Best book on Lifting

killthesunshine · Jul 6, 2010

Quote from Gabfly1:

Interesting piece of equipment. A few criticisms, though. The lat pulldown does not appear to allow you to lift more than your body weight, as there is apparently nothing in place to prevent you from lifting off the seat. The dip mechanism also apparently assumes you can't dip more than your body weight. Finally, I think the leg press is angled wrong. I think the legs should be elevated more for maximum effect. But the unit is certainly more impressive than those Bowflex-type rubber band machines that are built on a faulty premise.

Curious as to why you think leg press should be angled differently?

Gabfly1 · Jul 6, 2010

Quote from killthesunshine:

Curious as to why you think leg press should be angled differently?

I don't think the movement is correct. It looks similar to the movement of the old Universal machine leg press. I may be mistaken, but I think you hit the intended muscles far better with the legs angled higher. As it is, it looks like there is undue emphasis on the knees, just like on the old Universals. Until about 7 or so years ago, I had positioned my feet lower on the leg press platform than I do presently. Then someone helpfully suggested that I place my feet higher, that I angle the backrest as upright as possible, and that I avoid going beyond a 90-degree angle with the knees on the way down. I'm grateful for that advice because I believe I get a far better leg workout as a result.

Gabfly1 · Jul 6, 2010

P.S. Just as the proper way to do squats is not to let your knees go forward beyond your toes at the squat, so too I don't think your knees should go vertically higher than your toes during leg presses.

nitro · Jul 7, 2010

Cut back on the spit pea soup, and replaced it with nuts (pistachios are expensive!). Added the McDonalds ceaser salad with grilled chicken with balsamic vinaigrette. Fast, delicious, nutritious, low cal and healthy. Occasionally having avocado sandwich on wheat bread. Also got some Lindt 99% dark chocolate.

All this is as the result of a book that claims that these things are a great way to reduce belly fat. We'll see.

I worked out late last night because I was super busy during the day, and it felt like I was working out for the first time. Appears the body has state (computer science term). This makes me think that just like you should trick your body by changing the number of reps, you should also occasionally change the time of workouts.

I was really physically tired for the first time yesterday and I crashed early and slept it off.

killthesunshine · Jul 7, 2010

congrats on giving the boot to that nasty beef

killthesunshine · Jul 7, 2010

Quote from Gabfly1:

P.S. Just as the proper way to do squats is not to let your knees go forward beyond your toes at the squat, so too I don't think your knees should go vertically higher than your toes during leg presses.

i think this translates to a vertical back while squatting keeping the center of mass of the bar over the hips is this right? the knees past the feet is an indication of too much bending forward at the lumbar spine.

Gabfly1 · Jul 7, 2010

Quote from killthesunshine:

i think this translates to a vertical back while squatting keeping the center of mass of the bar over the hips is this right? the knees past the feet is an indication of too much bending forward at the lumbar spine.

Sorry, I don't agree. The person who suggested the better way to do leg presses also showed me how to do squats properly. (I had been doing squats at the time. I have since stopped doing them about 5 years ago. I know they're a great exercise, but I prefer the relative safety of the leg press for going all out.)

Previously, I had been doing squats the way you described, with my back almost vertical. I also placed a 10-pound plate under each heel so I wouldn't fall backward, and my knees always protruded beyond my toes at the lowest point of the squat. I'm not to blame, because I had been following directions from a Weider manual from way back. But it is wrong.

The correct way, or at least the best way in my opinion, is to not use any plates to step on. And the only way to avoid the knees from protruding beyond the toes on the way down is to arch the back slightly forward to maintain balance. Your upper body actually has to lean forward a bit on the way down rather than remain vertical. When this approach was first suggested to me, I was put off and figured I would just humor the guy until he left me alone. But I tried it, and it immediately felt right. No more pressure at the knees. It was all quads and glutes. If I were to resume squats, it would be the only way I would do them.

killthesunshine · Jul 7, 2010

Quote from Gabfly1:

Sorry, I don't agree. The person who suggested the better way to do leg presses also showed me how to do squats properly. (I had been doing squats at the time. I have since stopped doing them about 5 years ago. I know they're a great exercise, but I prefer the relative safety of the leg press for going all out.)

Previously, I had been doing squats the way you described, with my back almost vertical. I also placed a 10-pound plate under each heel so I wouldn't fall backward, and my knees always protruded beyond my toes at the lowest point of the squat. I'm not to blame, because I had been following directions from a Weider manual from way back. But it is wrong.

The correct way, or at least the best way in my opinion, is to not use any plates to step on. And the only way to avoid the knees from protruding beyond the toes on the way down is to arch the back slightly forward to maintain balance. Your upper body actually has to lean forward a bit on the way down rather than remain vertical. When this approach was first suggested to me, I was put off and figured I would just humor the guy until he left me alone. But I tried it, and it immediately felt right. No more pressure at the knees. It was all quads and glutes. If I were to resume squats, it would be the only way I would do them.

doesn't this style create a larger lever arm from the center of mass of the bar to the lumbar spine? that would produce a much greater sheer stress in the spine...isn't conventional wisdom to keep the back straight while lifting with bent knees?

Gabfly1 · Jul 7, 2010

Quote from killthesunshine:

doesn't this style create a larger lever arm from the center of mass of the bar to the lumbar spine? that would produce a much greater sheer stress in the spine...isn't conventional wisdom to keep the back straight while lifting with bent knees?

killthesunshine · Jul 7, 2010

he's not deliberately accentuating a bend forward at waist as you suggest, on the contrary he's deliberately trying to maintain a vertical spine. the only thing here i quarrel with is the too wide stance. i like a closer stance thighs parallel..aka as bodybuilders stance.

edit for 2nd vid (which came in late

): keep head up is suggested to keep spine vertical