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Here's what transformed me in 2009

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  • 14-12-2009 11:39pm
    #1
    Transform
    Registered Users Posts: 6,394 ✭✭✭


    Yes its a catchy title so what did you learn in 2009 that has helped transform your body/attitude to make you look/feel better or just basically get stronger/fitter?

    here goes my thoughts on 2009 (some old that need saying and some stuff that i have noticed is really important)

    1. You can't train if you are injured so stop neglecting your flexibility and weak areas.

    2. More good fats will speed up recovery time and will get you leaner quicker.

    3. Crossfit workouts will help in all aspects of your training and conditioning so stop sitting in the fence and go do a cindy and modify if needed

    6a00e54fd64bd788340120a5b39aa5970b-500wi

    4. If i was to do it all again i would have learned the olympic lifts sooner in life

    5. There are lots of people that talk a big game but can't back it up when it comes down to it - listen to those that have put time in under the bar, have the scars to prove it and have learned from their mistakes.

    6. The importance of glute work and glute flexibility is vital for progressive leg work without getting injuries

    More glute/lower back work please -

    rev-hyper-ex.jpg


    7. All the skinny guys that promise you they are eating lots are full of sh1t and need to sit down and feckin eat big. All the clients that tell me they eat really well but are still overweight are not following the plan i gave them and cheat too often.

    8. Girls - if you cant easily do press ups, inverted rows, lunges, dips and straight leg deadlifts with at least 40kg then please stop moaning about your big ass, flabby belly and bingo wings. Get with the program please and get really good at those moves

    deadliftO.jpg

    9. Guys - you are not leaner and more defined because your diet is not tight enough and you will not work on your poor conditioning (get your heart rate up every session please). You are not bigger and stronger because you are still following a program with a chest day, back day etc and refuse to do deadlifts, squats, lunges etc really hard or you simply are not just working hard period. Oh and i know what you are all about by the first thing you do in the gym and if its bench press (where is your shoulder pre-hab work first) or biceps curls (are you ****t1ing me - you are STARTING a session with biceps curls and you wonder why your arms are not bigger/more defined) you really need a reality check.

    10. I have said it a long time by now - nothing will do more for recovery/injury prevention than foam rolling in many forms.


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    #2
    d-gal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭d-gal


    Good points Transform!

    1. If your not made for an exercise don't do it. I feel like I am going to snap in two or have a hernia if I deadlift heavy so I don't do it, feels extremely unnatural to me. Transform doesn't do back squats (nearly sure anyways!). Deadlift and Squat are the two biggest exercises in the game but it can be done without them. Does not apply if your just lazy and don't like the DOMs the next day.

    2. Crossfit is not god. It's good but not that good. People become obsessed with it too easily. It does provide variety but give yourself something else besides conditioning work. If your looking for ultimate sports performance there is plenty of different options. Vary the variety! S&C coaches have proven that.

    3. Hanley, Podge and Kevpants are powerlifters, great one's at that. You are not. It's a specific sport so you don't have to follow their program to a tee. it's like a soccer player following a rugby players program. Completely different goals. If you want to look like Ronaldo then don't follow Wendler.

    4. Hip and shoulder mobility are 100% the most important thing for preventing injury in my opinion. So every workout do them and you will see huge improvement. Forget your static stretching. I have yet to be injured in 2009 (besides a dislocated clavicle which would of been pretty hard to prevent).

    5. Protein drinks are not the key to success for after your workout. Your carb intake is vital. Look for a proper post workout drink that is only specifically made for that time, post workout!

    6. Break up your main exercise. Deadlift - rack pulls, bent over rows, stiff legged. Squats - lunges, front squats.

    7. Rest! How f*cking key is this! If your properly training for a year then take a break, have a few beers and be a fatty for a week. You will come back, have a tough first week but you will come back fresher overall. There is a fun side of being an athlete, every great will tell you that. Never be afraid to have a blowout if you train properly for the rest of it.

    8. Foam rollers are brilliant for loosening up after a tough session. Power plates are as well. Don't be afraid to try something just because it is labelled as a gimmick. Yes it's not great for weight loss but by god it's good for DOMs! My own trainers and athletes will back that. The All Blacks don't use them to get rid of cellulite ;)

    9. Don't be a cardio junkie. Weights are for weight loss too! Vice versa on weights as well!

    10. Girls lift heavy plain and simple!


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    #3
    Coileach dearg
    Registered Users Posts: 416 ✭✭Coileach dearg


    HIIT.

    That is all.


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    #4
    BobbyOLeary
    Closed Accounts Posts: 859 ✭✭✭BobbyOLeary


    d-gal wrote: »
    (besides a dislocated clavicle which would of been pretty hard to prevent)

    Sorry to be OT but, a dislocated clavicle? How did you manage that?!

    One thing I learnt this year is that the Zone diet is not for everyone, fantastic for cutting weight but if you need to get a whole lot stronger it's probably not for you!


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    #5
    d'Oracle
    Registered Users Posts: 7,025 ✭✭✭d'Oracle


    d-gal wrote: »
    Transform doesn't do back squats (nearly sure anyways!).

    Pretty sure he posted a video of him doing Back Squats.

    I learned a lot.
    The more useful bits:

    1) The Big lifts are awesome.
    2) Oly Lifts are really awesome.
    3) Cracking gains in terms of fat loss can be made with relatively little equipment by the average/under trained trainee.
    4) The value of Intensity and mixing things up.


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    #6
    ragg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭ragg


    Its almost like you targeted this directly at me :mad: ;)


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    #7
    BraziliaNZ
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,671 ✭✭✭BraziliaNZ


    Transform wrote: »
    You are not bigger and stronger because you are still following a program with a chest day, back day etc and refuse to do deadlifts, squats, lunges etc really hard or you simply are not just working hard period.

    What's wrong with working certain areas on certain days? I do deadlifts, squats, rowing, bench press etc but on certain days during week. Seems to work for me ok?!?


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    #8
    Sangre
    Registered Users Posts: 12,153 ✭✭✭✭Sangre


    I presume he means people who have a very complex programme involving arms/shoulders day, back day, abs day and legs day and yet omit the basics like squat, deadlift, rows etc.,


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    #9
    BraziliaNZ
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,671 ✭✭✭BraziliaNZ


    Sangre wrote: »
    I presume he means people who have a very complex programme involving arms/shoulders day, back day, abs day and legs day and yet omit the basics like squat, deadlift, rows etc.,

    oh ok thanks. Who is that total babe doing the stiff leg things?


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    #10
    TommyKnocker
    Registered Users Posts: 3,829 ✭✭✭TommyKnocker


    BraziliaNZ wrote: »
    What's wrong with working certain areas on certain days? I do deadlifts, squats, rowing, bench press etc but on certain days during week. Seems to work for me ok?!?

    I don't think Transform's comment was aimed at you, as you are doing the compound lifts.
    Originally Posted by Transform viewpost.gif
    You are not bigger and stronger because you are still following a program with a chest day, back day etc and refuse to do deadlifts, squats, lunges etc really hard or you simply are not just working hard period.

    It is aimed at folks who are disillusioned with the results they are getting by copying the 2/3/4 split routines of seasoned bodybuilders, pulled from some web page or magazine and which consist of nearly all/all isolation exercises and neglect/refuse to do the compound and oly lifts.


    Personally I have made better gains in both size and strength since I started a 5x5 routine at the end of July then the whole of the previous year faffing around with various split/isolation routines.


    Best Regards,

    M


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    #11
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    I learned that a 7km each way commute on a bike does not make one fit.

    Extending it to 500km a month training however has a significant impact on body fat %.


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    #12
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    What transformed me this year was the realisation that I can. Its there, I can do it, if I's willing to put in the work. Fit bodies dont look that way 'because they eat very little' or 'they are lucky'. Fit bodies look that way because they work at it. Hard. And Ive learned that 'hard' is really really fun.

    I cant give tips on crosstraining, or powerlifting, or protein shakes. But I know if you havent got the oomph inside your head that really wants it, none of that is any good anyway. Thats what I got this year.


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    #13
    Transform
    Registered Users Posts: 6,394 ✭✭✭Transform


    Sangre wrote: »
    I presume he means people who have a very complex programme involving arms/shoulders day, back day, abs day and legs day and yet omit the basics like squat, deadlift, rows etc.,
    exactly and more bloody comments on what you have learned from 2009 please - Gem, Hanley, Trevor, G86, Patto, cardio, cymk, kev and you other posters as there are plenty of people out there that need 2010 to be a bit more productive


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    #14
    Transform
    Registered Users Posts: 6,394 ✭✭✭Transform


    Oryx wrote: »
    What transformed me this year was the realisation that I can. Its there, I can do it, if I's willing to put in the work. Fit bodies dont look that was 'because they eat very little' or 'they are lucky'. Fit bodies look that way because they work at it. Hard. And Ive learned that 'hard' is really really fun.

    I cant give tips on crosstraining, or powerlifting, or protein shakes. But I know if you havent got the oomph inside your head that really wants it, none of that is any good anyway. Thats what I got this year.
    now thats the stuff!!!


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    #15
    arybvtcw0eolkf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24,878 ✭✭✭✭arybvtcw0eolkf


    Can really add much more than THIS to the thread.

    Lifting, making gains & learning hasn't changed (for me) much in the last twenty years.

    I keep an open mind and love to learn something new, meh I just go out and train!.


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    #16
    Transform
    Registered Users Posts: 6,394 ✭✭✭Transform


    BraziliaNZ wrote: »
    oh ok thanks. Who is that total babe doing the stiff leg things?
    Not sure but she is in oxygen mag every now and again - a good mag for the women to pick up on training and nutrition (if you can avoid all the adverts)

    Here is the cover of an oxygen mag - now do you think she can do lunges, press ups etc no bother?

    oxygencover-kristalrichardson.jpg


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    #17
    jaggiebunnet
    Registered Users Posts: 1,356 ✭✭✭jaggiebunnet


    Oryx wrote: »
    What transformed me this year was the realisation that I can. Its there, I can do it, if I's willing to put in the work. Fit bodies dont look that way 'because they eat very little' or 'they are lucky'. Fit bodies look that way because they work at it. Hard. And Ive learned that 'hard' is really really fun.

    I cant give tips on crosstraining, or powerlifting, or protein shakes. But I know if you havent got the oomph inside your head that really wants it, none of that is any good anyway. Thats what I got this year.

    speech! couldn't agree more...

    bring on 2010!


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    #18
    Ciaran500
    Registered Users Posts: 8,225 ✭✭✭Ciaran500


    This all sounds like hard work :(

    EDIT: Might as well make this a useful post. What do people that have been lifting for years generally do? Do you keep lifting bigger and bigger and growing muscle or do it eventually just focus on maintaining your muscle?


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    #19
    gabgab
    Registered Users Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭gabgab


    Good stuff Transform,

    What has helped me along is just doing it, not thinking about or looking too far into it but just going for it. Eating better has had a profound impact also,

    Could not agree more on the guys who say the cant gain size/strength. We have a cahp that has put on 15kg in 8 weeks, and his numbers are going through the roof for the big lifts


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    #20
    amazingemmet
    Registered Users Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭amazingemmet


    Some stuff I learnt

    1: Dips on rings done heavy 3-5reps will give you freaky triceps

    2: I read a study a while back on the calories produced during exercise are actually a lot higher then they thought 2-3 times higher no exact figure was concluded in the study, ~ 1200 per hr with this in mind I started eating a lot more around exercise, mainly drinking shakes and its made a huge difference in every regard recovery, rest, training effect.

    3: you can out train a bad diet and get ripped you just have to be willing to put in a lot of hours

    4: The SAID principle is the guiding light of training. For those who don't know means Specfic Adaptation to Imposed Demands, it means that the body will adapt to the demands imposed on it. Also my interpretation of it also considers the higher the stress the greater the adaptation, for example I've started training hand to hand with a new flyer who is 25kg heavier then the last person I worked with I do all the basing at the beginning of working together it was a real struggle for me to push press the new flyer overhead but after three classes each involving about 50 over head lifts i am now able to press not pish press him over head with ease. It took one week to gain 25kgs in a lift just because it was trained all out for three sessions and some smaller sessions with minimal training in other areas, this leads to my next point

    5: you only have so much energy to recover and adapt/grow to your training so my thoughts on training now involve heavy specilisation in one area at a time and devoting all my energy to that.

    6: For fat loss dieting on low cals makes you feel like sh!t and generally my newer thoughts are keep my food intake the same mess with the macros a bit but just up my activity a lot more. This can be in the form of active recovery ie using an eliptical machine for intervals after leg day will aid receovery and boost metabolism, I normally use bands for my stuff.

    7:Normal people are scared of kids with abs

    8: Working in my industry has given me a messed up view of what people should be able to do.

    This is the most important thing I feel
    9: The human body is an amazing machine which can do amazing feats which may seem impossible but they are not you just need the will power to tell your body what it can do. All your strength is contained in the mind you just need to educate the body on how to do it.


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    #21
    G86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,660 ✭✭✭G86


    Transform wrote: »
    exactly and more bloody comments on what you have learned from 2009 please - Gem, Hanley, Trevor, G86, Patto, cardio, cymk, kev and you other posters as there are plenty of people out there that need 2010 to be a bit more productive

    I've learned:

    -Not to just assume I can't do something first time around, because I usually can once I give it decent shot.

    -Not to over think things, just get stuck in

    -That I'm quite competitive

    -That everyone in my gym pays the same amount as me, whether they're built like a brickhouse or not - so no more being shy about asking to work in with them when the place is jammers!

    -It's much more fun working out when you've people to discuss your workouts with :)

    -I need to cop on and stretch more, even though it huuuuurts:o

    -Burpees are the devils work...but worth the effort.

    -There's no point in trying to convince other girls that weights won't make them look like Godzilla and there's no point in getting insulted by their ignorance either.

    -And finally, the most important thing I learned is that it's not about the time you put in, it's about the amount of effort you put in during that time.


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    #22
    jayoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 703 ✭✭✭jayoo


    Started deadlifting this year


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    #23
    InKonspikuou2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 873 ✭✭✭InKonspikuou2


    Not so much this year but what i have learned in recent years since i feel i began training correctly.

    1. I set out my goals. Before i just wanted to get bigger but never really had any realistic goals. So i set out a timeline and what i wanted to achieve. This kept me positive and possibly allowed me to avoid potential injury by trying too much too soon. And i began recording everything in a diary. Kept me motivated by seeing the gains.

    2. Eat right. These days there is no excuse for one not to be eating right. There is countless amounts of info out there for free on the internet. And with the likes of lidl, aldi and offers in tesco, dunnes, etc you can buy healthy food for cheap. Tuna is dirt cheap for a tin, you can buy eggs for cheap in bulk, fillets of chicken are cheap, you can pick up steaks and fish for decent prices. Pasta and brown rice are also cheap. Peanut butter, cottage cheese bags of fruit and bags of frozen veg are also affordable. I changed my diet to consist of mainly the above, eating smaller portions at regular intervals. And it helped me immensely. I stripped body fat and i got stronger.

    3. I cut down on doing exercises that were basically pointless as by the time i got around to them at the end of my session i was too fatigued. I began to follow a mantra of less is best. So i based my work outs around the compound movements and began doing 5x5 or 4x6. My lifts gradually began to increase.

    4. I stopped doing cardio after my lifting days. I used to go jog on the treadmill for almost an hour. My sessions would take over 2 hours in the gym 3 times a week. But i changed it when i began eating better. I done cardio on non lifting days and shortened the time but increased the intensity.

    5. Rest adequately inbetween sets. Before i would just try time my rest inbetween sets because i had a list of exercises that i wanted to get through and i didn't want to be in the gym all day. I also used to feel rushed at times because i felt i was holding people up. But i learned to rest to the point where my body was ready for the next set. Cutting my work outs down to 3 or 4 exercises allowed me to be more confident in the gym and get rid of the stigma that everyone was watching me.

    6. Shock my body. I wasn't aware that my body would get used to a routine and this could cause me to hit a plateau that could affect my lifts and my attitude. So every 8-12 weeks i will switch something around such as switching out barbell bench press to dumbbell bench, close grip bench press to weighted dips, etc. Just to shock the body and keep it guessing what was coming next.

    7. Give myself proper rest inbetween work out days. I used to think that i needed to go to the gym on certain days and if i missed it my body would suffer. But now i will only go when i feel i am ready. And my body is better for it. Some weeks my new week starts on a Monday, others a Tuesday. Depends how much i have recovered from my last session. I will also take a week completely off every 3 months and just do light cardio. I also try get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

    8. Stretching and warming up properly. Something i used to neglect before. Now i will not begin to lift without stretching out and warming up with some lighter weights than my work set. Thanks to this i have remained uninjured for over a year.

    9. Cut down on supplements and gym accessories. I used to try everything from creatine to fat burners and i used to wear gloves and wraps. Now i save money by only buying whey powder and using what i used to spent on NO2 or whatever on food. This has helped my get bigger than anything i had previously been using. I also lost the gloves and wraps. My grip strength got stronger without the gloves and my forearms got bigger when i lost the wraps. I'll still wear a belt for squats though and occasionally deadlifts.

    10. Finally it was my getting my mind right. While lifting i will think of nothing about the lift and try to remain positive and believe that i will lift the weight no matter what. Concentrate on my form and almost visualize me lifting the weight before i do it. The mind is a powerful tool and can be a great asset to lifting if you use it right.


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    #24
    cmyk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,357 ✭✭✭cmyk


    1. Make improvements each and every session! (If I could only pick one this would be it)

    2. I'll echo what's been said regarding mental aspect. Focus when you're in the gym, (see point 1). I tended to go through the motions to a certain degree before.

    3. Set achievable goals/targets/timelines, to boost confidence.

    4. Read and educate yourself, read blogs/online articles/books etc to help reach your goals.

    5. I found out I got more than enough protein from diet, and pretty much ditched the shakes.


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    #25
    Khannie
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 37,485 Mod ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    I learned that it takes years of really really hard work for your body to reach peak fitness. The body is capable of amazing things. Really amazing.
    I learned that I haven't peaked yet despite working really really hard for years.
    I learned that adrenaline is an amazing painkiller.
    I learned what it's like to be concussed from a blunt force trauma to the head. Forgetting stuff is frightening.
    I learned what a really good diet is.

    I had a great year. God damn I felt great for the whole year. I don't think I ever got really sick this year. Definitely spent 0 days in bed through illness. That has to be a good sign.


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    #26
    Jumpy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,606 ✭✭✭Jumpy


    Khannie wrote: »
    I learned what it's like to be concussed from a blunt force trauma to the head. Forgetting stuff is frightening.

    +1

    Waking up in hospital with no memory of how you got there with really fuzzy recollections of some sort of scanning machine is pretty terrifying.


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    #27
    Lothaar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 473 ✭✭Lothaar


    Two 25-min sessions of HIIT per week is better (for me) than 8 hours of low-intensity cycling for weight loss. That's mainly cos I tend to eat wayyyy more food after cycling that much, replacing all the calories I burnt off!

    There is a huge difference between 35 mins and 50 mins in the gym. Huge. Thank God for flexible working hours, so I can take longer lunches!

    Alcohol and weightloss don't mix... unfortunately. Yes, even wine. :(

    It's counter-productive to skip the gym for work reasons. Busting stress and staying fit will make you more productive in work.

    When you're sick, don't workout. On your first day back in the gym, don't do any really intense exercises.


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    #28
    brianblaze
    Registered Users Posts: 2,101 ✭✭✭brianblaze


    1. You can take all the mediaction and Vitamins you want, the best cure for 'SAD' is going to the gym.

    2. I am not a hard gainer.

    3. The 'Big 3 Lifts' are by far the most worhwhile and rewarding.

    4. There is no point drinking beer. It tastes bad, ain't good for me and I dislike being drunk!

    5. Putting on 2 stone of pretty solid mass is an amazing acheivement, but only I seem to understand that.

    6. (And Most Importantly) Procrastination does nothing for anybody.


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    #29
    ragg
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭ragg


    Lothaar wrote: »

    Alcohol and weightloss don't mix... unfortunately. Yes, even wine. :(

    Pah, tell that to the 3 stone I lost, while still being a borderline alcoholic :pac:


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    #30
    Parsley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,144 ✭✭✭Parsley


    Consistency and routine go a very, very long way. Get this down and everything else becomes much easier. This goes for technique, diet, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, the whole lot. We are what we repeatedly do, excellence is a habit.

    :edit: also, ABBA makes great training music.


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    #31
    Lothaar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 473 ✭✭Lothaar


    ragg wrote: »
    Pah, tell that to the 3 stone I lost, while still being a borderline alcoholic :pac:

    Good point. I lost 1.5 stone a couple of years ago, whilst drinking practically every night. It's definitely possible.

    I wasn't eating enough real food, though, so a good bit of that loss was muscle. I ended up skinny.

    I cut back dramatically on drink this year (I love wine), ate well, and the fat fell off me. Much better overall. If you can do it - more power to you! My own personal lesson was that less drink allows me to get better results.


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