Seriously, we are headed for very hard times, your physical fitness will give you the best chance of survival. I'm not in nearly as good of shape as I was a couple years ago but I decided a few weeks ago I have to push myself as hard as I can so now I do my exercise until I'm sore, then rest and as soon as I feel recovered I'm right back out there again. I'm getting all kinds of minor injuries but that's a good thing because I want to get injured now and recover so that when shit really starts hitting the fan I'll be in as good of shape as possible.
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All kinds of injuries? I'm not mark rippletoe, but that doesn't sound good lol. If you're lifting weights get that form straight first and foremost. But overall, yes I agree with your sentiment I started my journey about 2 years ago and make the old me look like a bitch now.
Upvote on the "don't injure yourself" comment.
The best way to get mad gainz (anywhere) is to not exhaust yourself. Push yourself to exertion, but never to failure. The adage "no pain no gain" is fine when you're 15, not when you're 25+.
This is the way.
Shoulder injuries, specifically. Something I read a long time ago that probably saved me from fucking up my right shoulder: Sit up or stand up straight then make large circles (slowly) with your shoulders. Up, back, down, forward, back up, repeat. If either of your shoulders regularly pops/clicks/snaps when doing this, shit's out of whack and you need to focus on stabilizer muscles (posterior delts, serratus, etc) before hitting the heavy weights. Also, check yourself for what's called a "winged scapula." It can be minor to major, but both can risk blowing out your shoulder or cause shoulder pain in general. A lot of people don't know they have it. I didn't. If you have that shit, forget about touching the heavy weights until you get things aligned properly or it'll be snap city.
Just adding to the shoulder thing. Most people tend to bend their shoulders forward when doing things like shrugs and whatnot, which is wrong and puts you straight on the path to fucking your shoulders up.
Google CARS/PAILs/RAILs then use them as warmups. Stretching is counter intuitive to healthy lifting.
And consider dumbbells, rather than straight bar presses
Or just don't lift through the shoulder transitions (standing delt raises: lift to parallel to the ground, lift from just above parallel for military press, not through)
"Never to failure"
LOL. if you want to move serious weight you're doing AMRAPS. Don't deal in absolutes, there is absolutely a time and place for training to failure. It should be a calculated technique though, not every set. Get a good program with solid periodization, that's the most effective way to gain strength and size.
There are times and places for everything, and periodically pushing to failure can increase your strength. The advanced athlete knows this fact, well.
Not all of us train for pure strength. And for a beginner athlete, it is best to avoid injury. Consistency in all things more than extremes, and constant training to failure can beget injury.
We seem to have different training procedures and philosophies.
Actually I think we are saying almost the exact same thing. I just think "never" was a poor word choice. Your response to me pointing that out? I'm 100% in agreence with. In fact read some of my other posts on this thread I'm spreading a similar message. Im not training for pure strength and advice against it unless you are pursuing competitive lifting of some sort. Training to failure really isn't that dangerous either. I used to do it literally every rep before I knew better. I would pick a weight that I could get 3 x 8 with. Then I'd try to add reps until I got to 3 x 12. That would result in 10, 9, 8, (etc) for every lift. I did this for months as a teen and was fine. Do I advise this? Absolutely not lol. My point is it's not some death sentence. Train to failure? Get adequate recovery and you're fine. But yes. It's a tool that should be used sporadically. Even if you're only goal is hypertrophy. There is a lot of science going on focused on this area of training right now. I hate to say it, but none of the studies has concluded "never train to failure."
And not to be a dick, but an "advanced athlete" should know that training to failure is not only a strength training technique.
Yeah if you ever come across "crossfit" exercises. Walk away. Run away. That shit is the fastest way to injure yourself.
but it looks so cool on TV!
Run a sprint and then max out my squat on a wet platform?
>I read a study
😂🤣🤣😂🤣😂😅😆
Found the expert.
E: and just like that, POOF! and the shill is gone.
🙄 I've heard this shit for years and I hate hearing it... Totally untrue unless the coaches are idiots and not paying attention
Or... You know... Take accountability for not hurting yourself. Coaches ask me to do dumb shit and I bow out. I know my limits for my body, injuries, etc. A good coach is doing programming which respects your limitations while also covering the rest of the group.
It's nothing to offer alternatives if you're not comfortable with a move.
Co-worker in his 50s does nothing but rant and rave how great crossfit is but no joke he's out of the game 50% of the time due to injuries. 4 years ago him and I would cat and mouse single track trails for 20 miles and no injuries. Okay man... you do you.
Snap city.
Oh well I don't lift weights, I gave it up years ago, I've been working on running and improving my form so as soon as something starts not feeling right i stop
Running is the way to go. Back in my undergrad years, I'd run 3-6 miles with intermittent exercises such as push-ups or whatever sprinkled in. I miss that tow path, it had phenomenal scenery for running.
Also, if you have decent running trails around you and you live in a college town, be prepared for "major incentives" to continue running, haha.
Giggity
shit if I had thought of that I would've been a runner!
Do bodyweight resistance. Diet is 80%+ of health and fitness results. Dial that in, get to doing pull ups, 200 bodyweight squats with no rest, push ups, diamond push ups, etc. Then get under the bar again with a form coach.
Ya that got me...
Soreness and callouses, sure, but 'minor injuries'?