9nines

Daniel, Do you feel the pin is secure and safe at the 50-90 pounds range? With a barbell, I only bench around 160 pounds, so I doubt I will use more than 60 pounds, regularly, with future goal of 90 pounds. For higher weight exercise, like squats, I will use a barbell that I already have, so on dangerous over head exercises (bench press, overhead press, pullover) with powerblock, I doubt I will even get to the 90 pounds but maybe. The salesperson at the store where I would buy them, took the powerblocks and slung them around in his hand to show how secure the pin was. But that showmanship might be a gimmick. Your thoughts?

Space is a concern (mainly height as it is in a room above a garage.) I would not have room for a cage but I could get a squat stand for leg and barbell bench presses later.

Thanks.

They seem good. An added benefit is that the elites (ones that can be upgraded up to 130 pounds) have two back handles (middle handle for one hand but bottom of block has two handles), so you have two grips for pull-overs or triceps exercises where you want to hold one dumbbell, with both hands. I just have pre-buyer remorse , so I want opinions.

Why would walking up three stairs cause breath shortened, if more lengthy exercises did not? I am 38, fairly lean (5-8, 148 pounds). Each week, I lift weights 2 to 3 hours, 1.5 hours of cardiovascular exercise (pulse ranging from 125 to 160, depending on session) and walk about 3 to 4 hours. I can run a long time, without being tired (after 4 to 6 miles, I quit from boredom but I am not tired.) The problem: walking up three flights of stairs, taking two steps at a time ( I do this about 6+ times a day, at work, going to another floor), slightly takes me out of breath (enough that I have to pause to catch my breath, if talking to someone, within a minute of walking up the stairs.) I am not huffing-and-puffing (never had that even after running 5 miles) but I am breathing more rapidly and as I wrote, can not maintain an even conversation (must pause to get air) for about 1 minute or so afterwards - it is not that big-of-a-deal but since I seem to in very good I am shape, I am confused about it (it is only three flights.) If I only take one step at a time, this is not the case (I have normal breathing then.) It is not a new situation; I have always had this on stairs, if I take two steps at a time. Also, even when running or using an elliptical machine, my breath does not seem as short, even with a pulse around 160. Is it normal or a concern? Does it indicate anything?

Individual ones would be really expensive. Do you think pullovers and presses where you touch the weights together would be dangerous with dumbbell handles (weights coming lose.) With the weights right above my head, just the worry probably limits me. Also, the powerblock weights are very secure (won't come lose), right?

Thanks. I might re-incorporate barbells into my weight lifting, but I have seen a good change, from using dumbbells.

Anyone use the Powerblock adjustable dumbbells. Any good? I was going to start using my dumbbell handles more and would rather not spend the money but working out alone, dumbbells using plates could be dangerous and the Powerblock would be quicker to change weight.

I was only consuming probably 2400 to 2700 calories a day, sometimes less. I starting making a shake to get an extra 500 calories. I tried many different ingredients. Here is what I like so far: 1 cup soy yogurt 1 cup rice milk 1 tablespoon of real peanut butter (could use any nut butter and more) 75% of a scoop of nutritional yeast (this is the latest ingredient that I have added – I thought it would taste bad but it just gave it a mild tang – I might try more in next shake) Banana Coconut shavings Blue berries (I use frozen) Either raw sugar or maple syrup (just added this to counter the tang of the yeast) The above probably has 18 to 22 grams of protein, you could add a protein powder for more. With the yeast and yogurt it probably has 60-70% of daily iron and the yeast has a lot of B vitamins (even B-12, only about 6% to 8% of daily need but still has some.) It is probably 500 to 600 calories.

Warning: On Flax oil: Flaxseed oil turns rancid (might not taste it but toxins are there) very quickly (why it is only safe refrigerated - cold shipped and cold stored, in the store.) Either buy safe seeds and grind them or buy ground seeds, in vacuum sealed bags or with CO2 or another gas that preserves them (Spectrum ships them that way.) On iron: For women it might be safer but I had a bad experience with iron. I went to a doctor because of slight allergies and lightheadedness last Spring. She did like my diet (made weird, "why do you eat that way" comment.) She then suspected an iron deficiency and gave me a blood test. She called a day later and told me to take iron supplements (around 25 mg a day, our what ever is about 125 to 150% of US recommend allowance.) Lightheadedness went away (but likely would have anyway as it was seasonal allergy related.) I kept taking the iron supplement. I then had headaches every day. Why I did not suspect the iron, I do not know but I continue to take it, while I tried isolating everything else in my diet. Then when the bottle was empty, I went to a VitmanShoppe to get another. The lady asked, why do you want iron, it can be dangerous to men. Again I feel stupid for not realizing it sooner but the ah-ha, the headaches might be from the iron, idea went through my head. I thanked her and did not buy any. A day or two later, no more headaches. I then went to a good internal-medicine doctor.I told her and gave her the other doctor's test results. She said the test results (taken before taking iron supplements) just barely showed that I was anemic and that it was probably not responsible for the other doctor to tell me to take iron from that reading. She tested me later and said I had no iron problems.

Sorry for repeat

This one seems neat, maybe too thick of padding - liek a luxury chair http://www.bayoufitness.com/Detail.bok?no=32

Thanks. I'll try more standing leg exercises as you suggested. Can that model be bought in the US? Anyone know about the Ironman benches. They cost only about $125 and seem pretty good. It handles 500 pounds (I weight 150 and would work with maybe 160 maximum now, so that it is a lot of room for weight gain and more weights.) Here is a link to one I might get: http://www.bayoufitness.com/Detail.bok?no=54

Nice system.

I am going to get a new FID dumbbell bench. And some universal dumbbells and start doing more dumbbell exercises and not doing barbell ones much. Needs: (1) Good quality (held together well) (2) able to come close to 90% incline for shoulder presses etc. (3) low decline (4) good quality leg extension for smooth leg curls. I do want it to be just a bench, as I want to do many dumbbell exercises without surroundings. I might get a barbell rack to do barbell exercises, with it, later. Any recommendations? A fitness store near me has a nice Hoist-brand dumbbell bench but the bench is $300 and the leg extension is $150, for $450 total. I see other benches, like Powertech, on the web, with comparable models for $250 range and no shipping costs. But I know of no stores that sell them so I can see the quality. Is the Hoist bench and leg extension worth $450 or are there comparable models for less? Which?

I have always exercised my triceps and chest on the same day. Bench press exercises etc. use the triceps, not much biceps right? (I push a light dumbbell on bench press and with free hand feel finding my triceps are tight and biceps lose.) If your chest exercises are using triceps, isn't it good to finish with triceps exercises to fully fatigue them, versus doing that on another day? That is what I always thought and did but as I read, it seems most recommend the chest and biceps on the same day work outs and shoulders and triceps on different day. Do wha tI am doing or is it better to do Chest and Biceps the same day and Back, Shoulders and Triceps another day? Also, why? I am not arguing; I want to understand. ???????

I am no expert but I think the following is correct: In weight lifting your body uses sugar (glucose) for fuel. Some comes from stored sugar as glycogen, most of which is stored in your liver. There is also some stored around all muscles (but only enough for quick anaerobic bursts, not sustained workouts.) To keep your body fueled for a lengthy anaerobic workout, like weight lifting, it is good to eat good quality carbohydrates (fruits etc.) before exercising. Do not eat heavy sources such as breads etc., which will use more energy and blood to digest. Most fruits will digest very quickly with much less energy needed to digest them. Then about an hour after weight lifting, eat something with about 15-20 grasms of protein. I usually eat a few vegetabels and 1/3 cup (dried before cokking) of beans or potatoe and brown rice. Again, I am no expert so I might be leading you astray but I think the above is correct.

Hi, This is my first post. I read your site a few days. I noticed there are a lot of topics about protein. Now, from my research, I think one would either have to eat mostly heavily refined foods or starve to have a protein deficiency but some thing that really opened my eyes on this question was an article by Dr. McDougall where he raised a point about human milk's protein content. The stage in our lives, where our bodies grow the most rapidly (and therefore would likely be at our peak of protein needs) is our infant stage. And the exclusive food at that point in life is human milk. Human milk has less than 7% of its calories from protein. Here is its breaks down: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-B00001-01c201X.html Now with its no iron content and heavy fat content I doubt that nutrient breakdown should be an adult's nutritional goal but on the protein content, if an infant, with its rapidly growing body, needs only 7% of its calories as protein, how can adult's need so much, especially non-actvie ones. Sorry if these topic has been over-written, I just found the human milk protein content angle very interesting and saw much interest in this topic here. So, I wanted to share it, as my first post.