs and your general health/activity level). I think it can be detrimental to practice your form/technique on these lifts with such low weight that you're not having the same experience as you will when you add weight.

assuming you're using a 35 lb bar, I would start squatting with no less than 10 lbs on each side, and at least that for deads.

3/7/2014 11:36:58 AM