Extreme Tolerance

A Blog For Gear Geeks

Archive for the ‘Gym’ category

(Health) Club Culture: Dress For Success

January 5th, 2010

I was not very nice in my first (Health) Club Culture post. I railed about how the people who flake out in the first month just take up space and generally annoy me. If you are new to the club I hope you took that in the spirit in which it was intended, its a Glen Gary moment. Pick it up, do the work, earn respect and (most importaintly) accomplish your goals.

For this post I thought I would address something that my wife and I have talked about a lot. What do you wear to the club? Let me illistrate things you might see:

High schoolers with sleeves and sides removed from their baggy t-shirts.
Dude with way to much spandex.
Overweight person in dripping sweat soaked t-shirt.
Chick in sports bra.
Chick with way to much makeup on for the gym (or life).
Person with matching outfit.

So what should you wear? Here is a really short answer: whatever you want. All of the above people have it right. You need to pick something that you are going to feel good wearing. Keep in mind you go to the gym to work-out. So there is really no point in trying to look good. Sure I can understand not looking homeless but you don’t need to match, wear make-up, ect… If you look in the mirror and you are wearing short/sweat pants and a t-shirt, you are ready to rock.

OK, now I love the Under Armor compression gear. I am in shape and not self conscious. I could care less if people think I am showing off or nasty because I my gear is form fitting. You should be picking up on a theme by now, work out for you, not anyone else.

In summary: Wear what you want. Screw what other people think. Bring your war face.

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Posted in Club Culture, Gym

New Years Resolutions

January 5th, 2010

So after trashing people who utterly fail at their new years resolutions, I figure that its only fair that people know what I am working toward. So here goes:

Gain 10 more pounds of muscle, bringing my weight to 180lbs.
After attaining weight goal, drop my body fat by 3% from 9% to 6%.
Take at least one and preferably two firearm training courses.
Complete the flooring in our house.
Get ready to replace my much loved and much used (2001/170k miles) Suby Outback.
Buy some real furniture (anything from Ikea does not count)
Take my wife on vacation to some place neither of us have ever been.

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Posted in Gym, Off Topic, Shooting/Hunting

(Health) Club Culture

January 3rd, 2010

As a hardcore gym rat, this is the season I hate most. This is the time of year will all the weak-will, chubby, fitness failures come is and get in the way of my workout. Thats right, if you are the type of person that just signed up for a gym membership, I hate you.

I know that sounds like the kind of thing that you would expect to hear from a meat-head gym rat. And it probably does not encourage you to keep going. But it doesn’t have to be like that.

While I hate all the first of the year people who will be quitting in a month, I have a lot of respect for the people who stick to their new years resolutions. So I have decided to do a series of posts on the things gym n00bs have done to annoy the regulars.

Tip #1:

Don’t Steal My Weights

If you approach a workout station and there is a towel and a notebook that has seen better days, or any sign that someone might be using it. DO NOT just barge in. Chances are I have walked away to get some water or more weights.

I know the gym is really busy so here is what you do:
- Start looking at your next station in advance, that way you can see if anyone is using it and you will have a good idea if you are going to be getting all up in someone’s grill.
- Ask if you can work in. Ya its really simple, ask nicely and you will get what you want. Here is a few pointers to keep in mind. If I am benching 225 and you want to jump in at 45, its not going to work out. Try to “work-in” with people who are lifting similar amounts or where the weights are easily reconfigured (such as machines). Second, if the I say, “I only have two more”. Just chill, I will do my two sets and the station will be all yours. I will probably even rest less just to get you in faster.

Moral of the story, be nice and be aware. The outcomes here are extreme. On one had you are dealing with over-testosteroned, jacked-up on stimulants, muscle freaks who are not thinking right (when I am lifting it feels like I am working with about 1/4 the mental processing power). But on the other if you earn a little respect you can ask any question you want and most just will be willing to BS, spot, handout advice, whatever you need.

Final note: Some women are really put off by the muscle freaks and it keeps them from the free weights. Don’t worry about it. We like to see women lifting and generally the reactions range from complete ignore to interest and willingness to help-out. It sounds like a bad cave man drama, but its mostly guys who have to worry about pissing off other guys.

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Posted in Club Culture, Gym

Tags: Club Culture fittness New Year Resolution

Simple Secret to Doubling Your Bench

December 15th, 2009

Ya it sounds like a headline for a questionable supplement but its way better. I have taken my bench from 135 to 225 with the addition of one thing. A spotter. With a spotter I can push until my muscles truly give out, without worrying about getting halved by the bar. Furthermore, I am not talking about one rep maxes (how is that useful anyway). I am talking about full sets of 8 to 12 reps.

To make it even better my spotter is my wife. I get to pump some iron and get some quality wife time. Its a win-win.

Oh and her bench has gone from just the bar (45) to 90.

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Posted in Gym

Tags: bench Gym spotter wife

BSN Dessert Protein: The Holy Grail of Protein

December 9th, 2009

A long time ago I stopped expecting my protein to taste like what the package said. Doing so was always a setup for disappointment. Instead of asking for the flavor to be like what the package says, I just ask that is not taste bad.

BSN Lean Dessert Protein Shake, 1.39 Lbs., Chocolate Fudge Pudding

Well I can finally say that I have found a protein that tastes exactly as described. BSN Dessert Chocolate Pudding is like eating one of those pudding cups you find in the grocery store next to the yogurt. It actually thickens as you stir it resulting in a viscosity that is thick but drinkable.

It comes in smaller sizes and its clearly not designed to replace your standard protein supplements. I have been using it when I a) need a break from my standard protein or b) need something to help me resist cookies. I am going to order a jug of the cinnamon roll and keep it at work for those afternoon bouts of hunger and cravings for sugar.

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Posted in Gym, Supplements

Tags: BSN bsn dessert Gym Supplements

BSN NO-Xplode: The First and Best Pre-Workout Supplement

October 28th, 2009

NO-Xplode is not an anti-explosive agent. NO-Xplode is probably the worlds most popular pre-workout supplement and the mother of all energy drinks. Unlike other energy drinks this is designed to be consumed before a workout. Before I share my thoughts on NO-Xplode I should back up and cover what exactly a “pre-workout supplement” is.

Pre-Workout Supplements

I pre-workout supplement is something, generally a drink, that is designed to be taken 15 to 30 min before starting your workout. Furthermore, they are generally designed for weightlifting workouts but would be used for other sports. They generally consist of caffeine, creatine, and l-arginine. Caffeine is there to amp you up and get you in the gym, creatine to give you that little performance boost and l-arginine is a nitric oxide precursor. Nitric oxide dilates your blood vessels during muscle contraction, increasing the blood flow or as users would describe, giving you a much bigger pump.

The NO-Xplode Experience

BSN basically invented the pre-workout segment with NO-Xplode. They sell tons of this stuff. Let me describe how it works on me after consuming:

2 to 3 min: I can feel my heart rate raise and my breathing becomes deeper and quicker.
10 min: I am starting to talk faster and do things faster
30 min: I WANT TO LIFT SHIT, NOW!!!!!!
60 min: This workout is amazing, I’m amazing, I should tell everyone on twitter how pumped my [today's muscle group] is right now! (note: this is also why my iphone stays in the car)
90 min: I can workout forever.
Post workout: I’m tired. I need protein, dinner and enjoy the zen time.

I know caps are obnoxious, but I think it accurately describes the feeling.

Granted you can take NO-Xplode and not have a good workout. Its an aid, not an auto-pilot. Furthermore, I have it on shaky authority that in 5% of people NO-Xplode does noting, my wife is among them. Sucks for her.

BSN just released an updated version of NO-Xplode. It will be interesting to try. You find after a few jugs of NO-Xplode that all the flavors basically taste the same, its not a bad thing, they just taste the same. I am also planning on branching out when I have finished my current jug. I think I might try the VPS NO-Shotgun, which I gather is similar to Bang!.

Do Your Homework

Now I did a lot of reading before trying a pre-workout supplement. I tried to understand exactly what every ingredient was designed to do. I have even had conversations with my doc about what supplements I use. For those in need of dot connecting… Do your homework and talk to your doc, everyone’s different, I’m not a medical type, look after yourself.

If you workout in the evening and are sensitive to caffeine you might want to look for a strictly NO/caffeine free product. You also need to cycle. a few months on, month off. The package outlines the plan and I believe is generally a good philosophy.

Don’t Shake No-Xplode

Finally, Can You Shake No-Xplode? There is a big warning label on NO-Xplode that says, do not shake. A little research shows reveals the reason. NO-Xplode is essentially carbonated. If you put it in a small vessel and shake it you could be creating a small bomb, kinda like a shaken can of soda. Despite what BSN’s site says, I doubt it would kill you… I mix it with a spoon, sloshing in a circular motion in a shaker bottle works as well. If you are feeling paranoid, do it with the drinking lid open.

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Posted in Gym, Supplements

Tags: Bang! VPX Workout

Scales Lie, Use a Body Fat Monitor

July 14th, 2009

I often tell people that endless hours of cardio is not the optimal, long term, way to loose fat. I usually suggest a very healthy amount of weight lifting (even for women). This is because weight lifting damages the muscles, prolonging the calorie burn as they are repaired. Additionally someone who is packing muscle will have a significantly higher resting metabolic rate. Here is the catch, as you pack on the muscle, you may find yourself getting heavier and not lighter. So how to you track your progress? Remember, you can’t improve what you can’t measure.
» Read more: Scales Lie, Use a Body Fat Monitor

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Posted in Gear Review, Gym, Supplements

Tags: body fat fittness Omron Fat Loss Monitor Review weight lifting weight loss working out

Battle of the Premium Energy Drinks: Endorush vs Bang!

June 16th, 2009

vs

Context:

To be perfectly fair, Endorush and Bang! are not exactly the same thing. Endorush is designed more as an energy drink than a pre-workout drink. Bang! is very much a pre-workout drink, that could compete with NO-Xplode directly. However, you will most likely find them being sold in the same case, side by side. Furthermore, both of these drinks compete with their powdered counterparts.

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Posted in Gym, Supplements

Tags: Bang! BNS Endorush Energy Drink No-Xplode Pre-workout VPX

BSN Nitrix

May 15th, 2009

So this is the part where people start asking where I am going with this blog. In other posts you talk about outdoor gear, now supplements? Strange I know, but time that I don’t spend adventuring or geeking out is spent in the gym. Now after that huge digression… BSN Nitrix.

Nitrix is the first “N.O.” product that I tried (although the N.O. is just part of Nitrix). The basic idea of N.O. is to dilate you blood vessels so you perform better in the gym. It does this with huge doses of amino acids. Is this safe? Well I asked my Dr. and he was not that concerned. Like vitamins what you don’t use you excrete. Nitrix also contains creatine and ton of B vitamins. All of this goes together to get you huge pumps.