Anyone on Celticsblog lift weights?

[Boris Badenov]

creatine has lots of studies backing it as a safe supplement to use regularly. Creatine is a molecule that is stored in our muscles that converts to energy (2% of our energy comes from this daily). It is said to give you strength & energy boosts and aids in muscle recovery in conjunction with amino acids like glutamine. There's a ton of info all over the web, and athletes in pretty much all sports use it in one form or another. It's not steroid, or illegal and isn't going to turn you into a meat joke. Whey Protein is a great staple in any active person's supplementation--we expend a ton of energy, need to replace it, but we also need to repair our muscles. The body seeks protein for both of these needs, and it will take the best possible fuel you provide. Whey protein is great because it is the fastest absorbing protein out there which is important--if you don't replace your energy stores immediately after a workout, your body can enter a catabolic state, where it actually breaks down your muscle tissue to use as energy. Not only is it tearing down all that muscle you just tried to build, it now has nothing left to repair it with! That's why proper protein supplementation is very important. All the hard work you put into a workout to get stronger is lost if you don't have the proper nutrition.

Long story short, if I had to advise on supplements to start with, I would say first, a top notch multi-vitamin. Second, a whey protein. Third, creatine.

And if you want a performance enhancing supplement to give you energy, focus, a strength boost and endurance, go with a pre-workout supp like Jack3d, N.O. Xplode, Superpump 250...These are like Red Bull for athletes...

Very helpful.

[dark_lord]

birdwatcher.....tp!  that really helps.  i appreciate ur insight/knowledge.

[birdwatcher]

birdwatcher.....tp!  that really helps.  i appreciate ur insight/knowledge.

NP. Let me know if you decide to give creatine a whirl, it's something you have to "pre-load" to get immediate effects. After that initial cycle, you can take a maintenance dosage daily. It sounds kinda complicated and intimidating at first, so if you need help just say the word.

[KungPoweChicken]

Recently I've been getting back into lifting weights. It's been a couple weeks now that I've been going at it. Four or five years ago, I lifted pretty hard, probably for eight months or a year. Then I just stopped (got tired of it I guess).

Anyway, I like to do a lot of full body work outs: Power cleans, squats, and deadlifts. Then I also do the usual bench press, incline bench press, a variety of arm exercises, a couple back exercises, and some abdominal exercises.

But recently I've been getting some pain in my chest, but not muscle soreness. It's more of an internal pain. I've been to my doctor before I've started lifting, and I'm perfectly healthy.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of thing before? I'm not overly concerned about it, but I'm definitely going to cut back on the amount of days I lift.

Also, please feel free to talk about anything that concerns weight lifting: exercises you like, exercises that can be done without going to a gym, exercises you find to be effective, etc. Also, feel free to talk about your routine, how you find your motivation, etc.

I'm curious to hear what other people have to say about lifting weights, as I'm sort of just getting back into the game, and none of my current friends lift weights.

Torn cartilage may be the culprit, as could a stress fracture around your sternum, ribs, or clavicle. But it also may be overtraining. If you took that much time off and started working out 3-4 days a week or more, especially trying to do what you did before, maybe with just less weight, you may be overtraining. Try going to the gym every 3rd day and don't look at your work schedule as a weekly regime, but as a cycle of 4-6 weeks. Besides, the more you miss on a tight schedule, the more apt you are to quit. When people fail to achieve what appears to be simple goals, they tend to give up--look at a wider body of work.

My suggestion is to focus on the 7 major compound lifts, and do them every work out: traditional deadlift, squat, military press, bench, dip, row, and pull up/chins. Don't even bother with isolating biceps and delts--these movements are proven to activate more muscle groups simultaneously than any other exercises. For instance, if you do bent over barbell rows with your palms facing up and do them with proper form, it works your lats, your posterior chain, traps and also biceps. Same with chin ups if you hold for a 2 count at the top of the movement--it works your bi's to hold you up. Biceps only account for 2% of your muscle mass, so why spend a lot of time on them? Lifting heavy weights and lesser weight with proper form will make your bi's grow.

If your chest still hurts from benching, try a wider grip which will activate your front delts more, or simply start doing perfect form push ups, which can be affective as benching with weights.

Warm up properly (not just jogging on the treadmill or on the bike), by doing dynamic warmups--light weight, short intervals that make you sweat, get your heart rate up, and prepare your muscle for what you are about to do.

Need help putting a workout together? I'll be glad to offer some suggestions.

Good luck, and listen to your body! Don't try to push through it--you know the difference between muscle soreness/fatigue and pain.

I just got done doing deadlifts and squats. I did light weight. But, especially on the deadlifts, I feel a dull ache in my lower back when I'm done with the exercise. I try to keep my back straight, and I'm not straining myself with weight that's beyond my strength level. Is it normal for your lower back to ache after doing deadlifts? And for how long does it usually last? My back usually doesn't return to normal for probably 4-5 days after completing the exercise. My lower back tends to ache without working out sometimes, but I just don't want to injure myself. I used to workout, but deadlifts are still new territory for me (I never did them previously). Thanks for your help!

[JSD]

LOL at bouncing the bar off your chest that would be really bad

Don't try to gain weight[/b]:  Deliberate weight gain is a fool's game - it's very hard to do it "correctly", and the benefits of doing it "correctly" are dubious at best. 

This is just incorrect. Gaining weight is an essential part of gaining muscle!

[JSD]

one thing i am really interested in is the impact diet has on performance and transformation of one's body. 

what type of diets and supplements (if applicable) do others follow/use?

It depends on whether I'm cutting or bulking. I love BSN products. Syntha6 is the best tasting protein hands down, but it's the most difficult to supplement during a cut because it's a little higher in calories.

[JSD]

birdwatcher.....tp!  that really helps.  i appreciate ur insight/knowledge.

NP. Let me know if you decide to give creatine a whirl, it's something you have to "pre-load" to get immediate effects. After that initial cycle, you can take a maintenance dosage daily. It sounds kinda complicated and intimidating at first, so if you need help just say the word.

Well, it depends on whether he chooses Monophydrate or Ethel Ester. The latter has no loading phase.

[JSD]

Recently I've been getting back into lifting weights. It's been a couple weeks now that I've been going at it. Four or five years ago, I lifted pretty hard, probably for eight months or a year. Then I just stopped (got tired of it I guess).

Anyway, I like to do a lot of full body work outs: Power cleans, squats, and deadlifts. Then I also do the usual bench press, incline bench press, a variety of arm exercises, a couple back exercises, and some abdominal exercises.

But recently I've been getting some pain in my chest, but not muscle soreness. It's more of an internal pain. I've been to my doctor before I've started lifting, and I'm perfectly healthy.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of thing before? I'm not overly concerned about it, but I'm definitely going to cut back on the amount of days I lift.

Also, please feel free to talk about anything that concerns weight lifting: exercises you like, exercises that can be done without going to a gym, exercises you find to be effective, etc. Also, feel free to talk about your routine, how you find your motivation, etc.

I'm curious to hear what other people have to say about lifting weights, as I'm sort of just getting back into the game, and none of my current friends lift weights.

Torn cartilage may be the culprit, as could a stress fracture around your sternum, ribs, or clavicle. But it also may be overtraining. If you took that much time off and started working out 3-4 days a week or more, especially trying to do what you did before, maybe with just less weight, you may be overtraining. Try going to the gym every 3rd day and don't look at your work schedule as a weekly regime, but as a cycle of 4-6 weeks. Besides, the more you miss on a tight schedule, the more apt you are to quit. When people fail to achieve what appears to be simple goals, they tend to give up--look at a wider body of work.

My suggestion is to focus on the 7 major compound lifts, and do them every work out: traditional deadlift, squat, military press, bench, dip, row, and pull up/chins. Don't even bother with isolating biceps and delts--these movements are proven to activate more muscle groups simultaneously than any other exercises. For instance, if you do bent over barbell rows with your palms facing up and do them with proper form, it works your lats, your posterior chain, traps and also biceps. Same with chin ups if you hold for a 2 count at the top of the movement--it works your bi's to hold you up. Biceps only account for 2% of your muscle mass, so why spend a lot of time on them? Lifting heavy weights and lesser weight with proper form will make your bi's grow.

If your chest still hurts from benching, try a wider grip which will activate your front delts more, or simply start doing perfect form push ups, which can be affective as benching with weights.

Warm up properly (not just jogging on the treadmill or on the bike), by doing dynamic warmups--light weight, short intervals that make you sweat, get your heart rate up, and prepare your muscle for what you are about to do.

Need help putting a workout together? I'll be glad to offer some suggestions.

Good luck, and listen to your body! Don't try to push through it--you know the difference between muscle soreness/fatigue and pain.

I just got done doing deadlifts and squats. I did light weight. But, especially on the deadlifts, I feel a dull ache in my lower back when I'm done with the exercise. I try to keep my back straight, and I'm not straining myself with weight that's beyond my strength level. Is it normal for your lower back to ache after doing deadlifts? And for how long does it usually last? My back usually doesn't return to normal for probably 4-5 days after completing the exercise. My lower back tends to ache without working out sometimes, but I just don't want to injure myself. I used to workout, but deadlifts are still new territory for me (I never did them previously). Thanks for your help!

Read this:

http://stronglifts.com/deadlifts-lower-back-pain-injury-technique/

[Eddie20]

creatine has lots of studies backing it as a safe supplement to use regularly. Creatine is a molecule that is stored in our muscles that converts to energy (2% of our energy comes from this daily). It is said to give you strength & energy boosts and aids in muscle recovery in conjunction with amino acids like glutamine. There's a ton of info all over the web, and athletes in pretty much all sports use it in one form or another. It's not steroid, or illegal and isn't going to turn you into a meat joke. Whey Protein is a great staple in any active person's supplementation--we expend a ton of energy, need to replace it, but we also need to repair our muscles. The body seeks protein for both of these needs, and it will take the best possible fuel you provide. Whey protein is great because it is the fastest absorbing protein out there which is important--if you don't replace your energy stores immediately after a workout, your body can enter a catabolic state, where it actually breaks down your muscle tissue to use as energy. Not only is it tearing down all that muscle you just tried to build, it now has nothing left to repair it with! That's why proper protein supplementation is very important. All the hard work you put into a workout to get stronger is lost if you don't have the proper nutrition.

Long story short, if I had to advise on supplements to start with, I would say first, a top notch multi-vitamin. Second, a whey protein. Third, creatine.

And if you want a performance enhancing supplement to give you energy, focus, a strength boost and endurance, go with a pre-workout supp like Jack3d, N.O. Xplode, Superpump 250...These are like Red Bull for athletes...

Very helpful.

I'll disagree with that order.

To me the top one on the list would be a whey protein. There are two crucial points whey protein needs to be taken. First, is immediately in the morning. The reason is because your body is in a catabolic state, since it's basically been starved throughout the night, and you need a quick absorbing protein immediately. Second, is post workout when your body needs a quick absorbing protein for recovery. There are a lot of vitamins found in foods and protein supplements, and obviously they are essential if you're dieting hard, but in terms of pure muscle growth then protein is #1.

Another protein that can be taken is casein, but this is a slow absorbing protein. I've used it regularly right before I go to bed.

Also very important is your BCAA's, especially post workout, and some sort of fish oil. The fish oil is important when you're on a strict diet and your fat intake is limited. Your body needs fat, so my providing it with good fat it prevents your body from holding on to the fat you have.

[fairweatherfan]

Don't try to gain weight:  Deliberate weight gain is a fool's game - it's very hard to do it "correctly", and the benefits of doing it "correctly" are dubious at best. 

This is just incorrect. Gaining weight is an essential part of gaining muscle!

Yes, if your goal is to maximize muscle mass, gaining weight is pretty much necessary.  My point is aiming to maximize muscle mass is generally a bad goal that leads to counterproductive and unhealthy behavior.

Proper hard gaining takes lots of discipline and time, which is difficult for more advanced lifters to manage, much less someone just starting out like the OP.  And the bulking/cutting phases many lifters go through to achieve hard gains are pretty much yo-yo dieting in reverse, which is terrible for your organs and metabolism.  And even after "successful" hard gain, the payoff is additional muscle weight straining your joints and organs and negatively impacting your overall health. 

Long story short, unless you start off significantly underweight, gaining weight is virtually always a net decrement on your health, even if that weight is entirely muscle, which again is really hard to pull off.  And the major weight oscillations involved in most gaining programs have significant short- and long-term health consequences as well.  Anyone of normal weight has the bulk to attain a fit, muscular build without manipulating their weight. 

I suppose ultimately a lot depends on whether the OP's lifting goals are mainly cosmetic or health-based.   If they're cosmetic, though, it's also important to note that research shows men consistently overestimate (by 15-25%) the muscularity of the builds women find most attractive.

[Yvette]

I only do the 5-pounder dumbells... That's about it.... Maybe will try the ten next time...

[Boris Badenov]

I just got done doing deadlifts and squats. I did light weight. But, especially on the deadlifts, I feel a dull ache in my lower back when I'm done with the exercise. I try to keep my back straight, and I'm not straining myself with weight that's beyond my strength level. Is it normal for your lower back to ache after doing deadlifts? And for how long does it usually last? My back usually doesn't return to normal for probably 4-5 days after completing the exercise. My lower back tends to ache without working out sometimes, but I just don't want to injure myself. I used to workout, but deadlifts are still new territory for me (I never did them previously). Thanks for your help!

You might benefit from getting a form check from someone experienced or a trainer.

For deadlifts (and squats) monitoring your own form can be very tough - most of the important stuff is happening behind you, so mirrors are useless.

And while a little soreness/tightness is to be expected, low back pain is not something to be trifled with. Err on the side of caution. I'm sure that the stronglifts link above is good.

My personal experience with this issue (though more associated with squats) was that it went away when I improved my pre-workout warmup, and added some dynamic stretching on my off days.

[kozlodoev]

I've started lifting weights actively again this spring, after a pause of several years. I've found this site extremely helpful in terms of general information: http://www.exrx.net/. More specifically, the weight training section includes some good starting points for picking up a routine, selecting exercise, and understanding some general issues about your body.

My approach was pretty simple, and it has worked for me: understand your calorie count, work out 2-3 times a week, and stay persistent.

It's typically very hard to botch this if done correctly. Of course, my goal was moderate weight loss and moderate muscle gain, so it's going to be different for everyone. But as long as you have a general understanding of what you're supposed to do (as opposed to pumping iron blindly and eating like a pig), you're going to be fine.

[moiso]

Multivitamins:

I use GNC Men's Mega Sport, which I think they also sell at drugstores like CVS and Rite Aid, Walgreens. They also offer one for 50+ that is beneficial for prostate health, among others.

Another good I've used in the past, but I have to order it online because GNC is almost always out of it is Opti-Men by Optimum Nutrition.

One observation--there are many EXPENSIVE options out there that offer "Vita-paks", which is anywhere form 7-12 pills you need to take a day. I tried one once, it was too expensive and I hate taking that many pills. They didn't make me feel any different than what I take now.

Also, I heard the One-a-day vitamins are crap because they don't absorb very well, but the Nature's Way brand is pretty good and you can get them at target and whole foods.

All those pills can do an number on your stomach lining too.  I had some damage from them and had to stop.  Didn't notice any difference in performance with or without them anyway.

[KungPoweChicken]

This is a serious question that I'm sure people will find peculiar. I've noticed that the left side of my chest is larger than my right. This isn't something that developed from bad weight lifting form. Some of my family has this same lack of uniformity on the chest, so I'm pretty sure it's genetic. But I was wondering if there is any way I could correct it doing isolation exercises? Maybe a dumbbell exercise only for the right side of my chest? Would something like this work? Has anyone experienced anything like this before?