You're better off doing higher reps with lower weight.

this might be a silly question but do you guys consider bench press as free weights? my left shoulder is hurting recently from bench press I believe. not enough to stop my workout but kinda annoying.

I wonder if I should just do free weights only from now on, I always find machines sorta prone to injuries, especially how I have uneven shoulder lengths cuz I used to sleep on my right side all the time so my right shoulder is significantly shorter than my left.

Bench press is free weight. Typically shoulder pain comes from poor form. Do you have forward shoulders? Try to tuck your elbows in (a bit less than 45 degrees) and chest out when you do bench press and I'm sure the pain will subside.

Myself, I've been involved in at least some form of martial arts since I was about 8 years old, and when I was in college I began training for the professional circuit but never did compete at that level due to other things going on.

I was also on the college fencing team (a bit ten school) in the capacity of 2nd string bench warmer. I was just good enough to be on the team, but not good enough to sit on the bench. In order for me to sit on the bench I had to wait for a 2nd string fencer to be called off the bench.

I was also very active in a Medieval Re-creation group and sparred in full armored tournaments and mock battles for years.

Even now I combine martial arts, fencing, and medieval weapons fighting into my own type of workout. It combines light weights being maneuvered about, movement,and flexibility all into one. At 50 I'm still around 160 pounds with a 32 inch waist, flexible enough to front kick the chin of a 6' 2" tall guy (side hip flex not so good though), and strong enough that a 94 pound of portland cement is easy to handle.

While I'm not a body builder by any means, I have a well defined structure and am just shy of having a 6-pack. I have the center line going and one just see the hint of the stomach muscles. I was never really into cardio, but now I keep constantly moving in my exercising to keep my endurance up.

(08-28-2018 5:59 PM)dsouza Wrote:  I would like to know how people are training here and how your training has improved your goals?

I train entirely with free weights. Primarily squatting, pressing movements, pull-ups, deadlifts.. Some accessory exercises like lower back raises. I'm strong and pretty lean, so i'm ahead of guys who aren't, at least in that respect. Girls like it too, some are virtue signaling little liars who say they don't, but they all do. Strength and size are indicators of good genes, again at least in their own respect. I definitely get more sexual attention when i'm bigger too, more respect from guys too obviously.

How many people here believe machines and threadmills are just as great at improving fitness and sexual health compared to free weights and dumbbells?

I am not one of these people. Treadmills you lose the whole concentric part of the movement, no hamstring activation moving the body forward like you'd normally have.

I've read that maximal efforts using machine weights stimulate about half the hormonal recovery response that free weights do, as you've read too maybe. The comparison was between squats and leg-press, squatting stimulating twice as much GH secretion immediately and twice as great an elevation in protein synthesis over the next day. I do not think this is bullshit, but whether or not its important for us is another question.

What's your experience?

I've used bodybuilder style training in the past and the results were frankly pretty mediocre by comparison to what i achieve with less effort and consistency using barbells. If i'm training and eating on a regular basis, the results are pretty crazy. I shot up from 150 to 200 in about 9 months using this style of training, didnt go over 14% BF. Could have sustained up to 215 by the end of the year if not for other priorities. Never made it over 180 using BB training.

No doubt the biggest guys in my gym who aren't on gear are making regular use of free weights.

I think shape is determined largely by genetics, we want a well balanced routine, but that can be achieved in a simple way, training less than 10 fundamental strength exercises over the course of a week.

I have read many articles on google which state free weights mimic real life more, create more hormonal response but I don't know whether this is really bullshit... I get just as horny and big with machines. Can you really tell which basketball player has trained with machines and which with free weights on the basketball court?

For natural lifters, the age old wisdom is that heavy compound free-weight exercises are the best way to add mass. That seems to be backed up pretty well scientifically. Ultimately though, it comes down to personal preference for us. I notice more results with free weights, i also enjoy them more, but they are also a more likely cause of injury. Even if growth rate is half what it is with free weights, you're not injuring yourself, so progress maybe comes out the same given the almost inevitable injuries people incur using free weights.

If i were a committed athlete in some sport, i would probably train free weights. For bodybuilding purposes, probably best to split 50/50, starting the day with a big free-weight strength exercise, and moving on to machines for hypertrophy from there.

Age , injuries etc are all factors... Just curious how YOU'RE training?

Age 23. Herniated/bulged discs. Again all free weights. Heavy on Mon/Fri, and light/moderate on wednesday. Other days i take my dog on a hike.

(08-28-2018 9:39 PM)kocik2000 Wrote:  Mid 20s , 2 times a week . I do combination of both , small gym so just use what they have . One workout covers chest , back and legs . Another bicep , tricep , shoulders .

I always noticed cardio to give the most libido boost personally . But , since I am far from my cardio days I just do heavy bag and jump rope prior and after my workout to help my heavy lifting . In my humble opinion I get more blood flow throughout my body during cardio workouts ( talking from experience of my few years in kickboxing and regular boxing )

If not for my strong desire to one day squat and deadlift over 400 lbs, i would probably spend 5 days of the week doing some form of aerobic activity, 3 days being quite intense. Really the best thing you can do for mind and body so far as exercise goes.