A Monkey's Guide to the Gym

Monkeys,

One topic that I see pop up time and time again on here is regarding the gym. I have a particularly slow Friday ahead of me so I thought I'd post a brief guide to training since I imagine, for the most part, we all have similar lifestyles and the challenges that come with them. I'm going to try to make this a TL:DR version with links to other sources when more detail is imperative. I am not affiliated with any products/websites linked, they are just resources I've found helpful and beneficial over the years. Post questions, disagree with me, add to it, etc.

*Okay, I work 200 hours a week. Do I have time to go to the gym? What's a good routine for me? What is the most prestigious way to lift?*

If you can spare 45-60 minutes, three days a week, you have time to train adequately. If you can't, your group's culture blows but at least you'll be rich soon. I recommend any routine that focuses on compound lifts with a barbell - examples are Starting Strength ( I recommend this - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224 ), StrongLifts 5x5 ( http://stronglifts.com/5x5/ ) or anything that looks similar. With the limited time you have, you want something that is going to hit everything hard. Rigorous barbell training, when performed safely, will help you to build a strong, powerful physique. Your main lifts will be the squat, deadlift, benchpress, row and press. Unless you have awful some previous injury or are elderly (DickFuld, Dingdong) you can train with a barbell.

A quick note I will add is to always warm up properly. I run to my gym (~0.5m) and stretch: search youtube for limber 11 or agile 8 for good stretching routines.

*That sounds too easy. Is it enough? I don't even know how to perform those movements. Will I get TOO BIG? I just want to get toned bro.*

It's enough. Compound movements affect a LOT of muscle mass. If you have never squatted/deadlifted before you will be sore in places that you didn't know existed. To learn the lifts I actually recommend reading the book Starting Strength ( http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/09825… ) if you have the time and watching any instructional youtube videos by its author ( https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=art+of+manliness+rippetoe )

Saying you don't want to train with barbells because you'll get "too big" is like saying "yeah I want to go into investment banking but I don't want to end up being an MD at KKR later on." These things do not happen by accident and I get irrationally angry whenever I hear this. "Toned" is another dumb word - people use it to refer to the state of having muscle mass that is visible due to low bodyfat. How do you get muscle mass? Weight training. How do you get low bodyfat? We'll cover that next. Also, having more muscle mass burns more calories just to maintain and you benefit from increased calorie burn after resistance training.

*This is starting to sound good. I lift the weights, I put them down, got it. What about diet? We were thinking about pooling seamless and getting $500 worth of chocolate cake. Good move or no?*

Diet is important. Forget every stupid piece of bro science you've heard touted as gospel. "Eat low carbs," "don't eat after 8pm," "eat 42 small meals it's better for your metabolism" - it's all garbage. Follow the Pareto principle (80/20 rule) here. Unless you're a god and the laws of physics do not apply to you, calories in vs. calories out will dictate what happens to your weight. That is all you should focus on. Every day, just by virtue of being alive and moving around, you burn X calories as your total daily energy expenditure ("TDEE"). Eat more than that (a caloric surplus) and gain weight, eat less (deficit) and lose weight. Don't listen to stupid loony shit about carbs. However, DO focus on getting enough protein. Ask different people and you'll get a different recommended amount. I'll throw out the figure of 1g per pound of body weight to be safe - so if you're 180lbs, shoot for 180g, although 0.8g/lb is generally accepted as the "lower bound" of the range. I also find protein to be highly filling so I tend to err on the side of eating more.

*Interesting, I always thought fat loss came from those "one weird trick doctors don't want you to know" ads I see online. Well then how to I find my TDEE? How do I track my calories in?*

Use this calculator: http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ - it also has more reading if you'd like. Also, if you didn't realize it, you make a lot of money. Any of the IoT wearables that track your activity are a pretty good investment. I personally use the Fitbit Charge HR: https://www.fitbit.com/chargehr . Seeing the realtime feedback of how many calories I've burned is helpful and, if you're as competitive as I am, seeing trackable metrics will drive you to improve more. On the subject of tracking metrics, I also have a smart scale that automatically records my weight and bf% via wifi and also imports that data into fitbit. Again, you can afford the $100 or whatever. I use this one - http://www.withings.com/us/en/products/smart-body-analyzer - but there are other alternatives including one that Fitbit makes.

Tracking your food intake is tougher. When I was younger I tracked *everything* I ate for a while. Not kidding. It's a pain in the ass. Sadly I don't have the time for that now and I eat out a lot but I've gotten good at eyeballing things. If you do have the time, I recommend prepping your meals in advance and measuring them before hand and recording this. You probably don't though. MyFitnessPal ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ ) is a free app and can scan barcodes, has a robust database and even comes pre-loaded with common meals from chains. If you really want to go all out and be neurotic, this is your chance. A scale like this is good for measuring your portions or your drugs of choice too: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001…

*I hear a lot about supplements though. Which ones work? What should I take? What if I want a little something extra *wink wink*?*

Most are shit, underdosed and/or overpriced. If you're buying from GNC/vitamin shoppe etc. you've already lost. Any of the online retailers are pretty good. I use bodybuilding.com a lot but there are others. There are a supplements that are proven (have studies backing them) that work which I will list below. Probably missing something but this should be good for our purposes:

- Protein: not really an ergogenic supplement but very useful in helping you get adequate protein in your diet if you're unable to from food. Get whatever is cheapest / tastes the best. Slickdeals.com occasionally has some cheap postings. Right now I'm using Pro JYM.

- Creatine: shit works to improve strength and it's not just "water weight" though you will retain water. Also, drink a lot of water in general. Plain, micronized creatine monohydrate is fine and the most cost effective. If you get a pre-workout it will most likely have creatine in it.

- Beta alanine: this is primarily effective for high-rep / endurance work but it's good stuff and will most likely be included in a decent pre-workout formula.

- Multi-vitamin. self explanatory. Don't get a shit one that you'll piss out, you want a quality one with high bioavailability. I use/recommend Orange Triad, which also comes with other goodies like support for your joints, immune system and digestive system.

-Caffeine: self explanatory. Stick to tablets rather than powders because caffeine is easy to OD and you will feel like complete shit if that happens (extreme heart rate, uncontrollable sweating, inability to balance, vomiting etc). As a side note, Ephedrine is popularly paired with caffeine in what's known as the "EC Stack." It is a very useful tool for weightloss as it suppresses appetite and provides a lot of energy. Google this to find a guide. It is generally safe if you do not dose it excessively. It is also fully legal.

- Fish oil: helps your joints and general health. Get one with the right blend of omega acids and not a shitty one. I use/recommend Oximega Fish Oil.

- Pre-workouts ("PWO"): a good PWO will combine many of the above ingredients (caffeine, creatine, beta alanine and some others) and is designed to take before you train to improve energy. Always buy one with full ingredients listed so you know that you are getting efficacious doses. Shitty companies will hide everything in a "proprietary blend" so you don't know what you're getting, i.e. they're skimping on the expensive stuff to fuck you. One that I will recommend is Pre JYM.

- Steroids: if you're thinking of asking in here then you're not in a position to be using them. Illegal and will fuck over your endocrine system if you use them incorrectly, which you will without extensive research. Same with Pro hormones - avoid. If you train for a few years and want to put in the time to properly research and use them, go for it if you'd like.

*What about alcohol? Can I make sick gains and still drink?*

I will start of by saying alcohol is bad. It's like 7cals/gram (4-5 net after the thermal effect of burning it) and it stresses your body and inhibits muscle growth in ways I don't remember. That being said, you only live once and you probably don't want to be that kid who skips having three beers at happy hour because you want your squat to go up 0.078923lbs tomorrow. Have some fun. This site will tell you the most calorically efficient ways to get hammered: http://getdrunknotfat.com/ .

*Is that it? Are you done?*

One more thing, sleep is important. This is the most uncontrollable factor for many of you on here. You will probably not get enough. Hope you're in a group with no facetime.

 

Bro you go to the gym? I go to the gym too bro. We should go pick up some heavy things and put them back down again. Mirin post. Good form. Nice gains.

I don't have much else to add except I used starting strength and a variation of the GOMAD diet, I look like I actually lift now. Don't spend money on shakes. Don't buy expensive protein. Don't skip leg day.

 

If you really have no time, buy a bench and a few dumbbells. A couple sets of curls, flys, reverse flys and lateral raises every morning takes 20 minutes and if you already have a solid physique you can maintain it with that.

Leg day sucks. What's the point of having big legs - you'll just have trouble fitting into pants. insert various Dom Mazetti quotes regarding legs

 

All good advice, but I'll add two points:

  • If you're new just jumping into Starting Strength on your own can be a mistake because form really matters with compound barbell lifts. Get some help with form. A good trainer is ideal, but somehow someone knowledgeable. Worst case - video yourself. If you're new you won't always be able to "feel" good form, but if you study up a little and watch yourself on video you'll probably catch major flaws. Starting Strength doesnt use them, but if you decide to do Olympic Lifts take this advice x1,000

  • I do think Macro's matter. Calories and protein are obviously important, but so is a well balanced diet. I actually think you're (possibly unintentionally) underestimating diet here. It's one of the main things you can control and has a huge impact. And like you said, I don't mean no carb, because you wont be able to lift anything - eat a damn sweet potato.

twitter: @CorpFin_Guy
 

SB, though I don't agree with the focus on supplements. Unless you're training for competition or have dietary restrictions you can get what you need through a healthy diet and save $$$ in the process. Whey protein in particular has pretty much no actual nutritional value; the proteins strains within the powder are not the ones that are linked with advanced muscle growth. Stick to egg whites.

For those with limited time, squats deadlifts and presses (both bench and shoulder) are your friend. You can make some pretty decent gains with those four exercises and can bang them out in short order.

 

'calories in vs. calories out will dictate what happens to your weight. ' - common misconception. A calorie of coca cola is not the same as a calorie from an almond or apple. Where your calories come from absolutely matters. I agree with you as a general rule of thumb, but it is more complicated than calories in vs. calories out.

 
LeveragedTiger:

1g of simple carbs is the same as 1g of complex carbs. Anyone who says otherwise is a moron.

Exceptions for people who are diabetic or pre-diabetic. If you're from that or a similar category where blood sugar is important you need to watch your sugar intake closely, or if you actually do fall into the right category you need to consume it exactly as directed by your doctor.

 

This got way more attention than I thought so apologies if I skip over any questions. Also for the reader's benefit, note that I did not choose that weird chimp clip-art.

BreakingOutOfPWM:

SB, though I don't agree with the focus on supplements. Unless you're training for competition or have dietary restrictions you can get what you need through a healthy diet and save $$$ in the process. Whey protein in particular has pretty much no actual nutritional value; the proteins strains within the powder are not the ones that are linked with advanced muscle growth. Stick to egg whites.

For those with limited time, squats deadlifts and presses (both bench and shoulder) are your friend. You can make some pretty decent gains with those four exercises and can bang them out in short order.

No, I think we agree here. That's why they're merely supplements and not essential. I was anticipating the inevitable questions of "What about X? Should I take Y? Does Z really do anything?" to come up so I thought I'd address the major things. Back to the 80/20 rule, training/diet/sleep will dictate the overwhelming majority of one's progress. But for an audience with disposable income that is competitive and will always want to gain an edge, why not.

TXrealestate:

'calories in vs. calories out will dictate what happens to your weight. ' - common misconception. A calorie of coca cola is not the same as a calorie from an almond or apple. Where your calories come from absolutely matters. I agree with you as a general rule of thumb, but it is more complicated than calories in vs. calories out.

They are technically the same in the sense that burning each will raise the temperature of a given quantity of water by the same amount. Calories in/out will be the overwhelming deciding factor for body composition. They will clearly have very different micronutrient profiles, and I think most readers here have enough common sense not to derive their entire daily intake of 2500 calories from cola. Further reading for anyone else: http://www.iifym.com/what-is-iifym/ . TLDR (to lose weight): eat 15-20% below your TDEE, hit your protein goal, eat whatever for your remaining calories.

 

I actually don't like heavy 5x5 style training during high intensity career phases, rest is too important.

Let's say you have a relatively easy day and you work from 8 till 8. You go crush heavy squats at the gym, and the next day there's a fire drill and you end up putting in 18 hours... You're going to be a complete mess, it's just too much strain on your CNS.

Take up swimming, squash, tennis, etc...

 

That is actually a really good point that I hadn't thought of. I don't work the crazy IB schedule, but the times where I've lifted (relatively) heavy I've really needed good food and nutrition. I would've been a wreck on 4 hours of sleep.

Even worse than squats is heavy deadlifts.....your body needs to recover after a workout like that.

twitter: @CorpFin_Guy
 

I'm going to guess that the vast majority of the people on this forum are not moving enough weight to do any serious impact to their CNS. Not to mention, the sleep that night is going to be the most important period for recovery. What could potentially do damage is if you did a heavy leg workout in the morning and then had the 18 hour day that you described.

 

Very good post. One thing I would advise against though (unless you're very serious about your diet, water intake, and training in general) is using too much creatine. Yes, creatine does help to an extent. But it can have bad effects on your liver, liver enzyme levels, kidneys, and blood sugar. If you are hypoglycemic or diabetic, probably not a good idea to use it. If you drink alcohol frequently (which, let's be honest, we all do), use protein powder, and/or don't drink enough water, creatine can create some problems. If you use a small dosage and don't have kidney or liver issues or the blood sugar issues I already mentioned then you're probably fine. I'm no doctor, but my advice is to take it easy when getting into supplements. I myself have had minor issues but I've also seen more than one person get kidney stones. Naturally, I can't say with 100% certainty that it was creatine's fault. But nonetheless, it pays to be cautious.

"Successful investing is anticipating the anticipation of others". - John Maynard Keynes
 
SvenS:

Very good post. One thing I would advise against though (unless you're very serious about your diet, water intake, and training in general) is using too much creatine. Yes, creatine does help to an extent. But it can have bad effects on your liver, liver enzyme levels, kidneys, and blood sugar. If you are hypoglycemic or diabetic, probably not a good idea to use it. If you drink alcohol frequently (which, let's be honest, we all do), use protein powder, and/or don't drink enough water, creatine can create some problems. If you use a small dosage and don't have kidney or liver issues or the blood sugar issues I already mentioned then you're probably fine. I'm no doctor, but my advice is to take it easy when getting into supplements. I myself have had minor issues but I've also seen more than one person get kidney stones. Naturally, I can't say with 100% certainty that it was creatine's fault. But nonetheless, it pays to be cautious.

Not sure why this got shit but it is very true. Be cautious of creatine and do your research to use wisely. It can have significant effects on your liver (personal experience) and will retain much water weight. If you stop working out as routinely after using creatine, you will put on additional weight without a doubt. Definitely useful however use cautiously.

 

Good post. If you have experience lifting in the past and you don't think you can spare the 45-60 min. 3x a week, I highly recommend German Volume Training. It's 10 sets of 10 with 1 min rest in between each set. Including warm up, you can be in and out in under 25 min. When I've done this, I'll do a one day with of squats, bench and dead lift. By the latter sets you'll actually find your self panting like you just sprinted a mile. Super efficient way to get a lot of volume in.

Like I said though, it is not for novices and you'll be sore af for a few days, but it can really get the results your looking for on a short time window.

 

I would also add that you should not have a super intensive workout before you go out drinking. Muscle building occurs during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep which your body does not enter when you are intoxicated (it's too busy processing the alcohol you ingested). i.e. you will not have any gainz. Just go get a quick arm pump in so you might actually pick someone up at the bar

 

Thanks for the post. What are your views on set point weight? I have some pretty fitness / science nerded out friends that are anti the calorie in calorie out philosophy, at least in the sense that it is significantly more complicated than that. Accordingly to the set point school of thought, if I remember correctly, your body is constantly fighting to stay at a certain level, so it well over/under work based on caloric intake to maintain its set point. You can change your set point but it takes time to refresh. Seeing as you seem to have done a lot of research do you have a view on the whole set point concept?

 

Only observation is that squatting twice a week as per Strong Lifts and Starting Strength is dumb. A PPL split is a better use of time, especially if you want dem sick aesthetic gains instead of a huge squat ass.

Also, only supplements worth taking for the average lifter are protein, creatine and caffeine.

Unless you are on some ridiculous power building program with a crap load of volume at heavy weights, you won't be able to tell a difference with other supps.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
 

playing devils advocate, once you hit around 185/225 on your lifts, you really need to start thinking about the structure of your body and your muscle compositions or else youre going to injury yourself. for example if you naturally hyper extend your back then ill bet that sooner or later your gonna visit snap city. This shit is like corporate banking you cant just go straight to fo. you a need a jungle guide or its gonna take years.

 

This is just dumb in so many ways.

First of all, what lifts do you need to worry about at 185 or 225? Also, how is it possible that everyone has to worry in that narrow range? There is a WIDE variety of natural strength in people and between different lifts.

What does it even mean to think about the structure of your body? Of course everyone's individual body matters, but wtf are you saying?

And WTF is snap city in your back? Can injuries occur? Yes. Is form VERY important? Yes. Is "Snap City" in ANY way common? fuck no.

After a few years of Bro Workouts, bodybuilding style workouts, crossfit, and just general lifting I got in ok shape, but was still tall, pretty skinny and weak. After taking ~6 months off after our second kid I was tall, skinny-fat and really weak. I then spent 6 months doing 2 powerlifting cycles, I ONLY did bench, squat, deadlift or some variation of those 3. In 6 months I got in pretty damn good shape and much stronger (which is obviously relative). I focus a lot on form and do mobility work at home at night,

I now deadlift over 400, squat ~300 and bench ~250, all above your arbitrary #s. I am also more flexible and feel better than I ever have in my life.

So, genius, what exactly is the issue?

twitter: @CorpFin_Guy
 

dude is that how you normally respond to people who you disagree with? Lighten up dawg. Im suprised you got to those numbers and have no idea what Im talking about. What mobility drills are you doing if you don’t know anything about your body composition/ muscle structure?

Ill use squats as an example. Say you normally have an anterior pelvic tilt and you normally sit down all day for work okay? When you sit down all day, your hip flexors tighten up right? Then to compensate, your back hyper extends itself (that is if you tend to stand/sit up straight) right? Now you go to the gym and do some squats with improper form ( dude, Im not giving you every single detail like what is improper form, if you don’t know then go home) and BAM you’ve got a first class ticket to SNAP CITY. Now you say bu bu but I have good form. Well, how do you know that form is right for you? You need to be aware of your body structure and the different techniques youre using; how low can your body naturally squat without too much flexion/ hyperextension? If you low bar squat, should you squat below parallel? Can you buy some accessories to compensate?

I use 185/225 because in my experience thats a heavy enough load to alter your form and damage your shoulders/ back. And this is a beginner’s guide to lifting right? Hell, 155 on the overhead press is heavy enough to cause some serious damage.

Just a personal question, so are you still skinny? Dude congrats on your lift, your so close to 315 and 405. And dawg if you don’t know what is snap city then just go home.

 

One of those obvious, yet extremely easy to overlook, things that's worth noting: any smartwatch is capable of doubling as a step counter. The Apple Watch, Moto 360, Samsung Gear, Pebble...ALL of them will track your activity just as well as the fitbit does.

 
sabrina91:

Are these rules going to be different for ladies?

No. That's the most common misconception among ladies who want to get into shape. You need to eat "like a man," lift "like a man," etc.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

NO! one of the biggest mistakes women make is not lifting, even if it's not super heavy. don't be the girl with a yoga butt (aka nonexistent), and don't just run either, it doesn't work dat ass and makes you boring to talk to (omg I'm training for my first 10k! #blessed #fitlife).

subscribe to women's health, toneitup, there's tons of resources out there, but do not neglect weightlifting.

also Hugh, great post. gainz bro

 
thebrofessor:

NO! one of the biggest mistakes women make is not lifting, even if it's not super heavy. don't be the girl with a yoga butt (aka nonexistent), and don't just run either, it doesn't work dat ass and makes you boring to talk to (omg I'm training for my first 10k! #blessed #fitlife).

subscribe to women's health, toneitup, there's tons of resources out there, but do not neglect weightlifting.

also Hugh, great post. gainz bro

Haha this. The concept that someone can accidentally become 'too muscular' is fucking ridiculous.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
 

One thing I've found is that protein powder does strange things with your stomach. There are a lot of things you need to do for it to be completely effective such as having it with carbs or drinking a shit ton of water so you don't get some hideous kidney stones. I stopped taking protein last year (it's the only supp I used to take) and switched over to 2 glasses of 2% milk which provides me with about 20-22g's of protein as well as vitamins and carbs. Just my two cents on this- and I seem to be gaining mass a little faster/ my roommate is a team usa weightlifter and also recommended this.

 

Experiment with different protein blends, especially those with digestive enzymes. I used to use AllMax AllWhey which gave me mega gas. Switched to BioX Power Whey complex and have no issues now.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
 

Definitely an option for most. I tried that as well (been lifting for 5 years now) but I've seen awesome results with the milk and won't be going back. But for what its worth, I used to use Optimal Nutrition whey.

 

Awesome post. I clicked on the header expecting a cringe-worthy review of CrossP90xInsanityFit that gives you a "sick burn, bruh" and was instead very pleased with the advice given. Hugh Myron does even lift.

A couple points:

  1. Stronglifts 5x5 is the homeless man's version of Starting Strength. It's similar in its construction, just with less explicit explanation of correct setup and form, and with worse programming. I think with the rest & recovery protocols that most people here have, they aren't going to be able to support a 5x5 linear progression for very long. My old gym was 10 min from Amazon in Seattle, and I've watched a bunch of pencil-necked vegetarians run successful progressions on Starting Strength for 6-8 weeks. Pretty cool to see what good programming and solid coaching can produce.

  2. Yes, non-squatters, your pants won't fit anymore. Good. You now have the physique of a healthy adult male. Tailor your pants. Now they fit again.

  3. I think your nutrition guidelines are very appropriate for the audience. There's a time and place for discussing macros and nutrient availability, but total caloric balance is the right place to start.

  4. 5x5 isn't going to fry anyone's CNS. It might make you tired, but it's not quite the same thing. Weight has to be really heavy to demand high enough neural coordination to start to make you feel "dead," and if you can lift something 25 times in a workout, it's not heavy enough to have that specific effect. It may make you unable to take stairs the next day, however.

  5. The only thing that feels worse than squatting is not squatting.

Hugh Myron what WL shoes do you use? I have the Rogue Do-Wins-- they're hideous and indestructible. Had 'em for five years and they're still kickin.

"Son, life is hard. But it's harder if you're stupid." - my dad
 
Hugh Myron:
dmw86:

@Hugh Myron what WL shoes do you use? I have the Rogue Do-Wins-- they're hideous and indestructible. Had 'em for five years and they're still kickin.

I actually use my old wrestling shoes - nice and flat. Also indestructible from what I can tell; I've had these things forever.

Haha, I've been wearing wrestling shoes for years. I have 2 pairs of Asic Caels. I think they look a million times better than chucks.

 

Great post. You can't beat the "boring" olympic lifts (deadlift, clean, squats, press, row) when it comes to training. People who give excuses for not doing deadlifts because they "are afraid of getting too big" or "don't want to get too tired" are missing the point. Heavy lifting increases hormonal, specifically testosterone, levels. Also, track workouts (or similar HIIT activities) once or twice a week can be great for overall health and metabolism boosts.

Although total caloric intake is ultimately most important, the source and timing of calories matters quite a bit. The research on slow carb diets, mild ketogenic diets, paleo, and fasting is looking very promising and applicable, especially for people working banking hours. Sure, you can lose weight drinking cola and beer every night, but it's going to be more difficult and simple carb heavy diets will absolutely adversely impact your health in the long run. High fructose corn syrup is poison. Eating simple carbs regularly and trying to get through long days with reactive hypoglycemia and sugar cravings will definitely make dieting more difficult and contribute to much of the fatigue which many accept as normal.

 

SB-ed and bookmarked for future reference.

I exercise 3 days a week, but usually just run, cycle, or swim. Barely lift weights before, but now I guess I'm changing my routines. Thank you!

Fortes fortuna adiuvat.
 

Highly recommend people get in shape BEFORE they start working in finance. It's far easier to maintain a decent amount of muscle, than growing it by consuming more calories, training harder (progressive overload), and getting enough sleep (haha you work in IB).

Also run bloodwork, and see where your test levels are at. Chances are with high stress, lack of sleep, and a shitty diet, a 12 year old girl might have higher levels. Start fixing these things, and you'll see them climb again...lifting heavy stuff helps too.

I think- therefore I fuck
 
Marti Kahn:

Great post, have been lifting for years now, its a great stress reliever, have much more energy, look great naked. isn't that the real goal here.

Pretty much yeah

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 

Chuck Taylors work really well for lifting, plus they're cheap and easy to find. I recommend the lowtops for better ankle mobility.

If you're really into competitive lifting, I can see the need for something more specific, but for the average guy in the gym Chuck Taylors are a big performance boost (in keeping with the 80/20 theme of this thread).

 

I have Romaleos 2s and they are absolutely great. Recommend them highly. They have a wide(r) base compared to Adipowers (which may be good or bad for you) and they are heavier which makes for a more solid foundation. Your feet are really secured and squatting in them feel amazing, especially if your ankle mobility is subpar.

tds2006 is right about chucks but keep in mind spending the extra cash for Romaleos' will make you safer and healthier in your squat long term, plus they'll last a lifetime.

 

OP Thank you for posting the guide! But I am usually pretty tired when I get to the point of day where I have 45-60 mins to hit the gym, and Im really tired and become afraid/uncomfortable of pushing hard in compound lifts.

How do fellow monkeys manage to stay energetic for heavy lifts when undersleeping/eating? Appreciate any input

 

1) Consider timing when you eat carbs to be after workouts. Allowing your body to better regulate blood sugar levels can result in more consistent energy levels.

2) Take a pre-workout supplement with caffeine in it.

3) Accept the fact that progress in heavy lifting and poor sleep are not compatible and revise your program accordingly.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
 

The only thing I would say here is that if someone is new to squats, dead lifts, or power cleans, that they should consider investing the time in getting a personal trainer to teach them proper technique. It will more than pay for itself in terms of injury prevention and better results. I grew up playing sports throughout high school/college and had coaches obsess over technique starting at the age of 14. 9/10 guys I see at the gym are guilty of:

-Feet too wide on the squat -Not going to parallel on the squat -Not keeping their back straight/rolling forward on the dead lift of squat -standing off center in the hex bar -grip too wide on the bench -Not power cleaning at all

 

There are enough idiotic personal trainers out there that I wouldn't recommend someone go see one blindly.

Plenty of resources for proper barbell exercise form online.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
 

THANK YOU! I'm shocked at the amount of people who are actually big perform most if not all of these lifts incorrectly.

I don't know enough about personal trainers and their certifications, but I'm biased by thinking strength coaches are great with this sort of thing.

Chris Chase from southern cal has a bunch of good videos on mechanics and exercises, so maybe beginners can start there or with other people like him

 

One thing to consider is that there is not a right and wrong way to execute many lifts. It depends on your goals. If you're looking for a muscular aesthetic i.e. bodybuilding approach than you're going to perform lifts accordingly.

There are 2 main camps for squatting: high bar, narrow stance BB style vs low bar wide stance PL style... neither is right or wrong

I don't do any olympic lifts because they do not help me reach my goals in an efficient manner. I constantly get nagging injuries and fail to add muscle as effectively as hypertrophy focused movements/sessions.

I agree that many people just execute lifts in a clown fashion but some people do certain things for a reason.

 

Some athletes will place their feet wide on the squat because of certain goals. A powerlifter will also do a squat quite a bit differently from a bodybuilder. Not going to parallel on the squat is fine if you're focusing on the quads, and hamstrings are done in a separate workout.

I competed in bodybuilding and was on pace to turn pro, and I never did a single power clean. Many athletes will value more static exercises and focus on one muscle group at a time. If I see a guy in a gym going to less than parallel on a squat (or something similar) I don't smirk and think "what a dumbass" in my head when I have no idea what his goals might be.

You can build a world-class physique w/o the squat, deadlift, bench press, and the various Olympic weightlifting movements. Compound movements of some sort need to be performed. But people would be surprised how many of the top bodybuilders in the world do none of the "big three" lifts. They likely did coming up, but after a certain point it's no longer worth the injury risk when their body is their meal ticket.

 

Awesome post, I 100% agree. I deadlifted for about 6 years and it was brutal. It was really tough on my joints and definitely hurt my intensity level on leg days. Did I add some size and strength? Yes, but overall my back grew more after I ditched the DL and my legs did as well since I was able to train them fresh.

Disclosure: I did a natural (steroid free) BB competition in 2009. Have kept training since then but have not competed.

 

Thanks for a great post, OP. For the people in here who are working long hours, nutrition is going to be huge. No guzzling Red Bulls till 3am. Putting together a solid 3-day routine will really boost your energy and your clothes will fit better. I'm on a 5-day routine (thankfully my work schedule is manageable) and feel great. Tracking and weighing (if possible. Get a food scale, it's worth it) your food is vital. MyFitnessPal is easy to use and free.

I bought a pair of Chucks the other day for lifting and they have been great. I had been wearing a pair of Air Max 90's, but with squats and deadlifts my base wasn't stable. Most "athletic" shoes distribute your weight evenly over your foot, making it more difficult to drive off your heels during some heavy movements. Also, Chucks are much less expensive.

100 Ways to Say Jacked -

 

Olympic lifts are very technical and can take a long time to learn - there are many other things you can do (med ball tosses, box jumps, etc) where the net benefit of learning these is not worth it.

The only thing expensive lifting shoes get you versus chucks is a heel lift which makes it easier to sit back and drive through your heels. This can be easily substituted with a hard mat so IMO, don't waste your money on these.

Another popular option I've seen / used is to have normal athletic shoes and go shoe-less for certain lifts. This probably works best for dead lifts because the lack of ankle / foot stability can throw off your squat form if you are still learning.

 
M_As_In_Mancy:

Olympic lifts are very technical and can take a long time to learn - there are many other things you can do (med ball tosses, box jumps, etc) where the net benefit of learning these is not worth it.

The only thing expensive lifting shoes get you versus chucks is a heel lift which makes it easier to sit back and drive through your heels. This can be easily substituted with a hard mat so IMO, don't waste your money on these.

Another popular option I've seen / used is to have normal athletic shoes and go shoe-less for certain lifts. This probably works best for dead lifts because the lack of ankle / foot stability can throw off your squat form if you are still learning.

This is an excellent example of a post made in the best of intentions that spreads misinformation. This thread has been great so far in helping spread the superiority of compound barbell lifts performed correctly, so let's not lose sight of that goal.

  1. The true Olympic lifts (snatch, clean & jerk) are pretty technical and can take a long time (and a lot of mobility work, trust me) to master. However, I have watched dozens of people with no athletic background or strength base learn to power clean safely & repeatably in 20 minutes when coached by a competent coach. Competence in this way is hard-won; I have observed Starting Strength - certified coaches be reliably competent, much less from CrossFit Level 1 coaches but still some, and almost certain pain and death from your regular globo-gym trainer.

  2. There is nothing wrong with med ball tosses or box jumps, but they're usually used in high volume to create a stimulus much higher on the metabolic spectrum. In other words, you're doing those suckers in groups of 15-25 or grouped with other bodyweight movements in a classic CrossFit metcon. Olympic weightlifting is literally the other end of the spectrum: short, explosive movement (please don't get me started on the insanity of 30-rep snatches and other CrossFit nonsense). There is literally no training plan in which you would swap in med ball tosses or box jumps as equivalents to replace the Olympic lifts.

  3. It is worth it to learn the Olympic lifts (or a variant, like the hang power clean) when the trainee finds that rate of force development is a valuable capacity. For anybody lifting heavy weights for sets lower than 5s, this is true, and even those sticking with 5s will find that cycling in power cleans will continue to drive up squat & deadlift deep into the linear progression. There's a reason power cleans are programmed in Starting Strength.

  4. What "expensive" lifting shoes get you is a heel lift, incompressible sole, grip, and lateral stability. Chuck taylors are better than running shoes, but the lack of heel lift and greatly decreased stability relative to WL shoes makes them a poor substitute. You don't have to spend $200 on the newest Romaleos-- there are plenty of shoes at lower price points that give good stability.

  5. Please don't push through your heels. For a lot of beginners, trainers coach the "heels" cue to get people off of the balls of their feet. In reality, the force should be balanced over the midfoot, and the weight in any standing movement (press, squat, deadlift) should be centered over the middle of the foot at all times. Starting Strength talks about this for pages.

  6. I can't tell if this is what you meant or not, but I'll just say this as a public service announcement-- please don't slip a mat under your heels to substitute heel lift. It's variable, it's unstable, and now we're pushing through a midfoot with nothing underneath it. Just get the shoes.

  7. Going shoe-less is better than lifting in cushy running shoes but worse than everything else. The only exception is guys who are deadlifting 500+ in deadlift slips, because they've figured out that having their heels on the ground is optimal for their anthropometry. You can get plenty strong deadlifting in your WL shoes.

"Son, life is hard. But it's harder if you're stupid." - my dad
 

Just to add a bit to your #4. Wei-Ruis were my starter weightlifting shoes years ago. Very budget friendly. For just about any beginner who wants to actually get strong I would recommend something along these lines. I have never and would never recommend doing the mat thing. Raised heels really only help with ankle flexibility, if you can get that flexibility naturally even better, but most olympic lifters use the raised heeled shoes anyway.

Also some people will squat low-bar better barefoot/with minimalist shoes (short femurs master race).

Re#7 I got my deadlift over 400 using weightlifting shoes, however it does turn the lift into a de-facto deficit deadlift. Nothing wrong with training that way as long as you're not going to compete. If you're going to compete I would plan on training a bit a least and certainly peaking with a minimalist shoe/deadlift slipper etc.

Finally if you're on one of those slippery olympic weighlifting platforms but you're doing certain types of powerlifting moves (wide squats, sumo deadlifts), I would never do them barefoot or in socks, as slipping definitely happens and can send you via the express jet to snap-city.

 

There are guys out there (Joe DeFranco comes immediately to mind) who don't even have their elite level athletes do olympic lifts for the very reason i outlined. I played D1 football and there were guys on my team, who after four years still had super shitty form, so i find it hard to believe you can teach someone form in 20 min and have them moving any serious amount of weight. You can do weighted box jumps or heavy med ball throws and get very similar results. I actually did this for an entire summer in lieu of olympic lifts and my power clean max went up. Obviously there are space / equipment limitations here where you may not be able to do it at levels that are beneficial.

I don't want to come across as anti-olympic lifts. I love doing them and incorporate them as much as possible. I was just presenting a viable alternative if someone doesn't have the time / coaching available to learn the lifts.

In regards to the mat / heel drive, I was mainly talking about squats where beginners have a tendency to roll forward on the balls of their feet, I've seen trainers use a hard mat (think a piece of the rubberized gym floor 1/4" thick, not a yoga mat) so they can get used to their heels staying on the ground. Point well made on the heel drive, no idea where i was going with that.

I've personally never used WL shoes so i really can't speak to their benefits. I personally have a pair of nike free trainers that i use for all my lifts and to run. I was just saying that you don't necessarily have to go spend money on shoes that are going to benefit you on one or two specific lifts when there are viable options (chucks, shoeless). I should have stressed that shoeless should probably be reserved for DL as your feet are stationary and theres no real risk of "slipping out" unless your pulling from an ice rink.

 

I'm in a group with a decent culture, so I'm able to get to the gym 3 times a week for 45 min or so on a good program. Out of workout/diet/sleep, sleep is definitely where I lag the most but that's really out of my control. Diet is where I know I should be better and would appreciate advice from you fellow monkeys on doing so.

Being an analyst it's almost not possible to do meal prep ahead of time, and I can't see myself passing up the 25 free bucks a day of seamless. I've got some solid protein bars that I eat each day and do a protein shake with milk in the morning and another right when I get home from work. The tough aspect is the lunch/dinner. Does anyone have some suggestions for good seamless deals for places where you can track your cals even if it's just ballpark but are decently healthy (ex. a good grilled chicken deal). I've thought about starting a separate thread just for the best seamless deals like this out there in Nyc but hopefully we can get some good suggestions here since I think this falls within the scope of this thread

 

good post, just a few things to note:-

you said "....1g per pound of body weight to be safe..."

generally for athletes it ranges from a bit over 1gram around 1.2 to 1.7 or 2 grams per KG of body weight

for everyday sedentary people around 0.8 grams per KG of Bodyweight

for grams per Lb of Body weight it is less

and the problem with the bodyweight issue is that generally people working 10 hours or more have a lot of Body Fat in that bodyweight, so getting the lean body mass is important using the Katch-Mcardle equation for caloric count versus Benedict or Mifflin

and as for the workouts, without correcting the imbalances in terms of length/strength of muscles, mass and the related dysfunction in the body due to postural misalignment (mainly as a result of siting all day and other daily activities -resulting in certain muscles become more active than others), without fixing the kinetic chain, without mayofascial therapy, without developing balance and stabilization, without understanding the planes of motion and the types of motion (for limbs) .. people generally set themselves up for injury

to be safe just read the material of NASM or NSCA (even though these certifications cannot really compete with a degree in Exercise Physiology and/or Dietetics, studying these is a good start) ... and the bodybuilding.com search should be limited until one can understand more via more authentic sources of info ... the problem with bodybuilding.com is that even though the references are there for the articles but the lack of detailed information from the references can lead to problems, earlier articles on bodybuilding.com used to be way more detailed, some problems in the articles today are clear to see for example in an article on Posture an image that was supposed to show proper posture clearly had an Anterior Pelvic tilt

the idea being that there too many issues to consider before just going out there and starting to work out, doing some research and starting slowly, developing one's understanding of fitness and one's fitness gradually using more organized and research backed sources would be a better option

 

Just so you guys are aware bodybuilding splits are the fastest and most effective way to build muscle (I didn't say get stronger or improve athletic performance best).

If your primary goal is to build muscle, I would program a 4 or 5 day split. There is a reason no top BBers do any olympic lifting and very few touch powerlifting.

 
adapt or die:

Just so you guys are aware bodybuilding splits are the fastest and most effective way to build muscle (I didn't say get stronger or improve athletic performance best).

If your primary goal is to build muscle, I would program a 4 or 5 day split. There is a reason no top BBers do any olympic lifting and very few touch powerlifting.

No idea who threw shit at this. It's a basic reality - not an opinion.

Bodybuilders do bodybuilding splits and focus on form and hypertrophy in order to gain muscle size. Powerlifters do strength training and explosive movements in order to gain strength. Athletes do specific movements that help whatever their specific performance goals are.

Additionally, a ton of the movements are the same. How they are executed is the main difference.

Anyhow, Adapt or die is completely right. If your goal is to build muscle, you should program a bodybuilding type program and focus on hypertrophy training.

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

+1 to all those who recommended basic compound movement lifts like squats (front and back squats), deadlifts, all variations of cleans, pull ups and maybe some bench pressing (dangerous without a spotter versus the others mentioned which are much easier to bail out from). oly lifts are fun but would recommend a coach for proper instruction if you're brand new to those. Also a shout out to OP for mentioning Jym's supps from bodybuilding's site. Just started using the pre workout since i'm up early to lift and it's a lot better for me than just coffee at 530am. Dude seems legit and they don't include the dreaded "proprietary blend" ingredients most other options include. Consistency and tracking your workouts is key to realizing achievements, like most other things in life. Keep it simple and do what works best for you. It might sound lame, but don't forget mobility stuff. foam rollers, softballs, lacrosse balls and rolling sticks are your best friends on days you're particularly sore.

 

One thing to point out that you didn't touch on is supersetting (i.e. incline bench directly into chosen ab workout, then right back to incline with no rest). I think this is something that everyone should be doing, especially those strapped for time. Not only do you get more lifts in a shorter amount of time, but you keep your heart rate up and burn more calories.

 

Knew this would devolve into a shitshow. Here's the TLDR, and Google is your friend:

Weightlifting: Fierce 5 if you care about not looking fat, ICF if you've done/are doing a lifting program, SS if you don't care about looking fat Cardio: HIIT or relatively short HIT depending on the time you have and personal pref; do more if you want to cut, less if you want to stay lean but focus is on gainz Food: fuck diets, eat meats, veggies, and products that were not made by a machine. Fuck sugar, fuck salt, eat more carbs if you don't care about getting fat vs. muscle, eat fewer carbs if you're on a cut. Chicken, salmon good, what you're doing now is probably bad. If you're thinking about what has "toxins" you're thinking too hard. Supps: protein, pre, and maybe creatine before bed because cottage cheese tastes nasty as hell. Caff/eph if you're cutting. Everything is optional if you can replace it with food but who has that time/money/motivation to learn cooking

That's pretty much it, if you're arguing about splits and overhand grip supinated motions, stop. It's pretty simple, now if only I could follow it...

 

Previous M&A banker here that has worked the famed 100 weeks for long stretches of time that can vouch for Starting Strength. I recommend it to everybody, especially those in banking. In my experience, not very many people seem open to it though. Perhaps it's not complicated enough or seems too good to be true buts it's done wonders to keep me in shape.

Happy to talk about my experiences with the program more but I basically started it during my analyst years after not having lifted weights for a while. There have been times over the past years where I stopped doing it but always try to pick it back up. At one point was up to 335 5x5 squat. Most recently stopped because of an unrelated injury but planning to restart it soon.

Will say that once your lifting weight gets high enough the rest period increases, which takes up more time, but at that point you're probably in good enough shape to just maintain.

Also, perfect technique is crucial. If you don't already have perfect technique (hardly anyone at my gym does for any of the lifts) I would recommend starting over with the bar. Book does a great job of explaining technique though and there are also videos from the author. I played football in high school so learned barbell lifts then but the book / videos took my technique to the next level.

 

Numquam deserunt ut nostrum adipisci nisi illo sit officia. Quia autem facere quis voluptatem fugit.

Delectus sit repellendus perspiciatis quis aliquam. Quos a nam quia qui id. Fugiat aliquid optio sed enim aliquid.

 

Maiores rem non numquam vel tenetur iusto ut. Qui mollitia voluptates unde cum voluptas non eos. Minima tempora distinctio et doloremque vitae natus ea. Ut nobis voluptas et eligendi quia architecto voluptates.

Fuga id quibusdam voluptatem. Non corporis fugiat ut qui suscipit nulla nostrum facere. Nam et in repellendus magni. Ut et nobis ut ea et. Aut deserunt excepturi provident molestias distinctio dignissimos. Accusantium ipsam dolores beatae dolor harum.

Quo sunt in quisquam unde vel odit voluptatem. Illum assumenda reprehenderit magni dolor nihil itaque impedit. Doloribus tenetur quod magni rem excepturi. Quae impedit nihil iusto rerum ea debitis consequatur.

Blanditiis vitae illum et. Dolor veniam soluta vitae ipsum et vero suscipit. Dignissimos ab culpa quod possimus modi et.

 

Iste eum sunt enim fugit vitae fugit perspiciatis illo. Voluptates dolor aperiam et qui pariatur soluta totam. Ut ducimus accusantium veritatis eum placeat quos quas inventore. Est saepe iste reiciendis dolorem sapiente nesciunt et.

Ipsa iste commodi commodi ipsum et minima. Voluptas esse aut officia nihil et et et. Animi ut illo amet rerum ut reprehenderit.

Vel rerum perspiciatis maxime veritatis ullam saepe. Non atque beatae omnis. Quo labore in aut dolores.

Array
 

Earum quaerat eos tenetur magni facere voluptate odio. Vel et qui id ut placeat. Et est quia et accusamus ea. Dolorum labore et aperiam nostrum.

Sint veritatis voluptatem veritatis ab dolorum aspernatur eaque. Ex velit blanditiis vel. Aut eos et esse eos magnam et illo. Beatae sapiente in consequatur ipsam voluptas earum incidunt omnis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”