I have to say, aerobic exercise isn't something I really enjoy.. I'm not a fan of running, though I like to swim and walk, and step classes just make me wanna vomit (they're so fucking BORING).

But I honestly love strength training, partly because you can feel the results as you work, and somewhat the next day too.. I like the controlled slow movements, being able to target specific muscle groups, etc.

Question is, what do you prefer, how do you do your strength training? Are you a member of a gym? Use weight machines? Free weights? Do you work out at home alone using your body weight and a few dumbells? Do you have a favorite machine or exercise for a particular body part?.

If you could describe a particular exercise you've found effective, and what muscle groups it targets, that'd be great. The most effective way to train muscles is to periodically change the exercise you do - if you continuously repeat the same exercise in the same way, eventually your body adapts to that particular one, and your gains decrease exponentially, thus it's to all our benefit to learn different ways to exercise the same muscles..

If you can find a diagram, that'd be even better than a description.. if all else fails, attempt to draw and scan one and post it on a page somewhere..

I've got one of those spiffy Bowflex things. Despite all the infomercials, it works pretty well. The instability of the resistance means you have to work hard to keep everything steady, which I think improves the workout and makes everything harder. I used to bench about 30 reps of 140 with free weights, but that much resistance feels like 200 on the Bowflex...

I'm lucky enough to have one of those little apartment complex gyms handy.
I make use of most of the equipment there. The weight machines include a lat press, a pec press, a bench press, and a leg machine. Each machine I can do 2-3 excersizes on (except the pec press) and I usually go for 2 sets per exercise. We also have free weights, which I do a variety of exercises.
My upper body regimen includes:
Lat press; overhand pullups behind the head, over hand pullups in front of the head, underhand pullups, and then I turn around to work on the triceps.
Pec press: self explanitory.
Bench Press: do the basic bench, then turn around the seat and adjust to do shoulder press.
Then it's onto freeweights. I work on triceps again by holding one heavy weight with both hands and pumping it behind my head. I do burnouts (thats where I do massive reps with low weight) with 5, 10, and 15 lb weights in each hand until tired.
Then I go around the room and do another set on each excersize.
Lowerbody regimen goes like this, the leg press I work on my quadriceps, sitting up, turn over, laying face down to work on calves/hamstrings. But the lower body regimen is much more free weights than machines.
Calf jumps, using 10 lb weights, I jump using mostly my toes to pushoff, thereby isolating my calves. Then I do the 45 degree lunge, if you don't know what that is, here goes. You take the largest step you can while remaining stable and squat down. Your forward leg's thigh should be parallel to the ground, and your rear leg's knee should nearly touch the ground. I do this with 10 lb weights. Very effective.
Then I do several kinds of squats, first each leg one by one with no weights, just stand on one leg and go down as far as possible, then back up and switch. I do 3 kinds of squats, overhead with dumbells, holding dumbells behind my butt, and dumbells I'm holding about neck level. That one, my elbows are pointed nearly forward and the weights rest more on my fingers than on my palms.
And I forgot one, farmer walking. Holding a very heavy weight, I walk around the room on my tiptoes, again, works mostly the calves.
That's about it for my strength training, and let me tell you, that lowerbody stuff is pretty difficult.

Strength training...I love free weights more than machines, although maybe people say that machines are more effective as they isolate a single muscle group.

Free weights are more versatile, and in general, work more muscle groups at once, whereas with machines, you have to use several to acheive the same results.

I'm not quite sure what your goals would be for strength training, so, kind of hard to make any kind of recommendations, but...

My off-season routine goes something like this:

I usually do a circuit type of program, where you do a set of a certain exercise, then rotate, and end up doing 3 sets of each exercise.

1. Run 5-10 min. on a treadmill
2. Stretch for 10 min. (Prevents frequent injuries quite well.)
3. Starting out with large muscle groups is key; it gets you warmed up, and it also prevents injuries from happening.

So I do maybe 12 reps of dumbbell benchpress, or dumbbell incline press.

4. Back squats/Leg press
5. Overhead press
6. Knee curls
7. Calf raises
8. Bent-over rowing
9. Some type of abdominal exercise. I usually do sit ups on a bench holding a plate to my chest, or I'll do pushups where your feet are on top of a bench (elevated above the rest of your mody) with a weight on my back.
10. Shoulder shrugs.
11. Lat pulldowns.

Actually, this is kind of jumble, not in any particular order, because I haven't done this program in a while...But usually I alternate between upper body, lower body, and core muscles when going through the circuit.

Also, I add in:
- lateral shoulder raises
- concentration curls
- shoulder flexions
- shoulder extensions
- dumbbell kickbacks
-incline bench dumbbell elbow curls
- dumbbell flys

This was part of a local muscle endurance program, but I picked up the intensity of it, and did maybe 2 hours of lifting a day, at least 3 or four times a week.

I was also running for at least 2 hours each day. But my rest day was Sunday, when I would just do some light jogging for recovery.

Edit- It becomes an addiction after a while. If I missed one session of lifting, I would freak out, thinking that my body was deteriorating. So I kind of overdid the lifting over the summer- sometimes I went for 5 days a week, with over 2 hours of lifting.

peace out.
sph3ric pyramid.

[This message has been edited by sph3ric pyramid (edited 09-10-2002).]

I just do all the simple stuff, and it works just fine for me...Pushups (normal and one-handed), Dumbells, Pullups, Situps, Running, squats, and the like...

--Wheeee! Post #100!

quote:

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Originally posted by Wintermute:
what do you prefer

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I like to work out at home, and I live in an apartment, so space is a problem. I have 2 sets of dumbells with different loads on each (so I don't have to change discs during a routine), and i have an ab board, which doubles as a bench when it's propped up at the low end. My routines are always 3 sets, with 10 to 20 reps for each of about 10 exercises. I build a routine based on variety of muscle groups, and time (30- 45 min goal.) Currently, I'm doing:

Crunchers with weight
Bench press
Upright row
Bent over row
Standing curl
Shoulder shrug
Seated tricep press (one of my favorites).
Wrist curl
Standing calf raise
Split squat

quote:

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If you could describe a particular exercise you've found effective

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Shoulder shrugs - Best work/result ratio.

Crunchers - Most hated exercise, most appreciated result.

and I love to run and ride. I do both in the woods, and around here that means hills. It's a rush.

i think going to a gym is almost essential, physically and mentally. and get a buddy to go with. going to a gym makes you work out, i mean come on how many of you havnt out a day off at your house? It is easy to put off going on the treadmill when you see it all day long or to lift some weights "right after seinfeild" plus gyms offer so much more versatility than most other home alternatives. they also provide inspiraion when seeing all the other motivated people and glistening weights. even a little friendly competition with a friend. i really dispise working out at home unless it is absolutly mandatory.

a lotta people dont like aerobics, but the best exercise is one you enjoy, so if stairs are your thing, then go ahead (ugh).

use free weights espically if your a begginer. there are a lot of stablizer muscles that need to develop, machines do all the balancing for you and you can fuck yourself up after prolong used on certain ones.

A KEY THING! squeeze as hard as you can, DONT JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS, WORK OUT! if you are curling, squeeze your bicep as hard as you can, and when you finish the rep,squeeze that bicep as hard as you can for a half a second or so. Believe me 3 sets of hard curls like that with slow resistence will kick your ass more than 4 other bicep exercises mediocorely (sp) done.

also like wintermute said, switch up the exericises, you wanna keep your muscles guessing, dont let them get into a routine.

plus, do yourself a favor and dont try to bench a million lb reps. if you squeeze, light weights can be deadly. going to the gym with 4 ripped fuels in you and caffine with 2 spoters benching 300 once or twice struggling to get it up wont do you much. good form in a resonable amount will GREATLY help your bench max. your muscles get a memory. technique helps build muscle, you'd be surprised what some small guys can bench.

My trainer got me into pump class a few years back...(It's group weight training with music and it's alot of fun.)
I enjoy running and I was on the track team also enjoy running alot but it's boring when you run solo I guess. Out on the track running, trying to beat others and your own time is fun...I am thinking of working as a coach part time and give younger athletes the same sort of chance i was given...

[This message has been edited by stormybaka (edited 09-15-2002).]

i go to the gym, but i do mroe weightlifting exercises

the bulk of my program are made up of variations of these

clean and jerks
snatches
shoulder presses
squats
pulls

i also do some other weights if i have the time. i like tricep pushdowns, machine. i usually do sets of 5 reps (3 or 4 sets) and then go straight to tricep extensions behind hte next with a light dumbbell til i cant lift it anymore

i occasionally do benchpresses and lat pulldowns.

and nowadays, i rarely do reps above 5. and i do the reps as fast as possible, especially on the way up. it develops the muscle differently.