Just Another Day At The Gym

Archive for the ‘Workouts’ Category

Everyone considers the gym some time in their lives whether it’s because you see someone else that has those muscles you want or you get a reality check and realize that you are gaining way more weight than you thought you were. Either way it goes everyone has thought about or will think about going to the gym. It is almost impossible to compare or contrast exercises since each one does its own job independently on the body. Now there are too many exercises out there for just one post you are in luck, because in this post I will explain how two exercises compare next to each other and ultimately show which is my recommendation for the best workout.
The dumbbell bench press is an exercise used to get that pump into your chest muscles so that they pop out a little further. The muscle group involved is mainly the chest muscles. The secondary muscle group is the shoulders. The grip position is very simple. Once you know which weight you want to lift grasp the dumbbell with an over the hand palm grip. This type of grip is helpful when pushing the weight up because it gives you more leverage and control of the weight. You can also use this grip because it is easier to let go of the weights after a set rather than setting the weights into a stand or on a bench.
Rep timing is a term used when you are performing an exercise. It is the amount of seconds you take to push the weight up and guide the weight down. When performing the dumbbell bench press you must take about two to three seconds to push up the weight and another two to three seconds to guide the weight down to complete the rep. Now the entire point of the dumbbell bench press is to use dumbbells or any kind of free weights you can find. Free weights can consist of books, dumbbells, medicine balls, or anything that you can have a separate but equal amount of weight in each hand. That is the entire point of being a free weight. Being able to freely move your arms in the guided direction is how you will get the entire benefit from the exercise.
The barbell bench press is an exercise used to gain the mass effect of the muscles. The grip position of the barbell is very similar to the dumbbell. The overhand palm grip is used as an extra push of the weight since the thumb under grip is used so often. The over handed grip causes comfort of the wrists which you need since you’re bringing the weight down to your chest muscles. The biggest difference between the two is that you’re using a barbell instead of a dumbbell. The form used for the barbell is to use a two second rep timing and, not bounce, but tap the barbell to your chest so that you can the maximum range of each rep.
The main muscle group involved is the chest muscles. When squeezing at the full extension of the rep you will be working on the tension between the chest muscles with secondary muscle groups of the shoulders and triceps. This is how you achieve the ripple effect between the chest cavities. The weights being used in this exercise is the barbell itself and the separate weights that attach to the ends of the barbell. There are only a set number of weights that are used with the barbell but used with a bunch of them, the barbell can be very effective. When the barbell is being used you must have a spotter regardless of the weight being used. The spotter is a person who is standing right behind you with their palms facing upward just below the barbell in case you slip off the barbell. The weights are more diversified in this exercise than the dumbbell exercises.
The two exercises explained above are the dumbbell bench press and the barbell bench press. The similarities are that they work the same primary muscle groups. The secondary muscle groups are almost alike except that the triceps get involved in the barbell exercise because the arms are closer into the body. The exercises both use benches and they both can have the same handed grip positions. The grip positions are used according to the comfort of yourself. The over handed grip is used so that you wouldn’t have so much tension on the wrists and injure yourself. They both involve raising the weights above your chest and down to your body. The rep timing is sequential in both exercises and should be performed with great concentration.
As for the differences of these exercises; the form is almost identical except for the dumbbell bench press. The dumbbell weights allow you to get more of a squeeze at the top of the rep and more of a stretch at the bottom causing the muscles to rip a little further than the barbell can. The barbell is also using more than the muscles desired instead of isolating the chest for maximum effort. The barbell is great if you are performing more than one routine per day that you are at the gym. The dumbbell is the perfect choice to isolate that part of your body for maximum rip and concentration on those muscles. The differences between the two exercises make an immense impact on the way that you work out at the gym.
To conclude these explanations you can see that there are a lot of similarities such as the muscle groups involved, such as the chest and shoulders, the positions of the grips and arms above the chest, and the rep timing in which you have to perform perfectly so that you can get the maximum burn from each exercise. There are plenty of differences which include, the preferences in grip positions, weights being used, the range of the arms motion throughout the exercise, and the point of squeezing. Even though there are a lot of differences and similarities these exercises benefit the body in their own way. I personally recommend the dumbbell bench press because of the range of motion and the isolation of the chest muscles with very little shoulder work. Even though these exercises modify the same parts of the body, the exercise have their own way of working and according to your workout schedule you must choose them wisely. The dumbbell bench or the barbell bench press, compound or isolation, tremendous stress or multiple body part stress; which will you choose?

Form is what makes or breaks you in weightlifting. I’m not a professional or anything but I do know that if you don’t do your form right when you’re working out then you can eventually pull a muscle or rip something you weren’t supposed to rip. Form is how you perform an exercise. If you’re doing the military press and it tells you to raise the dumbell or barbell straight above your head with a slight bend at the elbow and slowly bring down the weight to shoulder level and then raise again. Do exactly that! Do not stretch too far down then shoot straight up cause then your muscles could over extend and you’ll pull something easy. When it tells you to slightly bend your elbows don’t just bend them all the way and then try to shoot up with all your force just for one rep cause then you’re wasting energy and your muscles aren’t getting the workout you intended to give them. When you go to the gym you’re there for one reason only and that’s to make a difference whether to build muscle, tone yourself, or lose weight, am I right? YEA! So do the exercises right and don’t forget about form! I see plenty of poeple out there that are swinging the weights up and down and not getting enough tension in the muscles or too much tension by over extending or holding a position in which they can’t rest enough for the next rep. Don’t be that guy in the gym where you suck at form and you want the best workout ever. Trust me, I did the preacher curls incorrectly and was out of the gym for a month because my biceps wouldn’t heal from being pulled so hard and long. (just a note: 90 degrees on the preacher curls and do weight that you know you can complete the allotted number of reps with). if you’re reading this post you’re maybe wondering if I’m gonna start with the whole form for every exercise and that’s not the case. You’re going to have to go to the pages up there ^^^^ and click an exercise to see how it’s done. Sorry guys but this is just a reminder post to do the form correctly so you won’t be that guy to injure yourself the first day at the gym and then de-motivate yourself to ever go back. Good luck and remember, perform the rep correctly.

If you’re reading this blog you obviously have questions about going to the gym or questions concerning exercises or something. Well at least you did the right move. You’re already thinking about going to the gym and have a workout plan in mind and if you don’t, then you’re definetely in the right place. When you have a perfect workout routine, in which you can check my post on how to pick the perfect exercise, go to the gym and do it. You can’t be scared.

When someone fairly new to the gym actually steps foot in the gym for the first time, they really don’t know what to do whether it’s exercising, asking if someone is using a bench, or what weight to start out on. Whatever the case is, you can’t be scared. You might want to use the weights someone else is using at the time, so just walk up and ask how many sets he/she has left. If anything jsut jump in his sets, and don’t be scared to because you’re all there for the same reason and that’s to get fit. If you’re scared to sart something new or not advance when you should be pushing yourself then what are you doing at the gym?

Well here’s a simple way to think about everything. You’re the one who went to the gym and you’re the one who is trying to further themself and you’re definetely the one that’s trying to set yourself up for success. You can’t be scared to improve especially if you’re just starting out. Don’t be scared to just lift a weight and start to do reps. If you’re working out off of a previous week’s info then make sure you’re increasing the weight if you’re trying to get mass or maintain the weight with more reps to get toned. Don’t be scared if you’re still struggling on the same weight as the week before. You’re perfectly fine. Don’t be scared to move up either. Cause you always have a spotter at the gym. Ask someone to spot you cause really that just makes that person feel bigger and better since you’re asking them for help. Don’t be scared to do it!!! Everything at the gym is your pace unless you’re in a program that sprouts you up like never before but nonetheless, it’s your pace and it’s up to you to set your goals.

How to set up your goals will be the next post coming to ya.

AH! So I figured I could lift heavy today so that I can rest tomorrow and it was AWESOME! I lifted heavier than I ever did before in the exercises coming up. I’ve done them all before as you can tell in the previous posts and it’s crazy how much I gained in less than a month. And yeah I’m working on getting that photo for yaw’ll and don’t worry it won’t be fake. I know what most of you are thinking, that I’m not gonna show an honest picture of myself but I will because my word is my bond. Well here’s what I did today for shoulders and traps.

Barbell Shoulder Press
4 Sets
10 Reps – 55 lbs, 8 Reps – 75 lbs, 8 Reps – 85 lbs, 8 Reps – 85 lbs

Bent Over Dumbell Row
3 Sets
10 Reps – 15 lbs, 10 Reps – 15 lbs, 10 Reps – 15 lbs

Some quick tips that are essential to the exercises above are below!

Barbell Shoulder Press – When you lower your arms with the barbell make sure you’re reaching the upper part of your chest and then explode straight up. Do not hold the down position for a split second rest because it’ll just make you tired and less motivated to complete the rep.

Upright Row – I advise that you use the EZ-Curl bar where you can have a little bend in your wrists when you complete this exercise. When you use the straight barbell you’re going to have a lot of tension in your wrists and you’re going to feel like they’re going to snap off or something. Make sure you go all the way to the bottom of your chin so that you’re getting the full contraction of your traps and shoulders.

Bent Over Barbell Row – Slightly bend over and pull the barbell upward toward your chest. For a great contraction of your traps and shoulders stop right before you hit your chest with the barbell and slowly go down with the weight. Make sure not to be using your back to do a rep at all cause if you do then you’re gonna wind up like me and have a back pain from hell. BE CAREFUL!

Front/Side Lat Raise – Keep your back straight and elbow bent slightly. When you raise the dumbbell make sure that your arm is eye level and repeat with a raise of the arms to your left or right depending on the arm you’re on. To make it clear, do a front lat raise and a side lat raise to complete one repetition.

If you’ve been reading my articles you’ll already know what to with a dumbbell shrug!

Bent Over Dumbell Row – When you’re completing a rep of this exercise make sure that you’re sitting at the edge of your bench or seat and reaching under your legs for the weights and while keeping your elbows bent slightly raise the weights simultaneously to your sides and squeeze at the top of the rep. Don’t go too fast because you won’t get anything out of a movement but you will get something out of a rep if you do it slowly and build that muscle.

NOTE: When I say build the muscle I mean ripping it when you’re at the gym. You cannot build muscle at the gym. Your goal is to rip and tear your muscles apart so that when you rest your muscles will expand trying to repair what you did to them. And I know that it all sounds crazy and that you’re thinking what the hell are you talking about but it’s true. That’s why you get a great meal AFTER a workout so that your body will build using those nutrients.

Okay so I’m trying a different workout schedule this week and confusing my muscles around cause I’m did Bi’s and Tri’s today and damn was it a workout or what! Now what I did was to test out how much I could lift after each exercise and muscle group so don’t be like “AH! WHAT HAPPENED HE LOWERED WEIGHT!” NO! I did certain weight after certain exercises to see what my limit was so while still getting a hell of a workout. I’m not gonna lie, I already see some improvement in certain workouts cause of the workout routines I tried from muscle and strength.com. So let’s not delay this anymore, here’s what I did….

Preacher Curls
3 Sets
10 Reps – 65 lbs, 8 Reps – 75 lbs, 6 Reps – 85 lbs

Bodyweight Dips
3 Sets
MAX Reps – BW, MAX Reps – BW, MAX Reps – BW

Now I did 3 exercises per muscle group and was out of the gym in 35 mins, which is not bad and still being able to feel the tears and ripping of the muscles is what I was looking for. I found it haha, and then B-L-OW! I felt every part of my bicep and tricep throughout every one of the exercises especially since you have to squeeze at the top of each workout. Don’t swing the weights; if you do, it’s too much weight. Don’t put your elbows out to the sides during the Tricep Extension, and DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT! use too much weight that you can’t fully do a complete rep with. You won’t get anything out of it! Be careful and lift with knowledge and not your ego!