Gaa training, gym, diet and injury advice

[Puckoon]

Im as sure as I can be without going down and checking it out. It takes me about 23 and a half minutes to run those 3 miles on the treadmill. Takes me about 25 minutes outside where I cant push myself by making the machine go faster. Also, when I went on holidays this summer, the gym in the hotel had treadmills in kph, and it was hard to get used to the adjustment. Im almost sure theres no way it could be in kilometers.

[stpauls]

Im as sure as I can be without going down and checking it out. It takes me about 23 and a half minutes to run those 3 miles on the treadmill. Takes me about 25 minutes outside where I cant push myself by making the machine go faster. Also, when I went on holidays this summer, the gym in the hotel had treadmills in kph, and it was hard to get used to the adjustment. Im almost sure theres no way it could be in kilometers.

fair enough, sounds about right! toburn fat you shouldn't need to go at that speed. a longer session at a lower speed will burn of more fat than a shorter stint at a higher speed! although i learnt that it doesn't matter how much work you do, you will not lose any weight if you keep having chocolate doughnuts with your 10 o'clock tea every morning! 

[Puckoon]

I just get bored going slower, plus theres too many young things in there to impress.
Ive a better way to not lose weight, Eat once a day, and make sure it has fat in it. Doesnt help either that Mrs Puckoon is pregnant.

"Did you say you wanted me to bring home Pizza love?"

[stpauls]

oh great, i have all that to look forward to!! the missus would say that now no bother and she is not pregnant!! a healthy appetite she has! although she is down the gym as much as me!

i know what you mean about the young women in these places, i am kinda glad herself goes with me, means my eye doesnt go a roving!!

[take_yer_points]

I go to the gym out in Uni - went back to study in the evenings so thought I'd avail of the £12 membership for the year and £1.60 every time I use the gym.

I use the threadmill more than anything - start off at 14 kph for about 3.5km and then start lowering it down as I get tired - most I've done so far is 9.5km. (I know people on here don't recommend the threadmill but I've got rid of a stone so far in the last 6 weeks so its doing the job!)

I find though that I get stuck on the threadmill and just keep running cause I don't know what weights I should be doing. What is best to do? Should I use the machines for doing weights or am I better to use the other weights? Should I be busting myself to lift the heaviest I can (won't be very heavy ) or should I be lifting something lighter and doing as many reps as possible?

Any help's appreciated!

[stpauls]

take your points, it all depends on what you want to do, if you want to just tone up, lighter weights with more reps is what you should be doing, or to bulk up you would lift heavier weights with less reps.

best thing you could do if you want to lift weights is to get a program set up by some one there in the gym. they have the knowledge to know what you should be doing and what is good/bad for you!!!

[AbbeySider]

take your points, it all depends on what you want to do, if you want to just tone up, lighter weights with more reps is what you should be doing, or to bulk up you would lift heavier weights with less reps.

best thing you could do if you want to lift weights is to get a program set up by some one there in the gym. they have the knowledge to know what you should be doing and what is good/bad for you!!!

I totally agree with St Pauls, you should get a program from one of the gym instructors.
If you are not used to doing any weights then start off very light. Typical reps of someone starting out would be
X 12 really light weight (if not already warm), and then 3 X 10 of a comfortable weight.

If you get a program its better than starting off on your own. The instructor will show you proper techniques so you wont hurt yourself and help you get the maximum benefit from the weights.

Also a program will help you target all of you muscles. A lot of fellas in the gym just concentrate on certain muscles and forget about others. This can be dangerous because you need to keep a proper balance.
EG you could get into trouble if you do loads of situps and bench pressing and not develop your back and lower back in tandem.

A few years ago when I started doing weights I totally forgot about my lower back and got incredible pain when I ran a few yards! My balance was wrong and my lower back was weak. I worked on it for a few sessions and its all good again.

[Brick Tamlin]

its good practice to go with the free weights if you would like to improve your core stability,balance etc and generally make yourself more steady on your feet, although never sacrifice good posture/technique to hit your rep targets etc, or you will end up hurting yourself, ie back pains etc.better to lift slow and methodically than trying to burst yourself with bad technique to get best results.

if your looking to build muscular endurance then its light weights with many reps ie simple bicep curls with barbell/dumbells  - 4 sets of 20 reps @ xxkgs.
if its building muscle mass then its the opposite, heavier weights with low reps ie simple bicep curls with barbell/dumbells - 4 sets of 5 reps @ xxkgs.
if its muscular power (speed & strength) then your lookin at more dynamic movements, lunges, squats, clean sweeps,power lifts, dead lifts etc.

personally speaking treadmill only benefits you so much in that if your training for gaelic football or any outdoor sports then your best to try and stick to terrain similar to chosen sport although this time of year it is a bitch, and the treadmill i suppose can monitor your progress alot better, just not fussed on it myself. Go for a road run if ye can, tougher all round and ye will feel a bigger sense of satisfaction for it i feel.
an example of one of my own sessions

Warm Up - 1) 5-7 mins skipping at intervals - just light stuff to get loosened and not too boring
               2) 10 mins on the punch bag - not non stop, have my own routine - again not boring.
               3) Bench pressing - 4 sets of 10 reps @ 80kg
               4) Bicep/Tricep dips off a bench/chair of some sort - as many as possible in space of 30 secs.
                repeat the above 3 times with 20 secs interval break in between
               5) Power Lift/Dead Lift 5 sets of 10 reps @60kg
               6) 20 mins spinning on the bike - spinning style depends on music on mp3.

etc etc etc...changes from time to time, depending on season,pain im in etc.

[take_yer_points]

take your points, it all depends on what you want to do, if you want to just tone up, lighter weights with more reps is what you should be doing, or to bulk up you would lift heavier weights with less reps.

best thing you could do if you want to lift weights is to get a program set up by some one there in the gym. they have the knowledge to know what you should be doing and what is good/bad for you!!!

I totally agree with St Pauls, you should get a program from one of the gym instructors.
If you are not used to doing any weights then start off very light. Typical reps of someone starting out would be
X 12 really light weight (if not already warm), and then 3 X 10 of a comfortable weight.

If you get a program its better than starting off on your own. The instructor will show you proper techniques so you wont hurt yourself and help you get the maximum benefit from the weights.

Also a program will help you target all of you muscles. A lot of fellas in the gym just concentrate on certain muscles and forget about others. This can be dangerous because you need to keep a proper balance.
EG you could get into trouble if you do loads of situps and bench pressing and not develop your back and lower back in tandem.

A few years ago when I started doing weights I totally forgot about my lower back and got incredible pain when I ran a few yards! My balance was wrong and my lower back was weak. I worked on it for a few sessions and its all good again.

Cheers guys! Think I'll ask one of the guys in the gym for something then!

I think the light weights starting off will get me started anyway. Thanks for your help!

[stpauls]

take your points, it all depends on what you want to do, if you want to just tone up, lighter weights with more reps is what you should be doing, or to bulk up you would lift heavier weights with less reps.

best thing you could do if you want to lift weights is to get a program set up by some one there in the gym. they have the knowledge to know what you should be doing and what is good/bad for you!!!

I totally agree with St Pauls, you should get a program from one of the gym instructors.
If you are not used to doing any weights then start off very light. Typical reps of someone starting out would be
X 12 really light weight (if not already warm), and then 3 X 10 of a comfortable weight.

If you get a program its better than starting off on your own. The instructor will show you proper techniques so you wont hurt yourself and help you get the maximum benefit from the weights.

Also a program will help you target all of you muscles. A lot of fellas in the gym just concentrate on certain muscles and forget about others. This can be dangerous because you need to keep a proper balance.
EG you could get into trouble if you do loads of situps and bench pressing and not develop your back and lower back in tandem.

A few years ago when I started doing weights I totally forgot about my lower back and got incredible pain when I ran a few yards! My balance was wrong and my lower back was weak. I worked on it for a few sessions and its all good again.

Cheers guys! Think I'll ask one of the guys in the gym for something then!

I think the light weights starting off will get me started anyway. Thanks for your help!

no problem mate, any time!!

[catchandkick]

Would love to do a weights programme to build up speed off the mark and only that. I'm 27 and I think I've done way too much bad training in my late teens early twenties- laps of the field, slogging in bad weather kind of endurance stuff. Have massive legs now a la Brian Dooher, Dara O'Cinneide but find I cant change pace much. Could jog around a field all day not a bother but find I get very tired doing a bit of a sprinting and even get cramps from sprinting even if very fit! Could beat most guys in a sprint but would only overtake them after about 50,60m

Any suggestions for a programme, fitness experts out there? Football season nearly at a close for me. GPA might sort me out with some dumbbells! The players come first!

[AbbeySider]

Would love to do a weights programme to build up speed off the mark and only that. I'm 27 and I think I've done way too much bad training in my late teens early twenties- laps of the field, slogging in bad weather kind of endurance stuff. Have massive legs now a la Brian Dooher, Dara O'Cinneide but find I cant change pace much. Could jog around a field all day not a bother but find I get very tired doing a bit of a sprinting and even get cramps from sprinting even if very fit! Could beat most guys in a sprint but would only overtake them after about 50,60m

Any suggestions for a programme, fitness experts out there? Football season nearly at a close for me. GPA might sort me out with some dumbbells! The players come first!

I came across this website last year, it teaches proper techniques in ftness training sports science...

Check out : http://www.brianmac.co.uk/sprints/index.htm

[AbbeySider]

3) Bench pressing - 4 sets of 10 reps @ 80kg
           

Thats an incredible weight!

40 reps of 80kg ?

[Bod Mor]

3) Bench pressing - 4 sets of 10 reps @ 80kg
           

Thats an incredible weight!

40 reps of 80kg ?

That's good going, fair play. I'm up to 4 sets of 10 reps @ 65kg and want to get that up to 80kg by Christmas. I want to get back playing Football for a team out here in Sydney for next year. I spent this year playing soccer but I miss the Football.

I notice going back through the pages that a lot of people use the treadmill for cardio. Lads, that is a pure waste of time. If you do half an hour on the treadmill and you compare that to running outside for that length, you will notice a huge difference.

[Brick Tamlin]

wo wo hold on thats 80kg including the standard 20kg olympic bar!!!so its only 60kgs really, forgive me.
I Gradually built up to that weight, its pretty much my comfort zone at the moment and i aint goin any higher, ive no need to right now. Dont get me wrong if i stopped for a week or so id be back down again to lower weights easily. Takin into consideration im tall and heavily built then its suitable enough for someone my physique.

got to agree with the treadmill issue though, stay off the dam thing..if ye trained flat out all winter on the treadmill then went to pre season thinkin that your goin to have a distinct advantage over the other guys then your mistaken, terrain is the key, train specifically to the environment your sport requires..its a bigger challenge and better in long run.(boom boom)

Cathandkick, sounds like you have developed your body through your early teens to suit long distance, endurance type activities and the bulk of your power lies in your thighs now. what you need to do is try and develop your fast-twitch muscle fibres instead of your slow-twitch, at the moment id say your at ratio of 75:25 slow to fast which basically means that your body has become accustomed to all those slogging sessions through the years and not enough explosive,speed,power based activities have been performed. you need to try and re-address the balance and since your still relatively young (peak age) then you should have no real problems. my advice (and im no expert) is to look into plyometrics, leaps, bounds, jumps etc within exercises. on the field your lookin to do shuttle runs over short distances with plenty of turns, loadsa cones etc. the emphasis is on short sharp bursts in various directions. alot of good techniques and advice can be found from Rugby coaches, magazines,books etc.read up on it and you will find its quite interesting.