Use It: 8/26-9/1

[maxlharris]

Morning all. It's monday, so it's week 5 of the Brady Quinn Workout, Monday plan. That means:

Bench Press
4*3 @ 95 lbs, lifted explosively, 45 seconds rest between reps
3*8 @ 115 lbs, lifted 3,2,*,1, 2 min rest between reps
3*isometric @ 65 lbs, 30/30/30, 1 min rest (can maybe up this a bit next week. Though sets 2&3, at the middle and bottom, were very trembly)

Swiss Ball Hip Extension + Leg Curl
8 reps, rest 30 seconds, as many as possible, which was 15.
I upped the size of the ball to the 75cm one, which increased the difficulty. Nice.

Tomorrow, goblet squats + bent underhand rows. Nice.

[gator8me]

I might as well face it, I'll never beat max to posting here! :p

Monday - 8.27.07 - Lower Bod (yea still sore but not as bad)

Leg Extentions, squats (just a few), deadlifts, leg curls, calf raises, leg raises, incline curls.

That does me for today. :)

[maxlharris]

Have to get up pretty early in the morning to get out before me. At least on the East Coast of the US.

[gator8me]

there.. see.. i am already handicapped by a whole hour as I am in the Central time zone! :eek:

[maxlharris]

Exactly.

It's tuesday, so I threw down like this:
Goblet Squat
4*3, fast, at 30,35,40,40
3*8, fast on the up, at 50,55,55
3*isometric at 25, 30, 30
Commentary: I think I can work this heavier. I will do it next week.

Bent Over Row, Underhand Grip
8 reps @ 60, 30s rest, as many reps as could be done, which was 12.

[gator8me]

8.28.07 ~ CARDIO ~ 20min on Arc Trainer
now off to shower and take mom to Bible Study.... phewwwwwwwwww

[lczeledoc]

Used it yesterday 8/28/07

Deadlifts, ----------------265 lbs, 5 x 5, 1-1/2 minute rest
Military Press, ------------135 lb, 5 x 5, 1 min. rest
Chest Supported Row,-----120 lb, 4 x 6, 1 min. rest
Glute bridges, planks

Pretty good work out

[Ammy]

8/23/07 5 portages, canoed 4 miles, set up camp
8/24/07 tore down camp, 4 portages, canoed 2 miles, set up camp
8/25/07 tore down camp, 2 portages, canoed 1 mile, set up camp, fished
8/26/07 tore down camp, 4 portages (2 being quite TRECHEROUS), canoed 2 miles, set up camp
8/27/07 tore down camp, canoed 2.5miles

Yeah, I was using it!!

[WakefieldWendy]

Amy, it's been years since I regularly canoed, but I used to work as a trip leader. I must say that, unless portaging is your favourite form of exercise, you need a new route! :lol: Too much portage and too little canoe makes the route dull!

Used it yesterday with dragon boat practice. It really works the core and the shoulders.

I travel today and then tomorrow I'm home again. Will do upper body.

[Ammy]

Amy, Too much portage and too little canoe makes the route dull!

Actually, I have HORRIBLE upper body strength, so I HATE the canoeing! I was in the back this time, so I was the BRAINS of the canoe, and my GF was the BRAUN...that was much better. I enjoy the hiking over scary terrain much more than the canoeing...
But I DO love to fish.
We caught and kept a 1lb large mouth bass, and a 22inch northern pike...both made for delicious meals!!

[gator8me]

Great to see you back Amy! Hope you had a great time and can't wait to hear more about it and possibly see some pictures!

[banshee]

I'm feeling quite proud of the fact that I worked out today despite the fact that I had forgotten to bring my workout clothes to work this morning. Thankfully I hadn't worn a dress shirt - slacks and a polo shirt were bad enough to work out in! But I decided that since I had my gym shoes and my lifting gloves, that was all I really needed.

It was a good workout - got my heart rate way up and kept it there most of the workout. Also got in some good chest and back lifts and was able to do all of the stability ball core workouts with good form. Muscles are quivering - a good sign.

[maxlharris]

Banshee: Good on you. That's awesome.
Amy: As a former canoe instructor, proper technique in canoe should not be terribly heavy on the upper body. Should be more from the core. If your core is strong, you might look at technique. If your technique is good, look at your core. On the portage, shoulders are good. Just a thought.

Me, I rocked it today. The Breakthrough Pillar Workout (Pillar is the Core + quads/hams/glutes):
Done as a Circuit, 8 reps of everything
Med Ball Hand Walk (rep = hand walk left, then back right)
Front Pillar Bridge w/ Diagonal Arm Lift (rep = one lift with each arm)
Side Pillar Bridge (both sides)
Swiss-ball Hanging Knee Raise
Swiss-ball Single-Leg Bridge (each leg)
Off-Bench Lateral Flexion (each side)
Swiss-ball Cable Russian Twist (each side) @ 80 lbs
Miniband Knee Rotation (each side, backwards and forwards)

Then, I took a minute to catch breath, drink water, and catch more breath and
Did it again.

I expect my pillar is gonna hurt.

I love this workout. There are 4 full "wow" moves that people stop to look at
(Knee Raise, single leg bridge, lat flexion, and russian twist). I love that stuff.

Tomorrow, back to lifting stuff, like me: Chinups and split squats.

[Ammy]

I hear you Max, and I was doing better in the front of the canoe when I did more of a "dragon-boat" stroke because I do have an extremely strong core. I'm pretty good at 'feathering'.
But even moving my arms up and down to do the stroke can be too much for my shoulders...I have SERIOUS damage from the numerous car accidents.
Using my computer mouse too much can cause me a week of pain or weakness...
When I was steering though, it was stroke stroke rutter rest stroke stroke rutter rest...my arms were not "raised" as much and that time of rest was much better for me.

But with the packs, when they are put on correctly, affect my hips and thighs, not my shoulders. I feel weight like I carry the weight around my waist, sort of on my hips, and my thighs are the muscles carrying the load.

When I was working out, I was lifting above my head to strengthen my shoulders and I ended up causing pain in my neck and jaw and had to see a specialist and a PT to relax the muscles again.
Now when I work my upper body, I push and pull, but don't raise.
At some point I'd like to try raising above my head again and a VERY SMALL weight (like 5lbs) and not worry about increasing the weight, just work on being able to do it for longer periods.
It's something I'm nervous to try again, but need to do.

[maxlharris]

Ammy, sorry about your shoulders. Maybe, in the next month's challenge, you might want to try just raising a book, then maybe work towards a weight. I dunno, just thinking.

Also, stroke, stroke, rudder? Learn the J-stroke (http://www.ehow.com/how_11363_j-stroke-canoe.html). Here's an animated link (http://www.gregcons.com/canoe/techniques_strokes.htm), and some discussion.

You see these olympic canoers (or maybe you don't) and they are shoulder massive. But, one of the most efficient, powerful strokers I have ever met was a thin girl who just had perfect technique. I wouldn't compete her, but I'd shoot any rapids I've ever done with her in either spot (actually, I like to drive in the back and call strokes, but that's just a management issue).

[Ammy]

Hey, thanks for the link.
My GF taught me the J and C stroke, but I have to admit, I just cannot get the J stroke to work...that's why I have to rutter...The C I have mastered.
It's good to see it in motion like that...I'll try it again, soon!
Thanks!!

[maxlharris]

On the animated link (the second one) there is also the Indian Stroke, which is great for lake canoing if you're looking for fish or wildlife. Very quiet.

If you do white water (not in the BWCA you don't), you learn a whole slew of other strokes, pulls, draws, crescents, etc. Different deal than laking.

[Ammy]

I forwarded the animated link to my GF, she had never heard of the Indian Stroke but wants to give it a try...it sounds like it would be pretty quiet, like feathering.

I'm not sure I'm BRAVE enough to try the white water stuff...ever!
I rode down some water slide/rides at ValleyFair and by the time I got to the bottom I was CRYING my head off:o...I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life.
(and I LOVE fast whipping scary rollar coasters, just nothing in water - and I'm a GREAT swimmer...not sure what that's about)

[maxlharris]

Shooting rapids is among my happiest memories that don't involve my wife. Course, that was one thing, taking a river kayak out into the surf in Hawaii was another thing entirely. I'm not sure why more people don't surf their kayaks. It's fun, though I wouldn't want to do it in riptide conditions.

Funny thing. I am a piss poor swimmer. Almost like a cat. But I love canoe/kayak.

[Ammy]

Funny!!
I tried kayaking for the first time in July in the Puget Sound. It was pretty peaceful water (thank goodness), but again, struggled with my shoulders. I was in a 2-person canoe, and my GF did MOST of the "rowing" (is it called rowing in a kayak??).

[maxlharris]

Kayaking is a lot more shoulder intensive. Would not recommend it. Core is key there too, but shoulders, yeah. And if you are just learning, even more so. If I get a job that pays a lot more (seems possible, really... Average MBA makes $90K+, which wouldn't double current salary, but it'd be a big upgrade), I will make an effort to get wife into canoe/kayak.

Any rate, back to the workouts.
Today, I didn't do Chins. I switched it up and did Friday today. Crazy, I know.
So:
Romanian Deadlift
4*3 @ 65, 85, 85, 85 lbs, fast down, faster up, 45s rest.
3*8 @ 95 lbs, slow down, fast up, 1 min rest
3*isometric @ 65 lbs, slow slow slow. Legs quake. Nice., rest 2 min

Dumbbell Military Press
8 reps @70 lbs, rest 30, 10 reps @ 70.
A few months ago, I couldn't press 70 more than once. I'm not "Strong" now, but I'm a lot stronger than I was.

[lczeledoc]

Used yeasterday, 8/29/07

Chin-Ups,................................. bodyweight, 8 x 3, 30 sec. rest
Bench Press, .............................225 lb,5 x 5, 90 sec rest
Romanian Deadlift, ......................185 lb, 3 x 8, 60 sec rest
Barbell Curls, ...............................45 lb., 1 x 20
Push-ups, ...................................BW,....1 x 20
Planks, Glute bridges

I don't know why, but lately I am experiencing soreness soon after my workouts. Yesterday for exmaple, I worked out from 4:30 to 5 :15 pm. This morning my shoulders arms, traps lower back are very sore. Usually soreness, hit s you after at least 30 hrs. I think my level of intensity has increased. As my level of skill increases, my muscle coordination has increased and I can apply more force. I think I have found the sweet spot, sufficient intensity to cause an overload without going into overtraining. In the past I would over do it and then get injured, stop training, start again. This time my training has been going great. Great progress on strength and body composition.

[gator8me]

Sounds great Iczeledoc! I am always slightly sore/stiff a few hours after my workout with the soreness worse about 48 hours and then it gets eased after that. It does sound like you've hit a great spot and you can gradually increase from there. :) WTG!

[gator8me]

8.29.07 ~ UPPER BOD

CHEST
DB Fly ~ 12/5, 10/10, 8/10, 6/10, 12/10
Press (mach) ~ 12/60
Kept the top weight at 10# on the fly just to stay in control of the DB. Also bench was flat and next time I'll make the fly bench a 45deg angle up. Press was good but will up to 70# next time.

SHLDRS
DB Press - 12/5, 10/8, 8/10, 6/15, 12/10
DB Frt Raise - 12/8
All weights good on this one. Really works great on the shoulders.

BACK
Pull Down wide - 12/35, 10/40, 8/50, 6/70, 12/60
Lev. Row close - 12/20
Pull down is great. The row not so great. I think it is the piece of equipment that my body just can't get used to. I will be changing this one to the one arm row next time.

TRICEPS
Push down (cable) - 12/40, 10/50, 8/60, 6/70, 12/60
DB Cross face - 12/10
Awesome set up. Really fatigued my triceps good.

BICEPS
DB Concentration Curl - 12/8, 10/10, 8/15, 6/20, 12/10
Curl (mach) - 12/30
20# was too much. Not sure what I'll do here but will either drop the starting weight or just do 15# 2x in a row.

8.30.07 ~ CARDIO ~ 20 min on arc trainer.
Tried the preset intervals and did lvl 4. Won't be doing those again because it only did 2 resistance.. 25 and then 40. Also, stayed on 25 the majority of the time and only skipped up to 40 for too short of periods. I'll keep staying in control of my own interval training and resetting the resistance every min going up the scale and then back down like I was doing before...

[lczeledoc]

gator8me,

Are you following a BFL type of workout? I did that a few years back. IT was Good. It is a lot of volume though!.

[gator8me]

yes I am, just the exercise part though, still doing PP eating plan. It IS very good, I am seeing results in my arms and legs, not so much in my fatty belly though :(.. I really do like the program but right now am struggling with time issues on my weight lifting days. If the gym is busy its also hard to do what I need to do. I LOVE working out and if I had no life could stay at the gym all day long doing something! lol

[lczeledoc]

gator8me,

I love going to the gym and working out. But I wouldn't want to stay there too long. The workout can be either intense (<45 min.) or long, but not both! I need to lose another 25-30 lb. my belly is a little jiggly, but at least I don't have that pregnant look anymore--)

[maxlharris]

Since I'm getting close to losing my jiggle (it's not more than 15 lbs now, maybe 20 at the absolute most), I worked my "pillar" today.
2 circuits, 8 reps (per side where applicable):
BOSU Hand Walk
Front Pillar Bridge w/ Diagonal Arm Lift
Side Pillar Bridge
Swiss-ball Hanging Knee Raise
Swiss-ball Single-Leg Bridge
Off-Bench Lateral Flexion
Swiss-ball Cable Russian Twist @ 70 lbs
Miniband Knee Rotation

Notes: When you do it right, the BOSU walk really hits abs.
Adding the diagonal arm lift to the regular plank/bridge is an extra shot of something.
The Hanging Knee Raise, when you get your butt off the ball, is a big ab exercise.
I have gained a lot of confidence with the Flexion. The 25 lb plate on the other end of the bench makes this a lot less scary. Also, I think I've gotten the hang on using feet to hold onto the bench. The 25lb plate also features in the hanging knee raise. If I don't have it on the end of the bench, the bench lifts, which is a whole nother level of "Holy Crap, I'm gonna fall".
70 lbs felt light on the Twist. I had to look at the stack, cause I thought someone had moved it.
I really tied a small loop for the knee rotation, and it made it harder. Nice.

[Ammy]

8/30/07

Tried working out at a different time - right AFTER work. I'm trying to get GF back in the habit of working out...she is really struggling and does NOTHING but complain about her "bulge" (she's built like a guy and has the pregnant belly look). She has agreed to Tu and Thur at 4:30 starting next week...we'll see if she follows through.

Anyway, did my normal routine, but found myself struggling with staying at the upright bike's high number...I wanted to do MORE, so I did. Felt it too..it wore me out! :D

Hip Adductor 3x10x110
Hip abductor 3x8x110
leg press 3x12x150
seated row 3x10x50
chest press 3x10x70
ab crunch 3x12x90 (this was REALLY HARD)

25min upright bike (with 5min cooldown)

[gator8me]

8.31.07 - Lower Bod

QUADS - Leg ext & free squats (eventually I'd like to make the free squats the major quad exercise)

HAMS - Leg curl & dead Lift

CALVES - Raises

ABS - Leg lifts & Ab machine (love those leg lifts!)

[banshee]

Well, yesterday was sort of a failure for me, although I'm not too upset about it. I forgot my workout clothes again, but I also was in some pretty serious pain from slightly overdoing it on Tuesday. I did something to my shoulder that had it extremely tight and painful. Vacillated all day about whether to exercise or not. At 3:30 (and some Advil that helped the shoulder a lot!) I decided I wanted to, so I jumped in the car to drive home and get my workout clothes. (The jeans I was wearing would NOT have worked for working out - way too tight to allow the necessary movement!)

Anyway, got home and then ended up stuck in the bathroom for half an hour when lunch disagreed with me. So I missed the workout and ended up taking a 2 hour nap instead. So after feeling all happy and accomplished that I was actually going to workout, I ended up doing the exact opposite. Sigh. Considering how I ended up feeling, though, I think it was a good thing that I didn't exercise yesterday. I suspect I would be feeling even worse today if I had forced myself to do it.

Today I brought in 3 pairs of shorts and 3 t-shirts that I'm going to keep in my desk drawer for those days when I forget my workout clothes. Now I just have to remember to restock the drawer when I use them!

[WakefieldWendy]

I will use it today.

Legs and core weights, and then HIIT workout. Am playing with the cardio - sometimes 4x30 seconds, sometimes 3x45 seconds. Increasing resistance slightly in machines.

[lczeledoc]

Ammy,

You look awesome!. Combination of sexy and powerful!. Re: your shoulder, don't do any pressing movements for now. Increase the amount of pulling excersises. Rowing movements are good. Always do as much pulling as pushing excercises. I used to have problems with my shoulders from years of bench pressing and shoulder pressing without the corresponding volume of pulling work. Then I educated myself (From the contributors to T-Nation) and learned about the shoulder joint structure and the importance of maintain external & internal rotator balance. It is only until recently that I am doing vertical pressing movements. For a long time I did a 2:1 ratio of pulling:pushing, until my pulling strength came up.

[WakefieldWendy]

For shoulders I do the following (some of these are back things too):

shoulder press

seated row (machine)

seated flys (seated facing weights, pull bars from straight in front to sides - same machine but different setting and different seating direction as chest flys, similar to seated rows but straight arms - hope that explains it)

front and side raises (dumbbells) - I often do these together, so I will begin with a front raise, and then at the top I move my arms laterally to the position of a side raise, then lower. Then I do the side raise, move my arms laterally to the front, then lower. I sort of feel that this is catching a bunch of tiny support muscles instead of just focussing on the big main ones.

Anyway - what do you think of this in reference to the pulling/pushing discussion

[WakefieldWendy]

Would add that the pushing exercises often use triceps and pulling often use biceps. I don't work these muscles in isolation very much (one exercise for each) because I feel they get it from the other upper body work.

[lczeledoc]

WakefieldWendy,

YOur shoulder program looks good, I would ditch the front raises. The front raise works the anterior deltoid, which gets used in all upper body excercise. So it is a bit of an overkill. The shoulder muscle that most people neglect in their program is the rear deltoid. Rowing works it, the reverse machine flies work it.
My training philosophy is to work movements instead of muscles. That is, horizontal pushing, horizontal pulling, vertical pushing, vertical pulling. Quad dominant, hip dominant, and Core. I think that is a more functional way of training.

[Ammy]

Thanks lczeledoc! :o :D

I was only doing the seated chest press, when someone mentioned that I need to PULL as much as I'm pushing...
so I added the seated row...I think I screwed up in my documenting my 8/30/07 activity...I'll fix it...



...okay, fixed it...so just recently added the pull with the push. I'm much stronger with pulling than with pushing...

[maxlharris]

I did this shoulder program for a month and really liked it:
http://www.menshealth.com/images/MH_Static/MH_april06_poster.pdf

I have to say that the ultimate shoulder exercise, in my book, is the
Javorek Complex (http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid474442249/bclid483267759/bctid437678641).
"Stand holding a pair of dumbbells, arms at your sides, palms facing each other. Raise your arms in front of you until they're parallel to the floor. Lower the weights and repeat for a total of six repetitions. Now raise your arms out from your sides until they're parallel to the floor, and lower them. Again, complete six reps.Next, bend forward at the waist until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Raise your arms out to your sides, lower them, and repeat for a total of six reps. Stand up and place your hands in front of your thighs, palms toward you. Pull both weights up until they're just below your chin. Lower and repeat for six reps. Finally, turn your palms so they face each other, curl the weights up to your shoulders, and press them overhead. Reverse the move and repeat for six reps."

It touches roughly all the ways you might lift something with your shoulders, In front, on the side, rowed, etc. Fairly intense, depending on how much weight you're using.

Concur on rear deltoid, and push/pull balance. The funny thing: people do all kinds of bench press/pushup but how often, in your day to day life, do you really use your pecs. Not much.

Also concur on movements vs. muscles. Core, hip, knee and explosive movements. I have very hazy fitness goals, but for some reason, I am pulled towards being more explosive. Odd.

[lczeledoc]

I think explosive (or at least fast concentric, slow eccentric) type movement is the way to go. Slow burn doesn't make sense to me. Why would you train in a way that doesn't mimic real life. When you play, fight or otherwise need to use your strength, you go full force(= full acceleration). If one is not used to lifting weights, then SB is a good way to ease into, building the tendons, etc. Although slow movements do have their place in building. My goal now is to lose the chub, so I am doing only the big money excersise, the compund excercise that are metabolicly demanding. When the chub is gone that I'll concentrate in shaping, so there might be room for more of the other type of exercises. I am losing the chub and getting strong. I find that I like the lower rep ranges, around 6, sometimes as high as 8.

[WakefieldWendy]

I'm no expert and I don't want my workout to be hard (hard to understand, too finicky to track - that kind of hard).

Not a big fan of chest stuff (never seems to grow, can't see it anyway cause I have big boobs) but like almost everything else except arms. They just seem to get it from all the other exercises.

True story - once upon a time (when I was in law school so 22 or 23) I lifted relatively regularly. I could squat (machine, not free weights) as much as the guys in the gym (the maximum on the machine) which was 180 kg (about 400 lbs). I could bench press about 10% of what the guys could lift. They didn't have part weights then, and the levels between the weights were something like 12.5 or 15 pounds. I couldn't ever get to the next weight, so I never grew. I really think that the general rule that men are stronger than women is really different depending on which muscle group is being talked about.

My goals are:
1) build muscle 'cause it increases basal metabolic rate and eats fat
2) feel strong in my activities (which aren't much - I'm not trying to train in boxing or anything)
3) have a strong core so my back doesn't hurt

I don't feel like I need to go crazy to achieve those goals.

One thing I do, which I like and I think is important, is that I lift to failure. I get to a rep where I cannot complete the motion. Usually I even hold against it straining with no movement before I release. I have to think that's got to be good.

Max - what's a super set?

[WakefieldWendy]

Also, what are some good core exercises, and what are planks?

[Ammy]

Pilates Pilates Pilates!!

You want a strong core??
Do Pilates!!

I started with a "Pilates for Dummy's" dvd, now I'm up to the "advanced" moves in the Pilates 2 class...

Pilates Pilates Pilates

And when you do it...make sure you are doing them correctly...movements should be SLOW and focused!! That's why I recommend the P for Dummies, it points out the "how to do it right" stuff.

[gator8me]

Here is a link showing one form of plank... and anyone who says this isnt exercise has never done one! lol

http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises_10.htm

Another good core exercise that does the upper/middle/lower abs is what my personal trainer calls a ball transfer. Take one of those big swiss balls, lay on your back all stretched out holding the ball between your hands over head, bring arms straight up and legs straight up at same time and transfer the ball to in between your feet and then lower both arms and legs down, repeat and transfer the ball back to your hands, keep repeating.... awesome exercise and targets more than just one area of your core.

[lczeledoc]

Yeap, women are much stronger than they realize. Based on my observations at the gym, most women don't like to push themselves to the limit ( alot of men too). Some people are under the false idea that any kind of weight lifting is going to give them this huge muscles and that's why they do the 15 reps with minimal weight (same weight that they have been using for the last year) without even breaking a sweat.

[lczeledoc]

Nope, you don't need go crazy to achieve your fitness/muscular development goals. You need intellegently designed workout programs, consistently workout, good nutrition, and good rest & stress control. You don't really need to go failure in evry workout. Surperset is when you pair different excersise, e.g., you push-ups and chin-ups without rest or little rest. Or you could do exercise that work the same muscles, e.g., shoulder presses and lateral raises. Or any unrelated excercise paired together

[gator8me]

Remembering something from my personal trainer whom i miss dearly.. *sigh*... he had me super set on my triceps a couple of times doing the same exercise... pull down on cable machine... 8/30, 8/40, 8/50 no rest in between... starting at a low weight and climbing to the higher weight.

[maxlharris]

SuperSet is when you do an exercise and then another exercise with no rest in between. You can be nuts and do supersets on the same muscles (pushup, bench press). You can be aggressive and do them on complimentary muscles (curl, tricep). Or you can be time efficient and do them on unrelated muscles (Bench Press, leg curl, or squat, row).

The idea on the nuts/aggressive is to build bigger while fatigued. The idea on the time efficient is to be, well, time efficient. In a way, Javorek Complex is SuperSuperSet around shoulders. Lemme suggest it's a tough move.

lczeledoc (http://proteinpower.com/forum/member.php?u=1549): With current workout, am doing some very slow burn type stuff (isometrics), matched with some eccentric stuff (4,1,1,1 tempo), matched with some explosive (2,1,*,1 tempo). If you're building strength through the movement, I think all of them have value. If I had my pick, I'd keep it explosive/eccentric. But damn those isometrics are hard hard hard. 30 second hold in the middle point of a lift. Or in the bottom of a squat. Or in the middle of a chin. Very hard.

[maxlharris]

Great core moves can be found at men's health's website. Just look for six pack or abs exercise in their search. I suspect women's health probably has a wealth of info on this subject. The key to core is working all parts:
Upper Abs
Lower Abs
Obliques (the side guys)
Transverse Abdominus (the thing udder the upper and lowers... Planks work this HARD when you do them right))
Lower Back

A good set of core movements will work all five. There are moves that work multiples (the ball transfer works top and bottom, anything with twisting generally works obliques, etc).

[lczeledoc]

Max,

I agree that slow movements and isometrics are tough. I think they are good for building muscle (because of time under tension), but not necesarily strength (as much as the fast movements). It is good to incorporate them in your routine though. Good to change one's routine. For a long time that's how I trained, 3 x10's, very slow controlled tempo. Very slow gains in strength. After switching to 5 x 5, 8 x 3, 4 x 6, variations, my strength went up much faster.

[gator8me]

My question is this (i've been knocking this around in my head for awhile now).... The whole goal is to achieve muscle fatigue and then give ample rest between workouts.... ok so there are different formulas to achieve fatigue.. two of them being slow burn and then the BFL way.... i'm sure there are others i just dont know how to name them... Is this then going to be a "your mileage may vary" thing? I don't feel like I'm being very coherent getting my question across... Hopefully someone will be able to decipher my tangled brain waves. Is it really necessary to rest in between sets and why? I'm sure I'll think of other questions as soon as I close this but I'd like to see some input on my questions so far..
thanks!

[lczeledoc]

Basically it comes down to the overload principle. You overload your muscles, and they respond to the demand (provided there is sufficient recovery time & nutrition). Overload can take many forms: more weight, more rep/sets, faster/slower tempo, less rest time. All of these can be manipulated depending on your goals.

[gator8me]

my goals are to be as strong as i can be, lose weight, be less fatty, don't want to bulk up. i am a large frame person. I have to be strong everywhere upper/lower body and core. i care for my mother and if the need arises i have to be able to help her up and down or off the floor. i also put moterized equipment in and out of the trunk (thankfully not as much as i used to).

[lczeledoc]

gator8me,

To be as strong as possible, concentrate on the big compund excercises: squats, deadlifts, benchpress, rowing, pull-ups/chin-ups, shoulder press, core. Do 5 x 5, 6 x 4, 8 x 3 rep schemes. Strength is wonderful, it makes the little chores of life easier. For me, carrying my baby, groceries, everything. You are pretty strong already and you'll continue to get stronger!

[gator8me]

Icz- what do you mean by 5x5, 6x4, 8x3? is that 5 reps 5x etc? do you change the weight at all ? I am curious to understand exactly what you are meaning here.
thanks

[gator8me]

9.1.07 - CARDIO
20min on Arc Trainer.. Screwed up my resistance levels so workout was harder than usual... lol.. will be ramping up the levels next week since i'm still alive. ;)

[maxlharris]

5*5 is 5 sets of 5 reps.
The next thing to work on is tempo.
I will note tempo like this
3,1,*,1
What this means is:
3 seconds in the down phase of the movement,
1 second pause at the bottom
Lift as fast as I can
1 second pause at the top.
Sometimes you will see
2,2,1
They don't put a pause at the top.
I'm in the camp where it's important to pause at top and bottom, to avoid "rebounding". Try it sometime. It makes the lift feel harder. It's a less efficient way to lift.

[gator8me]

Thanks Max~
I have always paused for 1sec at the top and bottom of a rep. Keeps one from getting the momentum going and just swinging away! lol I have also been 1 to 2 seconds on the up and 3 to 4 seconds on the down. Always keeping in mind the proper form cuz if you can't do it with proper form then you might as well not do it at all. :)

So then Icz - your 5x5, 6x4, 8x3 would put me doing 73reps of the same exercise? isnt that a bit overkill?... Right now it ends up that I'm doing 48 reps of the same exercise but using different weights....

[Ammy]

8/31/07 Walked to from and around the fair. I forgot to put on my pedometer, but we walked rather quickly (when we weren't fighting foot-traffic).
I was pretty tired last night, so feel like I was "usin' it"!!

[lczeledoc]

GAtor8me,

So then Icz - your 5x5, 6x4, 8x3 would put me doing 73reps of the same exercise? isnt that a bit overkill?... Right now it ends up that I'm doing 48 reps of the same exercise but using different weights....[/quote]

I Meant that you would use those rep-set schemes for each excercise at different workout sessions/ For example. One day you would use 5x5 for the bench press for a constant weight of 150 lb. Assuming that at the last set you did a level 10. Then the next workout you would do a 6 x 4 with 155 lb. The next a 8 x 3 for 160 lb. The thing is you would progressively increase the weight you could lift. Nothing is written in stone, if after finising the planned sets I find that I have something left, I might do a set of 8-12 with a lighter weight.

[lczeledoc]

I used it today 9/1/07

Cable Row.....3 x 5..240 lb
...................2 x 3, 255 lb
...................1 x 10, 195 lb
Dips..............3 x 10, Bodyweight **
Front Squat....3 x 3, 165 lb.
....................2 x 3, 175 lb
....................2 x 2, 185 lbs.

** My shoulders feel tight and painful when I am doing it, but it doesn't bother me afterwards

Today was a strength type of workout, resting about 90 secs betweeb=n sets, except for the Dips, with a rest time of 30 secs.

[gator8me]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ok... thanks for clearing that up for me! lol

[WakefieldWendy]

Hey, thanks for the link.
My GF taught me the J and C stroke, but I have to admit, I just cannot get the J stroke to work...that's why I have to rutter...The C I have mastered.
It's good to see it in motion like that...I'll try it again, soon!
Thanks!!

I used to be a canoe instructor and a trip leader. I would recommend the Canadian stroke as a steering stroke. It is far more efficient than a J. It may be slightly harder to learn, but once you get it, it is completely unconscious.

The C stroke is really only useful if you are soloing while kneeling in the tumblehome.