Going to the gym is one of the few things that I look forward to in the day. Three times a week (at the moment), I get into my shorts, put my bag in the locker, and lift heavy with my prepared routine. After I'm done, I do a little bit of dancing in the studio, and head out for some food with protein.
Now, I'm not strict on my diet so my results aren't great. I'm a big fan of chili and I buy a lot of the canned kind at Target. That's one of the things I eat after a workout. Milk and eggs are another staple. Unfortunately, when I consume these two items, my stomach gets bloated and those abs are no longer visible. I accepted the fact that I'm never going to look like Ryan Gosling in 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' so I don't mind when there's a bit of a gut sticking out.
Summer's coming up so I try to insert one day of cardio in a week. I don't do a lot because I rather focus on strength. Too much cardio in my opinion means you won't get stronger in your leg workouts. Of course, I could be wrong because everybody seems to be an expert on everything these days.
"Oh nonsense! Do this and that. You'll get the results on what you need. Trust me, I'm an expert."
I've been hitting the gym for the past year and a half. My body is not too bad but it could be worse. Here are my five favorite workouts at the gym:
1) The Squat
One of the three big lifts according to the world of power lifting, the squat is a workout that will make your legs big. Ever since I started doing them, my legs became thicker, especially the glutes (or "butt"). When I first went to the gym and wanted to perform the squat, I was VERY intimidated because other people were doing them with a lot of weight. I tried it with a bar and I could barely do one set of ten reps. Eventually, I ignored anybody who gave off negative vibes (thank goodness nobody did) and worked my way up to being able to squat my own weight not too long afterwards.
It's a fantastic workout and not only does it build your leg muscles, but also the lower back and your abs. Great full body workout. The world would be a better place if everybody did squats.
2) The Deadlift
The second of the three big lifts, one that I consider to be the manliest. Reason is because you're lifting a s***load of weight off the ground! Sometimes I'm at the gym and when I'm doing this lift, I can hear a couple people nearby questioning what they're seeing.
"Hey what's that young man doing over there?"
"I have no idea. Looks like it might hurt."
The deadlift is an amazing workout BUT you have to do it right. Otherwise, you'll be heading to Snap City and end up breaking your back (or worse). There's a few variations of the deadlift but my favorite is the traditional version. Keep your back straight and lift heavy!
3) The Pull Up
Another workout that works on multiple muscles when being done. When I first did these, I could barely do two in a row. It was simply impossible. I thought doing bicep curls would have paid off but I never realized that I neglected my back muscles. I later realized that in order to do more pull ups, you have to keep doing them. Now I can do a decent amount. Neutral grip is my preferred form (as seen in the picture).
4) The Bench Press
The third big lift. Usually I substitute it with the dumbbell press because people at the gym LOVE the bench press. It's always being taken by big men. In fact, out of all the workouts, this is the one that I find to be the most intimidating. I simply can't do a lot of weight. I'm afraid of taking the bench press from somebody who can do a lot more. While I'm doing my sets with 35 lbs on each side, they're standing around, waiting to do their three sets of five with two 45's on each side.
Lately, I've been doing more bench press and I like them. They're much better than the dumbbell press and I like how it feels. Great workout for your chest and arms.
5) The Kickback
I discovered this workout when I was on a routine called P.H.A.T. (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training). It was something I did to get my body ready for Tough Mudder last year (not sure if it was a good idea). I would recommend this routine if you want your body to look awesome. The kickback is not a functional workout. What are you going to do with that motion? It's more for show than anything else. Keep doing this and your triceps will stick out when the arm is straight.
