[Fett]

Oof, I always like seeing Debi. ^__^

[Fett]

Okay, that sounds good. I'll take a look at this and the crossfit.com site. Cheers, guys!

[Fett]

She couldn't put on the right accent? I think she'd be a great actress for the part. She looks enough like her for it to work, I think.

[Fett]

I think Jaime Pressly (from My Name Is Earl) would make a great Harley Quinn. ^___^

[Fett]

Ah, I was inarticulate.

I'm aware of the thing where people think it's 'easy' to add a lot of muscle quickly, when in fact, it's just not true. Women are often worried of suddenly devloping huge muscles by picking up weights, and it's nonsense. You have to work hard to grow and I get that. It's not I was worried to get too 'big' in so much as I didn't want to add a lot of bulk. The exercise seems to be an attempt to add a lot of muscle mass, whereas that's not something I'm after, I'm more for toning, losing what gut and butt I have, and only getting a bit bigger. This exercise seems to only create larger muscles, like it'll add more mass without much definition, and bulk me up in a fashion I'm not pursuing.

That said, I may have misunderstood the intended result of 'super squats'.

[Fett]

That's great, thanks!

[Fett]

Thanks guys. You've given me a lot to think about. ^__^

[Fett]

Sweet stuff Smithy!

[Fett]

It doesn't really sound that good to me. And 30lbs… that strikes me as a lot. I don't think I want that (it may be 30lbs is far less than I think it is, i dunno). But thanks.

[Fett]

Fett a good workout can only take 30 minutes and sometimes even less if you do it properly. Depending on how many days you are able to get to the gym is improtant in what type of routine you want but also what type of gains you are seeking to.

30 minutes? Really? Does that include cardio? Because I find it hard to make the time to go for an hour, let alone longer. As for gains – I'm really looking for quick obvious results for a specific reason – I used to go to the gym for a year and I made very little progress, but what I did make I was very content with however, for some reason, I just stopped going. I think it's because while I felt better the visual improvements were small enough for me not to notice their decline as I started slacking off. I'm not sure as I can't remember. I can only remember months afterwards it hitting me that I've really 'stopped' going. The reason I want quick results is because I know the extent of my discipline. I think if I hit a certain physical look, I won't allow myself to decline. I think if I do another slow and steady approach, I'll drop off it again and I don't want that to happen. Also – it would also show that I'm actually doing something as right now, I'm not too sure I am.

Some general advice is you should lift from big muscle groups to small. If you go small to big you run the risk of over training the smaller muscles and undertraining the bigger muscles.

Interesting, I had not considered that. I'll have to give it a go.

But if you can make it into a gym 3-4 days a week I would recommend focusing on 2 body parts a session.Chest and triceps could be one day, and shoulders and back and biceps the next. Then on the third day you could work the legs. If you have time for a fourth day you can work on any part that you find lagging. Anywhere between 2-4 exercises per part depending on the size of the muscle and the sets and reps involved and also how the muscle is feeling. I believe working out is not about the numbers or time but how you much you listen to your body. You really got to tune in and push yourself hard. Your body will let you know when you've had enough if you truly listen to it and are honest with yourself. The people who don't see gains or improvements in their body's are the people who do not push themselves hard enough. You don't have to push yourself so hard that you feel like your going to throw up  but you need to remember that a successful workout should be a challenging workout.

I agree with this approach, but then, the problem I've had is I'm wondering if I'm being honest or lying and pretending I've done enough. I just don't know. All I know is when I went to the gym the time before this, I'd ache the next day from the burn each workout. This time, I've been to four workouts and there's barely any aching at all, which makes me think I'm lying to myself and wussing out.

But since you are just getting back into the gym don't push yourself 2 much otherwise you will get negative gains. It will take a little while for your body to get acclimated to the demands that you are putting on it.

Well, see this is the reason I was hoping for a kind of weight statistic to get my bearings since I have no idea if I'm pushing myself too little, too much, or 'right for me to get used to it'.

As for the how much weight and how many reps once again its all about what your goal is. You want size and strength 3-6 reps with as much weight that you can either no longer lift it again for that set, or you have one more rep in you. Its the same for 12 reps. You either want to have another rep in you at the end of the set or no reps left. Otherwise you want to increase the weight.

Can you give me a ballpark figure? That'd be helpful because then I could work around it.

One bad things about machines are since they balance the weight for you its harder to develop core strength. Core strength is not just ab strength but complete body control and balance and using free weights can help develop them, but the best way to is through the use of polymetric exercises.

I have no idea what that is.

Also remember to mix up your routine after 3-4 weeks cos thats about how long it takes for your body to adjust to your routine. Changing it up does not have to be drastic it could be changing the number of reps or sets. Or substituting a couple of exercises.

That's cool. I renew my memebership on a monthly basis, so I'll use that as a reminder to alter the routine.

Anyway I hope this is both coherent enough to be of help to you and is also helpful.

It was, thanks Ironb. ^__^

You know – something weird just occurred to me. I haven't really asked the people who work at the gym, just here and exactly two friends. Part of me is thinking that it's because I'm embarrassed as anything to do with muscles = femuscle fetish. Y'know – this 'gym' is working out my own self-awareness probably more than my body. Who knew it was so spiritual?  😛

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