Strength Training

I'll back up something that MC222 said ... and put this one out there.
It's especially important for any guys who have developed back problems.
And if you're really an active person - there's a good chance you'll hurt your back
sooner or later.

Like MC222 said ... just hang from a horizontal bar.
Not even chin-ups. Just hang there, and slowly increase the duration of the hangs.
This exercise will do wonders to re-align your spine using gravity.
If you've had any back problems - you may even notice some twitching of your legs
or feet as the body adjusts and takes pressure off the nerves. I do this exercise every
morning. Not only can it help you get your back into proper working oder again,
but it also strengthens all the tendons and ligaments in your arms and shoulders.

good luck!
KingLeonidas
 
KingLeonidas said:
It's especially important for any guys who have developed back problems.
And if you're really an active person - there's a good chance you'll hurt your back
sooner or later.
Click to expand...

I be that man. When the ego abates and the training is more driven more by an intention to be fit and agile as far into your older life as possible, one, if not the most important thing is a healthy back. When a wish to be the fittest or strongest is replaced by a wish to be able to race around with your grandson and still be in one piece at the end of the day - the lower back is the most important part of the jigsaw.
 
Refrence hanging to stretch off your back;
another good one i found is to lie face down over a swiss exercise ball with your mid section making contact with the ball and then just completly relax and let gravity do the stretching for you, if done correctly you should feel what i can only describe as nerve endings firing off down your lower back, a good stretch as well as a way to catch your breath after a heavy sesh.
Hilly
 
MC222 ... your posts reminded me about this issue - it's one that I fought too. I started a separate thread on training systems for the "old guys" here in the Gym section. I was lucky - by sheer luck I happened to stumble on a personal trainer who taught me a system of special exercises to re-condition my back. I was skeptical at first that it would work, and I honestly thought my days of being very active were a thing of the past. But it is possible to come back and re-build. There's a series of special exercises that really help - I'll describe some of them on that other thread. Please add your own contributions too. I keep an open mind and try anything can keep keep my old body in good shape :-) Hahahaa!!
KingLeonidas

Hilly - right thanks. That is a good exercise. There's another variation to that same exercise -it's bloo*y painful but it does really help. I'll add it to the other thread on workout for the Old Guys. You're bringing back a lot of personal memories with your comments ... I remember the stage when I had to wap my body over medicine balls every day - painful and frustrating days they were :-)
 
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I disagree with taps first post, squats are good adding meat on a persons frame but nothing like creatine or glycerol ;)

@mc222, Doesn't matter how many sessions you commit to training a specific muscle or if you decide to do a 3,4 or 5 split training routine if your seeing progress and it makes you happy then keep to it. Just don't expect your body to stick to a 7 day week it may take you 9-10 days to finish your routine cycle before rinsing and repeating. Listen to your body and you wont go far wrong.
 
Dips and heaves is where it's at - many of the mighty have fallen at the sight of the parallel bars and a heave bar. If you can knock out 30 x straight armers on the heave bar - happy days.

Smash up the dips in sets of 20, once this becomes easy. Get 20kg wrapped around your waist and get back on it.

Your strength, definition and power output will go through the roof in 6 weeks.

No need for all that supplement ballcocks.....save your money and eat properly from the hot plate.

Happy dipping.....
 
@ KingLeonidas & Hilly140 Just incorporated these into my training straight after finishing the workout id do the hang and then the resting on the ball. I find hanging quite difficult to relax into to, same with the med ball but less so however with persistence i set one or two nerves firing off.Even felt quite good and slightly light headed when i stood back up again.

But after doing this after 3 sessions my back has become quite stiff, is this suppose to happen?
 
Paul83
As with any new exercise stiffness should be expected at first but if it persists for longer than a couple of weeks you may need to ask a personal trainer to check your form.
With the hanging, if its your grip that let's you down you could try wrist straps and strap your hands on to the bar.
The trick with the big ball exercise is to completely relax and let your body wrap it self over the ball whilst making fine adjustments to your position to find the best stretch.
With stretching exercises what works for one may not work for the other so try as many as you can and find what works for you.
If your gym runs pilate lessons I'd suggest you give that a try, you will find yourself in a class with mainly middle aged women but it really does help for core stability, which is a major factor in lower back pain.
Hope this helps
Hilly
 
Paul83 didn't realize you had referenced me in your post. You state: I disagree with taps first post, squats are good adding meat on a persons frame but nothing like creatine or glycerol" I agree that Squats will add size and strength to your body. Not sure how or where we disagree with that. Secondly I don't recommend Creatine, Glycerol or any other supplements. As each person as you rightfully state is completely different. A balanced diet is better than creatine or glycerol. If one is doing proper squats, diet and sleep then he/she should be growing very well. As long as they are squat below parallel, box squats or some other type squat based exercise.

Tapmaster
 
A good strong set of legs is what separates the men from the boys and squats are the key, so I'm with Tapmaster on that one.
 
Hilly140, I appreciate that mate. People ask me all the time how much I can bench. I turn it around to say that I've started working my way up the rack again. I did a 300 on the box a few weeks ago. Trying not to push it too hard as I have a bit of pain in my left quad. Most people think big pecs or big biceps is an indication of strength. No one notices the skinny leg man in the gym with his sweat pants on. Your balls are between your legs and not under your arms. The only way around that to build a massive upper body and skinny legs is with steroids. Train your legs once or twice a week and the gains just keep coming. I squat one day heavy and another day on the box.

Squats are the daddy of all exercises.

Tapmaster
 
Amen to that Tapmaster
I believe I have under developed calves compared to the rest of my legs, well I think I do anyway- have you got any tips as I've tried going heavy as possible to no prevail.
 
Hilly140,

Like most black guys I have high calves. I got some mates of mine from Eastern Europe who have amazing calves. I've tried everything known to train my calves. My mate from Poland suggest I buy sorta like a platform and do lots of calves a day around the house using just my body weight. I do them with the leg press, seated, with hack squat machine and I just got them over 19inches. Again I have high calves and the other parts of my leg is nothing. So I keep at it. My mate tells me that it is possible. I like to do something as well called the Donkey Calf Raise where you have someone sit across your back as you bend over and lift yourself up and down. If you got Arnolds Bodybuiling book it's in there.

Quads, Shoulders, Arms, Forearms, Traps, Lats etc I can help you out on. With the calves I'm still trying to figure that one out.

tapmaster
 
Seems to be the same answer I'm getting everywhere Tap lol.
I got told by a physio that calve size is down to how you learn to walk and run as a child. He said that guys with bigger calves tend to run more on their toes whereas smaller calve guys walk more on their heel. I don't know how much truth is behind it but I assessed the way I run and I do run more flat footed rather than toes first so he may be right.
Regardless of all that I have trained my legs as much if not more than the rest of my body yet my calves refuse to budge.
Frustrating as hell.
Hilly
 
i'll throw out this item.
food for thought for the young guys.

at some point in my career I became fixated about bench pressing my own weight. looking back, I have no idea why I obsessed about it as much as I did. anyway, I set it as a goal. and one of my "tricks" was that I did use creatine. so the bottom line is that the stuff did seem to help. I was able to make the benchpressing goal. But after that experience, it was very hard to get the weight back off. I think my usage of creatine just happened to coincide with a time when my metabolism was slowing down anyway. bad combo ... I've often thought that i would have been better off just avoiding the supplement.

all told ... strength is only one parameter. other factors, like maintaining a desirable body weight and keeping a good level of agility are equally important. if you're the kind of guy who is wiry - don't worry about putting on excess muscle mass. be happy that you can move fast - that is much more likely to save your bacon :-)

KL
 
In the big picture supplements are not what they are all the hype. Creatine has a suspicious side to it. All creatine is not the same. You can take one brand and be fine. Then take another one and spend an hour in the loo. The best creatine is in food. If your not eating a balanced diet then you need to package up a tupper ware before you head out to work and put them in your day sack Most places these days have a microwave. Creatine will also make you thirsty that you never quench. Some creatine is designed to give you an insulin spike. I'm a diabetic and I can't take any supplements as I already have a thirst that I can't get rid of. As a result of my diabetes. Some creatine will make you pee a a lot sorta like having diabetes. So why keep spiking your insulin when you don't have diabetes "yet"?

So how can one naturally gain weight? Sit down and get your notepad out. There is a book out called super squat where they recommend doing sets of 20 reps. Very painful for an advance lifter and a killer for a new squatter. So here we go of what I personally found to work for me. I was fortunate to read and train with some really great lifters who knew their shit. I been at it 35 years so I should have some idea what I am doing:

Week one to week three: start with sets of 3 and 8 reps

Week four to eight: start doing 5 sets of 5 reps with a weight that you can barely get the 5th rep in set 5. So in this case you would start on Wednesday.

Week four to eight: squat on Saturday. Box Squats_-squat at parallel or just below 5 sets of 5 reps. Your not trying to kill yourself your trying to get used to the movement. Look for Dave Tate or Louie Simmons on you tube and they give a tutorial on the box squat. Squat twice a week and watch your all over strength go through the roof. As I said if you don't want to get bigger stop reading now.

In theory you could box squat twice a week and it not hurt you. But just starting out I would error on the side of caution.

Week nine to eleven: five sets of three reps.

Week ten light workout

Week eleven: Maximum squat attempt.

This of course depends on a lot of factors i.e. sleep, diet, work schedule etc. If your on steriods I would suggest a similar program but different. In this it is not start out wearing a squat suit. It's about building core strength. When you start going back your bum has to be further behind as you sit on the bench or the box. There is no rocking back to get momentum started backing up. I deal situation knee wraps should not be used until you get to heavy weight Only you can decide when that is. Only you can decide what is heavy.

I close with a disclaimer. It's important to get medically cleared before taking on any exercise program. I am not responsible or liable for any injuries or muscles that you gain if you use this program. Lifting weights is a dangerous sport. Only you can accept responsibility for your actions.

Good Luck and happy squatting

tapmaster
 
Tap re-reading my statement i should of changed disagree to amendment "squats x (creatine + Glycerol) = better size gains than squats alone". If you haven't tried it suggest you give it trial, well recommended. I haven't actually started creatine i just know it will work!


Post note:
Think i may have found the cause to my back stiffness, leaning over the medball is similar to inversion therapy, it was recommended by Stewart Robert from "Beyond brawn". Mentions 60-70 seconds is all that is needed, i was doing possibly 4-5.
 
I personally think they're over rated. Now I only do them every so often, I've found that heavy leg presses and deadlifts has made my squat shoot up.
 
Sherlock they compliment one another but as the weight increases many pros/experts in the field say dl's can take a lot longer to recover from.
 
i personally find front squats (with a clean grip,no pussy pad) to be my favourite exercise combined with deads,you cant lean forward to bring more lower back into it,its just up and down,full range of motion.plus your core is blitzed.
 
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