how do you know
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how do you know - 3/28/2005 2:31:42 PM
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wlbeginner2
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when you've had a "good" workout?
I did arms today and even though I was having trouble on my second and especially third sets, I left the gym feeling like I didnt get a good workout. Is 3 sets for 3 different bicep exercises enough for just a beginner, or should I be doing additional exercises? Is there some kind of feeling you get after a "good" workout? Thanks
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RE: how do you know - 3/28/2005 3:55:30 PM
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cpl
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I assume you're talking about getting that pumped feeling, or the burn, or some soreness the next day- None of these can tell you for sure whether or not you've had a good workout. The best overall way of knowing whether your workouts are good or not is by monitoring your gains- If you can lift more weight over time, you're doing something right. If your muscles are getting bigger, or you're dropping more fat, then your workouts are definitely effective.
When it comes to being able to tell if an individual workout was effective though, you look at your performance- Let's say you've decided to do three sets for three exercises- Which is a good workout, by the way, beginner or not- If your rep range is six to eight, and you can do more than eight reps, you need to add weight. If you start out with a weight you can only do eight reps with, and by the time you hit the third set you can't even get eight reps out anymore, you know you've had a good workout- Whether or not you feel a burn or a pump doesn't matter.
(in reply to wlbeginner2)
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 5:59:52 AM
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Naviator
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I agree with you for the most part, cpl. However, I have experienced incredible gains with the Optimum Anabolics program using 8-15 reps. I tailor the weight to get exactly the number of reps that I need to, pretty much what you said. I judge the effectiveness of a workout by the presence of a pump because that indicates the muscle has been challenged. Some parts of the program dictate "taking it easy" by stopping 2-3 reps short of muscle failure, but I still get a pump on those days. Incidentally, my greatest gains in lean mass occur during those parts of the program. That being said, here's my disclaimer: Optimum Anabolics is not a strength-building program. It is a mass building program, so the rules are different. Otherwise, what you post here is absolutely true.
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(in reply to cpl)
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 6:09:31 AM
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Ceezer
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Naviator
I judge the effectiveness of a workout by the presence of a pump because that indicates the muscle has been challenged.
I think he's saying that he doesn't always get a pump, and I have the same problem. No matter what I do, or how much I beat on them, I can't get a "pump" in my chest. I won't be able to do any more reps, or even a single pushup, but still feel absolutely nothing in my pecs. In fact, my back and shoulders are starting to get that pump less and less. Seems like all I get it in anymore are legs and arms, but chest I've never had one.
(in reply to Naviator)
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 6:21:20 AM
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Naviator
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Are you still getting gains? Have you ever had problems with overtraining?
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 6:26:37 AM
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Ceezer
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Not as fast as the rest of my body, but they're coming. Chest has always been my problem area in both, strength and mass (shape/size).
Don't think I've ever overtrained them, though.
(in reply to Naviator)
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 6:29:06 AM
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Naviator
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I think you might be surprised. It's just as easy to overtrain the chest as it is for the arms. What sort of chest work do you do?
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 6:55:26 AM
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Ceezer
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3 sets of 8-10 reps:
Flat bench
Incline bench on Smith machine
Decline bench
Dumbell flyes or cable crossovers
Then, if I still feel like I have a lot of strength left over after these (maybe the weight felt light), I'll do 1 set of 15 on the hammer press machine (love that thing!).
(in reply to Naviator)
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 7:04:00 AM
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Naviator
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That sounds doable. How long does that take? Have you tried supersetting upper and lower chest movements? I personnally do not use a barbell on my chest. I prefer dumbbells or cables. You can also get a pretty significant chest blast from dips if you keep your head down and your elbows out. I guess we probably should have started a different thread.
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(in reply to Ceezer)
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 7:26:40 AM
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Ceezer
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Takes about 45 minutes. I'll try swapping dips in for the hammer press a couple times, and see how that works out.
(in reply to Naviator)
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RE: how do you know - 3/29/2005 8:05:17 AM
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andy
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It could be the amount of reps your doing...
Nav said 8-15 reps gave him good gains.
cpl said 6-8 im assuming he recommended it because he seen good gains from it.
I would say 5-7 reps, because that gives me best size results.
Goes to show "what works for one may not work for the other"
Try lower reps and see what happens. Heres few rep ranges you can try...5-7, 6-8, 10-15 try them and see what works best for you.
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We should live our lives as though Christ was coming this afternoon. - Jimmy Carter
(in reply to Ceezer)
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RE: how do you know - 4/1/2005 4:04:17 AM
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timhull1
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as i always say, "chop and change" once in a while, and keep them there muscles guessing
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(in reply to cpl)
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RE: how do you know - 4/11/2005 7:55:49 AM
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mindfreak
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I have the same problem as Ceezer...
I work on my chest but it never feels pumped. Heck, it never feels anything. All I lack is the ability to do more benches and push ups, but I can't really get pumped. Checked the position of my benches, they are correct... Is it meant to feel that way? Will doing more reps help trim the chest fat?
(in reply to timhull1)
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RE: how do you know - 4/16/2005 1:19:00 PM
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Master Of Puppets
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make sure it's correct form.
(in reply to mindfreak)
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