bigluke200

iTrader: (3)

Hey guys,

Thought I'd get a bit of a thread up for motivation and to help me progress.

Been training since '98-'99 or there abouts but only been messing about for the last 18months or so only getting to the gym once a week or not at all. (Partly to do with the birth of my son 18months ago and partly because I just couldn't face the gym anymore... I'm a sports therapist so I spend a lot of my day in the gym as it is.)

However I finally gave in to a chap that I had been treating and joined him for a few gym sessions. And what an inspiration he's been.. He's a Jehovah's Witness and squeaky clean, no swearing no gear etc etc.. Like a breath of fresh air!
So I'm back into it in a big way and have been hitting the gym hard for the last 8 weeks or so. We've almost been 'training lazy'- never taking anything to failure which is something I've never experimented with before.

Having been all about condition in the past I'm enjoying not giving a fook what I look like at the mo.. I'm super smooth and full of calories but loving it!

Anyone tried rarely hitting failure before? I can fully recommend it!

v man

Every set I go to failure on every body part everyday

bigluke200

iTrader: (3)

I used to be like that mate.. Every single set.
I'm sure ill be there again at some stage in the future but I'm really really surprised at the gains I've had just by planning how many reps etc before hand. Almost feels like I'm cheating the system! perhaps give it a try just for a few weeks man? See how you go?

I think if I was to happen to introduce some kind of synthetic hormones into my system at some stage I'd be all over the training to failure again! But training naturally I wonder if 'lazy' is the way forward?

v man

As you know mate there is no secret to training

2 movements
A stretch and a contraction

That's it

All we are trying to do is break down the muscle fibres so they can repair and thus grow bigger

It's 10% training 90% diet

bigluke200

iTrader: (3)

I like your philosophy man and I see where your coming from.. Keep it simple and grow!

However, there are 3 types of muscle contraction, then there are load angles, fibre recruitment and contraction duration to consider. If it was as simple as contract and stretch for each muscle group we'd all be getting massive on 1kg side raises and cable crossovers etc.

So IMO it'd be more like 90% training AND 90% diet.
(I know it don't add up )

What I'm getting at is that we're all trying to stimulate the muscle as much as it needs to grow. So if you can stimulate it to that level without overly fatiguing your body and using up excess calories that your body could be using to grow..then why do it?

StephenC

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.