The old one throws an error on the last page for some reason so it's essentially locked itself.

https://ohiochatter.com/forum/serious-business/workoutlifting-thread-and-health-thread?page=1

Anyway, I've been a lazy POS for a few years now but my wife and I plan to join a gym tomorrow. She's in great shape but has outgrown her setup here at the house and is looking for more selection and variety. I'm so out of shape it isn't funny.

Anyway, I'm looking for recommendations on a workout plan for a dude in his 40s (almost). I don't really have any specific goals, other than I'd like to have an ass again and not be more or less broken for 36 hours after the first day of my yearly canoe trip.

I'm fine paying for a program if it's worth it, especially if it's dummy proof.

This is all of the equipment the place we're going to join has. It's definitely pretty loaded for the size of the place. They are also close to finishing a new building that triples the amount of space they have.

http://www.rtsbarbell.com/equipment

Do squats to save, regenerate you ass

posted by Ironman92

Do squats to save, regenerate you ass

Yep, it was definitely built by squats previously.

I like squats, deadlifts. I don't love snatches. I haven't used a bench since college but I'm not opposed to using one again.

I don’t really have any recommendations for you. I don’t know that I’ve been canoeing lately so I wouldn’t know what it strains. I’d look into lifting programs especially for shoulders, biceps, and back muscles. 

As for me, I’ve been trying to work out 5-6 days a week. Mix it up with running a few miles, elliptical, or push/pull weightlifting. 

My biggest fault in the weight room is I just couldn’t get into deadlifts. Just not a fan. Maybe someday. 

posted by friendfromlowry

I don’t really have any recommendations for you. I don’t know that I’ve been canoeing lately so I wouldn’t know what it strains. I’d look into lifting programs especially for shoulders, biceps, and back muscles. 

As for me, I’ve been trying to work out 5-6 days a week. Mix it up with running a few miles, elliptical, or push/pull weightlifting. 

My biggest fault in the weight room is I just couldn’t get into deadlifts. Just not a fan. Maybe someday. 

It was mostly from carrying a 50+ pound pack on my back and a 35 pound canoe on my shoulders over a few miles of trails in between paddles as I moved from lake to lake. The paddling is the easy part.

Basically, I just need to be stronger overall. I was doing crossfit the first few years of doing these trips and while it was still tough I could recover by the next morning. And I used to take a lot more stuff before I started focusing on packing lighter. I probably took 75+ pounds of gear the first year.

I was in really good shape but kept getting small nagging injuries from movements I didn't like doing anyway. I had considered going back to crossfit and just not doing the workouts I had issues with but I'm giving this place a shot first. It's a little farther away but it's open 24 hours and has a lot more variety of equipment. 

Wendler 531 is a solid program. Pretty basic with the main lifts focusing on bench, squat, deadlift and standing shoulder press with accessory lifts. Nothing too fancy and you won't kill yourself on it but you will get stronger.

I’ve been lifting and doing cardio a long time.  I’m 52 for reference.

I practice a program that is three days on, one day off.  Two of the three are lifting and one is cardio.

For lifting, I do only compound moves.  Isolation exercises tend to hurt my joints at my age.  Typical workout is squats, bench, barbell rows, overhead press and planks.  I used to do heavier weights for 5 reps, but that’s too hard on my joints anymore.  Now I do three sets of twelve reps.  Every month or do, I do 3 sets of 8 reps at higher weights for a few sessions to mix it up.

When I do my 12 Rep/set sessions, I superset - set of squats, set of bench, set of some sort of pull and then repeat.  

For cardio, I do sprints on the elliptical.  15 seconds of all out followed by 2:45 of walking for 8 rounds.  That is hard as hell but gets the heart going.

My strength and wind is pretty good.  I don’t get sore from doing normal or strenuous activities.  So, there’s my $.02

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

I’ve been lifting and doing cardio a long time.  I’m 52 for reference.

I practice a program that is three days on, one day off.  Two of the three are lifting and one is cardio.

For lifting, I do only compound moves.  Isolation exercises tend to hurt my joints at my age.  Typical workout is squats, bench, barbell rows, overhead press and planks.  I used to do heavier weights for 5 reps, but that’s too hard on my joints anymore.  Now I do three sets of twelve reps.  Every month or do, I do 3 sets of 8 reps at higher weights for a few sessions to mix it up.

When I do my 12 Rep/set sessions, I superset - set of squats, set of bench, set of some sort of pull and then repeat.  

For cardio, I do sprints on the elliptical.  15 seconds of all out followed by 2:45 of walking for 8 rounds.  That is hard as hell but gets the heart going.

My strength and wind is pretty good.  I don’t get sore from doing normal or strenuous activities.  So, there’s my $.02

Very solid program.

I'm down to 3 days with the rest being walking or a superset of battle ropes/kettlebell swings for my up tempo cardio. I'd either walk or do an intense/explosive movement (HIIT) like sprints, farmers walks, sled pushes or the battle rope/kettlebell circuit I mentioned. Steady state (i.e. jogging for distance) just raises cortisol levels and makes one skinny fat.

Unfortunately, the days of squats/deadlifts are behind me as my knees are shot. Shame because these are my favorite moves along with power cleans.

I'm still doing a split routine of: Chest/Tri's, Back/Bi's and then a separate day for shoulders. Normally it would be shoulders/legs but that's no longer in the cards.

I try to keep my reps between 6-20 with 20 being for an isolation movement like tricep pushdowns.

Keep it simple and stay consistent. You are going to be super sore those first couple of weeks. Stay with it! 

I agree with any of Wendler's programs as mentioned earlier.

If nothing else squat, deadlift (w/ proper form), and do a pull and press. Chin ups/Pull ups are great. Stay away from the machines. Barbells and dumbbells are your best friends.

Avoid any of the Olympic lifts for now if you are just getting back into the swing things. Can always add those in later. Just my 2 cents.

At my age I’ve come to believe there is no magic program.  Your best program is one that you’ll stick with.  Having a workout buddy (your wife) is good too.  Putting your body under stress - in a safe way - is the main thing.  

Workouts can never overcome poor food or beer habits.  I know this first hand and have run the experiment many, many, many times.

First day at the gym is in the books. I'm going to give the Wendler 5-3-1 plan a go and see how I like it. Today I just stretched and established my 1 rep max to work off of on 3 of the 4 lifts (didn't do deadlifts today).

I’m at the gym at 5:30am. I would not have guessed this as a possibility two weeks ago. 

posted by friendfromlowry

I bet that kid is stronger than I am.

posted by justincredible

I’m at the gym at 5:30am. I would not have guessed this as a possibility two weeks ago. 

Nice job  

posted by justincredible

I bet that kid is stronger than I am.

LOL

I just started getting serious about working out again.  I don't do squats or deadlifts because of the manufacturer specs on my prosthetic leg.  The first month I just tried to be active for 30 minutes every day.  Even if that meant just walking my dog in the evening.  

The advice here is really good except whoever said "stay away from the machines." 

The best advice was given by Winston. The best program is the one you will stick to.  

posted by superman

I just started getting serious about working out again.  I don't do squats or deadlifts because of the manufacturer specs on my prosthetic leg.  The first month I just tried to be active for 30 minutes every day.  Even if that meant just walking my dog in the evening.  

The advice here is really good except whoever said "stay away from the machines." 

The best advice was given by Winston. The best program is the one you will stick to.  

See, I'm not always stupid ;-)

As far as machines, I agree.  If they work for you, you should use them.  Are they as effective os free weights for a 20 year old healthy kid?  Maybe not.  But they are very effective.  Maybe because of injury, age, limited range of motion or simply not being comfortable using them, barbells aren't for everyone.  You can absolutely improve strength and muscular endurance with machines.  

I'm an old school meathead, having trained for over 40+ years now, and even I know machines have benefits. My "go to" are barbells/dumbbells, but I use a Smith Machine, plate loaded rowing machine, lat pulldown, pec dec machine and a plate loaded tricep dip machine in my garage. Hell, if I had the room I'd get some of the chest press machines that were out there just for more variety. More than one way to reach your goals and, as was mentioned, do what works and what you'll stick with.

posted by superman

I just started getting serious about working out again.  I don't do squats or deadlifts because of the manufacturer specs on my prosthetic leg.  The first month I just tried to be active for 30 minutes every day.  Even if that meant just walking my dog in the evening.  

The advice here is really good except whoever said "stay away from the machines." 

The best advice was given by Winston. The best program is the one you will stick to.  

That was me.

For a beginner or someone without great levels of strength - I'd recommend avoiding machines. In my opinion and experience, the 30-60 minutes you are spending in the gym can be better utilized with barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells, or body weight. But definitely more than one way to skin a cat. If it works for you, great!

On a side note, and humble brag, at 31 years old I was able to move 320lbs for 4 reps back squatting fairly well yesterday morning. 

Definitely not moving weight like I used to in my early 20's but as a dad with 2 kids and a full time job and life now - I will take it!

Anybody here develop golfer's elbow, and if so what changes did you make to working out?  Not sure if that's what I have, but it came on over a month's time, really weird pains deep inside elbow  and radiating up the biceps, even though there's no pain in the tendon itself.  Really starts to hurt after a set of curls.  Read somewhere to keep your wrists straight during curls, and that helps out immensely.

posted by birddog23

That was me.

For a beginner or someone without great levels of strength - I'd recommend avoiding machines. In my opinion and experience, the 30-60 minutes you are spending in the gym can be better utilized with barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells, or body weight. But definitely more than one way to skin a cat. If it works for you, great!

On a side note, and humble brag, at 31 years old I was able to move 320lbs for 4 reps back squatting fairly well yesterday morning. 

Definitely not moving weight like I used to in my early 20's but as a dad with 2 kids and a full time job and life now - I will take it!

I agree with your comments about someone just starting out. In that case, I'd start out with the basic compound moves with barbells/dumbbells then graduate to machines when one becomes more advanced. You want to build a strong base before moving on.

posted by Zunardo

Anybody here develop golfer's elbow, and if so what changes did you make to working out?  Not sure if that's what I have, but it came on over a month's time, really weird pains deep inside elbow  and radiating up the biceps, even though there's no pain in the tendon itself.  Really starts to hurt after a set of curls.  Read somewhere to keep your wrists straight during curls, and that helps out immensely.

tennis elbow band helps. Forearm exersizes makes it go away. 

Another 5:30am workout today. Deadlifts was the main lift. Good mornings and hanging knee raises for the additional work. I did use a machine for the good mornings (because I hate them) and it was great.

This is a video of the machine. I like that there is a qr code on each machine linking to a youtube video on how to use them. This is the owner of the gym we joined.

How’s the workouts been going Hulk(Justin)? 

Halfway thru week 3. I am getting stronger but still weaker than a 13 year old girl.