Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (keith2237) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:20:37 PST

I think that is sage advice whether the lifter is 62 or 22, Silverback.

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (grffn) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:29:26 PST

Do what makes you happy Silverback!

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (Silverback1946) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:02:46 PST

Tried to edit to add but it didn't work so:

I should be satisfied with what I have done in training and on the lifting platform. At 62 I still need reminding. Health or ego?

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (Silverback1946) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:41:54 PST

Fred knows I have been struggling with this all my training life. I like to train heavy. Sometimes it's not what I should be doing and really not good for my health. I cycle back and use my head for awhile and then BAM! I go back to heavy training. Sometimes I'm lucky and don't pay with injury and sometimes I pay big. I would say that I'm driven and need to slow down once in awhile and take inventory. I'm better than I was........................ but still.

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (M BOB WHELAN) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:31:59 PST

Great Posts Jim, Fred and keith. Keith, thanks for the nice comments about the old site. Its not gone for good. We are coming back. The good news is that we got most of it saved but I'm limited by $ (paying my webmaster.) We already did a lot to get the site saved from the virus that was put into it by the hackers. The Store and old IC have been replaced as they were hit too. Its going to take awhile $ wise to get it all back up. I got a chunk of the old history section up now. Thats my top priority. In the next few months all of the old books and the entire old history section will be up on the new site. If anyone wants to help out just re-new (or buy) your cell phone with me when your contract ends (Click on The Wireless Shop) Every little bit helps. :-) Webmasters are expensive. After the history section is done, then I'll keep adding sections till its all back.

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (J Duggan) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:57:29 PST

The last sentence of Bob's last post---"It depends on the goal of the indivivual" ---is the key. Everyone has different goals, and, like most things, goals change over the years. I, too, at one point was one of those guys whose only goal was to keep addig weight to the bar, specifically on the three powerlifts. Each day I entered the gym, my focus was on the next contest and how I could pounds to the squat, bench, and dead. There was actually a time when I only did the three lifts, to the exclusion of all other movements. Cardio was a foreign concept. Was I one of those guys who ate like a pig, and was out of shape? Yes, I was. Unfortunately, like most 22 year olds, I knew everything and didn't want to hear another opinion. Fortunately, and luckily, my goals changed. It wasn't until I turned 30 that I even began to do any cardio. I also began to do a balanced program focusing on many different movements. I also began training with other people who trained...

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (M BOB WHELAN) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:35:03 PST

BTW Fred, I train most of my clients the way YOU train because it fits their goal. Its the most "bang for your buck" way to train. I ask them their goals when we start. Most of them want to get strongER ...(but do not want to train to be as strong as they can be.) They have more of an overall fitness goal and want to get strongER not strongEST. They also have a limited amount of time to devote to fitness and may not have time to do enough cardio - so the most TIME EFFICIENT way to train for the overall benefit of getting strongER and the most FIT in the smallest investment of time is the way you describe. Going to failure and working hard with shorter rest periods. Neither way is right or wrong. It depends on the goal (and the available time for other activities) of the individual.

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (Fred Fornicola) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:24:29 PST

I should have been more clear, but hastily threw the post up.

I did not mean to imply lifting heavy = being fat and out of shape. I'm referring to those who just have the "lift heavy" mentality and do nothing to address the other aspects of their health (CV, proper nutrition, rest, personal life, etc).

I am a firm believer in training hard - whether that means heavy or lighter resistance loads. I have been an advocate of high-rep training for some years now after having many lengthy conversations with Kim Wood re: the subject of reps and have found the higher rep/lighter compressive force to be beneficial on many levels - but that's another conversation all together.

It's my practice not to define anyone's goals so if hitting a PR in a specifc exercise is of primary importance, who am I to say it's wrong? I just personally feel that aspects of "fitness" (beter health, blood chemistry, functionality) is sometimes...

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (keith2237) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:17:40 PST

I think you both make some excellent points. Kudos to both!! While I really like this board and the discussions that occur here, I do miss the articles that were available before the Riff-Raff ruined the original site. Reading the articles about the workouts people had with Bob, Drew, and others were really inspiring and always got me ready for a great workout. Not to mention the great info from all the articles. Guys like Bob, Fred, and many others on here help keep us steered in the right direction.

That reminds me, have you heard anything lately from Sean Toohey? He posted some great articles also.

Keith.

Re: Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (M BOB WHELAN) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:39:37 PST

Good Post Fred. I see the point you are TRYING to make and mostly agree in theory but... lifting heavy does not make you fat or out of shape. It makes you stronger. period. Lifting lighter and faster will not make you as strong as lifting heavy (and there is no guarantee it will make you be in better shape either). It depends on what the HEAVY LIFTER does with his life habits. I think you assume that we only lift and do no other exercise. Its true that if we just lift HEAVY and eat like a pig and do no cardio, we will be fat and strong and probably sacrafice health. Been there. :-) Your post seems to associate lifting heavy with being out of shape and that is wrong in my opinion. Heavy lifting makes you STRONGER than light lifting which is why we do it. You are right that many guys who lift heavy are fat slobs, but they did not get that way from the lifting. They got strong from the lifting. They need to improve their diet and do some other exercise like cardio and be more active to...

Balancing Health and Chasing PR's

feeds@kickapps.com (Fred Fornicola) — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:55:25 PST

I often ponder the reasoning behind the way people train, especially when the goal is wanting to achieve a certain poundage in a lift just for the sake of lifting that poundage or achieve a particular level of bodyweight (unless of course they are competitive powerlifters or bodybuilder). It makes little sense to me to be able to lift a certain amount of weight or reach a certain level of "mass" (a term that ranks right up there with "bulk" - both meaning "I workout but there's a nice layer of fat over all my muscle) without being in good health and having a high level of fitness. Most people worry about what the numbers are on the bar instead of focusing on working as hard and moving quickly between sets so that their fitness can improve along with their strength. Remember, the body isn't chasing a PR - the mind is - and when it's time...