Workout Thread II

[DallasBlowsBig]

Thanks Bushwack and Special K for the responses.

 

Now I have a question.  Is it alright to eat a small breakfast after working out, then eat a regular lunch and dinner?

 

what I usually do is drink a superfood green drink before I work out (which says that it can be used to supplement a meal) and after I workout I drink down a smoothie, I use to eat a full thing of eggs and waffles after working out in the morning but I felt more tired and had less energy.

 

Is this ok? Ive been told to eat breakfast the biggest meal of the day, but I noticed just drinking the green drink before I work out and a smoothie after I workout I seem to have more energy during the morning, maybe too much food that early makes me sleepy? what are your all thoughts, cause they say breakfast is most important meal, but maybe what Im doing is ok?

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

After around 10 years of trying different vitamins and supplements, these are the two most potent stand-alone ones I've taken:

 

Creatine:  The best one for improving athletic performance is Creatine Monohydrate powder.  It instantly makes you feel different, which is both good and bad.  Amazing pump, awesome intensity, and gives great focus for hard workout sessions.  On the flip side, it can make you irritable, and constantly in intensity-mode.  The water retention can make you bloat up, it definitely increases my appetite.  I take this before my most intense workout sessions, and avoid it for anything less.  It's the realest stuff out there.

 

The second most effective is Yohimbe.  In fact I'd call it the scariest stand-alone supplement.  It gives you such a nervous energy, that if you learn to harness it, it's like jet fuel.  It's such a stimulant that it improves sexual performance in some cases.  The most noticeable effect is by far the nervous, anxious energy that can give you jitters and make you paranoid as hell.  I mean it gets to the point where you'll have heart palpatations.  It makes energy drinks seem like melatonin.  I used this stuff training for a marathon and it made running a breeze, but the side effects finally scared me off.  Not supposed to take long-term anyway.  Still, the second most potent stand-alone supplement I've had.

[Special K]

Thanks Bushwack and Special K for the responses.

 

Now I have a question.  Is it alright to eat a small breakfast after working out, then eat a regular lunch and dinner?

 

what I usually do is drink a superfood green drink before I work out (which says that it can be used to supplement a meal) and after I workout I drink down a smoothie, I use to eat a full thing of eggs and waffles after working out in the morning but I felt more tired and had less energy.

For the record, I'm not a personal trainer or nutrition specialist but  my thoughts:

If a heavy meal after working out makes you drowsy, change it up to something lighter, like egg white omelet, whole grain toast and fruit.  Or oatmeal with some protein supplement and fruit.  What are the ingredients in your smoothie?  

 

Biggest thing is to eat something relatively high in protein within 30 minutes of finishing a workout.  This is the most important nutrition window to keep in mind.  Personally, I also add an amino acid supplement during and right after weight training to help with recovery.

 

Drinking the superfood green drink prior to workout is fine, I'm just not a big fan of using drinks/shakes as meal supplements. Pre or post-workout snacks, great.  But I think it's important to eat clean, real food too.  Are you eating any snacks during the day?  Or just the smoothie after your workout, lunch & dinner?

After around 10 years of trying different vitamins and supplements, these are the two most potent stand-alone ones I've taken:

 

The second most effective is Yohimbe.  In fact I'd call it the scariest stand-alone supplement.  It gives you such a nervous energy, that if you learn to harness it, it's like jet fuel.  It's such a stimulant that it improves sexual performance in some cases.  The most noticeable effect is by far the nervous, anxious energy that can give you jitters and make you paranoid as hell.  I mean it gets to the point where you'll have heart palpatations.  It makes energy drinks seem like melatonin.  I used this stuff training for a marathon and it made running a breeze, but the side effects finally scared me off.  Not supposed to take long-term anyway.  Still, the second most potent stand-alone supplement I've had.

I prefer smoking meth before a marathon.

 

Seriously, Yohimbe is crazy, I totally recommend against using that.  Glad you stopped that, that's scary.  Did you crash for days after using that?  

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

I tend to have a small breakfast. A large breakfast would make me hungrier at lunch. A small breakfast would not. Usually my biggest meal is lunch.

[bushwack]

Thanks Bushwack and Special K for the responses.

 

Now I have a question.  Is it alright to eat a small breakfast after working out, then eat a regular lunch and dinner?

 

what I usually do is drink a superfood green drink before I work out (which says that it can be used to supplement a meal) and after I workout I drink down a smoothie, I use to eat a full thing of eggs and waffles after working out in the morning but I felt more tired and had less energy.

 

Is this ok? Ive been told to eat breakfast the biggest meal of the day, but I noticed just drinking the green drink before I work out and a smoothie after I workout I seem to have more energy during the morning, maybe too much food that early makes me sleepy? what are your all thoughts, cause they say breakfast is most important meal, but maybe what Im doing is ok?

Eating a small breakfast after working out is fine, just make sure to keep it light.  If you have a large/heavy breakfast it's going to zap whatever energy you just gained from working out and will make you feel lethargic.  You definitely don't want to skip breakfast, but I would make sure to eat something with a good amount of protein that will also help to refuel and rebuild your muscles after you've just worked out.

[Shanahan's Tan]

Anyone make good size gains on 5x5?

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

I made good gains on 5x5, I got a lot stronger while gaining some size. However, I believe 5x5 is more for strength gains then for size. So if you more into gaining size I think another workout routine would benefit you better.

[The Evil Genius]

Why is so hard for people to put back dumbells (even if its into the wrong spot) and/or plates?

 

Working out at night lately has become part frustration and part treasure hunt.

[Special K]

Why is so hard for people to put back dumbells (even if its into the wrong spot) and/or plates?

 

Working out at night lately has become part frustration and part treasure hunt.

Yeah, that's my pet peeve.  I've become so OCD I use my rest time in between sets to reorganize plates.

 

I also can't stand idiots who do bicep curls under the squat rack or Smith machine so they can look at themselves in the mirror.   I've become a total beyatch about this and just set up around them regardless.  

[Shanahan's Tan]

I made good gains on 5x5, I got a lot stronger while gaining some size. However, I believe 5x5 is more for strength gains then for size. So if you more into gaining size I think another workout routine would benefit you better.

 

I did 5x5 for a few months and found the same thing.  I gain size much faster and better when I did traditional splits.

 

Anyone have a good 3 day a week split - I'm trying to get back into the gym after a year lull - thanks.

[mistertim]

Why is so hard for people to put back dumbells (even if its into the wrong spot) and/or plates?

 

Working out at night lately has become part frustration and part treasure hunt.

This irritates the hell out of me as well. Its common sense gym etiquette. Fortunately at the gym I go to now most people are good about that, however I've been to gyms before where its literally just piles of weights and dumbbells sitting around the main lifting floor. Freaking ridiculous.

[big#44]

I did 5x5 for a few months and found the same thing.  I gain size much faster and better when I did traditional splits.

 

Anyone have a good 3 day a week split - I'm trying to get back into the gym after a year lull - thanks.

 

Me personally when I'm just getting back into it, I go full body 3X a week for a couple weeks. After that some like upper/lower/upper week 1 and the lower/upper/lower week 2. My personal favorite is Push/pull/legs. I like splitting up chest and back myself and I tend to do a lot of cardio/sprints/etc so legs one day a week works good for me. 

[DallasBlowsBig]

For the record, I'm not a personal trainer or nutrition specialist but  my thoughts:

If a heavy meal after working out makes you drowsy, change it up to something lighter, like egg white omelet, whole grain toast and fruit.  Or oatmeal with some protein supplement and fruit.  What are the ingredients in your smoothie?  

 

Biggest thing is to eat something relatively high in protein within 30 minutes of finishing a workout.  This is the most important nutrition window to keep in mind.  Personally, I also add an amino acid supplement during and right after weight training to help with recovery.

 

Drinking the superfood green drink prior to workout is fine, I'm just not a big fan of using drinks/shakes as meal supplements. Pre or post-workout snacks, great.  But I think it's important to eat clean, real food too.  Are you eating any snacks during the day?  Or just the smoothie after your workout, lunch & dinner?

I prefer smoking meth before a marathon.

 

Seriously, Yohimbe is crazy, I totally recommend against using that.  Glad you stopped that, that's scary.  Did you crash for days after using that?  

 

Special K, thanks for the reply, sorry it took so long to get back I didn't see this post.

 

I usually put 3/4 cup of low fat yogurt, a handful of spinach, and then frozen fruits like banannas blue berries peaches, and it makes about 20 ounces worth.  I am not a tall person so it usually fills me up.

 

But what I probably need to do is drink it right after the workout, because Ive been taking a shower and waiting like an hour to drink the smoothie.

 

Also, if I am drinking all this stuff, do I also need to drink in addition to this water to stay hydrated?

[The Evil Genius]

When lifting (especially during the various bench exercises), am I doing it "wrong" by doing my heaviest loads first? It makes sense to me to do the most reps I can at the heaviest weight..and I usually can do the most reps the first set.

 

Does that make any sense to anyone?

[big#44]

When lifting (especially during the various bench exercises), am I doing it "wrong" by doing my heaviest loads first? It makes sense to me to do the most reps I can at the heaviest weight..and I usually can do the most reps the first set.

Does that make any sense to anyone?

Nothing wrong with it all. What you're describing sounds like drop sets. You do the most reps of a weight till failure, lower the weight and repeat.

[The Evil Genius]

Nothing wrong with it all. What you're describing sounds like drop sets. You do the most reps of a weight till failure, lower the weight and repeat.

 

Thanks..my observations were that I was doing the opposite of what a lot of people were doing. 

 

One more question...are 3 sets really a minimum for exercises? It seems like I'm getting a lot more done with 2 sets on some exercises, but I was wondering if I'm cheating myself by only doing 2 sets. 

[big#44]

Thanks..my observations were that I was doing the opposite of what a lot of people were doing.

One more question...are 3 sets really a minimum for exercises? It seems like I'm getting a lot more done with 2 sets on some exercises, but I was wondering if I'm cheating myself by only doing 2 sets.

I think for a lot of people it comes down to preference, but for compound movements I do at least 3 sets. squats, bench, etc. If I could exhaust myself on 2 sets then that 3rd set will be a good cap off. As mentioned above 5 sets are used too.

I was taught early on that you can get by on 2 sets for isolation movements. I have no science to back that up and I usually do 3, but I have done 2 and still gotten a plenty good workout before.

[TheREALJBird]

Any advice on a 5 day gym routine full body workout? I've been rehabbing an injury so I haven't been able to do regular PT in the army in the morning so I need to get into something on my off time to stay in shape. I'm not really sure what to look for online but I'd want something to work out everything, any websites or tips would be appreciated, thanks.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I've been doing T25.  I think beachbody is cheesy stuff with cheesy people in the videos but today after the third video I was about to drop.  Felt like I'd just done a crew workout in college.  

 

Also got some battle ropes and have been having a blast with those, too.

[TheDoyler23]

Wake up - Workout. I've been doing it this way for the month of October and I have so much more energy during the day and I get  the workout out of the way. 

[BraunMan92]

Anybody do CrossFit?  Am considering trying this program of group training. Do any of you do this or have experience with it? If so, did you find it worthwhile?

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

Bump? Has everyone stopped working out?

[Dr. Do Itch Big]

I'm medically cleared to start squatting again. It's been a long time coming. I shredded my knee about 4 months and 2 weeks. I am excited, I'm going to be careful and take care of my knees. I am thinking of buying some adipowers. Anyone have any experience with those shoes, they are pricey?

[SloppyOneXXVI]

I'm medically cleared to start squatting again. It's been a long time coming. I shredded my knee about 4 months and 2 weeks. I am excited, I'm going to be careful and take care of my knees. I am thinking of buying some adipowers. Anyone have any experience with those shoes, they are pricey?

 

Are you a serious powerlifter?  If not, you're probably wasting money.  I squat barefoot.  I max out around 425, and I've never had any issues.  It might feel a bit awkward at first, but if you're just coming back from an injury it might be a good time to try it out.  I've seen other guys squat in just socks or flip flops.  

 

I have a power cage and do all my lifting at home.  A gym might not allow you to squat barefoot.

[Special K]

Anybody do CrossFit?  Am considering trying this program of group training. Do any of you do this or have experience with it? If so, did you find it worthwhile?

Yes I have done CrossFit and do it maybe once every week or two to throw something different into my routine.  I enjoy the atmosphere in CrossFit classes.  

 

As far as "worthwhile," that kind of depends on your fitness goals.  Do you have certain goals or objectives you want to pursue in your training?  Personally I've found CrossFit to be worthwhile as a supplement to my regular training routine.  The purpose of CrossFit is to engage your body in "functional movements" at a very high intensity for a relatively short duration.  I'm all about high intensity interval training when it comes to my cardio sessions & CrossFit definitely fits that bill.

 

 

 

I'm medically cleared to start squatting again. It's been a long time coming. I shredded my knee about 4 months and 2 weeks. I am excited, I'm going to be careful and take care of my knees. I am thinking of buying some adipowers. Anyone have any experience with those shoes, they are pricey?

How much are you squatting?  I've never tried them primarily because I've been told by multiple people those types of shoes are for pretty much only useful for serious power lifters. 

 

Like SloppyOne, my best squat stability comes from squatting in my socks.