[Ouroboros]

Hey guys-

Bit of an odd post but as I write this I'm watching a clip of someone coaching a weight lifting exercise called the 'split jerk', and it made me wonder if any other forumites are interested in lifting or strength training?

For the past couple of months I've been following a programme called Crossfit, which is a programme which is based on constantly varying hi-intensity workouts that mix a lot of different disciplines: Power lifting, rowing, sprinting, bodyweight exercises (pullups and dips etc.) and some unusual stuff like sledgehammer swinging and Russian kettlebells.

http://www.crossfit.com

How do you like to work out?

[cougs]

I'm a big fan of a mix of power lifting, cardio, and some cross country running(season permitting). I guess my workouts are a mix of "football power lifting" exercises to put on muscle and toning exercises to try and shape it.

about a year into it now, going pretty well.

A lot of the workouts/exercises I use come from the "Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding".

Link: http://www.amazon.com/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219

[kater]

Mostly circuit-training and body-strength exercises, I mix and match regimes depending on where I feel I am. I've used Craig Ballantine's Turbulence training quite a lot as it allows you to alter the degree of difficulty quite significantly. Power lifters fascinate me and some of the full-body movements they do are phenomenal - I found this blog entry recently that kinda blew me away: http://joshsgarage.typepad.com/articles/2007/08/the-greatest-wo.html

[Ouroboros]

I put off learning Olympic lifts and incorporating them into my training until I found the right coach, but I'd encourage you to look into trying them yourself, Kater- It's freaky how strong you can get comparatively quickly, just using a few simple lifts.

[kater]

Yeah I was put onto it by a friend, tbh I'm a bit leery of super heavy lifts - I find you have to be in a very specific frame of mind going into the session or it can go wrong quickly. After a full day in work it often feels too much but I'm trying to get one session a week in. I imagine you've read this guy too but wiggy over on mmaweekly.com does some excellent programs - particularly in terms of general fitness and getting past sticking points. I did a few of his bench press routines when I got stuck in a rut with it recently and it's fantastic what a little change in technique, posture and grip can do. If you haven't read his stuff, might be worth a look.