Take care of yourself

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

As I sit here eating a banana, I look for this thread and find it waaaaaaay back on Page 4. Dang. I guess it has had its moment of glory.

I hope people don't stop adding to it now and then. I don't really have any interest in steroids or creatine, just what I need to take care of myself. I hope to see more of the outstanding advice and suggestions here.

Big thanks to everyone who contributed.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

This thread has wandered into an interesting area. What if, for example, as is the case, a whole bunch of states adopt medical marijuana laws to treat, say, arthritis, which it apparently does. How do the leagues handle that? Can they seriously argue that it is morally correct for some 32-year pold tackle to shoot himself full of painkillers and corticosteroids (Watch out for those blood clots!) in order to play, but not to blow a joint to recover that night? Is it wrong to take a drug that enhances your performance in the sense that it improves it, but right to take one that enhances your performance in the sense that it makes it possible?
Don't know.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I REALLY need some peanut m&ms right now, BAD.

Someone talk me out of it. Fast.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Indulge every once in a while 21 ...

Have the M&Ms. Just don't have them every day.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Pineapple -- great after a particularly tough workout, decreases swelling

Medicinal marijuana -- great before a particularly tough workout, mind in the muscle

Creatine -- Lifting the extra weight makes it a lot of fun to go to the gym, but couldn't jog because it hurt my shins for some reason and I've heard the same complaint from others. And of course, the cramping we all know about. After ripping my hamstring doing straight-leggeds (and dropping the bar on my foot) it took a couple of years to get rid of the excess water weight, particularly under the chin.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Couple questions for weight trainers:

--What's the optimum time between sets?

--Should the reps be done in bursts or really slow?

Thanks in advance.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I hope I'm not too late.

Don't do it!

I'd head for the Skittles instead .

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)



Thanks 21. I'm just a free-weights-in-the-basement type and I've read different things. I usually try to rest no more than 30 seconds between sets. I also try to do the reps excruciatingly slow in both directions and without a pause at the top. I think I'm on the right track but I figured some of the more serious lifters might have differing opinions.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Cran ...

Going up excruciatingly slow can be good, but don't completely discount "fast" lifting.

It takes some practice, though. You don't want to go so fast that you're using momentum to lift the weights, but at the same time, you can work some of those fast-twitch muscle fibers by going a little faster.

On your bench presses, for instance, make sure that on the downtake you are able to stop so your elbows are perpendicular to your pects. If you go any lower, you'll be using your back to get the weight back up. On your last rep of a 10-12 rep set, come back down really slowly from the top to get the benefits of negative resistance on the muscle.

Hope that makes sense.

As far as time between sets, when I work out by myself, it's usually 30-45 seconds. When I work with a partner, it's closer to a minute because I'm spotting him. I'll take a little more time between sets if I'm doing heavy weight, because you've got to give your muscles a little time to recover or you'll fatigue too quickly on the next set.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

answer to both questions really depends on your goal.

For time between sets if you are lifting heavy weights(Less reps) with purpose of gaining strength you need longer recovery 1-2 minutes max.
If you are lifting for overlall conditioning(Light weights /high reps) 30 secs is ideal as you will also be able to achieve some arobic benifit.

As far as reps themselves "burts" kinda of implies jerking weights which puts you at great risk for injury. Ideally you just want to develop a good pace (maybe 2 second up (positive) 4 down (negative) To slow on negative will burn you out to soon. strike a balance.

If you are a "basement" lifter you can get a great workout doing a fast paced workout using Light weight /high reps 15-20 . maybe 2 sets of each.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Very helpful. I think I've been on the right track but I'll start mixing in some "quick" sets here and there to give the fast-twitch fibers some action. Appreciate it Flaghokie. Who needs a personal trainer when you have SportsJournalists.com.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Boom, I don't have the luxury of working with a spotter, so while I work out with a moderate to heavy weight and push myself, I also try to keep it safe, too. For me that typically means three sets of of the maximum weight I can handle for 10 reps. Maybe a little heavier weight and eight reps for legs (curls, lifts), where I'm trying to add a little.