The Official Gym & Fitness Thread

There's just no point though

 

Not if all you want to do is look like you have muscles. It's great for doing sports that require strength and balance.

 

If I'm solely wanting to increase my functional strength and muscle mass, what do you guys think is the best approach for legs?

I've always heard that there are two staples for any strength program: The back squat, and of course, the one-legged-hang-snatch-overhead-squat-on-medicine-ball.

 

Exactly, these exercises are crucial for many legitimate sports. Like crossfit, for example.

 

i've heard that too....along with the inverted barefoot handstand barbell footpress

 

It's compounded with other exercises. You don't just do these. I'm not all about crossfit or all about anything. I actually think the whole take my shirt off and do a WOD thing is completely stupid. But I see benefits to all exercise.

 

I think there's a difference between being able to squat and balance on a ball at the same time and wanting to be functional. Sure, it takes skill, but so does doing one-handed pull-ups, but one-handed pull-ups and balanced one-footed squats aren't specifically going to make you a better athlete. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's an impressive thing that the guy can do, but it's pointless and dangerous and there are other means of becoming a functional athlete than that. Maybe, if I were wanting to join a circus, I could see where'd I may benefit from learning to do this

Well, for functional strength, squats and deadlifts are the go-to's; that's why football players do them so much. Isolated movements like leg press and leg curls aren't as beneficial because only one leg muscle benefits from each exercise, something that an athlete isn't going to encounter. Athletes are going to need all muscles working at once, which squats and deads both do. There are plenty of others, as well.

For muscle-gain, you want to go for hypertrophy, which, for me, is 6-12 reps of as much weight as I can push with perfect form...aka, if I do 6 reps of 145 on back squats, I'm not hypertrophy training; I want to do 6 reps and not be able to do a 7th.

Oh, and of course, the one-legged-hang-snatch-overhead-squat-on-medicine-ball

 

I know man-- I'm just poking fun. Truth is, I could never do half of that stuff, but I would never want/need to either. I'm sure athletes have uses for some of the stuff...I'll never be sold on the upside down squats though

 

This is sig-worthy hahaha

 

I hear you, the upside down squat isn't a movement. It's someone doing something to see if they could. I highly doubt bay guy does those on a regular basis. And crossfit is all about deadlifts and squats and never have I seen a workout where you balance on a ball while squatting. Don't generalize people that do crossfit with with one person doing upside down squats and I won't generalize people that workout at "normal" gyms as self absorbed meat heads that do steroids and tan while they put selfies of their abs on FB ... or TW.

 

TacomaWorld 'Official Gym / Fitness Thread' protocol:

1. We talk about all the shitty food we eat
2. We talk about our workouts
3. Someone comes in and asks about supplements/dieting/working out and we answer them
4. Crossfitters come in and get mad when we poke fun of them

It's just the way it is.

 

Wow you guys really hate crossfit! Lol

 

personally, i don't have anything against crossfit.....but i still think its fun to make fun of them.....just part of your general, ball-busting camaraderie