I've been slacking here lately but theres nothing better than getting in the gym and moving a little iron around..

I'm too lazy...:D

You stud...:D

I've been lifting for a little over 2 years and really enjoy it. My routine is based around Powerlifting and Olympic lifting with some conditioning mixed in. I really love me some squats and deadlifts.

Uh oh...my other obsession :)

I've been lifting for basically my entire adult life. Around 20 years. Iron is like air to me. I dont think I could live without it.

I base my routines around the big lifts. Bench/deadlift/squat. As the saying goes if the bar aint bendin' you're just pretendin' :). I will always use these three as my base but I will incorporate other solid exercises as well. Meaning Ill do some leg presses but no tricep kickbacks with left pinkie extended.

I use an abbreviated system. Meaning just a few exercises, not too many sets (sometimes just one) with a focus on constantly adding some weight to that bar in small increments. I'll keep an exercise until I cant add any more weight and still stay in my rep range. For example, lets take the incline bench press. Say I want to get 10-15 reps with a given weight. So I go in and I get 14. Ok, thats fine. Ill mark that in my journal. The next time that exercise cycles around Ill add some weight, maybe 5-10lbs. So that might knock me down to 12. No problem. I'll add a little more next time. Until I fail to get my 10 reps. Then Ill keep it the same and try to grind my way back up a little. Then add a little more, etc. You get the idea. Eventually Ill reach a point where I simply cant add any weight to the bar or squeeze out even one more rep. At that point Ill toss that exercise and do something else for a while. Some other form of bench, weighted dips or a Hammerstrength machine.

The key is to keep progressing in either weight or reps. Always trying to do better than you did last time. Thats why I consider a journal essential. Progressive poundages in good form (Quote Stuart McRobert) is the path to big gains.

I consider myself a bodybuilder although I train as heavy as possible and use lifts and techniques from powerlifters. To be really big, you have to be really strong. A lot of novice bodybuilders miss that boat. They are playing around with reverse overhead one arm cable extensions when they should be getting their deadlift and squats way up there. They worry about a bicep peak before they even HAVE a bicep to peak!! Powerlifters sometimes get some flak for being fat. But lemme tell ya when they slim down their is some serious muscle under there. Fat doesnt squat 1000lbs or bench 700lb. So while I am not powerlifter I tend to train more like one than a traditional bodybuilder. My primary goal is building muscle. But I know that to do that I need to move serious iron.

Heavy is relative. It doesnt mean benching 500lbs. It just means using a weight thats heavy for YOU and striving to increase that weight while still maintaining good form. That means pulling deadlifts from a dead stop, no bouncing and squatting ass to the grass. I love to squat. The KIng of all exercises. But Im short so Im built for it. For the tall guys, 6'+ squatting can be a challenge.


Whew..thats enough. Dont get me started Ill rant about this all day!

I'm with you in the sense I tend to train like a bodybuilder but I do go through Heavy lifting stages, those heavy stages are when I'm doing a little bulking..

I've done a pretty good job over the years of keeping a good balance between bulking then leaning but now days it seems all I'm doing is bulking...lol

Hehehe.

I try...and I stress the word try...to eat clean and stay fairly lean. I dont like the term "bulk" as a lot of folks take that to mean "turn into a big fat slob" which is not necessary to gain. All you need is an excess of calories. You dont need 10x that excess.

Over the years Ive learned how much I can eat and still gain. While at the same time staying fairly lean. I dont mind getting a little smooth thats fine. But I wont allow myself to get a huge gut.

What I'll do is blast for a few months, going as heavy as I can and eating well. Then Ill take a few weeks, use lighter weights, do more cardio and watch my diet. This gives my body a rest from the heavy work and helps prevent injury. Also gives me a chance to drop a little bodyfat.

Everyone once in a while Ill just go nuts for a certain amount of time, pound the food and see what I can do. Like if I hit a plateau. But Im fairly content where I am and at my age I really dont see myself getting substantially bigger. Perhaps a bit here and there but I gotta be realistic. Im pushing 40 pretty hard LOL! Regardless, Ill still always train with progressive poundages even if that means one Q-tip this week and two next week :)

I hear that bro it sounds like to have a nice system working for you. I haven't been lean in a while I meant truly lean. I haven't been really serious here lately but I still have the drive.

We all go through ups and downs. Plus if Im not mistaken you have a wife and kids. I have neither so it makes it easier on me to get to the gym.

Its the drive thats important. If you get excited about clanging plates and bending bars they will call you back. No doubt.

I was doing to the body for life program for about 8 years until this back thing came up. My goal was never to get big but to stay trim and strong with endurance. I have none of those anymore... :lol:

You've seen my body, take a guess.:lmao::lmao:. Although this late in life
i'm in too bad of shape physically to do anything about it.

I tend to move enough iron around during the work day that the last thing I want to do when I get home is work out. :lol:

It's a passion of mine. I train hard and heavy. I've trained since I was about 15 years old. I'm trying to lean up right now. Hopefully by summer I'll be there.

You guys are making me feel bad.
Not your fault, mine all mine.
I use to run, loved it. Always dreamed of running a marathon. I am 49 and in the worst shape of my life.:devil:

It's never too late to start lifting! This is Wim Van Weenen deadlifting about 524 lbs at age 75.

YouTube - Powerlifting Australia (IPF) - Wim Van Weenen

Weights are cool, but alot of people forget about the cardio. I've been doing martial arts since I was about 5 and thrust me, cardio should be the fundamentals. Not saying I don't like lifting ;)

KMR.

Weights are cool, but alot of people forget about the cardio. I've been doing martial arts since I was about 5 and thrust me, cardio should be the fundamentals. Not saying I don't like lifting ;)

KMR.

I dont think this is the right part of the forum to talk about people "thrusting" you. :lol: j/k I always do cardio and lift. Cardio is very important to me as a person who does MMA. It makes all the difference and its usually those exercises that get you "cut" and not just "big".

It all depends on your goals. Everyone should do some cardio for heart health. However, your goals will determine how much and what type of cardio you do each week.

MMA huh... What is your background style? Mine's is kickboxing... Picked up a little wrestling along the way and wanted to do Judo. I actually wanted to get into MMA in a somewhat professional way, but I decided it was too much for me o handle now, with college and all... Hey, maybe my kids will carry on the legacy, lol...

MMA huh... What is your background style? Mine's is kickboxing... Picked up a little wrestling along the way and wanted to do Judo. I actually wanted to get into MMA in a somewhat professional way, but I decided it was too much for me o handle now, with college and all... Hey, maybe my kids will carry on the legacy, lol...

My background is Taekwondo. Like you, I started when I was very young and have done some type of martial arts my whole life pretty much. I have been training in MMA for a few years.

I was doing to the body for life program for about 8 years until this back thing came up. My goal was never to get big but to stay trim and strong with endurance. I have none of those anymore... :lol:

main thing is that you're still hung like a two humped camel bro.
wolfster e-mailed me the pics. you guys are crazy...
ck

My background is Taekwondo. Like you, I started when I was very young and have done some type of martial arts my whole life pretty much. I have been training in MMA for a few years.

that's awesome noah.
both my youngin's are second degree blacks, my ol' lady is also a blackbelt in taewondo.
i'm a master...food processor.
d'you compete ?
ck

i'm a master...food processor.


Hey.... Me too! :wamma:

Hey.... Me too! :wamma:

ain't good food great !...
ck

that's awesome noah.
both my youngin's are second degree blacks, my ol' lady is also a blackbelt in taewondo.
i'm a master...food processor.
d'you compete ?
ck

Thats very cool my whole family used to be involved also. I have competed in Taekwondo tournys many years ago and won a few. I have only fought in MMA smokers, which are basically unsanctioned fights between dif gyms or guys in my area.