Fitness 2013

[mongers]

OK, this is what I did today:

N.B. all arm stuff means that much for each arm, so "12" means 12 right, 12 left.

One set 37 pushups (should be 40, but whatever I guess).
One set 35 pushups.
One set 60 situps (I'm back on that horse, gains will be quick until I'm doing multiple sets of 120).
Two sets 12 X 30lbs. arm curls (might do another in a minute).
One set 20 X 15 lbs arm curls.
One set 8 X 30 lbs. robot arm (or whatever it's called when you move your forearm from your side to beneath your chin, parallel to your body).
One set 12 X 30 lbs. lift shit from your collarbone to maximum extension.
One set 20 X 15 lbs. Shoryukens (may not be actual technical term, sort of like an uppercut).
One set 40 X 30 lbs. tricep lifts.
One set 10 X 15 lbs. lifting from behind my back (I thought I saw somebody do it in a movie once; this may be useless).
One set 60 compressions of those little handheld things that exercise your forearm muscles.
One set 60 jumping jacks.
Two sets running up the broken escalator at work.

But the central stuff are pushups, situps, and bicep curls, with tricep stuff thrown in when I feel like it.

I want a bench and maybe 200lbs. of weight for Christmas.  I think that'd be a good benching goal.   (Or maybe I can do it right now, I have no idea.)

Needs some aerobic.

[alfred russel]

I don't see why you are frowning.

The thing about exercise--unless you have a medical condition, you can achieve a lot. You can certainly do more than 40 pushups. If you aren't improving, it is just about figuring out why.

[Eddie Teach]

Btw, if you try to bench 200 now, I suggest you have a very strong and reliable spotter. 

I'd suggest he try it on a machine first.

[Drakken]

I want a bench and maybe 200lbs. of weight for Christmas.  I think that'd be a good benching goal.   (Or maybe I can do it right now, I have no idea.)

Unless you are a small and a natural powerlifter, bench pressing 200 pounds, by Christmas, when you aren't even able to curl 45-50 pounders is quite a stretch. It can takes months, even years, of progressive overload, bit by bit, to reach 200 pounds on a bench when you aren't used to physical workout. Hell, I have been training for years and I am finally reach a good-looking physique this year, and I still haven't reached 200 pounds on the bench, yet.

You have way too many biceps exercises. You shouldn't be 'throwing in' triceps exercises, you should put a good balance of both. About two-thirds of the size of an arm are in fact composed of triceps muscles, and bench presses also use a lot of these as well, so I would balance biceps exercises with good triceps exercises (dips, skull crushers, pushdowns, etc.). Also, compounds, compounds, compounds.

And listen to AR, he's right. Stick with the basics : 3-4 days of working out per weeks, two body parts per day, with rest days in-between.

[Ideologue]

45-50 pounds for a one-handed curl sounds like a LOT more difficult goal to reach than benching 20-25lbs. over my weight.  Am I wrong?

[Maladict]

Cleaned the bike and set it up indoors. 2013 is over 

[mongers]

Cleaned the bike and set it up indoors. 2013 is over 

What about just getting yourself a real hack of a bike, one you could leave outside, so you could do bit here and there if there's a weather break? 

[Maladict]

What about just getting yourself a real hack of a bike, one you could leave outside, so you could do bit here and there if there's a weather break?

The weather is still quite nice actually.

It's just getting dark too early and I usually don't have time for cycling in the weekends.

[mongers]

What about just getting yourself a real hack of a bike, one you could leave outside, so you could do bit here and there if there's a weather break?

The weather is still quite nice actually.

It's just getting dark too early and I usually don't have time for cycling in the weekends.

Yeah, dark evenings are an issue, I'm gonna have to start getting used to returning home in the dark from next week certainly.   

[ulmont]

Maybe I should try that Paul Ryan Murder Gauntlet that ulmont's doing.  Dude went to Duke or whatever; he shouldn't be able to kick my ass too.

Forgot about this post.  You're confusing me with someone else; (1) I went to Georgia Tech and Georgia State, and (2) I'm doing something more like Starting Strength.

If it helps, I'm sure I could kick your ass regardless.   

[alfred russel]

45-50 pounds for a one-handed curl sounds like a LOT more difficult goal to reach than benching 20-25lbs. over my weight.  Am I wrong?

Yes. I have doubts you can bench 100 pounds. 200 is a big number.

[Ideologue]

If I can do A pushup,
I should be able to bench 100.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I think you should try it.  Report back on the results.  Maybe start with 150 though, just to be safe.  The spotter thing is probably over cautious though. 

[alfred russel]

If I can do A pushup,
I should be able to bench 100.

I guess you weight 175-180? You aren't lifting a lot of your weight when you do a push up, and they are very different movements. You have trained to do pushups, but not a bench press.

Being able to do ~40 pushups, there is a decent chance you can get up 100. I think you have no chance to get up 150 (which is a real accomplishment, imo).

[Drakken]

If I can do A pushup,
I should be able to bench 100.

I guess you weight 175-180? You aren't lifting a lot of your weight when you do a push up, and they are very different movements. You have trained to do pushups, but not a bench press.

Being able to do ~40 pushups, there is a decent chance you can get up 100. I think you have no chance to get up 150 (which is a real accomplishment, imo).

A good first objective would benching 135 pounds, 45lbs plate on each side of an olympic bar. Broscience says it's what an untrained average joe in good shape can lift.

And by benching, I mean with good form and no spotter holding off the bar to help you.