Weightlifting.....

[Fish Chris]

So first off, my weightlifting, like pretty much everything else in my life, follows no ordinary path. I DESPISE gyms. Hate all the distractions, the inconvenience, the cost, etc. Oh sure, I'd love to have my own private, pro gym at my house..... but being a poor scrub, that ain't happening any time soon

So here's my "bench press" type of workout > Push ups. I had been doing 4 sets of 25, and 1 final set of as many as I could do (31-37) while wearing a 40 lb weight vest. Pretty amazing how much of my weight + that of the vest, ends up supported by just my arms. I even checked it on a scale, and it was very close to 200 lbs (I weigh 200 lbs).

But this had become just too easy, and I had been wanting to increase the weight of my vest to 60 lbs or more, to decrease my sets to below 20 reps.

Then, in the mean time, I decided to elevate my feet about 16" , and Holy #$@$ ! That definitely shifted more weight over my arms ! I can still do 5 sets of 20.... but they kick my a$$ !

Still, I plan to add enough more weight to my vest, to farther knock down my numbers to the 10 - 13 reps range.

Your thoughts or ideas ?

Fish

PS, It's kind of funny, my room mate, who is a semi-pro cyclist (and so, a big cardio guy) can do probably 75 -100 pushups, without the 40 lb vest, while I might be about to do 50-60. But after I talked him into trying the vest, he did 4.... and they almost killed him LOL Okay granted, he's about 140 lbs, with wet cloths on

But anyway, I'm not trying to be a skinny little endurance freak. I'd rather be a strong a$$ gorilla

[UKnoitsMe]

keep an eye out for sales. its coming on on New Years, so we know everyones "resolution" Lots of stores are already putting fitness equipment on sale. I am noticing Sears and SPorts Authority especially. OR.. check used stores like pawn shops and whatnot. There's always Craigslist

BTW... elevating your feet for pushups in turn puts the "lifting" on your upper chest - which I am sure you noticed. That'll get you BIG!

Edited December 8, 2011 by UKnoitsMe

[Fish Chris]

Right on. Yea', their are a few pieces of equipment I'd like to have... a preachers bench.... something for bar dips (seems easy enough to construct on my own) and some sort of squat rack < which maybe could also be built on my own....

But anyway, yea, so I found an even better way to elevate my feet (totally secure + adjustable height) > the seat of my bowflex

I was probably elevating my feet 24" ! And they KICKED MY FREAKING ARSE this morning Heck, here soon, I'll have my feet elevated straight into the air, and doing hand stand pushups .... like 75 of them ! (not LOL

Peace,

Fish

keep an eye out for sales. its coming on on New Years, so we know everyones "resolution" Lots of stores are already putting fitness equipment on sale. I am noticing Sears and SPorts Authority especially. OR.. check used stores like pawn shops and whatnot. There's always Craigslist

BTW... elevating your feet for pushups in turn puts the "lifting" on your upper chest - which I am sure you noticed. That'll get you BIG!

[RooTxBeeR]

Also try and do them slower, the faster you do reps of any kind, more toneing, the slower, more muscle mass.

[Fish Chris]

Definately ! I ain't gonna' BS, I do at times, catch myself trying to get into a "bouncing kind of rythm" and even though it's a faster rythm, it's still easier....... and the idea is NOT to make your workout easier ! I mean, if your not going to try to kick your own arse every time you work out, then why bother, right ?

Oh, but the two times I've done the weight vest pushups, with feet elevated 24", by the time I got to #20, they were "slow" alright But it's all good. As soon as those get easy, I'll go on and bump the vest up to 50, then 60 lbs. Guess I could right now, if I wanted to drop my max reps to like 10-13 {which I think is a good # of reps for somebody trying to build strength and bulk}.

Fish

Also try and do them slower, the faster you do reps of any kind, more toneing, the slower, more muscle mass.