Gymvox Health and Fitness

"Gym Rule #266: Never… Ever… Train more than one major muscle (Chest, back, legs) on a..."

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:58:12 -0600

“Gym Rule #266: Never… Ever… Train more than one major muscle (Chest, back, legs) on a given training day. Ignoring this rule you will fail to put enough effort into either primary group to provide benefit and you’ll find yourself short of breaching your goals.”

"Gym Rule #265: If you train consistently and do not either; lose weight or gain strength, you are..."

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:57:00 -0600

“Gym Rule #265: If you train consistently and do not either; lose weight or gain strength, you are doing something wrong. Re-evaluate your goals, research methods of achieving those goals and adjust your routine accordingly. Also consider your eating into the equation.”

Gym Rule #265

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:51:00 -0600

Gym Rule #266

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:50:39 -0600

Gym Rule #11

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 08:07:41 -0500

Although swinging may be perfectly acceptable on the playground or in the 60’s, it has no place at the gym while curling. Yes, you may be feeding your ‘ego’ because you can ‘do’ 20 lbs more than you can actually do with proper posture, you are not doing your self any good. Not only are you putting your back at risk of injury, you are not truly using your biceps (the soul purpose of a curl). To build up those biceps like you want to, lower the weight to something you can do with proper posture; Legs shoulder width apart, keeping your back straight while you curl upwards and downwards with control. The key is to remain in control.

Gym Etiquette #1

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:48:21 -0500

Re-rack your weights… Appropriately. Seriously, walk an extra 5 feet to put the 15lbs back where they belong, and not on top of the 100lbs.

Gym Rule #2

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:46:28 -0500

Be respectful of other trainers around you. Generally speaking, if there is someone training, and they step away for a second and leave weights as placeholders, don’t take that bench until you know they won’t be back; expecially when ever other bench is free. That was 2 people today; within the same exercise even!”

Gym Rule #32a

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:44:03 -0500

If you do not know proper form or have never had any formal training, seek advice and it will be given. However, if you do not seek it I will not interject as you apparently know what you are doing.

Gym Rule #32

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:41:26 -0500

I will not judge your training routine or form. No matter how poor it is our how much it puts you at risk of injuring yourself.

Gym Rule #67

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:40:55 -0500

If a piece of equipment has an attached racking system AND is currently in use, do not take weights from that rack unless it is ok’d by the lifter using that equipment. Just because that 45 isn’t in use at that point of time doesn’t mean the parter isn’t using it on his lift.

Gym Rule #66

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:40:39 -0500

Imagine that each piece of equipment has a bubble, a zone of operation the radius of all possible exercises possibly performed on it; don’t enter that zone… Ever. Even thought it may not be in use, Someone will eventually use it. Most importantly, don’t do decline pushups into that zone or I’ll use it, with weights over your head.”

Gym Critique #102

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:33:49 -0500

Flipping channels benefits you more than spaztastic training because it is more systematic. You cant spend 30 seconds on 20 machines and expect to see results. Additionally, excessive repetitions or intensity with little-to-no resistance classifies as spastastic. Instead, focus on specific muscle groups, multiple sets of each exercise and challenging resistance. Expecting to loose weight while running (literally running as you would on a treadmill) or lifting weights in random and disorganized fashion will only inhibit (and hurt) you in the long run.

2007 vs 2011

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:51:35 -0500

2007 vs 2011

A few key gains this year; Shoulders are larger, upper chest is...

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:51:00 -0500

A few key gains this year; Shoulders are larger, upper chest is more developed, alittle more size in the arms and far more definition in. Abominals are currently holding some water from overhydration which should be reduced with a lower water intake. As mentioned last time; I complement Yoga for much of the micro-definition changes.

I am about 3 months away from the body building show and I...

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:33:00 -0500

I am about 3 months away from the body building show and I wanted to see how my abs were coming in. So far, they are coming in nicely and personally, I believe the micro improvements are the result of the addition of yoga to my workout routine; that and a solid diet and weight training program. Posted is a photo from when I initially embarked on this journey side by side with my progress photo. I have a few more pounds to loose before I compete; but the progress is looking good!

Debunking Low-Fat concepts

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:48:13 -0600

Debunking Low-Fat concepts

Decent article related to nutritional planning for muscle gains.

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:17:49 -0600

Decent article related to nutritional planning for muscle gains.

The Cowtown Half Marathon Results (2010)

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:19:22 -0600

The Cowtown Half Marathon Results (2010)

'Fit' In At The Gym

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:32:00 -0600

It’s a new year and a great time to begin my journey in helping to share my knowledge of fitness, nutrition and activities related to therefore of. As this is my first post, I figured I would begin with something simple and easy to follow; Appropriate gym-attire, offering my advice to help you ‘fit’ in at the gym. Let us begin!

Every gym has its environment and its culture. The environment is made up of the location, the architecture, equipment and decor. Beyond the static elements of the gym, the people that surround you add to the overall feeling and your experience while training. Exercise requires clothing that is comfortable, yet flexible and should not interfere with your range of motion. For the most part, you will see the style of clothing is uniform around the gym as most people understand what is appropriate.

The clothing you choose to train in is more important than you may think. Wearing clothing items that do not conform to the demands of your routine can interfere, inhibit and sometimes prevent you from completing your exercise effectively. As mentioned before, you must feel comfortable in what you wear, insuring that you have a full range of motion in which ever activity you are participating in. Additionally, much like the work place, there are expectation of what you should wear and what you should not.

Let’s begin with some examples (based on real life observations) of what doesn’t fit and why;

- Jeans: Generally speaking, jeans do not stretch restricting movement which can adversely affect your range of movement in leg exercises and is highly not recommended for cardio activities.

- PJs: Although I recommend that you are comfortable at the gym, there is a fine line between relaxation and total nonsense. Pajama bottoms can interfere with activities below the waist because of excess material that can get in the way or can snag on weights or equipment.

- ‘Customized’ Shirts: Alterations to t-shirts are made in order to enhance range of motion. An appropriate cut is anywhere from around the shoulder to an inch or two below the arm. In some cases, however, the alterations are made (to enhance the appearance, a topic for another day) that make no sense. What purpose does a shirt with only an inch at the bottom serve? When these excessive alterations are made, the risk of excess material getting in the way of movement increases.

- Ill-fitting clothing: Wearing a shirt that is too tight will constrict your range of motion and comfortably. Many people wear clothes that are tight intend to demonstrate their physique. Unfortunately for them this has a counter-productive result as the tight clothes accentuates areas that need improvement and limit their ability to perform their exercises appropriately.

So what is appropriate for wear in the gym? Generally any clothing item you find in sporting section of your favorite is appropriate. What you want to find is clothing that fits. Clothing that is too big (baggy) will interfere with your routine by getting in the way. Clothing that is too tight can constrict your range of motion and prevent you from hitting the movements needed to achieve maximum stimulation while performing an exercise. You do, however, want to wear something that is slim. Your shirt should conform to your shape while remaining loose enough to breath. Your bottom (shorts or pants) should be stretchable as lower body exercises require agile movements.

Keep in mind that you contribute to the overall experience of everyone around you. Think of the dress code at work and how in conformity sticks out like a sore thumb. Be respectful of those around you and take into consideration how you would like the environment to be.

Re: Losing fat

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:22:59 -0600

In response to a tread on MuscleAndStrength.com related to losing fat;

Here is my advice:

First of all, depending on the size of your abs, you are looking at getting to about 7-8% before you start to see your abs; so it will take alittle more work.

Secondly, The 2 most important things you can do is a) refine your diet and b) step up on cardio. You can weight train all day long, at high intensity, but you will not see the results you are looking for with out diet and cardio.

For your diet; Use a calorie calculator to estimate your daily needs and put togeather an ideal diet. Focus primarily on eating about every 2-3 hours; consuming at least 100% of your lean weight in protien (for 180lbs, your looking at 180g of protien). Finally, limit your complex carbs; they swell you up and fatten you up. Try avoiding complex carbs within 3-4 hours before you got to bed; they are designed to provide with timed-release energy… well you wont be using that energy while you sleep!

For cardio; You need low to moderate cardio for at LEAST 20 minutes a session; you dont see much of a benefit with anything less than that. To further define moderate cardio, it’s achieving a heart rate that is desirable for fat burning. For the average male, in his twenties, you are looking at about 125-135; or 60-70% of your max heart rate.

For the best results, I would recommend at least 30 minutes of cardio, for at least 3 times a week to see a difference; 30-45 minutes at 5 times a week to see increased success.

Keep in mind that with increased activity, you will need to increase your caloric intake with clean, healthy calories, protien to restore muscle strength, and about 7-8 hours of rest.

If you want more information, please let me know!