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2002/11/01, 05:20 PM
I'd thought I would write a little on this. I have been gulity of it, as I suspect many others have as well. What I am talking about is going to the gym putting on some weight getting the set done, then doing the exact same thing again, and again day after day. This is going thru the motions. We call it workingout, we tell others with pride that yeah, I lift. We consider ourselves part of a small community, and in reality we are. The question is are we active in that community or just stumbling around in the dark. As I said at the start I am gulity of this. I went thru the motions for years, before waking up and realizing that I had made some progress, but the the truth was that is was small and almost nonexistent. I ask you to look at your routines and those around you, are you one that puts on the same weight, does the same sets of exercise yet calls yourself a weightlifter? I did. Then I woke up I realized that I needed to be a proactive in my lifting. By that I mean that instead of doing bench each and every monday I might do shoulders, but if I did bench to make sure that the weight increased, whatever the amount. To make progress in lifting each time was my goal, not to loos weight, to bulid muscle, those would come with the weights. I soon found that I lost weight, clothes fit better etc, but the greatest thing was that my weights had gone up. I am talking from 135 for my last set of bent over rows of 10 reps....to 195 for 10 in just 4 months. This was done by focusing on adding weight without losing form each time I went in. Sure I did not always reach that goal, but it worked. Anyway I thought that if I could save someone the hassel of going thru the motions it would be worth it.
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Lifting equals peace of mind!!!
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2002/11/01, 06:17 PM
excellent point, big man, and something soooo many of us have been or are so guilty of.
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Michael
"Trample the weak; hurdle the dead!"
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2002/11/01, 06:41 PM
Thats for sure. I was talking with one of my buddies at the gym today and that was the subject. I started doing my routines differently, like in different orders. And the goal to always build on the weight. Otherwise its just going through the motions. Been there.
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To change it, or to create it, simply train it!
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2002/11/01, 09:09 PM
Great points, mutt. I really started making my gains and getting out of the rutt with my lifting logbook. Now I always strive in each and every workout to do something better than the last time, and I have a reference to draw from. Changing things up every 8-10 weeks at a minimum is so beneficial. I personally like to train rather instinctively. I have set workouts, but if I feel that a body part is lacking, or it simply needs to be worked, I may do it on that day. this is especially true at contest prep. As usual, great post Mutt. Keep em coming, makes people think about what they are doing.
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2002/11/02, 02:15 AM
I would get so bored if I didn't change....... Actually my problem is that I often change a liiiiittle bit too often (okey it's good since I keep chocking my muscles but I'm also aching all over 7 days out of 7....)
I like your posts Mutt, you make some good points. Keep on going!!! (o;
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- Nina :o) Les Victoires éternelles sont celles du coeur.
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2002/11/04, 01:01 PM
I completely agree with you Mutt! I think most everyone at some point and time completely lose focus and begin just going through the motions. If you wonder who, just look around too. How many times do you see people who have been working out for months and months, but without any change to their appearance? I see it everyday. But it's through that vision and through this program and the support given on this site that I have learned to stay better focused.
Sometimes it means we have to set a new goal to generate that desire.
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The meek shall inherit the Earth, but the strong and muscular will carry them through it!
That which does not kill me can only make me stronger.
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2002/11/04, 08:59 PM
Mutt you hit the nail on the head. I have been away for almost a month now partly because I was so busy and partially because I was in a going through the motions rut. Well I have kicked myself in the a$$ and now am back at it again with a little different approach. Like you mentioned to see improvements. There are a few people here I really respect and look up to, some have posted here BB1, Rev, Nina, And of course you Mutt. Its people like you guys that make a difference with your posts.
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Never be afraid to try something new. Remember the ark was built by amateurs, The Titanic was built by professionals.
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2002/11/07, 02:12 PM
I try to change my routine up every 6 weeks. I like to throw in new movements and slowly work them in and out. I try not to adhere too much to x sets of y reps. Sometimes I'll do just two sets of one exercise and four of another. Or do three sets of ten or five sets of five of the big compound movements and only one or two sets of several types of supplementary movements. I also like running a workout where I do 1x10,1x6,1x8 sets of the same movement with different weights each time.
It's definately good to get progressive overload (more weight each session) but it, obviously, isn't always possible. If you don't raise it every session, that's okay, just as long as you're making progress.
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2002/11/07, 05:40 PM
You do get bored if you do the same routine months upon end. But GUYS, there are just some machines that I just can get past the weight I put on them. Is that normal for the female gender on some....machines? Ok - on some, yeah, I can do a good 10-12. But then if I add weight....the set drops and I'm lucky on some...to do 5-6. Then I feel like I'm loosing the battle. I just get frustrated sometimes working out...maybe my routine is stale or something. I need to log things down too which, I don't do because it's done by memory. So.....in essence, doing the same ol same ol....is as bad as not going at all? And do you guys...work phases of the arm...biceps, triceps, and chest and back during a session? Personally, I've never done the routines here. Okay...enough said.....I lack stamina some days!!!!! UG
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2002/11/07, 05:46 PM
Well the body is just plain lazy in that if you do the same ol same ol everytime there is no need to grow/get stronger. That is what bare fact of this post. That if you want to look pretty and such at a gym that is your choice. But if you want real results and REAL strength, then you need to hit the muscle groups hard heavy and contintueing to change/add the weight. That is the only way to get what you want. Try out one of the routines and see what happens!
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Lifting equals peace of mind!!!
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2002/11/07, 09:20 PM
Ya mean I can't look pretty and such at the GYM? Ah shucks!
I know I got to develop a better program. I'm getting there. ANd yes, I will ck out the programs here too!
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2002/11/07, 09:36 PM
Workingoutgirl...
Maybe you are adding to much weight. Just add 5lbs at a time. If you are doing 12 reps at 10 for example, adding 5 would still let you do 10 reps.
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To change it, or to create it, simply train it!
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2002/11/08, 07:11 AM
I generally do...some of the machines go up with 10 thou. I think I need to try lower weights and higher repetitions on the areas I want definition like my bicep/tripcep area which just hasnt changed much from a side view like I want.
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2002/11/08, 07:13 AM
Yeah, I've come out of a gyn a few times thinking to myself: "That workout was futile." Well, I try like hell to avoid that and the way I do that is what you folks do, I mix it up a little in the routine.
Glad I'm not the only one that experiences that.
DP
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