Best book on Lifting

[nbates]

It's hard coming back, but really it is all about attitude.

For myself, I was in shape then fat/pudgy and lost the weight. I had not worked out seriously since 1987, although I owned a property in the country and could work around there cutting wood, maintenance, etc...but nothing close to an "official" workout.

If it's worth anything, I started back 2 months ago...slow & steady with a goal, step #1 was running. I walk 3/4 miles to the park, the distance around is 3 miles and I began to run. At first not easy, pain and cramps in the legs, head spinning for the rest of the day. Then week two I made it all the way around 2 days in a row, but after could not walk much, limping anywhere but kept at it...walking there each day, going as far as the body would take me and coming home. Took about 2 weeks to recover and walk normal after that, but now I can walk there run those 3 miles and come back home, it's not too painful, in-fact I'm feeling great and the next step in a week or two I'll sign-up at the Gym and start working on the rest of My body.

Where there's a will there's a way and whatever it takes has always worked for me.

Books & advice, sure I'll take them that's easy

 

[blackjack007]

Quote from Gabfly1:

As I recall, his book, which I bought over 20 years ago, outlined some routines that called for about 20 sets for some muscle groups and possibly more. I was doing about 9-12 sets per muscle group into my mid 40s. I have since dialed it down a bit. In their heyday, Arnold and his contemporaries were doing too many sets if you went by what was written in some of the magazines and books in those days.

his book is aimed strictly at hypertrophy -- so yes, you have to do zillions of reps and sets. that is how bodybuilders train: high volume and low rests periods. (it helps they're on steroids too.)

it is not overtraining as long as your weights are reasonable. don't try to do 10x10 training with 70% 1RM for instance.

i do believe that volume training works better for hypertrophy, which i think is the OP's goal.

 

[nitro]

Quote from blackjack007:

...i do believe that volume training works better for hypertrophy, which i think is the OP's goal.

It is its opposite, or prevent atrophy, that is my immediate goal. I have zero desire to be a body builder, but longer term to have an athletic build again, initially defined as looking good in clothes, and redefining that to looking good without clothes as well. My idea of this has already been exemplified very early in this thread. Real simple stuff.

 

[Gabfly1]

Quote from blackjack007:

his book is aimed strictly at hypertrophy -- so yes, you have to do zillions of reps and sets. that is how bodybuilders train: high volume and low rests periods. (it helps they're on steroids too.)

"Helps?" Those guys would never recover between such workouts as you describe without steroids. Doing too many sets results in overtraining, which causes, among other things, atrophy. There is the point of diminishing returns beyond which is the point of negative returns. Steroids forgive a fair amount of stupidity in that regard. But if you're training natural, and especially as you get older, then you have to be more aware of the risks of overtraining. Intensity? Yes. Endless sets? No.

 

[Rehoboth]

Quote from lescor:

It's intensity that brings the results. I become a bigger advocate of CrossFit the more I do it, and I've spent almost my whole life working out.

Here's the workout some friends and I are doing in two days, it's a classic CrossFit workout. If you think you're in shape, try this on for size and post your time.

Run 1 mile
100 pullups (fully extended arm at the bottom, chin above bar at top)
200 pushups (chest and thighs touch the floor)
300 squats (bodyweight, full depth)
Run 1 mile

You can break the reps up any way you want, but must start and finish with a 1 mile run.

Oh yeah, it's for time, so do the above as fast as you can.

Shorter and lighter people have a huge advantage in this challenge. If a 5'8 150 pound person and a 6'2 180 person completed this at the same time, I would say the 6'2 person won. They did more Work then the shorter person. You should normalize the challenge to account for at least the weight difference.

So a 5'8 150 person would do your normal challenge but a 6'2 180 person would do

80 pull ups
160 push ups
240 squats

and only have to run .8 miles on each end.


Even though the lighter person is doing more reps, they are doing less work, so therefore should be able to do it faster.

This doesn't height neutralize it, but it weight neutralizes it.

 

[lescor]

Agreed, that particular workout favors the smaller guys. Crossfit workouts cover the whole breadth though. Did this one a few days ago: 5 rounds for time of 12 deadlifts, 9 power cleans, 6 push presses with 135 lbs. My time was 12:10.

Btw, did the above mentioned workout last night wearing a 20 lb vest in 46:20 (btw, I'm 6'0, 180 lbs). C'mon, anyone here think they're in shape and can handle some intensity?

 

[blackjack007]

Quote from nitro:

It is its opposite, or prevent atrophy, that is my immediate goal. I have zero desire to be a body builder, but longer term to have an athletic build again, initially defined as looking good in clothes, and redefining that to looking good without clothes as well. My idea of this has already been exemplified very early in this thread. Real simple stuff.

so your goal is aesthetics. well, that means your goal is essentially hypertrophy (as opposed to functional strength training). thus you should do high-volume, low-rest routines..

"hypertrophy" doesn't necessarily mean a ronnie coleman appearance. it just means more muscle mass.

 

[nitro]

Quote from blackjack007:
so your goal is aesthetics. well, that means your goal is essentially hypertrophy (as opposed to functional strength training). thus you should do high-volume, low-rest routines..

My motivation is aesthetics, but the result will obviously be much greater than that since I will also have strengthened my heart and body. Motivation comes before goals. Who knows where it ultimately leads though? Maybe in a couple of years time, you will be hearing from me from a race in the African dessert.

Temet Nosce

"hypertrophy" doesn't necessarily mean a ronnie coleman appearance. it just means more muscle mass.

Then that would be a good definition of one of my goals.

 

[nitro]

Quote from lescor:

...C'mon, anyone here think they're in shape and can handle some intensity?

We should have the ET Ironman contest - 100 mile bicycle race, 5 mile swim, 10 mile marathon. However wins, gets to manage and trade $20M on a 50:50 split. The race/contest should be in exotic James Bond places...

 

[LMeyers]

Quote from nitro:

My motivation is aesthetics,.................

As you continue with your efforts, it is quite possible that your definition of what is aesthetically pleasing may change along the way... mine did. "Filling out the shirt" is only one way of looking good.

Nice thread, guys. Lots of good info here.