Recommend a protein supplement?

The reasons the kind of guys who hang out in free weight areas only work their arms, chest and back is most likely because they have small man syndrome and want to feel big to mask their inner insecurities. One of the reasons why I rarely go to the gym.

Saying that I do like a good leg press, put the full lot on the machine on Sunday and 10 repped 120kg so I was chuffed, 3 of those and I was ready for a shake and a rub down.

Still nothing on Big Ronnie though, the guy is a machine.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

On your squat or for your bodyweight?

I take it by that rep range you are doing a 5 x 5 regime, or westside barbell, something along the lines of that?

You maybe want to look at a higher rep range before you start moving up in weight, those regimes are designed to help seasoned lifters break through plateaus not people just starting out, they won't work the muscle enough, at least not on their own anyway.

5x5 three times a week baby. And then unilateral stuff on top of that. 5x5 is perfect for beginners. More advanced lifters would go for much less volume. 3x3 etc. Or high rep challenges like 25rep squats. All of this is pointless for a novice.

If you look at the array of quality novice training programmes/advice from the likes of rippetoe, pendlay, bergener, and all the info on madcow & stronglifts youll see that 5x5 or 3x5 are both highly advocated as being perfect for beginners.

... just training to be honest, general fitness, aiming to break myself each and every time I hit the mat, ...

if you max out when you work weights etc (that's how I interpreted it at least) don't you find you get more clumsy when doing MMA? having stiff muscles and all?
I suppose stretching does a lot for you, but any other tips?

if you max out when you work weights etc (that's how I interpreted it at least) don't you find you get more clumsy when doing MMA? having stiff muscles and all?
I suppose stretching does a lot for you, but any other tips?

Good warm up, and then thorough stretches at end. Avoid high rep resistance exercise as it will leave you with soreness for longer.

If you have stiff/spasmy muscles, foam roll ftw its like magic.

5x5 three times a week baby. And then unilateral stuff on top of that. 5x5 is perfect for beginners. More advanced lifters would go for much less volume. 3x3 etc. Or high rep challenges like 25rep squats. All of this is pointless for a novice.

If you look at the array of quality novice training programmes/advice from the likes of rippetoe, pendlay, bergener, and all the info on madcow & stronglifts youll see that 5x5 or 3x5 are both highly advocated as being perfect for beginners.

5 x 5 is not enough volume if you are just starting out, but what do I know eh I could only squat 160kg for 5 reps at my peak ;)

Rippetoe is not bad but I would up the number of sets and reps slightly

It depends what you're going for I guess, if you want to maintain muscular endurance as well as out and out strength then you need to up the reps, and you need to mix it up with normal slow reps and fast or (with intent for speed) on the positive part of the rep to help improve the fast twitch fibres, explosive power is far more useful for general sports/life than just normal strength on its own.
Hmmm i'm gonna get myself back down the gym once i'm over this stupid chest infection.

Good warm up, and then thorough stretches at end. Avoid high rep resistance exercise as it will leave you with soreness for longer.

If you have stiff/spasmy muscles, foam roll ftw its like magic.

Avoid high rep resistance training........how long have you been training for?

if you max out when you work weights etc (that's how I interpreted it at least) don't you find you get more clumsy when doing MMA? having stiff muscles and all??

I max out just for fun, I don't do it for building muscle or for getting big; to put it simply the weights are there, and I smash them to put a smile on my face.

I do a lot of stretching for rubber guard etc so I'm fine with it al, don't really know what else I'd recommend to stay loose

MAde another video, just messing about before a heavy sweatsuit session yesterday.. I hate that fucking thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWP3KicVNuU

Hit the rec early this morning, it was freezing, Slayer was turned up way past 11

Is anyone still posting in this thread?!?

Awesome stuff chugit! you just given me a great Idea.

I love dips as they are probably the only intense arm/upper body exercise that doesnt kill my terrible shoulders. But I have no where to do them apart from gym which costs cash money. Ive also always wnated to stuff on hanging rings; dips, l-sits etc. But them rings you can buy cost a fortune. But what youve rigged up there looks good. Get some strong webbing and push it through a hard tube handle. Im sure I can improvise something like that.

I can tell you that hemp protein tastes disgusting.

I have avoided saying "like shit" as I have never eaten fecal matter.

am a big fan of Reflex Natural Whey

it has no artificial sweetners or flavours, i get the vanilla as its the most bland and then add it to smoothies, my cereal for breakfast, etc etc

i get some basic milk protein and whey from myprotein.co.uk in big old tubs. Has always seemed very reasonable and speedy. They also do stuff like mixer jugs and lifting straps, which is handy.

[edited to add] they also do refills, which means that my collection of big plastic tubs I'm not sure what to do with has stabilised somewhat and reached a demographic equilibrium.

I wish they'd make whey protein that tasted of mocha (coffee and chocolate mixed). and then a variety that tasted like jasmin green tea with milk, like the milkshake stuff you can get in Chinatown.

I find the fruitflavors a bit childish and it's just not very manly starting the day with a big glass of pink goo.

I use the vanilla protein as a neutral base and frequently ad chocolate and coffee powder to make a moccha

Vanilla, FTW.

Although I've got 2 similar vanilla products from the same company - one tastes like vanilla milkshake, but the other one's definitely more like white chocolate; which is nice.

Stop agreeing with me

makes me nervous

Yeah.

It's just more faff - I can't be bothered, especially as it's only a couple of quid difference when you're buying a few kgs at a time (and I'm often completely fucked at the point of mixing it up, or trying to focus on the workout about to commence).

I'm happy to concoct my own energy drinks though.

Got a Holland & Barrett £10 discount code:

Discount: £10

Minimum Spend: £25.00

Promotional Code: HB5103C

Expiry: 25/05/2010

Applies to: All

You can pick up 50kg tubs for relatively cheap,

WTF would you do with 50kilos of protein powder?

get HENCH

Buff

Ripped

Etc. I read this thread and it just made me hungry.