[Foghorn Leghorn]

(Original post by Powerlifter)
Get better shoes to squat in, I told you that when you first started - those pump things people are obsessed with wearing are useless.

The other lads squat using chucks or similar and squat over 200kgs in the rack just fine.

If it works for you then do it more often.

I use converse, are those chucks?

[Gallium]

(Original post by Foghorn Leghorn)
I use converse, are those chucks?

yup, i use Vans....same **** i think.

[Slumpy]

(Original post by Powerlifter)
Empire weightlifting club - Craig Coombs trains there (110kg with a 475 squat and the biggest bench press in Britian)

Ta for that-got myself down there today and it seemed pretty good.

[Riku]

Alright, here goes...risk of an aortic dissection or similar lethal incidents in a 19-year old noob-with a benign heart condition
Ffffffffffffffffffff

[Powerlifter]

(Original post by Riku)
Alright, here goes...risk of an aortic dissection or similar lethal incidents in a 19-year old noob-with a benign heart condition
Ffffffffffffffffffff

This is not a question - you lose!

[Riku]

(Original post by Powerlifter)
This is not a question - you lose!

Of course I mean, what is the risk?

[Sabertooth]

Not sure if you can help, but it's worth asking I guess.

I've been trying to lose weight and going to the gym for the past 2 weeks. I've been doing a lot of cardio but also weight lifting, I adjusted my diet to include more protein and less carbs with an overall reduction in calories. So now the question....I've put on 6lbs over these 2 weeks but weirdly my pants are looser, is this normal? On the one hand I feel like a failure for gaining weight but my biceps already seem to look a little bigger so I'm confused. Is muscle growth really that fast?

[Gallium]

(Original post by Powerlifter)
This is not a question - you lose!

gym open for Easter/bank holiday?

[Foghorn Leghorn]

(Original post by Riku)
Of course I mean, what is the risk?

Unless I am missing something, would it not be better to consult your gp and perhaps inevitably a heart specialist on this.

[PeeWeeDan]

(Original post by Powerlifter)
x

Hi Powerlifter,

I'm having a problem with my squat and depth. I can get down to the appropriate depth(wasn't a problem last competition anyway) but I'm having an issue with flexibility in that to get down to appropriate depth I'm needing to put a lot of weight on the front of my feet otherwise my legs simply won't bend enough(I'm massively inflexible).

Do you have any suggestions as to what I could do to improve this so that I can get a squat which doesn't resemble that of a pre-pubescent girl?

Thanks,

Dan

[Riku]

(Original post by Foghorn Leghorn)
Unless I am missing something, would it not be better to consult your gp and perhaps inevitably a heart specialist on this.

Been there already for something else. Never mind, anxiety getting to me again

[The Blind Monk]

(Original post by PeeWeeDan)
.

Not Matt but there are only so many useful solutions to getting to depth so I thought I'd throw in my 2 pence:
The easiest change is just to buy/wear olympic weightlifting shoes. The slight heel allows your ankle to dorsiflex better and this helps a lot of people with stiff ankles to squat deeper.
Second thing you can do is to foam roll/do soft tissue work on your hip flexors, iIT band, hamstrings, TFL, glutes and calves. This will not be pleasant. After that, you should probably stretch those muscles for 1 minute+ each. Keep that up a few times a week and you should get to depth reasonably quickly. Good stretches include the couch stretch and most piriformis stretches. Band distracted mobilisations can help if you're really immobile: google mobilitywod.

[Riku]

OK, some more specific questions.

a) I suffer pretty severe anxiety. Unfortunately that creeps into exercise as well-hence the questions about cardiac arrest and the like mid-training.
To reduce this, would you recommend focussing on aerobic fitness or strength training? I do incidental walking of say a mile or two, but it's hard to build up my stamina. I think it could help to be developed. Would it be safer to build this up before I start actually lifting, or am I still best doing resistance but with lighter weights?
b) As a direct consequence I have frequent bouts of insomnia or interrupted sleep. Quite often builds up during the week. Would you still advise me to train on these days (e.g. today) as usual, at a lower intensity, or not all and do something else if anything?

Thanks

[Foghorn Leghorn]

(Original post by Riku)
OK, some more specific questions.

a) I suffer pretty severe anxiety. Unfortunately that creeps into exercise as well-hence the questions about cardiac arrest and the like mid-training.
To reduce this, would you recommend focussing on aerobic fitness or strength training? I do incidental walking of say a mile or two, but it's hard to build up my stamina. I think it could help to be developed. Would it be safer to build this up before I start actually lifting, or am I still best doing resistance but with lighter weights?
b) As a direct consequence I have frequent bouts of insomnia or interrupted sleep. Quite often builds up during the week. Would you still advise me to train on these days (e.g. today) as usual, at a lower intensity, or not all and do something else if anything?

Thanks

Sorry to jump in on this again but do you have a heart condition or do you just have an anxiety disorder.

If you have a heart condition you have to go to your gp then get referred to a heart specialist for some tests to make sure it's safe for you to exercise.

If you just have a anxiety disorder, then no, anxiety does not directly cause a cardiac arrest. Years of high stress caused by anxiety can lead to heart problems which could in turn cause a cardiac arrest, but anxiety itself won't. Providing you are generally a healthy person then you should have no problems with lifting and doing cardio in the gym. I assume because you say you have severe anxiety that you probably get heart palpitations, if so palpitations caused by anxiety aren't anything to worry about (even when the heart thumps or skipped beats seem really obvious). The palpitations aren't caused by a heart arrhythmia but rather your state of mind, that's why it's highly unlikely you'll have a heart attack. Infact doing exercise tends to ease the symptoms of anxiety and heart palpitations. If you do feel anxiety coming on during exercise, stop and do some deep breathing exercises to ease it off. Another option is to consult your gp to get either some meds to ease the anxiety or some therapy to work through it.

[Riku]

(Original post by Foghorn Leghorn)
Sorry to jump in on this again but do you have a heart condition or do you just have an anxiety disorder.

If you have a heart condition you have to go to your gp then get referred to a heart specialist for some tests to make sure it's safe for you to exercise.

If you just have a anxiety disorder, then no, anxiety does not directly cause a cardiac arrest. Years of high stress caused by anxiety can lead to heart problems which could in turn cause a cardiac arrest, but anxiety itself won't. Providing you are generally a healthy person then you should have no problems with lifting and doing cardio in the gym. I assume because you say you have severe anxiety that you probably get heart palpitations, if so palpitations caused by anxiety aren't anything to worry about (even when the heart thumps or skipped beats seem really obvious). The palpitations aren't caused by a heart arrhythmia but rather your state of mind, that's why it's highly unlikely you'll have a heart attack. Infact doing exercise tends to ease the symptoms of anxiety and heart palpitations. If you do feel anxiety coming on during exercise, stop and do some deep breathing exercises to ease it off. Another option is to consult your gp to get either some meds to ease the anxiety or some therapy to work through it.

Thanks Foghorn

I have both, but the heart condition's benign (Incomplete Left Bundle Branch Block, sinus arrythmia). Been to the cardiologist to check it out, ETT and everything. I've been told I can exercise-I used to work out all the time before I found out I had it, and I only found out because I started having severe panic attacks and anxiety-induced chest pain.
I've been through CBT, it's helped loads on a daily level although I still have moments, but I always knew exercise anxiety and health anxiety in general was going to be one of the last things to go.
Still, I'm a lot weaker/a little less fit than I used to be even if I eat a little healthier but I'm wondering whether improving aerobic endurance will help me gain muscular endurance for heavier lifting anyway?

[Foghorn Leghorn]

(Original post by Riku)
Thanks Foghorn

I have both, but the heart condition's benign (Incomplete Left Bundle Branch Block, sinus arrythmia). Been to the cardiologist to check it out, ETT and everything. I've been told I can exercise-I used to work out all the time before I found out I had it, and I only found out because I started having severe panic attacks and anxiety-induced chest pain.
I've been through CBT, it's helped loads on a daily level although I still have moments, but I always knew exercise anxiety and health anxiety in general was going to be one of the last things to go.
Still, I'm a lot weaker/a little less fit than I used to be even if I eat a little healthier but I'm wondering whether improving aerobic endurance will help me gain muscular endurance for heavier lifting anyway?

Well that's good to know that you've seen a specialist, and if they says everything is fine then go for it.

As for the improving aerobic endurance, well it won't make you stronger only lifitng will make you stronger, but I would assume that improving your cardio/fitness will help when lifting as a fitter heart will pump blood and oxegen to your muscles more efficiently when working out. Certainly when i started lifitng I was unfit and got tired easily, then I started cycling and doing HIIT and it really had a positive effect on my lifiting ability.

[Isprint]

Hi just wanted to know what sort of workout I could to do to increase my upper body strength and also strengthen and chisel my abdominals. For example what reps and sets.. also nutrition advice would help
thanks

[ElizM_94]

(Original post by Powerlifter)
Please post your questions and I will try to answer as quickly as possible.

How can I tone/get rid of the excess bits of the inside thigh area? (Does that make sense? LOL)

[Mdawg]

90% of questions in this thread could be answered by people reading the stickies.

[Riku]

(Original post by Foghorn Leghorn)
Well that's good to know that you've seen a specialist, and if they says everything is fine then go for it.

As for the improving aerobic endurance, well it won't make you stronger only lifitng will make you stronger, but I would assume that improving your cardio/fitness will help when lifting as a fitter heart will pump blood and oxegen to your muscles more efficiently when working out. Certainly when i started lifitng I was unfit and got tired easily, then I started cycling and doing HIIT and it really had a positive effect on my lifiting ability.

That's good to know, thanks. Got another reason to stick with building up my cardio-although I'd imagine half the problem's rooted in the anxiety really.
Cheers