I hate dieting!

[Grall]

Too make progress you actually need to increase your workload.

Yeah I know, but I've been away for so long I need to prepare and firm up my tissues first or I'd just end up hurting myself. Also I don't want to end up where I did last time where I kept getting stronger and increasing weight until my joints started to screw with me. Then I ended up not being able to do anything; when I hurt my shoulder joints everything hurt; biceps exercises, chest, back... The lot. When I hurt my knees doing leg extensions I couldn't do cardio either, it was the pits.

So I lost all motivation and went totally out of shape.

The easiest way to calculate it is total reps x weight / time taken to complete in minutes. This number has to increase slowly, this is your progress. If this doesn't increase you're either over training or lack of motivation.

Well, it doesn't HAVE to increase of course... It only has to increase if you wanna get friggin' huge. I don't think I have the desire OR the will for that. Some muscle is nice; beyond a certain point however you start looking freaky, and you either have to dress in sweatpants/shirts all the time or get tailor-made clothes because how do you fit arms that are like 100cm circumference through standard shirt and jacket sleeves?

Well easy money I thought, but man the deep pain in my shoulder afterward wasn't worth the 20 bucks.

Aw, that sucks. But you know what they say... That which does not kill us makes us...wiser?

Those 60 kg dumbbells were requested for one arm rows and dumbbells presses, excercises that I don't like, anyway. They are freaking massive and cumbersome to handle.

I don't doubt it. I think there's one or two sets of 60 kilo dumbbells at the city gym where I used to go in the past; the free weights room there's massively equipped with various size weights. Gotta be over a ton of iron in there, quite literally... There's some seriously pumped people who use that gym, so that explains it I guess. Anyway I wouldn't try to pick 'em up myself. I used to be able to do a few shoulder shrugs with a 50 kilo weight in each hand (prolly still can I suppose, as my neck's always been pretty strong), but bending my arm even the slightest was impossible. Was just too friggin heavy, lol.

A couple chin ups will give your arms more workout then 12 kg dumbbells curls.

I don't doubt that either! I just don't wanna wreck myself again. For me, I feel more comfortable if I can last the full 12 reps, or at least 10. But if I can get down below 90 kg bodyweight, I might try some chin-ups.

 

[Squilliam]

So Nebby, how many computers can you bench?

 

[Neb]

200 Alienware* computers



*Alienware PCs printed on flyers

 

[tangey]

The cross-trainer's a really nice machine, they use all Technogym stuff at the gym I go to and it suits me perfectly. I do 2x20 mins on the weight loss program back to back (keeping my heart rate down, never really goes over 135 or so), and I'm not in too much pain afterwards. Since my physique is getting better now I get some lactic acid build-up in my thighs early on, but hell... That's part of the fun isn't it? (That's what I tell myself anyway. ) I couldn't use an exercise bike or a treadmill, it would wreck my knees (or back) in about 5 minutes these days. No, no-impact training is where it's at, I'm afraid...

Have you actually given the bike a go ? My gym also has technogym kit. I use the bike and the cross-trainer, 30mins on the cross, 20mins on the bike, 3 times a week(around 675 calories each session, if you beleive the reading). My knees give me a lot of bother, years of playing recreational indoor football (err soccer to some) whilst carrying too much weight. But I find the bike is fine, just set the seat height so as your legs don't actually lock out. I totally agree regarding the treadmill, knees just too sore the following day.

I surprisingly found that the rowing machine was fine for on the knees too, it just looked like it was gonna kill them, but it didn't...however it did show up a weakness in my left hip !