Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately there won't be any instructors around as it's a work gym - once you've had your induction, you're on your own! I'll pester another gym user instead
I don't understand... I am happy to do assisted pull ups until I build strength to do unassisted but I don't understand what the weights with the machine are there for. I am worried that I'll try to use it for the first time and embarrass myself!!
Basically the less weight that you put on, the harder it will be. If you use your own bodyweight then you are in effect lifting nothing.
He's talking about with those pullup machines. Where you kneel on pads....you set the weight to what you want to subtract from your own body weight.
Yeah, I meant if you set the weight on the machine to the same as your bodyweight then you are lifting nothing
Nice one, Adam. You got me. Except for one thing. I said I'd drawn back my fist...I never said I'd actually launched it. *nails him in the solar plexus while he's drinking his tea* Never mess with a hardcore feminist, Adam. (Now who was it who called me that?)
Hi Yoda, Lots of good advice, but I don't agree with you on the bulking up. I trained with weights for 4 years, 3 times a week (without a break). I had a personal trainer and my programs were changed every 6 weeks. I was rock solid everywhere and I bulked up big time. Even when working on Endurance, the weights I used were very heavy. The liquid Creatine I was taking before each workout (my idea alone)obviously helped that situation but when I entered the Martial Arts I discovered my workout program was detrimental to the style of Kung Fu I practiced. I had to tone it down with the weights (on the advice of my Sifu) and as I discovered, it was the right thing to do. I believe weight training is very beneficial for women and men, however, I would advise anyone practicing Martial Arts and weight training, to find a trainer who understands the Martial Arts, show him exactly what you practice, so he can tailor your workout programs accordingly.
The problem is, many "sifus", "masters" or just plain old instructors don't know squat about weight training or only know basic bodybuilding stuff. Any strength training program that doesn't leave you over training with your MA will not be detrimental to any style of fighting. I agree on finding someone who knows the 2 worlds, though they are sometimes hard to come across.
