[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Workout Strength Training? (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 10/9/2012 7:50:19 AM EDT
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Any suggestions for 40 YO male that just joined a gym? I found some
stuff on line but most of it seemed like crap. I would like to build strength and lose some weight not bulk up. Currently I am doing 15 to 20 minutes of cardio and lifting weights (arms chest and back) three times per week. Typically, three sets of each exercise for 8 to 10 reps. |
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Quoted:
Any suggestions for 40 YO male that just joined a gym? I found some stuff on line but most of it seemed like crap. I would like to build strength and lose some weight not bulk up. People who are worried about "bulking up" from lifting weights don't know anything about lifting weights. Actually bulking up takes lots of time and effort and dedicated training toward that end. Plus you have to lift pretty damn heavy to make that happen, and it won't be happening anytime soon. Lots of people pig out when they're lifting thinking that they need mondo calories to grow muscle. That's not true. What you really need is a good amount of protein (between .8-1 gram per pound of body weight per day, usually in multiple meals because you can only absorb so much protein in one meal) and enough fat to burn as energy. (Which you've probably already got on your gut already...burn that.) You only eat everything in sight if you're on steroids and doing advanced workouts (which could pretty much be described as physical torture) or you just want to get fat. So worry not about "bulking". Currently I am doing 15 to 20 minutes of cardio and lifting weights (arms chest and back) three times per week. What lifts are you doing? Machines or free weights? Are you following a program? If you want to get the best results from weight training in terms of weight loss and building strength, skip the machines, get yourself a copy of Starting Strength and work on a 5x5 or 3x5 program like the Strong Lifts program with The Big Lifts (squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bench, etc...) and follow that program for at least a year. Start out using just the bar itself and progressively dial up the weight following the program. There's even an iPod app for the Strong Lifts program. For cardio, do something that gets your heart rate between 120 and 150 BPM and keep it there for 60 minutes. Do that a few times a week and you'll build a good cardio foundation. Your resting heart rate will drop considerably indicating a much more efficient system. If you're interested, google "long slow distance" and "stroke volume" to find out why. The upshot is that it burns some serious calories while doing great things for your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. Look into combining all of the above with intermittent fasting. A very effective technique for creating calorie deficits...which is how you get rid of fat. Forget anything that tells you that you must eat like 9 times a day or you go into starvation mode. That's bullshit. You can go as long as 60 hours without food without having any negative impact on metabolism...and even when that happens your metabolism ramps right back up when you eat or exercise. So use intermittent fasting. Do all that consistently and you'll be where you need to be in no time. |
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Quoted:
If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. A lot of people don't really understand this, so I wanted to make sure it's emphasized again. Some people thing that if they just work out (cardio & weights), they can still eat shit - but it doesn't work that way. You can be strong and even somewhat fit, and still be a fat-ass. |
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Quoted: Quoted: If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. A lot of people don't really understand this, so I wanted to make sure it's emphasized again. Some people thing that if they just work out (cardio & weights), they can still eat shit - but it doesn't work that way. You can be strong and even somewhat fit, and still be a fat-ass. Maybe you can in your teens and twenties, but it gets progressively harder in your thirties, if not impossible in your forties. |
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Flexibility may actually be more important than raw, brute strength at 40. They at least go hand in hand. You should check out P90X, great overall program for general athleticism. If P90X is too intense, check out Power 90, then P90X. And like people are saying, the diet part of P90X is where you'll see the majority of the real gains. The workouts are good too. I've done it without the diet and I did get stronger and bigger, but I was never really cut. |
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If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. A lot of people don't really understand this, so I wanted to make sure it's emphasized again. Some people thing that if they just work out (cardio & weights), they can still eat shit - but it doesn't work that way. You can be strong and even somewhat fit, and still be a fat-ass. Maybe you can in your teens and twenties, but it gets progressively harder in your thirties, if not impossible in your forties. It's possible to lose weight eating Snickers and drinking Pepsi at any age. ...IF you measure the calorie intake correctly, and IF you are getting an accurate reading on how much you're burning. Which is extremely difficult to do. So it's better to just forgo the bad shit and use your calories on food that helps your goals like high quality protein and veggies. I'm lifting tonight, and then I do 60 minutes of LSD. Dinner afterwards will be 1.25 pounds of chicken cooked in a tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil with broccoli and about 60 calories worth of a garlic ginger sauce I found at Costco. Before I work out I'll have three eggs and some coffee with creatine in it. Plenty of protein, low calorie. That means I burn fat today...but I also build a little bit of muscle with the big lifts. Win/win. Oh, and did I mention that LSD workouts have actually been shown to be an effective appetite suppressant? That means you do a relatively easy workout (treadmill and an iPad for entertainment for me) for 60 minutes that makes your heart and lungs more efficient AND makes you less hungry. Losing fat is stupid easy. |
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Get a trainer for a few sessions to learn proper form. As a noob, gains will come easy for a while and you can get away with crappy form. As you start to get a little more advanced, your body will punish you for neglecting form. It will do this by way of of rips, tears, and pain in places that shouldn't be ripped, torn, or painful.
when you plateau, it may be time to consider more training sessions or reading up on the subject. Have fun and congrats for moving your body 
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If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. A lot of people don't really understand this, so I wanted to make sure it's emphasized again. Some people thing that if they just work out (cardio & weights), they can still eat shit - but it doesn't work that way. You can be strong and even somewhat fit, and still be a fat-ass. Eating is training. |
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If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. A lot of people don't really understand this, so I wanted to make sure it's emphasized again. Some people thing that if they just work out (cardio & weights), they can still eat shit - but it doesn't work that way. You can be strong and even somewhat fit, and still be a fat-ass. Maybe you can in your teens and twenties, but it gets progressively harder in your thirties, if not impossible in your forties. Good point - when I was in the infantry, we'd eat like shit (if we weren't in the field, obviously), and it was pretty much impossible to gain weight - given how physically active we were, combined with being young. I miss those days. 
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Quoted: Get a trainer for a few sessions to learn proper form. As a noob, gains will come easy for a while and you can get away with crappy form. As you start to get a little more advanced, your body will punish you for neglecting form. It will do this by way of of rips, tears, and pain in places that shouldn't be ripped, torn, or painful. when you plateau, it may be time to consider more training sessions or reading up on the subject. Have fun and congrats for moving your body I've found that fitness training is a lot like gun training. There's a lot of stupid, very few know what they are doing. |
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I go very heavy on cardio, then throw in some upper body work, but nothing serious. Although some go full retard, when you're in your 40s, you have limits. Lose the weight, get skinny and toned. Forget about what the 20 something body builders are doing. The last thing you want to do is screw your back up, as that'll put you back on the couch. |
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Quoted: I go very heavy on cardio, then throw in some upper body work, but nothing serious. Although some go full retard, when you're in your 40s, you have limits. Lose the weight, get skinny and toned. Forget about what the 20 something body builders are doing. The last thing you want to do is screw your back up, as that'll put you back on the couch. Not true at all. This is the time that he really needs to work on strengthening his back. There are members here who have started lifting heavy in their mid 50s with history of hurt backs that are stronger and more comfortable than ever. Not all weight lifting is "bodybuilding". I would fucking shit can cardio and lift heavy 2 or 3 times a week and spend one day doing conditioning (hill sprints, sled drags or prowler). Squat, pull, press.
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OP-
I urge you to go to a quiet place and absorb every single word of this post, for it is as close to the absolute truth as you're going to get. Quoted:
Quoted:
Any suggestions for 40 YO male that just joined a gym? I found some stuff on line but most of it seemed like crap. I would like to build strength and lose some weight not bulk up. People who are worried about "bulking up" from lifting weights don't know anything about lifting weights. Actually bulking up takes lots of time and effort and dedicated training toward that end. Plus you have to lift pretty damn heavy to make that happen, and it won't be happening anytime soon. Lots of people pig out when they're lifting thinking that they need mondo calories to grow muscle. That's not true. What you really need is a good amount of protein (between .8-1 gram per pound of body weight per day, usually in multiple meals because you can only absorb so much protein in one meal) and enough fat to burn as energy. (Which you've probably already got on your gut already...burn that.) You only eat everything in sight if you're on steroids and doing advanced workouts (which could pretty much be described as physical torture) or you just want to get fat. So worry not about "bulking". Currently I am doing 15 to 20 minutes of cardio and lifting weights (arms chest and back) three times per week. What lifts are you doing? Machines or free weights? Are you following a program? If you want to get the best results from weight training in terms of weight loss and building strength, skip the machines, get yourself a copy of Starting Strength and work on a 5x5 or 3x5 program like the Strong Lifts program with The Big Lifts (squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bench, etc...) and follow that program for at least a year. Start out using just the bar itself and progressively dial up the weight following the program. There's even an iPod app for the Strong Lifts program. For cardio, do something that gets your heart rate between 120 and 150 BPM and keep it there for 60 minutes. Do that a few times a week and you'll build a good cardio foundation. Your resting heart rate will drop considerably indicating a much more efficient system. If you're interested, google "long slow distance" and "stroke volume" to find out why. The upshot is that it burns some serious calories while doing great things for your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. Look into combining all of the above with intermittent fasting. A very effective technique for creating calorie deficits...which is how you get rid of fat. Forget anything that tells you that you must eat like 9 times a day or you go into starvation mode. That's bullshit. You can go as long as 60 hours without food without having any negative impact on metabolism...and even when that happens your metabolism ramps right back up when you eat or exercise. So use intermittent fasting. Do all that consistently and you'll be where you need to be in no time. ETA- Although I should add that you may not find the time to do all of the above. I find it difficult to put into words how much I hate cardio, first because interval training is far more effective, and second because cardio machines are little factories of misery, the use of which is something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Personally I only manage to sneak into the gym in my street clothes in between classes and work maybe three times a week. What do I choose to do in my very limited time? Heavy weight. Increased testosterone, increased GH, increased muscle tone, I'm enormously strong compared to just four months ago, and I'm nowhere near "bulky". Lifting heavy weight is fun, and makes you useful and difficult to kill. And now this post is the absolute truth. |
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I am 51 and started working out a few years ago. I honestly believe that I wasted a lot of time by not knowing what I was doing. I learned the hard way. Hurt my shoulders a few times. I weigh 188 and bench pressed 245lbs last Saturday. I do not do dead lifts because i hurt my back from incorrect form.
I learned that you cannot bench a lot of weight unless you work your shoulders also. If they are weak, they cant support the weight. I work out 6 days a week( All days start off with a mile walk with wife and dog) day1 Chest- bench press/ incline bench press, dips( broke a plateau when i started doing dips) and Dumb bell press( sometime i mix in DB flyes) Day 2- Pullups using a perfect pullup bar- 6X6 wide grip/ 6x6 medium grip/ 6 x6 using the handles/ 3 X10 dumbell rows/ 6x6 chin ups and finish off with bicep curls Day 3- Shoulders- seated military press/ arnold DB press/ curl bar upright rows/ DBside raises/ DBreverse flyes/DB front raises Day 4 Legs- i stay away fro anything that can hurt my back- 10 x 10 squat thrusts/ 10 x 10 lunges/ legs curls on my weight bench Day 5 Chest again. slightly less sets if it falls on a weekday after work Day 6- Back and bicep again Day 7 off Just take the dog for a walk I hit chest and back( bigger muscles ) twice a week |
| I don't want to just repeat what other are saying so I'll give some different advice. Start out very slow. If you are a beginner and you are 40 you need to be extra sure that you do not hurt yourself. Injuries are a big set back and can undo a lot of work. If you are using free wieghts consentate on your form and do not worry about pushing yourself untill you are perfect on your form. Don't expect results right away. |
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I go very heavy on cardio, then throw in some upper body work, but nothing serious. Although some go full retard, when you're in your 40s, you have limits. Lose the weight, get skinny and toned. Forget about what the 20 something body builders are doing. The last thing you want to do is screw your back up, as that'll put you back on the couch. Not true at all. This is the time that he really needs to work on strengthening his back. There are members here who have started lifting heavy in their mid 50s with history of hurt backs that are stronger and more comfortable than ever. Not all weight lifting is "bodybuilding". I would fucking shit can cardio and lift heavy 2 or 3 times a week and spend one day doing conditioning (hill sprints, sled drags or prowler). Squat, pull, press. This... I have had back pain for 15 years, started SS.....pain is GONE. Came to the conclusion my back hurt because it was WEAK. |
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Take a look at Stronglifts
Easy to follow program that focuses on Squats, Bench, Deadlift, etc. It starts you out very slowly but you progress each workout with added weight. I am able to bench and squat more at 43 than I could at 23 because of it. |
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If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. A lot of people don't really understand this, so I wanted to make sure it's emphasized again. Some people thing that if they just work out (cardio & weights), they can still eat shit - but it doesn't work that way. You can be strong and even somewhat fit, and still be a fat-ass. Maybe you can in your teens and twenties, but it gets progressively harder in your thirties, if not impossible in your forties. I have already limited my carb intake for the last few years to keep my weight down. |
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Quoted: You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. Good advice. I started working out earlier this year but I didn't want to diet, do cardio or stop drinking. I got stronger but my body looked exactly the same after 4 months. I am 38, BTW |
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Quoted: Quoted: You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. Good advice. I started working out earlier this year but I didn't want to diet, do cardio or stop drinking. I got stronger but my body looked exactly the same after 4 months. I am 38, BTW I still pretty much eat whatever I want, just as long as I do it in my 8 hour eating window and make sure I get enough protein. Which I do through shakes if needed. The joys of intermittent fasting. |
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Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. If you want somewhere to start, this is it. Once you have a good start, look up Bill Starr or similar. Rippetoe will keep you busy for a while. ETA: I didn't add much to this thread. Re-read Prime's post, and go to it. Learn first, and then build your foundation. Focus on the basics and do not get in a rush. This isn't a race, it's a process. Prepare yourself accordingly. |
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Maybe you'll read this and maybe you won't but I have some tips on weight lifting.
Start with weight totals that you can handle without injuries. Don't try to jump straight to heavy weight. You got to get conditioned first. And injuries will really set you back. Lifting is best done with another person. Nothing wrong with a spotter. Do the stretching exercises. Again try avoid injury. Can't tell you how many steroid shots I've had due to blown out elbows, shoulders etc, etc. BTW................I'm 65. GD |
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Any suggestions for 40 YO male that just joined a gym? I found some stuff on line but most of it seemed like crap. I would like to build strength and lose some weight not bulk up. People who are worried about "bulking up" from lifting weights don't know anything about lifting weights. Actually bulking up takes lots of time and effort and dedicated training toward that end. Plus you have to lift pretty damn heavy to make that happen, and it won't be happening anytime soon. Lots of people pig out when they're lifting thinking that they need mondo calories to grow muscle. That's not true. What you really need is a good amount of protein (between .8-1 gram per pound of body weight per day, usually in multiple meals because you can only absorb so much protein in one meal) and enough fat to burn as energy. (Which you've probably already got on your gut already...burn that.) You only eat everything in sight if you're on steroids and doing advanced workouts (which could pretty much be described as physical torture) or you just want to get fat. So worry not about "bulking". Currently I am doing 15 to 20 minutes of cardio and lifting weights (arms chest and back) three times per week. What lifts are you doing? Machines or free weights? Are you following a program? If you want to get the best results from weight training in terms of weight loss and building strength, skip the machines, get yourself a copy of Starting Strength and work on a 5x5 or 3x5 program like the Strong Lifts program with The Big Lifts (squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bench, etc...) and follow that program for at least a year. Start out using just the bar itself and progressively dial up the weight following the program. There's even an iPod app for the Strong Lifts program. For cardio, do something that gets your heart rate between 120 and 150 BPM and keep it there for 60 minutes. Do that a few times a week and you'll build a good cardio foundation. Your resting heart rate will drop considerably indicating a much more efficient system. If you're interested, google "long slow distance" and "stroke volume" to find out why. The upshot is that it burns some serious calories while doing great things for your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. If you want to shed adipose, a huge chunk of that is diet. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Lots of people have done well with the low carb/paleo/primal/what-the-fuck-ever diet. Worked for me to shed some adipose, too. Maybe look into it. Look into combining all of the above with intermittent fasting. A very effective technique for creating calorie deficits...which is how you get rid of fat. Forget anything that tells you that you must eat like 9 times a day or you go into starvation mode. That's bullshit. You can go as long as 60 hours without food without having any negative impact on metabolism...and even when that happens your metabolism ramps right back up when you eat or exercise. So use intermittent fasting. Do all that consistently and you'll be where you need to be in no time. Not the OP but I sure do appreciate this post, JW. Great info. Very helpful to me. A question for you (or anyone else w/ the answers!)... you mention not using machines. Why is this important? We have a bowflex at home here that I've been neglecting using. I'd like to start back on lifting, and would rather use this at this point in the game than going to the gym and/or buying new equipment. Can I get suitable beginning results on the bowflex, or am I screwing myself? I do have back problems, and a painful wrist, so I'm going to be forced to start out pretty light & be careful of my form. It seems easier to me to be able to control my movements w/ the machine vs. free weights. Thanks!
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| do not lift weights....waste of time. Full body range of motion training....Lifting weights and having muscles that are all "swelled up" is for looks, not function. fitness is endurance and strength...not just strength. Look up cross fit and shit like that.... |
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Quoted: do not lift weights....waste of time. Full body range of motion training....Lifting weights and having muscles that are all "swelled up" is for looks, not function. fitness is endurance and strength...not just strength. Look up cross fit and shit like that....  |
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Quoted: do not lift weights....waste of time. Full body range of motion training....Lifting weights and having muscles that are all "swelled up" is for looks, not function. fitness is endurance and strength...not just strength. Look up cross fit and shit like that....  |
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I'll go somewhat against the grain.
Agree with the whole "eat right" thing. It makes your efforts more efficient and that's a good thing. I did/do better eating good carbs instead of cutting them out almost altogether. But that's up for debate. Atkins/paleo ...whatever the latest name for it, seems to work well for a lot of people, particularly when weight loss is a high priority. If you wind up doing long duration events, you'll need carbs. I never liked lifting weights. I much prefer body weight exercises with a modest use of weights for certain exercises. IMHO, you're much less likely to injure yourself, using body weight. You'll gain more useful, well rounded musculature and will tend to stretch out better. (Only if you have a good program with good exercises, that is) A program doesn't have to be elaborate to be effective. If a person only did running, sit ups, push ups, pull ups and squats (using many variations of each exercise) you would have a pretty thorough workout. (Remembering to go to muscle failure for each exercise, except for the running. You fall down if you do that )
Good luck. I'm in the process of getting back to where I was, as well. Life gets in the way, and it's a pain in my ass. |
(snip...and I always screw this up because I can't see shit anymore. )
Not the OP but I sure do appreciate this post, JW. Great info. Very helpful to me. A question for you (or anyone else w/ the answers!)... you mention not using machines. Why is this important? We have a bowflex at home here that I've been neglecting using. I'd like to start back on lifting, and would rather use this at this point in the game than going to the gym and/or buying new equipment. Can I get suitable beginning results on the bowflex, or am I screwing myself? I do have back problems, and a painful wrist, so I'm going to be forced to start out pretty light & be careful of my form. It seems easier to me to be able to control my movements w/ the machine vs. free weights. Thanks! [/quote]
Using machines prevents the smaller "control" muscles from needing to fire. Yes, they're safer but you give up the benefit of having to control the weight. Another plus for body weight exercises. Balance, coordination, flexibility....no bar to crush you. EDIT to add: I'd post it but it's against the COC. Look up Body Rockers on youtube. Zuzana Light has some GREAT body weight exercizes. A lot are pretty advanced so you gotta do what you can. (one legged squats are not something you jump off the couch and crank out) |
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do not lift weights....waste of time. Full body range of motion training....Lifting weights and having muscles that are all "swelled up" is for looks, not function. fitness is endurance and strength...not just strength. Look up cross fit and shit like that....
times a batrillion |
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do not lift weights....waste of time. Full body range of motion training....Lifting weights and having muscles that are all "swelled up" is for looks, not function. fitness is endurance and strength...not just strength. Look up cross fit and shit like that.... not is......for no kidding....the dumbest thing I have ever read on arfcom. I hope you were joking. |
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Originally Posted By somebody, but ARFCOM code done messed it all up:
Not the OP but I sure do appreciate this post, JW. Great info. Very helpful to me. A question for you (or anyone else w/ the answers!)... you mention not using machines. Why is this important? Machines are great for some things, not for others. Great for targeting specific muscle groups in assistance exercises, especially if you're rehabbing some injured areas. Not so great for developing everything involved in more complex movements. A bench press, for instance, isn't just something you do with your arms. It's something you're doing with your chest, upper back, abs, glutes, lower back, and quads...IF you have to get that weight up off the hold, bring it into position, and then stabilize it through a series of reps. You can try an experiment: Try benching on a Smith machine on a weight you find moderately challenging. Then try benching the same amount of weight on a standard bench. Have a spotter handy. When it comes to developing overall strength, you want to activate as many muscles as you can...hence the big lifts. Squats, deads, benches, cleans, overheads...these exercise everything in one form or another. Hence their effectiveness at building a good foundation for strength training. Machines remove the risk of a free-weight falling on you...but decent free weight setups have safeties you can put in place that will handle dropping a heavy barbell loaded with plates without crushing you if you get to that point. Some machines actually put you in awkward positions and make it more likely you'll get hurt by straining something due to an artificially bad movement. I've never seen a chest press machine that accurately reproduced a proper bench. Somebody might have made one, but I've never seen it. We have a bowflex at home here that I've been neglecting using. I'd like to start back on lifting, and would rather use this at this point in the game than going to the gym and/or buying new equipment. Can I get suitable beginning results on the bowflex, or am I screwing myself? Strength develops in response to the demand you put on your muscles. You can certainly build strength with a machine, just not in the same manner that you would build it with a barbell. Progress is likely to be slower and numbers lower since you're going to be dealing with some restrictions on the movement. Nothing prepares you to lift heavy shit on a bar like lifting heavy shit on a bar. I do have back problems, and a painful wrist, so I'm going to be forced to start out pretty light & be careful of my form. It seems easier to me to be able to control my movements w/ the machine vs. free weights. Thanks! The simple answer is don't do things that injure you. Starting with weight training should start with light weights and learning the form...learning the way to activate your muscles. Rippetoe's guide seems to be a great starter with that. Little differences in how you visualize moving the weight and position yourself can make big differences in the actual lift. A lot of people get hurt because they try to get ahead of what they can actually move. If you follow a good progressive program by the time you are loading up a couple of hundred pounds on a bar to move it, you'll be sufficiently strong to move it or you'll have identified already that it's not a good idea to try. A lot of good work can be done with Kettlebells, too. A good KB program with KB's can help you build up to going heavier with barbells if you're worried about injury. Bonus is that it can also be done at home with minimal investment. |